This was just okay for me. I'm a fan of the fake relationship/engagement trope but this didn't completely work for me. The entire romance felt forced and because of that I couldn't completely get on board with these two. Will was great. Lexi was super insecure and her inner dialogue just got a little annoying to me. The stuff with her mom was wild and overly dramatic. Things definitely got better by the end of the book. There were like no details. There was a lot going on but you don't see a lot of that on the page.

I will say I really liked the message of the book. Lexi was insecure about her life turning out the way it has but most people feel the same way and there's just a lot you don't see online. I think this was my favorite thing about the book. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters- Will's sisters, his best friend and Lexi's best friend. They were real bright spots in the story.

It didn't completely work for me, but I'm definitely in the minority.

*this is an ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

The book started off slow for me then picked up and then abruptly ended. In a span of 6 weeks Lexi meets Will while waitressing at her job, lies and ends up fake engaged but real dating him. While all the characters were adorable and easy to fall in love with the story felt lacking in details. I am a fan of the “he falls first” trope and the book was enjoyable I just felt like I was wanting more.

What a sweet story! I really enjoyed this book - it was a quick read by the beach and it was a perfect getaway. Sophie and Will were relatable characters that you rooted for throughout the story. I loved how Will really wanted Lexi to think and speak better about herself; a good lesson for everyone. The story had a good hook at the beginning and kept me engaged throughout. Easy and enjoyable, sweet (no steam) story.

Lexi Danby was a college track star until her dad died and left her with debt. Her mother Gwen is grieving and finds it nearly impossible to leave the house. Lexi worries about her, is trying to finish a college degree, works at a dress shop, and is a waitress. Whie waitressing, she sees successful friends from high school. She does not want them to see her as a waitress and sits down with Will, a handsome young man she is serving. He realizes her dilemma, introduces them as a couple, and gets her out of the place. Will is heir to a big company with family values. As they begin dating to keep up their fake relationship, love blossoms. This is a great book about the importance of family and who you are as a person. I loved the way Will’s sisters embraced Lexi. As Lexi and Gwen share feelings about Lexi’s dad’s death they begin to understand each other.

this was such a cute book! a really easy read that had really love able characters. i love the way that grief was portrayed throughout and how real it is even years after the loss. the love between the two main characters was sweet, intentional, and just a joy to watch them fall together

I read like 80% of this book while standing in line today for Record Store Day, and it was the perfect way to pass the time! It was a cute read with depth and character. It was a very fast-paced romance, but I am a sucker for fake dating/fake engagement tropes and will support it nonetheless.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

A huge thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book felt like a real life romance. With the way the author actually wrote about fears and the characters in such a realistic and relatable perspective. I feel like the author actually took the time to make this romance feel like one that could actually happen, versus other romance novels that’s super adorable but definitely just feels like an unobtainable fairy tale.

I like how throughout the book the author wrote in both Will and Lexi’s point-of-views. The author wrote in a 3rd person style writing in past tense.

The book was not only an adorable romance with a beautiful storyline, but it also had quite a bit of humor in it, I found myself laughing a few times while reading it. The author incorporated not only a love between Will and Lexi, but the love and complications that can come with families, friends, and society.

Overall, I rate this book a 4.5/5. I felt connected with the characters and the story of this book. It’s a cute, funny, quirky read that I would very highly recommend to anyone and everyone!

Sophie books are always so much fun to read, they are enjoyable and easy going, definitely one of my favorite authors for rom coms, this book didn’t disappoint, it was fun and extremely well done .

a fun autumn fake engagement romance read set in the rainy city of Seattle.

the one thing i can never get over in romances with a CEO is why does the newspaper care about their love life? I know it’s a trope, but I promise the Seattle Times is not writing about the CEO of a company that sells baby products.

other than this issue it was a fun read. personally, as someone from Seattle this made it such to read but also a little cringy (i’m unsure how to feel).

This is such a wholesome and swoon inducing story! I really enjoyed the storyline and for the most part it was executed well. There were a few points where I questioned if I wasn't paying attention enough or if there were some plot holes- but odds it was me are high.

Will was a dream. I loved how soft and loving he was towards Lexi from the very beginning. Lexi was a good character but there were a few moments in the story where my admiration of her was really tested. Because Will was nearly perfect the entire time, the moments where Lexi struggled were hard to accept because she was running from the absolute ideal man. WHY? (I know why but still WHY).

Side characters added so much to the story too! Will's sisters, Ethan, and Maisie were great additions. Will's parents were not. Some of their actions almost seemed unforgivable to me, so it was hard seeing them brushed over so easily.

The one tipping point that made me iffy on Lexi was the big heartbreaking lie she told Will towards the end. Will seemed to laugh it off when they reconciled but to me, more conversation was needed.

This was a very easy, cute, Hallmark-like read. Heavy topics were covered in as much of a lighthearted way as possible. I enjoyed my time reading it!

3.75 rounded up to 4

Thank you to Sophie and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

This was a cute and cozy read! I enjoyed the fake engagement trope and felt the connection Will and Lexi had. I didn’t feel super drawn into the story but the pacing was good and I never felt bored. There was a good amount of tension and romance. (No spice) This is the perfect read for Hallmark movie lovers!

I wasn’t expecting to get emotional reading this but Sophie did a beautiful job writing about something I’m sure we’ve all struggled with at some point. Especially in the age of social media, where everyone is constantly posting their wins and not their setbacks. Lexi’s feelings of not being as far ahead as she wished she was, and constantly comparing herself to those around her, were highly relatable.

I enjoyed Lexi and Will’s love story a lot. Something that stood out to me was, in a lot of fake dating/fake fiancé tropes we see the, “I like him/her but he/she probably doesn’t feel the same because it’s fake”, inner monologues. Sure it works, but it’s a little played out. I appreciate that this specific conflict wasn’t one of the main plot points in this story and instead focused on other issues like Lexi’s journey to believing in herself, Will’s family journey and Lexi’s mom’s grief and mental health journey.

I found every character to be well developed, useful pieces of the story and even though I did think Will and Lexi’s journey to the altar might have been a little fast…I won’t judge, because as a romance novel reader, I love LOVE… and I do believe that sometimes, you just know. <3

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC.

This was my first Sophie Sullivan book and I definitely enjoyed it! It was a very easy, cute, fun read. At times, it reminded me of Hallmark movies and I don't mean that in a bad way.
Marriage of convenience/fake dating will always be one of my favorite tropes when in comes to romance books.
I really liked the characters, even the side ones! I do have a soft spot for her mom, Gwen, my heart broke a little bit reading about her grief.
It did feel like it was too insta-lovey at times. Also, 95% of this book was conflict free, only one or two things happen and they get solved fairly quick, which I'm not usually used to. These are just personal preferences though.

Sophie if you see this, I'd love to read a book about Maisie.

DNF at 16%. I'm so sorry but I tried on 3 separate days to get into it but I don't think the author's writing style is for me. It moved along at a much slower pace than expected. I appreciate the ARC.

Sophie Sullivan does it again! she is truly becoming an auto buy author for me. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and it was done very well. I truly loved Will and Lexi together and their connection. everyone also needs a friend like Maisie and hoping we see more from her (& Ethan!) in the future. This was a fun cozy fall read that I can’t wait to reread in the cooler months.

This book is a cozy read about a fake romance that turns into the real deal, with a story that unfolds at its own sweet pace. The guy falls for the girl first. The main character is easy to love, even with her imperfections, and she learns to love herself a little more with each chapter. Life's not always smooth, and this book doesn't shy away from the tough stuff like family drama, loss, and feeling unsure of yourself. It's a down-to-earth story that shows how love and life can get messy, but that's all part of the journey.

I loved everything about this book!

Can’t Help Falling in Love is a fake dating/engagement, he falls first, emotional story with so many layers. It follows Lexi and Will as they are thrust together in an adorable meet cute and continues as they figure out family challenges, their feelings for each other and the future. It was relatable, sweet, deep and just a great feel good story. I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Griffin for the ARC!

this story will forever remain so precious to me! i’m super excited for its release so i can buy a physical copy to read over and over and over again! i fear its become my new comfort story!

I think this may be my most favorite Sophie Sullivan book to date! I am already itching to reread it!

Can’t Help Falling In Love follows Alexandria (Lexi) Danby, former track star, whose life has had a rough few years. While at her second job as a waitress, she meets Will Grand, heir to his family’s prominent company, in an encounter straight out of a Hallmark movie. Soon after, a mixup leads to rumors of their “engagement”, and as the two navigate their fake engagement, they learn that falling in love, sometimes, cannot be helped.

With every book of Sophie’s I read, I fall more in love with her writing! I will admit that her books are generally slower paced, but sometimes that’s exactly what I am looking for. I really loved Lexi and Will’s meet cute and could feel their chemistry leaping off the page. I think what I loved the most about this book was the lesson imbedded into the story about learning to love each new version of oneself.

As always, Sophie’s books give me all the cutesy, Hallmark movie vibes, and I am here for it. If you are too, consider preordering or requesting from your library!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC!

This may be Sullivan’s best work yet! I will admit, I had my doubts when I started the book, thinking it was playing a bit too hard into the tropes. But, it surprised me in the best way possible. Lexi is a flawed but lovable character, one that I emphasized so strongly with. The book is poignant and while it remains in the romcom category for the most part, it doesn’t shy away from the messiness of life that includes family issues, grief, and insecurity. I truly loved this book and I think it’ll stick with me for a long time.