There aren't enough well-written romantic dramas around anymore (everyone seems to want to write suspense), so I'm grateful to Juliette Fay for providing me with a well-written, engaging one. Cass is a pregnant alcoholic. Scott is an emotionally scarred journeyman baseball player. They have nothing in common except Ben, the father of Cass' child and Scott's brother, who died of alcohol poisoning. Scott reluctantly let Cass move into his house temporarily, and she promises to sober up for the sake of the baby. Cass is fragile and insecure, but after a short stay in a rehab facility she is determined to change, attending meetings, finding a sponsor, and making a few unexpected friends along the way. But her sobriety is tested numerous times, and her relationship with Scott is confusing to say the least.

Cass' mother died when Cass was a teenager, leaving her to fend for herself in foster care. She's always been poor, barely scraping by on low-wage, short-term jobs. She loved Ben, but their relationship was based on drinking, being hungover, or finding the next drink. It's easy to root for her recovery and understand how alcohol remains such a temptation when she is stressed. I appreciated the evolution of her relationship with the family next door and her attempts to help another friend who is also trying to get sober. Scott is a bit of an uncommunicative jerk sometimes, but he also had a traumatic childhood, and he demonstrates his support and generosity in many ways. As much as I dislike the "heroine falls in love with former lover's brother" trope, in this case it didn't bother me because the relationship develops very gradually, to the point where I wondered if it would happen at all.

The outline of the book may sound cliched, but Juliette Fay fills in the story with nuanced characters and dynamics, turning a long novel into a compelling, page-turning read.

ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for objective review.

I have only read one other book by Juliette Fay, Shelter Me, and I really enjoyed it. This book gave me the same warm cozy feeling the last one did. There are no shocking surprises, no twists and turns, just a solid story about friends and family. I really liked it! Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC.

I really likes this book and will read other books by this author.
Cass just lost her alcoholic boyfriend of ten years from alcohol poisoning.
She must face reality and the future now that she’s pregnant. With no money or anyone to help her she turns to her boyfriend brother for help. What starts as a reluctant and difficult agreement turns into something they both really need.

Talk about tugging at your heartstrings - this is a story that will make you rethink a lot of things. Just when you think there is no possible way things can change and be ok again, it happens. Watching Cass navigate her life was a wonderful experience.

A redemption story if ever there was one: Juliette Fay’s CATCH US WHEN WE FALL gives us a character who seems almost beyond help, beyond reach, even to herself—but finds ways to prove us all wrong, one baby step at a time. A beautiful look at the strength it takes to save ourselves, the love it takes to save each other, and the hopeful truth that it’s never too late to start over.