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Falling Through Darkness

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One bad decision changed my life irrevocably.
One night shattered it completely.


Moving to another country was supposed to be a fresh start, an escape from my past. A way to heal and move on with my life.
I was looking for happiness. What I wasn’t supposed to find was him. Dark, handsome, and irresistible.

Not strong enough to resist, he broke through the walls around my heart. Every single one.

For a fleeting moment, I was happy. Until I'm reminded that the clutches of my past will never let me go. The evil shrouding it in darkness has finally found me.
It threatens everything I love. I need to fight it—for him and them. For us. Even if that means letting go of the light.

Unknown Binding

First published May 4, 2018

44 people are currently reading
365 people want to read

About the author

Kira Berger

5 books242 followers
Kira Berger is a child of the world with a severe case of wanderlust. She’s lived in both North America and Europe. Currently, she’s living in London and enjoys everything the diverse city has to offer.

She's currently getting ready to release her debut novel, Falling Through Darkness—a gripping romantic suspense you don't want to miss.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KiraBergerAu...
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Montana Wild is LIVE and FREE in KU!

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
Profile Image for Carla Bulian.
1,552 reviews471 followers
June 19, 2018
3,7. Primeiro livro que leio dessa autora. Gostei de como ela conta a história. Mas achei a personagem principal sem saber seu lugar no livro, muito contraditória.
Mais do mesmo.
Profile Image for Kira Berger.
Author 5 books242 followers
Read
October 12, 2020
Falling Through Darkness has a NEW cover and is on SALE for a LIMITED TIME ONLY! Grab it NOW before it ends.

https://books2read.com/FallingThrough...


***SNEAK PEAK***

PROLOGUE

Damp.
Dark.
Dead.

Words keep flitting through my mind on an endless loop, trying to pull me into the darkness hovering on the fringes of my mind. It would be easy, so easy to let go. To give in, give up…

Stop the endless fighting.

What’s the point anyway?

This time I won’t get out alive. Last time was messy. This time is meticulously planned. The intention clear, I was not to make it out of here alive.

I have always known this would happen and yet, I’ve given in to hope, to love, to the idea of a new beginning for someone like me… Boy, was I wrong.

Duncan.

One name among thousands, but the only thing keeping me sane right now. I should have never given in; I should have been stronger.

But he wore me down. It wasn’t just his looks—even though his resemblance to a Viking god sure helped. Tall and muscular with blue eyes reminiscent of the Australian ocean, or a mountain lake, with his clear and honest stare. The one thing that made me fall hard and fast was his smile. The perfect reflection of who he is—charming, strong, honest, and wickedly funny.

He was the first person who was able to make me genuinely smile with true joy after months of going through the motions.

He made me feel alive again. And now I’ve lost it all… and he doesn’t even know how much he means to me. My last words to him being the cruelest I ever uttered. It’s a good thing I won’t have to live long with myself after what I’ve done.

I picture his face in all its glorious detail. I want the last thoughts I have to be of the best thing that’s ever happened to me. The one who healed me, taught me to love, gave me strength to fight, and always believed in me.

The one who taught me how to fly.

While I picture the love of my life holding me in his arms, the door opens slowly and in walks my worst nightmare. I don’t try to fight my restraints. I already did, and there is no way to get out of these handcuffs.

Instead, I keep hold of my saving grace while my grim reaper walks toward me.

I concentrate on how Duncan’s lips felt against mine, how he worshiped my body, my scars.

I tune out the sound of the gun being cocked. I always hoped my ending, when it came, would be quick and painless—at least I will be given that.

I keep my eyes closed and my mind firmly in my fantasy, where I’m loved and happy, and not in this dark and empty prison.

Briefly, I wonder if anyone will ever find my body or if they will have to bury an empty coffin.

Suddenly, my chin is grabbed in a painful and unforgiving hold.

“Did you actually think you’d get away this easily? You fucking bitch, you ruined my life! I was going to have it all before you had to go and fucking leave!”

The pain in my jaw forces my eyes open. They collide with eyes, the deepest brown they look black, staring back at me. But none of the warmth I’ve seen before is present right now. All I see is an abyss of hatred, madness, and cold determination.

I guess it won’t be quick after all. I close my eyes again. Hoping against hope for peace.

“Ah no, darling. You don’t want to miss what comes next. I have plans for you. And I need you present to enjoy them.”

A menacing smile spreads across the face in front of me.

“Let’s have some fun…”
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews86 followers
Want to read
October 12, 2020
🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/2/2019)! 🎁

Blurb:
One bad decision changed my life irrevocably.
One night shattered it completely.

Moving to another country was supposed to be a fresh start, an escape from my past. A way to heal and move on with my life.
I was looking for happiness. What I wasn’t supposed to find was him. Dark, handsome, and irresistible.

Not strong enough to resist, he broke through the walls around my heart. Every single one.

For a fleeting moment, I was happy. Until I'm reminded that the clutches of my past will never let me go. The evil shrouding it in darkness has finally found me.
It threatens everything I love. I need to fight it—for him and them. For us. Even if that means letting go of the light.
Profile Image for Marieke ~ Marieke's Books.
454 reviews25 followers
May 4, 2018
4.5 stars

When it comes to reading, I’m always looking for new authors, for new stories so that I can take a little break from my hectic life. And debut authors? I love them. I find them brave for writing down their story (which undoubtedly has taken years to do so) and sharing their characters with us. Falling Through Darkness is such a debut book, and I love it.
“Is it this connection between us? This weird magnetism that allows him to be tuned into me this accurately? I don’t know. And I’m too scared to find out.”

Alex seems to have everything under control; a new life in a new country, a new job, new everything. But her close friends know better (and so does Alex herself). Starting a new life wasn’t much of a choice, circumstances beyond her control (to be more precisely a person) made her act this way. Still healing, Alex is a bit confused about her feelings for Duncan. Is it lust, is it love, can she have feelings like this?
“I know you’re scared. I can see it in your eyes. I don’t know what happened in your past to condition you to not trust anyone, but if you give me a chance, I’ll prove to you that you can trust me.”

Poor Alex, she really is a mess. She seems like a normal young woman with healthy ‘appetites’, but she’s also coming to terms with her very painful past. And those two things don’t mix very well. She tries to keep everybody around her at a distance, but Duncan doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. And that bit of a pushing is what Alex needs. Duncan is an amazing Alpha guy who knows what he wants, and he wants Alex, all of her. He knows she has a past, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting a future with her.

As already said, Falling Through Darkness is a debut book. Going in I was curious how the author would write her characters, about their development and for the story as a whole. It took me a bit to get used to the inner voice of Alex, but then I realized this is how I ‘talk’ to myself; no flowery thoughts, just point-on statements. Falling Through Darkness is not an original story, but I love its realness and the way it’s written. I can’t wait to read future books by Kira Berger.
“He gently cups my cheek and stares deep into my eyes before he completely rocks my world. “You’re mine. Always and forever.” With nothing else to say, I whisper, “Okay.”


www.mariekesbooks.com
Profile Image for Tai Nelson-Barnes.
2,832 reviews72 followers
May 6, 2018
I love reading new authors. And Kira Berger has written a great debut book. The characters are flawed, strong, and the storyline is great.

Alex has started a new life. But the thing with new lives is that the old one is always going to come back and bite you in the butt. So even though she has decided to keep her heart and love locked away forever. Sometimes life finds a way to make things happen.
Life in this story is Duncan. Duncan finds that he wants Alex and no matter how many blocks she puts up, he will do whatever it takes to knock them down and make her see he is it for her.
This story is wonderful and I will be looking for future stories by Kira! I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy for my honest review.
Profile Image for A.BookNerd.Bookseller&Bibliophile.Blog.
2,785 reviews105 followers
April 21, 2018
What a way to open! This book grabbed me from the prologue! How you may ask is that possible from the beginning.....the prologue was heart pounding and I knew I needed to know WTH was going to happen.

The banter between Alex and Duncan as on point; Duncan’s Alpha-ness was pretty 🔥🔥!!!

For a debut, it was perfect! I can’t wait to read more from Ms. Berger.

Reviewed by: Dana D.
Profile Image for Dana.
655 reviews60 followers
April 21, 2018
What a way to open! This book grabbed me from the prologue! How you may ask is that possible from the beginning.....the prologue was heart pounding and I knew I needed to know WTH was going to happen.

The banter between Alex and Duncan as on point; Duncan’s Alpha-ness was pretty 🔥🔥!!!

For a debut, it was perfect! I can’t wait to read more from Ms. Berger.
Profile Image for Diane (Books and Tequila Blog).
1,484 reviews70 followers
May 4, 2018
“All I could do was nod while trying to shake off my Duncan-induced lust haze.”

This book is the first from this author and I can’t wait to read more. A lovely storytelling voice and great characters that really pulled me in made this a memorable story and put this author on my favorites list.
-4.5 Stars!-

My full review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Profile Image for Laura.
249 reviews6 followers
April 22, 2018
ARC kindly granted for honest review.

Alex moves to Philadelphia to escape her past. The deaths of her family and an abusive ex boyfriend, Niall. She has a teaching job all set up and an apartment ready to move into. She’s all set to try and live a quiet life.
Until she meets Mr Holy Hotness! - the Viking God lookalike; Duncan!
The steamy sexual tension from their first meeting, would melt your ice cream cone 🍦 in a second! Although Alex knows she needs to concentrate on her new life and staying under the radar, Duncan’s pull on her is too much to resist. He’s such a gent. Perfect all American man.
Alls going fantastic up until Niall seems to appear! Or does he?!?!?

Spectacular novel! A first for me by Kira Berger, and it won’t be my last. Well done to you Kira.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sandie .
154 reviews23 followers
April 5, 2018
This book does not read like a debut. It was so good. It had be on the edge of my seat, while I was swooning left and right over Duncan. Alex was so real that it felt like I knew her. She embodied everything a woman should be in the 21st century. Strong, beautiful, clever, pigheaded and a little neurotic. All in all one of my favorite heroines of 2018 so far.

You will not regret reading this book!!!
Profile Image for M.R. Field.
Author 5 books323 followers
May 5, 2018
Falling Into Darkness is an emotionally gripping novel that deals with aspects of grief, guilt and regret. Alex moves to America to rebuild her life after a traumatic past. She is guarded, her dreams are riddled with nightmares and she trusts very few people. She holds her cards close to her heart to avoid experiencing any more hurt. “I don’t do well with emotions. I was never one of those people who can show them easily to begin with, and the last few years only made it worse.”

If an effort to try to fit in again, she attends a party whereby she literally runs into the chest of a sexy, cocky guy that takes her breath away; Duncan. “No man should be allowed to have eyes like this; they’re too dangerous to the female population. And I have no doubt he knows it, too.” But she doesn’t let her attraction get the better of her, instead she leaves the party and flees to regain her composure.

To complicate things even further, the cocky guy from the party Duncan, is a colleague at her new school. “Ugh, why do I have to have such a strong connection with someone I work with and who is clearly a jerk. Probably a Manwhore too.”
Alex struggles to hold back her attraction from this, ‘born again Viking’ but it’s little too late. Duncan’s perseverance is potent. He sees the broken woman in her and is determined to help. “Whatever it is, I’m willing to help. I’m not planning on going anywhere.”

Alex’s emotional struggles clothe her throughout the novel. While she tries to maintain semblance of being normal at work and as much as she can in front of her friends, the past continues to weave itself into her thoughts at moments when she is trying to feel happy, only to destruct her again. “The small flicker of joy I felt for the first time in a while vanished—extinguished by the dark tendrils of my past who’s hold might not always be suffocating, but who also won’t let me go, reminding me I do not deserve happiness for myself. And suddenly, I’m falling—falling through the darkness I hoped I left behind.”

Kira Berger’s writing is eloquent, emotionally enthralling as her characters commandeer your thoughts. She wants you to feel the pain that Alex has gone through, but she also wants you to experience Duncan’s dedication to reviving her.
I loved this novel. I thought the chemistry with the characters was electric and found the class scenes on poetry really beautiful.
Profile Image for Annie Dyer.
Author 60 books1,138 followers
April 22, 2018
A smouldering sexy read from a brand new author to follow.
Falling Through Darkness charts the emotional growth of the story's protagonist Alex as she moves past a devastating set of events and evolves into a new life. Kira's writing is smooth and the dialogue strong. In Alex, she has created a flawed heroine who can be identified with, whilst in Duncan, the reader has a strong alpha male who is certainly a contender for book boyfriend of the week. I really enjoyed this debut and look forward to reading more from this author.
Profile Image for Nicole Emerald Book Reviews  McCurdy.
404 reviews61 followers
May 4, 2018
Falling Through Darkness by Kira Berger


4.5 Star review


Ever since I shared the cover reveal for this book on my blog weeks ago, I’ve been anticipating the story that hid behind it.


Our heroine Alex has clearly been through some sort of tragedy and trauma when we first encounter her.  Skittish, defensive to the point of rude, fiercely independent and embarking on a brand new life, one that has taken her to America for a new position as a High School teacher.  It is within the complexities and uncertainties of this character that we find the most multifaceted, intriguing, damaged yet loving and loyal woman. Author Kira Berger has managed to deliver a strong female protagonist that is intelligent, layered, emotionally and metaphorically trapped and a little heart scarred.  She’s fascinating, prickly and without a doubt utterly resilient and brave.


What I really loved about Falling Through The Darkness is the fact that yes, the author has written this strong, entirely capable heroine who has experienced so much pain and heartache in her young life, but she has also blended into the story Duncan, a hero that is not necessarily there to save the damsel in distress, or pander to her insecurities but is there as an equal.  Someone to support her in his quiet, stalwart and super sweet ways. He is a fantastically subtle alpha type hero. He doesn’t growl at Alex, or tell her what she can and cannot do. He’s simply there for her in whatever capacity she needs him in. He has the innate need to protect, to claim and to comfort but he does it in such a way that his character is this perfect combination of flirty, vigilant, chivalrous and determined- or stubborn, if you ask Alex.


‘“You need some space to process, I get it.  But let me tell you one thing, and you gotta listen and actually hear what I’m saying.  I want to see where this attraction can take us. You should know, I’m not afraid to go after what I want.  Whatever happened to you in the past, that twisted s*** in your head, I will do my damndest to help you untwist it.  Whatever it is, I’m willing to help. I’m not planning on going anywhere. So brace yourself baby. Because you can do whatever you want-call me names, run, push me away-I won’t give up. I’m a stubborn Mother******....”’


The romance is heart-warming and grin-inducing without being over-the-top cliched or cheesy.  It’s perfectly balanced with the light-hearted banter between Alex and Duncan, as he tries to win her heart.  His persuasiveness and her reluctance make for some pretty entertaining scenes.


Even though there is some highly sensitive subjects tackled in this book, author Kira Berger has managed to write about them with realism and honesty, giving the survivor a clear and courageous voice throughout the book.

She has constructed a story that is gritty, romantic and engaging, with terrific characterisations and a thrilling suspense plot weaving its way through the story.  It can be funny at times, frustrating, sexy, chilling, heartbreaking and exciting. And if you can experience such a vast range of these things in one book, I count it as a win for definite.
Profile Image for Isabelle MBTL .
749 reviews59 followers
May 4, 2018
I received this book for free from Foreword PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Contemporary Romance; Romantic suspense.

Dual-POV. In reality it was ONE-POV, with only one chapter of Duncan's POV.

Stand-alone, for now, but is clear that we will get Duncan's brother book next.


Addictiveness: Highly addictive. This books started with a BANG, really the prologue puts you inside the story not wanting to let go.
Character: hero 4/5, heroine 4/5, secondary characters 4/5, growth 5/5, real 5/5  They were all easy to like, connect and understand. Both Alex and Duncan started as bit of jerks in the beginning. Alex, because she has been going through a lot and her way of coping with her pain is being snarky and bitchy. Duncan, well, I guess that was his male way of showing interesting in a female. :)  But after the little bump, Duncan turned into an amazing hero, that knew how to pace himself and give Alex space to trust him naturally. At the same time, he never gave enough space for her to feel left alone. Alex, she carried so much pain and misplaced guilty inside that she couldn't see very far. At the same time, she was a warrior, starting over so soon. I would probably be a basket case. These are characters with depth and I could already see that Brendan and Emma are also going to bring a lot to the plate on their book.
Cover: art 4/5, title 5/5, subtitle 5/5, color-font 5/5, buy 5/5 I’m obsessed with book covers. I love to find snippets of the stories within the art. I love this art, I love the colors used here and the title is very catchy! Yes, I'm really stuck on details, and I couldn't understand why the man has a wedding band on his thumb. I would definitely buy this book without reading the blurb with such amazing art and catchy title.
Freshness: There is nothing completely original, but at the same time the overall concept of the story felt fresh. The author brought along a few twists that kept the reader guessing until the end.
Plot: believable 4/5, conflict 4/5, dialogue 4/5, ending 5/5, enjoyment 5/5, opening 5/5, pace 5/5, setting 5/5, subplots 4/5, twists 5/5  Amazing opening and wonderful ending. Good conflict and well written dialogues. Fast-paced with enough suspense to enhance the story. A few unexpected twists here and there, that makes this story believable and enjoyable. A bit of angst, a bit of heat that gave a really good plot.
Romance: believable 4/5, chemistry 5/5, description 5/5, development 3/5, steam 4/5 Great romance! Their chemistry could be felt from the beginning. The development maybe was a bit faster after the "drunk day"but, their love story felt believable. Many good scenes, with great description. The smut is there, but it all felt pertinent to the story.
Writing Style: WOW!!!! Multidimensional characters, fast-paced plot and hot romance. What is not to like?



 

First, I guess I got used to first person, dual-pov, and I missed it here. Several times during the story I felt like wanting to know what was Duncan thinking. Yes, I ended up getting one chapter of his POV, and I took it all up. Is much easier to connect with a character when I know his thoughts.

 



 

I don't believe this was Ms. Berger debut. A really overall complete novel. I'm looking forward to reading Brandon and Emma's book.

 

29.5/35 STARS – 4 STARS  (4 stars between 28 stars and 35 stars)

Addictiveness: 5 Character: 4  Cover: 4.5  Freshness: 4  Plot: 4  Romance: 4 Writing Style: 4

Action 3.5/5
Angst 3/5
Darkness 0/5
Humor 0/5
Romance 5/5
Suspense/Mystery 3/5
Would I recommend?Yes, for anyone that enjoys romantic suspense with a bit of heat and a bit of angst.
Would I re-read this book? YES!
Would I re-read this series? Sure.
Would I read more from the author? I will!!!

You MAY read this because you like romantic suspense; you SHOULD read this because you are looking for a new author; you MUST read this because is a good balance of suspense and romance!!!


 

 This review was originally posted on More Books Than Livros
110 reviews1 follower
May 12, 2018
What a great way to kick off a writing career. This debut book was heartbreaking, secretive, hopeful and learning to trust again. Alex has come to start a new life after such a horrific time, a life that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. She just wants to work, stay low, hide and live an uncomplicated life. What she didn't expect was to run into (literally) , the incredibly hot, smart and sweet Duncan. Over a short time Duncan tries to tear down the high walls that Alex has put around her heart and mind to protect what she has left. But when a dark cloud threatens her happiness, Alex is once again thrown into turmoil.

I really enjoyed this book, the heroine is flawed and scarred, yet it's endearing, you feel a sense on empathy and protection over her. The Hero is your typical arrogant, brooding bad boy, he is a strong, kind and steadfast man that won't give up. The secondary characters are just engaging and I need to know more about her new best friend, there is such a good story begging to be told. This book had intensity, heartbreak, danger, self discovery, growth and unwavering love. Great job and I can't wait to see what this author has to deliver next!!!!!

~~ Reviewed by Lipsmackin Goodbooks ~~
Profile Image for Sheila'S Book Corner.
1,054 reviews78 followers
May 4, 2018
Falling Through Darkness is an emotional story that grabs you right from the start. I felt so much anguish for the heroine Alex as she tries to pull herself out of a very dark place and move past the feelings that she just didn’t deserve happiness.

“I want to try to stand in the light instead of being shrouded in darkness for the rest of my days.”

Duncan is a strong, caring alpha hero and exactly what Alex needs to help her move beyond and escape the terrifying and truly heartbreaking past that she thought she could run from, but always seems like it was just lurking in wait.

“You’re the one illuminating all the dark places inside of me. You’re the reason why I can finally see past the darkness that eclipsed my existence for so long.”

This book is the first from this author and I can’t wait to read more. A lovely storytelling voice and great characters that really pulled me in made this a memorable story and put this author on my favorites list.

-4.5 Stars!-
-Diane-
Profile Image for Jennifer Pierson.
11.7k reviews182 followers
May 4, 2018
Falling Through Darkness is a great start to what I believe will be a fantastic career for the talented Kira Berger, so I had no choice but to give it the perfect rating, especially since it ticked all of my boxes. First of all, it started out with a big bang as I read that Prologue, so I knew instantly that I was in for an exciting ride, and wasn't disappointed. So, Alex has left Europe to start over in the States, trying to leave a dark past behind, when she meets Duncan, a hello sexy Viking of a man. She's not too happy with him from the get go, but she can't deny her reaction to him, though she does try to. With some help from a few friends, Duncan continues to prove that he's a good guy, and breaks through her walls, but unfortunately, dark pasts never stay in one place, so when hers jumps the pond, will Duncan be able to keep her safe? I love Alex's fiery, stubborn self so much, especially when she drank a bit too much, as she was full of fun, and left any sort of filter at the door, not that she had much of one anyway. And that's not to say that Duncan was a douche, because he wasn't, and with all of his drool worthy sexiness & big heart, they just meshed perfectly together, and I didn't want to shake either of them in frustration. Plus, all that chemistry that tried to choke the other teachers in the lounge, ignited into sexy times that lit the sheets up! And I was also provided with a cast of secondaries, Emma & Brendan for example, that I fell just as hard for, added more to the story in depth & humor, & I'm praying that they get their own stories in the near future. Finally, in between the angst, romance, humor, & general entertainment, there was that whole past of Alex's that came to light which provided the twists that I love in my stories, and trust me, that final twist was one I never saw coming, so my f-bomb dropping was strong! I'm so excited to see what this amazing new author will put out next, and HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND Falling Through Darkness to ALL!
Profile Image for Julianna K.
909 reviews
April 21, 2018
Falling Through Darkness by Kira Berger.

Falling Through Darkness was an alright story. In the beginning, I was a curious about Alexandra (Alex) history of what she was running from. As she settles into her new job, she attends a house party thrown by two people who helped her move. As Alex exits the bathroom,she runs into a Duncan who not only hits on her after spilling his drink, but acts like a jerk. But before she can fully get him out of her mind, she seeing him in the teachers lounge the day she starts work. We can officially say, these two didn’t get off on the right foot, but when Duncan takes care of Alex after a drunk night, she starts to open up. Letting her walls down just a bit.

Even though Alex has her baggage, I felt the way she held herself seem to deplete little by little after 30% of the story was told. I would have liked her to see her stick to the independence she presented during the beginning while entering a relationship with Duncan. Now, Duncan with the ice-blue eyes seems to have our heroine tongue-tired, so to speak. He’s a smooth talker and has mega watt smile that seems to disarm any lady. With,a heart of gold and a protective streak when it comes to our leading lady. 



Overall, the Falling Through Darkness was interesting and kept my attention for the most part, but again, I would have liked to see Alex’s character stay firm while dipping into the relationship with Duncan. As much as I enjoyed the soft touch of what Duncan’s character provided throughout the story, I didn’t find him to be a great main character. He just gave off the impression he was more of a side character… Though, I did like Kira Berger’s writing and will certainly check out future books by her.

Tempting Sexy Thoughts
**ARC for an Honest Review**
Profile Image for Becca Stanfield Vernon.
1,779 reviews21 followers
April 18, 2018
This book was just WOW!! I’m just amazed by the emotional, intriguing storyline that flowed throughout this book. The prologue did its job pulling me. Alex is so beautifully broken when she runs into Duncan. I felt the sadness, the hurt, the pain as I was reading. Duncan is like a usual man.......c*cky & comes off as a complete jerk to Alex. The sexy, persistent man that Duncan is, was so well written. You know in the beginning this is no ordinary love story & this book was so well written I felt for these characters. The darkness within this story was scary yet beautiful. I was worried & scared for the impending event that was going to happen, like I was there apart of the story. I’m completely speechless on the fact that this is a debut book for this author. I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Suzanne.
2,633 reviews43 followers
May 1, 2018
For a debut author, Kira Berger absolutely nailed it completely. There was an amazing character build plus a great storyline that keeps you on your toes through the whole thing. I love how much Alex is a fighter after everything she has been through. She has so much pain in her soul. It is really heartbreaking once you find out why. Then enter Duncan. The man who literally knocks her on her butt. I love the pursuit of these two. How Duncan fights for her no matter what is in her past. The one thing I also really adore is how much passion and naughtiness is between them even though they are teachers! I adored that! The chemistry of these two is sizzling and while it was fast romance, you can really enjoy the feel and build of their relationship. When things come to a head, Duncan is by Alex’s side every step of the way regardless.
Overall, this an amazing debut novel that will keep you on your toes. The flow as perfect as well as the characters. I found once I started it, I could not put it down. I am really excited to see what else Berger has in store for us if this is the debut from her. She has an amazing talent!
Profile Image for Alison Phillips.
300 reviews9 followers
April 18, 2018
Really enjoyed reading this book. I loved watching Alex and Duncan’s relationship start and deepen. How much do I love Duncan? Sigh...he really was my perfect man. How supportive he was to Alex and how he stood beside her was nothing short of amazing but she really did deserve that love. She is a wonderful person who has had nothing but bad in her life for such a long time.
Loved them together and also really enjoyed the story line, mystery and intrigue.
Profile Image for Kerry Melton.
514 reviews14 followers
May 9, 2018
Alex is a strong heroine who leaves her life behind in the UK. She finds herself in a new city, different from what she’s used to. Alex is closed off. Her secret will catch up to her.

The first half of Falling Into Darkness was a bit predictable. Then out of nowhere Kira drops a bombshell that you will never seen coming. Although Alex’s future seems grim, will she be able to let the past go? Can Alex have the life she deserves?
Profile Image for Dora Ruiz Davalos Books and Tequila Blog.
342 reviews10 followers
May 4, 2018
I know that in romance there are different tropes for different folks. Some love the light hearted Rom-Com and some love romance that’s just a little grittier; with either angst or suspense in the mix, to keep us turning the pages frantically, until the perfect HEA. Falling Through Darkness is the latter; filled with amazing main and secondary characters, combined with a story filled with suspense, that had my jaw dropping due to a twisted and unexpected surprise! I love a fierce and strong female character and Alex, the main character, lives up to that and more. The writing is amazing, with dialogue that felt as if I were eavesdropping on a private conversation, it flowed and felt real. And the story is one that had me on the verge of tears at times; it deals with a painful subject many young women find themselves trapped in, in a careful and considerate way. I felt my heart skip a beat over Duncan, the wonderful and amazing H, who proves how mistaken our first impressions of people can be. I not going to say too much about the story, I want everyone to be surprised by the secrets Alex is afraid to reveal, even to her closest friends; ones that caused her to flee as if her life were in danger. If this is her debut novel, then I can’t wait to see what else Ms Berger comes up with!

Alexandra “Alex” Weber moved to the States with two suitcases, literally filled with her worldly possessions, to start a new life. She’d left everything she loved behind in Europe where she grew up. Her parents and brother died four months earlier and now she’s starting over, trying to put the past behind her.

She found a job teaching, and an apartment, thanks to some friends and is looking forward to new beginnings. This time she’ll be more wary of who she lets into life. She’s not worried about her heart, that’s locked up tight, like a vault. And she’ll fight anyone, tooth and nails, who tries to penetrate it. As Duncan later tells her, she’s not as tough as she likes to pretend.

“You’re easy to like, babe. Once you’re past the prickly exterior and attitude you put on for the rest of the world to see.”

Duncan McLean runs into Alex at a party at his neighbors . He made quite the first impression but unfortunately it was a bad one. When he sees her at school, where he teaches, Duncan realizes she the new teacher and it seems like Fate must’ve had a hand in it. Something about Alex intrigues him and he wants to find out what it is. He wants to prove he’s not what Alex thinks he is, a callus manwhore, and sets out to prove her wrong.

Once Alex decides to let him in, just a little, she soon realizes that what you see isn’t necessarily what you get. Her mother had some great advice that Alex decides she should take.

“Yeah, she used to tell me that what people see as imperfections are actually the complete opposite. Those imperfections are what make us—and the people around us—special. And that I shouldn’t strive to be perfect, but find someone to share my life with, someone perfect for me just as I am perfect for him.”

When Alex decides to trust Duncan, something that she’s been so wary of, he proves he’s worthy of her trust and her heart, too.

“His words are a balm to my open wounds.”

There’s a good reason Alex left her past and decided to move and this is where the suspense begins. She has so much she’s hiding, mostly due to shame and fear, but with the help of Duncan and her new friends, she thinks she can finally put the past behind her. Until it finds her.
Profile Image for Cyndi Becker.
1,374 reviews10 followers
May 1, 2018
Falling Through Darkness, Kira Berger's debut, a romantic suspense, tackles some pretty tough subjects while offering up a swoony alpha hero and a hot connection with the heroine. The prologue builds tension and the reader is immediately hooked. I'll admit I wondered if this would be too dark a story but there was no need to fret. The opening merely created some anticipatory anxiety that kept me engaged.

The story centers around a young European women who finds herself in America after suffering loss and living through a domestic situation that very nearly breaks her. When she meets Duncan, a man she shares an immediate connection with, there are flickers of spark and a reason to take a chance. With Duncan in her life, Alex begins to enjoy life again. In Duncan, Alex finds a considerate, thoughtful and caring partner. But Alex has a lot to overcome before shell begin to accept her worth.

I love how the story is told in reflection of events and how Alex's backstory is filled in. Berger does a wonderful job creating her characters by showing what motivates their actions. Duncan's Alpha qualities show up in the smallest ways, traits we can all recognize, but they are not overly done. Alex is a survivor and she has all the emotional baggage you'd expect for all that she's been through. There's a lot of fallout from this and Berger is sensitive to what her character has endured. I think she captures it in a realistic manner.

There's a strong cast of supporting characters who move the story along, and support the development of the relationship between Alex and Duncan. All in all I found this a really enjoyable read and I would definitely read more by this author. 4.5 stars and recommendation.

*I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Beyond The Covers Blog.
2,518 reviews91 followers
May 4, 2018
Alexandra Weber is leaving London her home for many years,since the passing of her parents and brother she has nothing left for her in Europe. She choose to go to America her mothers homeland,and with the help pf her friends and former teachers she lands a great job teaching and a place to live.

She not only was she starting over she had her past to escape,and the demons that came with it.

Alex knew she could be a real bitch and could be really snappy with people,her friends aren't going to let her wallow alone when she arrives,they invite her to a BBQ were she meets a sexy man that spills his drink on her and she can't believe it and she can't stop ogling him. Duncan knows she is ogling him and can't stop his smirk,he tries to get her to laugh but she bolts and runs home.

Passing the time till she starts her new job,her demons haunt her,work should help her put them away and not dwell on them.

The school year starts and Alex is off to new beginnings,arriving she is met by an excited Emma Carmichael and shown around the school.When they finally make it to the staff room she is stunned to be met by the same sexy man she ogled at the party.

Duncan is can't believe its her in front of him,he knows instantly he is attracted to her,he knows that she has a snarky side and he is going to have to wear her down.He is on a mission to get her to say yes and give him a chance,he knows looking at her that she is haunted and needs to feel safe,If she could just trust him to do right by her. Duncan is fun loving and easy going and he hopes that it will break through the moody Alex so he can make her his and only his.
Profile Image for Mette.
206 reviews4 followers
May 5, 2018
Picking up a debut novel is a tricky thing. Not only is it a new to you author, it can be hard for a new author to find their voice.
Will you like their style and is the voice to shakey?
Let me tell you this. Kira Berger might be new to writing, but she knows what she wants to say and how to say it! This did NOT read as a debut, far from it.
We are talking strong character development, no annoying fillers and a very well thought out story. I am very impressed.

Alex moves to Philadelphia with a lot more emotional baggage then the two suitcases she is carrying. She moves there to escape her past and begin a new life as a high school teacher. Within a day she has her first encounter with the North god that is Duncan. Let's just say, that first impressions are not good.
Things happen and soon first impressions are put to shame...
I'll stop right here, you need to pick up the book to get the full scope. I urge you to give this book a chance. Not just to give a new author a chance but because this book is friggin' good!
There were a lot of blinking back tears, some heart palpitations and a few curse words here and there. All in all everything you want from a good book.

Congratulations Kira Berger on a great start.
Profile Image for Martina Jacobsen.
12 reviews1 follower
May 5, 2018
There are tons of different books out there.
Some are really dark and some are cutesy and sugarsweet to the point where it's just unrealistic.
This book to me felt real.
Although I've never experienced what the heroine Alex had to endure (thank God) I could relate to how she felt and how she delt by putting up walls to protect yourself.
From the beginning I felt like I knew her and you can't help but love and admire this great hot-mess heroine for how she came through all her struggles.
Our alpha hero Duncan is the hot blue-eyed Viking with the sweetest heart that every girl wants. He's the guy that lifts you up instead of tear you down and I just love him! These characters are far from perfect but they complemented each other and made the other person better.

This did not read as a debut novel and I was beyond impressed PLUS I love this gorgeous cover! The book is well written, really evokes your emotions and the chemistry and the banter between the characters are amazing!

I can't wait to read Kira's next work because I have a feeling that Kira's writing (like great wine ;) ) will only grow and become even better with time.
Profile Image for Katie.
2,260 reviews15 followers
May 3, 2018
Falling Through Darkness
By Kira Berger
4 stars
Reviewed on behalf of 3 Degrees of Fiction Book Blog

Wow – what an amazing debut novel! I knew as soon as I started this book that I was going to love it! The prologue was probably one of the most gripping that I have ever read and this book didn’t let me back until the end! This really is a fantastic first book for this author and it has got me very excited for what is to come from her in the future.
The characters in the story were well developed and thought out. I was really curious about Alex’s past and I enjoyed reading about her. I really felt for her and the things that she had been through. Duncan was just - *sigh* I couldn’t get enough of him! The chemistry between the two of them was particularly scorching hot!! There were some great twists and turns throughout the story too which made it a captivating read! There was a slight darkness to the story too which I really liked!
Overall a great debut novel and I am definitely looking forward to reading more!!
Profile Image for Teri.
3,918 reviews36 followers
May 4, 2018
I love tying out new authors and get a thrill out of finding them out the gate and enjoying them growing into their place in the book world. We can be some really opinionated folks. Speaking of which. First of all I really enjoyed the book overall. I did have some problems with it that kept me from fully appreciating this author's hard work, for which I apologize. I am the type of reader who doesn't appreciate all of the inner dialogue and fluff and repetitive stuff and unfortunately I encountered enough of it that had it not been for the interest garnered by the prologue and wondering what this dark truth was I may have put it down. As I mentioned earlier the story did catch my attention even though the characters didn't really work for me.

I have to say again it is all about the style of writing I enjoy not the author and not the book. For a debut novel it is a wonderful first attempt. I see this author doing great things when she truly finds her voice, therefore I will probably stay close.
Profile Image for Booksobsessive .
735 reviews20 followers
May 5, 2018
From the very beginning your are gripped by this story!

I couldn’t put it down - I was so hooked and intrigued - it was like walking on eggshells as I was waiting for the secrets of the past to be revealed!

Alex is broken and thinks she’s weak - she puts on this brave front that shows her as a bitch but you know it’s because there’s more to her than she’s letting on and she needs time before she goes deep into her past!
Meeting Duncan brings out the best and worst of her - at first she is a total bitch but for good reasons- but Duncan is so sweet caring and loving he doesn’t give up and sees right through her straightaway !
These two cannot deny that spark between them - the chemistry is blazing!

I found this story captivating, raw and emotional!
It’s a story of loss, betrayal, living in fear and overcoming and a beautiful love story!
Everyone deserves a Duncan in their lives! 🖤

I look forward to future reads by Kira and hopefully she will give us Brendan and Emma’s story ?!
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