Falling For You by Lisa Schroeder

Falling For You:
Rae's always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her...and the less she wants to give.

As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous.

Then a tragedy lands Rae in the ICU. Now, hovering between life and death, Rae must find the light amid the darkness…and the strength to fight for life and the love she deserves.

Lisa Schroeder writes beautifully poetic stories, and Falling For You was no different. Written as a fill length novel and not in Lisa's usual verse form, this book was haunting and romantic, it broke my heart a million times but I kept returning for more. While my home-life was nothing compared to Rae's, I found myself relating to her emotional state throughout this story. There are times when I felt as alone as Rae did, constantly wondering if anyone truly cared or worried about me; and luckily for Rae (and for me) she had more people in her corner than she could have imagined. This book focuses on the darker side of relationships and the lengths people will go in order to hide the truth from others. But there is also the side of the story that shows that it's okay to ask for help. Rae (much like myself) used her poetry to express the emotions she was afraid of showing, and along the way she discovered that by remaining anonymous she was still hiding when all she really wanted was to be heard.

The truly bright spot in Rae's life, and the only place she really feels safe and at home is at the small flower shop in which she works. It's a place for her to escape to when things get too rough at home. When Rae first meets Nathan, he seems perfect, but after only one date she knows that something is not quite right. But not being very experienced with boys, and under the advisement of her friends, she continues to see him. It's not until things turn violent that she realizes he's not good for her. Once her friends finally begin to see how controlling and pushy Nathan has become they stand beside her when Rae decides to end their relationship. Her step-father is becoming more abusive and is taking everything from Rae and her mother. The only normal thing in Rae's life is her friend Leo, who knows nothing about Rae's personal life until she is brave enough to show him a poem. As they become closer, Nathans behavior becomes more erratic and dangerous. Leo devises a plan to help Rae discover a part of herself that she's always kept hidden: her kind heart. By helping others, Rae realizes that once started there is nothing kindness and a little compassion can't do. Despite their tremulous relationship, Rae still wants to help Nathan as his own life starts to deteriorate around him by finding someone other than her he can talk to. The final showdown between Rae and her step-father leaves Rae badly injured, but also frees her and her mother from his abusive control.