Dangerously Falling: A love story undercover

by Sophie Toovey

158 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 17, 2026

About the author

Sophie Toovey loves reading and writing romance. She's an English teacher who drinks too much tea, and a total Jane Austen geek. She lives in Wales, in the UK, and enjoys smart romcoms where there's a bit of grit and realism. She writes clean, closed door romance with kisses only. Sign up for her newsletter at https://sophietoovey.com and receive a free ebook of I Want You Back, a contemporary retelling of Persuasion. If you follow Sophie on BookBub and Amazon, you'll get notified whenever she has a new release. Go to https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sophi... and to https://shorturl.at/7Hygj to follow her.

Reviews

[Emilee Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review:
This book is so cute! It handles a difficult topic but in a way to easily digest and open the door for more introspection and independent research. Olivia and Sebastian are cute together. I would say grumpy sunshine but it’s definitely a grumpy/grumpy turning to sunshine together. These two complement each other while also highlighting the beautiful dynamics of a forced situation that neither want.
It also showcases the ability to grieve and love and continue with life in a different outcome than you ever wanted. Grief takes time and looks so different for everyone and this book really shows how grieving can weigh you down but then lead you to the most rewarding outcomes.
Olivia and Sebastian are goals- realistic and true. Also, Sebastian’s mother deserves her own POV because I think she’s absolutely hilarious!!

[Kelsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy received from Author

I absolutely loved Olivia and Sebastian's story! The chemistry between then was electric and you could just tell they were made for each other.

The book has elements of grief that I think the author wrote about so well. I loved how the MMC helped FMC through it and gave her the space she needed while also being there for her.

I would absolutely love to hear more about Olivia and Sebastian's story or even some of Emily and Nathaniel's. Absolutely a must read!!

[DayDreamer8912 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5
Genre: Clean Romance
🚨TW: loss of love one, mentions about human trafficking, mentions about grief, being abducted, almost killed.

Favourite Moments
💃🏼 They first meet
💃🏼 Them bickering, teasing and flirting.
💃🏼 Them opening up to each other and be there for each other.
💃🏼 In the closet. (can’t spoil it)
💃🏼 At his place (can’t spoil it)
💃🏼 Moments with his mother on video call.
💃🏼 At the Valentine Falls’ waterfall (can’t spoil it)
💃🏼 Them working together to investigate about the human trafficking (can’t spoil it)
💃🏼 They protect each other.
(lots more)

Swoony Moments
💃🏼He falls first.
💃🏼 He cares and protects her and doesn’t want her to be hurt.
💃🏼 He is there whenever she needs him.
💃🏼 He respects her decision.
💃🏼 He cooks for her. (awwww….)


Synopsis:
Olivia
A British policewoman who is on vacation. She is recovering from the loss of her partner in the police force.

Sebastian
An undercover CIA operative who is on duty to find out about the sex trafficking case.

They met in a gala and doesn’t expect that they will be swept into a fake relationship with each other. At first, they don’t see eye to eye but as they got to know each other and when the operation deepens, so is their connection. Things get interesting when they shared a kiss beneath the waterfall that said to bind their hearts forever. With the case in their hands which is about to get dangerous, will they able to get their happily ever after? Read Dangerously Falling to find out!!

Review:
Can you imagine you and the person you love kissing beneath the waterfall that says that it will bind both your hearts forever? It’s so romantic oh wells, a girl can dream right? Haha..
This is story is filled with action pack and they are in a dangerous situation. Love their bickers, teasing and also flirting. They don’t see eye to eye at first but they still need to make their fake relationship believable. And them dancing together is just so sweet.

Love that they opened up to each other and show each other their vulnerable side. They also protected each other and also there for each other. Him trying his best to stop her from being involve in the case but he failed because once she knows there is a case she is not going to stop investigating. Love that they work together to find out who is the person who is in charge of the sex trafficking ring. Love that he respected her decision which I can’t spoil it you will have to read to find out.

Can’t spoil too much of the story. To know what going on with the case you will have to read to find out.

P.S When can I learn Salsa and Tango haha…

This the 1st book of Valentine Falls Series. It is a multi-author series written by 3 amazing authors.

I was gifted complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own. Thank you, @sophie_toovey for the ARC!

You can purchase this book on Amazon and it’s available on KU.

[Brandi Jackola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia, a police officer from the UK, is visiting her recently married sister in Oregon. They’re at a party that is also a fundraiser to support an arts camp for underprivileged teens. She’s not exactly having the best time, until a man comes up to her and starts a conversation. That man is Sebastian, and he’s there under the guise of purchasing art. As it turns out, Sebastian is also a friend of her sister’s husband. When it’s clear that his cover isn’t working, Olivia steps in as his girlfriend. And they end up having to dance, after Miranda, one of the suspects, calls Olivia’s supposed bluff about dancing the salsa.

Of course, Olivia knows how to dance. But she didn’t realize Sebastian does, too.

Both Olivia and Sebastian have problems letting go of work. In Sebastian’s case, he’s been working on this trafficking scam for a year, and he wants to finally close it. Olivia is still grieving her former partner Jason, and won’t go to therapy to work out her issues. This means, of course, that something seemingly unrelated will send her down the rabbit hole for a while.

At first, they have a kind of “love to hate you” relationship, but as they get to know each other, that changes. Still, both of them have trouble communicating their thoughts, and more than one misunderstanding will take them back a few steps.

Grief is a tricky thing. When you lose someone, you don’t stop grieving them. I know this from having lost both my parents. You don’t get over that, you just…learn how to live with the loss.

I really enjoyed this book, as it had a little of everything. A billionaire (Olivia’s brother-in-law, Nathaniel), an undercover operative (Sebastian), a daring leading lady (Olivia), dancing, and taking a dip in the Valentine Falls…err, falls. Is the water healing like local legends say? Maybe. Maybe not. Only those who have taken the plunge could say.

This is also the first of three books, and I’m really looking forward to what’s coming next. If you like your romances with true love, intrigue, and a little danger, this book is for you.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is part of a multi author series that takes place in Oregon and features Valentine Falls.

Sebastian has been working for over a year on trying to get enough evidence on Johnson to bust up the human trafficking ring. Olivia, who is a policewomen in London, has come to the states to visit her sister and unwittingly gets involved in the operation. In an effort to protect Sebastian's cover, Olivia pretends to be his girlfriend. With the close proximity that fake dating puts them in, difficult past experiences are shared and feelings start to happen. But of course - how would it ever work out when Olivia is only here on holiday.

While this book deals with some heavy topics, the banter between Olivia and Sebastian is fun and will have you laughing out loud at times. This is a sweet romcom story that finds the characters quickly falling for each other, working through grief and healing, and being protective of each other.

I feel like this book was left open to have its own spin off series, especially with how the story ended. Which I'm hoping this is true as I'd love more from Sebastian and Olivia.

Content: grief, mention of human trafficking and sex trafficking, abduction, death of police partner (past), parent neglect, mention of infertility

Quotes:
"I could get addicted to this feeling of him kissing me, like I'm the only girl left on earth, the only one who matters to him now."

"I want someone who will fight for me. Someone who loves me enough to push through the hard stuff, and shows up when it matters."

"As much as I want a happy ending, I don't know if they exist in real life."

[Shannan Williams]

Dangerously Falling is book 1 of a multi author 3 series books. When I saw the short amount of pages I was wondering how this was going to go for me, because I definitely like the long, detailed, stories with all the things. However, this book had it all! It’s very engaging. The MMC, Sebastian and the FMC Olivia were such complex characters with their own set of difficult pasts, but they worked instinctively so well together.

Olivia is a police officer and is in Valentine Falls for vacation visiting her sister. Sebastian is undercover working on taking down a trafficking ring. The way they meet and end up fake dating as a cover is great! As the story continues they get to know each other better and each opens up about their past. Sebastian is the best, he is so sensitive to Olivia’s needs and so caring! As they work on this dangerous undercover operation and get to know each other better it is quite the story. It is fast paced and I didn’t want to put it down. It had me hooked from page 1 until the very last page. If you like fast paced, high action, intensity and clean romance this is for you! I absolutely loved this book! 5*****

[Nathalie DeSousa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an entertaining read (a novella size book) with unique love story filled with healing, pain, suspense, and love.

Oliiva is a cop in England, who is visiting her sister in Valentine Falls U.S, here she meets Sebastian an FBI agent who is working on a human trafficking ring investigation. They decide to fake a relationship to help with his investigation, and discover much more about each other. They are both maskng pain/grief that makes them closed off -almost grumpy- but as they get to know each other, the relationship starts to organically grow through space, conversations, time, moments which lead them to open up about their loss, pain and leads them to start a healing process together.

The plot is fast paced and filled with humor, insight, intelligent conversation, the MCs are so relatable and humanly depicted that you feel their pain and can identify with them. BE ready to laugh at their banter, at his mom's insights, but also feel their struggles and be open to see grief shown as waves.

I enjoyed the book!

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

MMC/MFC: Sebastian and Olivia

Tropes:
* Romantic suspense
* Undercover
* Fake dating
* Emotional healing

A little bit of enemies to more, Sebastian and Olivia are forced to work together when she steps in to ‘save’ an op.
They’re attracted, and fighting it, and rub each other up the wrong way. When she overhears a conversation that’s less than complimentary, well… Olivia is about to go to war.

This alternates between humour and emotion.

‘You’re the dessert I can’t wait to taste… but you’re the starter and the main course too. I don’t want to rush to the pudding and miss the whole meal.’

A bit of angst… Just when you think things are headed in the right direction, her sister gets involved, and drama ensues. I really felt for Liv, undermined, underestimated and over-analysed. It seemed like everyone thought they knew more about her than she knew herself. It actually made me rage a little.

Some action, some suspense, a bit of angst, some emotional healing and character growth make for a pretty enjoyable read.

[Bernadette Ducanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was actually my first time reading an undercover romance… and I loved it so much. 😭🖤 Add in the enemies-to-lovers trope (which is my absolute favorite 👀🔥), and I was completely sold.

The story is action-packed from the start — dangerous situations, high stakes, and nonstop tension. I loved their bickering, teasing, and subtle flirting. They didn’t see eye to eye at first, but they still had to make their fake relationship believable… and the dancing scene? So soft. So sweet. 💃🏻✨

What made it even better was seeing them slowly open up and show their vulnerable sides. They protected each other in ways that truly mattered. He tried his best to keep her away from the case, but once she knows there’s something to investigate, there’s no stopping her. I loved watching them work together to uncover who’s behind the trafficking ring. And the way he respected her final decision? 🥹 I won’t spoil it — you’ll have to read to find out.

ARC gifted by Author Sophie Toovey.

Thank you for the opportunity.

[Readsandeats · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so pleased I am on the review team for this series, Falling Dangerously is book 1. We meet Olivia who is in Valentine Falls on holiday, spending time with her sister and brother in law. One night she attends a gala with them both and ends up dancing a tension filled tango with Sebastian. Sebastian in working undercover for the CIA, trying to stop a sex trafficking ring.
Olivia get pulled into the undercover mission, the more time she and Sebastian spend together the more both of them want. However, Sebastian’s job means he has to try and keep a distance between them and Olivia is recovering from the death of her police partner. As the pressure to put a stop to the ring mounts can they work together?
I really enjoyed the setting, the Falls sounds delightful. Love that there is a legend attached to them as well. Olivia and Sebastian are complex characters that help both ground and bring out the best in each other. There banter is witty and it is obvious that they care about each other. The tango scene was so good, I could see it happening.
The close relationship Olivia has with her sister and brother in law was well written and you felt how protective they all were of each other.
I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the other books in this series.

[Tattered_Page_Treasures · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m so glad I met @sophie_toovey a few years ago on IG. I’ve read several of her books now, so when the chance came up to preview this one, I was excited! Detective work, romance, hiking! I love all these things. And I knew I could trust Sophie’s style. There is tension in the fake dating situation, but it stays clean. There is no need for anything inappropriate with the way this author writes. She doesn’t need anything super spicy to keep the love alive and readers interested. ❤️ Olivia is supposed to be on vacation visiting her sister when she meets Sabastian who is working undercover to take down a human trafficking ring. Both of them are in law enforcement, and Olivia quickly becomes part of the plan. This is one of three books set in Valentine Falls - a magical place with healing powers and where love binds people together. I’m ready to dive into number two tomorrow. #bookstagram #cleanromance #closeddoorromance @sophie_toovey

[Corrie Daratony · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨arc review✨

4⭐️

this was such a fun read! i finished it in a day🤭

Sebastian and Olivia were so good together. Even though they couldn’t stand each other at first 😂 it made it even better when they did start to develop feelings for one another. Because DANG their love is fierce!

I loved Sebastian’s protectiveness over Olivia. But then insert Olivia’s stubbornness and you have some great banter between the two of them.

I really enjoyed the undercover operation and the spy twists in this book. It kept me engaged and helped grow Sebastian and Olivia’s relationship.

My favorite part of the book and Sebastian and Olivia’s relationship was the fact that the two of them could truly open up their hearts to one another and in turn, help heal pieces of themselves. Their relationship came out stronger because of that.

[Liberty Munson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A spy romance with a fake romance that becomes more. An enjoyable read with a bit of suspense to keep you turning pages. Olivia is working through grief associated with losing her partner of the police force that might have been more; while visiting her sister, she finds herself helping Sebastian bring down a trafficking ring. Both work through their fears of this becoming real while they gather evidence that will stop the trafficking. Although there are many factors conspiring against them, each looks for ways to make it work even while the other seems resigned that it won't work. A story about persistence and hope.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sweet romance wrapped in a suspenseful plot was a delightful short read!

I really enjoyed Sebastian and Olivia's banter. And although their relationship started out by pitting them against each other, I loved watching them come together as a team; not only to defeat the bad guys, but also to fall in love.

I usually find that it's hard to accomplish a well written slow burn with short novels, but Sophie did a tremendous job slowly leading our two characters together without it feeling rushed. I also loved the fact that there was a little bit of faith weaved into the story as well! It was the icing on the cake!

All in all, I really enjoyed this story and I am excited for the next adventure in Valentine Falls.

[Allison H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun quick read, full of intrigue, banter and falling in love. When our FMC and MMC end up having to work together, feelings start to stir. I love the mix of culture and language, with a bit of dance woven in as well. The softness, empathy, and quick wit between our main characters, with the mystery aspect was well done and added to the journey. This was a cute one for sure!


📌 Witty Banter & Dual POV
📌 Healing from Grief
📌 Slow Burn & Closed Door Romance
📌 Ballroom Dancing
📌 Fake Dating with a Spy Twist

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia, who is a police officer in London, visits her sister who lives in the states. Sebastian is a police officer who is undercover in a sex trafficking ring. At an event, Olivia realizes Sebastian’s cover may have been blown. Sebastian is not impressed with Olivia but goes along with them posing at as a couple. The story isn’t just about two people falling in love or even chasing down the bad guys but an emotional tale of someone grieving for a lost loved one. But the ending will surprise you!

[Moreno Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this quick read filled with action, romance, grief,and awareness of human trafficking. FBI agent and British police, fake dating romance to keep under cover, and the grief Olivia is recovering from losing her partner in the line of duty. Olivia emotions are everywhere as anyone would imagine when dealing with grief but compartmentalize by keeping busy with work to numb herself. Suggested to anyone who is in a need of a little action and romance, Mr. & Mrs. Smith (the movie) kind of romance.

[Kelly Minnigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ARC review is part of 3 books that all take place at Valentine Falls but each book follows different characters & are written by different authors. Dangerously Falling is book 1 and sets a beautiful benchmark for the next 2 books. My favorite part of this book was the FMC healing from past pains & tragedy. Plus the patient and caring MMC! Learning through each other and with each other.
All “PG” clean romance here. Plus HEA.

[Cheryl LaRoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia is on vacation visiting her sister in Oregon but she can’t stop the instincts that come with being a London cop. Sebastian is under cover trying to catch a human trafficking ring. When Olivia overhears one of the trafficking suspects talking she jumps in to keep Sebastian’s cover intact. Now Olivia is the fake girlfriend and dance partner of an undercover agent… what a fun story! I am excitedly waiting to read the next book in the series!

[Sam Ashby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was emotional and action packed due to the fake dating undercover assignment the two
Main characters started their relationship as. As the novel grew on fake turned real and we learn about the loss that led to Olivia being in the States and meeting Sebastian. I appreciate the way the author handled everything with care. I can’t wait to read the next books in this series. Check it out if you haven’t are wanting a clean romance.

[ChriseBee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! This was a reminder that I need to read more of Sophie Toovey's books this year. I received an ARC, and I'm so happy to support the release of the first book in the Valentine Falls series. Dangerously Falling has fake dating, a swoony vacation romance, witty banter, a little suspense, and a special waterfall. The story felt perfect.

I liked Olivia and Sebastian so much. They made me laugh out loud and grin often. They supported each other and shared a deep emotional connection that felt so natural. I'd love to see them returning as main characters or supporting characters in a future series.

I enjoyed how Sophie wrote a fun story while dealing with important but tough topics that didn't overwhelm it. Discussing grief, trafficking, family dynamics, and fear and frustrations in life sounds too serious for a romcom, but it all came together wonderfully.

[Natalia (Talia) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! The story was fast paced but the romance felt real and not rushed so well done Sophie 👏

And of course I’m completely biased but I absolutely loved the surprise Boricua MMC 🇵🇷 it’s not something I see very often and was well done.

And the dancing…my goodness 🫠🤭

The only “negative” thing is that I don’t have more of their story to read 😅







***I have received this book as an arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinion are my own***

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dangerously Falling is an absolute delight—I couldn’t put it down. The plot is engaging, and the chemistry between the FMC, Olivia, and the MMC, Sebastian, is undeniable. The dual point of view adds depth to their story and makes the tension even more compelling. If you love enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and instant chemistry, this book is absolutely for you.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was quite interesting. It was a romance, which I enjoyed. It features a cop and a FBI agent, which was interesting. The storyline was pretty good. This book is written by an author that doesn't live in the USA, which made me think about some of the vocabulary more than usual. Overall, it is a good story!

[erica culpepper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good cross-cultural romance with a little intrigue on the side!
Sebastian and Olivia do the same type of work, just in different countries. Liv accidentally getting pulled in changes everything when the two address a community threat in Oregon.
So much about the relationship sheds light to trauma and how to deal in a healthier light. Definitely recommend!

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good read. Trigger warning: mentions human trafficking of young girls. Doesn’t go into detail just talks about how the MMC is undercover on an op to stop the traffickers. I love that you get to learn about Olivia and why she is the way she is. I love that her and her sisters relationship is a lot better by the end of it.

[Maria Merced · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5⭐️

ARC Review:
This was a nice clean romance that talks about the difficult topic of child trafficking.

I liked how the MMC Sebastian helps FMC Olivia go through her own past trauma/loss and grief. Book has HEA.

The book format threw me off a bit. The paragraphs are not very defined and made it a bit difficult for me to follow the flow easily.

[Lori Albertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dangerously Falling by Sophie Toovey is one of three romance stories set in or around Valentine Falls. This one pairs Olivia and Sebastian together as Sebastian tries to bring down the bad guys for his undercover operation that Olivia ‘accidentally’ joins as his fake girlfriend. This was a sweet love story.

Thank you to Sophie Toovey for this advanced copy.

[Pati Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story line of law enforcement main characters and under cover is one of my favorites, but I feel as though this book had so much missed opportunity. There were minimal details about anything or anyone, and the ending wasn’t what I had hoped for.

[Emma Hardy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had a lot of potential but being a novella didn't feel fleshed out quite enough for me. I'd have loved a bit more depth to feel more connected to the characters. An enjoyable escapism read, was just left wanting a bit more.