Ready to Fall by Olivia Dade

Ready to Fall is a cute little bite-sized treat! The romance between Sarah and Chris is funny and light-hearted, and so much fun to read about. The bike-riding lessons were really sweet. Olivia Dade is so funny!

Ready to Fall is the fourth book in the adult contemporary romance series called, Lovestruck Librarians by Olivia Dade. Each of the books in the Lovestruck Librarian series can be read as standalones, because they each feature a different couple. This is the first book I have read in the series and I had absolutely no issues following alone. This was a standalone story.

In Ready to Fall we meet our main characters, Sarah and Chris. I know this might sound silly, but I knew right away that I was going to love Sarah and Chris because two of my favorite people are a married couple, and their names are...you guessed it, Sarah and Chris. So we were off to a great start! Book Sarah is trying to impress her crush with her fantastic bike riding skills (which totally made me chuckle when I read it, because it was such a random thing) but in order to impress her crush, she needs to be able to actually ride a bike. That's where Chris comes in. He has a bicycle repair shop and he agrees to give Sarah some lessons.

Sarah is so bubbly and in the past her loud personality has gotten her into trouble in relationships, which seems crazy to me because she is such a nice woman. I loved her with Chris (see, I told you I would!) because try as they might to not fall for one another, it was adorable to watch them get closer the more time they spent around one another. Ready to Fall was a sweet wholesome romance that I really loved. It put a huge smile on my face.

I have loved all of this series, but this little novella is one of my faves so far. These two were just so sweet and special. Plus, the handlebars of death at the end :)

I have bought ready to fall on kindle along with two from the series which I haven't got so I can review them all together on my blog.

*happy sigh*

Ready to Fall is book #4 is Olivia Dade's Lovestruck Librarians series, which follows a fun group of librarian friends. This novella delivers constant humor (that literally made me laugh out loud!) along with a sweetly emotional romance.

Teacher and part-time librarian Sarah Mayhew is a handful. She's feisty, clever, and funny. However, those traits that make her endearing are the same ones that have overwhelmed the guys she has dated in the past. Tired of rejection, Sarah decides to go with her head rather than her heart. She has looked for love, but she doesn't want to hurt anymore. She just wants security. Sarah sets her eyes on a fellow teacher--someone who's rather boring but safe.

Sarah's school is holding a bike retreat, so she decides to cozy up to her coworker then. Not so fast, though: Sarah doesn't know how to ride a bike. After a disastrous attempt while learning as a kid (one broken arm and dozens of stitches later), learning to ride is something that she let fall by the wayside. But on her quest for comfortable love, she's going to need to learn once and for all.

Enter Chris Dean, owner of the local bike repair shop. Sarah's friend Helen (from book #3, Mayday) puts them in touch with each other, in an effort to be helpful--but mostly to play matchmaker.

Chris is definitely hot, but he's also quite reserved. In fact, the first time that he and Sarah meet, he's downright grumpy. Sarah pleads with him to help her learn to ride a bike. After some coaxing--and a promise to pay him for his efforts--Chris agrees.

What starts out as bike lessons turns into more as Sarah and Chris realize how attracted they are to each other. Indeed, they're a good example of opposites attract: Sarah is a comedic firecracker while Chris is lowkey and focused. But something they have in common is pain that lingers just below the surface.

Sarah uses humor and charm to mask her insecurities, while Chris remains closed off to hide a previously broken heart. As the story progresses, they uncover each other's true selves and decide that they both love what they find underneath it all.

Sarah is one of my favorite heroines from this series. Part Anne Shirley, part Bridget Jones, she's an endearing mix of pluck and vulnerability. Her dialogue brought on so many laughs. Likewise, Chris is a strong, reserved type who I took to immediately. His initial grumpiness is short-lived, but it made me like his character right away. For me, the only thing better than a grumpy hero is one who knows how to grovel and apologize really well.

Since this is a novella, the romance itself is a bit of a whirlwind and happens over the course of a few days. But I just loved this couple and especially appreciated the balance of comedy and tender moments.

Ready to Fall manages to be lighthearted and fun while also exploring emotion and depth. It's a combination that definitely worked for me and I highly recommend this book, as well as the others in the Lovestruck Librarians series.