Book Review: They All Fall in Love at the End (2026)

If you are looking for a quick read filled with bits and pieces of our society’s recent events, yet still light and entertaining, you will want to read Haili Blassingame’s They All Fall in Love at the End. The story follows Cat, short for Catherine, who is a struggling server and creative writing MFA student in Washington, D.C., and has an “interesting” love life. Cat is a member of the polyamory community and has persuaded her boyfriend, Jay, that an open relationship is what works best for them. There are so many instances of exploration that occur in Cat’s love life. A couple of those occurrences happen between Cat and Tristan, Jay’s best friend, as well as Tristan’s girlfriend, Nia. With the addition of a backdrop of true events that have occurred since the second Trump administration, Cat gets involved in so many situations that are both political and personal which affect her life in so many ways.

Although so much occurs in this book, it is not too much that the reader cannot keep up. In fact, this story kept my attention the entire time as I read. Each little event made the story even more interesting. For example, the part where Cat’s mother questions Cat about her polyamorous lifestyle after her aunt who promised not to tell yet spills the beans is very hilarious. It is also symbolic of the views on alternative sexual preferences that vary among different generations. I did want more of a focus on the relationships, situationships and the polyamorous lifestyle experience and less of the politically driven events. On a lighter note, I like how Tristan shares my same appreciation for the flat portion of a chicken wing. LOL.

While I like how unique each character is written, surprisingly, there is no character that I would consider to be my favorite. During my reading of the story, I wanted Cat to succeed in every challenging situation she encountered, yet I did not like her. I feel she is selfish in wanting her way of having an open relationship. Though Jay agrees, he really does not want it. Jay is the good guy and the kind of man most women desire: kind, patient, and thoughtful, but Cat takes him for granted. I wanted to hit Cat upside her head for that. However, I cannot blame her for being true to herself and pursuing what she feels is right for her through exploring polyamory.

The tone is appropriate for this novel. The first person point of view allows me to see the world through Cat’s eyes. It is very realistic of a young adult woman trying to find her way in the world while facing challenges that some her age would face. In terms of style, the mix of the standard manuscript format with the screenplay format does work and adds a unique element to the story. Although I am not entirely sure why Blassingame chose to write a few of the chapters in screenplay format, I believe it represents how Cat may see her life as a movie. Blassingame does a wonderful job of describing the experience of living with depression through Tristan’s lenses. “You have lots of friends, you want things…Then one day, you’re just tired. Not sleepy, tired. You don’t want anything” (Blassingame 144). Blassingame gives a visual of depression and how it is a descent from happiness and a desire for life to sadness and no desire at all just from this excerpt alone.

What I believe is the overarching theme in this book is the search for identity. Cat is trying to figure out who she is through writing, sexuality, her thoughts on polygamy versus monogamy, and her relationships with Jay, Tristan and Nia. Cat’s mother, Dorinda, leaves her old life with Cat’s father, Joel, and steps into a fresh, new life.

I give Haili Blassingame’s They All Fall in Love at the End a 4 out of 5.

Amazon: They All Fall in Love at the End

GoodReads: They All Fall in Love at the End

WOW! Women On Writing Tour of They All Fall in Love at the End Themed Prompt Question & Response:

What has been your most romantic experience?

My most romantic experience occurred during Valentine’s Day 2015 with my boyfriend at the time. We spent the entire cozy day at home together. It was a romantic day filled with hugs, kisses, gift exchanging, a delicious take out steak dinner, and romcom movie watching. Some might ask what makes that particular Valentine’s Day special? Well, it is special to me because we intentionally made more time for each other than what we usually had on a regular basis amidst our busy work schedules to actually spend real quality time together.

Leave a tip to support my writing