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Sweater Weather #1
Just Don't Fall
Before Logan Barnes was hockey’s hottest bad boy, he was my brother’s best friend … and my first crush. Oh, yeah—and the guy who ghosted me and broke my teenage heart.
Now Logan is back in Harvest Hollow, but not willingly. Recovering from an injury (and some bad press), he’s stuck playing for our minor league team.
Which means I’ll be working with him almost daily.
As the hockey team's social media manager, it’s my job to wrangle all the guys into filming TikTok trending videos. But Logan doesn’t want to be wrangled.
Turns out … neither does my heart.
Because my old crush never died.
And when Logan becomes my accidental fake boyfriend, those old feelings flare hot enough to melt the ice.
But this is all totally one-sided. Totally fake. Isn't it?
No matter what signals he seems to be giving me or how real things start to feel, I know Logan’s not home for good.
I survived Logan leaving me once. But this time, I’m not so sure my heart will recover …
Just Don't Fall is a small town, closed door hockey romcom with all the fake dating, brother's best friend vibes. You'll get smoking chemistry and characters to root for but NO spice. (Yes, you read that right—a low spice hockey romance.) Perfect for fans of sports romance who want a less heat.
Tropes:
Hockey
Fake dating
Brother’s best friend
Childhood crush
Slow burn
Workplace
Never been kissed FMC
Closed door/kissing only
Now Logan is back in Harvest Hollow, but not willingly. Recovering from an injury (and some bad press), he’s stuck playing for our minor league team.
Which means I’ll be working with him almost daily.
As the hockey team's social media manager, it’s my job to wrangle all the guys into filming TikTok trending videos. But Logan doesn’t want to be wrangled.
Turns out … neither does my heart.
Because my old crush never died.
And when Logan becomes my accidental fake boyfriend, those old feelings flare hot enough to melt the ice.
But this is all totally one-sided. Totally fake. Isn't it?
No matter what signals he seems to be giving me or how real things start to feel, I know Logan’s not home for good.
I survived Logan leaving me once. But this time, I’m not so sure my heart will recover …
Just Don't Fall is a small town, closed door hockey romcom with all the fake dating, brother's best friend vibes. You'll get smoking chemistry and characters to root for but NO spice. (Yes, you read that right—a low spice hockey romance.) Perfect for fans of sports romance who want a less heat.
Tropes:
Hockey
Fake dating
Brother’s best friend
Childhood crush
Slow burn
Workplace
Never been kissed FMC
Closed door/kissing only
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published August 31, 2023
3843 people are currently reading
25259 people want to read
About the author
Emma St. Clair
64 books3,744 followersEmma St. Clair is a USA Today Bestselling Author who loves sassy heroines, witty banter, and love stories with heart and humor. She has an MFA in Fiction and lives in Katy, Texas (go, Tigers!) with her hubby, five children, and Great Dane. Her favorite place to write is tapping on her phone while on the elliptical machine. No Emmas have been hurt in the writing of these novels. (Yet.)
Want a free novella? Grab Upping the Ante here: https://emmastclair.com/ante
You can follow the day-to-day on instagram @kikimojo.
Want a free novella? Grab Upping the Ante here: https://emmastclair.com/ante
You can follow the day-to-day on instagram @kikimojo.
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,506 reviews
October 21, 2023
This is a 5 star read if you are a 15 year old who wants to wait 270 (out of like 300) pages for a professional NHL player to kiss the love of his life. But, if you are a 30 year old women who loves fake dating, hockey romances and older brothers ex best friend tropes… stay away!!
January 28, 2025
3.5 stars
I liked this one! I did find the cheese cringey just a little and some deeper character development would have been nice. But for what it was, this was funny, fast paced, easy to read and a great palette cleanser.
No language.
Some passionate kissing.
Tropes & Triggers: Childhood friends, hockey romance, sucky parents, fake dating, girl has never been kissed, protective team for the girl
I liked this one! I did find the cheese cringey just a little and some deeper character development would have been nice. But for what it was, this was funny, fast paced, easy to read and a great palette cleanser.
No language.
Some passionate kissing.
Tropes & Triggers: Childhood friends, hockey romance, sucky parents, fake dating, girl has never been kissed, protective team for the girl
August 31, 2023
Thank you to the author for an eARC.
THE SWOON.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I NEED MORE closed door sports romances. Oh my goodness this was so good. Binge in a day, go to bed too late, GOOD.
First and foremost I have got to say that I read the hottest no kissing scene I have ever [potentially] read. GOOD HEAVENS. The heat, I was BURNING (I feel like I need to reiterate again that there is no spice in here, Emma St. Clair does an incredible job of writing steam without it being spicy). ANYWHO. I loved it. The slow burn, fake dating romance had me begging for the real thing and it delivered.
I adored Logan and Parker. Both on their own and separate. I loved seeing the character progression for Logan. He’s rough and protective, but also comes to a lot of realizations about his life and how he wants to move forward. And Parker is a beautifully strong woman who knows how she wants her life to look. I loved that she was flexible without compromising. And them together just brought all of the sparks and chemistry of an old unrequited crush.
There’s definitely some hockey aspects, some goofy TikTok dances and a grand gesture [or two]. It is light, filled with depth, will make you smile and bring all of the fall vibes.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Sports Romance
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: low
- Trigger/Content Warnings: strained parental relationships
THE SWOON.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I NEED MORE closed door sports romances. Oh my goodness this was so good. Binge in a day, go to bed too late, GOOD.
First and foremost I have got to say that I read the hottest no kissing scene I have ever [potentially] read. GOOD HEAVENS. The heat, I was BURNING (I feel like I need to reiterate again that there is no spice in here, Emma St. Clair does an incredible job of writing steam without it being spicy). ANYWHO. I loved it. The slow burn, fake dating romance had me begging for the real thing and it delivered.
I adored Logan and Parker. Both on their own and separate. I loved seeing the character progression for Logan. He’s rough and protective, but also comes to a lot of realizations about his life and how he wants to move forward. And Parker is a beautifully strong woman who knows how she wants her life to look. I loved that she was flexible without compromising. And them together just brought all of the sparks and chemistry of an old unrequited crush.
There’s definitely some hockey aspects, some goofy TikTok dances and a grand gesture [or two]. It is light, filled with depth, will make you smile and bring all of the fall vibes.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Sports Romance
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: low
- Trigger/Content Warnings: strained parental relationships
October 16, 2023
He says I love you by making her a TikTok video.. I think I’m too old to read this
October 1, 2025
➳ 4 ☆! 🍂 spoiler free + mini review
⤷ okay i seriously had the best time ever what 🥺
₊‧꒰my thoughts꒱ ‧₊
⤷ AHH this book was such a good introduction for me to get into the fall reading vibes!! ive been eyeing this for maybe 1-2 years now?! i forget, but im so glad i decided to finally pick this up! this is my second book by this author and definitely won't be my last 💖 i think my favorite parts about this book were the characters! its a hockey friend group, so OFC ima get attached. And then our MMC was just so charming, i loved everything he did for parker and i could totally see a connection with them !! and PARKER, i loved her sm. i feel like we'd be good friend hehe. another point id like to mention is that its based off a baseball team irl! (the savannah bananas) and knowing me i LOVEE baseball, so seeing that kind vibe in hockey form was cool 😚 overall i loved the romance and it was just so charming. and i love any book that makes me feel so warm and happy <3 anyways, ill hopefully continue this series sometime, but ill def go back to this book every fall, because i lowk miss them :( anyways, happy reading everyone !! MWAH AND HAPPY OCTOBER YAYY
➳ "I don’t want to fake date her as some move for my career. I want to really date her because I really want to.”
➳ “I was going to say something I meant to tell you earlier. You look beautiful, Pete.
------
🍂 | ₊‧꒰preview!!꒱ ‧₊
⤷ yeah okay i need to ACTUALLY get into the fall spirit so here we are!! happy officially fall!! this is my second book by emma st clair and its alr going well 🤭 hopefully i can read some fantasy soon bc i havent in FOREVERRR ugh, misss you guys <3
⤷ okay i seriously had the best time ever what 🥺
“Did you wear my jersey?”
“Of course. I’ve only ever worn your jersey, Logan.”
₊‧꒰my thoughts꒱ ‧₊
⤷ AHH this book was such a good introduction for me to get into the fall reading vibes!! ive been eyeing this for maybe 1-2 years now?! i forget, but im so glad i decided to finally pick this up! this is my second book by this author and definitely won't be my last 💖 i think my favorite parts about this book were the characters! its a hockey friend group, so OFC ima get attached. And then our MMC was just so charming, i loved everything he did for parker and i could totally see a connection with them !! and PARKER, i loved her sm. i feel like we'd be good friend hehe. another point id like to mention is that its based off a baseball team irl! (the savannah bananas) and knowing me i LOVEE baseball, so seeing that kind vibe in hockey form was cool 😚 overall i loved the romance and it was just so charming. and i love any book that makes me feel so warm and happy <3 anyways, ill hopefully continue this series sometime, but ill def go back to this book every fall, because i lowk miss them :( anyways, happy reading everyone !! MWAH AND HAPPY OCTOBER YAYY
➳ "I don’t want to fake date her as some move for my career. I want to really date her because I really want to.”
➳ “I was going to say something I meant to tell you earlier. You look beautiful, Pete.
------
🍂 | ₊‧꒰preview!!꒱ ‧₊
⤷ yeah okay i need to ACTUALLY get into the fall spirit so here we are!! happy officially fall!! this is my second book by emma st clair and its alr going well 🤭 hopefully i can read some fantasy soon bc i havent in FOREVERRR ugh, misss you guys <3
August 24, 2023
Just Don't Fall by Emma St. Clair is the first book in the Sweater Weather series. The beautiful thing about this series is that multiple authors write it. The books are loosely tied together by their cozy fall romcom vibe and take place in the same town, Harvest Hollow. Each book can be read as a standalone, but I personally want to read them all 😀.
Warning! Once you start reading this book, you will not want to put it down. Parker is a firecracker, and I love her! She is the Boss and is respected in a male-dominated sport. We see so many sides to her character, and I enjoyed each one! When Parker starts talking about why she has never been kissed 🤯😬🫣🤢🤣. The creativity and thought process that went into this makes me hope it's not based on real life!! Holy cow, you all, I can't even.
I've waited this long, and I'm not willing to settle for just any old meeting of the mouths with a random dude.
Read for:
hockey
fake dating
brother's best friend
childhood crush
never been kissed
small town
witty dialogue
Stay for:
The sweetest hockey romance ever!
Grand gestures
Crop top and Spandex
So much more!
Poor, misunderstood Logan! He was Brandon's (Parker's brother) best friend. They had a falling out ten years ago, and Logan left without a word to Brandon and Parker. Logan has no idea how much this hurt Parker or how she can easily forgive him. Logan is grumpy, serious, standoffish...until he's not. I love his character growth and his care for Parker. If you are into book boyfriends, he will be your new one!
Logan and Parker together are perfection. When I got to a reference from My Best Friend's Wedding, I was thrilled!!! I didn't need an explanation. I knew what it was from! Where are my people? I don't usually get pop references, so this was extra special for me, LOL. In case you can't tell, I LOVED Just Don't Fall. I also loved the bonus epilogue.
Thank you to Emma St. Clair for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
★★★★★/5
Warning! Once you start reading this book, you will not want to put it down. Parker is a firecracker, and I love her! She is the Boss and is respected in a male-dominated sport. We see so many sides to her character, and I enjoyed each one! When Parker starts talking about why she has never been kissed 🤯😬🫣🤢🤣. The creativity and thought process that went into this makes me hope it's not based on real life!! Holy cow, you all, I can't even.
I've waited this long, and I'm not willing to settle for just any old meeting of the mouths with a random dude.
Read for:
hockey
fake dating
brother's best friend
childhood crush
never been kissed
small town
witty dialogue
Stay for:
The sweetest hockey romance ever!
Grand gestures
Crop top and Spandex
So much more!
Poor, misunderstood Logan! He was Brandon's (Parker's brother) best friend. They had a falling out ten years ago, and Logan left without a word to Brandon and Parker. Logan has no idea how much this hurt Parker or how she can easily forgive him. Logan is grumpy, serious, standoffish...until he's not. I love his character growth and his care for Parker. If you are into book boyfriends, he will be your new one!
Logan and Parker together are perfection. When I got to a reference from My Best Friend's Wedding, I was thrilled!!! I didn't need an explanation. I knew what it was from! Where are my people? I don't usually get pop references, so this was extra special for me, LOL. In case you can't tell, I LOVED Just Don't Fall. I also loved the bonus epilogue.
Thank you to Emma St. Clair for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
★★★★★/5
dnf
June 15, 2024DNF - 57%
This is not bad but:
- The FMC has not kissed anyone (or anything that progresses further) which is fine, but why is it mentioned in every other paragraph?
- I don't like that the FMC has had a crush on our MMC since she was young and she could not shake it ever.
- The MMC had reservations about things but the second he realizes it's our FMC all of a sudden it's a no-brainer (instead of it being cute it gives no-back-bone) like protest JUST A LITTLE before agreeing to help will ya?
- The dad of the FMC trying to use her/pawn her off... and her not SHUTTING IT DOWN
- Where was the overprotective brother? He was mentioned so much and described as such a big deal but then where was he?
- The MMC ghosted our FMC in the past and I needed more out of their first interaction after.
- and more.
Basically, I'm annoyed.
This is not bad but:
- The FMC has not kissed anyone (or anything that progresses further) which is fine, but why is it mentioned in every other paragraph?
- I don't like that the FMC has had a crush on our MMC since she was young and she could not shake it ever.
- The MMC had reservations about things but the second he realizes it's our FMC all of a sudden it's a no-brainer (instead of it being cute it gives no-back-bone) like protest JUST A LITTLE before agreeing to help will ya?
- The dad of the FMC trying to use her/pawn her off... and her not SHUTTING IT DOWN
- Where was the overprotective brother? He was mentioned so much and described as such a big deal but then where was he?
- The MMC ghosted our FMC in the past and I needed more out of their first interaction after.
- and more.
Basically, I'm annoyed.
November 6, 2023
ALL THE STARS!! I was hooked from the very first page and could not put this one down. Did I read it in one day? Yes, yes I did! And I absolutely loved every second.
This story was hilarious and heartwarming with SWOONY kissing (and non-kissing 😏) scenes, grand gestures, and HOCKEY! I basically had a stupid grin on my face the entire time I was reading. Emma definitely outdid herself!
What to expect?
-Brother’s best friend
-Small Town
-Fall vibes
-Fake Dating
-Found Hockey Family
-Childhood crush
Thank you Emma St. Clair for the eARC!
This story was hilarious and heartwarming with SWOONY kissing (and non-kissing 😏) scenes, grand gestures, and HOCKEY! I basically had a stupid grin on my face the entire time I was reading. Emma definitely outdid herself!
What to expect?
-Brother’s best friend
-Small Town
-Fall vibes
-Fake Dating
-Found Hockey Family
-Childhood crush
Thank you Emma St. Clair for the eARC!
September 23, 2023
Was cute but the end got cringey :/
October 3, 2023
This was cuteness overload 💕
It offers a charming setting, has such a wholesome vibe and the romance is dreamy.
If you have KU and want an adorable closed door romance, check this one out!
4/5⭐️
It offers a charming setting, has such a wholesome vibe and the romance is dreamy.
If you have KU and want an adorable closed door romance, check this one out!
4/5⭐️
September 9, 2023
Just Don't Fall - Emma St. Clair - 4 Stars - A fun, closed door hockey fake-dating fall rom-com!
Blog post and review graphic linked here: https://bookloveramanda.blogspot.com/...
This book was super fun and my first Emma St. Clair read! This is book 1 in the Sweater Weather Fall Rom-Com series but all the books in this series can be read as a standalone.
The tropes:
🍂Fake Dating
🍂Slow Burn
🍂Brother's Best Friend
🍂Childhood Crush
🍂Never Been Kissed FMC
🍂Closed Door Hockey Rom-Com
🍂Great Chemistry, NO Spice!
🍂GREAT Fall Vibes!
We have Logan Barnes - the pro-hockey player who left town many years ago to go pro, is now back in town playing for the local minor league team now. In comes Parker - the team's social media manager and the girl he ghosted when left many year's ago.....He was her brother's best friend and her first crush. What's she to do now when Logan is on the team now? Things happen and Logan is now Parker's "fake boyfriend" -- UH OH -- what's going to happen now?! The story takes off from here as we see these two reconnect and realize there's more to this "fake relationship" than they thought. :)
If you love a good clean sports rom-com, this is for you! It has all the chemistry between the characters you want with NO spice! I really liked Logan and Parker together and the GALA dance was PERFECTION! My favorite part.
I love a good fake dating story so I was here for this. There were times I wish they would just talk to each other vs playing into the fake dating trope as much and there was a scene they filmed for a Tik-Tok I didn't 100% love, but I overall had so much fun with this. Love the town, the fall elements, the characters!
Excited to read more in this series when I can!
Blog post and review graphic linked here: https://bookloveramanda.blogspot.com/...
This book was super fun and my first Emma St. Clair read! This is book 1 in the Sweater Weather Fall Rom-Com series but all the books in this series can be read as a standalone.
The tropes:
🍂Fake Dating
🍂Slow Burn
🍂Brother's Best Friend
🍂Childhood Crush
🍂Never Been Kissed FMC
🍂Closed Door Hockey Rom-Com
🍂Great Chemistry, NO Spice!
🍂GREAT Fall Vibes!
We have Logan Barnes - the pro-hockey player who left town many years ago to go pro, is now back in town playing for the local minor league team now. In comes Parker - the team's social media manager and the girl he ghosted when left many year's ago.....He was her brother's best friend and her first crush. What's she to do now when Logan is on the team now? Things happen and Logan is now Parker's "fake boyfriend" -- UH OH -- what's going to happen now?! The story takes off from here as we see these two reconnect and realize there's more to this "fake relationship" than they thought. :)
If you love a good clean sports rom-com, this is for you! It has all the chemistry between the characters you want with NO spice! I really liked Logan and Parker together and the GALA dance was PERFECTION! My favorite part.
I love a good fake dating story so I was here for this. There were times I wish they would just talk to each other vs playing into the fake dating trope as much and there was a scene they filmed for a Tik-Tok I didn't 100% love, but I overall had so much fun with this. Love the town, the fall elements, the characters!
Excited to read more in this series when I can!
September 9, 2023
4.5 ⭐️ A sweet, fake dating, childhood best friend's sister, hockey romance!
Emma's books always put a smile on my face. I absolutely loved Just Don't Fall with all its grumpy-sunshine, never been kissed, childhood crush, return to hometown, lovable hockey players TikTok dancing in dresses to Taylor Swift vibes.
Logan Barnes has a rep for being a hockey bad boy. Parker is his childhood friend and has always harbored a crush on him. She was left heartbroken when he left Harvest Hollow without a goodbye.
Now, they are faced with seeing every every day as they both work for the Appies - harvest Hollow's hometown hockey team.
Cue a fake date to keep Parker's dad from pawning her off on a business partner's son and the sparks fly and feelings ignite...for real. As Parker and Logan keep up the ruse in the hopes of helping his flailing reputation, they can't ignore that their feelings don't feel fake.
I swooned big time for Logan right along with Parker. The way he kisses her, respecting her boundaries because she's never been kissed - on the hand, the cheek, the neck, the temple, the spot right by her lips! It was soooo dams swoon worthy and sexy. The kissing angst in this book was everything! Logan constantly showed his feelings, even if he wasn't the best at verbally
communicating them - the pink chair, the restaurant & bookstore date and the grand gestures on the ice. I was smitten y'all.
There was lots to love here and I fell hard for the guys on the Appies team, especially felix. Can we get more from these guys please?! They would make for such a great series! I'm not prepared to say goodbye for ever.
Highly recommend Just Don't Fall to fill all your sweet, cozy fall romcom vibes.
Don't forget there's a new book out each week, by a different author, in this fun Sweater Weather series. Can't wait to read them all.
Emma's books always put a smile on my face. I absolutely loved Just Don't Fall with all its grumpy-sunshine, never been kissed, childhood crush, return to hometown, lovable hockey players TikTok dancing in dresses to Taylor Swift vibes.
Logan Barnes has a rep for being a hockey bad boy. Parker is his childhood friend and has always harbored a crush on him. She was left heartbroken when he left Harvest Hollow without a goodbye.
Now, they are faced with seeing every every day as they both work for the Appies - harvest Hollow's hometown hockey team.
Cue a fake date to keep Parker's dad from pawning her off on a business partner's son and the sparks fly and feelings ignite...for real. As Parker and Logan keep up the ruse in the hopes of helping his flailing reputation, they can't ignore that their feelings don't feel fake.
I swooned big time for Logan right along with Parker. The way he kisses her, respecting her boundaries because she's never been kissed - on the hand, the cheek, the neck, the temple, the spot right by her lips! It was soooo dams swoon worthy and sexy. The kissing angst in this book was everything! Logan constantly showed his feelings, even if he wasn't the best at verbally
communicating them - the pink chair, the restaurant & bookstore date and the grand gestures on the ice. I was smitten y'all.
There was lots to love here and I fell hard for the guys on the Appies team, especially felix. Can we get more from these guys please?! They would make for such a great series! I'm not prepared to say goodbye for ever.
Highly recommend Just Don't Fall to fill all your sweet, cozy fall romcom vibes.
Don't forget there's a new book out each week, by a different author, in this fun Sweater Weather series. Can't wait to read them all.
October 9, 2025
My Quick Takes:
- 4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Genre 📚 hockey romcom
- Language 🤐 none
- Spice ❤️🔥 none/kisses only
- Content 🤔 childhood parental neglect
This book was really cute, I loved the forced proximity even with a lackluster miscommunication trope. It was all very sweet and cinnamon roll-y
Tropes: dual pov, childhood crush, forced proximity, fake dating, miscommunication, slow burn, grumpy/sunshine, workplace romance… kind of?
- 4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Genre 📚 hockey romcom
- Language 🤐 none
- Spice ❤️🔥 none/kisses only
- Content 🤔 childhood parental neglect
This book was really cute, I loved the forced proximity even with a lackluster miscommunication trope. It was all very sweet and cinnamon roll-y
Tropes: dual pov, childhood crush, forced proximity, fake dating, miscommunication, slow burn, grumpy/sunshine, workplace romance… kind of?
August 31, 2023
I've been a HUGE fan of Emma St Clair and when I heard she was teaming up with some of my other fav kissing only authors for a series of Fall themed books set in the same fictional town of Harvest Hollow, I was ALL IN!
The first in the series of interconnected but standalone books this is a loose Never Been Kissed remix with some brother's ex-best friend, workplace forced proximity, fake dating and hockey romance all mashed up to perfection.
I LOVED Parker so much!! She had a series of hilariously horrible first kiss attempts that made her increasingly anxious about kissing and dating in general. Enter her childhood crush, Logan, an NHL player who's been sent down to the minors because of a PR problem and things heat up fast.
Reunited for the first time since Logan ghosted her and her brother to play hockey, Parker quickly realizes her feelings never went away. When she needs a date to her father's big birthday gala, Logan is more than happy to step up and shows Parker in a number of way that he wants to be more than her 'fake' boyfriend.
The chemistry and EPICLY swoon-worthy moments were some of the best I've EVER read. Made even more impressive considering the MCs don't even kiss on the lips until almost the very end of the book. Emma has a special gift to make all those lingering touches and almost kisses melt your heart in the best way.
I gobbled this book up and cannot wait to read the next ones in the series. The bar is set VERY high with this one and I was so honored to have been given an early copy. I voluntarily read this book and all opinions are my own.
The first in the series of interconnected but standalone books this is a loose Never Been Kissed remix with some brother's ex-best friend, workplace forced proximity, fake dating and hockey romance all mashed up to perfection.
I LOVED Parker so much!! She had a series of hilariously horrible first kiss attempts that made her increasingly anxious about kissing and dating in general. Enter her childhood crush, Logan, an NHL player who's been sent down to the minors because of a PR problem and things heat up fast.
Reunited for the first time since Logan ghosted her and her brother to play hockey, Parker quickly realizes her feelings never went away. When she needs a date to her father's big birthday gala, Logan is more than happy to step up and shows Parker in a number of way that he wants to be more than her 'fake' boyfriend.
The chemistry and EPICLY swoon-worthy moments were some of the best I've EVER read. Made even more impressive considering the MCs don't even kiss on the lips until almost the very end of the book. Emma has a special gift to make all those lingering touches and almost kisses melt your heart in the best way.
I gobbled this book up and cannot wait to read the next ones in the series. The bar is set VERY high with this one and I was so honored to have been given an early copy. I voluntarily read this book and all opinions are my own.
September 5, 2023
Happy Sigh!!! I've seen pictures and people talking about this new Sweater Weather book series (multi-authors and each book can be read as standalones) so much! And then I looked at who the authors were and I was sooo excited! I've read books by most of them so I knew this was going to be a series to grab and gobble up this fall!
And let me just tell you that it starts off with a mega-bang and amazing read!!! I've only read one or two books previously from Emma St. Clair and have been wanting to read more so I was excited to jump at the chance to read and review this one! And I got sucked right into the book, so much so that I had to tell another book bestie to just drop everything and read it! That she'd thank me later!!! She listened! Hahaha! Which is a big deal because we have our book reading schedule planned out, so to just switch it up by throwing an unplanned book in there can throw us off schedule! This book is soooo WORTH IT!!!!
Even if you aren't fans of hockey or sports, you're going to want to read this one! Yes they talk about hockey and such but it's not the main focus! Oh my word!!!! So, so good!!!
The characters, all of the characters, main characters and secondary characters were great! I loved Parker and Logan. But her friends and the hockey team just added such a great layer to this story. The friendships and support and fun and banter and teasing and just everything...they were very well rounded characters and helped make Parker and Logan's story even more delightful!
Favorite things from the book:
Mr. Eds
Fancy Chair
Apartment Proximity
Dressing Up
The Genuineness
The Crush
The Nicknames
Roses
Scary Chair *giggling*
Ramen
Best Friends
Reconcilliation
The Sweet Romance *sigh*
Swoony Lines
There's so much more that I adored but you probably don't want a mile long list from me! Hahaha! Just go read it and discover your favorite things from the book for yourself! But I bet they'll be very similar to mine! ;-)
Content: Clean. Some sweet kisses but nothing further!
I received a copy from, ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
And let me just tell you that it starts off with a mega-bang and amazing read!!! I've only read one or two books previously from Emma St. Clair and have been wanting to read more so I was excited to jump at the chance to read and review this one! And I got sucked right into the book, so much so that I had to tell another book bestie to just drop everything and read it! That she'd thank me later!!! She listened! Hahaha! Which is a big deal because we have our book reading schedule planned out, so to just switch it up by throwing an unplanned book in there can throw us off schedule! This book is soooo WORTH IT!!!!
Even if you aren't fans of hockey or sports, you're going to want to read this one! Yes they talk about hockey and such but it's not the main focus! Oh my word!!!! So, so good!!!
The characters, all of the characters, main characters and secondary characters were great! I loved Parker and Logan. But her friends and the hockey team just added such a great layer to this story. The friendships and support and fun and banter and teasing and just everything...they were very well rounded characters and helped make Parker and Logan's story even more delightful!
Favorite things from the book:
Mr. Eds
Fancy Chair
Apartment Proximity
Dressing Up
The Genuineness
The Crush
The Nicknames
Roses
Scary Chair *giggling*
Ramen
Best Friends
Reconcilliation
The Sweet Romance *sigh*
Swoony Lines
There's so much more that I adored but you probably don't want a mile long list from me! Hahaha! Just go read it and discover your favorite things from the book for yourself! But I bet they'll be very similar to mine! ;-)
Content: Clean. Some sweet kisses but nothing further!
I received a copy from, ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
October 20, 2025
(Clean Closed Door Romcom)
Arrghhhhh im freaking out guys 😝😝😝 THIS WAS ADORABLE
4.5 stars (because of one thing that was said that grossed me and weirded me out lol)
but overall such a cutsie read!!!! Loved the fall vibes as well 🍂🍁🧡🤎
Age suggestion: 17+
RTC later
Arrghhhhh im freaking out guys 😝😝😝 THIS WAS ADORABLE
4.5 stars (because of one thing that was said that grossed me and weirded me out lol)
but overall such a cutsie read!!!! Loved the fall vibes as well 🍂🍁🧡🤎
Age suggestion: 17+
RTC later
February 1, 2024
Finally! I have been trying to get to this series since it first came out! JUST DON’T FALL by Emma St. Clair did not disappoint either. This was my first time reading Emma St. Clair and I have now found a wonderful author to follow and I’m excited to get to read her backlist. Sweater Weather sounds like such a fun series and I’m dying to get back into it. JUST DON’T FALL is the story of Parker and how she reconnects with her brother’s former best friend, Logan. Parker, when younger, had a huge crush on Logan, but she was always seen as his best friend’s little sister. The Sweater Weather series is written by various authors and can all be read as stand alones.
If you love RomComs, not only is JUST DONT FALL sweet but it gives nods to all the big romantic gestures you’ve grown to love in RomCom movies and books. There is so much to love about JUST DON’T FALL. Parker and Logan are fun and really funny! Their conversations are filled with plenty of banter and history. JUST DON’T FALL is such a lovely and sweet story. I’ve never read Emma St. Clair before but I truly love the way she writes. Her words flow so easily and she hooks the reader from the very first page. I am now on a quest to devour every single one of her books, but first I’m reading the rest of this series! I think I just discovered my new to me favorite author!
Emma St. Clair has left me in tears from giggling so much and crying for more. I now know I will devour everything this awesome author writes and do it all easily with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. I really loved JUST DON’T FALL. Wow wow wow!! From the very first page I was emotionally invested in Parker and I just wanted her to be happy and to smile again. I was really wanting to find out why Logan ghosted her and her brother when he left town to play professional hockey. I really hope there will be a story on Logan’s teammates, Nathan and Felix. I need to learn all I can about those two!
If you love RomComs, not only is JUST DONT FALL sweet but it gives nods to all the big romantic gestures you’ve grown to love in RomCom movies and books. There is so much to love about JUST DON’T FALL. Parker and Logan are fun and really funny! Their conversations are filled with plenty of banter and history. JUST DON’T FALL is such a lovely and sweet story. I’ve never read Emma St. Clair before but I truly love the way she writes. Her words flow so easily and she hooks the reader from the very first page. I am now on a quest to devour every single one of her books, but first I’m reading the rest of this series! I think I just discovered my new to me favorite author!
Emma St. Clair has left me in tears from giggling so much and crying for more. I now know I will devour everything this awesome author writes and do it all easily with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. I really loved JUST DON’T FALL. Wow wow wow!! From the very first page I was emotionally invested in Parker and I just wanted her to be happy and to smile again. I was really wanting to find out why Logan ghosted her and her brother when he left town to play professional hockey. I really hope there will be a story on Logan’s teammates, Nathan and Felix. I need to learn all I can about those two!
December 10, 2024
Dnf 12% I was soo excited to read a clean romance because I felt like I needed a break from all the spicy books I‘ve been reading lately. Well, this delivered on the no spice promise but failed on everything else. 😂
I am convinced this book was written for the sole purpose of pissing me off! 😅
* Poor, overly descriptive writing / Info dumping. Believe it or not, dear author, readers are well aware what a General Store is, without you having to tell them that you can buy canned soups, saltine crackers, and pasta from one. Shocking, I know.
* Cartoonish, immature, underdeveloped characters.
Ex.1 „Parker wiggles her fingers in a cutesy wave. „Well, then, hi.““ If this doesn’t scream cartoon behavior, I don’t know what does.
Ex.2 For a bit of context, Parker, our fmc, is Logan‘s best friend little sister, they have only ever been friends. Nothing else. There was nothing romantic going on between them besides her hidden crush on him, which he wasn’t aware of, I think. The first time they see each other in YEARS, a few minutes, and I mean MINUTES after their „reunion“, the mmc gets jealous when some guy is smiling at her. Now, from one reasonable human being to another, does this makes sense to you? Is this normal behavior? Because in my mind, a rational human being doesn’t act like this, he doesn’t get jealous when some dude smiles at his former best friend’s sister, whom he hasn’t been in contact with for years. Or am I the crazy one here? Idk 🤷🏻♀️😂
* Ridiculous inner monologues that were supposed to be funny and quirky. They were not that.
* Boring
BR with my lovelies Lori & Olga. We severely disagreed on this one. 😅
I am convinced this book was written for the sole purpose of pissing me off! 😅
* Poor, overly descriptive writing / Info dumping. Believe it or not, dear author, readers are well aware what a General Store is, without you having to tell them that you can buy canned soups, saltine crackers, and pasta from one. Shocking, I know.
* Cartoonish, immature, underdeveloped characters.
Ex.1 „Parker wiggles her fingers in a cutesy wave. „Well, then, hi.““ If this doesn’t scream cartoon behavior, I don’t know what does.
Ex.2 For a bit of context, Parker, our fmc, is Logan‘s best friend little sister, they have only ever been friends. Nothing else. There was nothing romantic going on between them besides her hidden crush on him, which he wasn’t aware of, I think. The first time they see each other in YEARS, a few minutes, and I mean MINUTES after their „reunion“, the mmc gets jealous when some guy is smiling at her. Now, from one reasonable human being to another, does this makes sense to you? Is this normal behavior? Because in my mind, a rational human being doesn’t act like this, he doesn’t get jealous when some dude smiles at his former best friend’s sister, whom he hasn’t been in contact with for years. Or am I the crazy one here? Idk 🤷🏻♀️😂
* Ridiculous inner monologues that were supposed to be funny and quirky. They were not that.
* Boring
BR with my lovelies Lori & Olga. We severely disagreed on this one. 😅
September 17, 2023
Loved!
This was a fun escape from start to finish. I was quickly sucked into the story and Parker & Logan's chemistry, banter and swoony romance kept me turning the pages. This has a lot of the popular tropes going for it: grumpy-sunshine, old crush, fake dating, workplace setting, etc. I enjoyed the characters, both were easy to like. I like that their feelings felt deeper than just physical attraction, they have a history and a friendship that makes their romance more believable.
Overall, a fun romcom and one I'd definitely recommend!
Content Rated G
Swoony romance, just kissing. No language or violence
This was a fun escape from start to finish. I was quickly sucked into the story and Parker & Logan's chemistry, banter and swoony romance kept me turning the pages. This has a lot of the popular tropes going for it: grumpy-sunshine, old crush, fake dating, workplace setting, etc. I enjoyed the characters, both were easy to like. I like that their feelings felt deeper than just physical attraction, they have a history and a friendship that makes their romance more believable.
Overall, a fun romcom and one I'd definitely recommend!
Content Rated G
Swoony romance, just kissing. No language or violence
August 31, 2023
I binged this book without moving or taking a break and I have zero regrets. So amazing!!
🍁 Thank you so much Emma for the copy of this book 🍁
An absolute gem of a romance. I cannot recommend it enough.
The brother’s best friend, childhood crush aspect was so flawlessly done and I was just rooting for these two from page one.
They had ALL THE DANG chemistry and the kissing (and almost kissing) scenes were 🔥
Put this one on your TBR, you won’t regret it.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5
Steam: kissing
🍁 Thank you so much Emma for the copy of this book 🍁
An absolute gem of a romance. I cannot recommend it enough.
The brother’s best friend, childhood crush aspect was so flawlessly done and I was just rooting for these two from page one.
They had ALL THE DANG chemistry and the kissing (and almost kissing) scenes were 🔥
Put this one on your TBR, you won’t regret it.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5
Steam: kissing
December 10, 2024
I was very excited to read this book and actually started it as a BR with my lovelies Lori and Chris.
I went blindly not knowing that it was clean romance but that made it even sweeter.
I am not gonna lie, it wasn’t the best writing but it was clear, concise and simple.
I absolutely adored their relationship and the build up to become a couple. Being it a clean romance, the author focused more on their feelings, their relationship development and actual courting or pretend/real courting.
For me, it’s how a real love story should be focusing on character traits, compatibility and true emotions and not just lust, sexual tension and a marathon to get as many orgasms a night as possible.
They had genuine funny moments, quirky mishaps and whimsical proposal. I loved that both of them thought of sacrificing things for each other and it wasn’t only the MFC having to give up her dream and simultaneously it wasn’t an independent feminist who values more what she wants than being in a relationship where both need to make compromises.
What I didn’t like, is that the last time she saw him she was 15 years old and she held a torch for him for 10 years. I mean puppy love is cute but it doesn’t last that long. I wish it were more of 18 years and then a gap of 10 but oh well, beggars can’t be choosers.
As a last thought, I liked this book.
(Chris definitely disagrees with me LOL)
I went blindly not knowing that it was clean romance but that made it even sweeter.
I am not gonna lie, it wasn’t the best writing but it was clear, concise and simple.
I absolutely adored their relationship and the build up to become a couple. Being it a clean romance, the author focused more on their feelings, their relationship development and actual courting or pretend/real courting.
For me, it’s how a real love story should be focusing on character traits, compatibility and true emotions and not just lust, sexual tension and a marathon to get as many orgasms a night as possible.
They had genuine funny moments, quirky mishaps and whimsical proposal. I loved that both of them thought of sacrificing things for each other and it wasn’t only the MFC having to give up her dream and simultaneously it wasn’t an independent feminist who values more what she wants than being in a relationship where both need to make compromises.
What I didn’t like, is that the last time she saw him she was 15 years old and she held a torch for him for 10 years. I mean puppy love is cute but it doesn’t last that long. I wish it were more of 18 years and then a gap of 10 but oh well, beggars can’t be choosers.
As a last thought, I liked this book.
(Chris definitely disagrees with me LOL)
October 19, 2023
Honestly so cute like awwww! Def recommend for a YA girlie and not a girl like me who has been darkened by fantasy and dark romance lmaoooo I need the spice baby and there was zero
October 24, 2024
3.5 ⭐
🏒This was the best sick day read ever! It made me laugh and did not require any mental exertion - perfect combination!
🏒I love the never-been-kissed heroine. ❤️
🏒One or two scenes were cringe (yikes, I'm looking at you, Tik Tok dance), but over all, a fun sweet story.
🏒I was looking for fall vibes but I didn't really get them? Maybe I need to read another in the series to find them....
🏒This was the best sick day read ever! It made me laugh and did not require any mental exertion - perfect combination!
🏒I love the never-been-kissed heroine. ❤️
🏒One or two scenes were cringe (yikes, I'm looking at you, Tik Tok dance), but over all, a fun sweet story.
🏒I was looking for fall vibes but I didn't really get them? Maybe I need to read another in the series to find them....
August 28, 2023
I’m swooning just writing this review…
I’m OBSESSED! And so excited to have another clean hockey romance on my shelves.
And a NEVER BEEN KISSED TROPE?! Yeah. That was a fun little addition.
But lemme tell yyyooouuu this book was NOT lacking in the chemistry & sizzle!
I loved the brother’s ex-best friend situmation we had goin on! The hurt and deep conversations that came out of that were some great additions to the story. They added depth!
I LOVED the rules (and the breaking of the rules 😉)
And the fake ddaaattiiinnngggg!!! Oh sign me up!
Savannah Bananas meet hockey. Yep. Ima gooonnneeerrr for SUUURREE!
Logan & Parker were adorable together! And while there were a few moments I was getting ready to scream at them to JUST TALK to each other — it 100% made sense to their stories and characters.
THE SCENE AFTER THE GALA…AND THEIR DATE NIGHT….they will live rent free in my head.
And honestly the epilogue was TOP TIER ROMANCE WRITING!
5/5 stars!
I’m so excited to fall in love with this town & its people more!
*I received the book from the author**All opinions are my own*
I’m OBSESSED! And so excited to have another clean hockey romance on my shelves.
And a NEVER BEEN KISSED TROPE?! Yeah. That was a fun little addition.
But lemme tell yyyooouuu this book was NOT lacking in the chemistry & sizzle!
I loved the brother’s ex-best friend situmation we had goin on! The hurt and deep conversations that came out of that were some great additions to the story. They added depth!
I LOVED the rules (and the breaking of the rules 😉)
And the fake ddaaattiiinnngggg!!! Oh sign me up!
Savannah Bananas meet hockey. Yep. Ima gooonnneeerrr for SUUURREE!
Logan & Parker were adorable together! And while there were a few moments I was getting ready to scream at them to JUST TALK to each other — it 100% made sense to their stories and characters.
THE SCENE AFTER THE GALA…AND THEIR DATE NIGHT….they will live rent free in my head.
And honestly the epilogue was TOP TIER ROMANCE WRITING!
5/5 stars!
I’m so excited to fall in love with this town & its people more!
*I received the book from the author**All opinions are my own*
October 23, 2023
I’ve added these Sweater Weather romcoms to my WTR shelf, because I’m not entirely sure why. No, I guess I do know why. A couple are written by authors that I’ve read and liked. Plus, they are all short and on Kindle Unlimited.
Just Don’t Fall is the first in the series, and Emma St. Clair is one of the authors I’ve enjoyed. This book was also enjoyable but straight down the line in checking off all the tropes that were advertised to be checked. (Uh, that was a weirdly worded sentence, but you get what I mean.)
The FMC was sweet and a little sassy, ✓. The MMC was adorable after his grouchy exterior was cracked, ✓. The story was set in a small town, ✓. The love interests were past friends, with her having a hidden crush on her older brother’s best friend and were at some point fake dating (✓, ✓, ✓).
Final answer, fans of Emma St. Clair and other closed door romance authors will enjoy this book.
Just Don’t Fall is the first in the series, and Emma St. Clair is one of the authors I’ve enjoyed. This book was also enjoyable but straight down the line in checking off all the tropes that were advertised to be checked. (Uh, that was a weirdly worded sentence, but you get what I mean.)
The FMC was sweet and a little sassy, ✓. The MMC was adorable after his grouchy exterior was cracked, ✓. The story was set in a small town, ✓. The love interests were past friends, with her having a hidden crush on her older brother’s best friend and were at some point fake dating (✓, ✓, ✓).
Final answer, fans of Emma St. Clair and other closed door romance authors will enjoy this book.
March 18, 2025
3.5/5 stars
This was my first book by Emma St. Clair, and I liked it!
In this book, you will find:
-Brother's Best Friend
-Never Been Kissed
-Fake Dating
-Closed-door romance (kisses only)
I don't read rom-coms like this as often/they aren't my go-to genre, but I was recommended this one by @booksta.britt on Instagram, who is one of my trusted romance resources. I thought this was cute and funny!
Content discretion: mild language (a few uses of the H word), kissing, controlling parents, neglectful parents, childhood trauma, anxiety
This was my first book by Emma St. Clair, and I liked it!
In this book, you will find:
-Brother's Best Friend
-Never Been Kissed
-Fake Dating
-Closed-door romance (kisses only)
I don't read rom-coms like this as often/they aren't my go-to genre, but I was recommended this one by @booksta.britt on Instagram, who is one of my trusted romance resources. I thought this was cute and funny!
Content discretion: mild language (a few uses of the H word), kissing, controlling parents, neglectful parents, childhood trauma, anxiety
October 19, 2023
1 ⭐️ за кота і класну команду
все інше 🥴
все інше 🥴
May 5, 2025
3.5!
a cute hockey romance!
i love the brother’s best friend trope & this also had the fake dating trope which i always EAT UP!
the hockey team is so cutieeee i feel like they’re a family and i want to read more of this series just to read about them.
this was simple and sweet and i had fun.
i got realllly tired of hearing the word “fake” though. especially when we get both POVs and learn very quickly how both of them REALLY feel.
i would recommend this to anyone looking for a good, no spice romance!
🔥NO SPICE🔥
🤐NO STRONG LANGUAGE🤐
a cute hockey romance!
i love the brother’s best friend trope & this also had the fake dating trope which i always EAT UP!
the hockey team is so cutieeee i feel like they’re a family and i want to read more of this series just to read about them.
this was simple and sweet and i had fun.
i got realllly tired of hearing the word “fake” though. especially when we get both POVs and learn very quickly how both of them REALLY feel.
i would recommend this to anyone looking for a good, no spice romance!
🔥NO SPICE🔥
🤐NO STRONG LANGUAGE🤐
August 31, 2023
I love Bookstagram. I love finding new authors. This is my first book by Emma St. Claire and I will be eagerly reading more of hers. I think I read this whole book with a smile on my face. Just Don’t Fall has the perfect fall vibes. Oh and plus it’s the perfect romcom you’re looking for. Logan and Parker are fabulous! Parker is absolutely adorable and is so funny and beloved by her Appies. (She manages their social media.) Logan is her brother’s best friend from her past that has moved down the NHL to the AHL Appies. I loved their history and their nicknames for each other are priceless. The scene with the pink sticky notes was one of my favorites. As was their time on the ice. The hockey players are great guys, especially Felix. And I totally read certain scenes (kissing may have been involved) more than once.
Thank you for the Netgalley approval!
Thank you for the Netgalley approval!
August 23, 2023
The perfect romcom for fall! And a hockey romance favorite. Full review coming soon
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