A good storyline but I thought there were too many peripheral characters. However I did enjoy it. Some good characters.

Mmm....all a bit meh, really.

I think my lack of enjoyment of this novel is related to my inability to make a positive connection to any of the characters. They're all rather weak and wish-washy.

The writing is good and the structure great, but i don't know what it's supposed to do for me. It neither charms nor excites, causes no moments of anxiety or drive to keep reading into the midnight hours.

Although I did enjoy reading this book, and found some of the issues raised interesting, I was let down by the ending. The character of Jackson wasn't particularly likeable, but I was drawn to Frances and cared what happened to her in the end.

This was a lovely read. The depiction of secondary school staff and their relationships with pupils and each other was spot on. I loved how they made literary jokes with each other and were dismayed by the progressive initiatives of their school leadership. But ultimately this is about the relationship between Jackson and Frances which seems cliched at first but actually progresses with realism and honesty. From other reviews this seems to be a marmite book but I am definitely in the ‘love it’ category.

Personally I found this book disjointed and difficult to read. Personally for me I didn't enjoy it. It follows the story of Francis who is 39 and a teacher. Her father died when she 5, and her relationship with her mother is fractious. There are lots of little plots and it just didn't work for me.

This has to be one of the strangest books I have ever read - it seemed really disjointed, ‘thrown together’ a bit like the characters within it. It ended rather abruptly and I was left with a lot of questions unanswered. That’s the main reasons for awarding it only 3 stars - I like books with all the loose ends tied up 🤣. In saying that, I didn’t not enjoy the book but it felt more like ramblings jumping from one topic/character to another.

Francis is 39, unmarried and a teacher. She has never met the love of her life and has a history of failed attempts at relationships and one night stands. Her friendship with her fellow teacher, Jackson, is under threat after something happened at the end of the summer term. She is getting increasingly worried about her mother who appears to be having ‘episodes’ and her whole life has been defined, or so it seems, by her father disappearing when she was only 5 years old. Oh and she has a dog unoriginally called ‘Dog’!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of the book.

A great holiday read, with some good twists and turns.
Very funny, yet sad at the same time.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it

This is a clever, quirky read that gives a unique twist to the usual 'boy meets girl' story. Really easy to read book that would be a perfect holiday read.

Moving and funny in equal measures, this is a great read entwining different threads of the story seamlessly.

This has to be one of my books of the year so far. Extremely funny, yet sad and poignant, this book hit every emotion. The characters drew you in, and the focus on teaching again felt very relevant and interesting, as was Drew’s search for the truth. Brilliant, evocative and inspiring.

A jaunty holiday read, with a boy meets girl story. This isn’t my usual type of book, but I enjoyed it nonetheless

Funny if predictable. Two people meet and don't like each other - let me think, what might happen next ????? More than a touch of Bridget Jones and When Harry Met Sally about it but none-the-less worth a read if you are in the market for a light read.

A good holiday read. This has a little more substance than the average boy-meets-girl story With both the main protagonists having an interesting back story and being a little more complex than is often typical In this genre. Overall, a quick and satisfying read.

Thank you to netgalley for my ARC copy in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

This novel is average, but could have been put together in an easier way to read. By publishing all of Jack's life, and conquests, in various countries; and then all of Frances life and conquests, it would have been easier to read. This is essentially a love story but,jolts from place to place, and person to person in a disjointed way.
The characters are believable, but the plot is somewhat convoluted, and I felt it did drag towards the end.

Coulton's book is set amongst the staff of a London private school over a couple of days. Frances is struggling: her mum is exhibiting signs of dementia, she and her best friend have fallen out, and she has a creeping sense that she's not very good at her job. At 38, she's not sure where she's going, living in an unlovely 'studio flat' she can just about afford (this is London).
"Frances has these fleeting instincts a lot, recently: these self-preserving ones, her adult self perched like a grey parrot on one shoulder. She's had them at the door of a taxi at the end of an iffy internet date; she's had them at the mouth of that disused tunnel underneath Alexandra Park when contemplating a shortcut home from a walk with Dog, the one that stinks of fag ends and piss and dead leaves but which will save her half an hour...But something has happened to her in the last year... The old grey parrot's voice has faded to a scratchy squawk..."
There was a lot to like here for me, from an amusing cast of staff including a Head of English with a sharp tongue full of Shakespeare to the Head's secretary who you mess with at your peril. The emphasis on Frances' age and singledom* made me think this was aiming at superior chicklit territory, but The Tempest references and the (sometimes annoying) shift in narrative voice suggested more literary aims.
This is just a first novel, so hopefully there is more to come: I will look out for this author.

An enjoyable read with some twists and turns. A different perspective of family life and how things aren't always as they first seem

Unfortunately I did not really enjoy Falling Short. This may have been because it wasn’t what I was expecting from the blurb - life affirming? I must have missed that part. I expected something more light hearted I think but instead this had more in common with literary fiction but didn’t quite hit the mark there for me either. I found the characters well written and believable - almost depressingly so, no real escapism there. And though at times true to life, I wished for a more satisfying ending. I’m very sorry to be negative but this wasn’t my cup of tea.

I loved this book, and felt really invested in the characters. Frances Pilgrim is such a real character, she's like someone we all know. Frances manages her job, has a social life, but feels she is just "getting by" and that life is passing her by. I'm sure many people from 30-60 will identify with the issues she is experiencing with her mum, not quite wanting to acknowledge what is happening. Frances' life becomes more complicated in trying to juggle travelling up and down to her mum's. An only child whose father died while she was young, she has no support network. And then doubt sets in, as her mum, descending into dementia asks Frances to bring her husband back to her. Did he really die when Frances was a young child? She sets out to find the truth. Meanwhile her friend, Jackson is going through his own problems - if only they'd realise they could help each other. A bit of will they/won't they, helped along by well meaning friends. I want a sequel to see what happens next. I'd love to see this televised. #netgalley #FallingShort

Thanks to Net Galley and John Murray Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
Frances is almost 40, is single, teaches English and has a dog called Dog. She has had a steady stream of boyfriends, the most recent one omitted to tell her he was married. Her mother is showing signs of early dementia, constantly rings Frances on her mobile which results in Frances making more frequent trips home to check on her. When Frances was small her father disappeared at sea, not to be mentioned or talked about.
Jackson her colleague at work is also single and older, she didn’t even like him much when they first met, but they grow on each other, they shared a messy drunken evening and have been avoiding each other , yet both seem to be harbouring feelings for one another.
The secret regarding her dad is revealed, Frances sets off to verify the story, and of course Jackson has to come to her rescue..
I didn’t enjoy this book and there are parts of the story which just didn’t seem to fit. 2.5 stars

It's an intriguing and clever little page turner. Its beautifully written and the characters are interesting. I enjoyed reading it.