Review: Engaging Story
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 16, 2014
The Fall of January Cooper is an intriguing story about two people who are unhappy for vastly different reasons. Over time, they teach each other they each are strong and can weather any storm.January Cooper is known as the rich girl, the spoiled girl, the girl who gets everything she wants. And she seems to live up to those perceptions. But underneath, she's a vulnerable young woman who rarely gets what she wants, and what she most wants is someone to love and accept her for her. When her father is arrested for orchestrating a Ponzi scheme, things go from bad the worse.Christian Cutlass is a damaged young man. Once a promising young hockey player, he lost everything he most cared about in one night. He now drowns his guilt in work, school, and alcohol. When January comes into his bar one night, Christian's life is irrevocably changed.I really enjoyed watching as January and Christian became friends, and not friends, and back again. There seemed to be miscommunication between them as they each tried to stay away from the other but there was snarky banter that made it entertaining. I liked that their relationship wasn't going to be perfect but they seemed to be exactly what the other needed. And the emotional growth and healing they brought about in each other was touching.I liked this story and the characters so much. However, I felt there were a few threads in the story that were either left somewhat unresolved or resolved in an unsatisfying way. One thread, involving a character named Vanessa, seemed more important that the resolution it received. I also didn't like the way in which events with January's parents culminated. I know they were selfish and greedy people but to have treated January the way the did seemed a tad unrealistic (maybe because I'm a parent who can't fathom it) and it made for too tidy an ending.I don't know if Ms. Bell plans on giving us more of January and Christian's story but I certainly wouldn't mind. As I said, I liked these characters quite a bit and maybe I'd get a better resolution for January's parents' story, as well as for Vanessa. The Fall of January Cooper was engaging and nicely paced...at least until the end.**I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**