Fall Love by L.B. Dunbar: My Honest Review
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⭐ Quick Verdict
⭐ My Rating: 3 ★
💭 Quick Take: A sweet surprise-pregnancy romance that delivers all the cozy fall vibes and an incredibly caring hero, even if the love story took a while to really pull me in.
👉 Read If You Love:
- Cinnamon roll heroes
- Sweet, low-angst love stories
- Fall vibes
- Heroes who plan thoughtful dates
🚫 Skip if:
- You want a fast-moving romance from the start
- You prefer deeper character development
- You don’t enjoy romances where a pregnancy drives much of the relationship
Book Details
Release Date: September 2026
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Surprise Pregnancy, Small Town, Opposites Attract, Cinnamon Roll Hero
Series: Lovewell Landing
Steam Level: Low
POV: Dual
What This Book Is About
Nine months after a one-night stand, Neve is about to have a baby when she unexpectedly runs into the baby’s father, Tate.
The pregnancy is a complete surprise to him, but Tate has always wanted a baby and family of his own, so he’s immediately all in. Not just on being there for their daughter, but on getting to know Neve too.
That’s a little harder for Neve to accept. She’s used to one-night stands with men who visit the island and then leave, so she can’t help wondering what Tate really sees in her beyond the fact that she’s carrying his baby.
My Review of Fall Love
L.B. Dunbar is a go-to author whenever I’m in the mood for a romance featuring an older couple or a holiday love story, so when I saw this fall-inspired romance, I was in.
And the fall vibes are definitely strong in this one. You instantly feel like you’re in this small town as the weather cools and the leaves change, and Tate takes Neve on some seriously cute fall dates, complete with apple picking and her love of all things pumpkin spice.
Tate was easily my favorite part of the book. This man has always wanted a baby and a family of his own, so while discovering he’s about to become a father comes as a complete shock, there’s never any question that he wants to be there.
But I especially loved that he didn’t just focus on the baby. He wanted Neve too.
That’s really the heart of their romance because Neve isn’t used to men sticking around. Her relationships have been one-night stands with visitors to the harbor town, so she doesn’t completely understand why Tate would want more with her or whether his interest is tied to the fact that she’s carrying his baby.
Tate’s determination to show her otherwise is where the romance worked best for me. I loved the dates he planned and how much effort he put into getting to know her. And when Neve’s doctor mentions that orgasms can help prepare her body for labor, let’s just say Tate takes that recommendation VERY seriously and considers it his personal mission to help.
I also loved the name Neve gives their baby before she’s born. It was such a sweet little detail.
The second half of the book worked much better for me than the first because that’s when I really started to see Neve and Tate’s relationship develop. The beginning felt pretty slow, whereas once they started spending more intentional time together, I could better see why these two might actually work beyond their unexpected connection through the baby.
I just wish some of the other pieces of the story had been developed more.
There’s a wishing well and local lore that could have added even more to the small-town fall atmosphere, but it never became as significant as I expected. We also learn more about Neve’s relationship with her father and her history at the auto body shop, while Tate remained more of a mystery. I liked him a lot, but I would have loved to know more about the man beyond his desire for a family and his relationship with Neve. There were also times when I felt like I was being told how their feelings and relationship were developing rather than really seeing it happen. That’s ultimately why this stayed at three stars for me. It’s a sweet romance, and it definitely got better as it went along, but it never became one that really stood out or that I could see myself rereading.
*I received an advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.
What I Loved
- Tate’s determination to be there for both Neve and their baby
- The thoughtful fall dates Tate plans for Neve
- Tate enthusiastically taking the doctor’s advice about orgasms to heart
- The sweet nickname Neve gives the baby before she’s born
- The fall atmosphere throughout the story
Things to Know Before You Read
- The first half was slow for me, but the romance picked up in the second half
- Neve’s sister Lumi’s story is told in The Holiday Post
- This can be read as a standalone
Final Thoughts
Fall Love gave me exactly what I wanted from the setting: changing leaves, apple picking, pumpkin spice, and plenty of small-town fall atmosphere. Tate was also an incredibly sweet hero, and I loved watching him make it clear that he didn’t just want to be a father to their baby. He wanted a relationship with Neve too.
I just wish the first half had pulled me in sooner and that we’d gotten a little more depth from Tate and some of the other pieces of the story. The romance became much more enjoyable for me once Neve and Tate started going on dates and their feelings actually began to develop, but overall, this was a sweet three-star read rather than one that really stood out.
If you’re looking for a cozy fall romance with a surprise pregnancy, a cinnamon roll hero who’s completely ready to step up, and lots of seasonal atmosphere, this is an easy book to settle into for the season.
I’m also interested in circling back to Lumi’s story in The Holiday Post, and L.B. Dunbar did a great job setting up the tension between Isolde and Landon because I’m definitely curious to see what’s going to happen between those two next in Midsummer Mishap.
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