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Harvest Hollow Love Stories #4
You Fall First: A Sweet Romantic Comedy: Harvest Hollow Love Stories
Forever wasn’t part of their agreement…
Josephine Michaels has a big problem.
Several problems, TBH.
1. She’s unemployed and stuck living with her parents. Again.
2. Her ex is coming to her sister’s wedding. With his new fiancée.
3. The super-hot PT she’s crushing on is not only too busy to date, he’s also friends with her protective older brother.
Noah Stadler has his own His lengthy PT job description now includes being a full-time, single father-figure to a preschooler.
Enter Jo.
She agrees to be Noah’s live-in help until his sister arrives to take care of her son and make a fresh start. In the meantime, Noah pretends to be Jo’s boyfriend for the wedding.
At first, their temporary arrangement seems Co-parenting and fake dating with no strings attached and a guaranteed expiration date.
Nothing could go wrong, right?
Until both their hearts start making plans that break all the rules…
***
This closed-door romance is an interconnected standalone in the Harvest Hollow Love Stories series. You’ll get all the sizzle and sweetness of a romcom but only kisses on the page.
Single Father FigureFriend’s little sister/Older Brother’s FriendFake DatingForced ProximityFound FamilyAge Gap (7 years)
Josephine Michaels has a big problem.
Several problems, TBH.
1. She’s unemployed and stuck living with her parents. Again.
2. Her ex is coming to her sister’s wedding. With his new fiancée.
3. The super-hot PT she’s crushing on is not only too busy to date, he’s also friends with her protective older brother.
Noah Stadler has his own His lengthy PT job description now includes being a full-time, single father-figure to a preschooler.
Enter Jo.
She agrees to be Noah’s live-in help until his sister arrives to take care of her son and make a fresh start. In the meantime, Noah pretends to be Jo’s boyfriend for the wedding.
At first, their temporary arrangement seems Co-parenting and fake dating with no strings attached and a guaranteed expiration date.
Nothing could go wrong, right?
Until both their hearts start making plans that break all the rules…
***
This closed-door romance is an interconnected standalone in the Harvest Hollow Love Stories series. You’ll get all the sizzle and sweetness of a romcom but only kisses on the page.
Single Father FigureFriend’s little sister/Older Brother’s FriendFake DatingForced ProximityFound FamilyAge Gap (7 years)
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 8, 2026
About the author
Julie Christianson
19 books711 followersJulie Christianson writes sweet romantic comedies—but only when she’s not reading them. Born and raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles, she loves her hilarious family, her three crazy rescue dogs, and laughing at her own jokes.
Julie dreamed of being an author the first time she held a crayon, and after the library where she worked closed in 2020, she decided to try her hand at penning her own small-town romcoms.
She’s a former high school English teacher and lapsed marathon runner, the mother of two great kids, and the wife of one very funny man. Her goal is to write books that make you laugh out loud, fall in love, and live happily ever after.
To connect with Julie, follow her on instagram (@juliechristiansonauthor), Facebook (@juliechristiansonauthor) or visit her website, juliechristianson.com.!
Julie dreamed of being an author the first time she held a crayon, and after the library where she worked closed in 2020, she decided to try her hand at penning her own small-town romcoms.
She’s a former high school English teacher and lapsed marathon runner, the mother of two great kids, and the wife of one very funny man. Her goal is to write books that make you laugh out loud, fall in love, and live happily ever after.
To connect with Julie, follow her on instagram (@juliechristiansonauthor), Facebook (@juliechristiansonauthor) or visit her website, juliechristianson.com.!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
October 13, 2026
“I’ve got a fake date to an Alzheimer’s fundraiser.”
You Fall First is Book 4 in the Harvest Hollow series and I couldn’t have been happier to read this utterly adorable standalone in this interconnected series.
Noah and Jo have the cutest story that starts with a day full of meet-cutes and ends with all the swoony zips and zings one would expect with a Julie Christianson closed door romcom.
Noah is Jo’s older brother’s friend and is acting as a temporary guardian to his darling nephew, Dutton, which is how Jo comes to be a huge part of his life. Found family in a small town never fails to draw me in, but…How does a physical therapist end up fake dating his friend’s little sister? Read to see, because fake dating and it’s oh-so-good!
With a slight age gap (7 years), solid and kind Noah and chatty and sunny Jo have a connection full of wit, flirtations, chemistry-laden moments, and more that left me with a huge smile on my face and warm fuzzies in my heart. The forced proximity situation solidified this one as a favorite and I’m going to be dealing with a book-hangover for quite a while from this precious book. I loved every single minute of it!
*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given*
You Fall First is Book 4 in the Harvest Hollow series and I couldn’t have been happier to read this utterly adorable standalone in this interconnected series.
Noah and Jo have the cutest story that starts with a day full of meet-cutes and ends with all the swoony zips and zings one would expect with a Julie Christianson closed door romcom.
Noah is Jo’s older brother’s friend and is acting as a temporary guardian to his darling nephew, Dutton, which is how Jo comes to be a huge part of his life. Found family in a small town never fails to draw me in, but…How does a physical therapist end up fake dating his friend’s little sister? Read to see, because fake dating and it’s oh-so-good!
With a slight age gap (7 years), solid and kind Noah and chatty and sunny Jo have a connection full of wit, flirtations, chemistry-laden moments, and more that left me with a huge smile on my face and warm fuzzies in my heart. The forced proximity situation solidified this one as a favorite and I’m going to be dealing with a book-hangover for quite a while from this precious book. I loved every single minute of it!
*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given*
October 12, 2026
It wouldn’t be fall without a book from Julie Christianson! I’m so excited that the 4th book in the Harvest Hollow Love Stories series is here! It was so sweet!
I quickly fell in love with this story. Julie Christianson's writing style is so great! It’s easy to read and pulls you right into the story. This story was heartwarming, sweet, and funny! I loved getting to know more about Noah, the PT from the last book in the series. He was the most devoted uncle to his nephew Dutton. When his sister is held up longer than expected as she prepares to move to Harvest Hollow with her brother, Noah becomes Dutton’s sole caretaker. Noah is needed back at work but luckily, his best friend’s youngest sister is between jobs and able to step in to help. It gave this story some main caretaker/nanny vibes. While this story had me giggling, it also had characters that were real, vulnerable, and had depth. Noah and Jo’s romance had me swooning and Dutton was just the cutest with his love of Toy Story. Throw in some fake dating and I was just smiling and eating this one up. Noah and Jo were so easy to root for and love. Don’t miss this one this fall!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Awareness - grief in the past for both main characters.
4.5 ⭐️
October 10, 2026
Please meet my new favorite Julie Christianson book. And that’s saying something because I have adored literally every single one of her books.
YOU FALL FIRST is top tier yearning and forced proximity. Competency is hot and Noah Stadler is a very competent man. 👀 He cares deeply and very motivated. Seeing him with his nephew was just the sweetest. And Jo is such a relatable FMC. The book basically opens with her PMSing, and honestly we need more of that. She doesn’t always say the right thing. But she cares deeply and loves fiercely. They are the best example of finding their other half.
If you’re looking for a heartwarming story that will make you giggle and kick your feet, then look no farther. YOU FALL FIRST is full of yearning, banter and a slow burn that will make you jump for joy when they finally kiss.
What You’ll Find:
🔥Brother’s Best Friend
🤭Fake Dating
👶🏼Single Father Figure
🏠Forced Proximity
💕Found Family
📈Slight Age Gap
YOU FALL FIRST is top tier yearning and forced proximity. Competency is hot and Noah Stadler is a very competent man. 👀 He cares deeply and very motivated. Seeing him with his nephew was just the sweetest. And Jo is such a relatable FMC. The book basically opens with her PMSing, and honestly we need more of that. She doesn’t always say the right thing. But she cares deeply and loves fiercely. They are the best example of finding their other half.
If you’re looking for a heartwarming story that will make you giggle and kick your feet, then look no farther. YOU FALL FIRST is full of yearning, banter and a slow burn that will make you jump for joy when they finally kiss.
What You’ll Find:
🔥Brother’s Best Friend
🤭Fake Dating
👶🏼Single Father Figure
🏠Forced Proximity
💕Found Family
📈Slight Age Gap
September 24, 2026
Thank you Julie Christianson and Booked With The Emilys for this Advanced Reader Copy!🫶🏻
“You Fall First” by Julie Christianson
⭐️My rating: 4.75
📖Book length: 376 pages
📚Book #4 of Harvest Hollow Love Stories
❤️🔥Spice level: closed-door
🤬Language: mild
⚠️CW: previous, off page death of parents and death of a sibling in childhood
What a sweet story!!! Noah and Jo were SO easy to root for!
I loved how Noah was so intuitive to Jo and making her feel special and chosen. With Jo struggling with feeling like nobody’s first choice, Noah was the perfect man to squash those insecurities and make her feel loved! It completely warmed my heart❤️🩹😭🥹!!
Jo was so relatable - she had the perfect amount of quirkiness and awkwardness to feel relatable without coming off as “corny”. I think so many of us women can relate to her love life struggles; being hurt by someone in the past and seeing love come so easily to others and wondering why it’s never been easy for you 🥺. I also loved how her mom touched on Jo being a LOVER GIRL, and yes she hurts deeply, but she also LOVES deeply and that’s such a beautiful thing🥹❤️🩹
Overall, this story was full of heartwarming moments that will have you swooning!! Absolutely loved it!!!😍🫶🏻💜
“You Fall First” by Julie Christianson
⭐️My rating: 4.75
📖Book length: 376 pages
📚Book #4 of Harvest Hollow Love Stories
❤️🔥Spice level: closed-door
🤬Language: mild
⚠️CW: previous, off page death of parents and death of a sibling in childhood
What a sweet story!!! Noah and Jo were SO easy to root for!
I loved how Noah was so intuitive to Jo and making her feel special and chosen. With Jo struggling with feeling like nobody’s first choice, Noah was the perfect man to squash those insecurities and make her feel loved! It completely warmed my heart❤️🩹😭🥹!!
Jo was so relatable - she had the perfect amount of quirkiness and awkwardness to feel relatable without coming off as “corny”. I think so many of us women can relate to her love life struggles; being hurt by someone in the past and seeing love come so easily to others and wondering why it’s never been easy for you 🥺. I also loved how her mom touched on Jo being a LOVER GIRL, and yes she hurts deeply, but she also LOVES deeply and that’s such a beautiful thing🥹❤️🩹
Overall, this story was full of heartwarming moments that will have you swooning!! Absolutely loved it!!!😍🫶🏻💜
October 16, 2026
All the heart eye emojis for You Fall First! Julie Christianson delivers a heartfelt, swoon-worthy, funny, sweet romcom with endearing characters & a single uncle/father figure, best friend’s little sister, age gap romance that completely captured my heart. I enjoyed meeting Noah & Jo in previous books & couldn’t wait to see their story unfurl.
Jo’s the youngest of the Michaels clan & feels like the loser of the bunch. Though she has a bachelor’s degree & masters, she’s back living with her parents again while job hunting & getting over her ex. Jo’s funny, charming, & perhaps a little over exuberant when it comes to relationships, but wants her happily ever after just like her siblings. While visiting a petting zoo with her sister & her kids, Jo’s bowled over by a sweet four year old & when she sees his handsome uncle who comes to her rescue, she falls a little more in love with her brother’s best friend. Unfortunately, though they’ve met a couple of times before, Noah hasn’t seemed interested.
Noah’s a gorgeous physical therapist who’s dedicated to helping his sister & her young son especially after their parents’ deaths. He has care of Dutton while his sister prepares to move to Harvest Hollow, but when Paige has a health emergency & is delayed, Jo seems like the answer to all his problems. His attraction to Jo is strong, but with all that’s going on in his life & the fact that she’s his best friend’s little sister, can he afford to fall?
I loved Jo & Noah! Their delightful sizzling attraction & mutual pining kept me on pins & needles waiting for that first kiss. I loved the added aspect of a fake relationship to get back at her ex. Dutton’s a little sweetheart who stole my heart. I enjoyed all the fun activities Noah & Jo do with him while he’s missing his mom.
There are so many touching moments, especially as Jo & Noah share about the mutual loss they’ve experienced. I loved the way the author beautifully balanced illness, loss, & dynamic family relationships with humor, romance, & lots of heart.
Highly recommend this book & the entire series to closed-door romcom fans! I received an advance copy but also read in Kindle Unlimited. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided.
Jo’s the youngest of the Michaels clan & feels like the loser of the bunch. Though she has a bachelor’s degree & masters, she’s back living with her parents again while job hunting & getting over her ex. Jo’s funny, charming, & perhaps a little over exuberant when it comes to relationships, but wants her happily ever after just like her siblings. While visiting a petting zoo with her sister & her kids, Jo’s bowled over by a sweet four year old & when she sees his handsome uncle who comes to her rescue, she falls a little more in love with her brother’s best friend. Unfortunately, though they’ve met a couple of times before, Noah hasn’t seemed interested.
Noah’s a gorgeous physical therapist who’s dedicated to helping his sister & her young son especially after their parents’ deaths. He has care of Dutton while his sister prepares to move to Harvest Hollow, but when Paige has a health emergency & is delayed, Jo seems like the answer to all his problems. His attraction to Jo is strong, but with all that’s going on in his life & the fact that she’s his best friend’s little sister, can he afford to fall?
I loved Jo & Noah! Their delightful sizzling attraction & mutual pining kept me on pins & needles waiting for that first kiss. I loved the added aspect of a fake relationship to get back at her ex. Dutton’s a little sweetheart who stole my heart. I enjoyed all the fun activities Noah & Jo do with him while he’s missing his mom.
There are so many touching moments, especially as Jo & Noah share about the mutual loss they’ve experienced. I loved the way the author beautifully balanced illness, loss, & dynamic family relationships with humor, romance, & lots of heart.
Highly recommend this book & the entire series to closed-door romcom fans! I received an advance copy but also read in Kindle Unlimited. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided.
Review of advance copy received from Author
You Fall FIRST
A Sweet romantic comedy: Harvest Hollow Love Stories, Book 4
by: Julie Christianson
@juliechristiansonauthor
••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.
~Forever wasn’t part of their agreement…
-Ok my friends, if you are in the mood for a delightful closed-door sizzling sweet romcom, look no further because You Fall FIRST is simply that and so much more! When a temporary arrangement looks a bit like co-parenting mixed with fake dating with no strings attached and a guaranteed expiration date, is when things don’t necessarily go wrong, but the line of it turning out to be something more is weaved so wonderfully within! Goodness, the mixture of both humor and heart stands out! I loved watching endearing characters who have such good hearts and want to make a difference in the lives of those they love come to see what their hearts also wants is important. To walk in one’s own shoes and be not only seen and appreciated for who they are and that risking everything in choosing who they love matters the most. To watch others immediately see great potential, gold on, choose without any reservation what together means, simply melted my heart. An unexpected journey with a few hiccups along the way for growth and depth leads to such a satisfyingly happy destination! This is absolutely a story worth reading and loving!🩷📚‼️
•Content: a small number of mild language, no danger, side character needing surgery and hospital stay/recovery, loss of parents (past; mentioned on page), loss of family member (past; mentioned on page), some feelings of not feeling seen or being enough, some feelings of loss and grief. Some run in with ex boyfriend scenerio. Kisses only. No spice!
#youfallfirst
#harvesthollowlovestories
#juliechristiansonauthor
#allaboutthebestreads
A Sweet romantic comedy: Harvest Hollow Love Stories, Book 4
by: Julie Christianson
@juliechristiansonauthor
••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.
~Forever wasn’t part of their agreement…
-Ok my friends, if you are in the mood for a delightful closed-door sizzling sweet romcom, look no further because You Fall FIRST is simply that and so much more! When a temporary arrangement looks a bit like co-parenting mixed with fake dating with no strings attached and a guaranteed expiration date, is when things don’t necessarily go wrong, but the line of it turning out to be something more is weaved so wonderfully within! Goodness, the mixture of both humor and heart stands out! I loved watching endearing characters who have such good hearts and want to make a difference in the lives of those they love come to see what their hearts also wants is important. To walk in one’s own shoes and be not only seen and appreciated for who they are and that risking everything in choosing who they love matters the most. To watch others immediately see great potential, gold on, choose without any reservation what together means, simply melted my heart. An unexpected journey with a few hiccups along the way for growth and depth leads to such a satisfyingly happy destination! This is absolutely a story worth reading and loving!🩷📚‼️
•Content: a small number of mild language, no danger, side character needing surgery and hospital stay/recovery, loss of parents (past; mentioned on page), loss of family member (past; mentioned on page), some feelings of not feeling seen or being enough, some feelings of loss and grief. Some run in with ex boyfriend scenerio. Kisses only. No spice!
#youfallfirst
#harvesthollowlovestories
#juliechristiansonauthor
#allaboutthebestreads
Review of advance copy received from Author
Absolutely loved this one! They were the sweetest and I loved them together so much! Noah choosing Jo was the best and so heart melting. Love how Julie’s world’s crossover with one another!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Is it even possible to pick a favorite Julie novel? I absolutely adored this story and it's definitely one of my favorites from Julie!
There was so much to love in this story: delightful characters, forced proximity, a love that builds you up, and the most beautiful of happily ever afters. I was cheering for Jo and Noah from the first page and loved their romance.
Things I loved:
*Noah - loyal, hard working, supportive, loves his family, seeing Jo in the most beautiful light
*Jo - nurturing, bright, sweetest way with kids (especially Dutton), quirky and silly
*Dutton - Toy Story obsessed, loves his family, sweetest kid ever
*Found family - the Michaels family is one of my favorite fiction families. I just love how they support each other, tease each other, and are there for each other when they need help. Love how they pull Noah and Dutton into the family even before he realized how much he cares for Jo.
*The Humor - Y'all. I was laughing out loud all book long. There are just so many great lines and scenes! Jo's humor is so fun. I loved her internal monologues and her quirky responses to people. The happiness is a choice sign and scene were HILARIOUS! Also Noah's quick wit especially in defense of Jo. Loved that.
*The romance - perfection. I just loved these two and how beautifully they see each other. They complete each other and I loved that. It's practically love at first sight and I loved every moment of this forced proximity, fake dating, real kissing, happily ever after.
Love Julie's books! Highly recommend this one!
There was so much to love in this story: delightful characters, forced proximity, a love that builds you up, and the most beautiful of happily ever afters. I was cheering for Jo and Noah from the first page and loved their romance.
Things I loved:
*Noah - loyal, hard working, supportive, loves his family, seeing Jo in the most beautiful light
*Jo - nurturing, bright, sweetest way with kids (especially Dutton), quirky and silly
*Dutton - Toy Story obsessed, loves his family, sweetest kid ever
*Found family - the Michaels family is one of my favorite fiction families. I just love how they support each other, tease each other, and are there for each other when they need help. Love how they pull Noah and Dutton into the family even before he realized how much he cares for Jo.
*The Humor - Y'all. I was laughing out loud all book long. There are just so many great lines and scenes! Jo's humor is so fun. I loved her internal monologues and her quirky responses to people. The happiness is a choice sign and scene were HILARIOUS! Also Noah's quick wit especially in defense of Jo. Loved that.
*The romance - perfection. I just loved these two and how beautifully they see each other. They complete each other and I loved that. It's practically love at first sight and I loved every moment of this forced proximity, fake dating, real kissing, happily ever after.
Love Julie's books! Highly recommend this one!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This story was adorable! It was heartfelt and amazingly fun and sweet while also delving into Jo's history of never being the one that someone chooses. And Noah! Well, he wants to be there for his sister and her son, pledging all of his time to them as they move in with him. Yet, even though it seems like the worst possible timing, Noah falls hard for Jo and I love the way he chooses her over and over again.
There is so much to love about this story! The fake dating, the older brother's best friend, the age gap, the becoming friends as they cared for Dutton (Noah's nephew), the kisses, and so much more! It's a great addition to the Harvest Hollow series, yet you can read it even if you haven't read any other books in the series. But I loved the interactions with the couples from the previous books. It really made it special to see what they were up to, as well.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
There is so much to love about this story! The fake dating, the older brother's best friend, the age gap, the becoming friends as they cared for Dutton (Noah's nephew), the kisses, and so much more! It's a great addition to the Harvest Hollow series, yet you can read it even if you haven't read any other books in the series. But I loved the interactions with the couples from the previous books. It really made it special to see what they were up to, as well.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Older brother's best friend and some fake dating? Sign me up! This one was such a cute read that had me smiling right from Jo and Noah's initial reintroductions... thanks in no small part to Noah's adorable nephew who he was temporarily sole caregiver for. When that temporary arrangement gets extended and Noah needs help, Jo steps in... and all the forced proximity has sparks flying. I loved their sweet chemistry. Theirs was definitely a bit of a slow burn and so worth the payoff in the end... with the help of a little fake dating, of course. I loved the bonds that both of them had with Dutton... he added so much sweetness to their story... and laughter too. Julie Christianson never fails to deliver stories that will make me smile and make me swoon, and this one was certainly no exception.
You Fall First is a closed-door romance with kisses only and minor language. It is the fourth book in the Harvest Hollow Love Stories series but could be enjoyed as a standalone as well.
**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.
You Fall First is a closed-door romance with kisses only and minor language. It is the fourth book in the Harvest Hollow Love Stories series but could be enjoyed as a standalone as well.
**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.
October 8, 2026
4.8/5
Genre: Clean Romance/ Sweet Romance
🚨TW: death of love ones, anxieties, mentions about appendix bursting, emotionally cheating ex
Read it if you like:
🥞 Dual POV
🥞 Brother’s Best Friend
🥞 Forced Proximity
🥞 Single Father Figure.
🥞 Fake Dating
🥞 Found Family
🥞 Age Gap (7 years)
Favourite Moments
🥞 Their cute meet. (can’t spoil it)
🥞 Moments with little Dutton with his obsessions of Toy Story (can’t spoil it)
🥞 Them opening up to each other and showing their vulnerable side to each other.
🥞 The fake dating.
🥞 Them working together to take care of Dutton.
🥞 Her family dinner.
🥞 Her sister’s wedding rehearsal.
🥞 In the movie theatre. (can’t spoil it)
🥞 Their date
🥞 Moments with their siblings
(lots more)
Swoony Moments
🥞 He cares for her and make sure she is okay. (can’t spoil it)
🥞 He shows his vulnerable side to her.
🥞 He cares for his sister and his nephew, Dutton
🥞He falls first
🥞He tries his best to take care his nephew, Dutton.
Synopsis
Josephine/ Jo
Currently unemployed and is stuck living with her parents again. She in the midst of finding a job so that she can move out.
Noah
A man who has his own lengthy PT job and now includes a being a full time, single-father figure to a preschooler who is his nephew.
Being crashed by his nephew about 3 times, Jo and Noah meet again and get to know each other again. Things get interesting when he asked her to help him to baby-sit Dutton. And what Dutton wants her to live with them? Will she accept it? Will their feelings grow? Read You Fall First to find out!!
Review
These two are just so sweet together. They both work together to take care of Noah’s nephew named Dutton because his younger sister is still packing the stuff to move in together with him so that he can take care of them however in the midst of it her appendix burst so she have to have surgery and stay in the hospital for awhile so Dutton is stuck with Noah and with the help of Jo they took care of Dutton. Dutton really adores her and she adores him as well.
They both opened up to each other and also show their vulnerable side to each other. As they get to know each other their feelings grow. Them encouraging each other and also help each other.
Love the moments with Dutton and of course during the times with her family and of course her brother is as usual overprotective of her.
This story made me smile, laugh, cry and also want to cheer them on to be together.
P.S Hope his sister will have her happily ever after too.
I was gifted complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own. Thanks to @juliechristiansonauthor for the ARC.
You can purchase Julie Christianson's books on Amazon and it is also available on KU.
Genre: Clean Romance/ Sweet Romance
🚨TW: death of love ones, anxieties, mentions about appendix bursting, emotionally cheating ex
Read it if you like:
🥞 Dual POV
🥞 Brother’s Best Friend
🥞 Forced Proximity
🥞 Single Father Figure.
🥞 Fake Dating
🥞 Found Family
🥞 Age Gap (7 years)
Favourite Moments
🥞 Their cute meet. (can’t spoil it)
🥞 Moments with little Dutton with his obsessions of Toy Story (can’t spoil it)
🥞 Them opening up to each other and showing their vulnerable side to each other.
🥞 The fake dating.
🥞 Them working together to take care of Dutton.
🥞 Her family dinner.
🥞 Her sister’s wedding rehearsal.
🥞 In the movie theatre. (can’t spoil it)
🥞 Their date
🥞 Moments with their siblings
(lots more)
Swoony Moments
🥞 He cares for her and make sure she is okay. (can’t spoil it)
🥞 He shows his vulnerable side to her.
🥞 He cares for his sister and his nephew, Dutton
🥞He falls first
🥞He tries his best to take care his nephew, Dutton.
Synopsis
Josephine/ Jo
Currently unemployed and is stuck living with her parents again. She in the midst of finding a job so that she can move out.
Noah
A man who has his own lengthy PT job and now includes a being a full time, single-father figure to a preschooler who is his nephew.
Being crashed by his nephew about 3 times, Jo and Noah meet again and get to know each other again. Things get interesting when he asked her to help him to baby-sit Dutton. And what Dutton wants her to live with them? Will she accept it? Will their feelings grow? Read You Fall First to find out!!
Review
These two are just so sweet together. They both work together to take care of Noah’s nephew named Dutton because his younger sister is still packing the stuff to move in together with him so that he can take care of them however in the midst of it her appendix burst so she have to have surgery and stay in the hospital for awhile so Dutton is stuck with Noah and with the help of Jo they took care of Dutton. Dutton really adores her and she adores him as well.
They both opened up to each other and also show their vulnerable side to each other. As they get to know each other their feelings grow. Them encouraging each other and also help each other.
Love the moments with Dutton and of course during the times with her family and of course her brother is as usual overprotective of her.
This story made me smile, laugh, cry and also want to cheer them on to be together.
P.S Hope his sister will have her happily ever after too.
I was gifted complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own. Thanks to @juliechristiansonauthor for the ARC.
You can purchase Julie Christianson's books on Amazon and it is also available on KU.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — 4/5 stars
I was invited to participate in the book tour for You Fall First by @bookedwiththeemilys and the author, and I was so happy to return to this series. I’ve read all four books, and while Love You Later is still my favorite, this was another really lovely installment.
These books are interconnected standalones, so although You Fall First is the fourth book, you can absolutely start here.
Jo is unemployed, living with her parents again, and working at the small-town tavern Tequila Mockingbird—which remains one of my favorite fictional business names. Her sister is getting married, and Jo learns that her ex will be attending the wedding with his new fiancée. Meanwhile, her brother’s best friend, Noah Stadler, is caring for his young nephew while his sister is away, and Jo agrees to help him out.
Noah and Jo have a seven-year age gap, and between taking care of an adorable little boy together and Jo desperately not wanting her ex to know she’s still single, we eventually get one of my favorite romance setups: fake dating.
This was such a sweet, fast, fun read. I especially loved the banter and the use of text messages throughout the story. I’m always a fan of seeing full text exchanges in books, particularly when they aren’t limited to the romantic couple. Watching Jo text her best friend and her sister gives you such a good sense of her personality and her relationships with the people who know her best.
And I will admit it: give me a cute kid in a romance and I am probably going to be charmed. The scenes with Jo, Noah, and his nephew added so much warmth to the story.
If you enjoy closed-door romance, small towns, brother’s-best-friend stories, fake dating, great banter, and books that are simply FUN to read, this series is such a good choice. You Fall First is the kind of book to pick up when the real world has gotten a little too loud and you just want to disappear into something sweet for a few hours.
Four stars from me, and I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you to @bookedwiththeemilys and Julie Christianson for inviting me to participate in the book tour!
I was invited to participate in the book tour for You Fall First by @bookedwiththeemilys and the author, and I was so happy to return to this series. I’ve read all four books, and while Love You Later is still my favorite, this was another really lovely installment.
These books are interconnected standalones, so although You Fall First is the fourth book, you can absolutely start here.
Jo is unemployed, living with her parents again, and working at the small-town tavern Tequila Mockingbird—which remains one of my favorite fictional business names. Her sister is getting married, and Jo learns that her ex will be attending the wedding with his new fiancée. Meanwhile, her brother’s best friend, Noah Stadler, is caring for his young nephew while his sister is away, and Jo agrees to help him out.
Noah and Jo have a seven-year age gap, and between taking care of an adorable little boy together and Jo desperately not wanting her ex to know she’s still single, we eventually get one of my favorite romance setups: fake dating.
This was such a sweet, fast, fun read. I especially loved the banter and the use of text messages throughout the story. I’m always a fan of seeing full text exchanges in books, particularly when they aren’t limited to the romantic couple. Watching Jo text her best friend and her sister gives you such a good sense of her personality and her relationships with the people who know her best.
And I will admit it: give me a cute kid in a romance and I am probably going to be charmed. The scenes with Jo, Noah, and his nephew added so much warmth to the story.
If you enjoy closed-door romance, small towns, brother’s-best-friend stories, fake dating, great banter, and books that are simply FUN to read, this series is such a good choice. You Fall First is the kind of book to pick up when the real world has gotten a little too loud and you just want to disappear into something sweet for a few hours.
Four stars from me, and I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you to @bookedwiththeemilys and Julie Christianson for inviting me to participate in the book tour!
October 16, 2026
Book Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to the author @juliechristiansonauthor and @bookedwiththeemilys for the #gifted book.
Book 4 in the Harvest Hollow Love Stories series, and another AMAZING addition to this series! Every book has been such a cute, fun, and worthwhile read. They’re all interconnected standalones, so you can jump right in, but I absolutely love seeing this little world continue to grow!
Julie Christianson is such a good writer, and I love all her books! This one was the perfect sweet romantic comedy for fall. I absolutely adored Noah and Jojo! They were such a cute, endearing couple, and I loved watching their relationship develop.
With fake dating, forced proximity, friend’s little sister/older brother’s friend, and found family, this one had so many of my favorite romance tropes! Add in a single father figure, an adorable nephew, and a slight age gap, and I was completely sold. The closed-door romance made it even better for my romance-loving heart!
If you’re looking for a sweet, swoony, feel-good romance to curl up with this fall, definitely add You Fall First to your TBR! I loved Noah and Jojo and can’t recommend this one enough!
Thank you to the author @juliechristiansonauthor and @bookedwiththeemilys for the #gifted book.
Book 4 in the Harvest Hollow Love Stories series, and another AMAZING addition to this series! Every book has been such a cute, fun, and worthwhile read. They’re all interconnected standalones, so you can jump right in, but I absolutely love seeing this little world continue to grow!
Julie Christianson is such a good writer, and I love all her books! This one was the perfect sweet romantic comedy for fall. I absolutely adored Noah and Jojo! They were such a cute, endearing couple, and I loved watching their relationship develop.
With fake dating, forced proximity, friend’s little sister/older brother’s friend, and found family, this one had so many of my favorite romance tropes! Add in a single father figure, an adorable nephew, and a slight age gap, and I was completely sold. The closed-door romance made it even better for my romance-loving heart!
If you’re looking for a sweet, swoony, feel-good romance to curl up with this fall, definitely add You Fall First to your TBR! I loved Noah and Jojo and can’t recommend this one enough!
October 23, 2026
There is not much better than having a new Julie Christianson book to read and a long flight to read it on. Her books always make me happy!
I love this one so much! The plot, the characters, the setting, it all combines to make such a great book. I didn't want to stop reading!
I love Jo. She's had some setbacks, so she's trying to step back and figure out just who she is and what she wants to happen next in her life. She's got a few ideas, but nothing that just feels right. And that's when she meets Noah again. I love how Jo steps in to help him when he needs it most. And how it just felt right for her to be there with him, helping him through everything.
Noah is a PT, he works at a memory care facility. His sister is in the process of moving in with him, but she ends up having emergency surgery. And that leaves Noah taking care of his adorable nephew while trying to work and do all the things he normally does. And that's when Jo steps in.
I loved watching these two as they fell for each other. This one is just so sweet!
I love this one so much! The plot, the characters, the setting, it all combines to make such a great book. I didn't want to stop reading!
I love Jo. She's had some setbacks, so she's trying to step back and figure out just who she is and what she wants to happen next in her life. She's got a few ideas, but nothing that just feels right. And that's when she meets Noah again. I love how Jo steps in to help him when he needs it most. And how it just felt right for her to be there with him, helping him through everything.
Noah is a PT, he works at a memory care facility. His sister is in the process of moving in with him, but she ends up having emergency surgery. And that leaves Noah taking care of his adorable nephew while trying to work and do all the things he normally does. And that's when Jo steps in.
I loved watching these two as they fell for each other. This one is just so sweet!
October 1, 2026
“You really chose me?” “I did.” He grins. “I still do. And I’ll keep on choosing you over and over again if you’ll let me.”
You Fall First is an adorable addition to the Harvest Hollow Love Stories series! It’s about Jo, who is currently unemployed and living with her parents, and Noah, a PT/OT coordinator who is also currently taking care of his four year-old nephew Dutton until his sister arrives in town. When Noah needs help caring for Dutton while he works, Jo seems to be the only available person. Throw in her sister’s wedding, some fake dating, and some couch snuggles and these two will definitely be falling for each other!!
I loved this book so much! Jo and Noah were the cutest and Dutton was such an adorable side character! Jo was always worried about not measuring up to her siblings, so it was so good to have Noah see her potential and to choose her for who she was! Noah was the cutest uncle and brother and the sweetest to Jo! I loved how protective he was and how much he loved his people!
Favorite quotes:
“That’s what sisters are for,” she says. “Silver linings and moral support.”
“Staring directly at the man has proven dangerous for my oxygen levels and blood pressure, so I avoid eye contact.”
“The woman is creeping into all the spaces I’ve intentionally kept to myself. Including my heart.”
“The sleeves of Noah’s sky-blue button-down are rolled up, exposing muscular, corded forearms. His gray pants look like someone poured mercury over his body, then let the liquid harden there. The fabric hugs every curve. Biceps, glutes, quads. All the major players. His thick, wavy hair is perfectly tousled, and the space around him smells like a forest fire and a leather factory had a baby. Am I drooling? I am drooling.”
You Fall First is an adorable addition to the Harvest Hollow Love Stories series! It’s about Jo, who is currently unemployed and living with her parents, and Noah, a PT/OT coordinator who is also currently taking care of his four year-old nephew Dutton until his sister arrives in town. When Noah needs help caring for Dutton while he works, Jo seems to be the only available person. Throw in her sister’s wedding, some fake dating, and some couch snuggles and these two will definitely be falling for each other!!
I loved this book so much! Jo and Noah were the cutest and Dutton was such an adorable side character! Jo was always worried about not measuring up to her siblings, so it was so good to have Noah see her potential and to choose her for who she was! Noah was the cutest uncle and brother and the sweetest to Jo! I loved how protective he was and how much he loved his people!
Favorite quotes:
“That’s what sisters are for,” she says. “Silver linings and moral support.”
“Staring directly at the man has proven dangerous for my oxygen levels and blood pressure, so I avoid eye contact.”
“The woman is creeping into all the spaces I’ve intentionally kept to myself. Including my heart.”
“The sleeves of Noah’s sky-blue button-down are rolled up, exposing muscular, corded forearms. His gray pants look like someone poured mercury over his body, then let the liquid harden there. The fabric hugs every curve. Biceps, glutes, quads. All the major players. His thick, wavy hair is perfectly tousled, and the space around him smells like a forest fire and a leather factory had a baby. Am I drooling? I am drooling.”
September 23, 2026
✨
Thanks to bookedwiththeemilys and the author for the gifted copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
What you will get in this book ✨
📍Harvest Hollow, North Carolina
🏡 Small Town
🤝Fake Dating
😎Older Brother's friend
👩❤️👨 Forced Proximity
🧑🧑🧒🧒 Found Family
🗓️ Slight Age Gap (7 years)
💋Closed door romance
🗣️ Multiple POVs
📖 376 pages
My Thoughts 💭
I can always count on Julie Christianson to provide a sweet romance that makes me smile, laugh, and feel hopeful. This is book four that takes place in Harvest Hollow. All the books are interconnected standalone stories.
I absolutely adored Noah and Jo’s story. The characters felt very relatable. Jo’s personality is so fun. I love that she is unapologetically herself and just wants to be chosen. I also really connected with Noah’s struggles with guilt of moving away to pursue his dreams and the regret of not being there for the family.
If you love RomComs, then you must add all of the Harvest Hollow books to your TBR list.
Thanks to bookedwiththeemilys and the author for the gifted copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
What you will get in this book ✨
📍Harvest Hollow, North Carolina
🏡 Small Town
🤝Fake Dating
😎Older Brother's friend
👩❤️👨 Forced Proximity
🧑🧑🧒🧒 Found Family
🗓️ Slight Age Gap (7 years)
💋Closed door romance
🗣️ Multiple POVs
📖 376 pages
My Thoughts 💭
I can always count on Julie Christianson to provide a sweet romance that makes me smile, laugh, and feel hopeful. This is book four that takes place in Harvest Hollow. All the books are interconnected standalone stories.
I absolutely adored Noah and Jo’s story. The characters felt very relatable. Jo’s personality is so fun. I love that she is unapologetically herself and just wants to be chosen. I also really connected with Noah’s struggles with guilt of moving away to pursue his dreams and the regret of not being there for the family.
If you love RomComs, then you must add all of the Harvest Hollow books to your TBR list.
September 23, 2026
This was such a stinking sweet and swoony read! Brother’s best friend, some adoring uncle/nanny vibes, healing, being chosen and seen, fake dating, and delicious tension. Just a delightful read.
CW: Very mild swearing
TW: Past Loss of immediate family members
CW: Very mild swearing
TW: Past Loss of immediate family members
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely adore Noah & Jo's sweet,caring, cherished, loving , chosen, swoony happily ever after!!
November 7, 2026
Yeah I'm good, I think I'll just stick to my normal stuff.
It's basically the same as a Christian romance, the same amount of cheesy cringy-ness but with cussing. I'll pass💕
I got past the first 100 pages, but I kept trying to force myself to finish it(I usually finish books even though I dont like them, because I want to know what happens at the end, but with this book it's just kind of predictable.)
Sooooo..
I was really excited to read this book at first because her name was Josephine, and the description looked cute.
And I kind of expected it to be completely clean, because when I see "clean" I think no language and no spice. And there are no inappropriate scenes(that I know of, because it says there aren't), but there was some language. Light language, but still cursing.
(A*s, d**m, cr*p, and h*ll.)
And some of those were used multiple times in just a few pages. It's not enough to go broke from adding pennies to a swear jar, but it still made me uncomfortable.
And there wasn't any using God's name in vain, which I was happy about(that I know of), but I still didn't like the use of the other words.
Man!! I just wish people made clean versions of books. Like with no language at all(especially without "OMG") and no intimate scenes. Like people don't understand how much more money they would get from the Christian girls (who would be willing to pay extra for a special version) who want to read glorifying, wholesome books.
Just make the exact same book, but without all that stuff. Granted, there would be a couple hundred words less than the original book, but it wouldn't make that much of a difference.
People make clean versions of songs with explicit lyrics, why not make a clean version of some really good books?
It would make double the money so idk why people haven't started doing it.
Anyways, just a little idea for the board of directors at publishing companies. Wishful thinking.
3 stars but only because I liked Dutton(the main guy's four year old nephew).
⭐⭐⭐
P.S
I just remembered a scene that made me cringe. Like scrunch my nose in disgust...
I hate when in books the guys talk about periods. And not even in a bad way. But when he openly says stuff about her period, idk it just makes me cringe so hard.
So the main girl got her period and was in the store getting pads, and they wrecked into each other and they fell out of her basket and he picked them up for her and put them back in her basket. And she said "sorry". And he said "why, for having a uterus? Pretty normal". CRINGE ALERT. NAH. GROSS. SORRY.
I'm also pretty sure she was apologizing for bumping into him. It cringes me out so bad when guys try to be "one of the girls" or whatever. Especially from a thirty year old man with facial hair. 💀
Anyways my review is over now, bye. Hahaha
It's basically the same as a Christian romance, the same amount of cheesy cringy-ness but with cussing. I'll pass💕
I got past the first 100 pages, but I kept trying to force myself to finish it(I usually finish books even though I dont like them, because I want to know what happens at the end, but with this book it's just kind of predictable.)
Sooooo..
I was really excited to read this book at first because her name was Josephine, and the description looked cute.
And I kind of expected it to be completely clean, because when I see "clean" I think no language and no spice. And there are no inappropriate scenes(that I know of, because it says there aren't), but there was some language. Light language, but still cursing.
(A*s, d**m, cr*p, and h*ll.)
And some of those were used multiple times in just a few pages. It's not enough to go broke from adding pennies to a swear jar, but it still made me uncomfortable.
And there wasn't any using God's name in vain, which I was happy about(that I know of), but I still didn't like the use of the other words.
Man!! I just wish people made clean versions of books. Like with no language at all(especially without "OMG") and no intimate scenes. Like people don't understand how much more money they would get from the Christian girls (who would be willing to pay extra for a special version) who want to read glorifying, wholesome books.
Just make the exact same book, but without all that stuff. Granted, there would be a couple hundred words less than the original book, but it wouldn't make that much of a difference.
People make clean versions of songs with explicit lyrics, why not make a clean version of some really good books?
It would make double the money so idk why people haven't started doing it.
Anyways, just a little idea for the board of directors at publishing companies. Wishful thinking.
3 stars but only because I liked Dutton(the main guy's four year old nephew).
⭐⭐⭐
P.S
I just remembered a scene that made me cringe. Like scrunch my nose in disgust...
I hate when in books the guys talk about periods. And not even in a bad way. But when he openly says stuff about her period, idk it just makes me cringe so hard.
So the main girl got her period and was in the store getting pads, and they wrecked into each other and they fell out of her basket and he picked them up for her and put them back in her basket. And she said "sorry". And he said "why, for having a uterus? Pretty normal". CRINGE ALERT. NAH. GROSS. SORRY.
I'm also pretty sure she was apologizing for bumping into him. It cringes me out so bad when guys try to be "one of the girls" or whatever. Especially from a thirty year old man with facial hair. 💀
Anyways my review is over now, bye. Hahaha
October 18, 2026
Thank you to Booked with the Emilys and Julie for the gifted copy of You Fall First! It’s out now 🎉
Read for:
Fake dating
Found Family
Small town vibes
Surrogate parent/single dad
It’s so great to be back in Harvest Hollow with the gang! Noah is the greenest flag book boyfriend and Jo is such a cool heroine. They both know their minds and what they want… or so they think! I so enjoyed watching them learn and grow — there’s a lot of self discovery in this one! They also have great banter and the friend group is fun too!
Right when I think I know exactly where the story’s headed, Julie takes it in a completely different direction, leaving me shocked and delighted and completely unable to put the book down!
I’ve only read Julie’s Harvest Hollow books so far, but this one had more tie-ins to previous series she’s written, so I’m excited to explore those next!
Read for:
Fake dating
Found Family
Small town vibes
Surrogate parent/single dad
It’s so great to be back in Harvest Hollow with the gang! Noah is the greenest flag book boyfriend and Jo is such a cool heroine. They both know their minds and what they want… or so they think! I so enjoyed watching them learn and grow — there’s a lot of self discovery in this one! They also have great banter and the friend group is fun too!
Right when I think I know exactly where the story’s headed, Julie takes it in a completely different direction, leaving me shocked and delighted and completely unable to put the book down!
I’ve only read Julie’s Harvest Hollow books so far, but this one had more tie-ins to previous series she’s written, so I’m excited to explore those next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
You Fall First was SO much fun! Jo and Noah had sparks pretty much from the beginning, but their relationship was still such a slow burn, and I loved watching it all play out. Between the brother's best friend, fake dating-ish, forced proximity-ish, and he falls first-ish of it all, there was a lot here that was right up my alley.
And the humor in this one had me laughing hard.
Dutton was also absolutely adorable with his huge imagination and love of Toy Story, and I loved the dynamic between him, Jo, and Noah. There was a lot happening in this one, but it was sweet, swoony, funny, and overall, a very enjoyable read!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
And the humor in this one had me laughing hard.
Dutton was also absolutely adorable with his huge imagination and love of Toy Story, and I loved the dynamic between him, Jo, and Noah. There was a lot happening in this one, but it was sweet, swoony, funny, and overall, a very enjoyable read!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
October 12, 2026
Lily’s Content Guide
💋 Romance level: Kisses Only
🗣️ Language: 2 uses of as*, 3 uses of d*mn, 2 uses of h*ll
⚠️ Content Warning: loss and grief
📚 Genre: Contemporary Romance
🎀 Lily’s verdict: 💛 It was good
I felt like I could relate to Jo SO much and everything she was feeling🥹 There were moments when I felt like we were so similar, and her story really hit close to home for me!
And little Dutton?! Absolutely ADORABLE🥹 I loved his character so much! He was easily one of my favorite parts of the entire story.
Overall, this was such a fun, heartwarming read and a great addition to the series! I especially loved the found family elements woven throughout🤍
💛 Brother’s Best Friend
🍂 Forced Proximity
💛 A Splash of Fake Dating
🍂 Age Gap
💛 Single Father Figure
🍂 Found Family
💋 Romance level: Kisses Only
🗣️ Language: 2 uses of as*, 3 uses of d*mn, 2 uses of h*ll
⚠️ Content Warning: loss and grief
📚 Genre: Contemporary Romance
🎀 Lily’s verdict: 💛 It was good
I felt like I could relate to Jo SO much and everything she was feeling🥹 There were moments when I felt like we were so similar, and her story really hit close to home for me!
And little Dutton?! Absolutely ADORABLE🥹 I loved his character so much! He was easily one of my favorite parts of the entire story.
Overall, this was such a fun, heartwarming read and a great addition to the series! I especially loved the found family elements woven throughout🤍
💛 Brother’s Best Friend
🍂 Forced Proximity
💛 A Splash of Fake Dating
🍂 Age Gap
💛 Single Father Figure
🍂 Found Family
October 14, 2026
You Fall First @juliechristiansonauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🫑Kisses only
Very Mild + Infrequent swearing
Finally a book for the babies in the family! The eldest daughters get all the love but "Just Jo" was the most endearing and relatable FMC ever as a baby of the family myself. I loved watching Noah let go of expectations he placed on himself and fully give in to his feelings for Jo. I fall more in love with this town and these Characters with each new book in the series.
Thank you to @bookedwiththeemilys + @juliechristiansonauthor for my gifted copy! All thoughts are entirely my own
Brothers best friend
Forced proximity
Fake dating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🫑Kisses only
Very Mild + Infrequent swearing
Finally a book for the babies in the family! The eldest daughters get all the love but "Just Jo" was the most endearing and relatable FMC ever as a baby of the family myself. I loved watching Noah let go of expectations he placed on himself and fully give in to his feelings for Jo. I fall more in love with this town and these Characters with each new book in the series.
Thank you to @bookedwiththeemilys + @juliechristiansonauthor for my gifted copy! All thoughts are entirely my own
Brothers best friend
Forced proximity
Fake dating
November 7, 2026
Pensé que si se mudarían.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2026
***ARC Review***
Thank you partners, @bookedwiththeemilys and @juliechristiansonauthor for this #gifted arc.
What You’ll Find:
💜Fake Dating
💛Friend's Little Sister/Older Brother's friend
💜Forced Proximity
💛Found Family
💜Slight Age Gap (7 years)
💛Single Father Figure
💜Closed door romance
💛Interconnected standalone
Julie Christian has done it again! I was lucky enough to read three of Julie’s books as ARCs. You Fall First is the fourth book in the Harvest Hollow Love Stories series.
This book is about Jo the youngest and still living at home after a breakup. Then Noah is taking care of his nephew and is friend’s with Jo’s brother. Noah is so out of his depth with taking care of his nephew, he asks Jo to help and of course she says yes.
This is a closed-door romance book that will not disappoint you. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars.
Thank you partners, @bookedwiththeemilys and @juliechristiansonauthor for this #gifted arc.
What You’ll Find:
💜Fake Dating
💛Friend's Little Sister/Older Brother's friend
💜Forced Proximity
💛Found Family
💜Slight Age Gap (7 years)
💛Single Father Figure
💜Closed door romance
💛Interconnected standalone
Julie Christian has done it again! I was lucky enough to read three of Julie’s books as ARCs. You Fall First is the fourth book in the Harvest Hollow Love Stories series.
This book is about Jo the youngest and still living at home after a breakup. Then Noah is taking care of his nephew and is friend’s with Jo’s brother. Noah is so out of his depth with taking care of his nephew, he asks Jo to help and of course she says yes.
This is a closed-door romance book that will not disappoint you. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a no-spice romance with a great dose of comedy.
The fake relationship trope only happens after 60%, and it's only for 1 other side character, so the lying is minimal.
There is an age gap trope too, but I liked that it wasn't made a problem or issue for them to stay together.
I love how the MMC is so protective. The MMC needed to learn that his family could make their own choices, so he could make his and choose her.
I loved their conversations, they were fun and adorable
1st kiss: 63%
Romance: 2⭐
Chemistry: 3⭐
Spice: none
Humor: 3⭐
Cry factor: 0⭐
Drama: 1⭐
Suspense: 0⭐
Foul language: 0⭐
Faith elements: 0⭐
POV: dual, 1st person
AI content: none that I noticed
The fake relationship trope only happens after 60%, and it's only for 1 other side character, so the lying is minimal.
There is an age gap trope too, but I liked that it wasn't made a problem or issue for them to stay together.
I love how the MMC is so protective. The MMC needed to learn that his family could make their own choices, so he could make his and choose her.
I loved their conversations, they were fun and adorable
1st kiss: 63%
Romance: 2⭐
Chemistry: 3⭐
Spice: none
Humor: 3⭐
Cry factor: 0⭐
Drama: 1⭐
Suspense: 0⭐
Foul language: 0⭐
Faith elements: 0⭐
POV: dual, 1st person
AI content: none that I noticed
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is the 4th book in the Harvest Hollow Love Stories series. It is a kisses only contemporary romcom. It could be read as a standalone but I think it's better to read it in the order of thr series.
I enjoyed seeing more of Noah and how protective he was. I also really liked Jo's character. Dutton was adorable.
I could relate to some of the events Noah dealt with, even though I didn't have the same reaction to them. Nevertheless, I thought it was a nice, easy read.
I was given the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I enjoyed seeing more of Noah and how protective he was. I also really liked Jo's character. Dutton was adorable.
I could relate to some of the events Noah dealt with, even though I didn't have the same reaction to them. Nevertheless, I thought it was a nice, easy read.
I was given the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Reader’s Notes:
*Series or Connected Books?* part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone
*Point Of View:* Jo (Josephine) & Noah
-Jo is Dex’s youngest sister (mmc from Hate You, Maybe)
-Noah is Loren’s dad’s PT (fmc from Love You Later)
*Any Cursing Or Possibly Offensive Language?* there is about 2 uses of the ‘a’ word for donkey/butt
*Romance?* Yes! Just kisses & make-outs
*Things To Know:*
–there is an age gap of about 7 years between them
-it is mentioned that Noah lost his parents & Jo lost a sibling (past events – not waking from a routine surgery, cardiac event, sickness)
-it is mentioned that Jo’s ex was talking with someone else about how to break up with Jo so the ex could get together with the person helping them break up with her (past event)
Review:
This was such a cute story! I loved getting to know Jo & Noah better after having met them in previous books. It was so fun to see them pulled together with the goal of helping Noah’s nephew through the idea of moving in (while mom was unfortunately delayed in joining them). It was so adorable seeing them trying to navigate handling the four year old and comforting him on hard days. I also loved the addition of Noah & Jo fake dating, and how it came about! And mixing it with the very real feelings both of them had as well as with the idea that no one else should know about their ‘relationship’ beyond the person behind the reason for it was interesting! I also enjoyed the various cameos from previously met characters!
I can’t wait to find out who will star in the next book! 😍
Summary:
Josephine Michaels has an issue with where to go with her life. It’s not like she doesn’t have options, but as the baby of the family it can be hard to make her own way in fields her family are already involved in. Because they want to help, even though Jo doesn’t want it. Not to mention she’d thought she’d already have a happily ever after like her siblings. Instead, Jo had to move back home to save money and find a job she actually liked again. And though she has a job lined up, she doesn’t start until after her sister’s wedding. So when Noah unexpectedly becomes the sole guardian of his nephew and needs help immediately, Jo is all too happy to have a reason to get out of the house. Even if it means constantly being in the orbit of her very unavailable crush…
Noah Stadler has regretted missing important moments in his family’s lives so he’s worked as hard as possible to provide for the two family members still around. Helping his sister and nephew move into his home and acclimate to Harvest Hollow is taking all his free time. He doesn’t have time to be set up with people his friends know. It just wouldn’t be fair to those women to start something without having the time to dedicate to them too. Yet Noah finds himself drawn to his friend’s younger sister Jo despite all the reasons he shouldn’t. And when Noah’s sister is unexpectedly delayed in joining them, Jo is the only one available to help in caring for his nephew. So when he hears that Jo’s ex will also be at her sister’s wedding, he does the only thing he can think of to repay her for everything she’s done: pretend that he’s Jo’s boyfriend. That certainly won’t mess with his heart, right?
*I voluntarily read & reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions presented here are my own.*
*Series or Connected Books?* part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone
*Point Of View:* Jo (Josephine) & Noah
-Jo is Dex’s youngest sister (mmc from Hate You, Maybe)
-Noah is Loren’s dad’s PT (fmc from Love You Later)
*Any Cursing Or Possibly Offensive Language?* there is about 2 uses of the ‘a’ word for donkey/butt
*Romance?* Yes! Just kisses & make-outs
*Things To Know:*
–there is an age gap of about 7 years between them
-it is mentioned that Noah lost his parents & Jo lost a sibling (past events – not waking from a routine surgery, cardiac event, sickness)
-it is mentioned that Jo’s ex was talking with someone else about how to break up with Jo so the ex could get together with the person helping them break up with her (past event)
Review:
This was such a cute story! I loved getting to know Jo & Noah better after having met them in previous books. It was so fun to see them pulled together with the goal of helping Noah’s nephew through the idea of moving in (while mom was unfortunately delayed in joining them). It was so adorable seeing them trying to navigate handling the four year old and comforting him on hard days. I also loved the addition of Noah & Jo fake dating, and how it came about! And mixing it with the very real feelings both of them had as well as with the idea that no one else should know about their ‘relationship’ beyond the person behind the reason for it was interesting! I also enjoyed the various cameos from previously met characters!
I can’t wait to find out who will star in the next book! 😍
Summary:
Josephine Michaels has an issue with where to go with her life. It’s not like she doesn’t have options, but as the baby of the family it can be hard to make her own way in fields her family are already involved in. Because they want to help, even though Jo doesn’t want it. Not to mention she’d thought she’d already have a happily ever after like her siblings. Instead, Jo had to move back home to save money and find a job she actually liked again. And though she has a job lined up, she doesn’t start until after her sister’s wedding. So when Noah unexpectedly becomes the sole guardian of his nephew and needs help immediately, Jo is all too happy to have a reason to get out of the house. Even if it means constantly being in the orbit of her very unavailable crush…
Noah Stadler has regretted missing important moments in his family’s lives so he’s worked as hard as possible to provide for the two family members still around. Helping his sister and nephew move into his home and acclimate to Harvest Hollow is taking all his free time. He doesn’t have time to be set up with people his friends know. It just wouldn’t be fair to those women to start something without having the time to dedicate to them too. Yet Noah finds himself drawn to his friend’s younger sister Jo despite all the reasons he shouldn’t. And when Noah’s sister is unexpectedly delayed in joining them, Jo is the only one available to help in caring for his nephew. So when he hears that Jo’s ex will also be at her sister’s wedding, he does the only thing he can think of to repay her for everything she’s done: pretend that he’s Jo’s boyfriend. That certainly won’t mess with his heart, right?
*I voluntarily read & reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions presented here are my own.*
Review of advance copy received from Author
Oh, my heart. Each book in the Harvest Hollow series from Julie Christianson seems to touch a different place in my heart, and this one continued that trend.
Jo and Noah… where do I even start?!? I absolutely loved them.
Jo is so tender, working so hard to fight for her independence after years of trying to conform to what others wanted for he after realizing she needed to live her own life and not the plan everyone else wants her to follow. She wants her independence, a career she can be passionate about, and her own happily ever after, with a husband and possible children of her own.
Noah has such a good heart, but he limits himself so much by taking on responsibilities that were never his to take on. For a while, it seemed he was making similar mistakes with his sister that Dex was making with Jo, though definitely not to the same extreme.
Noah and Jo are both coming into this sweet friendship with their own histories of grief and reasons why they are slow to reach for something more than simple friendship.
There was just something so warm and rich about Jo and Noah, both as individuals and as a couple.
This story combines so many fun elements, including a touch of fake dating, a little bit of an age gap, and something close to a second chance romance.
Watching Noah go from:
“I want Dutton to be happy.
I want my sister and me to be close.
‘I hope he’ll be happy here,’ I admit. ‘My sister, too. I’m responsible for both of them now, so…’”
To:
“She tastes like stars.
Like me finally naming something I want for myself.
Her.”
Of course, there’s SO much more to their story. I can’t wait for everyone to dive into this beautiful story.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
Jo and Noah… where do I even start?!? I absolutely loved them.
Jo is so tender, working so hard to fight for her independence after years of trying to conform to what others wanted for he after realizing she needed to live her own life and not the plan everyone else wants her to follow. She wants her independence, a career she can be passionate about, and her own happily ever after, with a husband and possible children of her own.
Noah has such a good heart, but he limits himself so much by taking on responsibilities that were never his to take on. For a while, it seemed he was making similar mistakes with his sister that Dex was making with Jo, though definitely not to the same extreme.
Noah and Jo are both coming into this sweet friendship with their own histories of grief and reasons why they are slow to reach for something more than simple friendship.
There was just something so warm and rich about Jo and Noah, both as individuals and as a couple.
This story combines so many fun elements, including a touch of fake dating, a little bit of an age gap, and something close to a second chance romance.
Watching Noah go from:
“I want Dutton to be happy.
I want my sister and me to be close.
‘I hope he’ll be happy here,’ I admit. ‘My sister, too. I’m responsible for both of them now, so…’”
To:
“She tastes like stars.
Like me finally naming something I want for myself.
Her.”
Of course, there’s SO much more to their story. I can’t wait for everyone to dive into this beautiful story.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 16, 2026
I loved YOU FALL FIRST the minute I heard it involved her brother’s friend, which is my favorite! Then to add fake dating - to say my heart was happy is an understatement! Then include an adorable nephew, forced proximity, and sizzling romance ... I was a goner!
Noah loves his career and his family even more. He will do anything for them. He is protective, good with kids, and just wants to be there for his sister and nephew, and now ... Jo. Jo is feeling pretty aimless in life and has a tendency to give so much more to those around her than she gets in return. Jo is very relatable, funny, kind, and smart. She feels like she’s too much and people don’t choose her because of it. It was fun that Noah and Jo kept running into each other and how they try to ignore their magnetic attraction and pull to the other. She rescues him by watching his nephew and he rescues her by being her date when her ex is around. Jo and Noah were perfect for each other. I liked how they ended up leaning on each other and knew their hearts were in good hands.
Tropes: fake dating | older brother’s friend | forced proximity | found family | slight age gap (7 years) | single father figure caregiver | closed door romance | interconnected standalone
My favorite things:
The petting zoo
Dutton (Woody)
Their families
The wedding rehersal
Jo’s friend, The towel scene
Porch confessions
The first kiss
All the texting!
The book’s dedication!
My favorite quotes:
“When I check the rearview, they’re both still standing their waving. For the record, my stomach is no less swirly that it was before.”
“The woman is creeping into all the spaces I’ve intentionally kept to myself. Including my heart.”
Happy reading!
Noah loves his career and his family even more. He will do anything for them. He is protective, good with kids, and just wants to be there for his sister and nephew, and now ... Jo. Jo is feeling pretty aimless in life and has a tendency to give so much more to those around her than she gets in return. Jo is very relatable, funny, kind, and smart. She feels like she’s too much and people don’t choose her because of it. It was fun that Noah and Jo kept running into each other and how they try to ignore their magnetic attraction and pull to the other. She rescues him by watching his nephew and he rescues her by being her date when her ex is around. Jo and Noah were perfect for each other. I liked how they ended up leaning on each other and knew their hearts were in good hands.
Tropes: fake dating | older brother’s friend | forced proximity | found family | slight age gap (7 years) | single father figure caregiver | closed door romance | interconnected standalone
My favorite things:
The petting zoo
Dutton (Woody)
Their families
The wedding rehersal
Jo’s friend, The towel scene
Porch confessions
The first kiss
All the texting!
The book’s dedication!
My favorite quotes:
“When I check the rearview, they’re both still standing their waving. For the record, my stomach is no less swirly that it was before.”
“The woman is creeping into all the spaces I’ve intentionally kept to myself. Including my heart.”
Happy reading!
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