With a name like Kate Rockland (frequent contributor to Rolling Stone, Spin, Playboy, and the New York Times style section), it’s only fitting that this author’s first-time novel deals with a rock star theme.

Falling Is Like This follows the journey of 23-year-old Harper Rostov, a tabloid columnist who leaves her job and her stable boyfriend to pursue her dream of becoming a music journalist. But before she can leave New York to move back in with her parents in New Jersey, she runs into Nick: a certified punk rock god and her longtime crush. Within the span of a day and one coffee shop date, the two begin a hasty weeklong romance that shows Harper just how much passion had been missing from her life. As Harper deals with the overdose of charm and chemistry that Nick brings, she is soon forced to make life-changing decisions. Should she become a groupie and follow Nick and his band on their adventures, or try to piece her old life back together and reconnect with the depressed sister who so desperately needs her?

Portrayals of East Village dive bars and dingy recording studios are dealt with in vivid and captivating imagery, not an easy accomplishment considering how quickly that area of town changes. However, the downfall of Falling Is Like This lies in the protagonist of Harper who, as the novel progresses, becomes increasingly less endearing. Flashbacks to Harper’s childhood coupled with her dull personality seem in stark contrast to her oddball parents and the colorful backdrop New York provides.

While the story falls slightly short, if you want to get a taste of the New York punk rock scene, this is an easy summer read.