When It Falls Apart
- Downloads：2982
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-06-22 08:21:40
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Catherine Bybee
- ISBN：B09J4QTC8J
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Anna
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This one pulls at all the heartstrings！ So much emotion and passion。 And Luca my goodness what a man for Brooke。 So romantic！Brooke is emotionally exhausted。 From her failed relationship to her dad she just needs a break。 And a change。 And with everything in upheaval a move changes everything。 Gives her her bearings back。Luca is single。 And a dad。 Something he takes very seriously。 And as the oldest of his Italian family and the chef of the family restaurant， he has little time for a social life This one pulls at all the heartstrings！ So much emotion and passion。 And Luca my goodness what a man for Brooke。 So romantic！Brooke is emotionally exhausted。 From her failed relationship to her dad she just needs a break。 And a change。 And with everything in upheaval a move changes everything。 Gives her her bearings back。Luca is single。 And a dad。 Something he takes very seriously。 And as the oldest of his Italian family and the chef of the family restaurant， he has little time for a social life of his own。 But when Brooke shows up everything changes。 Yes she may be emotionally worn out but he wants to show her what love is。 And family。The passion they have for one another is palpable。 You can feel it thru the pages。 The romance shown by Luca melted my heart。 And Franny is just precious and brings out Brooke’s fierce momma bear side。But when his past rears her ugly head， will everything they have built together as a family be torn apart or will they come thru better and stronger than ever？？Can’t wait for more of this family！！ 。。。more
Marie
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'My family is loud。 Lovable， but loud！'I love， love， love the D'Angelo's and cannot wait for more books in this series！Luca is steaming hot， an awesome dad， a true gent， and he cooks。。。。yes please， pick me please！ I am not sure what more you could ask for in a guy。Brooke steals your heart because she is so real， life has thrown a lot at her and although she has a few mini breakdowns， she is generally positive， thoughtful， caring and super sweet， especially with Franny。。。the star of the book。Mama 'My family is loud。 Lovable， but loud！'I love， love， love the D'Angelo's and cannot wait for more books in this series！Luca is steaming hot， an awesome dad， a true gent， and he cooks。。。。yes please， pick me please！ I am not sure what more you could ask for in a guy。Brooke steals your heart because she is so real， life has thrown a lot at her and although she has a few mini breakdowns， she is generally positive， thoughtful， caring and super sweet， especially with Franny。。。the star of the book。Mama Mari should be proud of her matchmaking here as Luca and Brooke are perfect for each other。This book is available on Kindle Unlimited， I was sent an ARC to read。 All opinions expressed here are my own and voluntarily given。 。。。more
Jennifer Artiles
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This is one of the most touching books I have ever read and the fact Ms。 Bybee shared so much of her own experiences makes it that much more powerful。 Brooke had a rough childhood with no contact with her father until she was a teen， and even then it wasn't much。 She carried the after-effects into her adult life， leading to massive trust and insecurity issues but now she was also expected to care for her ailing parent and she was having a hard time with his demands。 The positive side was it also This is one of the most touching books I have ever read and the fact Ms。 Bybee shared so much of her own experiences makes it that much more powerful。 Brooke had a rough childhood with no contact with her father until she was a teen， and even then it wasn't much。 She carried the after-effects into her adult life， leading to massive trust and insecurity issues but now she was also expected to care for her ailing parent and she was having a hard time with his demands。 The positive side was it also gave her greater insight into how those types of experiences affected other children。 Luca was very family-oriented but had also been burned by his ex-wife， who allegedly decided she was ready to be a mother to the daughter she abandoned several years earlier。 Together， Brooke and Luca supported each other through their respective family issues and developed their own special relationship。 This was such a heartwarming story and I highly recommend it。#netgalley 。。。more
LianaReads blog
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When it falls apart is a wonderful start of a new series。 The author is well known for her immersive story telling， where flawed characters find their lows and highs throughout this world that she created。 Many of her stories are very reliable and this one did not differ from her past ones。 Brooke is going back to her hometown， where life is not what she was expecting。 Having to deal with an ailing father and meddling mother， she needs to take a breather。 And that break is found in the arms of a When it falls apart is a wonderful start of a new series。 The author is well known for her immersive story telling， where flawed characters find their lows and highs throughout this world that she created。 Many of her stories are very reliable and this one did not differ from her past ones。 Brooke is going back to her hometown， where life is not what she was expecting。 Having to deal with an ailing father and meddling mother， she needs to take a breather。 And that break is found in the arms of a single dad， Luca。 Luca’s family is bigger and welcome Brooke with open arms。 I loved all these secondary characters’ interaction and how the meaning of a real Italian family is shown through them。 Big family gathering， delicious food and always there for each other。 A beautiful story about a second chance at love and life that will warm your heart。 Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy 4。5 stars 。。。more
Luisa Rivas
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I haven’t read a Catherine Bybee book for many months， and now remember how much I love her books。 This author’s writing is brilliant， the pace magnificent and her characters perfect！ I love how the story flows and keeps you enthralled as you live within the magic world she invented。 In this book I followed Brooke’s breakup， a change of location， and finding a new love。 And within this plot， we also have Brooke dealing competently with an aging father who has health issues， an Italian mama who p I haven’t read a Catherine Bybee book for many months， and now remember how much I love her books。 This author’s writing is brilliant， the pace magnificent and her characters perfect！ I love how the story flows and keeps you enthralled as you live within the magic world she invented。 In this book I followed Brooke’s breakup， a change of location， and finding a new love。 And within this plot， we also have Brooke dealing competently with an aging father who has health issues， an Italian mama who plots with her best friend to help their children find love， and a man who has to raise his daughter alone， after her mother abandoned them years ago。Brooke’s father had disappeared from her life during her childhood and now， she’s in charge of him。 She’s strong and decided， but at the same time， exhausted with the weight of her responsibilities。 She lands in San Diego’s Little Italy and it’s like she went into a magical small town with a wonderful family that gives her all that she had been missing。 Here she finds Mari D’Angelo， owner of the restaurant and a true Italian mama。 The cook， Luca D’Angelo， an Italian dreamboat， single father with a precious little girl。 And his siblings Chloe and Gio are the sister and brother she never had before。 I loved how the attraction develops， surely and strongly， between Luca and Brooke， how she’s brought into the arms of this family， who also embrace her father， cantankerous as he is。It’s a romance but it’s also a story about family love， about support and acceptance， and finding home。 When someone from their past suddenly appears， it seems as if their plans will go awry， but you have to believe in love and trust the process。 I love this author’s female characters， women of intelligence and assurance， who face trials with grace and grit。 Brooke goes through problems， she’s exhausted， sometimes discouraged， and she sometimes cries。 But then she straightens， pushes her shoulder back， and gets going。 I loved how she dealt with everything in this book。 Super empowering！ I loved everything about this book！ 。。。more
Carmen Alicea
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When it falls apart is a beautiful story dealing with parent/child relationships and how we deal with the emotions and feelings we have for our family。 Each situation is unique and gives an inside look at how we are affected by the power of love。 Brooke is the star of this fabulous story。 She teaches us that we can do better and grow from our traumas。 Brooke gives up everything for her father and does everything she can to ensure he has everything he needs。 She is a fantastic daughter and friend When it falls apart is a beautiful story dealing with parent/child relationships and how we deal with the emotions and feelings we have for our family。 Each situation is unique and gives an inside look at how we are affected by the power of love。 Brooke is the star of this fabulous story。 She teaches us that we can do better and grow from our traumas。 Brooke gives up everything for her father and does everything she can to ensure he has everything he needs。 She is a fantastic daughter and friend。 Luca is a beautiful and dedicated father to his daughter。 He does everything for his family， ensuring they are ok and forgetting about himself。 Until he meets Brooke， she opens him up for love and brings him the joy and excitement he needs to be happy。 Brooke helps guide him to be the best father he can be with her support and understanding。 Together they find happiness and give you a story that will melt your heart。 Catherine Bybee is my go-to author who writes must-read stories。 。。。more
Rachel
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Brooke's life is upended by a dead end relationship， a sick father that needs round the clock care， & a job that is falling by the wayside。 She's not where she wants to be in life。 Sometimes it takes life falling completely apart for everything to become clear to the point where life altering decisions must be made。 The question is would you be willing to drop everything to make a move that will alter your life forever？ Luca， Luca， Luca。。。 does anything more need to be said？ He's the leader of t Brooke's life is upended by a dead end relationship， a sick father that needs round the clock care， & a job that is falling by the wayside。 She's not where she wants to be in life。 Sometimes it takes life falling completely apart for everything to become clear to the point where life altering decisions must be made。 The question is would you be willing to drop everything to make a move that will alter your life forever？ Luca， Luca， Luca。。。 does anything more need to be said？ He's the leader of the pack for his family， and it's a role he takes as seriously as he does being a wonderful father to his sweet daughter Franny。 He has put his own life on hold to run the family restaurant and to be the father he needs to be to Franny。 His past comes back to haunt him in a way that he never saw coming。 Franny is a little tell-it-like-it-is spitfire for an eight yr old。 I love her to pieces。 She sees people for who they really are right from the start。 There's so much more to be said about this wonderful book， but I'm just going to stop there and recommend you read it for yourself。 It's a quick read in my opinion， because you want to find out what happens next and never want to put it down。 This is the first of the D'Angelo series。 I'm already looking forward to the next book。 Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
Kate
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Loved it！ RTC
Beth
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I loved this book！ I say that for all of Catherine Bybee's books but this one seemed to speak to me a little more。 Caring for an aging parent can be hard！ Especially one who doesn't think they need help。 Brooke Turner hasn't had a great relationship with her father but when a medical crisis renders him unable to care for himself， Brooke knows what she has to do。 She packs up what little life she has and finds herself in the Little Italy area of San Diego， renting an apartment in the tightknit D' I loved this book！ I say that for all of Catherine Bybee's books but this one seemed to speak to me a little more。 Caring for an aging parent can be hard！ Especially one who doesn't think they need help。 Brooke Turner hasn't had a great relationship with her father but when a medical crisis renders him unable to care for himself， Brooke knows what she has to do。 She packs up what little life she has and finds herself in the Little Italy area of San Diego， renting an apartment in the tightknit D'Angelo family home， all to be closer to her dad。 What did his mother do？ Luca D'Angelo can't understand why his mother would rent out the top floor of their home to a stranger。 He has enough on his plate as the chef at the restaurant and raising his daughter。 He doesn't need another thing to worry about and inviting someone into their home does just that！ He didn't count on that worry turning into care or his daughter becoming attached to the woman who kept herself so guarded。 Could he break through that wall？ Did he want to？ A sweet lovestory with a bit of real-life， personal backstory woven in。 I loved it and can't wait for the next in the series！ 。。。more
Brandy Jones
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Catherine Bybee is my go to author so I was excited to learn she had another new series in the works！ The first book in The D'Angelos series was a terrific start！With her father in poor health and out of state， Brooke Turner makes the decision to help him despite their tumultuous relationship。 She’ll start over in San Diego's Little Italy。 The D'Angelo family owns and runs a restaurant in Little Italy。 As the oldest， Luca， has his hands full with the business and his family （since his father had Catherine Bybee is my go to author so I was excited to learn she had another new series in the works！ The first book in The D'Angelos series was a terrific start！With her father in poor health and out of state， Brooke Turner makes the decision to help him despite their tumultuous relationship。 She’ll start over in San Diego's Little Italy。 The D'Angelo family owns and runs a restaurant in Little Italy。 As the oldest， Luca， has his hands full with the business and his family （since his father had passed away）。 He's also a single father to a little girl。 Brooke rents a room from the D'Angelo's and begins to spend time with the family。 Luca and Brooke shared a mutual attraction and his daughter really takes to her。 The bond over their own situations。Parts of this one really hit close to home as my Dad is out of state and deals with health issues。 This book hit all the emotional to make it real and relatable。 **I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review** 。。。more
Vicki
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Brook has never had a traditional relationship with her father， but that doesn't stop her from stepping up when his health takes a turn for the worse。 And after a breakup with her long time boyfriend， she makes the decision to pack up and move to California to be close to her dad。When Luca's mom rents the top floor of their home to Brook， he is worried to have a stranger living in such close quarters to his young daughter， and angry that his mother made the decision without consulting him or eit Brook has never had a traditional relationship with her father， but that doesn't stop her from stepping up when his health takes a turn for the worse。 And after a breakup with her long time boyfriend， she makes the decision to pack up and move to California to be close to her dad。When Luca's mom rents the top floor of their home to Brook， he is worried to have a stranger living in such close quarters to his young daughter， and angry that his mother made the decision without consulting him or either of his siblings。 But he can't seem to help himself when it comes to Brook， and he finds himself making sure that she eats， helping her clean out her dad's condo。 He is undeniably drawn to her。After the end of a long term relationship， and moving herself to be close to her dad， Brook is hesitant to jump into something new， despite the sparks she feels whenever Luca is nearby。 But she is completely captivated by the man， and his precocious daughter。When It Falls Apart was a beautify story from beginning to end。 The struggles that Brook has with her father， who has to learn to depend of others for many of his basic needs， and the development of their relationship is absolutely heart breaking， yet profoundly touching。 And the relationship between Luca， the way he opens up when he finds a woman who cares for both him and his daughter is absolutely beautiful。 。。。more
Trigger Warning Database
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Trigger & Content WarningsChild neglect
Erin Lewis
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5 Star Review of When It Falls Apart （The D’Angelos #1） by Catherine BybeeHaving read a number of books by Catherine Bybee I couldn’t wait to read the first book in her latest The D’Angelo’s series。 When Brooke Tuners father becomes ill， she does what most daughters would do and returns to San Diego’s Little Italy to look after him。 However， that decision soon puts her life into turmoil and her relationship in jeopardy。Meeting single dad， Luca D’Angelo complicates her life even more and yet some 5 Star Review of When It Falls Apart （The D’Angelos #1） by Catherine BybeeHaving read a number of books by Catherine Bybee I couldn’t wait to read the first book in her latest The D’Angelo’s series。 When Brooke Tuners father becomes ill， she does what most daughters would do and returns to San Diego’s Little Italy to look after him。 However， that decision soon puts her life into turmoil and her relationship in jeopardy。Meeting single dad， Luca D’Angelo complicates her life even more and yet sometimes fate knows what needs to happen。 As a tentative friendship morphs into more， Brooke and Luca， along with his daughter Fanny will find a loving relationship that was heart warming and uplifting for them all。 This was a well written， romantic love story with characters whose story you cannot help but become invested in。 I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley。 。。。more
Bec
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This book is one of Ms Bybee’s best。 The writing is so raw， so passionate and oh so engrossing。 Enough that a reader —well this reader — could imagine walking in the characters shoes。 Feeling and experiencing everything they’re going through within the story and what they’ve been through in their pasts。 The main characters are well-written， strong， likeable and made this story a great read。 Right from the start I couldn’t wait to read more about the hero and heroine。 The heroine’s POV took me on This book is one of Ms Bybee’s best。 The writing is so raw， so passionate and oh so engrossing。 Enough that a reader —well this reader — could imagine walking in the characters shoes。 Feeling and experiencing everything they’re going through within the story and what they’ve been through in their pasts。 The main characters are well-written， strong， likeable and made this story a great read。 Right from the start I couldn’t wait to read more about the hero and heroine。 The heroine’s POV took me on such a roller coaster of emotion because she’s taking so much on。 Still， she does well the way she handles the path her life has taken。 While the hero， he was good for the heroine in the way he took the weight of the world off her shoulders and helped her through the tough moments。 Overall， Ms Bybee really delivered with this story and I can’t wait to read more of this series。 。。。more
Shirley Frances
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I enjoyed Brooke and Luca's story。 I found that the author compiled a good mix of elements that not only enhanced the story but also helped to drive it along。 I liked that some of the content was relatable， especially when it came to familial relationships and the overwhelming emotions that come with dealing with family。 I also appreciated the light humor used throughout and how well it mixed with some of the heavier emotions brought to the page。 This wasn't an angsty kind of read， yet the range I enjoyed Brooke and Luca's story。 I found that the author compiled a good mix of elements that not only enhanced the story but also helped to drive it along。 I liked that some of the content was relatable， especially when it came to familial relationships and the overwhelming emotions that come with dealing with family。 I also appreciated the light humor used throughout and how well it mixed with some of the heavier emotions brought to the page。 This wasn't an angsty kind of read， yet the range in emotions was apparent and fit the events brought to the page。 As for the romance， I found Brooke and Luca complemented each other nicely。 I enjoyed their dialogue and candid moments as well as their flirty banter。 In the end， it was nice to see their connection flourish and seeing them allowing themselves a new chance at love。 All in all， a sweet， low-angst romance about family and new beginnings。 。。。more
Elizabeth
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When it Falls Apart… the title describes the beginning of this book， but not where it ends up。 Also， I would say that the blurb here doesn’t necessarily align with the story being told， but the story is still amazing。When we meet Brooke， her world is literally falling apart。 Her father is Ill and requires care， her long term relationship ends， she has a move， and her job causes stress。 That mess leads to changes and those changes mean some unexpected people joining her life。 The story that surro When it Falls Apart… the title describes the beginning of this book， but not where it ends up。 Also， I would say that the blurb here doesn’t necessarily align with the story being told， but the story is still amazing。When we meet Brooke， her world is literally falling apart。 Her father is Ill and requires care， her long term relationship ends， she has a move， and her job causes stress。 That mess leads to changes and those changes mean some unexpected people joining her life。 The story that surrounds Brooke， Luca， Franny and the rest of the D’Angelo family is touching。 I expected a bit on angst between Luca and Brooke （based on the blurb）， but was pleasantly surprised by the sweet relationship that unfolded。 The secondary cast and the community that surround the D’Angelos help move the story forward and make it so easy to embrace these characters。I truly enjoyed seeing Brooke and Luca’s story unfold and I am curious about who in the family will have a story next。 。。。more
Leisa Ann
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I’ve read all of Catherine Bybee’s books and this one definitely has a different “feel” maybe because it’s part fiction and part non-fiction （ie I think some of the struggles taking care of an elderly parent are real life issues for her）。 Regardless， I loved it。 I loved Luca and his big Italian family and his sweet little girl。 The struggles of caring for an elderly parent definitely effect a persons dating life/married life and the author did a great job of portraying that in the book。 5stars a I’ve read all of Catherine Bybee’s books and this one definitely has a different “feel” maybe because it’s part fiction and part non-fiction （ie I think some of the struggles taking care of an elderly parent are real life issues for her）。 Regardless， I loved it。 I loved Luca and his big Italian family and his sweet little girl。 The struggles of caring for an elderly parent definitely effect a persons dating life/married life and the author did a great job of portraying that in the book。 5stars and hopes for more of this family！ 。。。more
MereSweet （SweetReadsandTreats）
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Sometimes you just need a little sweet in your life and this book delivers all the sweet， feel good vibes you need for a good summer read。 Filled with family， a vibrant community， and characters you love for their goodness， When It Falls Apart will capture your heart on so many levels。 It has some gentle matchmaking of two people who weren’t looking for love， but really needed it after life has fallen apart。Brooke has been the care provider for her ailing father for years and her longtime boyfri Sometimes you just need a little sweet in your life and this book delivers all the sweet， feel good vibes you need for a good summer read。 Filled with family， a vibrant community， and characters you love for their goodness， When It Falls Apart will capture your heart on so many levels。 It has some gentle matchmaking of two people who weren’t looking for love， but really needed it after life has fallen apart。Brooke has been the care provider for her ailing father for years and her longtime boyfriend has never supported her need to be there for him。 She is all he has。 When her father falls ill again， it’s the last straw for their relationship。 Leaving for California to take care of him， Brooke leaves him behind for good。 Once her father is on the mend， but needing to go into a full care facility， she realizes what a mess her life is。 To try to piece together a little bit of her life again， she moves to San Diego’s little Italy and discovers so much more than just a place to live。 Meanwhile， Luca doesn’t know or trust this stranger who has rented an apartment above his， but as they reveal their secrets to each other， they come to find that his matchmaking mother may have been right all along。I loved Luca and his big， meddling family。 He is just the sweetest of men， with just enough Italian machimso behind him to make him a provider and protector。 He couldn't just let Brooke struggle all alone。 I loved how they supported each other throughout the story。 This read will leave you with all the warm fuzzy feels about a sweet love story。 Spice lovers beware， this story isn’t FTB but it isn’t about the steam factor。 It was a delightful break from angsty， steamy， and darker romances which made me want Italian food and wine， and dream of a dark haired man to sweep me off my feet。 。。。more
Megan
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When It Falls Apart is the first in a new companion series from Catherine Bybee。 In this story we follow Brooke as she learns to balance her wants and needs with her father’s and Luca as he learns to open himself up to more than just being the backbone of his family。A few years ago， Brooke’s father had a serious stroke， one he was able to recover from and keep most of his independence。 Now he’s sick again and in need of a pretty serious surgery for a man in his condition， this time， he won’t be When It Falls Apart is the first in a new companion series from Catherine Bybee。 In this story we follow Brooke as she learns to balance her wants and needs with her father’s and Luca as he learns to open himself up to more than just being the backbone of his family。A few years ago， Brooke’s father had a serious stroke， one he was able to recover from and keep most of his independence。 Now he’s sick again and in need of a pretty serious surgery for a man in his condition， this time， he won’t be able to live on his own。 As a compromise Brooke and her father move to San Diego， her father into an assisted living home and Brooke into a small apartment above a family-owned restaurant in Little Italy。 Where she meets the D’Angelo’s， a wonderful open family who immediately welcome her into the fold。 Well， after a bit of a misstart with Luca， a single father who does everything he can for his family。 Will Luca and Brooke be able make it work with all the complications arising in their lives？Catherine Bybee does it again！ This was a great book， different from her other work， but just as good。 The story was well developed， the characters were strong with deep emotional connections， and the relationship created， not just between Luca and Brooke， but everyone were great。 I can’t wait to see where this series goes and revisit these characters again。✔️ Single Dad✔️ New in Town✔️ Forced Proximity/Neighbors✔️ Small Town Vibes✔️ External Third Act Conflict✔️ Third Person POV* I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
Michele
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Talk about an epic， emotional start to a new series！ When It Falls Apart was part romance and part family saga--but *all* of it was written with Catherine Bybee's relatable voice and lively dialogue that I can't get enough of。 Every single person （aside from Marshall & Antonia） is someone readers will want to get to know。 Luca will wow you with the depth of his care and concern for his loved ones。 Brooke will have you wanting to be best friends for life with her。 And Franny will simply make your Talk about an epic， emotional start to a new series！ When It Falls Apart was part romance and part family saga--but *all* of it was written with Catherine Bybee's relatable voice and lively dialogue that I can't get enough of。 Every single person （aside from Marshall & Antonia） is someone readers will want to get to know。 Luca will wow you with the depth of his care and concern for his loved ones。 Brooke will have you wanting to be best friends for life with her。 And Franny will simply make your heart melt。 Sigh。。。 Full review to follow。 。。。more
Carla
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Brooke Turner's life is falling apart。 She has received a call that her father is having emergency surgery in Upland， California。 She is living in Seattle with her significant other， but he doesn't want her to go to her father。 They do not have much of a relationship， and he doesn't want to go with her。 She heads to Upland and is shocked at what she is up against。 First her father has complications and can no longer live alone。 He has basically trashed the condo she bought for him to live in， an Brooke Turner's life is falling apart。 She has received a call that her father is having emergency surgery in Upland， California。 She is living in Seattle with her significant other， but he doesn't want her to go to her father。 They do not have much of a relationship， and he doesn't want to go with her。 She heads to Upland and is shocked at what she is up against。 First her father has complications and can no longer live alone。 He has basically trashed the condo she bought for him to live in， and she realizes that she doesn't want to continue her relationship。 She needs to stay in the same city as her father， so ends up moving him into a assisted living home in San Diego。 She rents a one room apartment above an Italian restaurant， and tries to begin a new life。 Luca， is the chef at the restaurant and they are attracted to one another， but Luca D'Angelo is a single dad who was badly hurt by his ex-wife and is not sure if he wants to bring someone into his and Franny's lives。 Romance， family and job all continue to cause issues with her life。 Will she ever feel confident enough to find another love interest？ Will her father continue to consume her life？ A story many people will be able to identify with in some area。When It Falls is my first book by Catherine Bybee， but it won't be my last。 I really enjoyed this story about a woman whose life had to fall apart before she could rebuild it。 Brooke is one strong lady。 She and her father have had a very rocky relationship， he was married four times， and only recently became a "family" when she became an adult。 She loves her dad and puts up with a lot of stuff he dishes out。 I give her a lot of credit。 Luckily she works remotely， so can work wherever she is， so living and working above the family apartments at the restaurant in San Diego is possible。 Luca is a wonderful male lead。 He is a fantastic father， great family man， a chef， a caring person and handsome。 He falls quickly for Brooke， seeing her vulnerability hidden by her sass， strength and humour， but moves slowly so as not to scare her。 Franny， aka Francesca， is a delight。 She is only eight years old， but going on thirteen。 She has no filter and is not afraid to ask questions of other。 She made me laugh more than once。 The other family members and characters in the story all add something to the plot and this is where much of the humour comes in。 This is a great story。 One that has a lot more than a romance。 There is a huge loving family， abandonment， neglect， family responsibilities， issues that come with aging， community， lots of food， secrets， lies and of course romance。 The story is realistic， and well written and one I read through quickly， only stopping when necessary。 I recommend this story and am already looking forward to seeing what is next for the D'Angelo family。 The publisher provided me with a copy of this book upon request。 The rating and opinions shared are my own。 。。。more
Lesley
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Whew - Catherine Bybee knows how to write an emotional and poignant story that tugs your heart strings！ This book kicks off a new series and I love the D’Angelo family！ Luca runs the family restaurant and is raising his daughter with help from his family。 Brooke moves to San Diego trying to deal with an aging father with health issues。 Such a great story of family and love！ Definitely not one of her lighter reads - especially also being an only child with a father with health issues。 Luckily， I Whew - Catherine Bybee knows how to write an emotional and poignant story that tugs your heart strings！ This book kicks off a new series and I love the D’Angelo family！ Luca runs the family restaurant and is raising his daughter with help from his family。 Brooke moves to San Diego trying to deal with an aging father with health issues。 Such a great story of family and love！ Definitely not one of her lighter reads - especially also being an only child with a father with health issues。 Luckily， I have a Luca， not a Marshall。 However， I could not put this book down and can not wait for the next one。 Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。 。。。more
Eileen
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When It Falls Apart by Catherine Bybee， book one in the D’Angelos series is an amazing story that captures you on page one， not letting you go until you reach the end。 This is a book many readers can relate to as they live this story。 It is a heartwarming family drama with romance and sparks flying between Brooke and Luca。 If you're in the mood for an Italian single dad with a loud， obnoxious， loving， meddling family， you're in for a treat。Brooke Turner decided to move to California from her Sea When It Falls Apart by Catherine Bybee， book one in the D’Angelos series is an amazing story that captures you on page one， not letting you go until you reach the end。 This is a book many readers can relate to as they live this story。 It is a heartwarming family drama with romance and sparks flying between Brooke and Luca。 If you're in the mood for an Italian single dad with a loud， obnoxious， loving， meddling family， you're in for a treat。Brooke Turner decided to move to California from her Seattle home as her father is ill and needs to live close to help care for him。 Her relationship was already rocky as he was unsupportive of her helping her dad。 That made it easier to break up and make some decisions about her future。 She is fortunate to be able to work anywhere， but does not want to live in the landlocked town her father was living。 Discovering San Diego's Little Italy district， she decides that’s the perfect place for her。 Brooke meets the D'Angelos while having a meal in their family restaurant。 She meets Luca D'Angelo， the chef of the restaurant， and his huge loving Italian family when Brooke saves Fanny， his adorable daughter， from a mishap in the restaurant。 Little did he know that fate and his mother would be changing his life。 Fanny， who was abandoned by her mother at a young age， will steal your heart。 She becomes important to Brooke， and you too will want to become a part of the D’Angelo family， just as Brooke does when she moves into the 4th floor apartment in their building。 Brooke never thought a man would become so important to her and provide everything she ever wanted。Ms。 Bybee wrote an emotional and wonderful romance with all the feels that should not be missed。 She provided a tale rich with emotions， sizzling chemistry， family dynamics， clever banter， and endearing secondary characters giving Brooke and Luca a chance at love， and a future together。 I highly recommend When It Falls Apart to other readers and I can't wait to find out who is next to fall in love， in the D’Angelo family。 Will it be Chloe or Gio。I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book。 。。。more
JoAnne
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My review on RomanceJunkies。com will be posted soon。
Christina
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4。5 stars。 This was a lovely book that read more like women’s fiction with a bit of heat。 Brooke has to give everything up to take care of her aging father after a stroke。 Realizing he has let the condo go， made purchases he can’t afford， and needs to be in an assisted living facility， she moves them to San Diego。 Upon her arrival she meets Luca and his family who own an Italian restaurant。 Luca is the head of the household。 He takes that and the responsibility of being a single father seriously 4。5 stars。 This was a lovely book that read more like women’s fiction with a bit of heat。 Brooke has to give everything up to take care of her aging father after a stroke。 Realizing he has let the condo go， made purchases he can’t afford， and needs to be in an assisted living facility， she moves them to San Diego。 Upon her arrival she meets Luca and his family who own an Italian restaurant。 Luca is the head of the household。 He takes that and the responsibility of being a single father seriously。 He doesn’t date often and falls for Brooke。 I liked the two of them together and adored Franny。 She’s a precocious 8 year old and reminded me of my daughter at that age。 This book dealt with some serious issues and I though they were handled well。 The author does share that some of this book was based off of her own experiences growing up with her father and I feel like that is why the book is just that good。 Can’t wait for more of the family。 Chloe and Dante next？I received this arc is exchange for my unbiased review 。。。more
Liz
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When It Falls Apart is the first in a new contemporary romance series from Catherine Bybee。 When Brooke Turner ends a long-term relationship and moves half way across the country to care for her ailing father it’s ore from a sense of duty than out of love but once there she meets the D’Angelo family and in particular the oldest son and single father Luca D’Angelo。 What follows is a slow burn romance as Brooke and Luca’s friendship deepens into love as they overcome their trust issues on their ro When It Falls Apart is the first in a new contemporary romance series from Catherine Bybee。 When Brooke Turner ends a long-term relationship and moves half way across the country to care for her ailing father it’s ore from a sense of duty than out of love but once there she meets the D’Angelo family and in particular the oldest son and single father Luca D’Angelo。 What follows is a slow burn romance as Brooke and Luca’s friendship deepens into love as they overcome their trust issues on their road to happiness。。I really enjoyed this book。 It has fantastic characters in Brooke and Luca and the rest of the D’Angelo family and as someone who has been in a similar situation to Brooke I felt I could relate to her and this story did stir up some memories for me。 The storyline itself is one of two people falling in love without any angst or drama just the usual tribulations of everyday life， concentrating more on the development of their relationship rather than any major plot twists。 One thing I especially liked was that the characters were both mature people in their middle to late thirties – it lets the rest of us live in hope of an Italian chef being in our futures！ I’m left looking forward to the next book in this series。 。。。more
Leah
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Brooke’s life has somewhat implodes when she gets a call saying that her dad in not in good health and requires surgery。 Her boyfriend isn’t supportive， and it is this that is the catalyst for a lot of the changes that come to fruition。 This call in itself changes the trajectory of her life。 She breaks it off with said boyfriend， moves， and starts over。 When this happens， she meets single dad Luca and his entire family。 They enfold her into their lives without thought， and while she tries to fig Brooke’s life has somewhat implodes when she gets a call saying that her dad in not in good health and requires surgery。 Her boyfriend isn’t supportive， and it is this that is the catalyst for a lot of the changes that come to fruition。 This call in itself changes the trajectory of her life。 She breaks it off with said boyfriend， moves， and starts over。 When this happens， she meets single dad Luca and his entire family。 They enfold her into their lives without thought， and while she tries to fight it at first， she soon allows herself to become part of something that she never truly had。 This story was a little slower than I usually enjoy， but I almost always enjoy Catherine Bybee。 One thing I really enjoy about this story is the dynamic between the two moms in this story and their goal of getting their adult children married。 Three was very little angst and it came in the form of the ex-wife but with a realistic conflict and resolution。 Franny the daughter is adorable and perfectly written。 I hope to see more from this family soon。POV: 3rd PersonPoP: 58% 。。。more
Amanda
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When It Falls Apart is Catherine Bybee’s latest stand-alone romance。 Brooke Turner is a 36-year-old marketing professional living in Seattle with her boyfriend of three years， Marshall。 Marshall is a 33-ytear-old travel v-logger， and neither he nor Brooke are interested in marriage。 When Brooke is awakened during the middle of the night by an ER doctor requesting permission to perform emergency surgery on Brooke’s father， Marshall is upset that this will disrupt their plans to go to Florida the When It Falls Apart is Catherine Bybee’s latest stand-alone romance。 Brooke Turner is a 36-year-old marketing professional living in Seattle with her boyfriend of three years， Marshall。 Marshall is a 33-ytear-old travel v-logger， and neither he nor Brooke are interested in marriage。 When Brooke is awakened during the middle of the night by an ER doctor requesting permission to perform emergency surgery on Brooke’s father， Marshall is upset that this will disrupt their plans to go to Florida the following week。 Marshall is still upset that Brooke spent six months in California helping her father recover from a stroke。Brooke makes immediate arrangements to travel to southern California to be at her father’s bedside。 Joe has been divorced four times， and his assets have been divided so much that Brooke bought him a condo when she found out that he was living in his machine shop。 Brooke’s best friend， Carmen， is very supportive and offers to go to California with her。 After a week of staying in her California condo and cleaning up the horrendous mess that Joe made， Brooke accepts the doctor’s recommendation that Joe will need to move into assisted living。 Brooke compares Carmen’s response to Marshall’s and decides to dump Marshall。Carmen comes to visit and takes Brooke to San Diego for a few days。 When they are eating in an Italian restaurant， she meets an adorable 8-year-old girl and her handsome chef father。 Brooke decides to re-locate herself and her father to San Diego and she begins a relationship with Chef Luca D’Angelo and Francesca。 Luca’s ex-wife， Antonia， appears and causes lots of drama and angst。 Brooke has to find the fine line between enabling her father and being supportive。When It Falls Apart is a well-written story with likeable characters。 Many readers， including myself， will relate to Brooke in some ways as she struggles with her responsibilities to others。 The story has more drama and angst than I personally like， but the author mentions that this story is partially based on her own life。 If you are looking for a light read， this book is not for you。 This is a very realistic story with a happy ending。I received an advance review copy （ARC） from NetGalley for free， and I am leaving this review voluntarily。 。。。more
lauras。always。reading
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This book reads like a Netflix Rom Com and I loved every minute！ Brooke's life changes in a moment when her father's health takes a turn for the worse， causing her to end her relationship and uproot her life。 She ends up in the Little Italy neighborhood of San Diego where she rents a one bedroom unit from Luca's mother。 Luca is wary of having Brooke there as his family lives in the same building as well as owns and works the restaurant on the ground floor。 Particularly， Luca is protective of his This book reads like a Netflix Rom Com and I loved every minute！ Brooke's life changes in a moment when her father's health takes a turn for the worse， causing her to end her relationship and uproot her life。 She ends up in the Little Italy neighborhood of San Diego where she rents a one bedroom unit from Luca's mother。 Luca is wary of having Brooke there as his family lives in the same building as well as owns and works the restaurant on the ground floor。 Particularly， Luca is protective of his young daughter and having strangers come in and out of their building doesn't make him happy。This had the perfect blend of family drama， romance， and the warm and cozy atmosphere of the Italian food and culture。 Luca's family is amazing。 I loved the way they loved one another and all worked together as a family unit。 Brooke herself is strong and resourceful。 The way that she cared for her ailing father， despite the difficulties with their relationship， was admirable。 Luca and Brooke had definite chemistry。 The romance was perfection。This is a nice， light， easy read， that is perfect for an afternoon escape。 There are references to the pandemic， and while it wasn't overwhelming in the book， I cannot decide if I particularly enjoyed that aspect。 While Luca had a young child， she wasn't overly precocious or annoying as can sometimes happen with kids in romances。 I really enjoyed the start to this new series from Bybee and look forward to reading more in the future。 3。5 starsThank you to Montlake and NetGalley for an ARC of this book。 The opinions here are my own。 。。。more
Livelyreads
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