This is the story of two men who have had the more than their share of bad times and how their friendship and love changes their lives. When the story opens, we meet Malachi. He's jobless and living with his sister and brother-in-law under less than ideal conditions. He sees a man at the grocery that turns his head. 
 Harper has just been released from prison after ten years. Emotionally, he's a mess. His life has turned into a nightmare at the hands of others, and he's desperately trying to figure out how to live in this post-incarceration world. 
 My heart immediately went out to these two men, and when circumstances bring them together, Barbara Elsborg's writing shines a big beautiful light on what is so lovely about two people connecting, much in the same way she did in one of my favorite books from her, Strangers. 
 I've read some reviews of this title that thought this was insta-love, but for me, it wasn't. Maybe insta-lust is more accurate, after all these are two men that have been deprived of the human touch for some time, but the love-- I thought that took time to take seed and develop between these two and I loved how their relationship went from explosive sex to heart-wrenching feelings for each other. 
 There's a lot going on in this title, but central to the story is Malachi's attempts to prove Harper's innocence. Some reviews have said this plot line is hard to believe, but I didn't think so. It demonstrates just how mean and vindictive people can be, and I can get behind that. I thought it was a well crafted suspenseful plot line that could have ended in tragedy. Yes, there's lots of angst in this, starting with Harper's insecurities and ending with Malachi's beautiful heart and sense of rightness. Oh, and did I mention Malachi's humor? He brings a lot of light to what otherwise might have been a very dark story. 
 I really enjoyed Falling and found myself getting invested in needing to know what happens to Harper and Malachi. I'm not rating this 5 stars because I thought the sex at times took way from the tension of the story and once their relationship was established, I almost felt like a voyeur. A few of the sex scenes toward the end could have been cut to make things flow better for me. as I found myself skimming over them to find out what was going to happen next. 
 Overall, I would recommend this. Harper and Malachi are definitely worth the time.