I enjoyed this book. I liked the gradual introduction of the characters via crosswords and note, before meeting and seeing the relationship develop.
Sensitive handling of anxiety that whilst being taken seriously doesn't detract from the overall light hearted spirit of the book.

The first half of the book was really great, but also unique because our characters didn’t met until almost half way through the book. The last half was great and I’m glad I read it, it just felt slightly off compared to the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advance e-copy of The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love, in exchange for an honest review.
Eve Devon's 'The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love' is a charming and well-crafted romance that explores the complexities of love and recovery.

The story centers around Ashleigh, a high-end house cleaner, and George, an advertising executive. Both characters are navigating the aftermath of trauma: George struggles with panic attacks stemming from a childhood heart condition, while Ashleigh is still reeling from the sudden death of her best friend.

Devon skillfully weaves these difficult topics into the narrative, but she does so with a light touch that keeps the tone upbeat and enjoyable. The result is a rom-com that doesn't shy away from real-world issues but still manages to provide a delightful escape.

One of the strengths of the book lies in the character development. Ashleigh and George are both relatable and well-drawn. Their struggles are believable, and their journey towards healing is both heartwarming and inspiring.

However, the book's focus on maintaining a light tone does come at a slight expense. While the characters grapple with their issues, their resulting actions sometimes feel arbitrary or underdeveloped. This is particularly true in the first half of the book, where George's panic attacks are presented as a significant obstacle but then seem to resolve relatively easily.

Despite this minor flaw, 'The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love' remains a charming and enjoyable read. Devon's writing is engaging, and her characters are easy to root for. The book offers a reminder that even in the darkest of times, love and healing are possible.

Overall, 'The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love' is a well-written and entertaining romance that explores the complexities of love, recovery, and the power of human connection. This was a solid 3.90 Star read for me!

Dnf’d after the first page:/ I could tell immediately that this book just wasn’t for me just by 1- the first person pov and seemingly changes through the book, and 2- the way that our character’s “inner monologue” I suppose you could call it, is talking. Maybe I’ll give this one another go after it’s release

Fantastic! I liked most everything in this and about this book. I liked Ashleigh. I thought having Ashleigh clean houses was such a smart move! I am tired of reading about overachieving overachievers and I like so much that Ashleigh is who she is without explanation. That is such a good reminder to all of us no matter what age- especially as a woman!!!! I found Zach to be irritating and I wish the slow burn was a touch faster. I think it could have been about 15 pages shorter in that area and would have been totally great. George was more than just what you saw which is always the case isn’t it? But what I liked was them together ! Great book. Fun summer read!! Can’t wait to listen to the audiobook as well. I hope it is in duet!

I’m rounding up because for me this was a 3.5! The beginning was a bit slow, but once our main characters began to interact the pace picked right up. This was a cute friends to lovers and I really enjoyed the way they used crosswords throughout. At times the plot seemed a bit repetitive but overall it was enjoyable and I liked the main characters and how they didn’t shy away from their flaws.

The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love, by Eve Devon, is a light-hearted and quick rom-com read. The characters are easy to connect with and the story flows smoothly. Though it was good for an afternoon getaway or a day at the pool, this one will not have you giving it much thought later. Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

The premise was interesting. Ashleigh is a cleaner who starts cleaning George’s apartment. Which is already basically pristine.

While cleaning she completely invades his privacy and disrespects boundaries by dropping off a Ficus plant after hours. George catches her and is somehow ok with this. I guess because they’ve been leaving each other notes in the form of crossword puzzles?

This books was the slowest burn and the payoff wasn’t worth it. I struggled to care about the characters and the plot.

Ashleigh was awful. It seemed like the author tried so hard to make her quirky but instead made her act like a toddler. If she wasn’t yelling out random words and fist pumping the air during a first date then she was blurting out random things and following it up with “oops didn’t use my inside my head voice.”

I, unfortunately, didn’t like anything about this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In the midst of grief after losing her best life long friend in a freak accident, Ashleigh is trying to move forward. leaving her job in magazines and taking a cleaning job worries her family.
A new customer Georges apartment is spotless and they get to know eachother as friends.
New boyfriend on the scene but is he Mr right.
Finding your way and the friends that you need.

The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love was a delightful romance. With charming characters and feel-good vibes, it's the perfect escape into the world of love and possibility. A great read for romance fans seeking a dose of humor and heart in their lives.

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter, HarperCollins UK for allowing me to read an ARC of The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love by Eve Devon, in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this story for so many reasons, mostly, because it was about helping others before yourself. I've dealt with panic/anxiety for many years, and the descriptions were spot on. The anticipation, talking yourself into/out of, second guessing, etc. and then doing it all over again the next time. For someone who still experiences this, it was refreshing.

It was also utterly adorable! I loved the interaction between Ashley and all of her people, especially George.

I look forward to reading more by Eve Devon.

The perfect book for cheesy rom com lovers. Unfortunately, a little TOO cheesy for me. While I usually feel like romcoms tend to play out the same tropes I don’t have a problem with it, although the tropes in this one were feeling bland despite my being 20% of the way through the book, as well as repeatedly giving me such severe secondhand embarrassment I just couldn’t do it anymore. Definitely not the book for me. Thanks again to One More Chapter and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I hope this book finds its perfect audience!

I couldn't say exactly what didn't blow me away about this book, but I could tend to say that there were no particularly interesting moments, just a series of events that unfolded exactly as expected. The two main characters are "lukewarm" and their interactions flat. Pity.

Non saprei dire esattamente cosa non mi ha fatto impazzire di questo libro, ma tendenzialmente potrei affermare che non ci sono momenti particolarmente interessanti, soltanto una serie di eventi che si susseguono esattamente come atteso. I due protagonisti sono "tiepidi" e le loro interazioni piatte. Peccato.

I received a complementary Digital Advance Review Copy from the Publisher in exchange for a honest review.

This was my first book by Eve Devon and I unfortunately it wasn’t for me. A slow going romance with little interaction between the main characters. Sorry to say I gave up before finishing the book. Thanks to the publisher and Eve. Also to NetGalley for the ARC copy for an honest review

Yes this is a soppy romance, but it had some depth to it. Two damaged souls finding each other. Loved the story line, don’t wish to spoil the tale for everyone. Definitely a great romantic read, flowed well.

I usually enjoy slow burn romances but this one just didn't work for me. I am sorry to say that I gave up quite early on.

🔘Slow burn
🔘Friends-to-lovers
🔘Grieving

After the devastating loss of her childhood friend, Ashleigh found herself battling crippling anxiety. In an attempt to change her career and distract herself from the constant unease, she took up a job as a housekeeper. Little did she know that this decision would lead her down an unexpected path of true friendships.

✨Thoughts✨
Assigned to clean the home of a man named George, Ashleigh initially had no idea how their lives would intertwine. But as she spent her days tackling the household chores, a unique bond began to form between them, all thanks to their shared love for crossword puzzles.

This story unfolds gradually, steadily building up the connection between the characters. Romance takes a back seat, blossoming much later on, as the main focus lies in how both Ashleigh and George learn to embrace life again after the hardships they've endured. What fascinated me the most was witnessing Ashleigh's genuine friendships with the people she met through her work. It felt authentic and natural, particularly her unexpected companionship with George, which she didn't even realize was happening. Somehow, without even trying, Ashleigh became a beacon of care and support in George's life.

George, on the other hand, was suffocating. Trapped in a passionless relationship and burdened by a demanding job, his stress levels reached their peak. However, his friendship with Ashleigh begins to awaken something within him, exposing him to new experiences and perspectives. It was truly heartwarming to witness their connection evolve and grow.

Overall, if you appreciate stories that slowly kindle emotions and relationships, then this is the read for you. Special thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

This was a well-written, charming romance between a high-end house cleaner, Ashleigh, and an advertising executive, George, who are both recovering from trauma. I especially loved the epistolary interaction between the central couple in the first half, when they had never met but exchanged notes via crossword puzzles, and I enjoyed reading about Ashleigh's love of cleaning, home organization, and interior design.

The story references a lot of difficult material: George spent his childhood dealing with a heart condition and suffers from panic attacks in the first half of the book; and Ashleigh is slowly recovering from the sudden death of her lifelong best friend. The author manages to keep the tone light (in keeping with the cover and promotional copy - this is a rom-com!), which I appreciated. But that comes at the expense of letting the characters really grapple with their issues on the page, which meant their resulting actions sometimes felt arbitrary.

Logistically, also, the novel felt a bit adrift - Ashleigh seems to be about 24 but every other character must be at least in their early 30s, and even though the story purports to be set in New York City it feels like a smallish town in England. Like the rest of the book, this disconnect was charming and frustrating by turns.

The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love is a romance that is set up a bit differently; as in our main characters don't meet one another for AWHILE. I'm talking like 45% off the way through the book & they still haven't met one another other than through small notes. I honestly thought it was weird that each main character is still in a relationship with other folks half way through the book.
Overall, the story just wasn't for me. DNF 50%.
Thank you to HarperCollinsUK, OneMoreChapter & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review of content.

this was a cute story! This feels like a cheesy romcom from the early 2000'ends. Some parts of the story felt like it was dropped out of nowhere and some of the drama felt forced/unrealistic. but overall it is a light fluffy romance.