If you like MM romances and romcoms then I think you’d enjoy this book.
I do wish Fall for Him was in first person point of view, but the narrator was great and I still really enjoyed the story and the characters.

Andie Burke’s sophomore release had a lot to live up to after her debut really knocked it out of the park - Fly With Me was one of my very top reads of 2023! Fall For Him, which includes appearances by Olive (from Fly With Me - she’s a nursing co-worker and best friend of Derek), wasn’t quite as stellar but definitely one to read.

This one started with a bang - literally, as Dylan falls through Derek’s ceiling due to a bit of a flood in his apartment above, and long-term water damage. The pair has a long-standing issue with each other, though neither understands the reason why the other doesn’t like him. It’s eventually revealed (I see a ton of reviews that dnf’d, so please keep going - this storyline really redeems itself beyond the point everyone seems to be giving up, and it’s definitely a good one).

While the boys have to work together to repair the ceiling damage to avoid huge insurance claims or contractor bills, they also have to work together to hide Derek’s dog Gus that isn’t allowed by the apartment complex board, and share the only livable space - working mostly opposite shifts makes it fairly doable, but they’re still in forced proximity and still fighting a mutual attraction, which is there even with both of them having their issues about the other (again, revealed later in the book, so don’t give up on it).

It has a tiny bit of spice, but not really… I was definitely hoping for something more.

I did find this one was quite slow in comparison to her first book, but certainly worth it by the end - a beautiful relationship and I’m glad I read it and stayed with it (seeing some of the reviews popping up I was getting worried). I do recommend it, and I absolutely recommend sticking through the difficult parts in the middle when you might want to call it quits, like the other reviewers!

The audio was dual narration, by Liam DiCosimo and Kyle Omori. I don’t think I’ve heard either of these narrators before, but I did like both of their voices. I’m glad she had two narrators because it helped a little bit to differentiate when the characters POVs switched… the names were WAY too similar and when in third person it was getting difficult.

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

I know I would love this book as much if not more than I love the cover. The narrators made it so fun, especially when it came to the incessant text spams from the HOA nightmare lady. I loved the banter between Derek and Dylan. An audiobook that is easy and fun to listen to and keeps you entertained the entire way through.

I enjoyed reading Derek & Dylan’s *falling* for one another 🥰

📚 I’m really unsure why these aren’t listed as a series, this one very much comes after Fly with Me, and there’s part of the storyline that’s connected.

⭐️ rating: 4/5
🌶️ rating: 3/5

💭 overall thoughts:
I really struggled in writing this review, and I went back and forth on it a lot.

I think a big part of why I enjoyed this book was that I read and loved Fly with Me (Andie’s debut) so much. We got a lot of Derek in that book, and we see a lot of Olive (Derek’s best friend) in this one.

I did really like Derek & Dylan’s banter, and how their connection developed. I loved the ADHD rep, and how grief was portrayed - how Derek was figuring it out and what to do with confusing feelings for someone who was no longer around.

I also loved the side characters, and would love to see Joni get her own book!

However, I struggled with two things that pulled me out of the story quite a few times. I think if either were changed, it would have improved the book a lot.

The MCs are named Dylan and Derek, and it’s in 3rd person POV.
There were sentences where both names were said TWICE.
I often had no clue whose POV we were in, and would mix up details about the two. While the narrators were great at capturing the characters, they sounded kind of similar as well.

read if you love:
😠 enemies to lovers
🛠 apartment renovation
🏠 neighbours
🛏 only one bed(room)
🙃 opposites attract
🔗 forced proximity
💞 dual 3rd person pov

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio & Netgalley for advanced copies. All opinions are my own.

Fall for Him excels at delivering everything I prioritize in a romance. I hold love stories to high standards because I know how uplifting and impactful the great ones can be. I need characters with depth and forward-moving arcs. The stories should be captivating and filled with campy, trope-filled goodness. I especially value "emotionally intelligent" romances. In my opinion, this is what makes Emily Henry and Talia Hibbert two of the best. I can see Andie Burke joining that list because both primary characters do tremendous work on themselves and support one another while doing it. There's a slightly over-the-top "defend his honor" scene, but I ate it up and wouldn’t change a thing.

Thank you Andie Burke, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for my advanced review audio copy. My opinions are my own. Fall for Him is out now!

Plot - 5
Writing and Editing - 5
Character Development 5
Narration - 5
Personal Bias - 5
Final Score - 5

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advance copy. Once the ALC was approved, I read Fly with Me in case I needed to for context, but despite the characters being intertwined, they are standalones (both queer—first one is FF and this one is MM). Fall for Him was a fun and sweet story of two very different characters dealing with life. I related with Dylan and his struggles with ADHD, and I appreciated how Andie Burke wrote about it. Dylan and Derek are great characters who really balance each other out and have lots of witty banter.

Cute ... real, adorable, and did I say cute? Love a basic nothing fancy book like this and it just felt like a safe place

Entrepreneur and handyman Dylan accidentally floods his apartment. The ceiling collapses and he lands in the bed of downstairs neighbor Derek, an overworked ER nurse. Despite the animosity between them, they’re forced to work together to fix the damage. As they navigate their shared space and emotional baggage, they must decide if their clashing personalities can lead to love or just another disaster.

This fun and emotional rom com hooked me from the beginning. It’s a pleasure to read. I also enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

audio-ARC from NetGalley.

3.75 stars.

In Fall for Him, we follow the escapades of Dylan Gallagher and Derek Chang. The former is an IT genius and brilliant construction worker who struggles with low self-esteem and late-diagnosed ADHD, while the former is a self-sacrificing ED nurse too busy shoving down his emotions to recognize them for what they are. Derek thinks Dylan broke his deceased ex's heart. Dylan doesn't know why Derek hates him so much. Then Dylan falls through his kitchen floor and lands on Derek's bed.

I had a lot of fun reading this. Both Derek and Dylan were sweet, wholesome characters, and I found myself rooting for them in their battle against HOA Karen. The exploration of repressed grief and the stigmatization of mental illness were also very important. The wide array of friends and family these characters had cultivated lent such warmth and vibrance to the story.

Honestly, I think the extended Irish family was my favorite part of the story. The three dumb Gallagher brothers, Felicity, the tiny uncle plumber. They just felt so chaotic and beautifully relatable. There's a kind of chaotic, stressful joy associated with big families, and Burke expressed it perfectly in this novel.

Ultimately, there are two reasons this book didn't quite hit a four-star rating from me. First, I genuinely hate third act breakups and the resulting grand gesture or dramatic speech. If the characters had experienced their blow-up and chosen to work through it immediately instead of breaking up for two weeks, I think the story would have ended more strongly. And, secondly, because I saw the cause of the breakup coming from the very beginning, I was interested in the story, but not invested.

Overall, this was a really fun read about really sweet characters, written by an author who actually knows things about the medical field she's choosing to write about. Thank goodness for that.audio-ARC from NetGalley.

3.75 stars.

In Fall for Him, we follow the escapades of Dylan Gallagher and Derek Chang. The former is an IT genius and brilliant construction worker who struggles with low self-esteem and late-diagnosed ADHD, while the former is a self-sacrificing ED nurse too busy shoving down his emotions to recognize them for what they are. Derek thinks Dylan broke his deceased ex's heart. Dylan doesn't know why Derek hates him so much. Then Dylan falls through his kitchen floor and lands on Derek's bed.

I had a lot of fun reading this. Both Derek and Dylan were sweet, wholesome characters, and I found myself rooting for them in their battle against HOA Karen. The exploration of repressed grief and the stigmatization of mental illness were also very important. The wide array of friends and family these characters had cultivated lent such warmth and vibrance to the story.

Honestly, I think the extended Irish family was my favorite part of the story. The three dumb Gallagher brothers, Felicity, the tiny uncle plumber. They just felt so chaotic and beautifully relatable. There's a kind of chaotic, stressful joy associated with big families, and Burke expressed it perfectly in this novel.

Ultimately, there are two reasons this book didn't quite hit a four-star rating from me. First, I genuinely hate third act breakups and the resulting grand gesture or dramatic speech. If the characters had experienced their blow-up and chosen to work through it immediately instead of breaking up for two weeks, I think the story would have ended more strongly. And, secondly, because I saw the cause of the breakup coming from the very beginning, I was interested in the story, but not invested.

Overall, this was a really fun read about really sweet characters, written by an author who actually knows things about the medical field she's choosing to write about. Thank goodness for that.

Woof I’m so sad - this was a case of Too Many Tropes and Not Enough Edits 😭😭😭 there was so much happening at all times and tbh I’m upset because this could have been really good. There were so many of my reader pet peeves (not treating the MCs as intelligent human beings, cringe dialogue, poorly executed reveals) and I simply couldn't do it.

rep: Gay asian man, gay white man

Thank you #netgalley and St. martin's Press for the advanced audio copy.

Awoken by his upstairs neighbor, Dylan Gallagher, who literally falls through the ceiling onto his bed, Derek Chang can’t handle another stressor, adding to his strained relationship with the HOA. However, it soon becomes apparent that these two must share one apartment while the repairs occur! Hello, forced proximity. Do your thing!

This book had a lot of good moments. I found the writing amusing yet warm towards the more complicated topics.
Dylan was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, and his messiness, hyper fixations, and often the brunt of family jokes felt all too familiar (it’s okay, Mom, I don’t mind, honestly). I loved the way the ADHD contributed to some social anxiety, very relatable.
Derek, a stereotypical oldest child, felt he needed to care for his family, specifically his youngest sister. I enjoyed him grappling with why he felt he had to do this and who he would be if he did not care about responsibility. Plus, he is a dog lover!

Burke’s writing flowed effortlessly from intimate moments to family drama, and despite not having read the companion novel, I felt I had a good understanding of each character. The dialogue was well-developed, and the intimate moments were descriptive and deftly delivered (like Dylan, I also love alliteration).

The narrators handled both the jokes and the more serious topics with ease. I listened to this one around 1.75x, and it never sounded too fast.

My biggest problem with this book is that I found it confusing as an audiobook with two male characters with similar names and voices. I generally prefer dual point-of-view chapters to be labeled with the individual perspective, which I think would’ve assisted here. Once I could distinguish the excellent narrators' voices, my experience improved significantly. However, the extra layer of thinking took away from my ability to absorb the story.

This book has a few triggers, so please check them if appropriate

I am a HUGE fan of Andie Burke's Fly With Me from last year, but I am putting Fall For Him aside for the moment, and it hurts every part of my heart. (I hesitate to call this a DNF, as I may pick it up again at a later time.)

I was very confused as to which of the two main character's perspectives I was reading! Dylan and Derek both have similar names, starting with "D," and I hope Burke chose these names for more than the sake of a joke! Somewhere into chapter four, I started the book all over again, only to make it to 55% and once again find myself beyond confused. I want to have a solid understanding of the characters and know exactly what's happening, so I contemplated starting the book all over again for the third time... but I really can't bring myself to do that at this time.

The further into the book, the more confused I became; I thought I had missed something when the characters went from being enemies to one suddenly calling the other "babe." Additionally, that blowjob scene seemed to come out of nowhere. I kept having to remind myself exactly who Olive and Jake were (I read Fly With Me a year ago); the flashbacks only adding to my confusion. (I really hesitate to consider Burke's two romances standalones, as I really think reading Fly With Me first gives necessary background knowledge.)

Audiobook notes: the voices of Kyle Omori and Liam DiCosimo did nothing to help aid my character confusion; if their voices sounded distinct, maybe I wouldn't have struggled so badly!?

What I did enjoy:
Male male romance - check!
Enemies to lovers - check!
Use of the word "stuff" - check!
Use of the word "woof" x3 - check!
Feeling seen by "You morning people are like magical, mysterious unicorns." - check!
Use of the word "doggo" - check!
Construction dust debauchery - check!

My review will reflect my feelings towards Fall For Him as necessary.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

Having someone literally fall into your bed would make anyone a tad bit, well…maybe furious. This is the case for our mean and grumpy neighbor Derek when Dylan falls into his apartment due to a leaky pipe. However, Derek and Dylan turn bitter lemons into a sweet romantic lemonade in this enemies to lovers romance.

I found this one to be an interesting romance with great plot points within. As for the romance, the funny banter between the two and spicy scenes were good as Derek and Dylan are forced together where their attraction grows from what was a past miscommunication. They slowly warm to one another and begin to be protective of each other from other side characters that have issues with them because of them and their relationship queer amongst other things. I did like how the author talked about having ADHD, panic attacks, and dealing with grief within the story. I do feel as though it was well developed in the story.

I enjoyed listening to this one on audiobook and think listening aided to the funny banter within the story. I will say that for most of the audiobook I did get confused with the names Dylan and Derek. I had to stop several times to remember who was who with their names being so similar. There was also some slower parts in the story which sometimes made my mind wander while listening. But… when you have characters like the nosey neighbor Carol, and the quick witted conversations of our male MMCs I was brought back to the story!

What a terrific premise for a romance story! Man falls through his flood damaged floor, straight into his downstairs neighbour’s bed. The grumpy, very good looking neighbour who has disliked him since he first moved into the building. Now they are stuck living together until the renovations can be completed. Can 750 sqft, one bedroom, a large dog and “it’s raining men” jokes handle all the home renovation tension & building sexual attraction between these two?

Fall For Him was a super fun and very sweet forced proximity love story!! I really enjoyed Dylan and Derek’s characters and their arcs throughout the book. I couldn’t believe how much humour was crammed into under 400 pages, but I chuckled or out right laughed through the whole thing! The cast of quirky side characters really enhanced the comedy in this book. Their big, outlandish and sometimes overbearing personalities really reminded me of the crazy side cast from “Only Murders In the Building” and really boosted the funny factor for me.

Despite being full of witty moments, the plot also touched on some heavier topics like living with neurodivergence and the deaths of a parent and a friend. Andie did a beautiful job of showcasing the vulnerabilities of her characters, while showing some real growth & development for them both. Although the spice in the book wasn’t in the forefront, it really felt like just the right amount for this kind of story and didn’t disappoint when the steam cranked up a notch between the two! I’ll say that this book also had one of the BEST declarations of love I’d ever read in a romance!! I loved it so much and Dylan & Derek were such a perfect match for each other.

The performances by Kyle Omori and Liam DiCosimo were enjoyable and they brought a lot of the sarcastic humour to life! Because the book is written in 3rd person POV and Dylan/Derek both start with the letter D, I will admit to finding it difficult at times to follow which POV I was in. This would likely not be as much of a problem when physically reading, but was confusing at times while listening.

All in all, a brilliantly funny, whimsical, light-hearted romance with a fantastic cast of characters that are so easy to fall in love with and shouldn’t be missed!

I listened to this on audio and really enjoyed the story. The ADHD and grief rep were done well. The forced proximity, opposites attract was all done well also.

I love the narrators, but I had a hard time keeping track of which character's POV I was in. The characters have D names: Derek and Dylan which already caused a bit of confusion, but it's also written in third person. Thankfully I'm very familiar with Liam DiCosimo's narration, so I could pick up on his character.

absolutely devoured this audio. The narrators did an incredible job bringing these characters to life and I was so sad when it was over because i wouldve listened for hours if I could. Loved it!

This book threw me for a loop a little bit. I felt like I was having a hard time following along with Derek and Dylan's journey together. Bits got confusing on who was saying what so I'd have to backtrack to figure it out.

However the opening and them meeting was such a fun meet cute. Messy. But cute hahaha. You get to go on an emotional ride with them as well. Topics such as parental and friends deaths. Then ADHD and anxiety. All of which was addressed very well and I think will be relatable to so many people.

Their relationship though went from 0 to 100 in a blink of an eye. I wish we had a little bit more of a build up there but also I could see how trauma and tension could play into the quick moves at the same time.

The audio was very well done by the narrators. I think this one again will be relatable to a lot of people I just didn't resonate with it as much as I would have liked too.

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Macmillan audio for the ARC & ALC.

This was cute.

Dylan and Derek have gotten off on the wrong foot and have quite literally fallen into each others lives when Dylan falls through Derek’s ceiling and needs to add that to the repairs he is doing on the building.

I love some adhd rep and some sexual tension. My main issue was definitely a weird pero sal thing but I had the hardest time keeping Dylan and Derek straight. I kept getting the names confused and then felt confused for a bit until I remembered who was who and where we were… I really loved that the characters from Byrnes first book were in this. I a huge Olive fan.

Thanks to netgalley and Macmillan for an alc

Macmillan Audio
I loved Fly with Me last year, so I was excited for this one. I ended up having mixed feelings about this book. I loved the ADHD representations with Dylan. It felt honest and vulnerable. I also really liked his sister. She added some much needed humor to the book. It was great to see Stella and Olive again, too. I found Derek hard to like for the first half. I also wasn't sold on this romance because it moved at weird pacing. I wanted more communication before the hooking up started because they had such a big miscommunication between them. However, I really like this author and will continue to read her in the future.

This was a really fun, dual POV, forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine M/M roommate romance with a fantastic meet-disaster that has geeky Dylan falling though the ceiling and landing on ER nurse Derek. The two are forced to room together while Dylan works to repair the damage and things get heated. I loved the mental health rep in this book (ADHD and anxiety and grief over a dead parent) and really enjoyed the cameos from the women of Fly with me. While I didn't love this book quite as much as Fly with me it was still an enjoyable read that was good on audio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!