What do you think?
Rate this book
The Risk of Falling: A Sweet Gilded Age Romance
One risk worth falling for. Two intertwined love stories — clean, wholesome, and set in 1890.Newspaper heiress Viola VanMartin lives by a strict control everything, love no one, and never—ever—marry. When her father tries to force her hand, she flees Gilded-Age Chicago and lands in Minnesota, where she falls for Jacob Jensen, a steady farmer with a gift for storytelling. The trouble is she's forgotten her name, her fortune, and her manifesto. When her memory returns, she puts Jacob firmly in the friend zone — if only she could get all that kissing out of her system.
Back in Chicago, Viola's best friend Sarah Everson frames her disillusioned life according to Jane Austen, going so far as to mutter Pemberley whenever strong language is required. She's spent years pining for Viola's brother George, who has spent those same years dazzling every woman in the city except her. Sarah finally gives up on him — right about the time George starts tossing pebbles at her window to say goodnight. And then seven lucky pennies get involved.
From costume balls to prairie thunderstorms, secret hand signals to fiery rescues, romantic train rides to confessions in the snow, these four stumble, swoon, and scheme their way toward happily-ever-after. No spice. All yearning. Plenty of kissing.
Tropes you'll friends to lovers, slow burn, mutual pining, forced proximity, amnesia, reformed rake, best friend's brother.
Book one of the Harmony Lake series.
Back in Chicago, Viola's best friend Sarah Everson frames her disillusioned life according to Jane Austen, going so far as to mutter Pemberley whenever strong language is required. She's spent years pining for Viola's brother George, who has spent those same years dazzling every woman in the city except her. Sarah finally gives up on him — right about the time George starts tossing pebbles at her window to say goodnight. And then seven lucky pennies get involved.
From costume balls to prairie thunderstorms, secret hand signals to fiery rescues, romantic train rides to confessions in the snow, these four stumble, swoon, and scheme their way toward happily-ever-after. No spice. All yearning. Plenty of kissing.
Tropes you'll friends to lovers, slow burn, mutual pining, forced proximity, amnesia, reformed rake, best friend's brother.
Book one of the Harmony Lake series.
532 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2026
About the author
Lanie Stepan
2 books1 followerBy day, Lanie is all science and logic, but at night, she gleefully pours decades of pent-up creative energy into writing historical romances—because life is best savored one lingering glance at a time.
She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and kids, where she chases sun breaks and plays games - usually Rummikub or Arboretum, occasionally even victoriously.
"The Risk of Falling" is her debut novel and the first in the Harmony Lake series.
She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and kids, where she chases sun breaks and plays games - usually Rummikub or Arboretum, occasionally even victoriously.
"The Risk of Falling" is her debut novel and the first in the Harmony Lake series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
October 5, 2026
Wow!! I couldn't stop reading!
Not only is Lanie's storytelling so well crafted, but this is the only novel that has managed to detour me from my only genre of Regency romance! Just reading the sample on my kindle enchanted me so much that I set forth reading about manifesto planning Viola, adventure seeking Jacob, romantic Sarah, and swoon worthy George.
These two couples kept drawing me in with the slow burn, their misadventures, and the four POVs made everything even more amazing. I definitely recommend this book to everyone who wants to follow along and fall in love with J + V and G + S!! I've already bought Book 2 about Jo and want to know more about Book 3 as well. Please keep writing more sequels!
Not only is Lanie's storytelling so well crafted, but this is the only novel that has managed to detour me from my only genre of Regency romance! Just reading the sample on my kindle enchanted me so much that I set forth reading about manifesto planning Viola, adventure seeking Jacob, romantic Sarah, and swoon worthy George.
These two couples kept drawing me in with the slow burn, their misadventures, and the four POVs made everything even more amazing. I definitely recommend this book to everyone who wants to follow along and fall in love with J + V and G + S!! I've already bought Book 2 about Jo and want to know more about Book 3 as well. Please keep writing more sequels!
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review