If you're in the mood for a sweet, low conflict romance this fall, Can't Help Falling in Love is absolutely for you.

When I say "low conflict," I'm referring to the relationship between the main characters, not the book in general. Lexi and will both have a lot going on around them. Lexi is finishing up her degree and trying to balance two jobs while also encouraging her mom to begin taking steps o move beyond her grief over her husband's passing. Will's family business is in a time of transition, which stirs up a lot of conflict for his family. But the two of them together are good to each other, support each other, and help each other navigate the challenges they face.

It is a bit of an "insta-love" story, especially for Will. He falls fast and hard, but it's sweet. This book has no explicit sexual content. Intimate scenes involve heavy making out then fade to black

5 stars for Can't Help Falling in Love! This was such a cute rom-com book that also had humor and emotional depth. I was captured by Will and Lexi's love early on and was very interested to see how Will's family dynamics would play out. The book is set in Seattle during the fall season so it is perfect to get you in your cozy fall feelings.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Can't Help Falling in Love is available on September 17, 2024.

First of all, a huge thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Sophie Sullivan for this ARC!
Can’t Help Falling in Love comes out on September 17! 🧡

🍂

4.5 ⭐️

Can’t Help Falling in Love is the perfect fall romance read! It had everything I was looking for to kick off the season.

In this cozy read we’re going to meet Lexi and Will.

Lexi is a 25 year old that is juggling two jobs, college and all the responsibilities that were left behind after her dad died a few years ago, including her still grieving mom. She’s loyal to the people she loves but she has a crappy self esteem.

Will is 30, CFO of his grandpa’s company. He’s gorgeous, polite, funny, rich and he values family above all (Will is magic ✨). He appears to have everything he needs and wants.

But then they meet and the attraction is there but they weren’t expecting to find themselves inside a fake engagement story, but now that they are, they want to see where it will lead and how fake what they are feeling really is.

🍂

I enjoyed this book so much! It became my comfort book and I would read again and again just to have those moments between Will and Lexi. I connected so much to them because I truly think they kind of had an insta love, and I had the same in my life. When you know you know haha.

The side characters were amazing, I loved all of them and I want to see more of Ethan and Maisie 🤭
I also love the whole my friends/family are now your friends/family vibe.

Overall is an amazing book!
The only thing I personally don’t like is books narrated in third person.


Again, Can’t Help Falling in Love comes out on September 17th and you need to read it! 🧡

Overall I really enjoyed Can’t Help Falling in Love! It was a great start to my fall reads. Great for people who are looking for something with no spice / closed door romance! I wasn’t a huge fan of the self sabotage from our FMC, but I could empathize with her feelings. Will was an awesome MMC, he was so caring and patient.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

🍂 Fake Dating/Engagement
🍂 Opposites Attract
🍂 He Falls First
🍂 Family Drama
🍂 Meet Cute
🍂 Closed Door

First off I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC! This book officially releases on September 17, 2024!✨

This was such a cozy Fall romance, the perfect start to my Fall reading list. My first ever Sophie Sullivan novel, and I’m already a big fan!

Will is perfect and, your honor, I love him! I will say that I was a little bit irritated with Lexi for a lot of the book because she was so self-deprecating, but I guess that is part of the point... That is her biggest flaw that also drives Will crazy! It made me reflect on myself and realize that I can be a “Lexi” sometimes, putting myself down and doubting myself. I’m lucky that I have my own “Will” in my life to help me snap out of it when I’m in that kind of mood!

I absolutely loved Lexi’s mom’s story and her development and I loved all of the women in this story lifting eachother up and being such a beautiful support system. They were much more than just side-characters. I definitely hope we get some more stories about the other characters (mostly Ethan, Gwen, and Maisie!!🫶🏻)

You’ll definitely want to add this to your Fall tbr! 🥰🍂

Can’t Help Falling in Love will be out SOON! September 17, 2024, preorder now! 🫶🏻

This book was so good! I really loved the romance so much and how it all unfolded! Fake engagement and family drama! The discovery that you are enough and you’re the only one judging yourself! I really loved the journey of the main character! Also, Will is new book boyfriend to the max 🥰 A perfect Fall romance!!!!

What a cozy and cute book to get you in the mood for fall. This book is so reminiscent on how terrifying falling in love can be. The author really did a great job touching on grief and the ups and downs of life while making the romance a delight to read about. Life can throw you curveballs but you should always be proud of how far you’ve come. I had such a fun time reading this book and getting to know the main characters. I was even rooting for all the side characters in the end.

What an incredibly  cute and cozy fall romance. It read like a Hallmark romance movie in the best of ways. I could totally relate to Lexi and feeling like you aren't good enough.  Will was a great book boyfriend. And I just loved the whole story.

This new-adult Cinderella story is well-written with likable characters. I’m not a big fan of new adult stories, but I’m sure others will enjoy it.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

4.5 Stars Can't Help Falling in Love is the perfect autumn romance, especially if you like fake dating/engagement romances!

Former college track star Lexi Danby is trying to keep it all together while simultaneously working two jobs and trying to finish her degree while caring for her grieving mother. The last thing she needs is her former high school friends to see her comically bad waitressing, so she sits down with one of her patrons and lies to her friends. Despite being one of the most eligible bachelors in Seattle, Will Grand is amused by Lexi and goes along when she sits down at his tables and pretends they are dating. There's an immediate spark between Will and Lexi, so they agree to continue this fake dating ruse to keep her friends and his mother off their backs. Except a mix-up leads the world to believe the two are engaged. While Lexi is wary of commitment, Will sees a real future with Lexi. Now he just needs to get her to give their fake relationship a real chance.

This was such a charming read! I know instalove isn't for everyone, but I do love the trope when it's done well. Lexi and Will are an endearing couple and it's so easy to root for the two of them, both together and individually. Lexi has a bit of a Cinderella-story here, but she doesn't need to be saved by the prince. She's ambitious, determined, and often puts others before herself. Will is similarly perfectly imperfect; he's always willing to help, especially his family and friends. This is such a sweet and swoon-worthy romance!

Thank you NetGalley, Sophie Sullivan, and SMP for the ARC!

Can’t Help Falling in Love by Sophie Sullivan

Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Netgalley, and Sophie Sullivan for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

WOW, I absolutely LOVED this one! With fall weather quickly approaching, reading this was such a great way to kick off the season. Any book by Sophie Sullivan is sure to feature a heartwarming, sweet romance with relatable, likable MCs, and this one proves just that. I’d say this is Sullivan’s best work yet. This is a closed door, he falls first, fake dating/engagement romcom based in Seattle with immaculate autumnal vibes!

Lexi and Will have awesome chemistry and their meet-cute is the absolute best! I appreciated how this book covers more serious topics like grief and healing while still remaining positive and hopeful. The supporting characters (including Will’s sisters and Lexi’s best friend) made this book even better and truly show the importance of surrounding yourself with those who uplift you. Also, I loved the emphasis on knowing your own worth and learning to embrace the present.

Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and I enjoyed this one. It has a unique twist to it in that they accidentally fall into it. What started off as Will doing Lexi a solid to “save face” in front of her old friends by acting like they were together, turned into fake dating when those friends assume they are not only dating, but engaged.

But Will is in a position where he feels he could actually benefit from this fake engagement, so they come up with a deal to go along with it. Commitment-wary Lexi agrees, because you can’t get too badly hurt if it’s all fake, right?

I’ve read a lot of Sophie Sullivan’s books (maybe even all of them so far?!) and I can always expect a sweet, cozy, feel-good read. Happy to say this one falls on that list as well.

Thank you for the ARC!


CW: death of a parent (past), grief

When Romance Turns R-Rated: 😳💋 A Not-So-Clean Read

If you’re picking up Can’t Help Falling in Love hoping for a charming, clean romance, you might be in for a surprise—though not the kind you’d hope for. While Sophie Sullivan’s novel delivers on wit and emotional depth, the explicit content might overshadow the sweet romance for some readers.

The book features several romantic scenes with detailed descriptions that can be quite explicit. For those who prefer a more subtle approach to intimacy or are sensitive to mature content, these scenes may come off as jarring rather than enjoyable. The focus on steamy details often overshadows the narrative, which might be disappointing if you’re looking for a heartfelt connection without the graphic elements.

Additionally, the mature language used throughout the book, including frequent profanity and sexual innuendos, might not align with readers seeking a cleaner romance experience. While the character dynamics and humor can be engaging, the explicit content can make the story feel less accessible to those who prefer their romances on the more wholesome side.

In summary, while Can’t Help Falling in Love offers plenty of charm and emotional moments, its explicit content and mature language may detract from its appeal for readers who prefer a cleaner, more nuanced portrayal of romance.

✨Star Rating: 2.5/5 stars. Based on the focus on explicit content and its impact on the reading experience.

⚠️ CW: this isn’t considered a completely clean read. It contains mild to moderate expletives, some steamy romantic scenes, and themes that might not align with all readers’ preferences for a clean romance.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced Ebook of this title.
I loved this story. The pacing was perfect and the relationship between Lexi and Will was mature. As they enter into a fake engagement, they begin real dating and the lines between truth and lies get blurred. There is not any miscommunication in this book and I appreciated this. Unlike typical fake dating scenarios, this couple doesn't shy from their feelings. They lean into them which felt refreshing and added to the chemistry between Lexi and Will.
The supporting cast added layers to this story and leave the door open for a continuation of this book into a series.

This is a closed door, swoon worthy read perfect for a cozy fall day.

This book is sweet! Lexi is struggling, she’s working two jobs while taking classes for her degree, takes care of her mother since her dad passed away and the debts he left, and their house isn’t doing so well either. She at her second job waitressing when a few girls from high school show up and she’s completely embarrassed. Will, another customer there, pretends to be her boyfriend, and she pretends to be there as a customer with him. Somehow, it becomes an announcement that they are engaged, and they don’t correct anyone so that they can date. But they are very different. Lexi is Lexi, and Will is from a widely successful family. Lexi is scared and they are both falling, quickly.

I’m not a huge fan of fast love, but in this book, it really works. With Will and Lexi, you can feel the instant chemistry. She’s funny and witty; they have some really funny banter. It’s not too much, and there could be a bit more, but what is there is enjoyable.

Sullivan’s writing flows easily and is easy to read. It reads quickly, and there’s bit of mixed media within the text in the form of text messages. The supporting characters in this book are fun and truly supporting of Will and Lexi as their friends individually, their family, and them together as a couple.

Rom-com readers will really enjoy this book!

If you are looking for a fun fall read this is the book for you. It made me want to wear flannel and cozy up with a pumpkin coffee, and I would really like to attend the fall events at the Side Tap, they were so fun!

This fake engagement was sweet and unique. I loved that they went from complete strangers to fake dating to fake engagement all within a few hours. And like their instant relationship they had instant chemistry. It was so sweet, having them be thrown into a fake relationship but also wanting to be dating for real. It added a new complication to the already tricky dynamics, but a fun one for sure.

As they navigated their fake/real relationship and the different social class levels and tricky family dynamics so many wonderful things happened. Will was such a sweet encourager always building Lexie up and not letting her believe the worst in herself. I also really enjoyed seeing Gwen, and Lina work through their hard times with loss and the results of her father passing. Learning to live in grief but also move forward with life, such a difficult topic I felt like was so gracefully handled.

A happy fall read, and I hope there is more to come from this group of friends, I would definitely read more!

After her father passed away, Lexi’s perfectly planned life took a detour. A chance meeting with a stranger during her waitressing shift somehow leads to a fake engagement. But the feelings involved are real, and Lexi can't believe her life has enough room for a fairy tale, and becomes her own worst enemy.

This is a perfect book for a cozy autumn weekend! Lexi and Will have such a sweet chemistry and I loved the way they took care of each other in such different ways. The fall season is like an extra character that provides an exceptional backdrop to a romantic love story. Grab a warm apple cider and a cozy blanket and enjoy the fall vibes!

This book was a perfect start into fall reading. I also seem to be leaning into romances with a bigger picture this month. And I'm ok with that.

Sullivan gives us a great spin on the fake engagement trope. I really liked Lexi and Will's initial meet cute. As someone who used to waitress I totally got her learning curve ( though I wasn't nearly as bad as her lol). With everything life has thrown at her you can empathize with how shaken her confidence is. And still admire her strength and determination to get her life back on track. Will was a great boost for this, seeing beneath her surface and allowing space to move at her own pace. This was definitely a he falls first, and boy does he fall. Making him a perfect little golden retriever of a book boyfriend.

This was a great cozy romance full of emotion and fun side characters. The family dynamics and grief exploration were very relatable and realistically handled. If this one's not already on your fall to read list, it should be!

4 fairytale stars

This was my first Sophie Sullivan book, and I really liked the way she wrote this story. A romance with good, well-developed characters and depth.

I do like a good fake relationship (and wedding!) storyline and this one was fun! Set in Seattle, we have Lexi, once a track star, now juggling trying to finish school and several part-time jobs. At one of these jobs, a waitressing job, she meets Will when he’s seated in her section. She’s working really hard, but she’s really not a good waitress, especially when delivering soup.

Will saves the day when some of Lexi’s friends show up and don’t realize she’s a waitress. From there, the two embark on a fake relationship that could be real if they admitted it.

Will is one of the most eligible bachelors in town, working at his family’s business. He’s tired of his mother setting him up with available women who aren’t his type.

This one has some themes of grief and financial instability. I liked the way the relationship developed and the backstories of Will and Lexi. Lexi also has some great friends and a strong relationship with her mother.

I would definitely read another one by this author!

Absolutely loved this read! The characters were all very diverse with likable personalities. Lexi and Will meet at a restaurant, he saves her day and they end up in a fake dating/engagement trope. There’s a lot of issues that the characters were dealing with such as grief, family drama, financial hardships, mental health, self worth. Overall a cozy fall read that will keep you hooked to their love story with many potential side stories from the friends and family.

Thank you NetGalley, Sophie Sullivan and publishing team for the introduction to Sophie’s writing and this amazing ARC!