Falling for Mr. October

Apple Ridge #1

by Angela Casella

**Sweet version**

Everyone loves Mr. October...except for his fake girlfriend.

Bianca
I thought I was having the worst day of my life, but the nightmare continues when I come home and find surprise houseguests. Without telling me, my grandmother invited her former best friend, Nonna Francesca, to stay with us for the entire month of October and help run our yearly pumpkin patch.

Worse, she brought her grandson, Giovanni, a thirty-something Italian playboy who calls me Doctor Death because I'm a former hospice nurse. (At least he gave me a promotion?) We played together when we were kids, but that was years ago, before our grandmothers had a falling out.

My brother is suspicious of Giovanni, my grandmother fawns over him as if she didn't already have four adoring grandchildren, and he charms every other person he meets, including our next-door neighbor, Vanessa.

She uses her sway to get Giovanni crowned as our town's "Mr. October."

The prize? A series of fall-themed dates Vanessa expects to go on with Giovanni.

He's not interested, but he's such a people pleaser he doesn't know how to say no. So he begs me to pretend we're dating...

Giovanni
I was happy for the excuse to escape Maine, but Apple Ridge isn't much of an escape anymore. Not like when I used to come here growing up.

My grandmother's showing her age more every day, and Bianca and her brother are nothing like the fun-loving kids I remember.

But Bianca surprises me by agreeing to pose as my fake girlfriend in exchange for some help with her seniors' group.

Soon, we're experiencing the best Apple Ridge has to offer, and I'm stunned to realize that the life I've been looking for was waiting here all along.

Falling for Mr. October is a fall-themed, fake-dating romcom with meddling relatives, small-town charm, and romcom antics.

Giovanni Cafiero first appears in The Holiday Hate-Off!

There are TWO different versions of this
1) A spicy open door version with some strong language and sex scenes
2) A closed door version with mild language and only kissing.
Please choose the version that's best for you!

Genres: Romance, Autumn, Fake Dating, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Rom Com, Enemies To Lovers

382 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 3, 2026

About the author

ANGELA CASELLA lives in Asheville, North Carolina with her husband, her daughter, and their ill-behaved corgi in an extremely small bungalow. She spends her days writing and pretending to market. She writes solo romcoms and also has three co-written series with Denise Grover Swank.

You can subscribe to her newsletter for exclusive free content and updates on her projects! http://subscribepage.io/AngelaCasella...

Reviews

[cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I want you for all twelve months of every year, Bianca. One would never have been enough.”


on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ‎♪ˎˊ˗
“ᴀᴘᴘʟᴇ ᴘɪᴇ” x ɪᴀɴ ᴀᴜsᴛɪɴ, ʜᴇᴀᴛʜᴇʀ sᴜᴢᴀɴɴᴇ
0:30 ──♥───────── 2:55


Bianca has built a life she loves in Apple Ridge, especially through her work, and the last thing she expects is for someone from her past to completely shake things up. Giovanni is someone she grew up knowing, but when he returns to Apple Ridge with a secret he’s trying to keep hidden, their relationship quickly becomes a lot more complicated than either of them expected.

This was such a cute little small-town romance! I really loved the cozy Apple Ridge atmosphere, the cast of characters, and the unique twist on the romance. Giovanni and Bianca had such a fun dynamic, especially with all their back-and-forth 🙂‍↕️ Also, this man is SUCH a flirt. If I met Giovanni in real life, I fear I would be absolutely swooned.

I really adored Bianca’s heart. Her passion for her career and for helping elderly people made her such a genuinely sweet and selfless character. 🥹🫶🏼And Giovanni… oh I adored this man. I felt so bad for him after everything he’d been through, especially the way being exposed made him feel like people only wanted him for one thing. 🥺 I really loved getting to see those layers of him come through and realizing there was so much more to him than that.

AND THE NONNAS. My goodness. 😂 Both of their meddlesome nonnas were some of my favorite people in this entire book, but honestly, the elderly characters at the senior care place were right up there, too. They brought so much humor, personality, and liveliness to the story. You NEED nosy meddlesome older people in a small-town romance, and this book fully understood the assignment. Genuinely, they might have been my favorite part.

I will say the middle dragged a little for me. I think the book could have been shortened some because I found my attention slipping during that section, but even with that, I still thought this was such a sweet and enjoyable romance. The characters and small-town charm carried so much of the experience for me.

And that proposal scene in the epilogue?! 🥹🥹 It was actually so cute, and I loved it so much. This was such a fun, cozy romance with plenty of banter, meddling, and lovable older characters, and I’m definitely glad I read it

favorite quotes ↓

“You’re so beautiful to me, it pierces my soul.”

“I came to Apple Ridge because I was a coward, but I’ve found someone and something worth fighting for.”

things to know about the book ↓

🍎 secret identity
🍎 fake dating
🍎 small town
🍎 forced proximity
🍎 meddlesome old people
🍎 sassy FMC
🍎 dual POV

swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 13, 21, 25, 30, 33, 35

Thank you Smuthood, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕

september 9th- ahhh hello autumn 😌 slowly starting my fall reads... (summer tbr close your eyes plz 👀)

[Sim-fully Ever After · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5🌟 | 3.5🌶️

Autumn charm and fake dating are a pretty unbeatable combination, especially with this much chemistry involved.

The small-town atmosphere, meddling nonnas, and seasonal chaos made this such an easy romance to sink into, but the chemistry between Bianca and Giovanni was definitely the highlight.

Bianca was strong, caring, and so used to putting everyone else first, which made watching her let her guard down especially satisfying. Giovanni surprised me too. Behind the confident Shirtless Chef persona was a genuinely sweet, thoughtful, and vulnerable man. Their banter was playful, their attraction was obvious, and the softer moments between them gave the romance plenty of warmth alongside the spice.

I also had so much fun with the family dynamics and all the fall festivities woven throughout the story. The pacing kept things moving, and while I occasionally wanted a little more time with certain elements, there was always something entertaining happening.

Cozy, flirty, funny, and wonderfully autumnal, this was exactly the kind of romance that left me smiling when I reached the end.

~~~~

A sincere thank you to Angela Casella and her lovely Team for the ARC! 🥰📚

I’m so grateful for the early read. As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. ✨

[Claudia, Cmarie927 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will never look at a graham cracker the same way again!! Or a candy apple...😉

I fell in love with the Cafiero family when I read Lucy and Enzo's story (The Holiday Hate-Off, Hideaway Harbor collection) and I love seeing how Giovanni pivots his Shirtless Chef personality. Helping his best friend Miles's family orchard/farm and spending time with Bianca isn't a hardship.

This author allows me to easily connect with the characters and their emotions, and it seems like the pages turn themselves! Bianca has been fighting the chemistry pulling her towards Giovanni ever since he and his Nonna arrived, and is relieved that the attraction isn't one sided.
I enjoyed the banter and adorable energy between them and how things moved for them on their HEA journey.

This is full of everything I enjoy about this author's creativity...
Steamy chemistry and fun flirty banter, engaging character relationships, found family loyalties - Soo Goood!

I can't wait for more, and recommend reading this after Enzo to avoid spoilers and have the best experience with the storyline.
Fortunate to have received an ARC of this from the author (thank you) and happily leave my thoughts.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to The Smuthood Inc for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

He’s the internet’s favorite Shirtless Chef.
I’m the only woman in town who's not impressed.

Bianca My grandmother invited her former best friend to move in for the month of October and help run our annual pumpkin patch. To our surprise, she brings her grandson Giovanni—a thirty-something Italian playboy who calls me Doctor Death because I’m a former hospice nurse. (At least he gave me a promotion?) The whole situation is suspicious. What grown man willingly goes on a month-long walkabout with his grandmother? He and my brother used to be close, but that was years ago. Then we find out Giovanni isn't just visiting Apple Ridge. He’s hiding. Apparently, he’s the anonymous YouTube sensation known as The Shirtless Chef. He was recently unmasked in his hometown and left to escape the chaos. Unfortunately for him, a reporter tracks him down after a national magazine names him their official Mr. October. Now tourists are swarming. Women are throwing themselves at him. My grandmother wants him to stay forever. And Giovanni—who once thrived on attention—suddenly hates it. He begs me to pretend we’re dating, and against my better judgment I agree. On one he has to help with my seniors’ group. I tell myself, and my concerned siblings, that it's a harmless agreement. Except fake dating a secret internet heartthrob in the middle of pumpkin season turns out to be…complicated. Because I’m starting to see the man behind the brand, and I’m not sure I want to give him back. Giovanni Apple Ridge was supposed to be safe and anonymous. Instead, I’ve been exposed, crowned Mr. October, and chased by every woman within fifty miles. Once, that would have been my dream. Now it’s my nightmare. The only person not impressed with my fame? Bianca. Which is exactly why I need her. Except the longer I pretend she’s mine…the less I’m pretending.

The way Bianca cares for others instantly captured my attention. As a nurse, it is their passion to help others but she just seems to take it to a new level. She considers every little detail and does her very best to ensure others are happy, even if she isn’t. The way she is with Giovanni was different - in a good way. She seemed a little more determined and defiant, as if knowing that he would care for her and offer a much needed break from looking after others. I truly admired her tenacity and her insistence on making things better. She was a lovely female lead to have for this story!
Giovanni was unexpected for me. When you hear about him flaunting his abs online and growing a following, you can’t help but think that perhaps he’d be a little bigheaded. And yet, other than the banter and flirting, he is the complete opposite. He’s sweet and considerate and rather vulnerable. I would have liked to have seen more of his emotions actually. I love a male lead who is a big softie and Giovanni definitely falls into that category.

I am a lover of all things Autumn. I am an October baby through and through so knew that when I stumbled across this book, I would need to read it. The plot was certainly interesting, offering all the small town vibes of a close knit community with outsiders causing issues. I’m a sucker for fake dating stories so was glad to see it was such a prominent feature here. It helped hold my interest and certainly kept me entertained. I will say, for me, there just seemed to be a general lack of detail? Backgrounds felt patchy and I didn’t vibe with finding out information so often during the book. I’d rather have occasional moments with more lore than little bits sprinkled through. Character wise, we see quite a wide cast. It’s typical for stories in small towns to have a lot of people appear and meddle in the leads’ affairs - and that’s certainly what we get. A few characters felt a bit filler for me which was a shame, but when you want a big cast, it’s an occupational hazard. The romance was a star in this story for sure. Fake dating is always a favourite for me because it’s guaranteed yearning and angst before the characters finally realise they’re better together for real. Here, Giovanni and Bianca’s romance was sweet and tender, filled with plenty of flirty banter too. Then add in the spicy moments that were simultaneously hot and tender, it’s brilliant! The ending was sweet and rounded off everything really well. It did feel a little bit rushed for my liking but left the characters in a good place.

Overall, Falling For Mr. October is a sweet Autumnal read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to The Smuthood Inc for an advanced copy of this book.

[Alexia Gauthier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come for the Shirtless Chef, stay for the unhinged nonnas

4.25 ⭐️ | 3.25 🌶️

Small-town autumn chaos, fake dating, meddling nonnas, and a ridiculously charming man who cooks without a shirt? Angela Casella clearly understood the assignment.

Falling for Mr. October, the first book in the Apple Ridge series, was my introduction to Casella’s writing; and I had such a good time. This story is funny, sweet, deliciously tense, and full of side characters who are completely bonkers in the best possible way. Seriously, bless those nonnas…and maybe never leave them unsupervised.

Bianca is an RN working in a senior living home while helping shoulder the stress of her family’s struggling farm. She’s strong, suspicious, and stretched thin; especially with her twin brother gone and nearly impossible to reach. Then Giovanni arrives in Apple Ridge with his nonna, claiming they’re there to “help.” Naturally, Bianca isn’t buying it.

Giovanni is her brother’s childhood best friend, her long-ago first kiss on a dare, and (minor detail), the recently unmasked social-media sensation known as the Shirtless Chef. He has hundreds of thousands of followers, nowhere to hide, and absolutely no business being that gorgeous while casually cooking for Bianca’s family.

One accidental kiss in front of a camera later, fake dating enters the chat.

Bianca and Giovanni’s chemistry is electric from the start. Their history gives every teasing exchange an extra spark, while the fake relationship creates plenty of longing, temptation, and increasingly blurred lines. Watching them stumble from frenemies into something tender, sexy, and dangerously real was the heart of the book for me. Their romance is playful and hilarious, but it also has emotional weight. Beneath the festivals and pumpkin-patch antics are two people facing difficult choices, uncertain futures, and the terrifying vulnerability of falling for someone who may eventually leave.

This was the kind of romance that made me laugh, swoon, and ache a little. It captures that breathless free fall into love; the moment when pretending becomes impossible and wanting someone starts to feel both exhilarating and frightening.

Sweet, sexy, autumnal, and wonderfully chaotic, Falling for Mr. October delivers fake-dating fun with genuine emotion simmering underneath. Come for the Shirtless Chef, stay for the sparkling chemistry…and prepare to be lovingly steamrolled by the nonnas.

Thank you to Hambright PR for sending me the e-ARC, and congratulations to Angela Casella on the September 3 release!

[HeyGirl_Whatcha_Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four words “The Dong of Discussion” 🤣

Angela Casella you never disappoint with your wonderful small town stories. I was cracking up at the “Smut Slut” hat and the meddling nonnas and all the shirties! I need this to be made into an audiobook so I can listen to Giovanni say sexy Italian things to me 🥵

I love that you offer a sweet and spicy version of your books. I obviously chose the spice and it did not disappoint! My goodness was it great!

I loved the small town, the family businesses, the mayor drama, the superstitions, the brilliant best friend who I JUST KNOW is going to get her book next with a certain twin 👀 There was drama and fun and grief and healing. This was top tier.

Thank you to Angela Casella and Hambright PR for the advanced reader copy. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. If Angela Casella writes it, I’m reading it 🔥

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75⭐️

Oh my gosh. First fall romance of the season and it did not disappoint. Giovanni is Bianca’s twin brother’s best friend. When he shows up to Apple Ridge with his nonna (grandmother) to stay with them and help with the farm Bianca is not happy. But as she learns why he’s there and they decide to fake date as a way to solve both their problems she realizes he’s more than just a pretty goofy Italian boy. This book was seriously so fun and so cozy!! Here are some of my favorite things:
🍎Fake dating
🍏Forced proximity
🍎Fall activities like smores contests, corn maze race, applie pie contest, and more!
🍏Incredibly sweet MMC who speaks Italian to her and also cooks for her constantly
🍎A romance book club with women at a retirement home where Bianca works (and yes, Giovanni goes)

This was such a perfect fall read! I absolutely loved it!

[Steph L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to The Smuthood for the gifted copy of this E-Arc.

Vibes
Knew Each Other As Kids
Small Town
Nurse FMC x Chef MMC
Fake Dating

5 stars

Falling for Mr. October by Angela Casella was a great book.

Characters-9

I loved Bianca and Gio! Both were great characters with a great story to follow. They both had large families, which was a way they bonded when first saw each other again, and I found it charming. Both characters were also serious when you first meet them, and bonded them as they found fun throughout the story. The supporting characters are excellent, I loved the folks at The Rotten Apple.

Atmosphere-9.5

Falling For Mr. October is a story where the town plays a role in the story. I loved the charming small town events like the apple pie contest. This book reminded me of why people love small towns in the fall.

Writing-9

Angela Casella is a great writer. I loved the charming writing style, and the dual narrative style. The writing was easy to read and brought me into the story. I loved the balance of lighter and heavier elements.

Plot-9

I loved this story. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and Falling For Mr. October delivered fake dating in a fun way. I enjoyed the personal stories of Bianca and Gio as much as I enjoyed them as a couple. This story was perfect for the season because of all the fall events.

Enjoyment-9

From great characters, a charming story, and writing that intrigued me from beginning to end Falling For Mr. October was a hit for me. I will read more from the author.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spice: 2

Tropes:
forced proximity
small town romance
brother's best friend
fake dating
frenemies to lovers
Dual POV

A Shirtless Chef. Meddling Nonnas. A romance bookclub with the retirement home ladies. A Missing brother. Town Mayor for an Ex. A Smut Slut hat. And ALL the apples you can imagine. OHHHH Let's not forget the Dong of Discussion. That's what all you can expect in Falling for Mr. October.

Now, I know you may now have some questions lol, that's fair. Just know that Giovanni and his Nonna Francesca come to town to visit Nonna Rose and suddenly become a thorn, or maybe a blessing, in Bianca's side. I found the story super cute and funny. I know we've all seen those thirst trap baking videos on tiktok before. Well... our own Mr. October, it turns out, is THE Shirtless Chef! So while he's out hiding from fans, he's agreed to help Bianca's family's apple orchard/farm out.

I'd definitely recommend this to be on your Autumn TBR list! Not just for the abs and apples, but for the nonnas and the retirement home ladies. I adored them all! Especially the fact the romance bookclub uses a s3x toy as their "dong of discussion". bwhahahaha. But seriously, the tension was really good between Giovanni and Bianca and I enjoyed their chemistry a lot. The banter was great too.

But I need to know Nonna and Great Uncle Ted's mystery secret! I hope we find out in the next book!

[Sarah Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect book to kick off the fall season. This book made me super happy overall Giovanni and Bianca are absolutely the cutest and I love how they start enemies to lovers the end kind of soulmates. Their Nonnas are absolutely amazing and the retirement home ladies with their dirty book club and “dong of discussion”had me cackling. I am already completely invested in the series and I can’t wait for Emily and Miles book to come out.

[Katrina Rathbone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m such a fan of this author. Her stories are always fun and the characters are super lovable. The plots actually matter… since there’s a spicy & not spicy version available. This was a fun extension of her other holiday book with the older brother, so it was sweet getting to revisit those characters. Both the MMC & FMC were the sweetest of green flags. Cute little feel-good fall book, with lots of fun Italian-American references.

[Megan Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew this sounded really cute but I enjoyed this even more than I anticipated. It was a very well balanced sweet and slightly spicy romance. It wasn’t overly cheesy though there are fun elements to it that give slight Hallmark vibes, our characters had fantastic personalities and chemistry, the side characters were just as fun, and there were some emotional moments and growth that happened that really made for such a great fall read. I laughed a lot through this book and highlighted many creative scenes that absolutely should be made into a movie.

I’m super excited for the next book in this series and will be going to find more from this author!

Thank you to Angela and Hambright PR for the arc!

[Jaymie Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Release day to this fall cutie!! He is the internet’s favorite shirtless chef, and she is the only woman in town who’s not impressed 🤭

🍂 Fall Romance
🍂 Fake dating (my favorite!)
🍂 Brother’s best friend
🍂 Frenemies to lovers (done so well!)
🍂 Small town
🍂 The cutest meddling Nonnas

This is book one in the Apple Ridge series, and my first by Angela Casella! My favorite part, you can choose to read a sweet or spicy version! Spicy is open door with strong language, and sweet is mild language and only kissing. I chose the sweet version and had so much fun! I was swooning over Giovanni, and loved Bianca as a strong female lead. The best part, the match making Nonnas!

I was sent an early copy by Hambright PR and Angela Casella but all opinions are my own. Thanks so much for including

[Laney Hatcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful autumn romance . . . I'm definitely falling for Apple Ridge, North Carolina. Angela delivers a swoony, feel-good romcom complete with everything I love about a memorable small town. Between the matchmaking nonnas and the dastardly mayor, you'll be rooting for Giovanni and Bianca's love match. From being each other's first kiss as teenagers to sharing a wall as reluctant roommates, these two have a simmering connection that will have romance readers cheering.

[Lynn_G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this first kiss to enemies to lovers romance from the always delightful Angela Casella.

Assisted living facility nurse Bianca is thirty and still living with her beloved nonna, who’s slowed down a bit but still full of life. In addition to her caregiver gig, she works tirelessly at the family farm which sells apples and pumpkins in the fall, and Christmas trees immediately after. The farmhouse is as worn out and exhausted as she is, and since her ex (who happens to be the mayor in addition to the owner of the assisted living facility where she’s employed) has limited her family farm’s exposure on the town’s official tourism media, things aren’t likely to improve. That is, until The Shirtless Chef decides to hide out (poorly) in their hometown of Apple Ridge after his anonymity is blown on a livestream.

Giovanni aka The Shirtless Chef scurries back with his nonna to Apple Ridge after a dozen years away to find not much has changed, and that the feisty girl who was dared into kissing him when they were teens has grown into an equally feisty - and beautiful - grown woman.

Bianca and Giovanni agree to fake date until Giovanni’s scandal blows over, but there’s nothing fake about the attraction nor the connection they feel toward one another. Unscrupulous exes and scheming nonnas muddy the waters surrounding their temporary fauxmance, and the health of two family-run businesses hang in the balance in this fun, sexy, pumpkin-spicy romance.

I was fortunate to have been provided an advance reader copy from the author, and I’m pleased to share my honest review.

[Aubrie Church · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Giovanni is having a great time being the anonymous “Shirtless Chef” on the internet. He’s outgoing, loves cooking, and the money it brings in helps his family immensely. But when the camera falls during a live video and his identity is revealed, his world flips upside down. To escape the chaos, him and his Nonna travel to visit a family he grew up with but hasn’t seen since the Nonnas feuded years ago. His best friend Miles said it would be a great spot to lie low, and his family could use some help on their Apple Orchard/ Christmas tree farm. Seems like a great plan, but Giovanni will have to face Bianca, the sister that he kissed all those years ago and never forgot. She’s unimpressed by him and it only makes him want her more. After winning a small town competition, Giovanni is thrust back into the spotlight as Mr. October, and they decide that pretending to date could benefit Bianca’s family farm, which has been struggling to make ends meet. Bianca may want to keep him at arms length, but even she can’t resist his charm.

This was a great feel-good story. The characters are lovable, the matchmaking Nonnas make you laugh and there is depth to their struggles and self discovery. The town is seemingly run by senior citizens, and the way Bianca and Giovanni defend and care for them is very sweet. The feud with the Mayor / Bianca’s ex fiancé was fun and I loved the ending because I was not expecting it at all. Just a hint of spice to keep it interesting made it an all around great read!!

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🍁
This book was the perfect way to start the -ber months y’all! I loved the small town feels and I loved how there was a meddling mayor and quirky, elderly people and just the writing was so good and put you right in the scene in Apple Ridge, NC!

This is going to be for the romance lovers who love these tropes :

🍎fake dating
🍁brother’s best friend
🍎childhood frenemies to lovers
🍁match making nonnas
🍎small town

I also loved the dynamic of our MMC and why he comes to town to hide out! But you HAVE to read the book to find out why! He and the FMC both had their own hang ups and things to work through and they definitely should have known better to think the fake dating would just stay fake .. because that tension was tensioning 🔥😂

This was the spicy Hallmark moment I needed to start hoa, hoa, hoa season! There were laughs, tender moments, and reminders of the importance of family and just remember to slow down and realize what really matters!

There’s also a fun book club in the book that there meeting had me cackling 😂

So if you want a book to curl up with and drink an icy or hot PSL🎃, add this to your tbr! It’s a sweet, spicy, rom com you won’t want to miss! And can we just talk about the cover? It’s just screaming fall!

Thank you to The Smuthood for the eARC!!

[The Calm Chapter Mandi Wiencek · Rating 4 out of 5]

🍁 Falling for Mr. October 🍁
((Spoiler-Free ARC Review))

Title- Falling for Mr. October
Author- Angela Casella
Genre- Cozy Contemporary Romance

Trope City-
🧡 Matchmaking Nonnas
🧡 Cozy Fall Romance
🧡 Small Town
🧡 Frienemies to Lovers
🧡 Fake Dating

This book is so perfect to take us romance lovers in to the fall season. It’s written with so much balance. There’s enough reality to root the story, enough whimsy for readers to escape reality and just enough spice. Bianca (FMC) is a working hospice nurse. She spends all her time with a hilarious community of old folks. Giovanni (MMC) is escaping a revealed secret. He and Bianca shared their first kiss as kids. Giovanni is Bianca’s Twin’s best friend. There’s so much family history there. When Giovanni shows up with his cute Nonna, Bianca is stubborn and cold. He works her to his charming will with his chef skills and persistence. This town is ADORABLE and the people are nosey and involved. I just love it. Giovanni’s secret catches up to him, making him a bit of a sexual fantasy for most of the population. He is the shirtless chef. People chasing him works for Bianca’s family’s failing farm. They fake date to draw fame and the crowd to their tiny town. Can this couple’s fake start and history lead to a real life HEA?!

Thank you Hambright PR for sharing this cutie Fall ARC with me 🧡🍁


SMUT SLUT ❤️😂

[Nicole Chasing Chapters · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Small-town autumn chaos, fake dating, frenemies-to-lovers, meddling family.

Giovanni and Bianca had instant chemistry and the kind of banter that had me laughing from the start. Between the meddling brothers, Nonnas, retirees, and the hilarious Shirties, there was never a dull moment. Luanne was an absolute favorite I need a Luanne of my own!

I loved how Giovanni and Bianca continuously showed up for each other and seemed to know exactly what the other needed, even after years apart. It made their connection feel so genuine and had me rooting for them from the beginning.

Angela Casella is one of the authors who helped get me back into reading as an adult, so I’ll always have a special place in my heart for her books. I’m incredibly grateful to be part of her team, and in true Angela fashion, there’s a sweet version AND a spicy version!

If you love feel good fall romance, small-town charm, local lore, hilarious side characters, and a couple determined to do right by their town, add this one to your fall TBR!

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is my second read from this author and this one was just as amazing as the first! 🤩

the story follows bianca, a retirement nurse, & giovanni, a grandma’s boy turned shirtless chef influencer while they rekindle a teenage crush & try to save bianca’s family farm (along with giovanni’s career/ego)

there’s substantial banter, along with HILARIOUS old ladies, which just adds to the story of gio & bianca finding their way. luanne is definitely in line for favorite side character of all time.

gio is the brother of enzo, the main character in the holiday hate-off so it was fun to find all of the easter eggs & expand on the cafiero family lore !!

I greatly enjoyed this read; it was quick paced, but the characters still had a substantial amount of depth.

Thank you to Hambright PR and the author for the eARC, all opinions are my own.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to author Angela Casella for the early copy offered through her e-newsletter and also the digital arc from Hambright PR! I loved Giovanni and his family in The Holiday Hate-Off so I was so excited to hear Angela was creating a new series featuring him in a new town. This was a delightful fall-inspired romantic comedy. Giovanni and Bianca even if reluctant at first are such a good match! They know how best to support and encourage each other and their chemistry was off the charts. I read the spicy version and I enjoyed the spice. I also loved both nonnas, their siblings, their friends in the retirement home and the entertaining townspeople. I look forward to reading more books in this series!

[My Reading Era · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the fall vibes of this cover, so I couldn’t wait to dive in!

When Giovanni shows up with no real reason for being there other than accompanying his grandmother, Bianca is less than thrilled. She’s suspicious of his motives, which leads to some seriously incredible banter between the two of them.

But what I loved most was seeing how they truly stepped up for each other. Their connection felt so natural, and you could really feel that they were meant to be.

I also adored their grandmother's along with the townspeople. They brought so much charm and personality to the story!

Overall, this was such a fun, cute read and absolutely perfect for the season.

Thank you, Angela Casella and Hambright PR for the ARC.

[Brenda Yager · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cozy fall themed story is great. Giovanni and Bianca’s banter is wonderful and their personalities blend so well and bounce off the page. I enjoyed their backstory and their Nonna’s backstories of friendship, the fact that they knew each other when they were young as well as their siblings felt like everyone was coming home. This is definitely the beginning to a very good series.

Shout out to the Nonnas’ and the residents of the Rotten Apple for adding so much light and mischief to the story.

Thank you The Smuthood for the ARC, keep them coming my way!

[Megan Shamy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

This was such a cute fall romcom!! Bianca and Giovanni had me smiling basically the entire time. Giovanni being the secretly famous Shirtless Chef hiding out in a small town was already such a fun setup, but throw in fake dating, a pumpkin patch, meddling grandmas, and all the fall festivities and I was sold. I really loved Bianca and Giovanni together. Their banter was so fun, and I loved watching Bianca slowly realize there was so much more to Giovanni than the charming playboy everyone sees. I was so here for all the fall vibes. I had such a great time.

Spice: 2

Trope: Autumn Romance
Fake Dating
Brothers Best Friend
Frenemies to Lovers
Small Town
Matchmaking Nonnas
Hot Chef
All the fall vibes

[Sabelle C · Rating 4 out of 5]

🤩 wow 🤩
I absolutely loved Giovanni and Bianca!!
The Shirtless Chef’s story is so hot 🔥
As always with Angela’s stories, I loved the side characters as much as the main characters 😍
So full of heart and love and redemption
Excellent story

[Ashley]

I am loving all the fall vibes for this one. But something about the FMC is aggravating me and I’m not really rooting for the MC’s to get together. Totally a me problem and I’m hoping to try again later.

DNF at 35%

[Melissa Rollenhagen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angela is one of my auto buy authors. If she writes it, I will read it. I love the characters and reappearances of previous characters, the banter has me laughing out loud, and the chemistry is spicy. Basically, everything you could want in a fun fall book. Would recommend and looking forward to diving into this new fictional world with her next book set to release later this fall

[Kayla Rivas · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love books set in fall, you will love this sweet story! I loved the banter between the main characters and how their story develops throught the book! This book left me wanting more, I cant wait to read the rest of the stories in the series!

[Mich.elles_booknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love small town romances, with all the banter, and an Italian who proudly wears a smut slut hat you definitely need to pick this up!
Had such a fun time with this one!

Thank you to Hambright PR for sending me a copy of the ebook!

[book_nerd13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was absolutely the perfect book to get me into the fall mood! I adoreeeed fake dating and the vibes of fall and the small town charm.