Cute book that is great for readers who are looking for a cute, sweet, closed door romance. It can be read alone, but it does go great with the rest of the series (each book is written by a different author). It has Gilmore Girl small town vibes that will put you in the mood for Fall. it makes me excited to see how the rest of the series will be.

Can’t Help Falling - ARC Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
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WHAT I LOVED:
-Childhood friends to Lovers
-Then and Now Timelines
-Dyslexia Rep - Really Well Done
-Romance Books mentioned throughout
-FMC has a secret Romance Podcast
-The Discussion of Practical vs. Romantic gestures of love (and how both can be thoughtful)
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:
-I wanted more adult interactions between the two MCs before the declaration of “Love”. Despite knowing each other as teenagers, they haven’t seen each other for 8 years. I wish they would have spent a little more time getting to know each other as adults before declaring they love each other. These could have been a few scenes of hanging out or dates.
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Thank you @netgalley for my eARC copy. I was given this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was such a sweet romance perfect for fall! Emmy's house is on fire. She's stuck until she's saved by a super hot fireman. Only that fireman is her best friends brother whom she had crush on as kids! I loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!!

Courtney Walsh is known for authoring sweet, swoony romances, and her newest book is exactly that! "Can't Help Falling" begins with Emmy, stuck in her house during a house fire. When a brave and handsome firefighter comes to her rescue, Emmy thinks she's dreaming. But when she discovers it's the man she's been in love with for years, she's even more overwhelmed. Owen, her best friend's brother, has moved back to town after running off years before. He took off after being left at the alter and hasn't been back to town since. Emmy and Owen renew their friendship, and Owen is surprised to discover that his feelings for Emmy are more than friendly. However, Emmy is all about romantic gestures and Owen is more of a practical guy. Can they compromise in order to begin a healthy relationship?

I really enjoyed the different perspectives on love. Owen sees love as doing practical things to take care of Emmy, and Emmy sees loves as romantic gestures, like kissing in the rain. While there wasn't a lot of physical affection between the two, there was still a lot of romance and tension. I loved reading about the two of them, and look forward to going back and reading the other books in this series by Courtney Walsh. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

It’s an understatement to say I love books about books! Throw in a reformed misfit/firefighter, brothers best friend trope, second chance romance and a secret podcast and I am all in!

The favourite thing, and the one I keep coming back to, is how layered this story is. The character development is first rate and Walsh easily draws you into the the growth story of both MCs, Emmy and Owen’s, relationship and how they made space for each others’ views on their true romance.

Alongside this is Owens individual story, dealing with his past relationships and the impact of that on his family, then his job and how a learning difficulty affected his own sense of self worth.

As a friends to lovers book this is a slow burn romance, but the slow burn never stalled with little morsels or chemistry dropped in at all the right points.

I also loved the side characters all of which contributed their own words of wisdom which ultimately shaped the path for Emmy and Owen.

This was a fantastic, atmospheric, cosy story with characters you can completely relate to and root for! Can’t wait to read more of the Sweater Weather series.

This was my first time reading a book by Courtney Walsh, and I’m looking forward to catching up on her other titles now! I enjoyed the first two books of the Sweater Weather series, and this one also delivered. I love a story with a second chance/the couple has history together type of plot, and I really enjoyed the way Owen and Emmy’s past was revealed slowly and we learned more about why Owen left town and broke Emmy’s heart. The romance was a bit slow for me-it takes the entire book for the characters to interact in any way that isn’t completely platonic, but I enjoyed the plot and didn’t feel like it was dragging at any time. I only wish it didn’t take quite so long for Owen to even realize his feelings for Emmy. I felt like he was still not even aware that he liked her until the end.
If you like:
•friends to lovers
•best friend’s brother
•second chance romance
•romance book loving heroine
•learning disorder representation
•closed door/sweet romance
•recovering bad boy mc/good girl fmc
•firefighter romance
•small town feels
then check this one out!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This one was a slow start for me, but turned into a very sweet romance with a fun cast of friends, family & small town characters. The podcast was a fun twist and you can’t go wrong with a brooding fireman!

This was such a perfect cozy, fall read!! Emmy and Owen had a secret friendship when they were in high school and of course, Emmy fell in love with the literal boy next door. Owen on the other hand was a “bad boy” when he was in high school and when his fiancé left him at the alter, he kinda blew Emmy off when she revealed her real feelings. One day, Emmy was recording her secret podcast in her basement when her house caught on fire and Owen was the firefighter to come in and save her. Once Emmy realized that Owen was back in town after 8 years, she found it hard to ignore the feelings that she has for him. Will the reconnect as just friends or will there be an option for more?

This friends to lovers and best friends brother romance was so cite and I loved the bookstore/coffee shop that Emmy runs. I also love a fireman MC 😍🔥The secret podcast storyline was so cute and I loved seeing the fireman all listen to the podcast. Owen seems like such a good guy and I loved hoe Emmy reassured him with his learning disability from high school to now and how she just wanted to support him. Overall, I lovedddd this slow burn romance.

Can’t Help Falling is the third book in the Sweater Weather Series that is written by multiple authors. They are all set in the same fictional town and can be read as standalone or in order. Thanks to @courtneywalsh @netgalley and @victoryeditingngc for this advanced copy!

First thought: Loved this so much. For all the romance girlies out there this one is for you. The book opens with the MC being rescued from a fire by a smokin hot firefighter who turns out to be her childhood crush. ❤️❤️❤️

Emmy had a secret friendship with her bf brother in HS, and she stupidly fell in love with him the. She blurted her feelings out on the day he was supposed to get married. She’s always been a hopeless romantic reading all the tropes. She even ended up owning and running her own bookstore, and not to mention her secret love advice podcast. She’s never really dated as no one compared to Owen. Then one day everything changed. She was secretly recording in her basement when he house went up in flames and she was rescued by her knight in shining armor. Except he had friend zoned her so she was left to a one sided romance.

Owen escaped Harvest Hollow 8 years ago after he was left at the alter and his best friends declared she loved him. Now he’s back working at the local fire station and his first day back he finds himself rescuing the best friend he walked away from. Owen is practical where Emmy is a hopeless romantic, he know they just don’t mix. There’s something about her this time, that’s making it hard to see her as just a friend. Maybe she’s worth the risk and even trying a romantic gesture or two for.

Tropes you’ll find:

* Friends to Lovers
* Childhood Crush
* Best Friend’s Brother
* Small Town
* Bookish Loving MC
* Smokin Fireman MC 🔥

Five stars isn’t enough for this one.

Emmy is a dream character—loves romance novels, owns a bookstore/coffee shop, and is a hopeless romantic.

Owen is perfection. He’s Emmy’s best friend’s older brother, a firefighter, a bad boy, practical romantic… the whole package.

The blurb itself was enough for me to know I’d love this book. But then I was hooked more and more as I read the pages of their story.

Not to mention the book/movie references. Like come on. Yes. Give it alllll to me.

Courtney has a way with words, I’ll tell you that. She writes some damn good characters, character growth, pining, etc.

Grab this book & thank me later. 🤌🏻

A cute and wholesome romance perfect for this season! I loved Emmy and Owen, and I thought the overall storyline was cute. It did read a little slow and there were maybe too many side plots, but overall Can’t Help Falling was an enjoyable read.

Funn and perfect for fall, this was a very nice palette cleanse after so manny fantasies, thanks for the opportunity to read it, definitely great story

This book is like a Hallmark book with a little of Gilmore mixed. This is a very slow burn to the point I started to get a little annoyed.

I adored Emmy. She is such a quirky, fun, and lovable character. I love how strong of a character she was throughout the story. She knows who she is and what she stands for, and when things became hard she pushed through. Then there is Owen who has his own battles to fight throughout the story. From running into an ex, new job, health issue, and just being dealt a lot of bad things early on he has to find a way to navigate his life too.

I do wish there was more information on Owen’s past especially with his ex. I’m left with a lot of unanswered things there.

Overall, a cute story and read.

Courtney Walsh is the reason I know about the Sweater Weather series, so it's only fitting that I've liked her book the best so far! I mean, she definitely picked the best characters...the bookseller and the firefighter? Who could resist. And I love epistolary/unwitting correspondence elements. Add in the baking, the book references, and the best friend's brother trope and there was almost too much to love!

Emmy is a sweet, clever introvert, and I loved her secret romance podcast. I started my bookstagram as a secret and could definitely relate! I love a character I can see myself in.

Owen was a sweetheart. I loved his secret pining and the dyslexia rep. One scene with the firemen reminded me of the guys from Bromance Bookclub, with their love of Emmy's podcast.

This book is the slowest of burns (get it), but the ride is delicious. Courtney writes the best holiday romances!

4.25⭐️

Yet another sweet and wonderful fall romance entry in the Sweater Weather series. Owen and Emmy are childhood friends- and Owen the object of Emmy’s longtime crush- reunited after years apart, when firefighter Owen saves Emmy from a house fire. This story starts out with fire, and keeps the (clean) heat going the whole book, with all the swoony moments as the two MC’s dance around their feelings for one another. This was a delightful confection that was exactly the autumn-tastic romance story I needed.

Thank you Courtney Walsh, Sweethaven Press, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was delightfully romantic. I’m a big fan of opposites attract, cynic vs romantic trope. I also loved all the references to different romances. I’m a big romcom girl at heart, and it was easy to connect with our main character. It was an easy, perfect cozy romance.

A good solid rom-com where both the characters grow which makes it an interesting read. I picked this book as it was a part of series another author that I follow has contributed to ("Sweater weather").

The book was worth a read - it held my attention. I hadn't read a lot of this author previously - I'd definitely give her a read in future. I liked the character growth of both the male and female characters - as well as the overall message of the story.

I receive complimentary books for various sources including, Netgalley, Authors, and other such sources. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received compensation.

A firefighter quite literally sweeping the girl next door off her feet? Yes please.

When Owen Larrabee moved back into town after walking away without a word 8 years earlier…. Emmys life quite literally burns up in flames.

They’re able to reconnect and get back on their feet after the day that broke their friendship so many years before…

Only to find out that maybe there are some mutual feelings there 👀

This was such a cute read & im loving this series and being in harvest hollow!

This book was just too cute. I loved all the characters and the storyline.

This story follows bookstore/cafe owner Emaline Smart, Emmy for short, and firefighter Owen Larrabee.

Emmy isn’t too keen when Owen returns to Harvest Hollow eight years after she confessed her love to him on his wedding day, where she wasn’t the bride, especially not when she realised that her feelings are still there and she doesn’t know if his feelings have changed since he left her so suddenly all the those years ago.

So when Emmy’s house catches fire and none other than Owen himself goes into the house to save her, she is a bit shocked, to say these least.

Not only is Owen back in her life, he’s also her best friends older brother, meaning he is off limits, or is he?

Emmy tries to fight her growing feelings for Owen as their thrown together since he saved her from her burning house, while also running a secret podcast, The Hopeless Romantic, that no one in her life knows she runs, where she gives out advice to her fans based on the hundreds, or thousands, of romance books that she’s read.

I just can’t get over how cute this book was, I loved how Emmy saw through the griff exterior that Owen showed everybody and absolutely refused to give up on him not matter what anyone else thought.

Also, the Appies from Just Don’t Fall also make an appearance in this book, which I really enjoyed.

Genre: Romance
Language: None
Romance: Kisses
Violence: None
Trigger Warnings: The FMC has a panic attack once.

Read if you like:
🍁 Dual POV
🍁 Disability Rep (Dyslexia)
🍁Opposites attract
🍁Grumpy sunshine
🍁Best Friend’s Brother
🍁Small Town romance
🍁FMC is a book lover
🍁She falls first
🍁Romantic and thoughtful gestures from the MMC

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Sweethaven Press. I'm voluntarily leaving this review.

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sweet Romance
Tropes: Second chance, Best Friend's Brother, Grumpy—Sunshine

I'm loving Courtney Walsh's books.

I immediately identify with the characters and love to see how the relationship develops.

In this one, we've got Emmy and Owen who were secretly friends in high school. But they both blew up their relationship on the day Owen was supposed to get married.

They're both single. And Owen is back—as a fireman. And the sparks fly from there.

I loved these characters and the depth of their hurt. I also like seeing more characters with challenges like dyslexia. This is such a warm and cozy read. It was fun to watch as they come to understand themselves better and get past all the nonsense of other people's opinions.

This is a definite recommend!

Happy reading!

PS: I love the grumpy men who come to her reading café and play chess. They're delightful.