Fall Me Maybe: A Novel – A Steamy and Witty Small-Town Friends to Lovers Romantic Comedy

Cozy Creek Collection #5

by Laney Hatcher

Unexpected sparks fly and a back seat gets put to good use when a small-town sweetheart falls head-first for her ride-share driver.

I’m supposed to be dating. Doing my level best to find The One™

While I try to give all the guys on my dating app a fighting chance, I might accidentally be falling in love with my ride-share driver instead.

Between disaster first dates and getting stood up and ghosted, I’ve become friends with one of the only car service drivers in my tiny hometown of Cozy Creek, Colorado.

Maybe I’m looking forward to my dating fails because it means more time with Noah, the guy I can’t stop thinking about. While guarded and cautious, he draws me in with his dry humor and reluctant smiles. But for some reason, Noah’s presence in town is a mystery--a secret he isn’t ready to tell.

You’re not supposed to fall in love with the guy driving you to your potential happily ever after. But, unfortunately, nobody told my heart that.

Fall Me Maybe is part of the Cozy Creek Collection of small-town standalones. It is a steamy, full-length romantic comedy.

Genres: Romance, Autumn, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Small Town Romance

276 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 24, 2026

About the author

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Laney Hatcher is a firm believer that there is a spreadsheet for every occasion and pie is always the answer. She is an author of stories both old and new where the HEAs are always guaranteed. Often too practical for her own good, Laney enjoys her life in the southern United States with her husband, children, and incredibly entitled cat.

Reviews

[Laney Hatcher]

It's cozy season, and FALL ME MAYBE is now in stores! Grab the deluxe edition paperback with gorgeous stenciled edges from Avon Books!

Read if you love...
🍂 All the fall things
🚕 A green flag hero
🏔️ The coziest mountain town
🌶️ Pumpkin Spice

https://laneyhatcher.com/fall-me-maybe/

[Jen ♥]

Noah (27) got into the town because his online girlfriend of six months asked him to come and be with her. But it turns out this woman is a witch who only played him and didn't want to do anything with him. With no job and enough money, he applied to become a "huber" driver in that place, and this is how he met Luanne/Lu (25).

He became her driver to all of her first dates (blind dates), and their setup gradually developed into friendship. Noah's skittish, always on guard, and distrustful of people because of what he went through. This man kept his secrets to himself for far too long because he's ashamed to admit that he got played. He can't believe how he fell for that, and every time he remembers his encounter with the "gf", it makes him mad and embarrassed.

Yet despite his attitude, it didn't stop Lu from befriending and spending time with him. In fact, it fueled her desire to know more about him. She's very patient, understanding, and accommodating of him. She handled him with so much care because she knows he's flighty. And although Noah didn't make it any easier for the two of them. Lu's persistence eventually broke down his walls bit by bit.

I saw the source of conflict from miles away, and, tbh, it was very predictable. Then again, this is a light read that didn't need much deep dive into the plot. Apparently Noah's online girlfriend was Lu's witchy, mean stepsister. So when all of them met, emotions ran high, and Noah ended up leaving Lu. They got separated because he didn't know how to handle the situation, and his insecurities got the best of him. And once again, Lu displayed her never ending patience and understanding for him. 

Now that I look back, most of the books in this series were all about the FMC's catering to the needs of their MMCs. And maaan, the baggage of the MMCs was freaking unhealthy. Then they're going to realize they messed up and would apologize for what they did. 🤦‍♀️

Anywaaay, it was still a good small-town romance. And readers have to be patient with Noah before it gets better. But the HFN ending definitely killed my mood. 😬 

Book info:
- Small town romance
- Huber driver
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Stangers to friends to lovers
- Slowburn
- Loss of loved one (past)
- No cheating (but she did go on some dates)
- No OMD, separation.
- OWD (Not really, but his ex (her stepsister) eventually appeared)
- No V
- HFN (in a relationship 🤷‍♀️)

[Julie Booklover]

4.5 stars

My favorite book of the Cozy Creek series, to date. Delightful, silly, small town, family drama, rom com, all wrapped up in a easy to read romance. I love Lu and Noah, the premise of falling for the ride share driver is fun. Noah comes off as a grump, but peel back his layers and he might surprise you.

Thank you to the Author for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review

[Onna DeRenzo]

I lovedddd this book! So cute & spicy! I loved how characters from the other cozy creek books were mentioned as well. 😍

[Kelsey Loves Books]

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was very cute, the fall element was well done but not over the top, and this author really seemed to excel at world-building and incorporating other characters and aspects of the canon and world built by the other authors in their standalone stories in the Cozy Creek universe.

[Dani]

If you are looking for a cute and cozy Fall read then this book is for you! It has all of the Fall vibes. Cozy Creek, CO is a place I want to visit. It gives me Stars Hollow vibes. Lu and Noah are the cutest couple. I love how Noah makes up a new nickname every day for Lu because she doesn't like her name. Some of my personal favorites were Lululemon, Loosey Goosey, and Luella De Ville. My husband also calls me funny nicknames that are derived from my name, so this little term of endearment hit home for me.

Tropes in this book include; smal town, found family, opposites attract, grumpy-sunshine, and friends to lovers.

I found Lu to be very relatable. She is young, single, and trying to find "the one" using dating apps. Who hasn't been there before? We get to hear some of her dating horror stories. For instance, one guy brings him mom on the date with him. I remember when I was single and using dating apps. They were horrible and I had some dates similar to hers. I loved Lu's free-spirit and kind heart.

Noah is the newcomer to Cozy Creek and the somewhat reluctant Huber (yes, with an H) driver that shuttles Lu to and from her dates while her Jeep is in the shop. He is guarded and has a great sense of humor. I could feel his love for Lu, and enjoyed watching it develop.

This book has the right amount of spice (and I'm not talking about pumpkin 😉). It is a light and fun read that will help get you into the Fall spirit. The plot is a little predictable, but I actually enjoy that in these types of books. We know how it is going to end, and that is why we are here. If you love the Gilmore Girls and Hallmark movies then this book is for you.

ARC Review
🩶 I received a free copy of this book, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily 🩶

[Priscila Page&Polish]

What a delightful cozy fall read! Seriously, the town of Cozy Creek screams everything pumpkin spice-yellow leaves-farmers market-autumn time goodness!!

Fall Me Maybe is a really beautiful story of two strangers who find each other and just make each other smile. She wants to chase it. He wants to run from it. But his reasons for being so guarded are completely valid and, quite frankly, really sad. Her family dynamic are equally glum.

Lu and Noah have really amazing banter and chemistry. He even finally admits, “We stood no chance.”

It’s really sweet but also has a lot of substance. Highly recommend this is your looking for a fall vibe read.

[Christie Binks]

I just want to cuddle Noah !

This has to be the most cute romantic cozy read I have ever read. I loved the story between Noah and Lu and how the story pans out.

Noah arrived to cozy creek broken down and not knowing how life will pan out and Lu was the local artist who is charming and beautiful. A part time job being the Huber driver brings these two together.

They have ups and downs and some pretty spicy moments but the love story is amazing.

Upset the series has ended but I loved it from the start !

[niki_reads_romance]

Once again, Laney Hatcher has written a book that was absolutely fantastic. I loved this story and absolutely hated when I had to put it down. The characters are real and flawed and emotional, the storyline was interesting, and I love how each of the main characters helped better the other. I literally don’t have one single complaint.

[Rosio]

Another cozy creek romance and it did not disappoint. Loved Noah and Lu’s story along with all the cute as hell nicknames. And of course any book that quotes Taylor Swift is a ten in my book “This is our house,” I confirmed. “We can leave the Christmas lights up till January.”

[John Gilbert]

I'm sure I'll be accused of being a hopeless romantic, but I actually think it's really sweet when the two most boring and useless dipshits on planet earth stumble into each other's lives and build a banal relationship that somehow manages to survive the most trivial of tests.

[Serenity Farah]

There were multiple pieces of this book that were so unique I can't help but give it 5 stars. I was very happy with the writing style, it never felt too repetitive or drawn out. I liked the slow build, the break down of walls, and building of trust. I'm glad this wasn't an insta-love situation. The plot twist was bit predictable once it started to get hinted at more and more, but still was a great unique addition to keep the plot from going stagnant. I would recommend this book as a fall read to a friend.

[Paisley Gay]

This was SO refreshing! ….from strangers → friendship → lovers, realistic scenarios/convos, family issues/boundaries, a twist towards the end, Lu & Noah were so sweet & funny & I was smiling & rooting for them the whole time.

[Jeanette H.]

Fall Me Maybe is part of the Cozy Creek Collection, featuring six standalone books by six different authors. This is the first book I've read in the collection, and it didn't disappoint.

About this book: In this sweet small-town romance set in Cozy Creek, Colorado, Luanne Billings navigates the ups and downs of modern dating, trying to find The One through a dating app. However, her disastrous dates lead her to form an unexpected connection with Noah, a ride-share driver with a mysterious past. As she becomes more intrigued by Noah's dry humor and guarded nature, she starts to question whether her true happily ever after might be found in the front seat of his car instead of on her dating app.

I love Cozy Creek (in Colorado)!! There's nothing like a good book bringing back good memories and evoking positive emotions. Cozy Creek's festivities reminded me of my hometown and the annual Fall Festival. This book has me ready to risk it all and move to a small town that actually experiences the fall season.

This is the second book I've read by Lacey Hatcher, and she does a great job of developing the story and characters. It's a slow burn, but in a way that's engaging. Noah is a bit of a grump, but he has the best nicknames for Luanne (who prefers to go by Lu), all involving the word "Lu," and it never gets annoying or old. There was a twist/shocking moment that I saw coming, and I was ready to throw hands to defend Lu! I'm glad it all worked out. The epilogue had me all like 🥹🥹.

Remember to Live. Love. Laugh.

P.S. I am so excited that I found a book easter egg! How amazing would it be for the worlds of Kirby Falls and Cozy Creek to come together?

[Michelle]

Small town sweetness with so much substance! On the surface, Noah and Lu seem like such an easy couple. But scratch the surface and the baggage pops out like a dough from a Pilsbury can.

I loved the premise of Lu falling slowly for her Uber driver, I mean Huber driver. lol. It’s a small town thing, just go with it. And reluctant Noah falling for the bubbly artist that pulls him out of his shell. His various “Lu” nicknames for her were some of my favorite moments in the story.

These two just need someone to put them first and it so terrific to see them grow into trusting each other and their relationship. And the fact that they have amazing chemistry does not hurt either!!

I m loving the Cozy Creek books! This is the third book that I’ve read in the collection and it’s fun to see how all the characters intertwine within the larger scope of the town. And, I loved the shoutout to Becca from Laney’s most recent book, Take it or Leaf it.

Totally recommend!

[Ft Worth Book Babes]

It would be absolutely impossible to read Fall Me Maybe and not fall madly in love with Lu and Noah. She’s a bubbly ball of sunshine with a heart of gold. He’s a slightly grumpy and definitely very guarded cinnamon roll with a wicked sense of humor. From Noah’s increasingly ridiculous nicknames for Lu to her wild guesses about what brought him to Cozy Creek, I laughed out loud so many times while reading this book. Their love story is a sweet friends to lovers slow burn and while it might take a while to get there, the steam is off the charts. Seriously, the spicy scenes were some of the best I’ve read in a long while and their heartfelt romantic moments were even better. Combining the perfect amounts of humor, romance, spice, and heart all wrapped up in warm fall vibes, Fall Me Maybe is definitely not to be missed!

*I also squealed a bit when Becca from Take it or Leaf it was mentioned! I love when authors leave little Easter eggs and shoutouts to other stories!*

[KristieReadsBooks]

Another fantastic addition to the Cozy Creek series! Laney writes beautiful stories filled with amazing character dealing with real life situations in gorgeous settings.

Noah is a fantastic man who is so patient, kind and a bit vulnerable. He’s new to town and getting on his feet with a temporary ride share job. He’s working on being courages enough to work on his ultimate passion.

Lu is a delightful, sweet and funny character. She is at a bit of a crossroads…trying to do what makes her happy while also keeping others off her back.I’m not a fan of her mom…she has caused some stress and anxiety for Lu. I love how Lu finds her voice as the book progresses.

Noah and Lu’s friendship/relationship progresses so beautifully and organically. Their chemistry is soooo amazing and I love their banter and conversations while in the car. They truly build one another up and become each other’s biggest confidants, cheerleader and person.

Love this story and the entire series/

[Alyssa Radke]

Author Laney Hatcher

Published August 30, 2024

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A Cozy Creek collection!!

Noah is a Huber driver. He’s from South Carolina. With Noah staying in Cozy Creek longer than he expected, he developed love for web designing! He started his own business!

Lu’s Mom died when she was young and her dad got remarried. Lu doesn’t get along with her stepsister Ginny. Ginny liked to pick on her back in high school. Lu went to college for art! Lu makes things for customers on Etsy! DeLuLu Designs!

Lu’s red Jeep was in the shop. Noah thought it was in there for a good month. Here Lu had it back within a week. She kept requesting rides from Noah because she likes him and wanted to spend more time with him. I find that sweet.

They were definitely falling for each other 🥰

Noah has so many nicknames for Lu for example, Lu-onardo Da Vinci!

I really enjoyed reading this book! They were so cute together!

[Elizabeth]

“Lu deserved to be cherished. She ought to be worshipped. She needed someone to take her tender, bruised heart and keep it safe.”

Oh my goodness, Fall Me Maybe is Laney Hatcher’s second full-length contemporary romance and she is killing it! This cozy fall romance has the cutest premise and two of the kindest, most genuine MCs. Luanne Billings is a sweet, lovely, and enchanting small-town artist who is tired of dating jerks. When she develops a lil crush on her Huber driver and rescuer, she can’t resist concocting a plan to spend time alone with Noah! He’s a nerdy cinnamon roll with a hot protective side and he’ll melt your heart. I loved Lu & Noah’s opposites-attract cozy autumn love story! Laney’s writing is charming and punny with a twist. I can’t get enough of Cozy Creek and all of these wonderful characters!

[Tiara Good]

This was by far my favorite book of the Cozy Creek collection!! This story of Lu and Noah felt believable and authentic. While of course it was a rushed relationship - it didn’t feel TOO insta love. The characters felt real. I felt the genuine connection and support they had for one another. They cared about each other and their emotional well beings and mental health. I absolutely did not see the twist coming towards the end about who the ex girlfriend was. I’m not lying when I say my jaw was on the ground for 5 minutes. This was cute and cozy, authentic, with enough spice sprinkled in without being too much. LOVEEE. Also this was my first book by this author and I WILL be reading more of her books!!

[jennifer rosee]

This is a cozy friends to lovers,small town, rom com romance. Noah is looking for a fresh start and is working as an Uber driver, I mean Huber driver🤭 to fund his desired fresh start. He comes off as grumpy in the beginning, but he definitely has that mysterious yet charming vibe about him. He’s got some baggage.
Lu is a ray of sunshine. She's the kind of gal you want to have a PSL—or wine, in this case—with. Lu is a very private person, but Noah helps her see her best qualities and gives her the confidence she once lacked.
I heartily recommend this book if you're searching for something adorable, warm, and perfect for fall! 🤎🍂

[thisBandherbooks ✨☀️🌻Buffy🌻☀️✨]

✨ARC REVIEW✨

🍁 A Cozy Creek Series Book 🍁

I love the way Noah and Lu met!!! He’s a lil grumpy, she’s a lil bubbly. Together they make it work. This was sooo sweet when it wasn’t busy being spicy! Their banter was hilarious. The growth and character building with this couple was executed perfectly. Their chemistry was amazing. This was the perfect rom com! I also reallllly enjoyed Noah constantly calling Lu different names 😂 This is my 4th in the cozy creek series and again, I highly recommend. They just are all so good. Thank you for trusting me with your Arc @laney.hatcher I cannot wait to check out the other books you have out!!!

[Rixxyreadsss]

this is just so sweet!

loved the small-town vibes and the very original premise. Falling in love w/ your uber driver? cute.

I absolutely hated the fmc's family tho, even her father has no balls, they don't deserve her at all. The FMC was just way too good and very much a sunshine and MMC is definitely a grump but she soon was able to draw him out of the dark place he's been. I honestly saw that plot twist coming and I knew everything will go to shit if that happens but I like the way the author decided to handle the conflict, the execution and the whole resolution was satisfying.

Loved this cozy, small-town, grumpy-sunshine read. I might read the other works under this series.

[Sorina]

This is a cozy friends to lovers romance, part of the Cozy Creek Collection.
Noah is a Huber driver and he meets Lu when her car is in the shop.

He initially drives her to dates, but they end up having burger after and become friends.
Noah was hurt by his ex girlfriend. Even if Lu would want more, she ia happy to just be his friend.

I really liked the book from the beginning and it was nice to see the relationship evolve.

Even of the books in the series are standalone, some characters from the other books appear in this one.

I received the book as an ARC and this is my onest review.

[Emily]

OMG! I cannot get enough of these books! I was lucky enough to receive and ARC of Fall Me Maybe and OMG!!! I am obsessed with Cozy Creek! I love when authors all work together to create these happy works of art! Fall me Maybe is the perfect slow burn, friends to lovers, small town romance. Lu and Noah are amazing and their love story is so cute! It’s warm and cozy and beautiful. I am not typically a person who likes slow burn but this was so good! Highly recommend for those cozy fall vibes that are coming up!

[Krista Marie]

Beautiful love story between a bubbly artist Lu and her ride share driver Noah in the charming small town of Cozy Creek. I absolutely loved the premise and meet cute. Noah is the kind of hero I love to read—funny, endearing, and curious while Lu is sweet and cheerful with baggage of her own. Seeing them fall in love felt as good as sipping a hazelnut mocha milkshake on a beautiful early Fall day. Laney Hatcher is quickly becoming one of my favorite small town contemporary authors! Five stars and highly recommend!!

[Melenareads]

This book was sweet and so much fun to read! This is the second contemporary romance I've read from Laney Hatcher and I enjoyed it so much.

Noah and Lu had great banter from the very first time he drives her to a date. I loved how their connection was so unexpected but deepened every time they were together. They were very well matched and I loved their HEA.

I really like Laney's writing and storytelling, and this was a cute concept done very well. I can't wait to read more of her books both historical and contemporary!

Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for an honest review.

[Novels & Needles]

Received as an ARC.

🍂 Small town
🍂 Idiots to lovers
🍂 Romantic comedy
🍂 Cozy fall vibes
🍂 Interconnected standalones
🍂 All the banter

I love coming back to Laney’s Cozy Creek collection, it’s just a fun and safe place to be that always reminds me of home. What more could you want from a book to be honest.

If you’re after a small town read that gets you in your feelings and leaves you feeling all warm and gooey at the end then this series is the one for you.

[Tree Schwartz]

Wonderful!

Another first read for me by this author and I loved it. Noah and Lu are fun and sweet and perfect for each other. Great storyline!!! Noah is funny with all his nicknames for Lu. Watching this love develop was an honor. And bringing so many of the previous characters in this series into this story was like catching up with old friends. Well done Laney - nice to meet you! 🧡💛

[Sarah Hamilton]

An Enjoyable Autumnal Romance

I really enjoyed this book and Lu and Noah's relationship. I find friends to lovers satisfying because it can make the relationship feel more believable and the timeline less 'instant love.' I also liked the underlying message of finding/accepting yourself and having boundaries with family. Hopefully this whole series isn't over yet and Cozy Creek is just getting started.