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Falling for Autumn
The Bodyguard's Fall: A cozy fall romantic comedy
Her stalker is getting closer. So is her bodyguard.
I know how to write murder mysteries.
Dead bodies? Great. Blood and gore? Even better.
Romance? Absolutely not.
Unfortunately for me, my production company disagrees. After years of writing cozy crime dramas, I’m suddenly being forced to write a flannel and cider romantic screenplay filled with pumpkin patches, maple festivals, and happily-ever-afters I don’t actually believe in.
Especially not after months of terrifying messages from a stalker who seems to know way too much about me.
Which is how I end up back in my hometown of Autumn Ridge, under the protection of Tate Walker—my older brother’s best friend, a cop, and the same overprotective pain in my neck who spent most of my teenage years telling me what I could and couldn’t do.
Tate is temporarily off-duty and back home recovering from a dangerous undercover operation that left him injured and drowning in guilt. And somehow protecting me has become his newest assignment.
Now I’m living on his family’s hay farm while police attempt to catch my stalker. Between boxing lessons, tractor rides, and cozy autumn outings that feel suspiciously like dates, I start finding inspiration for my romantic screenplay in the one place I never expected:
My bodyguard.
But as the threats escalate and my stalker gets closer, so do Tate and I. And falling for the man assigned to protect me might be the most dangerous plot twist of all.
I know how to write murder mysteries.
Dead bodies? Great. Blood and gore? Even better.
Romance? Absolutely not.
Unfortunately for me, my production company disagrees. After years of writing cozy crime dramas, I’m suddenly being forced to write a flannel and cider romantic screenplay filled with pumpkin patches, maple festivals, and happily-ever-afters I don’t actually believe in.
Especially not after months of terrifying messages from a stalker who seems to know way too much about me.
Which is how I end up back in my hometown of Autumn Ridge, under the protection of Tate Walker—my older brother’s best friend, a cop, and the same overprotective pain in my neck who spent most of my teenage years telling me what I could and couldn’t do.
Tate is temporarily off-duty and back home recovering from a dangerous undercover operation that left him injured and drowning in guilt. And somehow protecting me has become his newest assignment.
Now I’m living on his family’s hay farm while police attempt to catch my stalker. Between boxing lessons, tractor rides, and cozy autumn outings that feel suspiciously like dates, I start finding inspiration for my romantic screenplay in the one place I never expected:
My bodyguard.
But as the threats escalate and my stalker gets closer, so do Tate and I. And falling for the man assigned to protect me might be the most dangerous plot twist of all.
352 pages, Paperback
First published August 12, 2026
About the author
Cindy Steel
17 books2,311 followersCindy Steel was raised on a dairy farm in Idaho. She grew up singing Garth Brooks and Reba McEntire songs at the top of her lungs and learning to solve all of life’s problems while milking cows and driving tractors—rewriting happy endings every time. She met and married a handsome Idaho boy and is the proud mother of two wild and sweet twin boys. Which means she is also now a collector of bugs, sticks, rocks, and slobbery kisses. She loves making breakfast, baking, photography, reading a good book, and staying up way past her bedtime to craft stories that will hopefully make you smile.
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August 24, 2026Well this was just plain fun
August 29, 2026
I discovered this book because a few of my Goodreads friends posted reviews! Thank you.
I enjoyed a wonderful Fall-centered story examining the courage it takes to face our fears and the ripple effects of a wrongful assumption that we are a burden to someone.
“𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿.”
Here’s what I loved:
💕Sweet romance
💕Autumn setting in Vermont
💕Marriage of convenience trope
💕Off-limits stakes of brother’s best friend
💕Romcom balanced the stalker tension
💕Bodyguard romance
I saw a lot of myself in Liv Rawlins and enjoyed her journey from hiding her fears to facing them. It was good to be reminded that we are the ones that give the power to fears, but they don’t need to disarm us. We can choose to move forward despite the fear. Liv’s unfounded belief that she was a burden hit hard. I took encouragement in how Tate Walker handled her misguided fears.
The giggles at the ‘Juicy’ lettering on Liv’s sweatpants and the hamstring injury were perfectly placed and lightened the tension.
The author’s pacing and romantic tension were FANTASTIC, prompting me to search out her backlist, and the Fall vibes were SUPERB. Grab a pumpkin spice bevvy and queue (on repeat) Russell Dickerson’s ‘Yours’ and enjoy the debut in this new series.
I'm hooked. Up next, book 2.
I enjoyed a wonderful Fall-centered story examining the courage it takes to face our fears and the ripple effects of a wrongful assumption that we are a burden to someone.
“𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿.”
Here’s what I loved:
💕Sweet romance
💕Autumn setting in Vermont
💕Marriage of convenience trope
💕Off-limits stakes of brother’s best friend
💕Romcom balanced the stalker tension
💕Bodyguard romance
I saw a lot of myself in Liv Rawlins and enjoyed her journey from hiding her fears to facing them. It was good to be reminded that we are the ones that give the power to fears, but they don’t need to disarm us. We can choose to move forward despite the fear. Liv’s unfounded belief that she was a burden hit hard. I took encouragement in how Tate Walker handled her misguided fears.
The giggles at the ‘Juicy’ lettering on Liv’s sweatpants and the hamstring injury were perfectly placed and lightened the tension.
The author’s pacing and romantic tension were FANTASTIC, prompting me to search out her backlist, and the Fall vibes were SUPERB. Grab a pumpkin spice bevvy and queue (on repeat) Russell Dickerson’s ‘Yours’ and enjoy the debut in this new series.
I'm hooked. Up next, book 2.
August 13, 2026
Easiest five stars of my life.
Cindy Steel is one of the only auto buy author I have.
Every. Single. One. Of her books become an immediate new favorite. I haven’t blushed, giggled, and laughed out loud more than when I am reading one of her books.
And while they are fun, fluffy reads, Cindy Steel’s book still have so much depth for being a romantic comedy as well. While this was full of swoon worthy and laugh out loud scenes, it also had plot. You’d never guess by the covers (which are also adorable).
Tate and Liv are SO CUTE. I literally LOVE every single one of her fmcs, which is so rare for me. And we won’t even dive into how utterly impeccable her mmc are. I will die on the hill that they are the swooniest book boyfriends in every sense of the words.
Here are some troupes to convince you to add this to your tbr ASAP: he’s her bodyguard, disabled cop mmc, screen writer fmc, fake dating, marriage of convenience, only one bed, he teaches her how to fight, small town setting—aka top tier, new favorite book, and a most definite reread.
(Clean adult romance—innuendos, married couple humor, etc. but no spice).
Cindy Steel is one of the only auto buy author I have.
Every. Single. One. Of her books become an immediate new favorite. I haven’t blushed, giggled, and laughed out loud more than when I am reading one of her books.
And while they are fun, fluffy reads, Cindy Steel’s book still have so much depth for being a romantic comedy as well. While this was full of swoon worthy and laugh out loud scenes, it also had plot. You’d never guess by the covers (which are also adorable).
Tate and Liv are SO CUTE. I literally LOVE every single one of her fmcs, which is so rare for me. And we won’t even dive into how utterly impeccable her mmc are. I will die on the hill that they are the swooniest book boyfriends in every sense of the words.
Here are some troupes to convince you to add this to your tbr ASAP: he’s her bodyguard, disabled cop mmc, screen writer fmc, fake dating, marriage of convenience, only one bed, he teaches her how to fight, small town setting—aka top tier, new favorite book, and a most definite reread.
(Clean adult romance—innuendos, married couple humor, etc. but no spice).
August 17, 2026
Read till 65%ish, skimmed the rest.
Things that annoyed me about this book:
1. The fall p*rn for the sake of fall p*rn. Felt like I was actually being waterboarded by a pumpkin spice latte. Cute at first, but spiraled into “what if we put every fall cliché in rapid succession, wouldn’t that be cozy”
2. If this is supposed to be a stand-alone, you don’t need to introduce every! single! one! of the characters of the series and the entire! freaking! town! in this book. A literal FIREHOSE of faceless names that didn’t matter to the plot at all.
3. So many meaningless conversations and superfluous descriptions purely to take up page space. Why do I care what the mayor’s party looks like? Why do I need a list of everything Liv has done in the past two days? Why do I need the history of Joe Buglebach-what’s-his-face for a plot-forcing “random” conversation in a library?
4. The ham-fisted marriage-of-convenience plot point. Homegirl tried to make it plausible by making it work-induced but it was laughably ridiculous nonetheless.
5. Olivia not having a personality outside of being stalked. Take away the stalker and you just have someone who half-heartedly writes crappy screenplays. That’s it.
6. How Olivia had to tell me every page that she was attracted to Tate instead of me being shown how attracted they were to each other. This girl is FRESH out of fleeing the woods and her creepy azz stalker hiding in a tree under complete darkness, and immediately we have to read how she’s forcing herself to not think about how hot Tate looks in his t-shirt.
!!?!!!&$?????!!!@$
Can we please just write women who function like sane human beings? PLEASE?
7. The general arch of Olivia always having needed protection since she was in diapers and never self-actualizing into a capable adult woman. Infantilizing, juvenile, and wholly unattractive.
I read The One with the Kiss Cam and thought I’d been ordained as a forever fan of Cindy Steel but have not been able to stomach any of her other books. 4th dud for me, so I’m tapping out.
Tate was cool, though. Happy for him.
Things that annoyed me about this book:
1. The fall p*rn for the sake of fall p*rn. Felt like I was actually being waterboarded by a pumpkin spice latte. Cute at first, but spiraled into “what if we put every fall cliché in rapid succession, wouldn’t that be cozy”
2. If this is supposed to be a stand-alone, you don’t need to introduce every! single! one! of the characters of the series and the entire! freaking! town! in this book. A literal FIREHOSE of faceless names that didn’t matter to the plot at all.
3. So many meaningless conversations and superfluous descriptions purely to take up page space. Why do I care what the mayor’s party looks like? Why do I need a list of everything Liv has done in the past two days? Why do I need the history of Joe Buglebach-what’s-his-face for a plot-forcing “random” conversation in a library?
4. The ham-fisted marriage-of-convenience plot point. Homegirl tried to make it plausible by making it work-induced but it was laughably ridiculous nonetheless.
5. Olivia not having a personality outside of being stalked. Take away the stalker and you just have someone who half-heartedly writes crappy screenplays. That’s it.
6. How Olivia had to tell me every page that she was attracted to Tate instead of me being shown how attracted they were to each other. This girl is FRESH out of fleeing the woods and her creepy azz stalker hiding in a tree under complete darkness, and immediately we have to read how she’s forcing herself to not think about how hot Tate looks in his t-shirt.
!!?!!!&$?????!!!@$
Can we please just write women who function like sane human beings? PLEASE?
7. The general arch of Olivia always having needed protection since she was in diapers and never self-actualizing into a capable adult woman. Infantilizing, juvenile, and wholly unattractive.
I read The One with the Kiss Cam and thought I’d been ordained as a forever fan of Cindy Steel but have not been able to stomach any of her other books. 4th dud for me, so I’m tapping out.
Tate was cool, though. Happy for him.
October 8, 2026
ugh! i loved this so much!!!
i flew through this and enjoyed every bit of it. it felt fresh and unique and because of the stalker aspect there was quite a bit of suspense and mystery as well.
lately i feel like we live in a world that tells women that they have to save themselves and shouldn’t depend on a man. it was so refreshing to read about a woman who is soft and WANTS a man to take care of her. don’t get me wrong, she’s brave and strong too, but she allows tate to protect her and because of that is able to fully be safe and herself and let her guard down. i loved that aspect so much!🫶🏽 and tate! what a man. if you aren’t into protective & sarcastic men then he won’t be for you, but he was DEFINITELY for me. i love a strong, masculine, protecting, smart-aleck of an MMC and he was just perfect!
their chemistry was sooo good. like i literally had butterflies reading some of the scenes in here and the butterflies are really what clinched the 5 star rating for me. it’s a slowwww burn and the payoff is worth it!!
i loved the town and the atmosphere and tate’s family.
i had so much fun & i want to read it again for the first time.
also only one bed but it’s spice free??? yes plz!! the tension was crazy and i was so here for it.
🔥NO SPICE🔥
🤐NO STRONG LANGUAGE🤐
i flew through this and enjoyed every bit of it. it felt fresh and unique and because of the stalker aspect there was quite a bit of suspense and mystery as well.
lately i feel like we live in a world that tells women that they have to save themselves and shouldn’t depend on a man. it was so refreshing to read about a woman who is soft and WANTS a man to take care of her. don’t get me wrong, she’s brave and strong too, but she allows tate to protect her and because of that is able to fully be safe and herself and let her guard down. i loved that aspect so much!🫶🏽 and tate! what a man. if you aren’t into protective & sarcastic men then he won’t be for you, but he was DEFINITELY for me. i love a strong, masculine, protecting, smart-aleck of an MMC and he was just perfect!
their chemistry was sooo good. like i literally had butterflies reading some of the scenes in here and the butterflies are really what clinched the 5 star rating for me. it’s a slowwww burn and the payoff is worth it!!
i loved the town and the atmosphere and tate’s family.
i had so much fun & i want to read it again for the first time.
also only one bed but it’s spice free??? yes plz!! the tension was crazy and i was so here for it.
🔥NO SPICE🔥
🤐NO STRONG LANGUAGE🤐
August 19, 2026
"Courage isn't the absence of fear. It's choosing to move forward despite it."
The Bodyguard’s Fall by Cindy Steel
With every Cindy book I read, I think this is my new favorite of hers. Well, “The Bodyguard’s Fall” is my new favorite of Cindy’s books!
I absolutely adored Liv and Tate. I laughed so much while reading this one. I was on the edge of my seat. And let me tell you, I swooned a lot!
Tate’s and Olivia’s banter back and forth was pure gold. I loved their teasing words, their sizzling hot romance, the tenderness. And I loved Tate’s family. His mom is just the sweetest lady! This one might be Cindy’s sexiest book to date; don’t worry she still keeps it kissing only. But I loved every single second of the romance!
The suspense! When I say this book kept me up in the middle of the night, I’m being for real! Yes, I have to wake baby up to feed him, but when he goes back to sleep, I read to fall back asleep myself. Well, let me tell you, this was not the book to put me to sleep. Lol! It definitely kept me up sometimes with the suspenseful moments.
I highly recommend Cindy’s newest book, The Bodyguard’s Fall, and cannot wait to get my hands on the paperback at the event next month and to see and hang out with her.
“He’s going to try to act tough for you, but that butt needs princess treatment, and don’t let him forget it.”
Content guide contains spoilers in violence/gore section. Read on at your own peril.
Content Guide:
Language: Mild-occasional hell, damn, ass
Sexual Content: Closed-door/Kissing only-steamy passionate, sexual innuendos
Violence/gore: Mild-stalker, danger from fire, man beats another man, man tries to kidnap woman
Substance Use: Mild-talk of bars and alcohol, some social drinking
Prejudices: none
Religious Content: none
Other: divorce (past)
Book Info:
Series: Falling for Autumn book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romcom
Romance Level: Kissing only
Release Date: Available Now
Publisher: Indie
POV: Single First Person
I received a complimentary copy of the ebook. All thoughts are my own. Thank you, Cindy, for having me on your team!
The Bodyguard’s Fall by Cindy Steel
With every Cindy book I read, I think this is my new favorite of hers. Well, “The Bodyguard’s Fall” is my new favorite of Cindy’s books!
I absolutely adored Liv and Tate. I laughed so much while reading this one. I was on the edge of my seat. And let me tell you, I swooned a lot!
Tate’s and Olivia’s banter back and forth was pure gold. I loved their teasing words, their sizzling hot romance, the tenderness. And I loved Tate’s family. His mom is just the sweetest lady! This one might be Cindy’s sexiest book to date; don’t worry she still keeps it kissing only. But I loved every single second of the romance!
The suspense! When I say this book kept me up in the middle of the night, I’m being for real! Yes, I have to wake baby up to feed him, but when he goes back to sleep, I read to fall back asleep myself. Well, let me tell you, this was not the book to put me to sleep. Lol! It definitely kept me up sometimes with the suspenseful moments.
I highly recommend Cindy’s newest book, The Bodyguard’s Fall, and cannot wait to get my hands on the paperback at the event next month and to see and hang out with her.
“He’s going to try to act tough for you, but that butt needs princess treatment, and don’t let him forget it.”
Content guide contains spoilers in violence/gore section. Read on at your own peril.
Content Guide:
Language: Mild-occasional hell, damn, ass
Sexual Content: Closed-door/Kissing only-steamy passionate, sexual innuendos
Violence/gore: Mild-stalker, danger from fire, man beats another man, man tries to kidnap woman
Substance Use: Mild-talk of bars and alcohol, some social drinking
Prejudices: none
Religious Content: none
Other: divorce (past)
Book Info:
Series: Falling for Autumn book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romcom
Romance Level: Kissing only
Release Date: Available Now
Publisher: Indie
POV: Single First Person
I received a complimentary copy of the ebook. All thoughts are my own. Thank you, Cindy, for having me on your team!
September 5, 2026
Who knew a book with stalking could be such a wholesome & festive time?
If you were looking for a book to kick off your fall romance TBR…
A book that has small town community vibes
A book that is built around family, farming and flirtations
A book where the FMC has escape to a small town to avoid a man who has been consistently stalking her for years
A book where the MMC might be her brothers best friend who is also a hot law cop who has been put in charge of keeping her safe
AND If you especially want to remain in denial that it’s still hotter than the surface of the sun outside….
You need to read The Body Guards fall by Cindy Steel
I don’t think I’ve ever been failed by Cindy as her books always tend to give me the sweetest sizzle with great banter, refreshing candor I find no where else. This cozy romance set in Vermont with a dash of suspense was exactly what I needed.
Cindy always writes the best men who fall hard for their leading ladies and this book is no different. Tate is a man who is always hyper aware of Livs well being, and their playful interactions are absolutely darling as he becomes her safe harbor.
I loved the complete juxtaposition of sweet romance mixed with…trying to bring a lurking stalker to justice. It’s both parts tender and terrifying and genuinely had some moments that sent me off kilter!
As in true Cindy fashion there was the most fun twist that really made the forced proximity even more enjoyable for me.
An absolute yes for me! I haven’t read any others in this fall series but if any of them are this good I’ll have to check the rest of them out!
If you were looking for a book to kick off your fall romance TBR…
A book that has small town community vibes
A book that is built around family, farming and flirtations
A book where the FMC has escape to a small town to avoid a man who has been consistently stalking her for years
A book where the MMC might be her brothers best friend who is also a hot law cop who has been put in charge of keeping her safe
AND If you especially want to remain in denial that it’s still hotter than the surface of the sun outside….
You need to read The Body Guards fall by Cindy Steel
I don’t think I’ve ever been failed by Cindy as her books always tend to give me the sweetest sizzle with great banter, refreshing candor I find no where else. This cozy romance set in Vermont with a dash of suspense was exactly what I needed.
Cindy always writes the best men who fall hard for their leading ladies and this book is no different. Tate is a man who is always hyper aware of Livs well being, and their playful interactions are absolutely darling as he becomes her safe harbor.
I loved the complete juxtaposition of sweet romance mixed with…trying to bring a lurking stalker to justice. It’s both parts tender and terrifying and genuinely had some moments that sent me off kilter!
As in true Cindy fashion there was the most fun twist that really made the forced proximity even more enjoyable for me.
An absolute yes for me! I haven’t read any others in this fall series but if any of them are this good I’ll have to check the rest of them out!
August 30, 2026
═══════ ∘◦ ✧ ◦∘ ═══════
This review contains a few random statistics, my personal thoughts, and a content review! ♡
═══════ ∘◦ ✧ ◦∘ ═══════
• Book - The Bodyguard’s Fall
• Author - Cindy Steel
• Pages - Kindle, 318
• Genre(s) - Adult contemporary romance, suspense
• Published - 2026
• Recommended time to read - Autumn
• Cliffhanger - No
• On kindle unlimited? - Yes
• Vibe - 🍁🚜🌾🔫🎃
⇢─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───⇠
→ Setting - 5/5
→ Characters - 3/5
→ Writing - 4/5
→ Cover - 4/5
→ Vibes - 4/5
→ Plot - 2/5
→ Pacing - 3/5
→ Romance/Ship - 3/5
→ Overall - ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
⇢─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───⇠
Recommended to fans of-
✔︎ Cop x screenwriter
✔︎ Autumn romance
✔︎ Brother’s best friend
✔︎ Forced proximity
✔︎ Fake dating
✔︎ Marriage of convenience
♫ Now Playing - Prison For Life - Olivia Rodrigo ♫
═════════════════
╰┈➤ My thoughts (spoiler free)
♫ ”I’m a feminist obviously, but I wouldn’t really mind him saving me.” ♫
Hmmm. What do I think about this book? Wellll, it’s complicated 😭
I was genuinely thinking about giving this four stars until the marriage of convenience trope came in, and things just got weird. The dirty jokes ramped up by a lot, and there was some other things that made me uncomfortable (listed in the content review).
I really did like the setting and the autumn vibes. The characters were alright…I felt like they kinda shifted personalities sometimes. The suspense aspect and the fact that I’m ten books behind on my reading goal were really the only things keeping me from deciding to DNF.
═════════════════
╰┈➤ Characters
♫ ”I’ll never forget it he told me one night, ‘If anybody hurts you, ha, I’m going to prison for life’.” ♫
Liv - She was kind of boring. There wasn’t really anything unique about her except that she was being stalked. And that’s not even a personality trait (although it really felt like the author tried to make it one).
Tate - I have a love hate relationship with him. Half the time I was like “aww that was so cute” and the other half was like “aww he’s speaking again…make it stop” 😭
Will - I feel like the only thing he ever said was “don’t touch my sister”. Like why was he even there besides to make it the brother’s best friend trope?
Leroy - EW GO AWAY!!
═════════════════
╰┈➤ Spoilers below!
♫ ”I’m no damsel in distress, but I like assertiveness.” ♫
The only part I REALLY enjoyed was the climax. It was more suspense than romance, with the maze catching fire and confronting Leroy.
I thought it was really, really weird when Liv changed Tate’s bandage. Please stop. I need my brain to be bleached now, thank you.
═════════════════
╰┈➤ Content review
♫ ”But if he were there to save the day, think I’d let the man marry me.” ♫
➸ Age Rating - 16+
➸ Language - One use of @ss, a handful of hells and damns, and the mmc complaining that a movie had clean language for some reason?
➸ Romance/Sexual - Quite a few make out scenes that aren’t very descriptive but it’s still clear that they’re making out, a steady dusting of inappropriate jokes, sleeping in the same bed (after marriage) in a non sexual way, quite a bit of touching, Liv bandages a gunshot wound that is just underneath Tate’s waistband (he is in his boxers while she does so).
➸ Violence - Liv is being stalked and therefore learns self defense, eventually using it and punching her stalker, the story of a shooting is retold.
➸ Religious/Spiritual - A couple mentions of church.
➸ Magic - A few entions of Halloween and witches.
➸ LGBTQ - None.
➸ Alcohol/Drugs - A mention of champagne.
➸ Other Notes/Possible Triggers - Stalking, characters carry but don’t use guns, a character was involved in a shooting and is recovering.
This review contains a few random statistics, my personal thoughts, and a content review! ♡
═══════ ∘◦ ✧ ◦∘ ═══════
• Book - The Bodyguard’s Fall
• Author - Cindy Steel
• Pages - Kindle, 318
• Genre(s) - Adult contemporary romance, suspense
• Published - 2026
• Recommended time to read - Autumn
• Cliffhanger - No
• On kindle unlimited? - Yes
• Vibe - 🍁🚜🌾🔫🎃
⇢─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───⇠
→ Setting - 5/5
→ Characters - 3/5
→ Writing - 4/5
→ Cover - 4/5
→ Vibes - 4/5
→ Plot - 2/5
→ Pacing - 3/5
→ Romance/Ship - 3/5
→ Overall - ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
⇢─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───⇠
Recommended to fans of-
✔︎ Cop x screenwriter
✔︎ Autumn romance
✔︎ Brother’s best friend
✔︎ Forced proximity
✔︎ Fake dating
✔︎ Marriage of convenience
♫ Now Playing - Prison For Life - Olivia Rodrigo ♫
═════════════════
╰┈➤ My thoughts (spoiler free)
♫ ”I’m a feminist obviously, but I wouldn’t really mind him saving me.” ♫
Hmmm. What do I think about this book? Wellll, it’s complicated 😭
I was genuinely thinking about giving this four stars until the marriage of convenience trope came in, and things just got weird. The dirty jokes ramped up by a lot, and there was some other things that made me uncomfortable (listed in the content review).
I really did like the setting and the autumn vibes. The characters were alright…I felt like they kinda shifted personalities sometimes. The suspense aspect and the fact that I’m ten books behind on my reading goal were really the only things keeping me from deciding to DNF.
═════════════════
╰┈➤ Characters
♫ ”I’ll never forget it he told me one night, ‘If anybody hurts you, ha, I’m going to prison for life’.” ♫
Liv - She was kind of boring. There wasn’t really anything unique about her except that she was being stalked. And that’s not even a personality trait (although it really felt like the author tried to make it one).
Tate - I have a love hate relationship with him. Half the time I was like “aww that was so cute” and the other half was like “aww he’s speaking again…make it stop” 😭
Will - I feel like the only thing he ever said was “don’t touch my sister”. Like why was he even there besides to make it the brother’s best friend trope?
Leroy - EW GO AWAY!!
═════════════════
╰┈➤ Spoilers below!
♫ ”I’m no damsel in distress, but I like assertiveness.” ♫
The only part I REALLY enjoyed was the climax. It was more suspense than romance, with the maze catching fire and confronting Leroy.
I thought it was really, really weird when Liv changed Tate’s bandage. Please stop. I need my brain to be bleached now, thank you.
═════════════════
╰┈➤ Content review
♫ ”But if he were there to save the day, think I’d let the man marry me.” ♫
➸ Age Rating - 16+
➸ Language - One use of @ss, a handful of hells and damns, and the mmc complaining that a movie had clean language for some reason?
➸ Romance/Sexual - Quite a few make out scenes that aren’t very descriptive but it’s still clear that they’re making out, a steady dusting of inappropriate jokes, sleeping in the same bed (after marriage) in a non sexual way, quite a bit of touching, Liv bandages a gunshot wound that is just underneath Tate’s waistband (he is in his boxers while she does so).
➸ Violence - Liv is being stalked and therefore learns self defense, eventually using it and punching her stalker, the story of a shooting is retold.
➸ Religious/Spiritual - A couple mentions of church.
➸ Magic - A few entions of Halloween and witches.
➸ LGBTQ - None.
➸ Alcohol/Drugs - A mention of champagne.
➸ Other Notes/Possible Triggers - Stalking, characters carry but don’t use guns, a character was involved in a shooting and is recovering.
September 6, 2026
This was okay. My expectations were high because I really liked this premise and I've heard such great things about this author.
I wish this had committed fully to the suspense aspect because those were my favorite parts and I thought those scenes and emotions behind them were written the most effectively. As a whole, I enjoyed the exposition of the story more than the rest of it, probably because after a while I noticed the storytelling was pretty repetitive, mainly Liv's inner dialogue. She just kept cycling through the same thoughts.
The humor was not my kind of humor. I noticed a lot of it went over my head (or I found it juvenile) and I would have to re-read to catch the joke. I felt this way about the banter often too. It was choppy in my opinion. Tate's family were really cringy side characters and sometimes got on my nerves. I would not fit in with them haha.
I had been anticipating Tate's POV, but other than the prologue and some text message chapter intros, the reader doesn't get it. I never felt like I had a complete grasp on his personality. Ultimately, I didn't like how the main romance tropes were executed either. They felt partially done. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with both fake dating and marriage of convenience…
I can see why someone else would rate this higher but this missed the mark for me.
In this book:
-brother's best friend
-protective bodyguard
-writer FMC
-fake dating
-marriage of convenience
-forced proximity
-danger/suspense
-small town
-single POV
Content Guide:
romance - clean but on the sensual side
language - hell 7x, damn once, and a** once; one middle finger moment
violence - non-descriptive and infrequent
Potential Content Warnings:
-obsessed stalker
I wish this had committed fully to the suspense aspect because those were my favorite parts and I thought those scenes and emotions behind them were written the most effectively. As a whole, I enjoyed the exposition of the story more than the rest of it, probably because after a while I noticed the storytelling was pretty repetitive, mainly Liv's inner dialogue. She just kept cycling through the same thoughts.
The humor was not my kind of humor. I noticed a lot of it went over my head (or I found it juvenile) and I would have to re-read to catch the joke. I felt this way about the banter often too. It was choppy in my opinion. Tate's family were really cringy side characters and sometimes got on my nerves. I would not fit in with them haha.
I had been anticipating Tate's POV, but other than the prologue and some text message chapter intros, the reader doesn't get it. I never felt like I had a complete grasp on his personality. Ultimately, I didn't like how the main romance tropes were executed either. They felt partially done. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with both fake dating and marriage of convenience…
I can see why someone else would rate this higher but this missed the mark for me.
In this book:
-brother's best friend
-protective bodyguard
-writer FMC
-fake dating
-marriage of convenience
-forced proximity
-danger/suspense
-small town
-single POV
Content Guide:
romance - clean but on the sensual side
language - hell 7x, damn once, and a** once; one middle finger moment
violence - non-descriptive and infrequent
Potential Content Warnings:
-obsessed stalker
August 28, 2026
I loved this. It had the perfect balance of romance and suspense, with plenty of fun banter and cozy fall vibes. I will definitely be looking for more by this author.
August 23, 2026
Oh, this was so sweet. Seriously, Cindy Steel always delivers such giddy-inducing banter. The prologue instantly had me smitten with Liv and Tate, and the fun continued with its cozy fall Vermont setting, shared tractor rides, lovable family, and dash of suspense as Liv is forced to hide out in her hometown from a stalker under the protection of her brother's cop best friend.
Super stoic and attentive, Tate always had his eyes on Liv, constantly scanning the room and making sure she was safe. I loved the subtlety in the way he cared for her, playfully flirting and keeping things light, but immediately switching into bodyguard mode the moment he sensed any danger. When Liv was with him, her worries disappeared. She felt completely, undeniably safe with him, and I loved that for her.
Sometimes suspense can quickly veer into cheesy territory for me, but this stalker storyline genuinely gave me the creeps! Chapter 16. Gah! There were so many moments when I actually felt uneasy, and the reveal was so unexpected. I loved it. My one issue (and I can't say much due to spoilers) was a trope introduced in the second half. It felt so contrived and, honestly ... ridiculously farfetched to me. I'm not sure this story needed it? But otherwise, I very much enjoyed this one!
(spice level: kisses only)
Super stoic and attentive, Tate always had his eyes on Liv, constantly scanning the room and making sure she was safe. I loved the subtlety in the way he cared for her, playfully flirting and keeping things light, but immediately switching into bodyguard mode the moment he sensed any danger. When Liv was with him, her worries disappeared. She felt completely, undeniably safe with him, and I loved that for her.
Sometimes suspense can quickly veer into cheesy territory for me, but this stalker storyline genuinely gave me the creeps! Chapter 16. Gah! There were so many moments when I actually felt uneasy, and the reveal was so unexpected. I loved it. My one issue (and I can't say much due to spoilers) was a trope introduced in the second half. It felt so contrived and, honestly ... ridiculously farfetched to me. I'm not sure this story needed it? But otherwise, I very much enjoyed this one!
(spice level: kisses only)
August 18, 2026
The first book in an interconnected series full of all the Fall vibes set in small town Vermont focusing on Liv and Tate. Overall I thought it was a cute Fall read, but there are a lot of elements of suspense with the stalker storyline. I loved Tate and his family, but I wish there had been a little more between the two MCs. I did struggle a lot with part of the plot that was introduced in the third act. It felt unnecessary and made it cheesy for me. It is a single POV story, but I think my favorite part were the text exchanges between Tate and Liv’s brother Will! Overall it was a cute and fun start to this series!
Rating: 3.5⭐️
Steam: kissing only
Language: none
Rating: 3.5⭐️
Steam: kissing only
Language: none
October 7, 2026
THIS. WAS. AMAZING!!
It could be that I’m just a sucker for bodyguard romances but this was literally SO good!!!
*~Characters~*
Tate: He. was. Perfect!!!!!! He was just the right amount of funny, cutesy, and protective. Honestly, I think he teased her a lot because he secretly knew how much she was struggling.
Liv: she was the BEST fmc like ever! She was so strong, but the right amount of weak and just handled the situation so well! I loved her so much! She kinda reminded me of myself.
Will: bro he was soooo funny and overprotective 😂. This book should be called “don’t touch my sister” just because of the amount of times he told Tate that.
I can’t remember her friends names off the top of my head, but they get an honorable mention!
And Tates family do too! They were so kind and funny!!!
Leroy: i secretly liked him…just because every time he was in here Tate went into overprotective mode 😏
*~my thoughts~*
As I said this was sooooooo good! Like I keep forgetting that I finished it and then I get sad 😔. A book has to be rlly good for me to want to read all day long—and that’s literally what I did!
I loved how she was a Movie writer! Like, I related a lot since I’m a book writer—and it was kinda familiar.
Also, CAN I WATCH THE MOVIE SHE WROTE?! LIKE CAN SHE RELEASE IT IN REAL LIFE PLEASE?!
I just attached to the characters so much and like, I need another one 😭
*~Age Rating~*
Hmmm mature 12+!!! A few cuss words here and there—and mentions of Liv cussing tho the word she said was never mentioned.It’s funny cus she’s against Tate cussing so she always covers his mouth 😂. Romance was just kisses—they share a bed a few times but are on the opposite side the whole time. A few inappropriate lines from Mr. Tate but they’re not super bad. And violence was high for a romance since she had a stalker butttt it’s a bodyguard romance.
*~Overall~*
This book is I’m the running for the best read of the year! I enjoyed this soooo much! And I’m sure you will too! Read this now!
It could be that I’m just a sucker for bodyguard romances but this was literally SO good!!!
*~Characters~*
Tate: He. was. Perfect!!!!!! He was just the right amount of funny, cutesy, and protective. Honestly, I think he teased her a lot because he secretly knew how much she was struggling.
Liv: she was the BEST fmc like ever! She was so strong, but the right amount of weak and just handled the situation so well! I loved her so much! She kinda reminded me of myself.
Will: bro he was soooo funny and overprotective 😂. This book should be called “don’t touch my sister” just because of the amount of times he told Tate that.
I can’t remember her friends names off the top of my head, but they get an honorable mention!
And Tates family do too! They were so kind and funny!!!
Leroy: i secretly liked him…just because every time he was in here Tate went into overprotective mode 😏
*~my thoughts~*
As I said this was sooooooo good! Like I keep forgetting that I finished it and then I get sad 😔. A book has to be rlly good for me to want to read all day long—and that’s literally what I did!
I loved how she was a Movie writer! Like, I related a lot since I’m a book writer—and it was kinda familiar.
Also, CAN I WATCH THE MOVIE SHE WROTE?! LIKE CAN SHE RELEASE IT IN REAL LIFE PLEASE?!
I just attached to the characters so much and like, I need another one 😭
*~Age Rating~*
Hmmm mature 12+!!! A few cuss words here and there—and mentions of Liv cussing tho the word she said was never mentioned.It’s funny cus she’s against Tate cussing so she always covers his mouth 😂. Romance was just kisses—they share a bed a few times but are on the opposite side the whole time. A few inappropriate lines from Mr. Tate but they’re not super bad. And violence was high for a romance since she had a stalker butttt it’s a bodyguard romance.
*~Overall~*
This book is I’m the running for the best read of the year! I enjoyed this soooo much! And I’m sure you will too! Read this now!
September 15, 2026
The first 40% and last 30% was great and I was having a wonderful time. Cindy is a queen at dialogue. That woman knows how to write tension, chemistry, humor and relatability all in one scene.
The blend of light romance and mystery were very well done, and I felt the anticipation of danger many times. I wish we'd had more of it honestly.
As always, Cindy gives us a plethora of little sexy, tension filled moments, and this was no exception! The cake scene was especially delicious. IYKYK.
I have never read a plot like this, and THAT is an accomplishment. I was constantly wanting to know more. Cindy writes characters that feel real and this is quite hard to do. I always feel like I can see the story playing out like a movie in my mind.
THOUGHTS:
The pacing was weird. We got entirely too much of small town side characters that contributed little to nothing towards the plot, the trope twist at the halfway point felt like I signed up for a 5K and then towards the end, I'm told its actually a 10k race. It was GREAT but also, a strange time to introduce the change.
We get Tate's POV in the beginning and I was WAITING for more, but it never came. This was massively disappointing because I know Cindy can write a male POV like a boss and I didn't love being in Olivia's head the whole time.
There were some missed romantically pulling opportunities. One of the biggest was when the song, "Yours" by Russell Dickerson was mentioned. The scene was romantic AF, but the lyrics were left out and that completely deflated the potential of the moment.
The autumn vibes were good. Not amazing but enough.
The great dialogue and stalker premise are the only things keeping it memorable.
OVERALL: If you love closed door romances and want something with a bit of excitement and good writing, put this on your autumn TBR.
The blend of light romance and mystery were very well done, and I felt the anticipation of danger many times. I wish we'd had more of it honestly.
As always, Cindy gives us a plethora of little sexy, tension filled moments, and this was no exception! The cake scene was especially delicious. IYKYK.
I have never read a plot like this, and THAT is an accomplishment. I was constantly wanting to know more. Cindy writes characters that feel real and this is quite hard to do. I always feel like I can see the story playing out like a movie in my mind.
THOUGHTS:
The pacing was weird. We got entirely too much of small town side characters that contributed little to nothing towards the plot, the trope twist at the halfway point felt like I signed up for a 5K and then towards the end, I'm told its actually a 10k race. It was GREAT but also, a strange time to introduce the change.
We get Tate's POV in the beginning and I was WAITING for more, but it never came. This was massively disappointing because I know Cindy can write a male POV like a boss and I didn't love being in Olivia's head the whole time.
There were some missed romantically pulling opportunities. One of the biggest was when the song, "Yours" by Russell Dickerson was mentioned. The scene was romantic AF, but the lyrics were left out and that completely deflated the potential of the moment.
The autumn vibes were good. Not amazing but enough.
The great dialogue and stalker premise are the only things keeping it memorable.
OVERALL: If you love closed door romances and want something with a bit of excitement and good writing, put this on your autumn TBR.
October 27, 2026
I had so much fun with this!! I read it in a weekend - I didn’t want to put it down!!! The bodyguard plot and the suspense were so engaging, plus the romance was really sweet. I loved Tate’s whole family, all the fall activities, the small town, and Liv’s job! I loved the way Cindy Steel wove in a message about the power of a lighthearted rom-com too! Can’t wait to read more of her books and this series!
Content: kissing only, no language.
Content: kissing only, no language.
August 29, 2026
This book had so much potential and the setup was perfect, but it ended up not meeting any of the expectations the blurb gave me. All this suspense just for the stalker to show up in chapter 27 (FYI, there are 29 chapters), get arrested, and then… the end? 😭 excuse me mister stalker, you cannot just clock in, get arrested, and clock out and we get no explanation as to why you did the stalking? Hello?
The entire book is basically Olivia thinking her stalker is going to pop up at any moment, so naturally I’m sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for something to happen. And because Tate is a COP I kept thinking, okay surely we’re building up to Tate doing something badass. Maybe there’ll be some actual danger and he’ll have to protect her or rescue her.. Nope. Tate did approximately nothing because barely anything happened💀. I’m sad for Tate because that man was given the occupation of COP and the author said, “Don’t worry about it.” He might as well have been a baker tbh.
This book is literally the type of family friendly romance drama that Olivia has been asked to write by her company. Accessible to everyone, absolutely, but also with a high risk of being boring (she and Tate say something similar in the book about this genre).
And I actually LOVED Tate, which makes it worse because he had so much potential with being an undercover cop, but unfortunately we were robbed (pun intended). It feels like because of this family friendly vibe, his only purpose was to take the burden of Olivia’s worries and paranoia. As soon as he became her bodyguard, she was able to worry less as time went by while he stressed out for her.
And the romance??? Lackinggggggg 😞 I wanted YEARning. I wanted tension. I wanted longing. I wanted to feel like these two were fighting for their lives trying not to kiss each other while her stalker was on the loose. Fighting to stay focused on her safety but losing themselves in their attraction/ feelings for each other and pulling away and coming back for more.. but no. Instead I was fighting for my life trying to find the chemistry. These 2 felt superficial as if they were side characters.
There were no real signs of attraction, no delicious tension, nothing that made me want to kick my feet and giggle. Except the wedding cake scene teehee. That one got me 😝. Almost everything was happening in Olivia’s head but barely any action was taking place.
Things I did like:
* The Walker family as a whole. Honestly they carried.
* The text messages before each chapter. I actually really liked these, especially since we didn’t get to see much of Will.
* The forced proximity. The idea of it anyway, because it had so much potential but ultimately left me wanting more as their fake dating in public was lackluster.
The entire book is basically Olivia thinking her stalker is going to pop up at any moment, so naturally I’m sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for something to happen. And because Tate is a COP I kept thinking, okay surely we’re building up to Tate doing something badass. Maybe there’ll be some actual danger and he’ll have to protect her or rescue her.. Nope. Tate did approximately nothing because barely anything happened💀. I’m sad for Tate because that man was given the occupation of COP and the author said, “Don’t worry about it.” He might as well have been a baker tbh.
This book is literally the type of family friendly romance drama that Olivia has been asked to write by her company. Accessible to everyone, absolutely, but also with a high risk of being boring (she and Tate say something similar in the book about this genre).
And I actually LOVED Tate, which makes it worse because he had so much potential with being an undercover cop, but unfortunately we were robbed (pun intended). It feels like because of this family friendly vibe, his only purpose was to take the burden of Olivia’s worries and paranoia. As soon as he became her bodyguard, she was able to worry less as time went by while he stressed out for her.
And the romance??? Lackinggggggg 😞 I wanted YEARning. I wanted tension. I wanted longing. I wanted to feel like these two were fighting for their lives trying not to kiss each other while her stalker was on the loose. Fighting to stay focused on her safety but losing themselves in their attraction/ feelings for each other and pulling away and coming back for more.. but no. Instead I was fighting for my life trying to find the chemistry. These 2 felt superficial as if they were side characters.
There were no real signs of attraction, no delicious tension, nothing that made me want to kick my feet and giggle. Except the wedding cake scene teehee. That one got me 😝. Almost everything was happening in Olivia’s head but barely any action was taking place.
Things I did like:
* The Walker family as a whole. Honestly they carried.
* The text messages before each chapter. I actually really liked these, especially since we didn’t get to see much of Will.
* The forced proximity. The idea of it anyway, because it had so much potential but ultimately left me wanting more as their fake dating in public was lackluster.
August 14, 2026
I am really struggling to rate this book (I even rated it and then deleted my review after thinking about it) and now can’t decide what to do. Spoiler and some ranting ahead…
What I loved:
- Tate is hilarious. Like flirty in the most sarcastic and dry way possible and I loved it.
- Will and Tate’s text messaging was spot on. Usually the “protective older brother / don’t touch my sister” trope annoys me, but their friendship was perfection.
- So many sweet moments of Tate being adorable but pretending to do and feel nothing - the night light is a perfect example of this.
- Tate’s brother’s locking Tate and Olivia out of the house was so funny.
- Also, the truck lean. Enough said.
- The stalker storyline made this different from other “multi author / seasonally themed” books that can sometimes be a bit repetitive.
What I disliked:
- Olivia. I thought she was immature and I just didn’t feel any chemistry with Tate (from her end). It continued to feel like a “friendly / annoying brother” type of chemistry even though we had her POV the entire time. She thought all the correct “I’m falling for him things,” but I wasn’t convinced. Whenever she “flirted” with him, it felt awkward.
- Her boss being a jerk and complaining about her script deadline even though she was part of a police investigation because of a stalker. It made no sense.
- The marriage of convenience nonsense. The reasoning made zero sense and felt so forced. It seemed like an “end of the book Hail Mary” to try to force Tate and Olivia together so they could build connection even though they were together the entire book and hadn’t yet. The marriage felt like a trope for the sake of a trope and completely pulled me out of the story. It would have made more sense to do it so that Leroy was triggered and came out of hiding. Getting married because of an inappropriate and unprofessional work contract came so out of nowhere. Her boss being in her personal business was so weird.
I loved Tate… I just wish Olivia had given some of that personality/connection/chemistry back and she really did not. In my opinion, of course, because everyone seems to love this book and I’m so happy for them. I just thought Will and Tate had more chemistry than Olivia and Tate did.
What I loved:
- Tate is hilarious. Like flirty in the most sarcastic and dry way possible and I loved it.
- Will and Tate’s text messaging was spot on. Usually the “protective older brother / don’t touch my sister” trope annoys me, but their friendship was perfection.
- So many sweet moments of Tate being adorable but pretending to do and feel nothing - the night light is a perfect example of this.
- Tate’s brother’s locking Tate and Olivia out of the house was so funny.
- Also, the truck lean. Enough said.
- The stalker storyline made this different from other “multi author / seasonally themed” books that can sometimes be a bit repetitive.
What I disliked:
- Olivia. I thought she was immature and I just didn’t feel any chemistry with Tate (from her end). It continued to feel like a “friendly / annoying brother” type of chemistry even though we had her POV the entire time. She thought all the correct “I’m falling for him things,” but I wasn’t convinced. Whenever she “flirted” with him, it felt awkward.
- Her boss being a jerk and complaining about her script deadline even though she was part of a police investigation because of a stalker. It made no sense.
- The marriage of convenience nonsense. The reasoning made zero sense and felt so forced. It seemed like an “end of the book Hail Mary” to try to force Tate and Olivia together so they could build connection even though they were together the entire book and hadn’t yet. The marriage felt like a trope for the sake of a trope and completely pulled me out of the story. It would have made more sense to do it so that Leroy was triggered and came out of hiding. Getting married because of an inappropriate and unprofessional work contract came so out of nowhere. Her boss being in her personal business was so weird.
I loved Tate… I just wish Olivia had given some of that personality/connection/chemistry back and she really did not. In my opinion, of course, because everyone seems to love this book and I’m so happy for them. I just thought Will and Tate had more chemistry than Olivia and Tate did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2026
I will seriously read anything Cindy Steel writes. This had some of my favorite tropes: bodyguard, brother's best friend, fake dating, moc. And all in a fall setting, cue the swoons.
August 22, 2026
Danced the line between terrifying, hilarious, swoony, and cozy - loved!!
October 17, 2026
Overview:
Language 🤐: mild biblical swears (Hell
Ass damn around 10ish total uses)
Romance ❤️🔥: LV 2 kisses only (longer lightly descriptive kissing, flirtatious and some suggestive jokes)
Violence ⚔️: Fist fight on page, description of past shooting pg-pg13
⚠️there is an authors note, stalking, talk of divorce and how it effected children ⚠️
Tropes/Micro tropes
- Single POV ,some text exchanges from different POV
- Protective MMC
- Fake Dating
- Fall festivals
- Forced Proximity
- One Bed
- Brothers best friend
My Thoughts:
I loved this book! It was so enjoyable!! And just the right amount creepy 😂 if there is such a thing. I really enjoyed just the single POV. I loved that the prologue was in Tate’s POV and I’d definitely read a whole book from his POV but as much as I adore Dual POVs it’s great to read a well done Single POV.
Olivia is such a real and relatable character. It was really interesting just like seeing the things she was facing while having this crazy stalker in the background. I loved the way she was writing her screen play through the story. I loved her character growth and her slowly coming back into her self through the story.
Tate was the perfect protective MMC. I loved the history that Liv and him had. Tate and Will’s text back and forth were some of my favorite parts of this story’s
The history between these two characters was so great. The stalker in the background gave the perfect amount of suspense and I felt like them holding back from their feelings made sense in the story with everything that was going on. Even when they gave in and then tried to be restrained it all felt great.
Also the ending was SO SO SATISFYING! I appreciate the pay of we get in how everything wraps up!
This book is just so sweet. The banter, the facing of all the emotions, the found family elements. Just another top tier book by Cindy! I enjoy it so so much!
I’m looking forward to the rest of the books in this series! 😊
Definitely recommend this one and it’s totally the perfect time to read it right now!
Language 🤐: mild biblical swears (Hell
Ass damn around 10ish total uses)
Romance ❤️🔥: LV 2 kisses only (longer lightly descriptive kissing, flirtatious and some suggestive jokes)
Violence ⚔️: Fist fight on page, description of past shooting pg-pg13
⚠️there is an authors note, stalking, talk of divorce and how it effected children ⚠️
Tropes/Micro tropes
- Single POV ,some text exchanges from different POV
- Protective MMC
- Fake Dating
- Fall festivals
- Forced Proximity
- One Bed
- Brothers best friend
My Thoughts:
I loved this book! It was so enjoyable!! And just the right amount creepy 😂 if there is such a thing. I really enjoyed just the single POV. I loved that the prologue was in Tate’s POV and I’d definitely read a whole book from his POV but as much as I adore Dual POVs it’s great to read a well done Single POV.
Olivia is such a real and relatable character. It was really interesting just like seeing the things she was facing while having this crazy stalker in the background. I loved the way she was writing her screen play through the story. I loved her character growth and her slowly coming back into her self through the story.
Tate was the perfect protective MMC. I loved the history that Liv and him had. Tate and Will’s text back and forth were some of my favorite parts of this story’s
The history between these two characters was so great. The stalker in the background gave the perfect amount of suspense and I felt like them holding back from their feelings made sense in the story with everything that was going on. Even when they gave in and then tried to be restrained it all felt great.
Also the ending was SO SO SATISFYING! I appreciate the pay of we get in how everything wraps up!
This book is just so sweet. The banter, the facing of all the emotions, the found family elements. Just another top tier book by Cindy! I enjoy it so so much!
I’m looking forward to the rest of the books in this series! 😊
Definitely recommend this one and it’s totally the perfect time to read it right now!
November 5, 2026
Cindy Steel has redeemed herself! 👏
After reading (and DNFing) Faking Christmas a few years ago, I wasn’t sure I’d ever try another book by this author. Thankfully, some space and an intriguing synopsis got me here.
Liv & Tate were such a cute couple. I really enjoyed their banter! One of my favorite things about this story was the incorporation of Tate’s sweet family - especially his brothers. In my last Cindy Steel, the characters were insufferable. So it was nice to have a wholesome family for a change.
I also really enjoyed the suspense of the stalker plot. I definitely want to try some romantic suspense books now! I have a few on my list that I think will be bumped up now that I know that this genre intrigues me.
A few reasons why this wasn’t a 5 star:
- I saw the reveal of who Leroy was from a mile away. Early on in the story, there was something happening that I felt made it obvious. I was especially frustrated that 1) Liv didn’t get suspicious and say more but also 2) That the police didn’t think about this! I mean come ON.
- The other thing that frustrated me was how obvious it was that these two liked each other and by the time one major trope came into play there wasn’t a moment of truth. I understand Tate had to stay focused and do his job. But he didn’t stay focused anyway, so why not just be honest? The rest of the story was sweet, and I ended up fine with it. I just struggle with communication in romances. I’m a huge fan of fake dating, but it’s got to be done right. The other trope I won’t mention is one I’ve never liked, so it’s no surprise to me that while I didn’t hate it here, I still took issue with it.
At the end of the day, I did really enjoy the story. I giggled a few times, especially at the texts between Will and Tate and the banter between Tate and Liv, and there was one point I had an “awe” moment with some teary eyes.
I recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet and clean fall romance.
Content:
- There is one instance where Liv sees a little more skin, but she’s taking care of an injury.
- This is clean of cursing except I think maybe one d word and one a word. There’s a running joke in the book about how those words aren’t needed.
After reading (and DNFing) Faking Christmas a few years ago, I wasn’t sure I’d ever try another book by this author. Thankfully, some space and an intriguing synopsis got me here.
Liv & Tate were such a cute couple. I really enjoyed their banter! One of my favorite things about this story was the incorporation of Tate’s sweet family - especially his brothers. In my last Cindy Steel, the characters were insufferable. So it was nice to have a wholesome family for a change.
I also really enjoyed the suspense of the stalker plot. I definitely want to try some romantic suspense books now! I have a few on my list that I think will be bumped up now that I know that this genre intrigues me.
A few reasons why this wasn’t a 5 star:
- I saw the reveal of who Leroy was from a mile away. Early on in the story, there was something happening that I felt made it obvious. I was especially frustrated that 1) Liv didn’t get suspicious and say more but also 2) That the police didn’t think about this! I mean come ON.
- The other thing that frustrated me was how obvious it was that these two liked each other and by the time one major trope came into play there wasn’t a moment of truth. I understand Tate had to stay focused and do his job. But he didn’t stay focused anyway, so why not just be honest? The rest of the story was sweet, and I ended up fine with it. I just struggle with communication in romances. I’m a huge fan of fake dating, but it’s got to be done right. The other trope I won’t mention is one I’ve never liked, so it’s no surprise to me that while I didn’t hate it here, I still took issue with it.
At the end of the day, I did really enjoy the story. I giggled a few times, especially at the texts between Will and Tate and the banter between Tate and Liv, and there was one point I had an “awe” moment with some teary eyes.
I recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet and clean fall romance.
Content:
- There is one instance where Liv sees a little more skin, but she’s taking care of an injury.
- This is clean of cursing except I think maybe one d word and one a word. There’s a running joke in the book about how those words aren’t needed.
August 13, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
GENRE
-romantic suspense
CONTENT
-🤬: mild language (1 a, 1 d, 7 h)
-❤️: make outs
-⚠️: stalker situation, recollection of a shooting
What a lovely welcome to the town of Autumn Ridge, Vermont!
The Bodyguard's Fall follows Tate and Liv. Liv has been harassed by a stalker for months now, so she is sent to Autumn Ridge to stay with the Walker family . . . and be watched 24/7 by Tate, a cop who is on leave after an injury and who just so happens to be Liv's older brother's best friend. The stalker situation definitely lent itself to some fantastic forced proximity, and we even got a one-bed moment thrown in there. Cindy also had some delightful surprises in this book, which you'll have to find out when you read.
Cindy did a really great job at making it suspenseful but not scary, if that makes sense. Like, I didn't feel like I needed my husband to be around while I was reading because I was so freaked out, but I definitely felt anticipation building throughout the story.
Some things I loved included:
-the text messages between Tate and Will
-the Walker family dynamic, warmth, and protectiveness
-self-defense lessons
-"you're NOT my sister"
-Tate inviting Liv's friends over to visit her
-the nightlight in her room
-scheming brothers (& moms!)
-the [REDACTED] line
-Tate cleaning up the cake
-Liv getting her moment to shine + a moment to watch her man in action
It is single POV, which this author does well, but I do wish that we had gotten some more insight into when Tate started having feelings for Liv. We knew how Liv had found him attractive for years and that it took her months to stop thinking about their interaction at Will's wedding, but we don't really know when Tate started having feelings for her.
Also, it needed more editing / polishing. In the acknowledgments a copyeditor & proofreader are mentioned, but there were a number of things like issues with dialogue tags and action beats, en dashes being used instead of em dashes (but not consistently, sometimes they were really em dashes), and the verb tense sometimes changing. I was pulled out of the story because of these more than once (I swear I tried to turn my editing brain off).
This really was a delightful introduction; I'm so looking forward to the other stories in the series!
Favorite Quotes:
-Was it too much to ask for a potbelly and a balding head? Unfortunately, he was still extremely attractive—if a girl enjoyed the tall, mouthy, stoic type. Which I did not.
-When he was satisfied that I was paying attention, he said, “You’re not a burden, Rawlins. A pain in the butt? Absolutely. But never a burden.”
-Tate began looking around, confusion etched on his face. “What?” I asked in mild alarm. “I’m just checking my surroundings. This seems like the kind of place a guy might get taken advantage of when he’s out here all alone with a romance screenwriter.”
-“Let's get a few things straight, Rawlins. This is a job. Which means I will prioritize your safety over everything else.” My breath caught while his gaze held mine. “But you are absolutely not my sister.”
-“Why don’t you want to take me to Make-Out Ridge?” I teased, trying to bring us back. “Isn’t it good for our cover?” He gave me a look. “You couldn’t handle the ridge with me. Do you want to go?” “To Make-Out Ridge? Sure,” I supplied with a smile. “Rawlins. I’ve noticed you getting a little more feisty lately, which I like, but you need to start thinking about something else besides how sexy I am all the time.”
-“There’s always going to be something that scares you. The trick is figuring out what’s worth being brave for.”
-“This line makes it so we can both go back to our lives when this is all over. This line keeps us focused. This line keeps me focused. Cross it at your own risk.” ... “I’ll cross that line if I feel like it,” I taunted. ... “Cross it at your own risk. But fair warning…I get attached easily.”
-“Are you decent?” I asked. “Rarely,” came his flirtatious reply.
-It’s funny how fear works. But the moment you face it, you realize you were always bigger than it was.
-“I thought you barely tolerated me.” My hands wound their way around his neck, enjoying the feel of his body against mine. He wrinkled his nose playfully. “It’s even worse than that.” “What could be worse?” He brought his face close to mine and whispered, “I’m in love with you.”
GENRE
-romantic suspense
CONTENT
-🤬: mild language (1 a, 1 d, 7 h)
-❤️: make outs
-⚠️: stalker situation, recollection of a shooting
What a lovely welcome to the town of Autumn Ridge, Vermont!
The Bodyguard's Fall follows Tate and Liv. Liv has been harassed by a stalker for months now, so she is sent to Autumn Ridge to stay with the Walker family . . . and be watched 24/7 by Tate, a cop who is on leave after an injury and who just so happens to be Liv's older brother's best friend. The stalker situation definitely lent itself to some fantastic forced proximity, and we even got a one-bed moment thrown in there. Cindy also had some delightful surprises in this book, which you'll have to find out when you read.
Cindy did a really great job at making it suspenseful but not scary, if that makes sense. Like, I didn't feel like I needed my husband to be around while I was reading because I was so freaked out, but I definitely felt anticipation building throughout the story.
Some things I loved included:
-the text messages between Tate and Will
-the Walker family dynamic, warmth, and protectiveness
-self-defense lessons
-"you're NOT my sister"
-Tate inviting Liv's friends over to visit her
-the nightlight in her room
-scheming brothers (& moms!)
-the [REDACTED] line
-Tate cleaning up the cake
-Liv getting her moment to shine + a moment to watch her man in action
It is single POV, which this author does well, but I do wish that we had gotten some more insight into when Tate started having feelings for Liv. We knew how Liv had found him attractive for years and that it took her months to stop thinking about their interaction at Will's wedding, but we don't really know when Tate started having feelings for her.
Also, it needed more editing / polishing. In the acknowledgments a copyeditor & proofreader are mentioned, but there were a number of things like issues with dialogue tags and action beats, en dashes being used instead of em dashes (but not consistently, sometimes they were really em dashes), and the verb tense sometimes changing. I was pulled out of the story because of these more than once (I swear I tried to turn my editing brain off).
This really was a delightful introduction; I'm so looking forward to the other stories in the series!
Favorite Quotes:
-Was it too much to ask for a potbelly and a balding head? Unfortunately, he was still extremely attractive—if a girl enjoyed the tall, mouthy, stoic type. Which I did not.
-When he was satisfied that I was paying attention, he said, “You’re not a burden, Rawlins. A pain in the butt? Absolutely. But never a burden.”
-Tate began looking around, confusion etched on his face. “What?” I asked in mild alarm. “I’m just checking my surroundings. This seems like the kind of place a guy might get taken advantage of when he’s out here all alone with a romance screenwriter.”
-“Let's get a few things straight, Rawlins. This is a job. Which means I will prioritize your safety over everything else.” My breath caught while his gaze held mine. “But you are absolutely not my sister.”
-“Why don’t you want to take me to Make-Out Ridge?” I teased, trying to bring us back. “Isn’t it good for our cover?” He gave me a look. “You couldn’t handle the ridge with me. Do you want to go?” “To Make-Out Ridge? Sure,” I supplied with a smile. “Rawlins. I’ve noticed you getting a little more feisty lately, which I like, but you need to start thinking about something else besides how sexy I am all the time.”
-“There’s always going to be something that scares you. The trick is figuring out what’s worth being brave for.”
-“This line makes it so we can both go back to our lives when this is all over. This line keeps us focused. This line keeps me focused. Cross it at your own risk.” ... “I’ll cross that line if I feel like it,” I taunted. ... “Cross it at your own risk. But fair warning…I get attached easily.”
-“Are you decent?” I asked. “Rarely,” came his flirtatious reply.
-It’s funny how fear works. But the moment you face it, you realize you were always bigger than it was.
-“I thought you barely tolerated me.” My hands wound their way around his neck, enjoying the feel of his body against mine. He wrinkled his nose playfully. “It’s even worse than that.” “What could be worse?” He brought his face close to mine and whispered, “I’m in love with you.”
September 23, 2026
🍂The Bodyguard’s Fall by Cindy Steel🍂
Book 1 in the Falling for Autumn multi-author series.
You cannot believe how much I devoured this book. I devoured it so much that I wanted to read it again immediately.
The fact that this was also a Suspense made it even better! Every plot twist was SO captivating. Honestly, I loved this so much that I’m speechless.
🤎TATE🤎
OH MY GOSH. THIS MAN.
THIS SWOONY, FLIRTY, HANDSOME, AND BOSSY BODYGUARD.
Hmm what can I say about him, other than that I LOVED HIM SO MUCH??!
He was so protective and so supportive of Olivia. And even though at times Olivia was scared, Tate knew to comfort her and it was so sweet. Also the fact that he was a cop was so funny and honestly?? Dare I say attractive haha!
Oh and the backside injury moments were so hilarious!😂
🧡LIV🧡
I LOVER HER. Her personality was so fun and sassy. She definitely was made to put up with Tate’s antics lol. I loved how she loved to write and how made up and thought of different plot twists in her mind.
Seeing her grow was so sweet. To being the person who would naturally wouldn’t want to take help, but inner case she had SO MANY PEOPLE her loved her and helped anyway.
Don’t even get me started on her stalker🤢😖😟
I was even starting to get creeped out but it definitely made it so suspenseful.
Really, all you need to know is that I LOVED THIS BOOK AND ITS STUCK IN MY HEART FOREVER. And that YOU need to read it if you haven’t. Because who wouldn’t love a very protective bodyguard, a screenwriter fmc, a stalker they’re trying to find, and a romance that will make you squeal and kick your feet?!
My Rating: 6 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️ Age Recommendation: 16-17+ ⚠️
CONTENT INFO‼️
Sexual Content: NO SPICE- up to passionate kissing only, sharing a room, a mention of touching someone’s butt
Language: One use of the A-word - other than that only mild language and no more cussing
Violence: Mild- a stalker, a fire, gun usage, not super super violent tho
LGBTQ Content: None!
Book 1 in the Falling for Autumn multi-author series.
You cannot believe how much I devoured this book. I devoured it so much that I wanted to read it again immediately.
The fact that this was also a Suspense made it even better! Every plot twist was SO captivating. Honestly, I loved this so much that I’m speechless.
🤎TATE🤎
OH MY GOSH. THIS MAN.
THIS SWOONY, FLIRTY, HANDSOME, AND BOSSY BODYGUARD.
Hmm what can I say about him, other than that I LOVED HIM SO MUCH??!
He was so protective and so supportive of Olivia. And even though at times Olivia was scared, Tate knew to comfort her and it was so sweet. Also the fact that he was a cop was so funny and honestly?? Dare I say attractive haha!
Oh and the backside injury moments were so hilarious!😂
🧡LIV🧡
I LOVER HER. Her personality was so fun and sassy. She definitely was made to put up with Tate’s antics lol. I loved how she loved to write and how made up and thought of different plot twists in her mind.
Seeing her grow was so sweet. To being the person who would naturally wouldn’t want to take help, but inner case she had SO MANY PEOPLE her loved her and helped anyway.
Don’t even get me started on her stalker🤢😖😟
I was even starting to get creeped out but it definitely made it so suspenseful.
Really, all you need to know is that I LOVED THIS BOOK AND ITS STUCK IN MY HEART FOREVER. And that YOU need to read it if you haven’t. Because who wouldn’t love a very protective bodyguard, a screenwriter fmc, a stalker they’re trying to find, and a romance that will make you squeal and kick your feet?!
My Rating: 6 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️ Age Recommendation: 16-17+ ⚠️
CONTENT INFO‼️
Sexual Content: NO SPICE- up to passionate kissing only, sharing a room, a mention of touching someone’s butt
Language: One use of the A-word - other than that only mild language and no more cussing
Violence: Mild- a stalker, a fire, gun usage, not super super violent tho
LGBTQ Content: None!
October 21, 2026
I LOVED THIS. Sooo cute!
September 4, 2026
This is the 1st book in the Falling for Autumn series. It is a multi author series with cross over characters that is set in Autumn Ridge. I think they can be read in any order. There was one tiny spoiler for this book in one of the other books that I read first, but it wasn't enough to make it matter which order they were read. It's a kisses only cozy romantic comedy full of fall vibes.
I really wanted to listen to this one, but since the audiobook won't be released for a while, I needed to read with my eyes. I'm really enjoying this series.
This book has a stalker element to it, but it isn't over the top or super scary. It just adds another layer to the romcom story.
I really wanted to listen to this one, but since the audiobook won't be released for a while, I needed to read with my eyes. I'm really enjoying this series.
This book has a stalker element to it, but it isn't over the top or super scary. It just adds another layer to the romcom story.
September 11, 2026
IG review: https://www.instagram.com/p/DdKRBq4H3...
4.25 stars. I wouldn’t have picked up this book if anyone else had written it👀
Liv has ended up back in her hometown of Autumn Ridge after her stalker has refused to back down. Enter her brother’s best friend, Tate. Bodyguard extraordinaire and former pain in the butt to young Liv.
Love in the air with a bodyguard, a stalker getting more brazen, possibly some fake dating, vibe-y hayrides, hot self-defense lessons and even more?! Like I said, I wouldn’t have trusted anyone but Cindy Steel with this premise! But I will pick up anything this woman writes and she never misses.
I had so much fun with this story! As always with Cindy, the banter is top-notch. Suspend your disbelief, have a little fun and add this one to your Fall romance reading list!
Spice level: no spice/ kissing only
4.25 stars. I wouldn’t have picked up this book if anyone else had written it👀
Liv has ended up back in her hometown of Autumn Ridge after her stalker has refused to back down. Enter her brother’s best friend, Tate. Bodyguard extraordinaire and former pain in the butt to young Liv.
Love in the air with a bodyguard, a stalker getting more brazen, possibly some fake dating, vibe-y hayrides, hot self-defense lessons and even more?! Like I said, I wouldn’t have trusted anyone but Cindy Steel with this premise! But I will pick up anything this woman writes and she never misses.
I had so much fun with this story! As always with Cindy, the banter is top-notch. Suspend your disbelief, have a little fun and add this one to your Fall romance reading list!
Spice level: no spice/ kissing only
August 18, 2026
Cindy Steel has done it again. 👏🏼✨ This was the perfect fall book and has me craving all things pumpkin now. And for her first leap into some romantic suspense, I was here for it. Can’t wait to read the rest in this series!! 🍂 This was an easy 5 star read for me. Forever and ever a Cindy Steel fan.
August 14, 2026
4.75 ⭐️ I really loved this one! I wish it was a little bit more suspenseful, but overall I’m a sucker for the “Who did this to you?/He takes care of her” trope.
September 11, 2026
This book was different than I expected it would be for a fall romcom … and I liked that! The suspense was heavier in this one than the cover would suggest, but I felt like it really worked for this story and made it better!
I loved both main characters, and I appreciated how while this was mostly just Liv’s point of view, we do get some peeks into Tate’s mind via text messages with Liv’s brother Will. I thought that was a unique way to tell the story! The chemistry was good, and the banter had me laughing a lot.
Without revealing too much, I really enjoyed the tropes in this one. The book doesn’t take itself too seriously, which I appreciate, and it recognizes its own cheese/cliches (loved the irony throughout)! There were a couple small things at the end that maybe weren’t explained super clearly, but that was the only thing I wished was different. Otherwise, it was cute all around, and the story kept me interested!
Loved this one by Cindy Steel! It was a great start to the series and made me want to read more books from Falling for Autumn.
❗️Content considerations: mild language (d***, mention of giving the finger, h*ll, another word for donkey), stalker storyline and trauma surrounding that, minor injuries/violence, low spice: kissing, innuendos, mild jokes about intimacy, bottom spank lol, wound care on bottom (laughing at my own content considerations over here lol)
💭 Age recommendation: adult
I loved both main characters, and I appreciated how while this was mostly just Liv’s point of view, we do get some peeks into Tate’s mind via text messages with Liv’s brother Will. I thought that was a unique way to tell the story! The chemistry was good, and the banter had me laughing a lot.
Without revealing too much, I really enjoyed the tropes in this one. The book doesn’t take itself too seriously, which I appreciate, and it recognizes its own cheese/cliches (loved the irony throughout)! There were a couple small things at the end that maybe weren’t explained super clearly, but that was the only thing I wished was different. Otherwise, it was cute all around, and the story kept me interested!
Loved this one by Cindy Steel! It was a great start to the series and made me want to read more books from Falling for Autumn.
❗️Content considerations: mild language (d***, mention of giving the finger, h*ll, another word for donkey), stalker storyline and trauma surrounding that, minor injuries/violence, low spice: kissing, innuendos, mild jokes about intimacy, bottom spank lol, wound care on bottom (laughing at my own content considerations over here lol)
💭 Age recommendation: adult
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