How to Fall Out of Love Madly

A Novel

By: Jana Casale

Narrated by: Julia Knippen, Sophie Amoss, Imani Jade Powers, Kristen Sieh, Karissa Vacker

“Three relatable thirty somethings drive this ode to womanhood. Learning the hard way to love themselves, the women teach invaluable lessons.”—People

“Everyone who loves Sally Rooney should be reading Jana Casale!”—Julie Buntin, author of Marlena

Three women confront the compromises they’ve made to appease the men they love.

Joy and Annie are friends and roommates whose thirty-something lives aren’t exactly what they’d imagined. To make ends meet, they decide to rent their extra bedroom to Theo, who charms Joy with his salt-and-pepper hair and adoration of their one-eyed cat. When Annie goes to live with her boyfriend, Theo and Joy settle into a comfortable domesticity. Then Theo brings home Celine, the girlfriend he’s never mentioned, who is possibly the most stunning woman Joy has ever seen. Joy resolves to do whatever it takes to hold on to him, falling ever deeper into an emotional hellscape of her own making. She is too obsessed to realize that Celine’s beauty doesn’t protect her from pain. Haunted by an event from her past, Celine can’t escape her shame and finds herself in an endless cycle of self-sabotage.

Annie is baffled by Joy’s senseless devotion to Theo, but she’s consumed by her own obsessions: she can’t stop parsing her commitment-phobic boyfriend’s texts in an exhausting mission to maintain his approval. At work, where she fully embraces her natural assertiveness, Annie is a star. But when an anonymous letter lands on her desk accusing her esteemed and supportive boss of sexual misconduct, she is forced to decide who and what she’s willing to stand up for.

Perceptive, mordantly funny, and full of heart, How to Fall Out of Love Madly examines women’s many relationships—with one another, their mothers, their work, men, and themselves—to reveal their underlying power and complexity. It asks, why do so many smart, compassionate, otherwise empowered women tolerate egregious behavior from the men they love? And what will it take for them to reclaim control?

Loved

This book is incredible and breathed so much of the truth that sits on the tip of your tongue, just out of reach, into existence.

Such a fabulous listen

To hear the minds of other woman & their lived experiences was healing, amazing & so well written. Melissa Urban recommended it & so glad she did

Love this Book

This is an amazing book every young adult and adult should read. It gives a sis millennial woman perspective.

Amazing.

Was great to witness each character come into their own, and was funny and reverent. Loved the narration! Karissa Vacker is the best.

The Ultimate Love Story - Loving Yourself

I enjoyed how this book read like the most honest conversation you’d ever have with yourself. The growth and development of the characters was so realistic. I really liked how there wasn’t a single life altering event, but many smaller happenings that brought the characters to their conclusions. I loved how it ended.