Book Review: If I Fall by ShirlengTearJerky

 "Youth is the season of courage, where love feels like a leap into the unknow, fearless, hopeful and beautifully brave."

--Unknown

In If I Fall, every step feels like walking over broken glass which is uncertain, trembling, but necessary. With raw emotion and haunting honesty, this story pulls you into a world where love and fear collide, and the only way forward is to risk losing yourself.

Synopsis...

If I Fall is a heartfelt story that dives into the complicated emotions of love, trust, and the courage to face heartbreak. It follows the journey of two people whose lives intertwine in unexpected ways, reminding us that love is not always a fairytale—it can be messy, painful, and filled with uncertainty. The characters struggle with choices that test their strength, showing how hard it can be to hold on when life keeps pulling them apart. At its core, the novel paints a raw and emotional picture of how fragile yet powerful love can be.

But beyond the heartbreak and the tears, this book also offers hope. It shows how falling—whether in love or in life—doesn’t always mean failure. Sometimes falling is part of learning, of finding yourself, and of growing stronger than before. Through its emotional highs and lows, If I Fall reminds readers that even in the darkest moments, there is light waiting at the end of the journey. It’s a story for anyone who has loved deeply, lost painfully, and still found the courage to believe in love again.

My reaction to this novel...

I recently finished reading If I Fall by ShirlengTearJerky, and I have to admit, this was a very different reading experience for me. I don’t usually read Tagalog romance books. In fact, it’s a genre I tend to avoid because I often find them too cheesy or cringey for my taste. That’s why when I started this book, I wasn’t sure if I would even make it to the end.

True enough, there were moments where I felt exactly what I expected: a little cringey, overly sweet, and dramatic in ways that I’m not really used to. But to my surprise, there were also several parts that made me smile without even realizing it. That, for me, was unexpected. The playful banter between characters, the little acts of love, and even the more emotional scenes managed to draw me in, even though this isn’t usually my kind of story.

The plot itself follows some of the familiar tropes that we often see in romance: misunderstandings, tension, reconciliations, and of course, the “kilig” factor that Filipino romance novels are so well known for. On paper, it may not sound unique, but the way the author told the story had a certain sincerity. It was written in a way that clearly aimed to touch the hearts of readers, and in that regard, it succeeded.

One thing I really appreciated was that the book didn’t try to be anything else, it was a straightforward love story that embraced everything people enjoy about the genre. It had the right mix of lightheartedness, drama, and those sweet little moments that make you root for the characters. Even when I felt that familiar sense of awkwardness with some overly romantic exchanges, I still found myself turning the pages, curious to see what would happen next.

As someone who isn’t a fan of Tagalog romance, this book felt new to me. It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. There were times I thought about how different it was compared to the kinds of stories I normally enjoy, but I also realized that sometimes it’s good to read something you wouldn’t usually pick up. The cringe was there, yes, but so was the charm. And it’s the charm that ultimately made me keep reading.

In terms of rating, I honestly don’t know where to place it. On one hand, it’s not a book I would rave about because it’s not my preferred genre. On the other hand, I can’t deny that it entertained me and even made me smile, which means it did exactly what a romance novel is supposed to do. For that reason alone, I’d say it deserves some recognition.

Would I recommend it? If you’re someone who loves Tagalog romance, then absolutely! You’ll probably fall in love with it even more than I did. If you’re like me, someone who doesn’t usually go for this type of story, then I’d still say give it a try. You might be surprised by how a simple, sweet story can make you feel something, even when you least expect it.

Overall, If I Fall is a surprisingly cute and heartfelt read. It may not have completely changed my mind about the genre, but it gave me a fresh experience, and that’s something I value as a reader. Sometimes, stepping outside your usual reading preferences can give you small, unexpected joys and that’s exactly what this book did for me.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨(3.5/5)