Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on August 5, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Goodreads
No one is going to convince her to fall in love again...
Ryder Colburn has his hands full running the family business and caring for the ailing father who’s a virtual stranger from the cold, heavy-handed man he used to be. He’s got zero free time for hobbies or women. Or so he thinks until one walks into his life… and the path of an oncoming car.
Ryder doesn’t mind playing the hero for the skittish, scarred chef Penny. Maybe it’s the secrets in her eyes or the scar on her chin. Whatever the reason, he’s compelled to get closer.
Penny’s learned her lesson and now she’s paying the price. That’s why she’s sharing a dilapidated house in a tiny California town with her feisty grandmother and tween brother living off the leftovers from her catering job. It’s a far cry from her dream life. But who needs dreams… or love… or sex when there’s amateur plumbing projects to tackle and breakfast casseroles to bake?
One thing’s for sure, she’s never falling in love again. Not even with the sexy, snarky contractor who keeps testing the walls she’s built.
It is said that if you witness three shooting stars you will find your soulmate. Ryder doesn't believe in the legend, but he was finding it hard to resist his attraction to Penny. Both are slightly broken, but they are ready to begin healing together.
I wore a stupid grin on my face from beginning to end as I read He Falls First. I think I say this every time, but Shalvis really is a master at blending heavy topics into her stories in a way that does not weigh it down, and she infuses so much warmth and humor into her books that I am always left feeling buoyant and happy.
The book began with a glimpse into Ryder's childhood which was NOT sunshine and rainbows, but it helped me understand how Ryder grew into his role as protector and provider. He had such a big heart and gave so much of himself to those he loved. His dynamic with his siblings was special, not perfect, but special and filled with tons of affection. I adored seeing them all on page together and am excited to get to know them better.
I also loved watching Ryder fall for Penny. Penny had walked away from a destructive relationship and was left with physical and emotional scars. She was skittish with good reason, but Ryder was a patient man. I really appreciate how tender and respectful he was of her and her needs. They had a great energy together while seeming to sooth each other's wounds well, and I was fully behind this union.
I absolutely adored this story filled with wonderfully messy people who loved hard. I celebrated Ryder and Penny while rooting for everyone else to get their HEAs as well. Fingers crossed I don't have to wait too long to return to this world.
Published by Berkley on August 12, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Action/Suspense, Romance
Goodreads
A chance at love might not be out of this world in the next romantic comedy from USA Today bestselling author Mallory Marlowe.
Los Angeles social media influencer El Martin seems to live the perfect aesthetic life. But what El wants more than anything is to find something real to make her heart race in a way it hasn’t in years. She doesn’t expect that feeling to come from capturing footage of an unidentified flying . . . thing, much less from the charming Man in Black who keeps following her around.
Agent Carter Brody is trying his best to keep the Private Intelligence Sector afloat by dragging their hopelessly out-of-date office into this century, even though what he really wants to do is follow in his father’s footsteps identifying and hiding extraterrestrial sightings. He gets his chance after being assigned to El’s case and is stopped in his tracks not only by her ingenuity and confidence, but also by the unnerving coincidence of how her sighting looks eerily like what he saw right before a family tragedy.
The deeper El and Carter fall into the mystery, the harder it is for them to ignore their growing chemistry, as their own alien feelings become dangerously terrestrial.
After stumbling upon a UFO during a live stream, influencer El catches the attention of Man in Black Carter who finds himself experiencing some deja vu. Together, they will search for answers to the mystery surrounding this unidentified flying object and Carter's past.
Marlowe won me as a fan with Love and Other Conspiracies. I really enjoyed how she combined romance with speculative elements. I am happy to report that Love at First Sighting was even better!
I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about El as I tend to roll my eyes at the entire idea of "influencers", but she was able to charm me by simply being herself. Her storyline was one I really loved. Here was a woman living by an algorithm who was somewhat adrift having lost sight of who she was and wanted to be. Then this man barges into her life and really saw her and liked what he saw. He made her want to be her true self, and her personal journey was a good one.
But this man, Carter, was something special. He had a heartbreaking backstory and really never had someone to care for him. I think that's why I fell in love with them both. Most of the people in El's life expected something in return, it was all transactional, while Carter just never had anyone to support him in a meaningful way since his parents' deaths. In this great big world, they found a connection and cared for each other, and it was a beautiful thing.
Carter and El embarked on this crazy mission and never failed to be there for one another when danger came. And believe me, this mission had some high stakes. There was action and peril and twists galore that had me flipping the pages. But there was also a lot of fun and humor packed into this tale along with some really touching moments.
Overall: This was one wild ride and I enjoyed every second of it.
*ARCS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER
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