Loved it. Lots packed into this charming story. Family issues, job problems, death, changes, and so much more. One is eager for the couple to reach their happily ever after, but you also care about the secondary characters. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Can’t Help Falling In Love is a sweet romance that will tug on your heartstrings, have you laughing, and wanting more. I couldn’t get enough of Lexi and Will together! They have the classic meet-cute when suddenly things start to spin out of control and the two land themselves in a fake engagement. Behind closed doors, they’re figuring out for themselves that they truly do have feelings for each other. And maybe they aren’t putting on a show anymore, since their feelings are very much real. Through the push and pull, they decide to try out a real relationship and let me tell you - they are the absolute cutest! I adored the way Will always lifted Lexi up and encouraged her.

Sophie Sullivan beautifully portrayed this relationship, plus grief and healing from that. I teared up so many times just because I really felt like I could relate to what Lexi and her family were going through. I also really adored Will’s sisters and loved the strong support system he had.

At times, I felt like some of their initial attraction and relationship ship was moving way too fast. Of course, it is easy to feel that way when you find somebody you’ve taken interest in. And I found myself always rooting for the couple and felt so connected to them, especially Lexi. But I wish it hadn’t seemed as rushed.

Thank you to Sophie Sullivan, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins for a chance to read this. Such a cute no spice fall romance book. Loved it was very sweet. Loved how it dealt with deal with grief and mental health but still kept the overbook light and fun was a great balance.

Sophie Sullivan writes the perfect cozy romances. This was very very cute! A fake engagement trope can be hard to realistically pull off, but I really enjoyed this.

Can’t Help Falling in Love is a must read for fall. The book revolves around Lexi and Will , who come from two different worlds , but find it difficult to be apart. This book is a feel good romance , with all the fall vibes. Well written , go ahead and add it to your TBR list. It doesn’t disappoint.

This books was super cute!!!!!!!! The characters are very lovable, and the side characters are outstanding. They grapple with grief, feelings of doubts, making a stand, and self-belief. The side characters form a chosen family, which I loved. The book is very easy to read and fast-paced; I couldn’t put it down, even though it’s written in third person, which is not my favorite perspective.

I especially love the male main character, Will—he’s now on my list of book boyfriends. I appreciate a man who is direct and quick to express his feelings. As I mentioned, the book is very fast-paced; from the beginning, you feel everything intensely, and events unfold quickly, making it hard to put down. I enjoyed this book.

The only reason it’s not a 5-star read for me (4.5) is that it’s not in first-person point of view. Otherwise, it’s a great fall read to enjoy from the comfort of your home while dreaming of apple picking and celebrating the holidays with your loved ones.

This is such a sweet story. It truly is about two people who have a charming meet cute, and honestly can’t help falling in love. I love the use of family here, and how they can influence your life, even unintentionally. And I appreciate that the characters acknowledge that no one has everything together in their lives at all times - so much of that is simply the image we present to the world. No one is perfect!

5 ⭐️!!!

Ugh I’m dying I love sophie sullivan’s books so much. Grab your pumpkin spice latte and apple cider donut and curl up with this book immediately.

Lexi is a 25 year old student, waitress, daughter, dreamer, track runner, friend, purchasing manager, but most of all, she’s a real representation of a woman who is scared of being hurt, who wants to be seen, and has so much love to give. And then there’s Will the CFO of the family business who has the most amazing sisters, sister in law, and family with just as much drama as the next one. Did I mention they’re both hot?? Their fake-engagement becomes the talk of the town and it’s sooooo perfect.

“It's okay to live your life. You don't have to feel guilty about letting things go and moving forward. Sometimes the next step means leaving a few things behind. That doesn't mean they're gone. Everything you go through is part of you. Makes you who you are. But you can't become who you're meant to be if you stand still.”

The backdrop of fall and Halloween make this the perfect read this September-December. I highly recommend this cozy romcom.

So cute! Will and Lexi are one of my favorites that I’ve read recently. Will was pretty perfect while Lexi was relatable. The family dynamics were so moving and many readers can connect to some of the feelings our characters went through. I found the grieving process that Lexi’s mother was experiencing was pretty on the nose for what a lot of people go through and how Lexi responded towards it was pretty on the nose as well. I thought there wasn’t going to be any third act break up to make up in this because it happened so late in the story. So when it happened I was disappointed. There was still a HEA thankfully but still I’m not a fan of super delayed 3rd act break ups. Even though I really enjoyed Will he was to perfect. I wish he was written to be more realistic with his reactions to situations happening. I also wasn’t a huge fan of how long it took Lexi to stop being a sort of Debby downer. Whether it’s toward herself or others in her life it got a little old when she had to be given the 1000th mini pep talk. Overall, it was a very good story and was very easy to binge in one sitting.

Thank you to. Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the chance to read this!

Even though this was a fake engagement romance, the relationship between Lexi and Will never felt fake to me. There was an instant connection between them that lasted the entire book. A few scenes gave me butterflies, including the truth or treat chapter.

Although I felt the chemistry between Lexi and Will, I alternated between being invested in the book and being bored. I can't really pinpoint what pulled me out of the story so many times. I just felt my mind drifting.

First off, thank you St, Martin’s and Net galley for this arc read.

Sophie Sullivan does it again, the banter in this book was well written. Lexi and will have great chemistry and are un unlikely couple that might not make sense on paper but end up working.

The side characters were just as great, Will’s sister and wife were probably my favorite side characters and played a great role in this book. Will’s patience with Lexi’s mom’s situation was very kind.

This book will be a perfect fall read, you will love this if you like fake dating, love at first sight, he falls first!

This was a super cute fall romcom! Lexi and Will were adorable and hilarious and the fake dating aspect was great. Lexi was very relatable with her fears and insecurities, but there were some nice life lessons about self acceptance and embracing change. Will was extremely swoon worthy and successful but managed to stay super sweet and down to earth. The “he falls first” trope is always a big hit with me. There were also a lot of lovable side characters who I’m hoping to see more of in the future. I’d recommend this if you’re looking for a sweet, funny, and emotional fall themed romance!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Can’t Help Falling in Love by Sophie Sullivan is so freaking cute and hilarious! I think this is one of my fave contemporary rom-coms — I could not help falling in love with Lexi & Will!!

Lexi Danby was known as “Alexandria The Great” in high school - a track star destined for success… until her world fell apart after the passing of her father. Lexi was forced to take on multiple jobs to help her grieving mother out with the bills and put her own dreams on hold. One day she’s waitressing and some old friends from high school walk into the restaurant….she sits down with a handsome stranger which leads to a fake engagement. She has no idea that Will Grand is Seattle Royalty, his family is very well off as the owners of the Grand Babies business. Will is more than willing to keep up this charade and ends up falling head over heels with Lexi… Lexi has a tendency to self sabotage, thinking it must be too good to be true.

Throughout this novel there is a strong theme of grief and mourning - Lexi’s mom Gwen has a hard time even leaving the house, her husband was her entire world and without him she feels like a shell of who she used to be, a part of her missing. Lexi absorbs this and puts up her own walls, fearful of what could happen if she allowed herself to be vulnerable, not wanting to ever feel that level of heartbreak.

The side characters in this piece are so much fun as well - Will’s best friend Ethan is a hoot and gives Lexi some promising options for her own career. Lexi’s best friend Maisie is a true friend showing up for Gwen as well as Lexi. There’s also a scene in the book where Lexi is trying on beautiful expensive gowns with Will’s sisters along with Maisie, and I think that’s one of my favorite parts of the book.

This book is the perfect fall read so if you’re a romance lover make sure to cozy up and grab your copy once this book debuts on September 17, 2024!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I cannot wait to read more from Sophie Sullivan!!

Lexi’s life changed when her father died three years ago. Forced to drop out of college and take up two jobs to pay back debts, and take care of her grieving mother, she is looking for some fun. That fun lands directly in her lap, when her terrible waitressing leads her her fake dating Will. A single fake date, a misunderstanding among friends and now they are fake engaged and her life is taking a turn since it turns out Will is uber-rich Will Grand. Not only that, Will is interested in Lexi and convinces her to carry on with the fake engagement, and date. All these dates create feelings Lexi didn’t expect and wondering if she can fall in love and open her heart like her mother did.

Lexi and Will’s story held a lot of humour, grief and pain. Will was 100% boyfriend goals. His empathy and acceptance of Lexi and everything she had gone through was great. Even more, I loved how he built Lexi up and got her to believe that she was the amazing person that he saw. I enjoyed Lexi’s character so much. She was strong and independent, not wanting anything given to her. She works hard and has been struggling through it.

I thought this was a great story. Sophie Sullivan created a great story with humour allowing you to connect with the characters. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

Read if you like: fake engagement, friends to lovers, insta-love

A very sweet romcom where the stakes are clear and the character development is deep and feels earned! The premise sounds a little extreme, even to the main characters, but it never gets in the way of the plot or character development.

Can’t Help Falling in Love was a bit outside of my usual genre, but what a cute story! We jump right into it with Lexi, a not-so-great server (who is juggling a few jobs to help with her depressed mother and to put herself though school). When two of her old high school buddies come into the restaurant, Lexi is too embarrassed to admit she works there. She’d been making eyes at the hottie in her section, which really paid off, because he jumps in and pretends to be her boyfriend and of course Lexi is there “on a date” and definitely not working.

When rumors start to spread that they’re not only dating, but ENGAGED, everything gets thrown for a loop. Oh, and Lexi’s handsome faux finance just so happens to be Seattles hottest and most eligible bachelor of one of the wealthiest families.

I absolutely loved the beginning and the epilogue. It was fairly predictable - but that’s on me. I typically read thrillers, and am always guessing the big twist. Can’t Help Falling Love was definitely a rom-com with lots of adorable moments.

I really enjoyed this one!

4.5 stars

Does Sophie Sullivan ever miss?

This was one of her best books so far! I loved the MCs, and the fake engagement leading to real dating. Lexi and Will just worked so well together even though maybe they shouldn't have.

The grief was also well done. Lexi's mom & best friend were fantastically written, as was Will's best friend and sisters. His sisters just taking Lexi in without question 🫶🏻

Huge thanks to NetGalley & St Martin's Press for an advance copy!

I am so happy that this is my first experience with an ARC because this was an absolute treasure of a read! And I absolutely cannot wait to read more by Sophie Sullivan!

She had such likable characters, from Lexi and Will to all the other friends and family members!

It has some of my favorite tropes: fake dating, unequal social status, he falls first and hard!

Will is a complete gem of a book boyfriend! Sexy, confident (but humble), funny, calm, understanding, and just all around perfect!

Lexi is extremely relatable, especially if you’ve ever felt like you already “peaked” or are not living up to ridiculous societal expectations (or even your own).

Highly recommend if you want an adorable (and at times heartbreaking) romance read!!

This was like a cozy cup of coffee on a fall day, snuggled up on your couch, windows open with the fall breeze blowing in and leaves slowly falling to the ground.

This book is heartwarming, engaging and the characters are so relatable. It gives off Hallmark vibes and I adored it!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This is a cute story about Lexi and Will. They were thrown into an unexpected engagement and have to navigate their growing feelings for each other. Personally, I felt like it was a bit too much instant love on Wills part. There was a lot of talk about Lexi being a track star but I didn’t really fit into the narrative. Overall, it was a cute read.