Review: Falling by Christina Lauren
🖤 Part of the Scared Sexy Collection (Amazon Original Stories)
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5 stars)
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Fantasy Romance
Length: Short Story (~60 pages)
Christina Lauren takes a supernatural detour with Falling, a sexy, gothic-tinged short about a cursed immortal whose powers of persuasion crumble when he meets the one woman who can resist him.
At a Halloween party, Cat meets Brigan—a dangerously beautiful stranger who makes everyone else lose control. Everyone except her. Turns out, Brigan’s “charm” isn’t just good genes; it’s a centuries-old curse that feeds off desire. When Cat sees through his illusion, one night of passion might break his curse—or doom them both.
It’s a fantastic setup: moody Halloween vibes, a dark immortal antihero, and a heroine immune to his power. Unfortunately, the execution never quite catches up to the concept. The pacing feels rushed, the emotional connection barely lands, and the ending… just ends. Abruptly. Like the story fell off a cliff mid-scene.
That said, it’s got atmosphere, heat, and classic Christina Lauren banter. If you want a quick, no-brain-power Halloween read with a touch of spice and a whiff of Twilight nostalgia, it’s a fun enough bite. Just don’t expect an HEA—or even an HFN—when you sink your teeth in.
💋 Tropes & Themes
- 😈 Cursed Immortal MMC
- 🎃 Halloween Party Meet-Cute
- 💀 Strangers to Lovers
- 💫 Fated Mates / Reincarnation Hints
- 🔥 One-Night-Stand with Emotional Undercurrent
- 💋 Powerful Male, Immune Heroine Dynamic
- 💔 Star-Crossed Lovers / Doomed Romance
- 🧛 Supernatural Seduction
- ⏳ Centuries of Loneliness / Curse Redemption
⚠️ Content Notes
Mild violence, sex, curse magic, discussion of past lovers, abrupt ending (no HFN/HEA).
🦇 Final Thoughts
Falling feels like a haunting echo of the Christina Lauren stories we fell in love with years ago—sexy, clever, but unfinished. The bones are there (and so are the wings 👀), but the story stops just when it starts to soar.
Good thing it’s free in KU, because paying for that ending? That would’ve hurt more than Brigan’s curse.
