This book was a perfect start into fall reading. I also seem to be leaning into romances with a bigger picture this month. And I'm ok with that.

Sullivan gives us a great spin on the fake engagement trope. I really liked Lexi and Will's initial meet cute. As someone who used to waitress I totally got her learning curve ( though I wasn't nearly as bad as her lol). With everything life has thrown at her you can empathize with how shaken her confidence is. And still admire her strength and determination to get her life back on track. Will was a great boost for this, seeing beneath her surface and allowing space to move at her own pace. This was definitely a he falls first, and boy does he fall. Making him a perfect little golden retriever of a book boyfriend.

This was a great cozy romance full of emotion and fun side characters. The family dynamics and grief exploration were very relatable and realistically handled. If this one's not already on your fall to read list, it should be!

4 fairytale stars

This was my first Sophie Sullivan book, and I really liked the way she wrote this story. A romance with good, well-developed characters and depth.

I do like a good fake relationship (and wedding!) storyline and this one was fun! Set in Seattle, we have Lexi, once a track star, now juggling trying to finish school and several part-time jobs. At one of these jobs, a waitressing job, she meets Will when he’s seated in her section. She’s working really hard, but she’s really not a good waitress, especially when delivering soup.

Will saves the day when some of Lexi’s friends show up and don’t realize she’s a waitress. From there, the two embark on a fake relationship that could be real if they admitted it.

Will is one of the most eligible bachelors in town, working at his family’s business. He’s tired of his mother setting him up with available women who aren’t his type.

This one has some themes of grief and financial instability. I liked the way the relationship developed and the backstories of Will and Lexi. Lexi also has some great friends and a strong relationship with her mother.

I would definitely read another one by this author!

Absolutely loved this read! The characters were all very diverse with likable personalities. Lexi and Will meet at a restaurant, he saves her day and they end up in a fake dating/engagement trope. There’s a lot of issues that the characters were dealing with such as grief, family drama, financial hardships, mental health, self worth. Overall a cozy fall read that will keep you hooked to their love story with many potential side stories from the friends and family.

Thank you NetGalley, Sophie Sullivan and publishing team for the introduction to Sophie’s writing and this amazing ARC!

This book was your typical meet cute love story. I don’t often read books in third person so it took some getting used to. It had some witty humor and funny moments between Will & Lexie. If you’re looking for a cut and dry fake relationship meet cute this is it.

3.5 ⭐️


Can’t Help Falling in Love is a super cute, cozy , fall romance that should definitely be added to everyone’s fall tbr!

Lexi and Will were absolutely adorable, I love the fake dating trope soo I livedddd for the fake engagement! Their meet cute was also hilarious, her being soo bad at serving made me cackle because how could you be THIS bad at it 🤣

Now the dates!? *SWOON* The apple picking 🥹🍎

It literally gave me all the fall vibes I needed in an autumn setting romance! Not many books go into seasonal details but I enjoyed that this one did 💕

However I feel like we missed a lot of the angst between the characters that usually comes with fake dating 😅 There was close to zero drama and although it was refreshing to see the characters actually have a healthy and open communication I just wished there was even a little razzle dazzle to make it that much greater.

Romance aside I really loved the topic of grief and seeing lexi battle grief while still caring for her mother who is also grieving, It was wholesome.

Will although was the perfect book boyfriend, I found him
to be a little too perfect at times and maybe even a little boring? AHH i’m sorry I just wish we got more of him than we did.

Overall this was such a cute fall romance story that is extremely easy to get through and would recommend it to anyone who loves the fake dating trope!

I thought this book was just fine. There is an instant connection between Lexie and Will, but when a misunderstanding makes their families think they’re engaged things are moving too fast. Or are they?

When the couple liked each other so quickly from the get go I thought the “problems” in this book weren’t really problems. It was just fine.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This wasn't my first Sophie Sullivan book, but I can say that I really loved this one.
There is just so much to love in my opinion. Will is a major green flag man. Before he even said a word I liked him.
And Lexie ... She's just broken and stuck in her past and is lacking confidence.
But together?! They're so good! He believes in her and he just wants her to see how much she's amazing and deserves the world for everything she's been through.
I loved all supporting characters. Maisie is the BFF everyone wants, Gwen is sad and broken but delivers sweet messages, Ethan is just so sweet, Wills sisters are awesome and made me laugh. And I LOVED to hate Wills mom... And dad!
There's no spice and honestly it's fine just the way it is.

If you like any of the tropes 👇 I think you should read this:
🔹Fake engagement
🔹He falls first
🔹Mental health rep
🔹Meet cute
🔹Open communication
🔹Close door romance

Thank you NetGalley, Sophie Sullivan and the publisher for this ARC.

I really wanted to love this book. The premise is great: a panicked situation that gets misinterpreted as a fake engagement. I was excited! But sadly this book fell flat for me. The first chapter was too chaotic for me. The rest of the book was heavy on inner monologues which aren’t my favourite.

I found the ending to be highly contrived as well. Everything gets tied up a little too neatly in the end, and I didn’t quite believe it.

I did like the chemistry between the MCs and a few times I found myself wondering about them when I wasn’t reading.

Read if you like:
Fake relationship
Opposites attract
He falls first
Heavy family drama
Cute fall vibes

Thank you to SMP Romance for the ARC of Can’t Help Falling in Love by Sophie Sullivan. All opinions are my own.

This was such a cute book. I loved that it had sweet relationships while also dealing with some heavier topics such as grief.

Will and Lexi’s relationship was adorable from the very beginning. I loved their meet cute, and I enjoyed watching Will treat Lexi so well through all of their circumstances.

Lexi was a good protagonist that had some commitment issues, but I overall liked her. Will was the star of the book for me because he was just so charming and thoughtful.

Besides Will’s parents, I did really like his family as well as his best friend. They welcomed Lexi right into their group, and I would love to read more stories about them.

Lexi’s mom definitely had her issues, but I understood where they came from. I liked seeing her transform throughout the story. She was definitely struggling with grief, but I thought she handled it as well as she could. Also, she made some much-needed progress in the second half of the story.

Lexi’s best friend was so amazing and caring towards her and her mom. She was honest with her even when it’s not what Lexi wanted to hear. While Lexi’s high school friends seemed shallow at first, they did end up growing on me.

Overall, this was an enjoyable romance book that I would recommend!

I’ve left this in my bookshelf for a while and found myself needing a feel good romance that has all the feels and boy did this deliver. Sullivan just has a way of captivating you by giving you two MCs who feel real and genuine and show such a journey of growth

This book was charming, but I found the pace a bit slow. The main characters were endearing, though I struggled with the FMC; her emotional baggage and family trauma made her seem unready for a relationship. On the plus side, the side characters were well-developed, and the story managed to balance various elements effectively.

“Sometimes life hands you what you need just when you need it.”

As someone who loves reading fake engagements stories, this book was an enjoyable read.

Lexi and Will could not be more opposite from one another. With their upbringings, career, and financial status but yet they’re able to find each other.

They both mutually decide to be in a charade that benefits them both, a fake engagement. With having to keep appearances, the lines between fake and real start to blur.

This story has themes of grief, healing, and second chances. This is a classic trope with the perfect background and setting for a cozy fall read.

Thank You To NetGalley, Sophie Sullivan, and St. Martin's Press/Griffin for the eArc of this book. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely fell for this book - it's perfect for the cozy fall season and such a delightful meet-cute story. Despite being a closed-door romance, it's filled with so much warmth and love. Lexi and Will's romance is sweet and charming, making their relationship feel truly endearing.

The writing is excellent, and I always enjoy a good fake dating/engagement trope -Sophia Sullivan executed it flawlessly here. From the very start, I was hooked. The instant chemistry and deep emotional connection between the characters felt so genuine and real.

If You Enjoy:

* Cozy Fall Settings
* Fake Dating/Engagement
* Opposites Attract
* Rich Bachelor
* He Falls First
* Loving Siblings
* Happily Ever After's

Then this book is for you!! Sophie Sullivan has become a go-to romance author for me, and I highly recommend this one.

Lexi and Will are soulmates with such wonderful chemistry, a a whole lot of tension! The character development was done so well with the characters growing and coming back together!

At first I was hesitant with this book because Will seemed as if he was going to “not like other girls” Lexi. Soon Lexi’s character made it clear that was not going to be possible, as she was extremely kind to all the women in her life. Not only did I enjoy the fake engagement trope, I loved both leads’ families and how their relationships with them grow. What makes me hesitate to give this book a 4 stars is that the timeline of their relationship seems rushed, especially since the book ends with them becoming engaged before their 3 month anniversary.

After the first 30 pages I didn't think I was going to love this book as much as I ended up loving it. I am such a huge sucker for a man who isn't interested in finding love and is then just so incredibly bowled over by a woman unintentionally. Will doesn't even question what is happening for a second, just dives head first into this fake engagement just to get more time with her and to show her how good they can be together. I hated the third act breakup just because it was so obviously telegraphed and I didn't love Lexi's reasoning behind it. But, I'll give Sophie Sullivan some credit she didn't let the breakup go on as long as she could have, and for that I am grateful.

I ADORED this book. Read it in two sittings and cried at the end. I loved that it didn’t shy away from messy emotions. I related to so many of Lexi’s fears along with her mom’s grief, and was so proud of all her growth. Lexi is a hot mess in the best way and Will was a DOLL. I enjoy some spice but I’m always impressed when authors can build such a deep connection between the characters with all the spice off page. The romance was a whirlwind and I was here for all of it.

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5⭐️

Meet Cute
Fake Engagement
He Falls first and harder
Closed Doors

Thank you to St Martins Press, Sophie Sullivan & Netgalley for the eARC!

I adored this book from the first chapter witch such a sweet meet-cute. This is a perfect light, fun fall rom-com. It does have themes of grief in the book. Our MC Lexi has lost her father in the past and struggles with how her mom is coping from the lost. Lexi had put her college life on hold to help fix business/money issues from her father's passing and feels like she is stuck in life and has been left behind. Cue her working a couple jobs including one as a waitress where she meets MMC Will. Will is just perfect. I swooned over how quickly he knew she was the one and how he saw Lexi for more than she saw herself. The side character is this book are great and I am hoping that we get to see a few of them in their own books!

This is a very heartwarming book and I highly recommend for anyone looking for a sweet romance.

Ugh....this came off as promising and I really wanted to like it. I felt the FMC was unbearable - she annoyed me the whole book. I did think the book had some Hallmark vibes but it was just too cheesy for my taste.

This was cute, but I found the book a little slow.

The main characters were cute, but I found the FMC to be very frustrating. She has a lot of emotional issues and family-driven trauma, and it definitely seems like she’s not in a place to be in a relationship.

I liked the side characters, and the story did a good job balancing the different sides. There’s also a great first chapter that gets you hooked right from the start of the book.

This book had my least favorite version of a third act breakup, because you’re scared of loving someone “too much and they could die on you”, which personally I find hard to read - but it didn’t last long.