This was such a sweet romance! It had a great balance of romantic tension and individual character development. I loved the added touch of personal styling that was incorporated into the story!

This was just so beautiful!!!!! I love Allison Ashley’s books so much and I feel so lucky to be on this planet at the same time as her and her incredible brain!! I was so excited to read Carly’s story after If Tomorrow Never Comes and it did not disappoint. I loved learning more about her and seeing her passion for fashion (🤪) and of course Brooks 🥲🥲 first of all what a hot name!!! Second of all he was just an angel sweetie and I loved how they brought the best out in each other. They truly are meant to be and I loved watching their story unfold 🥹 I also loved the medical aspect of this — Brooks is an ICU doctor and it takes a really special person to work in that field and Brooks is definitely that person. The way he cares for his patients and the people around him is just so beautiful! There was one specific scene I started crying because it was just so heartwarming and made me so thankful for everyone around me!!! I just loved this!!! Put it on your TBR and read it when it comes out in August!! (In the meantime read If Tomorrow Never Comes)

Thank you Netgalley and montlake for the arc!!!!

Allison Ashley’s books are some of my favorites, and this one is no exception. I love how she effortlessly crafts a story with banter, genuine connection, and tension that leaves you begging for them to JUST KISS ALREADY.

Brooks is a doctor, enlisted by his sisters to star in their family magazine as a “Bachelor” type profile on dating in OKC. Carly is a stylist, and best friend to one of Brooks’ sisters. As Carly helps him find his style, Brooks and Carly find that their connection is more than just professional.

I love how the author wrote Brooks as a self-aware emotionally stunted 30- something. Because it gives him so much room for growth both socially and emotionally. Carly plays such an integral role in this process, and is always so straightforward with him. Their relationship progression was perfectly paced, laced with tension, and the perfect amount of steam.

I would definitely recommend picking up Falling Into Place, when it releases on August 19, 2025.

Thank you Montlake (via Netgalley) for gifting me with an eARC, all thoughts expressed are my own.

Thank you so much for early access to this! It was super super cute. I loved the concept and loved the characters. I sometimes struggled with the back and forth from the MMC when it came to being with the FMC, but overall this was a super cute read.

I really really love a romance story that also touches on heavy topics/handles emotional things well. I enjoyed the way this book flowed and the writing is captivating! Carly was a stunning FMC and I loved the medical aspect. She’s empathic and also confident. Brooks and Carly had such fun banter and it kept me engaged. Brooks growing into putting himself outside of work and allowing himself to open up/learn things was adorable! I overall enjoyed this one a lot.

One of my favorite things about Allison Ashley is that she writes her books in pairs; each title has a companion novel for a side character in the first book. You don’t want the story to end? Great! Have I got good news for you.

Falling into Place is the companion novel for the just released book, If Tomorrow Never Comes, and tells Carly’s story (Elliot’s stem cell donor) after she moves back home to OKC from Omaha.

Carly had a stressful childhood as a result of her mother’s gambling addiction, which shaped her determination about her own adulthood: she would have a job doing something that was universally necessary in order to always have money in the bank. Carly is an accountant, which is great except for the fact that her dream job is to be a full-time personal stylist, a much less stable career. Brooks is the styling client that could make her dream come true. He is the older brother of her best friend, an ICU doctor, and the subject of a local lifestyle magazine’s months-long entertainment piece on dating around the City. It helps the story that Carly’s always had a crush on him, which is also great except that Brooks watched his dad fall apart after his wife died and it traumatized him, regarding relationships.

All in all, the story was sweet, if not very exciting.

Things I enjoyed:
*Brooks’s relationship with his sisters.
*the banter! Allison Ashley writes great banter.
*Coach - everybody needs someone in their corner.
*the slow burn

Things I didn’t:
*Brooks - I just wanted to shake some sense into him.
*Plus - Brooks was a player in high school who suddenly becomes a totally different person and no longer even knows how to talk to women? That was weird.
*Carly seemed to have more depth and spunk in If Tomorrow Never Comes than in this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the advanced copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

This book really hit me right in the feels. It felt hopeful and grounded, filled with warmth and a sweetness that stayed with me even after the final word.

beyond excited to see this books hit my inbox- this is one of my most anticipated books of 2025 and i will be sure to post my review on all retailers!! 💞

3.5 ⭐️

Carly is a full-time account, part-time stylist, who dreams of making fashion a full-time job. After getting in trouble at work when a client hits on her, falling a client is the last thing Carly wants.

Brooks is a doctor and her high school best friend’s brother who is chronically single and hesitant about opening up.

To save the family business (a local magazine), Sasha, Brooks’ sister and Carly’s best friend, comes up with an idea inspired by The Bachelor. Brooks sets up a dating profile, and the magazine documents his dates. Sasha hires Carly as Brooks’ stylist.

Falling Into Place was a delightful rom-com, ideal for fans of Allison Ashley’s previous work. It was the perfect combination of fun, witty banter and serious topics like gambling addiction & parent loss.

🤎forced proximity
🤎best friends brother
🤎grumpy/sunshine
🤎+ dual pov

There were parts of the book that felt a little info dumpy — so that knocked my rating down a bit. Overall, another solid rom-com from AA.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been interested in reading titles from this author for awhile and am so glad I was approved for this arc! I found the story to be creative which really stood out to me. These characters had great chemistry and banter, I would recommend this book!

This book could have been about 20% shorter!! I reallllly struggled getting through the last 20% and felt it wasn’t needed. I also felt like the main characters relationship was a bit juvenile. One of them is a doctor and he was acting like a teenage boy, it just irked me a bit 😭 Overall, it was a cute book and I would recommend if you’re into some friend to lover romance!

Thanks NetGalley for a copy of this book!

3.5⭐️
"I've never had so much fun and felt so much in the same moment. You made me happy again, Carly."
This was cute! Set in Oklahoma City, we have Carly and Brooks. Carly is an accountant-by-day, personal shopper/stylist by night at Mod. Brooks is a doctor and older brother of Carly's best friend. When the magazine run by Brooks' sisters desperately needs something to draw new readers and Carly needs a fresh idea to pitch to her boss at Mod, they team up. The plan? To have a bachelor type dating series set in OKC and sponsored by Mod. The bachelor they have in mind? Brooks.

I thought the friendship here between Brooks and Carly felt very authentic. Their banter and ease with each other just felt very natural. Do I think it was weird that they hadn't seen each other since high-school? A little. Carly is Sasha's (Brooks' sister) best friend but hasn't seen her brother, who lives in the same city and who Sasha sees frequently, in15 years? Surely their paths would have crossed. I also think both of them were far too shocked on how much the other had changed since high school. Someone growing up and being different from 18 to 33 is not shocking at all? I don't know why they kept bringing this up. People mature!

I also didn't like how regarding Carly's job was handled. The sexual harassment complaints, the ending conflict or the resolution. This is what made me drop this from a 4 star, it just really bothered me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Carly and Brooks are average people, with an average love story. But the way it’s written is beautiful, engaging, and raw—and that’s why this book is amazing. Allison Ashley can take everyday people and tell their love story in an authentic, passionate way. You’ll be rooting for Carly and Brooks all the way to the end. ❤️

Oh, that was adorable! I loved it so much.
It loveable, relatable characters, 90's RomCom vibes and a really cool plot.
The book had a lot of tropes and stereotypes but it was all executed perfectly.
There were a lot of details that I liked the author's take on, for example:
1)What made Carly want to be a stylist. Her backstory was intriguing to read, her love for fashion stemmed from hard circumstances and also her creativity.
2) Carly's relationship with her mom. I LOVED that she had a good relationship with her mom but still acknowledged she had lingering trauma from the instability of her upbringing. Both are not mutually exclusive, and since her mom changed her ways, it was refreshing to see a main character actually trying to have a relationship with their parent after a bad childhood.
3) Brooks's character development. There's a big difference between acknowledging you have a problem and actually working on solving it. Seeing him understand both concepts and realize how much his unresolved issues affect his life and his loved ones, it was awesome. He might not have been the best MMC out there but he was definitely a great character to follow.
Also, their chemistry? sizzling! Their banter and overall vibes were immaculate. I felt sickingly giddy reading their story unfold.
I really loved it, and definitely recommend it.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Carly is trying to land a full time position in fashion consulting so she can quit her day job in accounting. Brooks is a stoic doctor who spends his days off at home gardening alone. In an effort to save their family’s magazine, Brooks’ sister and Carly’s best friend, Sasha, convinces Brooks to be a part of a Bachelor-esque dating article. Sasha brings in Carly to be the stylist for all the dates and photo shoots. Brooks is supposed to be out on dates finding love, but he might find it in the most unlikely place.

This was a fun and simultaneously heartbreaking read. The banter was great, especially loved the epistolary style writing of their text exchanges. Being from the OKC metro it was fun to read about familiar places and events. Brooks was a sweet MMC or “brunch daddy” as Allison Ashley would call him 😆. Overall, I enjoyed this story. A few aspects in the story felt a tiny bit disjointed, is the only thing making it a 4 star read for me.

✨fashion industry
✨interconnected standalone
✨best friends brother
✨forced proximity
✨friends to lovers
✨grumpy/sunshine
✨cinnamon roll MMC
✨dual pov

🛑TW: parent death, car accident, heart attack


Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book!

4,5 ⭐

what a quick, fun and cute read! this was my first allison ashley book, and i enjoyed soo much.

the story follows carly, a full-time accountant, who dreams of turning her side hustle as a fashion advisor into a full-time career.
brooks, a dedicated doctor, has spent the last decade buried in work, leaving his social life behind.
when his sister, sasha, asks for help reviving a magazine founded by their mother, he agrees to take part in the makeover. carly's mission is to fix his terrible fashion sense.
with each styling session, they form a deeper bond, but can't be together because of a non-dating policy.
will they be able to overcome the obstacles and be together?

first of all, i really liked the cats and cucumbers being included in the story. it was awesome.

i loved carly and brooks' journey. it was a slow burn, which i personally love.
they kind of knew each other in high school, but now that they started working together, carly and brooks truly started getting to know one another. watching their relationship grow was really sweet. they took their time, gradually building a bond and opening up about their pasts. the story struck a great balance - it was an adorable, light love story with moments that touched on deeper, emotional topics. both characters had been through difficult experiences, and i especially appreciated the insight into brooks' mental health and how he dealt with grief.

the characters were really likeable. carly was really empathetic, kind and mature. brooks was really fun and dedicated to his job as a doctor. both were really relatable, each with their own issues to work through, and i loved seeing their character development.
my personal fav character was the coach.

the writing style pulled me in right away. the banter and funny dialogues, constant teasing and inside jokes - totally my cup of tea. all of their interactions were just so cute.
i really appreciated the author's accurate (i think? idk much about the medical field but it seemed professional) descriptions of the hospital.

i'll definitely be reading more from this author!
i think the only thing i wasn't a huge fan of was the third- person pov, but it's just a personal preference.

i highly recommend this book if you enjoy the forced proximity/best friend's brother tropes.
it's definitely worth checking out!

This is my 3rd (?) Allison Ashley book and I think her writing style improves with each book. I enjoy the fact that she can throw the medical side of things into her plot while keeping it romance focused. She also has some heavy elements to her writing and this one is no different. If you like Abby Jimenez, you'll eat this book up!

A solid 2.5 star read (rounded up to 3 for goodreads purposes). It was cute but as a bedside healthcare worker, there were just parts of this book I could not look past… ie daydreaming about using a hospital bed to fuck my doctor bf?? 🥴🥴 ALSO in what world would an off duty physician fully run a code on a loved one?? Literally would never happen. For someone who doesn’t have an upfront seat to medicine this might be a fun little read but for me I just could not get over the icks.

Thank you Montlake and NetGalley for the eARC!
I’ve loved every one of Allison Ashley’s books and this one is no exception! The premise of If Tomorrow Never Comes was admittedly a hard sell for me but she pulled it off beautifully. By the end I was excited to follow Carly’s story as well. I liked that she knew exactly what she wanted. The banter was fantastic and I really enjoyed seeing Carly and Brooks’ relationship develop.
It was extra fun to see this book set in OKC! I loved seeing all the nods to my hometown and familiar places!

Set in Oklahoma City, Brooks hasn't had a life over the past decade, focused on completing his education as an ICU doctor. When his sisters need help with the family-owned magazine, his younger sister convinces him to complete a bachelor-style dating series that they will document through the magazine. Her best friend Carly steps in to help with his fashion (those jeans!) as he prepares for dating again. Carly is trying to get to be a full time stylist (currently only a part time gig around her full time CPA job). As the two become close during the styling sessions, they come up against past trauma and see if they can find a future together.

I have read several novels by the author (though I haven't read If Tomorrow Never Comes, which this is a sort of sequel to), so it is great to see her style again. The medical detail is very detailed and thoughtful as always. This one was just slow to click into place for me, though it was great to see how Carly and Brooks come together.

This romance features:
💜 Sibling's best friend
💜 Forced Proximity
💜 Grief and loss of loved one (see content warnings)
💜 Slow burn
💜 Complex family relationships
💜 Cute cats!

Closed Door / fade to black

3.5 / 5 stars

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC!