Fall at Once by Nora Everly Book Review

Rating: 3 Stars

Release Date: Oct 28 2025

Format: Ebook

Publisher: Avon and Harper Voyager

When party-planner-turned-break-up-victim Madi skips town to help her grandmother, Gigi, run her bakery while they both heal, in the town of Cozy Creek, she’s pretty clear: “I am absolutely not here to fall in love.” Yet fate (and a fireman) have other plans.

Enter Cole: single dad, fire chief, rescuer-in-waiting (side-of-the-road? check; tree rescue? oh yes; ex-kiss in a bar? naturally).

He enlists Madi to co-organize the Cozy Creek Fire Brigade’s fall fundraiser. Sparks, literal and metaphorical, fly. Madi fights the heat; Cole struggles with communication and parenting; the town’s autumn vibe hovers in the background like a cinnamon-scented ghost.

What Worked: The setting of Cozy Creek is cozy in the literal sense: fall leaves, small-town shenanigans, meddling grandmas, a fireman who actually seems to care about his kids. It nails that “I want a feel-good romance with a hot dad and a bakery backdrop” vibe. Perfect read for all the fall vibes.

There are genuine moments: when Cole’s lack of communication causes tension, when Madi realizes her walls may be built beyond what she thought. These lend the book more heart than it might’ve had if it were purely trope-driven.

What Didn't Work: The “autumn vibe” is more like “autumn decor”: pumpkins and leaves get mentioned, but it lacks that rich, immersive fall ambience I was hoping for. A stronger sense of season could’ve elevated the mood.

Some of the plot resolutions feel a bit too tidy. The big issues get handled with a sentence or two, and for a book that builds on “we’ve both been burned before,” the climax is somewhat anticlimactic.

The book tries to balance steamy romance and light-hearted comedy—Madi and a cat getting rescued from a tree (yes, that happens) is a fun example. There are giggle-worthy moments that keep the tone breezy. But it doesn’t go full parody, so if you’re looking for laugh-out-loud romance, it may stop just short.

🌶️ Spice Meter 🌶️ : 2 out of 5 Peppers

Final Thoughts: If I were strolling an autumn farmers’ market in Cozy Creek, sipping a latte and chewing on a cinnamon-scented scent-candle, this is the romance I’d pick up. It delivers comfort, sweetness, and a hot fireman. But I’m not going to pretend it revolutionizes the genre. It’s like your favourite pumpkin-spice latte: familiar, dependable, enjoyable — but not life-changing.

Disclaimer: Thank you, Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.