Book: APRIL may FALL by Christina Hovland

"Peace, love and inner panic" - doesn't this phrase sound catchy? 

The book title "APRIL may Fall", the above tag line and the cover picture definitely makes one to pick it. 'April may Fall' is authored by Christina Hovland, an USA based writer. 

Christina holds a degree in journalism from Colorado State University and had worked in the media industry before turning into a chocolatier. She loves to write romantic comedies. Apart from "APRIL may FALL", her other works include "Going Done on One Knee", "Blow Me Away", "Take it Off the Menu", "Do Me a Favor", "Rachel, Out of Office", "There's Something About Molly" etc., which all are romantic fictions. 

About "APRIL may FALL", April Davis is a single mom living with her three unmanageable kids. She is an yoga instructor and a social media influencer. For the outside world, she puts up a "Calm Mom" image, but is not one in reality. April's husband divorced her for his skydiving instructor. Her kids are unruly - Harmony, a precocious elder daughter; Rohan, son with behavioral issues and lives believing he is a frog, ribitting all the time; Lola, naughty younger daughter. Juggling with kids and work, April leads a very hectic life. She hasn't showered in days, folded the dried laundry lying all over the house, cleaned up the messy kitchen and hasn't had a single moment in peace, let alone pampering herself.

One day, a live video of the "Calm Mom" shot in a grocery store becomes viral for all the wrong reasons. April messes up the sponsored live feed totally, by using cuss words with children around, cleaning and wiping her kid's urine, calling urine sterile in an act to cover up and failing to handle her unruly kids with a calm demeanour, as expected by the netizens. This video was just enough to pull down the ratings of her MyTube channel and fellow Mommy Influencers to criticize her. Jack Gibson, contact from the media conglomerate that has purchased April's brand, flies down to Denver, to clean up the viral mess and work with April to revive and expand her influence.

Jack Gibson is a highly focused professional, with a flawless track record; an overachiever in his field; a very handsome man, who doesn't want to get entangled in family live with wife and kids and stays single. After meeting April and her family, he realizes that he should put in some order in April's shabby life to bring peace and confidence back in her, before rebuilding her brand image. So he decides to stay back at Denver within a close proximity to April's home. But April is hell bent to reshape her media influencer image, due to the fear of failing again and doesn't comply with Jack. Jack tries all options possible to rebuild April's confidence. In the due course, April and Jack get into a relationship with no strings attached. 

Will Jack succeed in strengthening April? Will April find her inner calling and regain her lost voice
?, forms rest of the story.

While the story sounds quite common and the ending predictable; the characterization of all the key people and real life situations, stand out. April, how she loved her family and tried her best to keep it together; regain, rebuild and raise back like a phoenix is very much sympathizable and empowering. Jack, the gentleman, with a calm and dynamic attitude, though uncomfortable and new to handling situations with kids and other house hold responsibilities, learns and grows in the process and helps strengthen the kids, enables April to grow as an individual by supporting and giving her own space and eventually starts developing a liking for her and her family. April's kids, though are truly naughty in every sense, are also adorable and add humour to the story. April's friends are a bunch of lovable people one really wishes to be surrounded in life. They stood with her as pillars in all ups and downs and wanted to see their friend lead a happy life.

Each chapter begins with a quote told by other moms and author, that are funny and much relatable. To quote couple of them,

"Forget happy and healthy, sometimes I consider it a win if everyone is alive at the end o f the day!"

"It's okay if you fall apart sometimes. Tacos fall apart all the time and we still love them"

"Why do kids face all the 'world is falling apart' problems only when I step inside the bathroom? I need ten minutes for the world to not be on fire. Just ten. I'll be super mom after that, I promise"

The last one, made me roll on the floor 😆😆😆 It is undeniably true!!! 

This book also has a beautiful poem "Everybody has a voice" which Harmony writes for Jack. It was originally written by Christina's daughter Sofia.

April may Fall is an entertaining and romantic story, told in a witty and fast-paced manner. 

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