This is a cute, emotional, closed door romance that is a perfect addition to a fall tbr. It is such a heartwarming story. There were so many quotes throughout the book that spoke to me so deeply. I truly enjoyed this book. I rated it 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

This follows Lexi and Will and their fake engagement fiasco. Lexi is going through a hard time and life and has been dealt a pretty crappy hand the last few years. She’s had to put her entire life on hold since her father passed away several years ago. Her mother has been severely depressed since his passing and Lexi feels responsible to take care of her and the house to keep things together.

She’s currently working as a waitress, a job that she is absolutely terrible at, when Will is a customer one day. He sees her spill hot soup on herself and they start chatting. Then, a group of girls she was friends with in high school show up and Lexi doesn’t want them to know she is a waitress. Will steps in and says he and Lexi are actually there on a date. The friends invite them to a party as a couple. Lexi decides to finally go out for an evening with Will. They unknowingly tell a reporter they are engaged.

The next day it is all over the papers that Seattle’s most eligible bachelor is off the market. Little did Lexi know, Will is an heir to a multimillion dollar company. So they have to decide to stay together and ride the engagement out or call it off. Along the way, they get to know each other better and realize they want to actually date each other. Will slowly starts breaking Lexi’s walls down and makes her wonder if love is worth it after all?

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an arc copy of this book. All these opinions are my own.

rating: 3.5 ⭐️

this was positively delightful!! honestly, the perfect lil fall romance read palate cleanser. Will & Lexi had great chemistry from the get-go. I really appreciated how even though this is a “fake engagement” trope, they aren’t faking anything because they’re actually dating one another the whole time. And by “the whole time” I mean like 1 month so if you don’t believe in the whole “I saw her and just knew” type jazz then this might be a tad annoying for you.

I LOVED the side story of Lexi’s mom (can she get her own book??) I felt like there was really great emotional depth there, but also in the book overall.

I recommend this one! I read it under 24 hours. 🍂✨💖

A sweet, feel good fake engagement, opposites attract romcom that sees Lexi, a struggling waitress falling in insta love with Will, the heir to a wealthy Seattle family business.

This was fun, with a lot of emotional depth and whimsy as Lexi is trying to help her mom find away out of her depression over losing her dad as well as trying to figure out her own life after her competitive cross country running dreams got dashed.

I loved the family and friend side characters in this book and how irresistible Will and Lexi were as a couple, with Will consistently trying to build Lexi up and get her to see what a great person she really is. Good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Sarah Adams. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I loved it!! The first chapter alone grabbed me right in. I found Lexi to be so easy to relate to as a mid-20s woman trying to provide while building a life for herself. She was incredibly inspirational. Spoiler! Will was somehow the embodiment of a superhero with the power to help everyone he came in contact with. I loved that he was able to bring out the best in Lexi. The story itself was so cute, so fall!

Thank you to Sophie Sullivan and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this!

Just the fall book i was hoping and looking for. I'm a sucker for anything fall when it's almost fall or during fall and I loved it. Fake dating is one of my favorite troupes. Sullivan's writing style is fun and easy to digest. If you are looking for a fall romance give this one a go.

Can't Help Falling in Love is a delightful fall rom-com that strikes a perfect balance between heartwarming romance and laugh-out-loud moments. The author gives us a charming story with Lexi Danby, a former college track star turned struggling waitress, and Will Grand, Seattle’s most eligible—and unexpectedly down-to-earth—bachelor.
The premise is irresistibly fun: a fake engagement that starts by accident but turns out to be exactly what both characters need in different ways. Lexi’s no-strings-attached approach to life collides hilariously with Will’s world of high-profile business, setting up plenty of witty banter and swoon-worthy chemistry. Their chemistry is immediate, but what really makes the story shine is how the author takes the time to develop their deeper connection. Lexi, with all her insecurities and struggles, feels authentic, and Will’s growing affection for her—beyond the facade of their fake engagement—makes for a satisfying slow-burn romance.
The Seattle autumn setting adds cozy charm, with adorable seasonal moments like apple picking and Halloween festivities giving the story a warm, inviting backdrop. The fake engagement trope is well-executed, and while predictable, it hits all the right emotional beats, making you root for the couple as they figure out their feelings in the midst of a media storm.
If there’s a slight drawback, it’s that some of the secondary characters and subplots, like the business merger, don’t get as much depth as they could. But the undeniable chemistry between Lexi and Will, paired with the fun and flirty fake engagement scenario, more than makes up for it.
Can't Help Falling in Love is the perfect cozy, feel-good rom-com for fall, full of heart, humor, and the courage to take a leap of faith in love.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of Can't Help Falling in Love by Sophie Sullivan.

I'm a Sophie Sullivan fan and have enjoyed all of her previous books but I really struggled with this one. I didn't like Lexi from the beginning meet-cute scene, so I never really felt this fake relationship (and I love fake dating/engagement storylines).

Let me start by saying a HUGE thank you to netgalley for sending me and ARC copy of this book! I absolutely LOOOOVE books that have a fake dating trope so this book hit alll the right categories for me personally! This was such a fun and fast paced read.

LOOOVE. what a delightful read. I really enjoyed this one a lot. I love WIll and Lexi's story. I now want an Ethan story ;)

Sophie Sullivan has outdone herself with another heartwarming romance that's as cozy as a Seattle rainy day. Can’t Help Falling in Love is a delightful blend of fake dating, meet-cute, and friends-to-lovers, all wrapped up into one big package. But don't worry, Lexi isn't your typical damsel in distress. She’s tough and determined and she’s juggling more jobs than a circus clown and still manages to keep her head above water.

Lexi's life is a whirlwind of waitressing, debt, and grieving. But when she spills soda on a charming stranger, Will, and somehow manages to botch his order, fate intervenes. Not only does Will forgive her, he doesn’t mind her clumsiness and actually helps her out of a tight spot. When a misunderstanding leads to a fake engagement, Lexi and Will find themselves in a whirlwind of parties, family drama, and unexpected feelings.

It turns out that Will is a member of Seattle's elite—a sought-after bachelor who's always been the target of his mother's matchmaking schemes. Now, Lexi must navigate the treacherous waters of pretending to be in love with a guy who's used to getting whatever he wants. But as their fake relationship turns into something real, Lexi and Will find themselves facing a dilemma: can they defy social expectations and find their happily ever after, even if it means admitting they started with a lie?

Can’t Help Falling in Love is a charming, funny, and heartwarming tale that will leave you smiling from ear to ear. It's the perfect escape for anyone who needs a little love and laughter in their life.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / St. Martin’s Griffin for providing me with a such a fun ARC!

“Can’t help falling in love” by Sophie Sullivan is a charming fall themed fake dating romance that I think everyone would enjoy if they are fans of the trope.

Lexi and Will are opposites in many ways.

Lexi a struggling waitress trying to find her place in the world after tragedy and Will, the heir to one of Seattle’s biggest companies.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book and I loved how the characters met. The fall
Vibes are really lovely but not Halloween-esque.

My only gripe about the book being a closed-door romance is the description does not give off that vibe at all. Lexi is looking for “unattached no-strings fun” definitely is screaming spice to me. That doesn’t take away from the overall story for me (personally im a fan of a good slow burn) but if you’re looking for something spicy this isn’t what you’re looking for.

Overall it’s worth a read if you’re looking for some cute fall vibes and a fun quick read.

Would this be considered a meet cute? Who knows. Lexi and Will ARE cute together. This felt like a Cinderella/Pretty Woman reimagining to me. I loved the locale and I loved the brewery (which I would visit in a heartbeat). I loved all of Lexi and Will's friends (although, at first Lexi's school friends felt a bit vapid but they evened out eventually). Ethan is my spirit animal :) -- I want him to get a story too...with Maisie maybe? While the story was cute, it had some deep seeded feelings about love that I believe many of us feel when we've suffered loss. Most of us can move through it okay but Lexi (and her Mom) have a difficult time of it. The story was good. 3.5 rounded up because there were some lessons in the story for me. "You live life with your heart. It’s got nothing to do with other people’s perceptions." You shouldn't have to hide who you are or what you do for a living or who you love.

Lexi is working her waitressing job when some people she doesn’t want to see while working come in. In order to hide that she works there, she pairs up with a flirty man who is she was serving food to before. He plays along and it leads to a date which leads to a fake engagement. Will is a rich heir and looking to keep his parents quiet about finding “the one”. Their casual fun relationship turned engagement changes everything for both of them.

This was cute and fun! I enjoyed both characters and the issues they faced both separately and together. There was so much fun tension in the beginning I was kicking my feet! I enjoyed this story for a light fun read.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Sophie Sullivan, and St Martin’s Press for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! This published on September 17th.

I have posted my review on Goodreads, my Facebook book club, and will make a TikTok.

I’ve enjoyed all of Sophie Sullivan’s earlier books, so I was really looking forward to reading this one (I still need to read her titles under her other pseudonym). It wasn’t quite what I guess I was expecting or thinking it would be like, based on how much I looooved all of the others, but it was still a good read - a solid 4-star.

The premise had promise, with the strangers meet-cute, her as a waitress trying to hide the fact from former classmate friends, and him, a customer who pretends to be her boyfriend… invited to a party together, they’re suddenly, mistakenly, thought to be engaged, which is reported in social media, and makes it to the papers - because he’s actually from a big name family.

I think it could have gone in several directions, but with Sullivan being the author she is, she did do a good job… though some areas touched on subjects that are generally problematic in the world, so they rubbed me the wrong way (without dropping those parts entirely, I don’t think it could happen or be written any other way). Overall, I know many will love this, and I did quite like most of it, so do still recommend it to all! Sullivan is a clean/closed door author, so it’s good for all romance audiences.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin), and this is my honest feedback.

This was such a fun time ! I loved the atmosphere and loved reading about these characters! safe to say I will be auto buying future books by this author <3

The perfect cozy fall read for those that enjoy fall activities, lots of tension filled fake-dating romance and family drama!

Lexi and Will might have began things on a lie, but the feelings were so real right from the beginning!

I loved the way this story dealt with the topic of grief, which hits everyone differently, and was portrayed in such a relatable way. I loved getting to see Lexi and her mom don’t just get over the loss of her father, they get a chance in this story to grow and learn how to move forward in their own ways.

I’m sure some readers may find Lexi to be taxing sometimes with her self doubt, but I think that’s why I loved Will so much, he saw from the very beginning just how special Lexi was, and loved seeing him navigate his own family drama while realizing that this fake relationship might just be the best thing that ever happened to him!

All of the side characters in this story also were great, I wasn’t a fan of the high school friends until the very end and I was honestly glad that side stories didn’t just get dropped or at all mended by the end. I loved the way the author ended this story, especially giving us an epilogue because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye just yet to these characters!

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a sweet rom com with fall vibes!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and St. Martin’s Griffin for an advanced readers copy of this adorable fall romance in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to be chosen to arc read “Can’t Help Falling in Love”. I thought it would be a cute fall rom com but I honestly didn’t expect to relate to Lexi as hard as I did. Lexi and her mom’s relationship reminded me so much of the relationship with my own mom, that at a certain point I had to ask if this book was about me?? Will is also SUCH a green flag, right from the get go! He is always there to support Lexi in whatever way he could, from the very first moment in the restaurant to guiding his secretary to buy her dad’s tools. He was always there for her for whatever she needed. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a feel good read with a nice cozy setting! It’s the perfect way to start off fall reading!

The book was provided to me from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own!

Lexi and Will have a spectacular meet-cute. She is a hapless waitress and he comes to her rescue (while drinking copious amounts of soda just to keep in her company). After a misunderstanding, everyone believes that they are engaged and Will is only too happy to continue the guise.

It was a breath of fresh air to have an engagement of convenience where they don’t try to hide or deny their attraction. I will also always enjoy when the MMC falls first.

Lexi’s story sees her dealing with the continued ripple effects of her father’s death. She is struggling to make ends meet and her mother is still working through some debilitating sadness. Her mother’s self-imposed loneliness catalyses Lexi’s own actions and fears of commitment.

This was an absolutely lovely book. It was cute and sweet and would be a good fit for those who enjoy Sarah Adams.

You might like this if you like ...
Sweet Love Stories
Clean Romance
Dual POV
Fake dating/ engagement

There are mentions of
Parent and partner loss
Impacts of grief

A quote that hit home for me
“What you start to learn as you get older is that your parents are people. Regardless of their role in your life, they’ve only ever been flawed human beings”

This book has everything I look for in a heartfelt somewhat contemporary romance book. Characters that you immediately like and root for, a meet-cute, instant connection between main characters and fake dating/engagement.

Set in the backdrop of the Pacific North West we meet Lexi our FMC. She is currently building her life back up after the passing of her Father. For the past three years she put her goals on hold to focus saving her childhood home and helping her Mom. Lexi and Will cross paths while she is waiting his table at a local restaurant. After a miscommunication with old friends Lexi and Will find themselves fake engaged before they’ve even gone on their first date!

Aspects of their relationship were relatable such as the expectations placed on them by society, their friends and family, and even themselves. Overall I really enjoyed Lexi and Will’s story, the growth I saw in all the characters, and the cozy fall vibes.

This was the first book I’ve read by Sophie Sullivan, but it wont be the last. I like how Sophie touched on topics such as grief, expectations, self-love and worth as well as self growth.
Go add this to you fall TBR, you wont be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Can't Help Falling in Love is a sweet and surprising deep fake dating story. When Lexi's dad passes away suddenly she finds her dreams on hold while she manages the debit of the family restaurant he left behind while trying to finish her degree. Will is charming bachelor from a powerful family but he finds himself drawn to Lexi and her terrible waitressing skills. He pitches the idea of a fake engagement to help both of them out. As Will and Lexi spend time in each others very different worlds they realized there might be more to this fake relationship than they thought. This was a cute read and I enjoyed reading about them falling in love. I really liked Will but I never really clicked but Lexi.