** I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. **

When the author emailed me and offered me to review this ebook, I was hesitant at first. Looking at the cover, I thought it was an adult erotic novel. But the blurb caught my interest and I decided to check it out on Goodreads. I saw that it gathered a lot of good reviews and was intrigued. I accepted his review request and I'm glad I did.

Falling in Love is a true story of a woman with sexual addiction and hating herself for it. Sherry cannot control her urges to "act out" with a guy, especially when she's drunk. She's repulsed by what she does but she can't help it. Aside from sexual addiction, she also struggles with her own identity having never met both her parents. She's craving for love but does not know if she can handle it. She's pessimistic and doesn't believe in herself. She's broken and hurt and angry and suicidal.

But there were also a number of things I liked about Sherry. For one, she can be very competitive when she wants to. She constantly doubts herself but when something great is at stake, she comes at it in full force.

"In school, I was always the best player so why would I pass to a lesser player. Instead, I always dribbled down the field looking for a clean shot and then took it. Girls called me a ball hog and they were right. But I had to be the top scorer. I had to score the winning goal."

I also admire her determination to change. Even when she was physically suffering, she held on to her promise to Elaine (and to herself) and she kept it. She always anticipates the worst but does not let go of hope. She tries to stand up again and redeem herself. She's strong even though she doesn't acknowledge that strength.

I also loved that she was able to find friends who accepted her. Dede is fabulous. I liked her character. She's the sister Sherry never had. In some ways, she's also Sherry's savior. Adam is a great employer. Very considerate and kind. He understands her and goes out of his way to help her. Elaine and Gregory also play a big role is Sherry's recovery. And of course, Paula and Darcy and the rest of the Wildcats are also Sherry's family. Paula's concern and belief in Sherry was almost unbelievable. She's shown Sherry trust and confidence that she can do something great.

"Sherry Johnson, you are a champion and don't ever let anyone tell you any differently, especially you. - Paula Harper"

Another character worth mentioning, of course, is Paul. I think it's sad that if not because of Sherry, he wouldn't have known that he also has a problem. I still hate it when he did not even let Sherry explain, but I also understand his anger. But it's good that he faced his problem and sought help. At least he would come to understand Sherry's situation, even a bit.

It was a good thing that Sherry decided to share her story. It was part of her healing process, getting it all out. I think her story will also help other people going through their own problems. It tells us that no matter how many times you hit the bottom, the important thing is that you always try to stand up again. If you want really want something, and you work hard for it, nothing can be impossible. Difficult, yes. Painful, yes. But not impossible.

All in all, I liked it. It was enjoyable. I did not expect to really enjoy this book, but I did. It was deep and simple at the same time. The words were direct and easy to understand (even for me, who's not a native English speaker). I was constantly looking forward to what happens next. The flow of the story is okay. There may be parts that were almost dragging but my curiosity kept me reading. The only thing that constantly irked me was the typos. Gah, there were a lot of them! But anyway, I managed to look past that minor annoyance and read it to the last word. I will always be thankful to the author, Stephen Bradlee, for introducing this wonderful story to me. ( )

Full review to come soon. ( )

This has got to be the most intense, heartbreaking, but at the same time, the most uplifting book I have read in a long time.

Sherry Johnson is a beautiful young woman who was abandoned, as a baby, by her mother. She was left in the 'care' of her cold and bitter aunt and an abusive uncle. This would prove to have a profound effect on her as a young girl. She was desperate to find love and acceptance, and not finding it at home, she searched elsewhere for it, but this led to a destructive cycle of alcohol and sex.

As her life spun out of control, and she was forced to leave her hometown, Sherry made her way to New York to try and find her mother's childhood friend, hoping that she would be able to help her to find her mother. On the way to New York, she had car trouble and met Paul, who helped her. They fell in love, but it wasn't long before Sherry destroyed the relationship by acting out on her addiction. She was soon on her own again, and back on the road - on her way to New York.

In New York, she found her mother's friend who encouraged her to join a support group for sex addicts. The rest of the story details Sherry's day-to-day struggle, the people she meets, her disappointments and failures as well as her successes and her amazing triumphs.

This book was truly intense. I often found myself saying 'noooooo Sherry, please don't do that; don't take that drink; don't leave the house;'. Every step she took, I took with her. My heart broke for her. I cried for her. I applauded her.

I highly recommend this book. It is a book about a woman's struggle with sex addiction, but it is in no way an erotica novel. It is well written, and not once did I feel even remotely uncomfortable. I would love to see this book in every bookshop around the world.

Get yourself a copy of this book, you will not regret it, it is a really great story
( )

*RECEIVED THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW FROM AUTHOR*

The moment I started this book, I was hooked. Falling In Love starts of kind of slow, Stephen is showing you the ropes of Sherry's tangled life. Leading you in slowly, as to not throw you into the world of sex addiction. After a few chapters, you get a feel for Sherry and what she's all about.

Following Sherry's story is an addiction all its own. I couldn't put the book down for the life of me. Sherry's story pulls at you until its got your attention. Luring you in, to tell you all about this crazy life of how a woman, a young, beautiful woman battles her addiction for sex. Sherry hasn't lived an easy life, her mother left her when she was a baby and her father dead when she was a baby. Leaving her to her aunt and uncle who didn't love her, so, of course she grew up craving the love she was denied her whole life. Leading her to fall in love time and time again, one night at a time.

Witnessing Sherry's struggle to become a better person was not an easy ride. You're experiencing everything she went through as she goes through these different phases of her life, which is one of the things I liked about this book. Yes, this book takes place in a big chunk of time, but Stephen Bradlee delivers this story so that you're not confused or left behind while reading this emotional story.

This book is based on a true story. Knowing this, I can't help but think "Wow, sex addiction is no joke." The different things that can trigger a breakdown or other addictions that can lead up to losing one's self in sex is...well, intense. Would I recommend this book? Most definitely. I finished it in one sitting, and I'm sure you will too. ( )