Falling Into Us by Jasinda Wilder Blog Tour (Review, Interview, Giveaway)

Let me start by saying Falling Into You by Jasinda Wilder was one of my favorite books of this year, so when I heard Falling Into Us was coming out, I totally did a happy dance. Falling Into Us is not a continuation of Falling Into You, but a parallel story about Kyle and Nell’s best friends, Becca and Jason. Can Falling Into Us be read alone? Yes. But since it follows the same timeline, there are a load of spoilers. And anyway, if you haven’t read Falling Into You yet, well…….STOP right here. Right now. CLICK HERE and buy it, or read my review first. Then come back and thank me, or kill me for making you cry, then hug me for making you read it.

And you will cry again in Falling Into Us. So have tissues ready.

“But I’m the best motherfucking wide receiver in the state. There’s something to be said for Dad’s ‘training program.'” I made air quotes with my fingers as I said the last part.

Jason has had a crush on Nell for 10 years. Everyone knows it except Nell and her BFF Kyle (who also happens to be Jason’s BFF). So when the football team pressures him into it, Jason finally asks Nell out. But when he goes to pick her up, she cancelled, as Kyle finally stepped up and asked Nell out (They are the couple from the beginning of Falling Into You). Nell suggests her friend Becca, who has had a crush on Jason since forever. Since Jason always thought Becca was almost as hot as Nell, he went for it.

“A prisoner of perfection
An enemy of state
For no more crime than being
A teenaged girl
In like with a teenaged boy”

Becca’s life revolves around school. Her brother is a bi-polar pothead who gets in to trouble often, so Becca is the focus of all of her overprotective parent’s hope. She spends hours and hours each day on homework and has the highest grades in her class. Because of her stutter, she keeps books of her poetry, where her thoughts flow out of her smoothly. Becca has had a crush on Jason since he defended her in grade school from kids who made fun of her stutter. When he asks her out, she has to sneak out to see him. Until she gets caught.

“That’s me
The silent girl
The stutterer
The prisoner
The smart girl
The valedictorian scribbling maledictions to no one”

The two kids were so young and inexperienced. As Becca snuck out and stole moments with Jason, the sweetness of innocent first love was beautiful to read about. Jason wasn’t some jock that was trying to get laid. He was just as nervous as she was. Jason grew up with a drunk dad, the police chief, who beat the crap out of him daily until he was forced to set every football record he could to try to appease him. Seeing these two have their first kiss, and gradually fall in love was just wonderful to read.

“And then he kissed me. My toes curled in my pastel-purple keys. Jesus God, the boy could kiss.”

Jasinda felt no need to rush. We watched this relationship progress slowly, very slowly, as they try to keep from going too far. The kids gradually fell in love, and slowly, and smartly discussed how far they could and would go. There was no pressure. Just two very smart kids having their first love.

“I’m nervous about us,” I said. I’m nervous about how kissing you seems to be so hard to stop.”

“God…Becca.” His voice was thick, low, rough. “How am I supposed to be able to breathe when you’re so beautiful?”

The book is over 520 pages, and the first half, at least, is the progression to the first time the kids make love.

We’re dancing on the edge of a knife
And I want to fall over
With you
But I can’t help being a little afraid
Of the adulthood lying on the other side
(…)
Yes, you and me
We’re
Falling Into Us
And I don’t dare stop the fall
Because I need it far too much

Jasinda can write sex, that’s for sure. And there was a LOT of it in this book. Their first time was just perfect. All girls should have a first time like that. But because of the detailed teen sex scenes, I had a few uncomfortable moments. They are 16. My son is about to turn 16. But to tell you the truth, if he was as in love as Jason was and he took such good care of a girl he loved, I would be OK with it. (Oh God, did I just say that?)

The first 50% of the book, though beautifully written, was Young Adult, not New Adult. It was amazing, but for me, it moved a bit too slow, though it really helped you connect with the characters. Part of my problem may be that I was overwhelmed with books, and this one is long…I wish I had a little more time to savor it. I was also waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop. And it took a while…

I was waiting….I knew there was a tragedy. Kyle and Nell were Jason’s and Becca’s best friends. I didn’t think I would cry again. But I did. Oh, but I did. And then the second half of the book kicked in. And it was AWESOME. 5 stars for the second half (5 for the first if you like first love/young love stories).

I cried my eyes out at least 6-7 separate times, some sad tears, some happy tears, some proud tears, and some I-don’t-understand-why-I’m-crying-but-I-am tears.

There was tragedy, there was LOTS of love. And there was even more sex.  Tons. And holy cow, Becca could have orgasms, like over and over and over and over and I wish I were her!

“I’m thoroughly addicted to you, Becca. If I don’t get a regular fix of your body, I might go into withdrawal.”

But it’s sweet, shy, quiet Becca who is the real aggressor in the relationship, and it works out great between them.

“You’d never think it, but my quiet, hyper-intelligent, overachieving, rule-following girlfriend was a voracious, insatiable lover.”

Their relationship is fairytale perfect. But their lives are filled with tragedy.

“I can’t promise you forever, Beck.”…”I can’t promise you forever because that’s not long enough.”

This is one of my favorite sweet love stories. The perfect childhood sweethearts who love each other like crazy and never give each other reason to doubt. This exists. My parents have it.

We also had some amazing glimpses at Nell when she was struggling, and how everyone else was dealing with it, and of Nell and Colton’s future, and I cried at that as well.

Jasinda is a genius at making you see into the heart and soul of a character. The music is woven into this story as well, but it didn’t compel me to listen as much as the first book because music was not central to the story. But again, this is where my rush may have hindered my reading of this book a bit.

Likes:

• The fact that Jasinda took her time and really let us fall in love as these kids did.
• The sweet, pure love they shared.
• The glimpses into Nell and Colton’s life.
• Despite first knowing what would happen and then having an idea what would happen, I still bawled my eyes out when they did.
• Jasinda writes some good sex!
• The story was written absolutely beautifully with songs well integrated into the story.
• The treatment of Becca’s stutter. It was very well written, and seemed personal. It was such a huge part of her and always there in her thoughts.
• The growth of both characters throughout the story, especially Becca, who grew from a quiet, self-conscious stutterer, to a confident, sexy, capable, woman who is secure in her relationship. Jason, who grew to be his own man, never to repeat any mistake of his dad’s.
• The poems…incredible.

Dislikes:

• The first half was a bit too YA for me, especially because my son is about to turn 16. (I’m not a prude about teen sex, I myself was younger than this).
• I never thought I’d say this, but the second half had a bit too much sex (but I think it was the age thing for me still), or perhaps the rushing to finish.
• The beginning was a bit drawn out, but again, my rush this week may have contributed to that feeling, because that was also something I loved.
• Becca orgasmed way too easily. This book could almost read like a coming-of-age book, but then girls will feel inadequate forever after reading it. I wish I were her, and if Jasinda comes that easily, I may have to ask her to prove it.

Rating: 4.5 Stars 4.5 Heat (A lot of sex, but it was young sex)

I think that Falling Into Us, despite (or because of) it’s solid 4.5 rating, is still one of my favorite books this year. Did I love it as much as Falling Into You? No, not quite. That would be a hard act to follow. The books are very different though. There wasn’t the “will they or won’t they?” taboo relationship. This was more about the slow build.

Ms. Wilder took her time with Falling Into Us, developing this beautiful young love. The reader was so involved with the couple, we felt every emotion with them. Love, lust, heartache, passion, and most of all, friendship. Falling Into Us was a beautiful, emotional first and forever love story, worth the gigantic pile of tissues I ended up with. All girls will wish their first time was with a guy like Jason.

“My motivation in life was to be a good enough man for her, worthy of her awesomeness.”

See my review of Falling Into You by Jasinda Wilder

Purchase Falling Into Us by Jasinda Wilder

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You were both each other’s one and only….that is something to be proud of nowadays. How do you keep the spark?

[Becca] Keeping the spark is…I don’t want to say it’s a fallacy, but it’s one of those things that just is a “duh” if you’re with the right person. I love Jason with every fiber of my being, and I always will. Keeping the spark is as easy as breathing.

[Jason] What she said. I’ve never been with anyone else, and I never will be. She’s all I want. She IS my spark.

Describe each other in 3 words

[Jason] Becca is…beautiful, and strong yet fragile.

[Becca] He’s powerful, sweet, and sexy.

Becca, what do you think is Jason’s favorite thing about you?

Aside from my ass in yoga pants? My intelligence.

Jason, what is it really?

What she said. Truly. Especially the part about her ass in yoga pants. Whoever invented those things oughta get a medal.Jason, what do you think Becca’s favorite thing is about you?

Hmmm. I think she loves my– [*Becca smacks his arm*] Hey! I was going to say the fact that I’ve broken the cycle of domestic abuse.Becca, what is it really?

I do love that about him, but that’s not my favorite thing. My favorite thing is that he loves me, not just in spite of my speech impediment, but because of it. He loves me for all of me, faults and all.Name a cocktail or shot after each other.

[Becca] We don’t drink, so I’m not sure either of us could answer that. When we do drink it’s beer or wine, so the question doesn’t really apply to us. Sorry.

[Ana](I was wondering how that would be answered, and it was perfect)Jason, what is the sexiest thing you ever saw Becca wear?

Well, the truest answer is “nothing.” But if I have to pick an outfit or something? I’d say the sexiest thing she’s ever worn is a set of lingerie from Victoria’s Secret. It’s pink and black striped, and the underwear are kind of like a pair of shorts. I don’t know how to explain it or describe it, but they’re just sexy as hell.Becca, what is the hottest thing Jason has ever done?

He picked me up and we made love standing up against the refrigerator in our kitchen. That was hotter than anything. That was…yesterday I think.Name your biggest pet peeves about each other.

[Becca] Jason leaves his gym bag in the laundry room all the time and it freaking stinks SO BAD. It drives me nuts.

[Jason] She bitches about the toilet seat being left up, and I’m like, it’s just as easy for her to put it down as it is for me to put it up. We just both should deal with it, but still, she grips about it.

What is your favorite position?

[Both] Girl on top.Can you each think of the moment when you just knew he was THE one? What was the moment that cemented it for you?

[Jason] I knew she was the one when she refused to let me break up with her.

[Becca] I was in love with him for like, my whole life. So, I guess I’ve always known he was the one.

What is your favorite thing to do (besides sex) together?

[Becca] We like to just drive around together. It’s what we did in the beginning, and it’s still our favorite  thing.Becca What is your favorite thing Jason does in the bedroom?

Um…he does this thing with his tongue and fingers…that’s all I’ll say.Jason? Same question.

When she takes over and just loses control and starts going crazy, that’s my favorite thing.Where do you guys see yourselves in 3 years?

[Jason] Pretty much where we are right now: in love, (…) working. I’ll be playing ball, and she’ll be researching.

[Becca] (Deleted…didn’t want a spoiler)

 See how Nell and Colt answered many of the same questions

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jasinda Wilder is a Michigan native with a penchant for titillating tales about sexy men and strong women. When she’s not writing, she’s probably shopping, baking, or reading.

​Some of her favorite authors include Nora Roberts, JR Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Liliana Hart and Bella Andre.

She loves to travel and some of her favorite vacations spots are Las Vegas, New York City and Toledo, Ohio.

You can often find Jasinda drinking sweet red wine with frozen berries and eating a cupcake.

Jasinda is represented by Kristin Nelson of the Nelson Literary Agency.

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What an amazing, generous giveaway! 

Grand Prize Giveaway:    Kindle Paperwhite

First Place Winner:  $100 Amazon GiftCard

Second & Third Place: 2 Signed Paperback Copies of Falling Into Us

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