I enjoyed the narration very much. She definitely brought the characters and the story to life beautifully.

The story was beautifully written and I enjoyed the banter and the romance between the MCs. I loved Brooks, I think he is a great MMC.
The character growth for Carly & Brooks was beautiful as a couple but also individually.
I loved how Brooks’s struggles were so realistic it made me root for him and I really wanted his happy ending.
Carly is sweet and her chemistry with Brooks is immediate and their interactions were fun to listen to.
Carly has childhood trauma and I think her mother being the one who gave it to her but also letting her help cope with it, makes her so compassionate and mature.

I hope to read more from this author

I have adored all of Allison Ashley's previous books and was so excited for another incredible romance. This one might even take my top spot in her author rankings! Fun low spice romantic comedy. The banter was great! The text messages were my favorite.

ADORED.

Oh yes, this was everything!! I loved how sweet this story was. Gosh it was adorable. The low angst books are really hitting right now and I can’t get enough of them. I loved the set-up for this book. It was realistic and charming and there’s something about two people finding their passion and pursuits for the future that soothe the soul.

Carly and Brooks feel like soul mates. They have this beautiful chemistry that constantly brought them near each other and an undeniable need to be together. I think the heaviness of this book was balanced well between the flirting and dates and all of the sister moments. I didn’t feel weighed down by reading Falling Into Place, rather it brought hope that love (from family or a partner) can help us be better and accept that love in our lives. I sincerely loved Carly and Brooks as separate characters and together.

The audiobook narrator was good but it did bug me that this book didn’t have two because it was dual POV. I would occasionally have to remind myself who’s POV chapter I was listening to because it wasn’t obvious.

Anyways, another Allison Ashley book I just loved!!!!

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: mild
Romance: 2-3ish vague/brief open door
Violence: low
Content Warnings: loss of loved ones (multiple mentioned, on page and recounted), grief depiction

As soon as Allison Ashley starts promoting a new book, I start stalking NetGalley for an early audio 😆🫣 they’re always so good!

Expect 👉🏼 Best Friend’s Brother, Forced Proximity, Forbidden

Brooks is a busy doctor who doesn’t bother with taking the time to date or even dress himself nicely. When his sister’s magazine starts to struggle and she approaches him with an opportunity to bring eyes to the magazine by dating local women and visiting local venues and working with a local stylist, he hesitantly agrees.

Who knew that working with the stylist—who just so happens to be is younger sister’s quiet and sweet friend from high school—would turn out the best the best part of his day?

Carly and Brooks were perfect together. I loved how they were immediately comfortable and developed a fast friendship. The angst was fantastic and I enjoyed the slower burn as they fought off their attraction to one another.

🎧 Beautifully narrated. I listened to the entire book in a day because I didn’t want to turn it off.

Thank you Brilliance Publishing for the gifted alc.

This was a cute story and it was nice to see Carly get her happily ever after. Perfect if you like dating shows and make over shows! Also fun that it was set in Oklahoma City!

Perfect for fans of The True Love Experiment, Falling into Place by Allison Ashley is a super cute romcom following a reclusive doctor and his sister's best friend as they work strike up a deal to make career moves and get him back into the swing of society.

TWO ADULTS OPENLY COMMUNICATING THEIR FEELINGS AND TELLING EACH OTHER HOW THEY FEEL?! unheard of

super enjoyable, easy read!

thank you Netgalley for the ARC

I unfortunately will have to DNF this ALC due to the narration style.

This review is not a reflection of the talent of the narrator at all. This style is just not one that works for me personally. The story is told from a dual POV but only has one narrator. This causes a lot of confusion when I'm listening, often lost at whose perspective I'm listening to.

Ann Marie Gideon is a great narrator, and I really enjoyed listening to her! Her voice has a soothing quality and she has great inflection that keeps a listener super engaged. I am most definitely interested in hearing more of her work!

From what I did listen to, the story is fresh and exciting and I am really looking forward to picking up a digital or physical copy and posting a full review!

Carly is a hired person to design wardrobes for clients. Brooks is a physician who needs serious help in that department. Is Carly going to fall for her client?

I enjoyed this story. 4 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Brilliance Publishing for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ALC! 4.5 ⭐️!! This might be one of my favorite romance read of the year so far! I loved how the author wove together a sweet romcom together with some hard topics such as grief and failure. Carley has an eye for fashion and style, and when an opportunity presents itself to further her career in personal styling she jumps at the opportunity! Only problem is not falling head over heels for her client. Brooks is a workaholic Physican, whose only social outing consists of watching sports with his cat. When his sister insists he needs to step out and become the next OK bachelor to boost her magazine, he agrees reluctantly! Can he let go of past grief that has such a tight hold on his heart? Or will the cute, fun personal stylist warm his icy heart?
Things I liked
-great chemistry between the characters
-the deeper dive into grief, and the fear of failing
-the pacing was great never slow or dull
-the narrator did a great job with this 3rd person narration

This second book in the series felt just right. It had that soft kind of sweetness I was hoping for, and listening to it on audio made everything feel even more relaxed and real.
The two characters end up working together, not by planning but just by the way life throws people into each other’s path. What starts as something casual or maybe even inconvenient slowly turns into something warmer. I liked how their feelings weren’t rushed — they noticed things, they paid attention, and it grew from there.

There’s a comfort in stories like this. Not just the romance itself, but the way people begin to see each other differently once they’re thrown into shared spaces and small moments.

It wasn’t full of drama, and that’s what made it feel believable. It had emotion, some spark, and by the end, I was happy I spent time with them.

This one fell into the “forgettable” category for me. A low-stakes romance that never quite hooked me emotionally, though it had its moments—some funny, some sweet—that kept it from being a total wash.

I really liked If Tomorrow Never Comes by the same author, so I’m not giving up on her, but Falling into Place just wasn’t my jam.

Part of the problem? The narration. Ann Marie Gideon has this permanently peppy, teen-drama energy that made the whole story feel like a high school romance trying to pass for adult. It didn’t help the already thin conflict or the pacing.

That said, I didn’t hate it—it just didn’t stick. Solid palate cleanser if you're in the mood for something light, but not one I’ll be revisiting.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the advanced audio copy of Falling into Place. Narration on the audio by Ann Marie Gideon was well done!

This was my second Allison Ashley book and I really enjoy her romance writing style, character development, and the banter between FMC and MMC in her romance stories.

Carly is styling her best friend’s brother, Brooks, for a magazine article series where he is an eligible bachelor going on dates in OKC. The series for Sasha’s OKC based magazine, which she is trying to hype up. Sasha happens to be Brooks’ sister and Carly’s best friend. As Carly and Brooks start getting to know each-other while she styles him, they catch feelings. Now what happens to the magazine series? And how do they tell Sasha?

I recommend this one for romance genre fans, especially if you love best-friend’s brother and friends to lovers storylines.

Carly's mission: Transform antisocial physician Brooks from "lives in scrubs" to "Oklahoma's hottest bachelor" for a magazine feature.
Brooks' mission: Help his sister's failing magazine without actually having to, you know, socialize.
Plot twist: They're better at fixing each other than anyone expected.

The author serves up her trademark snappy dialogue with a side of genuine emotion. Brooks brings the brooding medical professional energy, while Carly delivers the perfect blend of ambition and vulnerability. The banter? Chef's kiss. The feels? Surprisingly deep.

Sure, it hits familiar romance beats, but when the execution is this good, who cares? Oklahoma City gets its moment to shine, the supporting characters actually support, and both leads earn their happy ending through actual character growth!

The premise of this book was so much fun! I love the idea of a playboy in high school turning things around, but goes too far the other way and becomes a reclusive doctor that needs to re-emerge from his shell. And to have the person that helps him to do that be his exact opposite, introverted childhood friend of his sister turned extraverted fashion consulted…so good and very cute!

I loved Carly and Brooks together and the relationship building at the beginning of the book was so natural. I also loved how well-rounded the characters were, especially Brooks and how his problems stemmed from his losses as a teen, but that he had a guardian angel high school basketball coach who helped him to turn his life around and kept up the guidance even into adulthood. Also, he is a gardener with a cat named Oreo, SO CUTE!

That being said, once they actually got together it started to feel a bit disjointed at parts. A big annoyance for me was that with only a couple months left they could not save themselves the headache and just keep it in their pants. Its not like they couldn’t keep seeing each other and getting re-acquainted in the meantime, so the fact that they just HAD to start a physical relationship then kind of felt like they were just in lust instead of developing real feelings. It was almost like the author felt they had to add it in to reach a smut level quota or something. I also did not understand Brooks’ flip flopping near the end, it just didn’t feel natural and didn’t quite fit.

Regarding the audiobook, Ann Marie Gideon did an excellent job with narrating for the characters. The pacing was good and wasn’t overly dramatic while still keeping the reader following along with the emotions of the book.

Overall another excellent healthcare-related romance by Allison Ashley.

2 low explicit Fade to black scenes
Strong language throughout <25
Sexual innuendo? (Not too much)
Makeouts (3)

Doctor MMC
Communication 👏


If you like Sophie cousens, Beth O’Leary and Annabel Monaghan you will enjoy this

I'm a sucka for second chance, he was always the one, it took some mess for me to realize it was you, let's keep a secret but the secret is never kept long, forbidden he's my friend's brother, he needs to work on a long list of things but things work out in the end type of love. I love it. I love it. I love it.

Carly, an account executive with a true passion for fashion and design, teams up with her best friend’s brother, Brooks, to create a Bachelor type dating series for a magazine. What she doesn’t expect is to fall for one of the very guys she is supposed to be strictly professional with.

I would read anything Allison Ashley writes, grocery lists included, and this book was no exception. It is heartwarming, funny, and delightfully uplifting. While it does not focus as heavily on the medical field as some of her previous novels, we still get a swoon worthy doctor as our hero and a fun, fresh dive into the fashion world through our heroine’s eyes.

Read if you like:
-Best friend’s brother
-Cinnamon roll hero
-Forced proximity
-Slow burn