Free Falling by Jill Shalvis: My Book Review

Check out my book review of Free Falling by Jill Shalvis to see what I think of this forced proximity romance!

*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Free Falling Summary:

Retired hockey player Caleb Colburn needs this new construction project to go smoothly to prove he’s earned his place in the family business. There’s only one problem. The architect liaison assigned to the project is Emma Sumner. As in, the woman who made his life a living hell in college. Now, she’s back in town and already breathing down his neck on the job. Worse? She’s only gotten more beautiful.

Emma’s in love with the beautiful historic building they’re renovating. But her feelings toward project manager Caleb definitely lean more toward hate. Not only is the man making her job harder than it needs to be, he’s the one who took everything from her when she was at her most desperate. Not that she’d ever admit it out loud, but she’s never recovered.

Neither is willing to forgive and forget. But forced proximity and surprising common ground have these enemies starting to wonder just how fine the line between love and hate is. A burning mutual attraction adds complications for them both. Will anything be left standing when their secrets are finally revealed?

Free Falling: My Review

Enemies to lovers is my favorite romance trope, but this book would have made my list of top 11 new romance book releases for February 2026 anyway because I already fell for Caleb in his brother’s story, He Falls First, and was excited to dive into his story (but trust me when I say that this can be read as a standalone).

If you love romance books with close families, brothers who tussle to show their love to each other, and small town legends about meeting your soulmate, then this is one you’ll surely enjoy.

This book rests on the tension between Caleb and Emma who were once rivals during college, but who find themselves working together on a restoration project that means a lot to both of them. She needs to make a good impression to get a full-time position at her firm, and he needs to prove to his brother that he can be his partner in the family business.

Surprisingly, the restoration aspect is mostly in the background to Caleb and Emma’s “will they or won’t they”/”we shouldn’t but we want to” tap dance around each other given their forced proximity to working on the same jobsite.

Their tap dance brings up the miscommunication from their past that made them rivals as well as their respective pasts that influence their trust and concerns for mixing business with pleasure in the present.

At the same time, Jill weaves in the continued mystery surrounding incidences of stealing around Colburn job sites, a brewing storyline between Caleb’s brother Tucker and friend Hazel (which we will get in book 3!) and the closeness of Caleb and his brothers while carrying for their ailing father and all the baggage that this brings which makes this a full story to unpack.

I really loved how emotionally mature Caleb is in the present given everything that he had endured in his past. He didn’t push Emma but stood up for his feelings to his brother and her when it was necessary.

Emma though was a hard nut to crack for me, so I didn’t feel as connected to her character, but that’s just a me thing.

Overall, this was another enjoyable read in a must-read series. I seriously cannot wait for Tucker and Hazel’s story coming next in Falling Into You.

*I received an advanced copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

More By Jill Shalvis:

• He Falls First by Jill Shalvis

Related Book Lists:

• Best Office Romance Books
• Best Enemies to Lovers Romance Books
• Top 11 New Romance Book Releases of February 2026

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