The Opposite of Falling Apart

by Micah Good

To get back up sometimes you have to fall down, hard . . .

What's the point of pretending nothing has changed when everything has? It's the last summer before college, and Jonas Avery knows he should be excited. Instead, he hides out at home, avoiding his friends, his family, and everything that resembles his old life. Because nothing will be normal again—because of The Accident, when everything started falling apart.

Brennan Davis knows she needs to stand up and face her anxiety—the deep, dark, debilitating dread that rules her everyday life. Because what stops her from going out into the world and just living is going to get a whole lot worse. She’s leaving for college in the fall, where she’ll be confronted with even more to worry about.

When Jonas crashes into Brennan—in a harmless, albeit embarrassing fender bender—the two teens connect in ways they never expected. As friends, they help each other overcome their biggest falls and faults, and soon discover that while love can't fix everything, it's sometimes a place to start.

Sensitive, wry, and unabashedly authentic, The Opposite of Falling Apart isn't about finding perfection in another person or fixing the things we think are broken. Instead, Micah Good has penned an enchantingly honest novel about accepting the very pieces of ourselves that make us unique, whole, and undeniably human.

• ISBN10: 198936506X
• ISBN13: 9781989365069
• Publish Date: 25 February 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: CA
• Imprint: Wattpad Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 432
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9781989365069

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

Rating: 3.5 Stars

A year after losing his leg in a car accident, Jonas got into a little fender bender, which was the start of something great, for both him and the girl whose car he hit.

Both Jonas and Brennan were supposed to be getting ready to leave for college, but they were "stuck" for different reasons.

Brennan was dealing with severe anxiety. Fear and racing thoughts were keeping her from moving forward, and she didn't seem to have a lot of support at home. While Jonas was making no progress on accepting his new normal since losing his leg. He refused therapy, would not use his prosthesis, and choose to mope around, taking out his frustrations on his family.

What I Liked...

The friendship between Brennan and Jonas was the standout element for me. Though their circumstances were different, they could relate to what the other was going through. Their relationship did not start out on solid ground. It was not an instant friendship, but because of that, it felt like a reward, when it finally formed and began to grow.

I was totally rooting for this friendship to turn into a romance, and I don't care if it's a predictable thing, because these two was too cute together. The stirrings of first love in all its glory was right there for me to enjoy, and I loved every second of it.

I also appreciated how much both Jonas and Brennan grew. Brennan gained confidence, as Jonas came to terms with his situation. It was a treat, that we got to spend such a long period of time with these two, as well as getting to tag along to college with them. The change of scenery came with new challenges for both of them, but along the way, they realized their most important resources were themselves and each other.

Good really took a lot of time to explore both Jonas' and Brennan's issues. After spending copious amounts of time in the characters' heads, I felt like I really understood what they were going through. Their struggles were palpable, and came across as authentic.

What I Wish...

This book had a LOT of introspection, and I do believe it was an important part of the story. However, I wish I had spent a little less time in the characters' heads. For me, it hampered the pacing a bit, but I would have also loved some of that page time to be allotted to seeing more of the romance play out, as I absolutely adored these two together. They were precious and adorable, and I wanted more of those heart eyes time with them.

Overall

Despite the pacing issues, I enjoyed this book very much. I found that I cared about the fate of Jonas and Brennan. It was heartwarming and touching watching these two fight to overcome some big obstacles, and work to achieve the things they wanted. I was glad to be a part of their journey.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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