Before I Fall

May 4, 2015
Scott (HomeFront) starts off her Falling contemporary series with a story that focuses on the troubles of returning veterans and their families. Beth Lamont is the daughter of a wounded veteran, using his GI Bill benefits to get her business degree while working two jobs to keep up with his medical bills. Noah Warren has just come back from Iraq; getting his degree will fulfill a promise to his best friend, but he struggles with PTSD. When Beth is assigned to tutor Noah, she’s reluctant to work with him, but the two soon find ways past their first impressions to form a connection that neither expected. Beth and Noah’s relationship is realistic in its ups and downs; secondary characters are less well developed and the setting is generic. The strength of the story is the attention it pays to returning veterans’ need for physical and mental support, especially for their careers and families.