He Falls First

He Falls First- Jill Shalvis

Sourcebooks Casablanca

Release Date: August 5, 2025

Rating: 📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: 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.

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Penny has learned the hard way not to trust her judgement in men. She's got the scars and the restraining order to prove it and has moved in with her grandmother and 12 year old brother to start over. New job, new life is her plan. The life may mean working till she drops of exhaustion to pay bills, trying to ride herd on an over enthusiastic grandmother and a teenager, but that's ok. Less time to think of how she's failed at everything else. And less time to think of hot construction company boss Ryder, who's a complication she absolutely doesn't need. 

Ryder doesn't need a complication like Penny either. He's drowning in paperwork he can't stand, still greiving the death of a friend and brother-in-law and knowing his sister blames him for her husband's death. He's trying to keep the family and the business together- including a sick father who's gone from an abusive man no one could stand to be around to someone who can't take care of himself and has had a complete personality change. He doesn't have time for himself, let alone a relationship.

But the universe seems to think this is the perfect time for these two people, with brick walls around their hearts a mile high, to come together. And Ryder may have no idea what he's doing, but he recognises the intense chemistry between them and the happiness he feels just talking to Penny means he'd be an idiot not to see where this unplanned, unexpected thing between them can go. When he agrees to let Penny set the pace and isn't chased off by her fears, Penny starts thinking she might be brave enough to give them a chance too.

I loved how you get two damaged people here, both trying to figure things out. Ryder is totally sweet in letting Penny set the pace no matter what, because he understands when she tells him it's about her being brave enough to trust her. But we see Ryder's broken bits too and he learns how to open up to Penny about them. As much as Ryder and his brothers tease each other, they each have their own issues and are there for each other when they need it. 

This was a lovely romance with a great mix of sweet and sassy, friends and family, teasing and fun, and very hot chemistry between the two main characters. I can't wait to revisit the Colburn family!

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review