A wonderfully written story about finding yourself and opening yourself up to what the world has to offer.

'False flat - A low-gradient climb, usually occurring partway up a steeper climb. So-called because while it may look deceptively flat and easy (especially after the steep climb preceding it), it is still a climb'
4.5/5
For the first few chapters of this book I struggled to get into the story, I was hesitant on the FMC Penelope 'pen' Auberge but after that it was plain sailing, I was fully invested in the plot and eager to sit and go along on the journey.
I found myself not being able to put the book down, the way Pen started to forge real friendships and open herself up to new experiences was truly magical to read I loved that she was able to discover her own self worth and put her foot down when people tried to steer here life in the wrong direction.
This book also manages to focus a lot on past trauma and the journey of acceptance and healing which is shown through the main characters and that it's never too late in life to find yourself help when it is needed. And throughout the book it was all sprinkled with humour, witty banter and finding true love.

When I started this story I was expecting a well written women's fictions books what I wasn't expecting was to read one of the most beautiful portrayals of true love and soul mates with an ending that ripped my heart out and only just about glued it back together. So if you do read this bring your tissues for when the unexpected crying starts.

truly beautiful, I cant wait to see what else this author has in store.

4 stars

thank you netgalley for the e-arc and audiobook arc
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a really cute book about moving on from alot of internalised issues, being the replica of what her mom wants, grieving the loss of her brother, a relationship built on infidelity, navigating the world as a mixed woman. our main character chooses to turn her life over in a complete 180 to start living her life for her.
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i really enjoyed this book and all the characters that we got to know. i was NOT expecting the ending but man oh man did i really enjoy it.
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I loved seeing Pen get to explore herself and he life some more in the book. i really liked that her growth journey wasn’t predictable and cheesy. it was really well written and in a way that still grabbed your attention.

This is an absolute gem! I was intrigued from the opening page. Our FMC Penelope/Pen is clearly neurodiverse - she’s much happier with numbers than with people. She has a difficult backstory with unresolved grief, a toxic relationship with her mother, a cheating boyfriend, and she moves to a new town on impulse when her life implodes.

Grant is a small town architect, he cycles, has a bit of a mystic side and is influenced by eastern philosophies. Both are in relationships with other people when they meet and it takes until about 50% through the book before they are both free. I don’t see this as cheating or OM/OW drama. They are both adults, in their 30s living their lives and who are feeling a growing attraction and connection. Pen has a lot to navigate as a financial advisor (a woman in a man’s world) and to a lesser extent, her biracial identity. These aspects of her character propel some the plot and her character development. Grant is more fully formed in the sense that he knows who he is. It just takes time for them to both be ready for each other. It’s not steamy, more like a closed door but there’s lots of tenderness and communication between them. No spoilers but it really is a ride and the title is so apt – you’ll see …

There’s some sparkles here - moments that foreshadow more - the roadside chicken, the colour run, the kimchi, Pen’s hair as a side character, her shoes, Grant’s bike, Chad’s name (OMG), chapter titles - this is a writer who can laugh at herself and wink at the reader - in her first novel too!

I’d label this general fiction/women’s fiction as it is not really only a romance. Suggest you let the book settle before reading the epilogue. Thank thank thank you NetGalley, author and publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

"Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking"

I received The False Flat as an Advance Ready Copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for sending me the ARC and letting me read this book! The False Flat will be published on June 11th, 2024.

When Pen's life falls apart, she quits her job, leaves her boyfriend, and buys a random house in Nashville. She moves and runs into a local in the grocery store which sends her on the adventure of a lifetime as she faces her fear of close connection and loss as she falls in love with the little community she has found.

I mean it when I say that this may be one of the most beautiful books I have read this year.
When you find a book that you can see yourself in, it is always a privilege to read that book and learn about yourself as you learn about the characters. This book felt like a mirror in so many ways to me.
First, the writing in this book is absolutely stunning. The way Melissa Collings writes this book had me hooked from the first page. Because Pen is so focused on others perception of her, her internal thoughts are so vulnerable and real, the version of herself that she would never let anyone else see. And with that vulnerability comes the most beautiful writing about past trauma and loss and the possibility of love and mistakes. I have never enjoyed being in the mind of a character more than I enjoyed learning the two sides of Pen that we get to see in this book.

Second, Pen is a beautifully flawed character. Seeing someone learn to live life after loss and years of living alone is always beautiful, but seeing someone do it knowing that, and accepting that loss could strike at any time just feels so much more intimate and realistic.
Second, this book is proof that love transforms people. You see it in all the character that you interact with. Love, when given the chance, changes people's lives. It challenges us to enjoy the present without considering the future and what it has in store. It encourages us to reflect on our past and make ourselves better for those we get to love. And it pushes us to live past the loss of that love in honor of their memory that lives on in everything we interact with after they are gone.

Third, the emotional vulnerability of this book is so impactful. As someone who is mixed, there were moments in this book that I cried recognizing similar situations in my own past as Pen was processing. As a woman, I processed the healthy sisterhood of women joining together over the grief they have both survived and continued to endure through. As a wife, I processed the importance of savoring love while you have it rather than worrying about the possibility of losing it. As a daughter, I was reminded of the traumas of my own parents and how those have shaped and changed their lives.
There is something for everyone in this book. There is something for you to connect with and be moved by with all the ways we see emotional growth and processing in the characters we meet.

I cannot recommend this book enough.
I will be purchasing a physical copy of this book as soon as it releases because it is truly one of the most beautiful books I have every read.

The False Flat will be released on June 11th, 2024 and I cannot wait for you to read it!

Please note, The False Flat does discuss many topics that could be triggering for some audiences. Some topics covered include: loss of a sibling, loss of a parent, anxiety and panic attacks, cancer, miscarriages, broken relationships with parents, controlling relationships.
Please consider these topics before reading this book.

This book is a gem. It's written with such skill and imagination that I found myself completely immersed. A delightful and rewarding experience.

Pen is not the most likable character but she's trying. Her brother died, her mother is awful to her, and she's been in a relationship with a married man. An impulsive move to Tennessee changes some things but she has to change herself. Bicycle riding and her own business help and then there's Grant. Will they have an HEA? No spoilers from me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a good read.

This book might not be for everyone, but it was definitely for me.

Pen is as real as they come, as far as characters go. She's moody, overly sensitive, brash, and full of life. I love her so much!! Grant, is different in many ways, but ultimately right for Pen.

I think the author did a great job telling us the love story of Pen & Grant. It wasn't always pretty but they had a happy ending.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to love this book but had a number of issues with it. First was that it felt too long and I could've been okay with just the first half of the book being the complete thing.

Second is that I barely connected to any of the characters. Penelope was problematic. She had trauma from her past to overcome but made up for it in other ways like the toxic relationship with Chad. There was also the emotional cheating when Grant came into the picture but I appreciate that it didn't go on for long.

There were also so many emotional moments in the book. It should've been a tearjerker but I was indifferent to all of it. I do love that the key thing was to embrace life and all it brings, live in the moment and make amends while you still can.

The audio was great and definitely helped with finishing the book. Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I have a high hope while I start reading this book, because I'm all for a 'found family' troupe and healing type of story. But this one is such a mess. I have a hard time to like Pen, especially with her decision to stay with her ex (while he's technically still married).

Her and Grant could have a cute moment that I want to like except he also in a relationship with someone else.

But I like the character development and her friendship with Deanna.

A bitter and sweet love story with real emotional depth. Excellent voice, I laughed and found myself talking out loud to the characters. Will definitely be looking for more from this author.

This book was great. The characters were enjoyable. The plot holds your attention. I would read another book by this author.

Not gonna lie, I had a very hard time connecting to Pen. I think that’s why she had her nickname Prickly Pen. She was a tough egg to crack and to connect with. The fact that she stayed with her ex for the first half of the book (who WAS MARRIED) and her mother was on board with this relationship going full throttle was just a sour after feeling that no one wants for their taste buds. Her relationship with her mother was difficult to read and sit with as well. I still don’t know about that ending seeing where the relationship is with her mother.
I did enjoy the friendship with Grant even if he was an into the moment type of guy. I didn’t like that Pen still purposely pursued Grant when he was in a relationship. This whole ‘I can’t have you but I still want you’ theme that finds its way into stories is just not my thing.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC - all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The False Flat refers to a bike trail that looks flat, but has a deceptive uphill grade. Life can have many false flats. Penelope(Pen) Auberge is fed up with her life in Minneapolis, her boss gives clients she has brought in to their financial planning company to younger, male staff to manage, her mother is overbearing to the point of telling her how to dress, and it turns out her love life is not what she thought it was. Impulsively, she buys a house in Nashville to escape her life. Having lost her brother at a young age, she copes with her social anxiety by riding her bike long distances and imagining people as numbers that she feels fits them. Will Pen be able to start her own financial advising company, overcome her inability to move on from her brother's death, and build a new life in Nashville? I loved Pen's story, and it is told with humor and love. Thank you to Montlake Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advance reader's ebook copy. #TheFalseFlat#NetGalley

This book was a struggle for me to read. I didn't really connect with any of the characters and the romance was lacklustre for me.

While I could see Penelope's character grow throughout the story, I wasn't invested in it.

I think this is a matter of personal taste.

I received an ARC of this book - all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC of this book. I really wanted to like it but I could not get into the story. The main character didn't feel likeable to me and thus, I just wasn't rooting for her. I would think some people may like that one hence the 3 stars. I appreciate the opportunity.

This book had so many heartwarming moments. Penelope’s journey underscores the power of vulnerability, the beauty of friendships, and the strength in community. I really enjoyed this read.

Fantabulous story!
Great characters and some I really enjoyed in getting to know.
I didnt like Penelope's mother because she reminded me too much of my own mother in law.
This new to me author has done a fantabulous job in bringing these characters to life and making this story realistic.
I was lost from the moment I opened the book. It was so good.
In .any ways I felt that I could relate to Pen ( who is an awesome character by the way). I loved how she just threw caution to the wind. I wish I could do that. It's one of tue many reasons I liked about her and this book.
5 stars for an amazing story. I highly recommend.
My thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a book about Penelope, who decides she needs a change and heads off to Tennessee. But, you know, life's never that simple. She's got to deal with all her baggage while trying to start fresh. Along the way, she meets some quirky characters who help her out.

The author's writing style is easy to understand, so you'll find yourself flying through the pages. Seriously, it's one of those books that sticks with you...

I LOVED this book! I read it in less than 24 hours. It had me laughing and also tearing up. Beautifully written. I look forward to more from this author!

To me, this book was truly cathartic. I've never felt more seen or acknowledged as I felt reading Penelope's story.
A lot of books feature characters with trauma and/or anxiety, but this is the first time where I felt the author truly understands how both shape a person's character.
For Penelope, her life didn't end with her brother's death in the technical sense; she went on to become a successful financial advisor, had a boyfriend, a cheating one but one nonetheless, and she had a sort of functional relationship with her mother.
From outside, she was okay and living well, which showed when one of her past coworkers admitted how much she looked up to her.
On the inside though, she was just existing. The constant feeling of inadequacy and detachment was expressed so unapologetically and in such a poignant way I couldn't help but relate to.
When Penelope told Grant that she didn't think she was capable of loving someone, it hit hard.
When it came to the writing, it was super beautiful and flowed effortlessly. Just an author who knows what she is doing. No flowery prose or unnecessary fillings.
The book absolutely made it to my list of favorites and I would definitely keep an eye out for the author's future books.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*