I Promise I Won't Fall

by Emily Nicole

JUST PROMISE TO NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH ME.. .

After yet another disastrous date, Ella Hart resigns herself to a life of solitude.

But fate seems to have other plans when she finds herself rescued from the remnants of her love life by bartender, Xavier James. With dreams of making his own name in the industry and taking over the family business, Xavier never imagined the magnetic pull between the two of them.

Their connection is instant and neither can deny the chemistry they have. As they spark a strong friendship, they navigate the blurred lines of their sexual chemistry and decide to make an arrangement to fulfill their mutual needs.

But beneath the surface of their arrangement lies a minefield of unresolved emotions. Ella yearns for a deeper connection while Xavier is working through the guilt of his past relationship and the pressure of taking over the business.

With passion igniting between them and emotions bubbling to the surface, Ella and Xavier must confront the ultimate can they keep their feelings at bay and shield their hearts from breaking?

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary

260 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 23, 2024

About the author

Fuelled by her passion for storytelling, a strong cup of coffee and a good laugh, Emily Nicole is a new voice in the world of Australian romance. Her love for reading began at a young age, and as she reached adulthood, resulted in a dream career as a librarian. She is constantly surrounded by books. When she's not at work, reading, or writing, she's busy listening to Taylor Swift, reviewing books on her Bookstagram account and interacting with fellow book lovers.

Reviews

[Tiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily Nicole has written such a beautifully relatable romance, the characters are so dimensional and can speak to anyone who has ever felt unlucky in love.

I really loved how the romance and other personal plot points were perfectly balanced within the story. There were amazing discussions on mental health (especially men’s) and personal growth.

Set in Australia, and written by an Australian author (!!), I Promise I Won’t Fall embodies the Australian culture and place but doesn’t feel stereotyped or distracts from the main story and characters.

Written by a romance reader, for other romance readers, this one should be on everyone’s radar!

[jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE WAY I WAS ABLE TO RELATE TO ELLA!! At one point in my life. I’m actually crying laughing because it feels so real. I wanted to shake Ella and tell her the no girl you deserve better, you deserve more. But also I relate to her actions because hi yes I’m been there and done that. Someone could have shook me and I would have been like “actions speak louder than words” but when do you finally put yourself first?

I think a lot of woman (at one point in their lives) can understand/relate to what Ella is going through throughout her story. And THATS what makes this book a 5 star read and it’s a DEBUT too. Amazing!

releasing August 23rd

(arc review)

[alittlebitbooked || Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally, one of my favourite people in the world wrote this book. ♥️ How freaking cool is that?

It’s a romance that will hit you right in the feels and It’ll also scratch that spice loving itch if you have one. 😏

Xavier and Ella’s story is friends to lovers at its finest, and the banter is top tier!

A debut novel, and completely self done.
Emily has put her heart and soul into this story, you can feel it from the first page.

[Booksopi · Rating 5 out of 5]

We follow our main character Ella who is a technician librarian and single. She has been single for a while now and the dating apps are NOT it. After a disastrous date in a bar, the bartender saves her from her date who could not read that Ella was not interested in him.



And I will stop there!



This book was incredible. Emily managed to portray the frustration of the dating world very well! The fact that Ella is also on bookstagram and that some books were subtly mentioned was such a nice addition to the book and made it even more relatable.

I enjoyed reading Ella and Xavier’s pov and the mixed media with the texts they would exchange.

Millie was such a wholesome character and her relationship with Ella was the sweetest.

I also found it quite new and refreshing for me to read passages in therapy in a romance book. It felt good to know what Ella was thinking and the advices given to her by the therapist.



I don’t think I’ve related more to a book before. To the point that I would start crying at random moments because they reminded me of my own experiences. I think if I had to only use adjectives for I Promise I Won’t Fall I would say: (painfully) relatable, sweet, fun, and spicy!

I would highly recommend it!! x

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content warnings: toxic workplace, toxic management, mental health, mentions of fertility

A sweet contemporary romance set in Adelaide. Could definitely relate to a lot of the school related stuff. I did find that the Taylor Swift and Sarah J Maas references were a TAD too much for my liking and may date the book into the future, but overall? I had a good time with this.

[Leesha McGuiness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the authenticity and vulnerability of Emily’s writing!
I’ve been following her for a while on Booksta for a while so it was easy to read between the lines, knowing that the inspiration was drawn on from her personal experiences and that’s a whole heart on her sleeve in this book!
So happy to be here supporting your dream and can’t wait to see you get picked up by a publisher! I can see it happening ❤️

[Eilish · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such an easy, comforting read! It’s so weird reading about your own home town in a romance book, but it gave me a fun new perspective while reading.

[Stephanie (abookandadog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is adorable, relatable, and oh so precious. I was GIDDY reading this book. And I’m not a romance reader!! Stayed up till nearly 3am (partially thanks to an evening coffee) just to finish it!

[Cass | booksandspots · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, this was SOOOOO GOOOD 👏 I can't believe this is a debut. I'm not even typically a romance lover, but I devoured this in a day. It was brilliant 😍 I loved Ella. I loved that she fought for herself and knew what she deserved. The side characters were top tier. I loved the Taylor Swift and bookstagram references.

I can't wait to read more from Emily.

Congratulations on such a fantastic first book 🎉😊

[Kaitlan Sharpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this beautiful book.
Emily Nicole has written a heartwarming and breathtaking romance that makes you feel so much.

The bookish references and Australian setting made it an unforgettable and super enjoyable read.

I absolutely love a friends to lovers romance and you can feel tension between Ella and Xavier from the first encounter. I adored them and found myself cheering them on instantly.

Emily Nicole has written a beautiful romance that all romance lovers will love.

[Gia Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a quick little romantic book.

This book was the perfect example of how horrible it can be to date this day & age. And how navigating the dating world as you get older is daunting at the best of times.

The romance hits you in the feels and the spice is just RIGHT.

It ticks every box needed for the perfect little friends to lovers book.

Em, you’re brilliant! This book was a brilliant debut novel and you should be so proud of yourself 🩷

[Hillary Trotter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the characters in this story. It was nice to read a book that I felt connected to be used the scenery was so relatable and familiar. I enjoyed the friends with benefits because that nearly always turns to love! Ella was relatable and fun because I felt like I could be her. The humour was great, from the chicken names to the relatable red flag moments on blind dates. I cackled at different times and often was like, yep that sounds pretty accurate.
I also really enjoyed this novel for the fact that it is this authors first book and because I enjoyed it I hope to read more of her work.
Support Indie Authors!

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
A very gentle, warm and relatable romance, with a healthy balance of smut (that doesn’t overdo it and wind up dominating the book).

A modern insight into the dating world and the challenges of maintaining self-love in the face of rejection.

[kaitlyns_library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good.

[Tia · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ p88 this book is so cringey I can’t do it

[Sky · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very easy romance read - I enjoyed the simplicity and realism of this book.

It felt relatable and reminded me how important it is to realise your worth when in a relationship.

Although by the end it felt very predictable as to what would happen.

[Kirsty Dummin]

Not my usual read but a very enjoyable happily ever after story 🙂

[Shakira Foch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily you had me in all the feels! I couldn’t put this down. A favourite has been unlocked 🥰💞

[Sophia Menidis · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who obsessively reads romance novels, I often find that I am just reading the same story with different characters over and over. But ‘I Promise I Won’t Fall’ was unique, special and beautiful. Ella is a character unlike any other as she is someone who I completely related to, on literally every level. Ella is a librarian who has been single for a long time, and is faced with the challenges of the dating world. Xavier is a passionate, hard working bartender who rescues Ella from a bad date.

I read this book practically in one day because I simply could not put it down. Ella felt like someone had looked at me and looked into my brain and written it all down in a book, and Xavier, while absolutely perfect and a total dream boat, also was extremely realistic for the dating world today as I literally want to reach in and grab him and shake him out of his stupidness sometimes. This book literally had me crying on the train at one point it was that consuming. But I love Xavier and he is ultimately the best book boyfriend ever. Where can I find one?

Overall Emily has written an incredible book and I am so excited for everyone to get to read this soon! And thank you Emily for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. 💕

[bre · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. It was okay. Super disappointed that I didn't love this, because I was really excited to read it.

I think part of the reason why I didn't love this was because it felt like the main character, Ella, was just the author herself. The characters felt pretty two-dimensional otherwise. The romance felt like it happened too quickly and I didn't care about it, or any of the characters, at all.

I also think that some of Ella's internal dialogue about "changing the librarian stereotype" because she was sociable and loud etc grated me the wrong way and gave me the ick. I work as a librarian myself and have done so for years, and it just made me cringe so much..

[Becks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I promise I won’t fall
Emily Nicole
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book. It took me a bit to read only because I have been a bit run down and busy with work and life admin.
I really enjoyed reading this and especially loved the fact this was written by a fellow Aussie.
The story delves into the life of Ella who is of course not just a book girlie but also a bookstagrammer too. She works in a school library and her boss is a perfect bitch to her.
Ella has been through the dating ringer and it is when she is stood up that she meets Xavier.
He manages the bar she gets stood up at. They chat and get to know each other and a fwb develops over time. Both of them of course promise not to fall and not complicate things. There were times when I wanted to shake them both - not miscommunication just wrong choices.
Millie her bestie plays a great supportive roll and the infertility rep is nice to see.
This story also made me thankful I am not in the dating scene because it seems like it is even worse now. Situationships are not goals.
I have highlighted a few lines that made me giggle.
Throughly enjoyed this.
SJM references too - definitely for the book girlies.
Recommend if you love romance, book girls, and Aussie humour.

[Katie Slater · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ Such an easy read and so refreshing to read a book set in Australia by an Australian author. I loved the realistic aspect of getting into a new relationship after a long term one and how respectful Xavier is about it.

[Etta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Promise I Won't Fall
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

💭"Put your arms above your head. Don't let them come down, Ella, or I will stop."

➡️ to see what the cover looks like! 📸 Taken from Em’s website!

For those of you that know me well, you know I just don't hand out 5 stars for a romance, it isn't in my DNA. They aren't my jam but occasionally I will dip my toe in and see if my taste has change and sometimes I am pleasantly surprised. This was one of those times.

@emilysbookedup selected me as one of her beta readers as part of her editing process. I was the non-romance perspective and I apologise to those who had to read my cynical/jaded comments throughout that process. I can safely say though, that Em knocked it out of the park and I couldn't be more proud to have this as part of my reading challenge for 2024.

Em pefectly captured what it is like to be dating in 2024! I have never felt more seen in a romance context where the FMC is navigating dating. From knowing your date doesn't look like their pictures, to not knowing if they are going to throw out some patronising mysoniginistic garbage during the date.

I am not totally convinced that there are many Xavier's left in the world but maybe I will find one eventually... after a bit more trial and error. I have to say that it definitely has a high cheesy factor but it is low on the cliche's. It was spicy 🌶️

And as a final side note, the star of the book were the chickens. IYKYK! 🐔

Do yourselves a favour and pre-order your copy today! Pre-order's close 1 August.

Em, I am so proud of you!

🛍 Buy/Borrow? BUY - I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book!

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Felt so seen reading this ! Such a smooth read where I would catch myself laughing out loud and crying happy/sad tears. Would recommend 100%

[Raquel | mommagracereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was cute and the author definitely has potential! While not the most spectacular debut novel I’ve read, I did enjoy the story.

Personally, the writing style wasn’t my favorite. And the friends with benefits fallout (because you know that’s inevitable) wasn’t resolved in a way I enjoyed (not nearly enough groveling). But overall, it was cute and I loved the Aussie setting and the bookish banter.

Our FMC Ella is unlucky in love. She hasn’t had the best time of it lately. There is mental health rep throughout the book. Ella is in therapy for a myriad of things, one of them being depression. It’s not outright said that she struggled with it, but there is a very brief mention of her being at a very low point and having thoughts.

Our MMC Xavier is slowly resurfacing after a breakup from a long-term relationship. He’s not ready for commitment. He is immediately attracted to Ella, and struggles with that as he feels he’s not ready for a relationship again. So a FWB situation is born. The two have good chemistry and it helps that they have that friendship base.

The conflict wasn’t the best, Xavier was pretty stupid about the whole thing, and I know that’s the point. I do think things could have been played out a little differently and had a more impactful conflict and resolution, but overall, it was a good book. I wish the author success in her new journey!

Rating System

C- 8
A- 9
W- 5
P- 7
I- 6
L- 7
E- 8

Total- 7.1 = 4 ⭐️

[Caitlin (Caffeinated.and.reading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

🪴I Promise I Won’t Fall by @emilysbookedup

This book!! This book was everything I could’ve hoped for and more.

l adored the Adelaide setting and of course the classic Aussie slang, the Taylor Swift references, the dynamics between the side characters, and the booksta references. It has everything I could want in an addictive and binge-able rom-com. And the relationship between Ella and Xavier, the one and only brooding Mr. Bartender man, it was so genuine. These two were exactly who the other person needed! And the spice was hot! Now, not the spiciest of scenes in the book… but that bookstore scene… my gosh 🫠🥵 IYKYK

I of course had Emily’s playlist and then Taylor Swift on repeat in the background every time I sat down to read, and the way some of the songs just perfectly timed with the scenes in the book too 🤭

Now this story was filled with so many relatable moments, but one thing that was captured so perfectly; the mental health representation. The way Emily conveyed our FMC Ella’s mental health struggles while trying to navigate the dating scene felt truly respectful and honest with how these experiences can feel like for so many of us, myself included 🥹 I’ve never felt so seen in a character, which was definitely an emotional yet empowering thing to read.

Add to your TBR if you love;
🩷Aussie rom-com
🌶️Friends with benefits
📖Bookish banter
✨Mental health representation
🪴Dual POV
🫶🏻Swoon worthy butterflies kinda love
🐓Chickens!

Thankyou again to Emily for my eARC of I Promise I Won’t Fall. What a phenomenal debut!

[Brittany (_bookswithbritt) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Just promise to not fall in love with me…”

When my dear friend Emily told me she was writing a book, I couldn’t have been more excited. A romance for the millennial woman, ladies, prepare to feel seen!

Ella is living the ups and many down of modern dating. The apps, the disappointments, the rejection. She knows what she wants and she doesn’t know why she’s not getting it. Finally ready to throw in the towel, Xavier walks into her life and changes it all. But it won’t be smooth sailing, because this is real life!

I Promise I Won’t Fall is unlike any romance I’ve read. What I loved most about the book was how real it was. Ella and Xavier’s story wasn’t some hallmark romance with absurdly large gestures; it was the kind of story you’d hear your friend tell you over a glass of wine. And as much as I enjoy escaping reality through my books, I didn’t expect to so enjoy a story that felt this familiar.

I laughed, I cried, and I definitely enjoyed the spicy scenes we were gifted. A truly enjoyable read with relatable MC’s and a whole lot of banter, you won't believe that this is a debut novel. The perfect book club read, so get your copy girlies and enjoy!

Emily, I couldn’t be more proud of you, YOU WROTE A FREAKIN BOOK!

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

"He made me promise not to fall in love with him, and I did."

I was lucky to receive an ARC of Emily Nicole's debut novel, I Promise I Won't Fall. It follows the story of Ella and Xavier.

I loved the dedication of this book.

To the girls who dream of an unconditional love, like the ones they read about in books.

You deserve the world.

Never settle for anything less.

I thought Ella and Xavier were perfect together!

I saw pieces of myself in Ella when it came to her anxiety and negative thoughts which made me relate to her. I loved seeing her growth throughout the book, finally realising her worth, and choosing not to settle for less than what she deserves.

I loved Xavier! He was the perfect book boyfriend. I found him to be a relatable MMC with his fear of disappointing or letting down the people he cares most about. It is not very often you see the MMC talk about what they are going through and being vulnerable, so this was a nice change.

I enjoyed I Promise I Won't Fall and thought it was a good debut novel.

I am excited to see what Emily comes out with next!

Thank you so much to Emily Nicole for this ARC 💚

[Briony (briohnee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a love letter to all of the single bookish besties who are out there struggling in the wilderness that is ~men~ (Insert Schmidt screaming A white man? NO!)

You could feel the love that was put into this debut novel as it poured out of every page. The journey to love yourself as much as you want to be loved by someone else?? BIG OOF

I did struggle with it being set in my city (she doesn’t have a patriotic bone in her body) but that is my cross to bear OKAY. Also Em baby I love you but I had to stop during the spicy scenes and disassociate sometimes to not think about you having schmex. But again that’s a me problem - I just know the author haha.

All in all - If you like the banter of Tessa Bailey, the heart of Ashley Poston and the relatability of Emily Henry, then Emily Nicole is for you. It is a super easy read. I smashed it out in under 12 hours. And I got all the happy squishy feels from it so slay.

Thank you for the ARC!

[thebookishstephanie]

Ella is sick of dating - specifically, she's sick of going on bad dates. During a particularly bad date, she is rescued by Xavier, the bartender. Xavier and Ella's connection is instant, sparking a strong friendship - and maybe something more.

A debut contemporary romance, by an Aussie author set in Australia? Sign me up!

Ella feels entirely too relatable. Ella, who is at a crossroads with her career, is a bit bookish and tends to believe that she doesn't deserve any better than the hand she's been dealt. She's facing the challenges of getting older in the dating world as well, and even though Xavier was such a sweet character, he has his own problems too. I wanted to throttle him at some points!!

Ultimately, I loved the progression of the romance in this one! It was fun, sweet and I really enjoyed reading it.

Thank you Emily for an advanced copy of I Promise I Won't Fall! All opinions are my own.