Forbidden to Fall

Falling for Autumn

by Martha Keyes, Ariel Royce (Narrator), Christopher Rourke (Narrator)

He's the villain in everyone else's story. What happens if he becomes the hero of hers?

Sadie Stevenson is very good at three baking, avoiding conflict, and pretending she never had a crush on her brother’s best friend—ex best friend, that is.

She’s about to get worse at all three.

When James Carver returns to Autumn Ridge after eight years away, Sadie tells herself that working alongside him at Carver Maple Farm is just business. She tells herself she can handle this.

She cannot handle this.

In a town with a long memory and with a brother who will never forgive, falling for James isn’t just complicated, it’s forbidden.

Too bad James Carver turns out to be nothing like the villain she was promised.

Genres: Romance, Autumn, Contemporary, Clean Romance, Fiction, Audiobook, Rom Com

Audible Audio

First published September 23, 2026

Reviews

[BookLoverAmanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forbidden to Fall by Martha Keyes
4 Stars
https://bookloveramanda.blogspot.com/...

Martha sure does know how pull you in a storyyyy! Loved James and Sadie in this book. James basically left town years ago because of some "misunderstandings" and hasn't been back...until now. He made Sadie's brother mad, among other people in town, and does not want to see anyone locally again....until he comes back and runs back in to Sadie....Sadie had the biggest crush on James years ago and she realizes quickly that hasn't fully resolved with his return.

She works alongside James at Carver Maple Farm and they get close...but what happens when the truth comes out and what everyone thought wasn't as it seems?

I loved the camping, baking and closeness they had together. I neeeeed to try the recipes in this book too! I am not much of a baker, but Sadie inspires me for sure! James was the SWEETEST guy. He didn't deserve all the hate he got from the town and her brother for sure.

My only real hiccup was the ending because I wanted a bit more resolution, and the final conflict took longer to wrap up than I personally prefer. Since it leaned on misunderstanding/non‑communication trope (not my favorite), the payoff didn’t land quite as strongly for me. Still, it’s a sweet, cozy fall romance and a solid addition to the Falling for Autumn series. :)

Thanks to Martha for a gifted ebook ARC copy for me to read for review. All thoughts are my own.

[SJ Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were definitely some cutesy parts, but it was really hard for me to enjoy the storyline when the entire reason they “couldn’t be together” was because the adults (and I use that term loosely) couldn’t show any forgiveness.

I genuinely couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that the parents of two boys who had been best friends their entire lives couldn’t even give him the benefit of the doubt by simply asking what happened. And then, somehow, eight years of their lives are just thrown away because James & Ryan wouldn’t have a conversation? Honestly, I thought her brother was ridiculously childish throughout the whole thing.

I also don’t think there was enough recompense for Lily’s actions. She essentially took away a man’s best friend and his childhood hometown, all because she couldn’t bring herself to fess up. That felt like a pretty significant consequence for everyone else to bear because she refused to be honest.

[Alyssa Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s protective brothers, and then there’s Ryan. I don’t like Ryan. Ryan dated the girl his best friend was into on and off for years, eventually marrying her, but his best friend is the bad guy for a misunderstanding? And the girl has no accountability for eight whole years? She seriously never came clean, just married the guy with this big friendship-ending lie under her belt? He had kissed someone else, too, so why couldn’t they figure it out? No one attempted to be rational and talk things out before eight whole years had passed? The whole premise of this book is even worse than the typical miscommunication trope, which is rather unfortunate because it was a pretty cute story otherwise. Everything was just totally spoiled by the big reveal. The truth is so important, and I blame Ryan, Lily, and James for being dumb. Also the whole town icing out May makes me kinda hate all of them, too. Adults should act like adults, not like children, and the Stevenson parents are unbelievably lame for not growing up. Ryan’s behavior obviously matches with that of the people who raised him. I only like Sadie at this point, especially because we didn’t really get any kind of reconciliation between Ryan and James. They just are suddenly friendly again a year later. Ultimately just left me disappointed and annoyed.

[Tasha (the_clean_read_book_club) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“…love has a way of solvin’ things, of untanglin’ even the nastiest of knots. Their’s nothing’ on earth it can’t solve if we give it the chance.”

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own, and a review was not required.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVED THIS ONE!!!

NO EDITS! IT’S PERFECTION!

Forbidden to Fall is basically Romeo and Juliet…but with a guaranteed happy ending, and I was SO here for it!

Sadie has spent years pretending she never had a crush on her brother’s best friend, James Carver. Unfortunately, James returns to Autumn Ridge after eight years away and is now working alongside her at Carver Maple Farm. Which would already be complicated enough…except her brother considers James the villain in his story and has absolutely no intention of forgiving him.

But here’s the thing: James is NOTHING like the villain everyone promised Sadie he was.

And watching Sadie figure that out? SO GOOD.

The forbidden romance, the history between these two, the family tension, the banter, the chemistry…ALL OF IT WORKED. I loved watching them navigate what happened in the past while trying to figure out what they actually want for their future.

And Sadie and James together are just SO CUTE. 🥹❤️ There are moments that made me laugh and moments that made me absolutely swoon

I also loved the maple farm setting and getting to spend more time in Autumn Ridge. This book has that cozy small-town feeling I’ve come to love from this series, with a romance that made me ridiculously happy.

Basically: give me a brother’s ex best friend, a forbidden romance, two people with history, ALL the chemistry, and a guaranteed happy ending, and I AM IN.

Available TODAY!

Happy Reading📚

Content/Trigger: feelings of betrayal, romance—kisses only.

[Leslie Ann · Rating 2.25 out of 5]

2.25 ⭐️

As far as I am concerned, we didn’t see anything resembling attraction between the main characters until the 75% mark, and I’m not even sure I would consider what we saw attraction, just proximity. It was around this time that the MMC, James, got the first semblance of a hint of a personality. Before that, he just came off as a figure who occasionally said a few words and cleaned things. I also think there should have been more of a shitstorm when the truth was revealed, and then we don’t even get to see how things are resolved before we jump a year into the future with the epilogue. I don’t know what other people are seeing in this book.

[Melissa’s Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the stars for Forbidden to Fall! I absolutely adored this forbidden, Romeo & Juliet-esque, falling for your brother’s ex-best friend, fall-themed, delicious seventh book in the favorite Falling for Autumn series! Martha Keyes knocks it out of the park & had me grinning, laughing, swooning, & feverishly craving sweet treats while reading this charming romcom.

Sadie Stephenson longs for more after eight years as a talented assistant baker in Autumn Ridge’s local bakery. When she discovers the mother of the Stephenson family’s sworn enemy is struggling with her health & maple syrup farm, Sadie sees an opportunity to help both Mrs. Carver & herself. With her hours cut after the bakery owner’s daughter arrives, Sadie decides to branch out, create delectable goodies using the Carver’s famous maple syrup, & make the farm a must-visit destination for the upcoming Fall Festival.

What she doesn’t count on is bad boy James Carver visiting from Canada. He’s the town’s pariah, seen as abandoning his mother after his father’s death & betraying his best friend. But is that really the truth? Sadie’s had a crush on the handsome guy since high school, but with all the bad blood between their families, she’s stifled her feelings, until he returns more charming than ever & willing to help her & his mother. It’s a win-win, unless her family, particularly her brother, finds out. As James & Sadie grow closer, can their forbidden relationship work, or will Sadie have to choose between her brother & James?

I adored this story! I loved the sizzling attraction between James & Sadie, along with all the mouthwatering desserts! So many scenes will live rent-free in my head, including: dancing in the rain, the counter kiss, camping under the stars, babysitting Mimi, driving the truck, & more. I loved James, whose heart is as good as gold. He’s not what he’s portrayed as, & I loved learning the truth. Sadie’s a ray of sunshine & peacemaker who wants her brother to find forgiveness & James to be accepted again. I loved how she’s the catalyst for change & shows unconditional love.

I love this series so much! Each book’s an instant favorite & pure delight. Highly recommend to closed door romcom fans! I received an advance copy but also read in Kindle Unlimited. All opinons are my own & provided voluntarily.

[Sarah Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this one!!

4.5 stars

Sadie and James were so sweet!! He was super thoughtful, and the ways he helped her practically were my favorite. I loved how Sadie was forgiving and grew to know James for his character and devotion to his mom. Their friendship made me smile. I wish there had been an “I love you” moment and a bit more time for reconciliation shown between Ryan and James. Other than that, it was a cutie read!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved reading the Falling for Autumn series. Each of this books has been so great! I have loved seeing the characters of Autumn Ridge in each and every book. And getting to know them and their story.

Sadie is one of the characters I've wanted to know about. She works in the local bakery. But Sadie doesn't have any control over what she's baking, her boss is kind of strict about recipes and how things are. I loved the way she gets the idea to help May Carver use up the maple syrup that is excess on their farm. And that leads to working closely with James Carver. Only...Sadie isn't supposed to have any kind of relationship with James. Their family rivalry makes it impossible.

This book is written entirely from Sadie's perspective. And that works in this one, so well. I loved the way Sadie's perspective changes the more time she spends with May and James. And how she learns to see not only the situation with their families differently, but also herself and how she fits into Autumn Ridge.

This book is so great! I love it so much!

[CatsBnB · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC ❤️🍁!!!!!

[Natalie · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Review of the Story:

Well, as far as the story goes, this one was…not the greatest. I couldn’t stand Ryan or Lily. Also, it seemed like a big deal was made over approximately nothing. Ryan blamed James for kissing Lily when he had kissed someone else himself?!? Hypocrite much?!? And obviously James wasn’t the aggressor - Lily kissed HIM, then, completely uncaring that she caused a massive friendship breakup, merrily skipped off and married Ryan, leaving devastation in her wake. Also, it was one kiss and somehow that turned James into the town pariah for almost a decade? They were so incredibly immature. I did like that Sadie wasn’t like her toxic brother and was willing to give him a chance. I also liked Sadie coming into her own and the recipes she was always making sounded delicious! (I wish the book had included some recipes.) I also liked James and how he helped Sadie. They were good for each other. I will also say that this one was one of the more fall-ish books in the series. Lots of talk about leaves falling, hay rides, harvest festivals, and of course autumn baking. I love the small-town Vermont setting.




Review of the Audiobook:

This was an interestingly narrated audiobook. It’s in duet, but this book is first person from the point of view of Sadie, so the female narrator did all the exposition as well as the female characters, while the male narrator simply read the dialogue of the male characters. I’ve never heard an audiobook narrated that way so that made for a unique experience. I didn’t love the male reader though. He sounded gruffer than a lot of the dialogue needed to be. Still, I really enjoyed the performance overall.




Characters: Sadie Stevenson (sister of Wade from book 6) and James Carver (former best friends with Sadie’s brother and cousin of Archer from book 8)
Trope: forbidden love (he’s an outcast)

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute fall read.

Sadie is the assistant baker at the Keller Bakery. She has stayed in Autumn Ridge since highschool and loves her comfortable life. She recently connected with her brother's ex best friend's mom. She makes a proposition that benefits both of their businesses and May is excited to have Sadie back in her life.

James is back visiting his mom. He moved away after a falling out with his best friend Ryan and his dad passing away. He helps Sadie escape from an interesting position and the sparks start flying from there. He is steadfast, sweet and thoughtful.

I really enjoyed these two. There was a lot of hurt from a past misunderstanding that Sadie has chosen to look past and have James character speak for itself. James was so incredibly thoughtful and kind. He was gracious when the town and Ryan were holding a misunderstanding over his head. I loved the slow burn and the slow melting of walls and building of trust.

Lily was a brat. At the beginning I was annoyed with all the pop culture references, and the over the top trying to be relevant. But thankfully once the story started those fizzled out. I also was annoyed that everyone was okay with holding this past mistake over James head without giving him a chance. Ryan was petty and the whole thing just drug out too long. I also felt like the ending was really abrupt. Other than those few things I really enjoyed these two, and this fall series is so fun!

Thank you Martha for this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Remarks •
No spice - just kisses
No language
TW - loss of parent(past)

Favorite things:
Cupboard
Sneeze
Walk through the woods
Camping
S'mores
Teaching how to drive clutch
Rain scene

Favorite quotes:
Oh. My. Gosh. Was that a twinkle in James Carver’s eye? I didn’t even know those dark wells of brooding were capable of such a thing anymore.

“I can’t think of anyone I’m less bored by, Sadie.”

The night I’d spent in his arms, sleeping to the beating of his heart, would be just a blip on the radar of my life.

love has a way of solvin’ things, of untanglin’ even the nastiest of knots. There’s nothin’ on earth it can’t solve if we give it the chance. Now, you can’t force Ryan to do anythin’— but you two can make sure he knows he’s got a soft spot to land when he’s good and ready. So I say, don’t give him space. Give him love.”

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sadie Stevenson wants more for herself than spending her days as an assistant baker, following someone else’s recipes and rules with no room to experiment. So, when Mrs. Carver needs help at the maple farm, Sadie puts her baking skills to use creating goodies made with Carver maple syrup—the descriptions made me want some!

I really enjoyed Sadie and James’s story. Their easy friendship felt natural, and Sadie’s long-time crush on him turning into something more was so sweet. Some of my favorite scenes were the two of them in the sugar shack kitchen while Sadie experimented with her recipes. And James patiently teaching Sadie how to drive the truck with a manual transmission? Loved those scenes. I also really liked seeing James interact with Sadie’s niece. Her affection for “Mr. James” was adorable.

That said, I had some feelings about the way James was treated by pretty much everyone in Autumn Ridge. I know small-town romance often comes with gossip and long-held grudges, but the misinformation spreading through this town drove me a little crazy. So many people had already decided James was the villain without knowing the whole story, and no one seemed interested in getting the facts. I especially struggled with how James and his mom endured the town’s cold shoulder for eight years without setting the record straight. I also felt like it took a little too long to finally uncover what really happened between James and Lily. I knew there had to be more to the story, so I was definitely ready for the truth to come out!

Despite my frustrations with the town’s treatment of James, I really enjoyed Sadie and James together. And I absolutely loved Sadie’s ending—getting the man she loves and taking the leap toward having a bakery of her own. After watching her spend so much time following someone else’s rules, seeing her finally build something that was hers was the perfect way to end her story. Forbidden to Fall gave me a sweet romance, small-town drama, and a couple I was happy to root for—even if I wanted to shake the entire town several times along the way.

I received an advance copy. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.

[Madisyn Lowe · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

this read a lot more like a family drama rather than a romance in my opinion! there was sooo much emphasis on a little miscommunication that it kind of eclipsed everything else. i think this would’ve worked a lot better as a young adult novel because most of the characters handled their circumstances without much maturity in my opinion.
i did love how james and sadie approached things as a team and it made me want that kind of partnership in my own life. i liked the themes of redemption and forgiveness as well.
since i’ve been reading most of this series back to back, it’s become hard to differentiate between the couples and that might just be a me thing or it might possibly be that we really don’t learn much about sadie and james’ back stories and/or personalities.
this was entertaining at times but i really wasn’t connected to the characters or the story !
🔥NO SPICE🔥
🤐NO STRONG LANGUAGE🤐

[Charity - cleanreads_messyhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spice: none, kissing only
Language: none
This one made me cry.
I don't quite know how to explain how
Sadie and James just captured my heart from the very first page. Their story is filled with the power of healing friendship, the pain of forbidden love, and the beauty of love that defied the odds. @authormarthakeyes did such an incredible job of pulling at my heart strings through their struggles to make love work.
James is the sweetest, guarded MMC you'll find and Sadie makes you want to just give her the world
Disclaimer: this book will make you crave all kinds of delicious baked goods, as well as a trip to Vermont.
Thank you @authormarthakeyes for the chance to ARC read this #gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #nospicebookreview #cleanreads #autumnromance

[Torie’s Book Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forbidden romance is what hooked me on this one. 😍

Sadie was such a lovable FMC. She didn’t want to hurt anyone but she also loved Maple Carver Farm. I am so glad she stuck it out and continued to work with James’s mom even when her brother disapproved. Her brother put her in such a hard place especially when he didn’t know the truth of actually went down between James and her brother’s now wife. It’s sweet that she never left her high school job because she loved to bake. It was fun to watch her creat her own treats and eventually make her own business! ♥️

James was a sweet MMC. Even though this one is from Sadie’s POV, the author did well writing out his emotions through his actions. I would have loved to been in his head about his break up with his best friend though. I love how much he cared for Sadie and he handled the situation with her brother very maturely. ☺️

The only constructive criticism I have is there was not love confusion between the two of them. Sadie said she wanted to be with him and he said you have me which is good. I just wanted to there to be more to it than that because of how sweet it was to watch them fall for each other.

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I was different in one important way, at least: I was one giant crush lighter than I’d been when he’d last seen me.”

Growing up in a small town gave me all the empathy for Sadie. Everyone else seems to have escaped, moving on to bigger and better things, and she’s stuck–still working at the bakery, living near her brother’s biggest enemy’s family, and existing the way others want her to. Watching Sadie branch out to fulfill her own dreams and embrace a forbidden relationship was validating.

James is a black sheep of sorts, but one of the most intriguing and kind men in town, and his honesty and charm make him so lovable. I’ve loved the glimpses of Sadie throughout this series and it was a treat (pun intended) to watch her story unfold.

Full of tender moments, hilarious mishaps, interesting twists, and all the delicious fall treats one could crave, this sweet story stole my heart.

*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given*

[Jenna Killpack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romeo and Juliet meets small Vermont town in the fall minus all the horrific ending business 😅 which is just the way I like it!

Loved this one! The single POV really kept that tension and boy was there tension! I have never wanted to go camping under the stars more than I do after reading this book! And don’t even get me started on how due my city is for a really good down pour! Iykyk

I absolutely loved this one and cannot wait to read the rest of this multi author series! It has been so fun seeing all interconnected characters!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author but all thoughts are my own and I would definitely recommend this one!

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

The scale of this ridiculous miscommunication and misconception was too much. Also not enough character or relationship development to really be cheering for them.

[The_Power Of_The Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very sweet romance. Lots of angst, and swoony kisses.

Sadie is a great heroine. She’s caught in the middle of her brother’s resentment and a dreamy crush. She can only keep things under wraps for so long.

James doesn’t want to cause trouble for anyone but he’s drawn to Sadie like no one else. When they are constantly thrown together what’s he supposed to do?

Honesty, forgiveness and respect play a big part in this story. Will the truth come out? Who will it hurt? Can years of misunderstandings be overcome? Read it and see!

[Alicia (aliciasalwaysreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Sadie and James! I thought they were so cute. I loved their banter and how thoughtful James was. The sleeping in the woods scene was darling, and their first kiss?! Obsessed.

SPOILERS AHEAD:

That being said, I suspected pretty early on that Lily was the person at fault in this whole situation, and I was REALLY frustrated with her for not rectifying it as soon as James was back in town. She’s married to Ryan and pregnant with his child, for heaven’s sake. She shouldn’t have to be worried that he’s going to be so angry now, all these years later. I was very irritated that she didn’t own her mistake sooner, and I really wished we had gotten to see more of Sadie and James’s life together once the air had been cleared. We just dove right into the epilogue after that, which I just didn’t love.

[Kasey B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was a super sweet read! I loved the wholesome romance between Sadie and James.

There were a couple moments where I just wanted to pull my hair out because of how dumb some characters were being. Nothing bad enough to make me DNF the book though. I think the storyline would’ve been a little bit better for me if the parents in this book acted like adults when it came to the original conflict.

I still would rate this a five star cozy read👍🏻

[Tricia Anson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book! Oh my word, I loved every minute of this story. It is not heavy on the comedy, although there are some very funny moments and fun banter, and there definitely is epic tension and the swooniest romance. But this story really pulls on the heart strings and is just a beautiful picture of what assumptions, lies, unforgiveness, and gossip can do—but more importantly, how love can heal. Brother’s ex-best friend isn’t a trope I’ve come across before, but this story is a top read for sure. Don’t miss out!

TW: Past loss, Long-time friendship lost

[Sharon the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Experience the magic of autumn in Vermont. I love how I feel so invested in the fictional community; I know about so many of the people and the cameos they make in each story is like reading it in surround sound. The same events from several POV's.

James had left town for eight years, but my feelings hadn't gone anywhere."

Sadie had a crazy crush on her brother's best friend all through school. James, said best friend, was kind but had older friends and girlfriends. Something big went down after HS that ruined their friendship and James left town. For years. He was rumored to have been the cause of the 'scandal' and leaving town didn't do him any favors. He was a villain to the small town for leaving his mom soon after his father died, and for causing trouble with Sadie's brother. The lines are drawn- families are not to talk or have anything to do with each other.

Fast forward almost a decade and his mom's farm, Carver's Maple Farm, is rundown and not doing well. Sadie has an idea that will help her and Mrs. Carver, which was met with enthusisam. Sadie will spend her time off from the bakery creating new treats to sell at the Fall Festival using the maple from the farm. She is a baker through and through. (1 recipe included!!!)

Enter James, home for s surprise visit to help his mom. When Sadie bumps into him- she tries to pretend the crush is not still there. It is her brother's main nemesis and she loves her brother. She doesn't want to be rude and he doesn't want to make anyone uncomfortable. The town treats him abominably; small town gossip is strong, even though no one really has the facts.

They are drawn to each other and even with strong warnings from her brother, she insists they are just working together. Until it feels like more. Until she wonders if the rumors are true as she realizes he is not the villain he has been painted to be.

Forgiveness, kindness, and open mindedness go a long way in a situation like this- but very few people are willing to give it a try. Can she? Will she ever know what actually happened? Will she have to choose between the man she's falling for and the brother she loves?

The teasing, the niece that is unaware and open, James's mom, the camping, dancing in the rain, driving lessons, and James' sincerity are just what I needed after a heavy HF read.

"James had hurt my brother. A lot. but it was hard to see a man as the enemy when he was hugging his mom."

"It was easy to be angry with a memory. You could shape it into something worthy of your annoyance."

"It gets old living your life dictated by someone else's feelings."

I received a copy of the book from the author for my opinion.

[Kim Golding · Rating 5 out of 5]

“In my teenage mental encyclopedia, the entry for tall, dark, and handsome had a picture of James Carver beneath it. No words necessary.”

Forbidden to Fall is the brother’s ex-best friend, teenage crush, forbidden romance you need in your life! Sadie hasn’t seen James Carver in a while since he left town and rarely returns. So imagine her surprise when he comes to her rescue after a small mishap and is always there to lend a hand, how can Sadie’s old feelings not come rushing back, even if he’s the one man she’s not supposed to love?

I loved Sadie and James SO much! What is it about a forbidden love that makes you root even harder for the characters?

I loved cute Sadie and her desire to have more in her life than what her job at the bakery was giving her. She was so sweet to help May at the maple farm and how that ended up inspiring her to start her own little side hustle, with the help of James.

James was so cute and I loved his heart of gold. His relationship with his mom melted my heart! He was so sweet and helpful and I loved how he supported Sadie and took care of the ones he loved!

Favorite quotes:

“Teenage Sadie was fainting. Who was I kidding? She’d passed out weeks ago.”

“I’d come face to face with my feelings for James in the dark; in the increasing light of day, they stared me down doggedly. James had left town for eight years, but my feelings hadn’t gone anywhere.”

“He kissed me like he’d been wanting to, like he’d thought about it—dozens of times, maybe. And I didn’t just let him. I kissed him back like I wanted to, like I’d thought about it dozens of times. Because I had.”

“He glanced over at me, and a smile lit his eyes. James Carver’s eyes lit up. For me.”

[Shayla Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

FORBIDDEN TO FALL
(Falling for Autumn Book 7)
by Martha Keyes
@authormarthakeyes

••I give 5 stars!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

-I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

~He’s the villain in everyone else’s story. Maybe he could be the hero of hers…

~Oh my Friends, FORBIDDEN TO FALL, is a story they just made my heart happy! This story has plenty of wonderful fall vibes, such swoon, delightful humor, and with such heart at its center! It’s packed with a great balance of both tender and lighthearted moments. It completely made me crave being in the kitchen and baking for the season while also wanting to go spend time outside at night under the stars by a campfire. I adored watching past relationships be reunited and able to mend with time and effort. I loved the goodness that comes when characters decide to take risks on something valuable and worthwhile and the ripple effect it has on others around within the community and town. I loved watching characters choose to bravely take risks and how love is the key ingredient to a successful relationship and how it has such power with mending trust in others and with hearts! This dear story is worth the savoring sweet read, absolutely, my friends!🙌🏻📚🍁‼️

•Content: No language, some past hurt, grief, and loss of dear relationships, some misunderstandings, some secrets (from the past, shared on page), some strained relationships, struggling family farm, no violence, no danger, some kisses (some makeouts), no spice!

#forbiddentofall
#fallingforautumn
#authormarthakeyes
#allaboutthebestreads

[Cherilyn (Cherwhatyouread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a sucker for the sibling’s best friend trope but this had a twist- James being an EX best friend! Sadie is torn between her loyalty to her brother and the feelings she can’t just turn off for James. I absolutely adored this book, I loved the forbidden aspect of it, loved watching both Sadie and James re-evaluate their priorities in lives then navigate that together. Definitely recommend!!

Favorite parts:
-The cupboard rescue. That was hilarious.
-Sadie’s ideas for treats
-their camp out under the stars
-the fall festival- the moments they had together selling products, the rain, the kiss.
-the driving manual lessons-
-Sadie admitting James he was childhood crush
-dancing at the barn dance
-James support of Sadie and her dreams

Favorite Quotes:
That was the thing about James. When he looked at me, he really looked at me.

“I’m not perfect, Sadie. I really regret how I handled things.”
“I don’t need perfect. I don’t even want it. I just want you.”
His eyes softened, and his hands gripped my wrists. “You’ve got me.”

I’d never grown out of my feelings for James. They’d been dormant for years, but his return and the time we’d been spending together had awakened them, and like a bear rousing in the spring, they were ravenous. I couldn’t get enough of James.

[Venus Booklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐ ¾
What a lovely story! 🧡
I’m really enjoying this series—all the stories are sweet, funny, and leave you feeling so happy.
I was really excited to read this book, and it didn’t disappoint me.
I enjoyed all the interactions between Sadie and James—awkward at first, but they turned into a real connection as they worked together and set aside the judgments and opinions of others.
Forgiveness and friendship are central to the plot, and I liked how everything was resolved and how they began to heal from so much pain.
Sadie’s personality is sweet and kind; I appreciated her effort to be fair and give people a chance, always with warmth and love.
I liked getting a glimpse of James’s point of view in an extended scene, since he’s quite reserved throughout the book and I sometimes had a little trouble figuring out what his true feelings were. But he was always very kind, gentlemanly, and generous toward Sadie, and he was also a wonderful person (as we come to see throughout the story).
Another great book in this series.
I recommend it.

You’ll find:
🥧 Childhood and teenage crush
🍁 Brother’s ex-best friend
🥧 Forbidden love
🍁 Family drama
🥧 Working together
🍁 Sleepover in the woods
🥧 Swoony moments
🍁 Rain and kisses
🥧 Lots of maple syrup
🍁 Found family
🥧 Small town
🍁 Autumn charm

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lily’s Content Guide

💋 Romance level: Kisses Only
🗣️ Language: None
📚 Genre: Contemporary Romance
🎀 Lily’s verdict: 💖 Loved it

I loved this story! It pulled me in right away, and I absolutely flew through it🥰 I especially loved the themes of redemption and forgiveness woven throughout the story.

And of course, it’s always so fun seeing characters from the other books make appearances😊 I love those little connections that make the whole series feel like one big world.

As someone who loves baking, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Sadie come up with all of her delicious sounding creations😂 I seriously wish I could have tried some of them!!

This was such a sweet fall romance with plenty of small town charm, complicated history, and characters I really enjoyed rooting for🍂🤎

🍂 Single POV
✨ Small Town
🍂 Fall Romance
✨ Forbidden Romance
🍂 Brother’s Ex-Best Friend
✨ Town Prodigal

[A Novel Approach · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

⭐️ 4.5/5. I’m not usually a fan of the brother’s best friend or best friend’s brother trope, but I LOVED this one! It was executed with the perfect amount of care and way less cringe than I usually see in this trope.

Sadie grew up with a crush on her brother’s best friend James, that is until James betrayed her brother and left Autumn Ridge in disgrace. That was 8 years ago.

Sadie had all but forgotten about James, choosing instead to focus on her job as a baker at the local bake shop, being a doting aunt to her 4 year old niece, and then taking on a side project to help May Carver whose maple farm has come on some hard times lately. Sadie comes up with a plan to use some of the farm’s excess maple syrup to bake into treats to sell to tourists, and the plans are going along perfectly, until James comes back into town. Oh, and did I mention that May Carver is James’ momma?

James is unfortunately 8 years hotter, but he’s also kind, selfless, patient, helpful, and totally not the man Sadie spent the last 8 years villainizing. While James and Sadie work together, they begin to develop a friendship — one that would wreck Sadie’s brother if he found out. Can Sadie risk her relationship with her brother for the sake of her own happiness?

Things I loved about this book:

🍁 The autumn vibes, of course
🍁 The fact that Sadie’s relationship with her brother was inportant to her and factored in, but not ultimately the only thing that mattered
🍁 Sadie coming to her own and making decisions for herself
🍁 The banter and mutual pining
🍁 Sadie’s relationship with her niece

This is book 7 in the Falling for Autumn series, but the books can be read in any order. I definitely recommend this series!

[Madison Allshouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

FOLKS, I’M OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK😍

Ok so why was that the most wholesome love story??🫶🏻❤️‍🩹😭 I looooooved the Romeo x Juliet forbidden love vibes! There was the perfect amount of slow burn yearning with a sprinkle of angst, I ATE IT UP.❤️‍🔥

Sadie was such a fun and dynamic character - her struggles were relatable, and her genuine heart made me a fan of hers from the start! But, my most favorite part of this book was how incredibly tender hearted and thoughtful James was. Reading this story in Sadie’s POV allowed us to see James’ feelings shine through his actions, and let’s just say that man was SUCH A GONER FOR SADIE; my heart was bursting!!🥹 He is 10000% my type in a man - I’ve got a new book boyfriend to add to the list of acts-of-service KINGS!!😍

I absolutely loved everything about their love story - highly recommend!🤎