Review & Giveaway - - He Falls First

He Falls First

by Jill Shalvis

Colburn Brothers - Book 1

Publisher: That's What She Said Publishing, Inc.

Release Date: August 5, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

No one is going to convince her to fall in love again...

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.

PJ's Thoughts:

Jill Shalvis is back and she's better than ever. He Falls First launches a new series from Shalvis featuring a family of four siblings with an emotionally fraught background. This first book is both sweet and steamy, with sparkling banter, complicated family dynamics, humor, emotional depth and a swoon-worthy happily ever after. 

I love the community of characters Shalvis has built within this book. Both Penny's and Ryder's families offer abundant opportunity for messy emotions, comic relief, growth, hope, and healing. Of course, Penny and Ryder are at the center of the story but their supporting cast is richly textured, both in moving the central relationship forward as well as introducing sibling personalities and setting the stage for future stories. 

Ryder is such a good guy. And hot. Did I mention he's hot? I really loved how caring and protective he was of Penney and how their deepening relationship helped them both begin to heal. I also loved Penney's commitment to her family, and her determination to move forward with her life no matter how difficult. I'm fully on board with their romance and looking forward to watching it continue to blossom as the series progresses. 

A strong element of this book is surviving abuse. In the case of the Colburns, it's made more complicated due to the fact that the man who abused them (their father) is now completely at their mercy due to a life-changing stroke. Having been through two severe strokes with family members, I was impressed by the authenticity and care used by the author in describing this character's current personality and actions without erasing his past actions. It's a complex storyline that raises a number of thought-provoking issues. 

If you enjoy immersive contemporary romances that pull you into the characters' lives, make you laugh, make you think, maybe shed a tear or two, and celebrate hard-earned happy endings, check out He Falls First by Jill Shalvis. The fact that there are more Colburn brothers waiting in the wings for their own story is a happy, cherry-on-the-top bonus! 

Have you read Jill Shalvis?

Do you enjoy a series that features siblings?

Penney turns out some mouth-watering breakfast delights in this book. Do you have a favorite breakfast item to make? Or, if you don't bake, what's your favorite item to order?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM (EDT), August 7 will receive a print copy of Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis. 

U.S. only

Must be 18