After She Falls by Carmen Schober, A Contemporary Fiction Novel About A Young Woman In The MMA Fight World

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts below are my own and I was not required to post a positive review. Also, this blog post includes affiliate links. You can view my affiliate disclaimer here.

CONTEMPORARY FICTION

Carmen Schober’s debut novel, After She Falls, delivers a striking story in a powerful punch!

From the very beginning of this story, I was hooked. The author’s writing style is edgy, gritty and personal. I loved the way her characters and their personalities jumped off the page, completely captivating me. The tension and sparks flying between the characters kept me turning the pages as quickly as I could, so deeply engrossed that I read the entire novel in one afternoon.

Continue reading for my full review…

She's always had that fire in her. She just needs to find it again.

Strong-willed Adri Rivera nearly achieved her goal of being a professional mixed martial artist, but then she fell in love with a man who knocked all the fight out of her. When their abusive, tumultuous relationship finally comes to a head, Adri flees with their young daughter to her small hometown in the mountains of Pennsylvania. There, she must face the people she left behind and put her broken life back together again.

A hardened Max Lyons can't believe Adri is back in town after abruptly cutting him and everyone else off years ago. Despite the distance that grew between them, he feels compelled to help her regain her independence and offers her a job at his gym. But regaining each other's trust is another matter, made even more complicated by the lingering spark between them. As Adri dares to pursue her dream again, she trains for a big tournament with Max's help, but they'll both have to confront their own doubts in order to rise victorious.

"Anyone who has watched a sports movie knows that the underdog will prevail, romance readers know that love wins, and Christian fiction readers know that God is bigger than any problem; Schober's debut novel is unique for being blend of the three."--LIBRARY JOURNAL

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★★★★ | Absolutely phenomenal writing! Carmen Schober’s debut novel, After She Falls, delivers a striking story in a powerful punch!

From the very beginning of this story, I was hooked.

The author’s writing style is edgy, gritty and personal. I loved the way her characters and their personalities jumped off the page, completely captivating me. The tension and sparks flying between the characters kept me turning the pages as quickly as I could, so deeply engrossed that I read the entire novel in one afternoon.

The added bonus of reading about a woman in the MMA world was both intriguing and compelling. Schober’s own experience and knowledge in this arena is evident in the authenticity of this novel.

Related Post: All That Really Matters by Nicole Deese

After She Falls unfolds the story of Adri Rivera, a fighter’s niece who’s found herself smothered in an abusive marriage and desperate for escape for herself and her young daughter. As she seeks solace in the comforts of small-town Sparta, Pennsylvania, she goes back to her roots, where she said she’d never return. Memories and mistakes follow her as she begins to pick up the pieces and determine what her life will look like going forward. Adri is a strong female protagonist; flawed, and yet stepping forward to face new challenges while asserting both her place in the fight world, and what she has to offer it.

Max Lyons, former fighter and local gym-owner, just happens to be Adri’s ex, and now her new boss. As their past comes to light, they sludge through the memories, fumbling but moving forward. Schober delivered Max’s character in a way that made me want to love and loathe him at the same time; I loved it!

Schober doesn’t shy away from the tension between her characters, but rather uses it to build a strong story that is thoroughly enjoyable, inspiring and rewarding. Her supporting characters are lovable and bring so much added depth to the story. The faith-based elements of the story are very vague, however, the novel is inspiring especially in the women’s empowerment realm. As the story proceeds, there is personal growth in the characters and evidence of change in their lives as they yield to their new found faith.

Overall, this story was exceptionally well-written and one that any contemporary fiction lover will enjoy. As a reader in her mid 30s, it was refreshing to read a story that felt modern and offer an appeal to the millennial generation.

Note: For the conservative reader, this novel may surprise you. It includes fight competitions which some may consider violent, drinking in excess, visiting bars, dancing suggestively and accepting that lifestyle on a regular basis with little guilt. There are many mentions of swearing, though no swear words are spelled out. This enhances the more gritty, secular, socially progressive feel of the novel. At times, I struggled with this. As a believer, I desired a confession of sin and a salvation experience from the characters and hoped to see a stronger transformation of the heart, rather than the vague change that was only alluded to in the final chapters.

Trigger Warning: Includes marital abuse and abuse of a pet.