Another enjoyable book from Robin Alexander. It took me a long time to finish this one because I just got burned out after reading several of the author's books in a row. This is one I might read again at some point. Alexander writes some fun characters. ( )

This is my 12th book by Robin Alexander that I have read. Second one that I read on the 24th of October. Though that may or may not sound impressive, I feel the need to note that that is only 284 total pages (84 pages for ‘Ticket 1207’ and 204 pages for ‘The Fall’).

This book picks up that holiday theme, just like the previous book I read on the 24th, – there, ‘Ticket 1207’, it was a Christmas theme, here it is a Halloween theme. Similarly, certain other themes that Alexander likes continued to pop up – old wacky people (mom/grandma Savino; dad/grandpa Savino), set in Louisiana (here Baton Rouge), humor, and two of the main characters are in the 30 to 40 age range.

Unlike any previous Alexander that I have read (as far as I recall), though, there are also two characters in the 13 to 19 age range (17 going on 18). For you see, this is one of those double couple type books (like in ‘The War Within’ by Yolanda Wallace – which involved two women in their 70s, and two in their 20s). This book stars Noel Savino and Harper Guidry (niece of Noel), and Sunny and Lydia Chase (daughter of Sunny).

The book opens with Harper painting a badger, and Lydia nearby working up the courage to burst forward and be near Harper – for you see, Lydia fancies Harper. Though she ‘knows’ that Harper is straight. They quickly become friends - with Harper finding that she rather likes Lydia - as a friend. Also, somewhat less quickly, Harper’s sexual orientation begins to come into question, by by Harper herself, and by others around her. Harper and Lydia are the 17 to 18 year old 'couple'.

Then there’s Sunny and Noel. They meet for the first time through another Chase family member – Uncle Ethan (Sunny’s Uncle). Ethan, formerly a hairstylist, now forced to be retired due to car accident, lives with Sunny and Lydia. He’s quite dramatic and a bit of a character himself – constantly dressing up as various old Hollywood actresses (and constantly trying to get everyone who comes within his reach to allow him to paint their faces, do their hair, and dress them in dresses; he’s a little hard to take at first though he grows on me). So I was mentioning a first meeting. Ethan has a tooth issue, and Sunny drives Ethan to the nearest dentist. Ethan’s kind of fragile like, and so he drags Sunny into the examination room with him. Whereupon Ethan and Sunny meet . . . a woman wearing cat ears. For, you see, Noel normally deals with kids, though can fit in adults as well. So Sunny and Noel meet. Ethan gets gassed and babbles certain things Sunny might not wish Noel to immediately know. Sunny and Noel are the 30-40 year old 'couple'.

Meanwhile, the generation below Sunny and Noel continue their own form of flirtation – as Lydia and Harper continue their friendship.

The generation above Noel and Sunny involves grandpa/dad Joe and grandma/ma Inez Savino (I haven’t been tracking this, but this actually might be the first time I’ve read an Alexander book wherein both father and mother at this level (the grandparent level, other books have had living father and mother) are living, I could be wrong here). Joe’s retired and loves going out on his boat with his friend Jeff (‘taking the boat out’, if they happen to actually catch any fish, it changes to ‘went fishing’). Inez loves making gigantic meals and loading everyone’s plates to the point wherein it is hard to see someone on the other side of the table, past the plate. She also likes sitting in bushes and spying on her neighbors (see a wacky old person).

The extended Savino family also includes Mason and Corey (cousins of Harpers - neither large presences in the book), Mary (Harper’s mother), and Matthew (father of Mason and Corey - barely there sibling). Mary plays a slightly larger role in this bunch, what with being Harper’s mother; while Corey gets slightly more lines than the rest (except for Mary).

It took me awhile to have Uncle Ethan grow on me, but I rather liked everyone else of major importance (Harper, Noel, Sunny, Lydia, Inez). Great story all the way around. I actually liked seeing things from the perspective of 17 year olds (unexpected, that - since I'd only really experienced main characters in the 30s/40s from Alexander).

As I noted, this is the 12th book I’ve read by Alexander, and I believe that it is tied with ‘Dear Me’ as being my favorite Alexander books. And to think, I read 3 books in 2014, then took almost two years to read another. And now I’ve read 9 more – as of this writing, bookended on one side by 5.75 ‘Dear Me’, and 5.75 ‘The Fall’. To a certain extent, I like the fact that ‘Ticket 1207’ actually appears above ‘The Fall’ on my list, even though I’d read ‘The Fall’ second. Because now I don’t have to play the ‘two great books, bookends, stop now for another 2 years?’ game. I can just continue reading.

October 26 2016 ( )

Yeppers, The Fall is definitely one of my favorites by Robin. This double love story screams family fun, loyalty, and drama in a cross-dressing, bush-spying sort of way. There’s discovery, coming out, and great chemistry between the main characters, Noel and Sunny. Based on her other books, Robin’s main and supporting characters have a lot in common including embedded backstories that connect with a past event, the story’s setting, or with another character. I’ve often wondered if one or all of Robin’s characters represent her other people in her life. ( )