An unremarkable story - part family drama, part romance and part riff on staffroom politics - redeemed by high quality writing and some pertinent literary references. With characters I wanted to scream at and shake out of their self-obsession (as I guess was the author’s intention) and a good balance between periods of reflection and bursts of action, the book progresses without any great surprises to a neatish ending. I’d love to see the talented Lex Coulton find subject matter for her next novel that shows her considerable wit and style to greater advantage - I’ll certainly be on the look out for it.

From the first few pages of this advance copy of Lex Coulton’s Falling Short. I could tell I was going to enjoy it. Francis and Jackson, the novel’s two central characters, have unique voices and the humorous dialogue instantly engaged me in the story.

Both teachers in London, Francis and Jackson share a unique friendship and rely on each other more than they realise. Both part of a busy English department in a private secondary school, large parts of the story feature the hilarity, bureaucracy, frustrations and wonder that is the profession of teaching. As a teacher myself, I really enjoyed this element of the story and everything was so realistic that you can just tell the writer has first hand knowledge of teaching - you can’t capture the paradoxical nature of teaching that well unless you’ve lived through its extreme highs and lows!

The plot is revealed cleverly as we are drip fed back story gradually as the story progresses and Coulton teases the reader with references to events that aren’t fully explained until much later in the novel. I found myself instinctively flipping pages, eager to find out where this was going and hoping it wasn’t going to wind up in one big cliche. It narrowly avoids it but I found myself wanting more from the story and that is purely why I haven’t given this 5 stars. The conclusion almost feels like it should be just the beginning, rather than the end, but then isn’t that always the sign of a good story?

Lex Coulton is being described as a ‘new talent’ on the writing scene and I shall definitely be following her to see what she does next. She writes beautifully and has cracked the art of the 3D character. I loved the allusion to different poems and Shakespeare’s The Tempest throughout as it had clever links to Frances’ battle to come to terms with the loss of her Father, who vanishes suddenly during her childhood and is thought to be lost at sea.

Both Jackson and Frances were unique in their own way (as were the minor characters) and I really warmed to them. Although, I must say, staff having a relaxed attitude over a teacher with a clear crush on a student was a little bizarre. That certainly doesn’t happen in the profession and is, obviously, extremely looked down upon. It a shame because it kept pulling me out of what was otherwise a really believable story and I found myself getting a little irritated that it was even included.

Overall, a solid 4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Lex Coulton and John Murray publishing for the chance to read this book in exchange for a voluntary and honest review.

The narrative follows the familiar plot device whereby two people who dislike each other at first sight eventually realise they are irresistibly attracted – and from then on it becomes a ‘will they won't they’ scenario. Frances and Jackson are the unconventional couple, whose wise-cracking banter makes the magnetism convincing – and the story sensibly falls short of a cliched Mills & Boon type resolution.

The cover caught my attention and the blurb lured me in but it was the quality of the writing that gripped me to the very end.
Lex Coulton has been described as a “true new talent” and, after reading her debut, Falling Short, I think that quote is spot on.
There are two central characters, Frances and Jackson, who both have strong and believable voices.
Parts of their story made my heart actually hurt while others made me laugh out loud but afterwards I realised the strangest thing...I wasn’t sure if I really liked either of them.
Maybe that's the wrong way to describe it, it was more that there were elements of their characters I found frustrating – just like in real life, I suppose.
People are complicated and I think part of Lex’s talent is writing characters who feel real, who don’t follow a linear path, who make mistakes, who fall short and perhaps do things differently to how I would.
It didn’t detract from how well the story read or how much I enjoyed following along - although by the end I was willing for good things to happen for Frances (I won't spoil it by saying more).
Maybe it won’t be for everyone but I found her writing exciting and I’m looking forward to what comes next.

With thanks to John Murray (via NetGalley) for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Not one for me, afraid I didn’t manage to finish. Wrong day wrong book I think