Ahhh, I LOVED this novella! It was the perfect snack size for reading and I loved the characters! The story takes place over the weekend and I enjoyed getting to know the characters and the changes that happened within that time. Very enjoyable read! The perfect chocolate-chip cookie-sized read, it was great! Thank you so much for sharing it with me. :)

I love all of Abby Jimenez books. I wish this would have been a full book and not just a novella. I really hope these characters show up in another of her books.

This was such a cute Valentine's Day short story! Abby Jimenez can write banter like no one else. Main characters Charlotte and Seth end up stuck in their second floor apartments when something happens that doesn't allow them to leave. This short story has forced proximity + cute, thoughtful MMC + a stalker situation which makes it a very quick, fast-paced read. While some things that happened in this short story were a little unrealistic, I still really enjoyed!

📖 The Fall Risk – Abby Jimenez
💘 Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the early copy!

Abby Jimenez delivers another perfectly crafted, laugh-out-loud, and unexpectedly tender romance in The Fall Risk. This short story is packed with witty banter, awkward-yet-swoon-worthy moments, and just enough emotional depth to leave you wanting more. If you love forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, and improbably romantic mishaps, this one is a must-read.

💘 THE STORY:
Charlotte is spending Valentine’s Day the way any emotionally exhausted woman with a stalker might—holed up in her apartment, armed with bear spray, and actively avoiding men. Across the hall, freshly divorced arborist Seth isn’t faring much better. He’s fine with heights but not so much with trust. The last thing either of them is looking for is romance.

But fate (and some hilariously bad luck) has other plans. When a freak disaster traps them together one floor up, their precarious predicament forces them into unexpected intimacy. As defenses crumble, so do their assumptions about each other. Charlotte and Seth might just be in danger of falling—in more ways than one.

🔥 TROPES:
✔ Forced Proximity – Nowhere to go, no way down, and a whole lot of awkward tension.
✔ Grumpy x Sunshine – Seth: broody, rugged, freshly divorced. Charlotte: chaotic, over it, and wielding bear spray. A perfect match.
✔ One Wild Valentine’s Day – Because what’s more romantic than a disaster forcing you into close quarters?
✔ Slow-Burn (But Make It Short) – Even in a novella, Jimenez makes every moment count.

✨ WHAT I LOVED:
😂 Sharp, Witty Banter – Every interaction is packed with humor and snark in the best way.
💘 Emotional Depth in a Short Package – Jimenez balances the laughs with real, raw moments of vulnerability.
🌲 A Unique Meet-Cute – Arborist hero? Stalker-wary heroine? Stuck in a bizarre, no-way-down situation? Sign me up.
💖 That Signature Jimenez Charm – Heartfelt, hilarious, and completely addicting.

💙 FINAL THOUGHTS:
Abby Jimenez once again proves why she’s a go-to for smart, swoony romance. The Fall Risk is a delightful, fast-paced novella that will have you grinning, giggling, and maybe even blushing. If you’re looking for a quick yet satisfying love story, this one is perfect.

This is one of the first times I've wished that my little Amazon romance novella was a full-length novel. This year I have quickly become a fan of Addy Jimenez and she has not disappointed me yet. It's short, sweet, and packed full of character!

4.5 ⭐️
0 🌶️

-Forced proximity
-Meet cute
-Valentine's day short story

This is the type of Abby Jimenez story I loooove!! Unique and quirky occupations that make for great humor and goofy characters that make you giggle. This is a short story that can be read in a sitting. While Abby does write about heavier topics, I personally didn't feel too 'weighed down' by this one. I loved Seth and Charlotte's banter!

A special thanks to Abby and Netgalley for the ARC. While the review copy was gifted, opinions are always my own.

Abby Jimenez always delivers! Even in this short story she made me fall in love with these characters and now I need a 5 book series on their lives.

How do you write just 82 pages of a romance book and still make me fall (pun intended) completely in love with the characters? Abby Jimenez nailed everything I want in a romance—meet-cute with a problem, forced proximity, emotional vulnerability, love, conflict resolution, and a perfect happily ever after. And somehow, in so few pages, she made me care so much.

My only complaint? I need more. This deserves to be a full-length novel!

⚠️Trigger: Stalking; mental health

Seth Gonzalez is a charming arborist with a six—no, make that an eight—pack of abs, thanks to his physically demanding job. He’s Charlotte’s neighbor, and although they hadn't officially met, their first interaction came when their building's staircase was accidentally removed, leaving them both stranded in their respective apartments. This unexpected situation finally brought them together, and from there, sparks began to fly!

This lighthearted rom-com pulls you in as you learn why Charlotte is hesitant about being in the open, yet perfectly fine with being confined to her apartment for the next three days. As Seth and Charlotte get to know each other during this forced confinement, they open up about their lives, their love for their best friends, and what has shaped their views of the world. Throughout this time, they bond and fall for each other.

While the main focus is on Seth and Charlotte, their best friends—Gabe and Izzy—are also a key part of the story. Hilarious and fiercely loyal, they add a lot of charm to the plot and certainly deserve their own book.

This novella is a quick, enjoyable read, but it still packs a punch. The author thoughtful touches on themes like stalking, the emotional toll it takes on victims, and the flaws in the legal system.

Overall, it’s a fantastic novella, and I’m hoping to see a full-length novel featuring Gabe and Izzy in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for providing a digital reviewer copy of this wonderful novella in exchange for my honest review.

Short and sweet, precious, clean romance. Loved the banter and the anticipation for the beginning of a relationship. It made me excited for the future for these 4 and the fun they will have!

I loved that Charlotte is trained to defend herself and was able to take back her life on her own, without the help of Seth or anyone else.

I always wish that novellas were longer, but Jimenez did a great job of giving us a story with a complete ending.

This was SO good! The cutest short story that was so emotional with some suspense. I’m always nervous about short stories, if I will be left wanting more, or won’t feel the chemistry that quickly, but I ate this one up! The main characters had so much depth right from the start, and the side characters in this were some of the best – chef’s kiss. It had me laughing, swooning, and anxious, while the ending was perfect. Highly recommend this short story!

Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for this ARC!

📚 The Fall Risk
✍ Abby Jimenez
📖 Romance Novella
⭐3.5
🌶️
➡ They're neighbors who have never met but when a construction project goes wrong and they're stuck together for a weekend, they'll be remedying that quickly.
◾
🙏 Thank you to Amazon Original Stories, NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy of The Fall Risk. All opinions are my own.
◾
🎯 What I loved: The meet0cute in this story was adorable. It had some fabulous one-liners and puns that cracked me up and both characters were genuinely likeable. Though it made sense that their story would be short, I honestly wanted more from this and could have seen these characters making a great full novel.

🙅‍♀️ What I didn't: For a novella, this really leaned into heavier content. Like all Jimenez stories, the characters had pasts with depth but I think the story needed a little more time to really build into the character arcs and I would have liked more closure from this one.
◾
Read if you love:
*forced proximity
*funny meet-cutes
*characters who have had rough romantic pasts
*no/low spice
◾
See also: The Improbable Meet-Cute Collection, Love at First, Lease on Love

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

This novella follows Charlotte and Seth, two neighbors who end of getting stuck in their apartments over the weekend after builders mistakenly tear down their stairs. They spend the weekend together getting to know each other and we find out Charlotte is dealing with a stalker who she has a restraining order against.

I really enjoyed this novella. It has a satisfying ending and did not feel rushed. Would definitely recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook. This is the first time I have read a book by her but I have seen her book everywhere. This is a nice one sitting, cozy, romcom novella I would recommend as a palette cleanser or if you’re wanting something short and no spice. I give it a 3.75 as it is a cute fast paced story.

4 Stars – A Short but Sweet Read!

The novella kicks off with forced proximity at its finest—Charlotte, a woman on the run from a stalker, and Seth, newly divorced and not looking for love, find themselves stuck together for the weekend after a construction mishap removes their only exit. What follows is a charming, funny, and heartfelt story filled with Abby Jimenez’s signature humor and banter.

I absolutely loved the beginning—it had me intrigued and laughing more than once. The dynamic between Charlotte and Seth was adorable, and the found family element with their best friends, Izzy and Gabe, added so much warmth. Seth’s protective nature, combined with his kind heart and tree-whispering skills, made him an instant book boyfriend.

That said, the novella felt too short and a bit rushed in the second half. I found myself wishing for at least 200 more pages to fully flesh out the romance and let the story breathe. I realize this means I just need to pick up a full-length Abby Jimenez book ASAP, because from this short novella alone, I can tell I’m going to love her writing!

This was such a beautiful read. Even though it was a novella and everything was fast paced, it didn’t feel rushed. This was well rounded.

The MMC , Seth is such a green flag. He’s so caring and sweet and thoughtful.
I like how Abby Jimenez managed to still let us feel the weight of everything Charlotte went through in so few pages.
I also love how Charlotte was handled the situation on her own and wasn’t written as a damsel in distress.
It covered such a serious topic while still remaining lighthearted. It shows the importance of community and letting yourself lean on others.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and I recommend if you’re looking for something short, sweet and impactful.

Also, check your trigger warnings before you proceed.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another wonderful story from Abby Jimenez! This is a short one, so easy read in one sitting. Seth and Charlotte have apartments across from each other, but haven't met. When workers accidentally remove the stairs leading up to their second floor, they're stuck making the best of a tricky situation for a few days until the stairs can be rebuilt. Sweet and oh so funny.

Loved it!

I said it once and I'll say it again; ABBY 👏🏻 STOP 👏🏻 WRITING 👏🏻 SHORT 👏🏻 STORIES 👏🏻 AND 👏🏻 GIVE 👏🏻 ME 👏🏻 A FREAKING 👏🏻 COMPLETED 👏🏻 BOOK. Thank you so much

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

I'm a little late to the party 🫣
Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for the free eARC 🩷

Being trapped with your neighbor during valentines isn’t ideal. Neither Charlotte or Seth are looking for romance, his divorce went through today and dating while having a stalker isn’t exactly appealing. They decide to make the best of a bad situation spending the weekend together.

The fall story is a funny romantic short story with an emotional twist. Charlotte has a stalker (TW) and there is talk of suicide and violence.

The side characters are fun editions, both the best friends and grandmas.

It’s a VERY short read. More character building and time building up toward the twist would make for an excellent book. I would’ve loved that but considering this is a short story it’s really good.

Read this if you like
💫Forced proximity
📖Short story
🫶🏼Neighbors to lovers
🩷Valentine’s Day

Such a cute and fun little novella!! I really liked both characters and would have honestly enjoyed a longer story, but the premise here was super cute.

Imagine being stranded with a hot neighbor? Ideal.