I really love Sophie Sullivan and I think she knocks it out of the park every time. Can't Help Falling in Love is heartfelt and I adored Lexi and Will. Lexi especially is tough, and never lets all of her tragedy break her. Will could not be more charming and endearing if he tried. Their chemistry was amazing and I was rooting for them since Lexi's graceful spill.

Can’t Help Falling in Love is the perfect romance novel to get you in the feelings of fall. Down on her luck, Lexi is a comically bad waitress whose clumsiness lands her in the path of the handsome Will Grand. He is just the distraction she is looking for until a misunderstanding on their first date turns into a fake engagement. This novel encapsulates a delightful, heartfelt romance that begins with a perfect meet cute that leads to a fake engagement. This cozy story will warm your heart and make you yearn for autumn in Seattle.

Can’t Help Falling in Love‘s plot felt original even though it encompasses common tropes. Told through dual points-of-view, it is a refreshing and sweet story that portrays romance along with overcoming loss, without being weighed down too much by grief. I loved that the protagonists had fun together, laughed a lot, and were easy to cheer for. I also enjoyed the relationships depicted between friends and siblings. Will, the male protagonist, is an absolute dreamboat.

I adore Sophie Sullivan’s writing. She does one of the best jobs I have read discussing feelings. Sullivan’s books are full of succinct descriptions of both actions and emotions. As a result, the romance in Can’t Help Falling in Love naturally builds between her protagonists. It makes for a much more believable and emotionally-engaging read. I just wish Sullivan wrote open door sex scenes rather than fading to black, but that is a personal preference that I will not hold against an author or a book.

The reason I could not rate Can’t Help Falling in Love five stars is the third act breakup. It is no secret that I am not a big fan of the third act breakup and find it often poorly executed. In this novel, the third act breakup did not quite work because the actions felt nearly out of character for the protagonists. Both protagonists experienced so much growth over the book’s course, and their actions that led to the break up just seemed odd.

Overall, Can’t Help Falling in Love is the perfect swoony fall romance. If you feel like fall is passing too quick, I definitely recommend elongating it by basking in this story.

Alexandria (Lexi) Danby is a struggling waitress; trying to make ends meet while going to school and caring for her widowed mother. When I say struggling, I mean to say that she is terrible as a waitress. Not wanting to be seen working by her high school best friends, Lexi pretend to be with her boyfriend… a random patron at the restaurant.

Will Grand is heir to one of the most successful company’s in Seattle, and one of the most eligible bachelors. His family has been on him to get married. Tired of his mom setting him up on dates, he plays along with Lexi but now he has more long term ideas. Fake engagement that would be mutually beneficial. Lexi doesn’t do long-term and Will is looking to keep his family off his back. While being in fake engaged, they decide to date for real.

I absolutely adored this story and all the secondary characters. So can they turn what started as fake into something real? You’ll have to one-click to find out.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was a fun romcom with interesting characters. Lexi and Will have great chemistry and the fake engagement trope was well done. The secondary characters were a great component of the plot and really added more depth to the story. Lexi has had some hardships in life and is definitely resilient and it was great that Will was so supportive. This was such a compelling and entertaining book that I finished it in one day!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Sullivan, and her publisher for the ARC in an exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ⭐️

What first attracted me to this book was the cute cartoon cover. However, that was it. Unfortunately this was a painfully slow read for me and ultimately DNF it. I found the characters to be one dimensional and dull. I didn’t think the main characters had any chemistry …. Like at all. I found Lexi’s character to be juvenile and not relatable even though we are in the same age range. I wanted to like this book and tried really hard to finish but with the third person narrative and boring characters I just couldn’t.

A chaotic love story from the beginning. This story shines the light to our own insecurities and fears that hinders us from opening ourselves to love and career opportunities. Relatable characters to everyday life.

I loved this book so much! I have never heard of this author but love the writing style! Cute and fun and easy to fall into!!! Definitely add this to your Fall TBR!!!

Fake-dating and friends to lovers are two of my favorite tropes, so this one was a big hit! I wasn’t sure I would like the FMC and her craziness. But she definitely grew on me! I’m a fan and will absolutely read more Sophie Sullivan in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC

I love Lexi and Will’s dynamic! This was super cute. Real dating, but fake engaged situation! I thought this was a unique spin on the typical fake dating. I like how the book had some depth exploring things like class differences. Honestly, Lexi and Will’s relationship was just super sweet and wholesome! I love having them get to know each other! It was beautiful to watch Lexi‘s mom through the story too!

I have read every book Sophie Sullivan has written, and Can't Help Falling in Love is a new favorite of mine! I thought this story was so fun, especially with this fake engagement trope between Lexi and Will. Thank you for writing this great story!

Sophie has never let me down! I have loved every single book I've read that she's written. This one was no exception.

This was a fun, contemporary, closed-door romance with relatable characters and an interesting plotline. I like that Lexi and Will had instant chemistry, and I also found Lexi's learning and growing process as she handles her grief and tries to help her mom to be realistic and interesting. The character growth was good and helped keep her from being a Mary Sue. Will is a little too perfect, but that's excusable in a rom-com. He's kind and charming, and his family troubles make an interesting challenge for him to work through. Overall, a fun and breezy book, perfect for a cozy evening in. be taking a chance on love.

A heartwarming, fake dating romantic comedy ✨

This was between 3 and 4 stars but I was pretty captivated through the whole book so I rounded up. I think I enjoyed the grief representation of Lexi working through her father's passing with her mother, who had fallen into a deep depression. Had this not been an integral part of the story line, it would have been a bit too insta-love for me.

Will was a caring and sweet MMC, the perfect comfort and support for Lexi. I loved the addition of the secondary characters and all their input into the development of both main characters.

My one last thought is I kind of wish this was a dual pov, first person read, but it ended up being enjoyable in third person!

I feel like as a girl in her early twenties I was really able to connect with Lexi in this book, given that though I don’t think my friends who are a bit older than I would be able to connect with her very well, as the things I feel like I was connecting with her on aren’t topics I discuss with my older friends. Overall I think this was a cute read! Just maybe not one I’d recommend to everyone and instead just a select group of people.

I've tried reading this author, and she just isn't for me. I personally don't like her characters and never feel invested in the story, but I do think there's an audience that will enjoy it.

A heartwarming and charming romance that captures the essence of falling in love during Autumn, amid a high profile fake engagement. I liked the characters and rooted for their happiness. Some plot points were a bit predictable but overall it was a very enjoyable read.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was delightful! I positively loved the opposites attract. That these two met in unlikely circumstances. How it was instant love for Will. How Lexi was so awkward to Wills suredness. How we went to fake engagement for two complete strangers. The meddling family. All so good. It was a really cute, enjoyable, easy read. The story was just as cute as the cover!

Thank you for the early copy in exchange for my honest review!

I wanted to love this one because it sounded like a fall rom com, and I loved how craft breweries played a part. But while I'll loved the hero I hated the heroine and the romance. I was rooting for the hero to end up with anyone else.

I want to start by saying, fake dating/relationships are my favorite tropes! Sophie Sulivan's newest story centers on the captivating pair of Lexi and Will, who hail from completely different worlds, giving the plot an almost Cinderella-like tale. Fortunately, Lexi is no helpless damsel. She's a strong, determined heroine with a heart of gold, always prioritizing others and fiercely standing on her own two feet, never one to ask for help easily.

Lexi Danby's journey begins when she reluctantly leaves college, where she was poised to become a star athlete, after her father’s sudden death leaves her with a mountain of debt and financial ruin. As the sole provider for her grieving mother, Lexi takes on two jobs, putting her own dreams on hold just to make ends meet.

One of those jobs is waitressing—something she’s not exactly great at, but she puts in her best effort. Her life takes a twist when she waits on a charming stranger named Will, who keeps smiling even after she spills soda on his book and messes up his order. She has no idea that Will will soon reappear to save her from an uncomfortable run-in with her high school friends at the restaurant. With his help, Lexi pretends he’s her boyfriend, leading to an unexpected invitation to an engagement party—a fun, carefree evening that Lexi desperately needs.

But what starts as a harmless ruse quickly snowballs into a town-wide rumor after a gossip column misinterprets their relationship, reporting them as engaged. To her surprise, Lexi learns that her "fake boyfriend" is actually a member of Seattle's upper crust—a wealthy, eligible bachelor whose mother is relentless in trying to pair him with high-society women. Now, Lexi is caught in a whirlwind of pretending to date Will, helping him dodge his mother’s matchmaking schemes while preserving her own reputation. Yet, as sparks begin to fly, their fake relationship starts to feel all too real, and even Will’s family starts rooting for them.

Can Lexi and Will break through the social barriers and turn their charade into true love, despite its rocky start? This story was just so heart-warming and lovely.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's press for an Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Can't Help Falling in Love is a delightful, heartfelt romance that artfully blends the tropes of fake dating, meet-cute, and friends-to-lovers against the vibrant backdrop of Seattle. The story centers on Lexi Danby, a determined heroine whose dreams as a track star are derailed by her father's sudden death and the ensuing responsibilities that come with it. As the sole breadwinner caring for her grieving mother, Lexi juggles two jobs, putting her ambitions on hold.

Her life takes a turn when she meets Will, a charming stranger who becomes her unexpected ally after a mishap at the restaurant where she waitresses. Their playful pretense of being in a relationship spirals into town-wide gossip when a newspaper mistakenly labels them as engaged. Unbeknownst to Lexi, Will is a member of Seattle’s elite, caught in the crosshairs of his mother’s matchmaking attempts.

As they navigate this ruse, what begins as a charade slowly evolves into something deeper. Their relationship, rooted in genuine affection and mutual respect, beautifully illustrates the nuances of love and personal growth. The dynamics with Will’s supportive sisters and Lexi’s friendships add richness to the narrative.

This sweet and refreshing story not only showcases romance but also addresses themes of grief and healing, making it a poignant read. Lexi and Will’s journey is a joy to follow, leaving readers rooting for their happiness. Perfect for a cozy fall read, this book promises laughter, tears, and a warm heart—just like Sullivan’s previous works.