The Fastest Way to Fall by Denise Williams

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Title: The Fastest Way to Fall
Author: Denise Williams
Published by: Berkley
Release Date: November 2, 2021
Format: ebook
Pages: 380
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Potential Triggers: View Spoiler »eating disorders, drug addiction « Hide Spoiler
Source: Overdrive
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2022 COYER Spring, Lenoreo's 2022 Diversity Reading Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks ✩ IndieBound ✩ Book Depository
My rating:

Blurb:

Britta didn’t plan on falling for her personal trainer, and Wes didn’t plan on Britta. Plans change and it’s unclear if love, career, or both will meet them at the finish line.

Britta Colby works for a lifestyle website, and when tasked to write about her experience with a hot new body-positive fitness app that includes personal coaching, she knows it’s a major opportunity to prove she should write for the site full-time.

As CEO of the FitMe app, Wes Lawson finally has the financial security he grew up without, but despite his success, his floundering love life and complicated family situation leaves him feeling isolated and unfulfilled. He decides to get back to what he loves—coaching. Britta’s his first new client and they click immediately.

As weeks pass, she’s surprised at how much she enjoys experimenting with her exercise routine. He’s surprised at how much he looks forward to talking to her every day. They convince themselves their attraction is harmless, but when they start working out in person, Wes and Britta find it increasingly challenging to deny their chemistry and maintain a professional distance.

Wes isn’t supposed to be training clients, much less meeting with them, and Britta’s credibility will be sunk if the lifestyle site finds out she’s practically dating the fitness coach she’s reviewing. Walking away from each other is the smartest thing to do, but running side by side feels like the start of something big.

My Review:

4.5 stars — This one just hit me in all the right spots.  I loved that it was the perfect fat girl book for me, in that it was so realistic — a mix of struggles with being fat, and feeling positivity.  I think I was in right from the author’s note at the start, b/c I *felt* what she was saying, and I really hoped that the story lived up to that promise.  And for me it did.

Britta was fun, spunky, quirky, hilarious.  And she was far from perfect.  She made blunders, experienced guilt, shame, jealousy.  She wholeheartedly did not make the right decisions at a few turns.  And yet I was still with her on the journey.  I felt like the consequences she experienced were reasonable.  I felt like her journey towards understanding certain truths was realistic.  I loved watching this heroine that I fell so easily in love with grow and become an even better version of herself.

And Wes was right there with Britta.  He was adorable, dorky, sweet, caring, encouraging.  But he was also a bit of a doormat, which was kind of a fun turn from what I’m used to reading (ie gender swapped).  He was so easily used in some situations.  He was also very fluent in keeping people outside his walls…and he rebuilt them with speed when he felt he needed to.  So, like Britta, I loved him, but I wanted more from him.  And he grew too!  And it was very rewarding.  He definitely wasn’t a typical hero, and I kind of loved that about him.  He was also a fantastic coach, and I loved watching him get enthusiastic about helping others feel good about themselves and reach their goals.

It was so strange to read a story about two people who kind of fuck up in monumental ways, but whose hearts are in the right place, so you want to see them make it through.  But you also don’t want it to be too easy for them, b/c then I feel like their journey would have meant less as a result.  For me the balance was perfect.

I adored them together.  They were so freaking cute, I can’t even.  I loved that it had a bit of a slow burn feel to it, seeing them crushing, missing signals, hitting roadblocks, and ultimately finding their way to one another.  I was so satisfied with the way their relationship played out, even if they gave me anxiety along the way.

And I really really really appreciated the message about body appreciation, fitness, strength, and all that stuff in this book.  It had the perfect realistic balance, and I desperately want to shove this book at so many people I know.  Partly because I feel like they would get to know *me* through reading this book.

Both Britta and Wes had some pretty solid friend groups, and I was happy to see that there are books coming (and books already out) that feature some of those friends.  Will definitely be checking them out.

I think the secondary character I was most surprised by was Claire.  I LOVED what Ms. Williams did with that character, and her relationship with Britta.  She could have gone cliché, but she didn’t.  She gave it depth that I didn’t know I was needing.  And it wasn’t just Claire, I found Mason and Maricela to both be more interesting than my first impressions, and my expectations I guess.

So yeah.  Love it when a book lives up to and exceeds your expectations.