I am a huge Sophie Sullivan fan, and this book provided exactly what I needed. Fabulous meet cute, excellent supporting characters, and amazing chemistry. All the things I've come to love from this author.

This will be a perfect book for fall. I could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

This was such a wholesome, funny, hit ya in the feels romance story. I liked this book for so many reasons -it's Seattle setting, it's great lead characters, and fake-relationship-trope done right. The overall writing and emotions were all so lovely.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found myself unable to stop reading even though the book took me into the late hours of the night. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for an exciting and fun romance story.

Another home run of a sweet romance from Sophie Sullivan. Much like her other novels, Sullivan does a fantastic job with character development - particularly with developing their motivations - something often missing in the genre. Although the ultimate plot conflict came later than expected, the story moved at a perfect pace.

If you're looking for a well written sweet fake-relationship-trope romance that will leave you with all the warm fuzzies, add this to your to read list!

Thank you to NetGalley, author, and publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

SMP Romance eARC
When it comes to Sophie Sullivan, I know I am going to get a book with lots of depth and heart, and this was no different. I liked the exploration of grief, class, familial expectations, and fighting for your future. It was so easy to root for Lexi. While her relationship with her mom was complicated, she always treated her with respect and maturity. I also adored Will. I love how he fell first and how hard he fought for Lexi. His family relationships were complicated and this added great depth to the story. This was so sweet and good, and I can’t wait for her next one!

This book is such a cute read! Set in the PNW in the fall. This charming story follows Lexi and Will, two unlikely lovers from opposite worlds. He is an heir to a major Seattle company and she is a waitress just trying to muddle her way through life. But when fake dating becomes the easiest way out of a sticky situation the two get more than they bargain for! An absolutely charming read if you like an opposites attract, he falls first, fake dating romance!

I devoured this book! I’m usually a fan of open door romances but Sophie sullivan’s closed door romances still have a way of bringing the tension and creating major payoff! I loved the depth she brought to the FMC and made the side characters intriguing and endearing. I’m really hoping we see a maisie/ethan follow up book!!

Sophie Sullivan is a staple in the romance department! This book started a bit slow for me but I really enjoyed it and LOVED seeing how the romance unfolded.

Such a cute story! Sophie Sullivan never disappoints! For a story that feels so sweet and lighthearted it did teach some pretty important lessons. The biggest one being love is the most important thing in the world! I definitely recommend this very happy happily-ever-after!

This is an entertaining, fun, good read. Will and Lexi are interesting, strong, complex, relatable, wounded, intriguing, entertaining, captivating characters. The path to their HEA is full of twist and turns and is entertaining to read. I enjoyed these them as a couple and individuals. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. This story is beautifully written and captures the read from the very betting. The subplots deal with heavier topics in a sensitive and realistic way, that is relatable. I enjoyed the family drama as much as I did the romance. The story is easy to read and get into.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I really liked this book and read it in one sitting. Sullivan does a great job of writing a fake dating trope -- but in a new way.

I appreciated that the characters both were learning about themselves and others throughout the book, plus Lexi and Will had great chemistry.

I have already downloaded another of Sullivan's books to read!

Loved this fake-dating to true love story of lovable struggling waitress Lexi and cinnamon roll rich hero Will. Lots of interesting family dynamics and great supporting characters make this a must-read romance. Hope this is just a first in a series. Thanks to @Netgalley, @stmartinspress and @macmillanusa for this ARC. The opinions are all my own.

This was the first romance book I've actually finished and I loved it. Reading it made me feel giddy like having my first crush. The author did a great job with being descriptive of the scenes and characters- I could imagine everything clearly! I would recommend this book to anyone who is either starting in romance or wants something light and fun to read.

Perfect for a cute and cozy romance this fall!! It includes one of my favorite tropes, fake dating/engagement, and I knew I’d enjoy it! Loved the banter and chemistry between these two!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Sophie Sullivan for the chance to read/review an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

Oh My Fluff. This book was the cutest rom-com I have read in a long time. In this novel, Will and Lexi try to navigate dating while also keeping up with appearances that they are engaged for the tabloids. As a gal who has a nonlinear path with getting my degree, I appreciated the themes of this book so much. Lexi's feelings of inferiority and failure was relatable to me as a reader, and I enjoyed reading her navigating these feelings of failure and Will's efforts to show her just how valuable she is. Will and Lexi's chemistry was off the charts from the beginning. I loved their banter, their deep chats, their dates, everything about them. This book is definitely my favorite of the summer and a must read for rom-com lovers.

ARC BOOK REVIEW: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Emojis: 💍📈💰🍲🎓

As always, firstly thank you to @netgalley for granting me an #ARC of #CantHelpFallingInLove by @authorsophiesullivan from @stmartinspress

This book follows young, “fake” couple Lexi and Will as they collide (literally) and try to make the most of a tangled web of lies situation. What neither of them plans for is how fast and how hard they’ll fall for each other.

I really enjoyed the main characters of this book because they genuinely loved each other. This is a classic Cinderella story, Prince & the Pauper vibes. However, class and money doesn’t stop Will from being the ultimate golden retriever beau. This was a closed door romance but it really felt like the heat got turned up slightly in some spots (that bath tub scene was so intimate, without being smutty!)

I also loved the setting up of characters for future stories and the representation (Wills sister and her wife were perf!)

If you like:
🩷 fake dating
🩵 he falls first
💙 found family (to an extent)
💜 love at first sight

This book is just for you! I really enjoyed this read. It’s out September 17, 2024 and it will be one I’m recommending to my romance friends. Thanks again for the advanced copy! #boldsbooks #bookreview #bookrecommendations #romancebooks #fakedating

Loooove Sophie Sullivan and I was looking forward to her newest novel. The characters were spot on and I lol’d numerous times through the book. It kept my interest until the end!

I absolutely ate this book up! Fake dating/fake engagement troupe. It's a quick, clean read!

Lexi is waitressing as a second job trying to pay for tuition. She's not very good at it by any means. When a young man sits in her section reading a book, she has no idea the path that it would take her down. But will the loss of her dad prevent her from finding love?!?!

I’m forever in awe of how Sullivan, dives deep into the hearts of their characters, exploring their vulnerabilities and desires with raw honesty. The writing is beautifully evocative, capturing the complexities of love in every sentence. A poignant and unforgettable read that tugs at your heartstrings long after you finish.

I was on the hunt for my next romcom and Can’t Help Falling in Love fit the bill! It was a fun flirty fall themed romance that was a plain old good time.

4.5 stars! Okay, this book was adorable. I don’t always reach for rom-com books, or closed door romances for that matter. But once I started, I couldn’t put this book down!

Will is Seattle “royalty” and is trying to escape from the stressful life as a CFO and avoid his mom’s scrutiny when he sits down for lunch where Lexi is “waitressing”. Waitressing is in quotes for reasons. Mainly because she’s terrible at it. Lexi is waitressing to try to get by after her life fell apart at the seams a few years ago. All of a sudden, Lexi and Will are swept up into a fake engagement that might not be so fake anymore!

I love both Lexi and Will for different reasons. Lexi is resilient but she just needs someone to lean on every so often and Will wants to be that person. Lexi is stubborn to a fault but she just wants the best for everyone she loves. Will is the sweetest golden retriever of a man that becomes so obsessed with Lexi and her family and I just loved every moment. He was supportive and helpful without being forceful or judgmental. He defended Lexi to his family immediately and had her back the whole time.

As in any good rom-com there were ups and downs, people being stubborn, and lies turned truths that required everyone to face different things about themselves!

All in all, this book was super sweet and very enjoyable. Would totally read again!

i can’t help falling in love with this book!!! this book was such a tender and emotional read. it highlighted the feelings of love and loss and grief and growth all in one with so much romantic, platonic, and familial love. it felt like a warm hug and the chemistry between will and lexi was off the charts!

thank you to netgally and the publisher for the arc!!!

Can’t Help Falling in Love is such a sweet Autumnal read. It just felt so cozy, like being wrapped up in a flannel blanket, and falling in love ♡︎ I look forward to everyone else getting to read it soon! Lexi and Will are so sweet & pure and I am down bad for anything set in my homeland, the PNW

Honestly, there hasn't been a Sophia Sullivan book that I haven't loved, and I am happy to inform yall that is still the case!

Can't Help Falling in Love's vibes were immaculate, the banter was top notch, and I loved both Will and Lexi so much and thought their 'meet cute' was great. Plus I'm a total sucker for fake dating and he falls first, so this was right up my alley!

I loved this story. I did from the moment I started reading it. Will and Lexi captured my attention. Will seemed like the perfect book boyfriend. I enjoy reading a story when the guy falls first and Will sure did. Lexi was shortly behind him but we knew it was it for Will. He was so sweet and kind to Lexi and her mom Gwen. After losing her dad a couple years ago, Lexi's mom had a really rough time getting over the grief. That had an effect on Lexi and made her hesitant to love as well. But Will was able to break down those walls. His family was another story but they did come around. You could feel the love on the pages for Will and Lexi and I just loved it. Make sure to pick this story up. Plus in the story the season is FALL and how can we not love that!

4.5 stars.

This book.. CHEFS KISS! It was the perfect fall meet cute book! Bonus part? It’s based in Seattle. As a PNW native I am the biggest sucker for a Washington based story. Especially when it’s well told.

From the very beginning I was sucked in. Lexi’s series of unfortunate events in a single work shift leading up to her meeting Will stole my heart! This is such a sweet fast paced book, it’s easy to finish in one sitting. I could honestly read more of Will and Lexi.

The supporting characters aren’t annoying and you’ll feel like you’re a part of Lexi’s small friend group. I will have to admit, Lexi’s internal dilemma of feeling like she’s not where she needs to be in life was an added bonus for me. It was relatable as heck.

Almost perfect read. Highly recommend.

Thanks so much NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC.

This book is really a cozy, feel-good read that will have you swooning. The romance is so sweet and the writing is great. Thank you St. Martin’s Press for sending me a copy of this book.

Thank you for an early copy of this St. Martins!

This is a closed door romance, but still so full of love that I hardly noticed.

One of my favorite things about this genre is that while there's a happy ending surrounding love, there's almost always an aspect of growth and self discovery and that's what I find so much more enjoyable about them. That if these FMC's, fictional or not, can overcome themselves and be loved, that maybe I can too someday. (also here's to hoping he's rich).

I don't have a lot to even breakdown, this was sweet and sometimes sad but the family, and found family and reconnections in it warmed me so much that I hope it does the same for you.

Loved.

This was SUCH a cute read! I resonated so closely with Lexi and her struggles, and loved this entire cast of characters. Will was so wonderful and supportive and everything I love to see in a male love interest. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and can't wait for more from Sophie Sullivan!

What a cute read!

Lexi Danby's life is a juggling act. After dropping out of college to take care of her mom, she's trying to make ends meet and finish school.

She meets Will Grand, a handsome stranger who just might be the distraction she needs. But their first date turns into a fake engagement.

This book was a super cute and easy read! I loved the fake dating trope and the slow-burn romance between Lexi and Will.

Their relationship was sweet and fun to watch unfold!

If you love fake dating and slow-burn romance, this book is for you!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my heart! I loved Lexi and Will’s story.

Fake dating engagement is a favorite trope and this was very well done. Lexi and her mom’s grief journey added a layer of complexity, helped by Will’s empathy and care for both women.

In addition to the swoony and sweet romance, there were several excellent side characters - Will’s sisters, grandparents and best friend, and Lexi’s best friend and rediscovered childhood friends. Really hoping there will be interconnected books to come!

I couldn’t help falling in love with Lexi and Will and their heartfelt story!! The couple has instant chemistry, an instant emotional connection— the start of something that could be real and true—if only they can knock down any walls that keep them apart. Will was dreamy—so sweet and charming. Lexi was funny and smart and adorable. But life had not been easy for Lexi, leaving her insecure and timid, and she had many doubts about living up to the expectations of her friends, of Will’s family, and especially Will himself. I loved being with Lexi and Will as they traveled down this circuitous road to find their happily ever after.

I really enjoyed this one! The beginning felt like a cozy romcom that you can't help, but giggle and swoon over! I loved the connection that Will and Lexie had right away. The fake engagement was also really fun in this one because it almost never felt fake to them or the reader and that just showed the kind of easy connection they had with one another. I really appreciated how the author handled the grief storyline in this one as well. I think this would be a great book to curl up with a blanket with to kick off the start of the Fall season.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of Can't Help Falling in Love. This was my first book by Sophie Sullivan, but it won't be my last. I absolutely loved this one -- it was such a heartwarming, fun, and swoon-worthy book. This was not only a fun rom-com with lovable characters (and great character development) but also a book that made you feel and think (I teared up several times). I loved the exploration of grief, family, and trying to live up to one's potential alongside the fun tropes (fake dating, he falls first, opposites attract). I highly recommend this one, and I can definitely see/hope she explores more of the characters in this book in happily-ever-afters of their own! And now, I'm off to read all of Sophie Sullivan's back catalog!