Note: Thank you to NetGalley, Blume Books, and author Lucy Score for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review will also be posted on NetGalley. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

Author Lucy Score is a name I’d heard bantered around on various book groups I’m in, always in a positive way. I was intrigued and wanted to check out her writing, so when I saw this book available as an advanced reader copy, I leaped at the chance.

Let me preface this by saying I’m not a fan of romance books. I like romance fine, when it’s part of another story. Pure romance though is not my thing. Unfortunately, Fall into Temptation falls into the category of pure romance. If I hadn’t agreed to do a review, I likely would not have finished the book as it just didn’t call to me at all.

Gianna Decker has just moved back to the town of Blue Moon. It’s a quirky place somewhere in upstate New York. She’s recently divorced and has custody of her daughter as well as her stepson since the father has no real interest in either of them. She plans to open up a yoga studio and rents a guest house on Beckett Pierce’s property.

Beckett Pierce is the mayor of Blue Moon. He was born and raised here with his three brothers. His father has been deceased for some time. Beckett seems to be no good at relationships. His last girlfriend lasted all of three weeks and it ended with her burning his welcome mat, handcuffing herself to the stairs, and having to be carted away by the sheriff. Gianna is beautiful. Beckett is handsome.

As soon as these two set eyes on each other they are obsessed. Their every waking moment seems to be thoughts of the other. Gianna’s two kids adore Beckett and he enjoys being with them as well. Since Gianna’s father is dating Beckett’s mother, they are all soon caught up in each other’s family. It seems to be a match made in heaven.

You know in a book like this there has to be a problem at some point, and the problem is when Gianna’s ex comes to town. Well, not really. He’s not a problem at all, but Beckett jumps to the wrong conclusions.

Is there ever really a question, though, if things will work out? I mean, this is romance. You’ve got to have the princess and her happily ever after. That is where I struggle with so many romance novels. They are so predictable. There’s no real suspense to them, and in this case, there is a lot of hot, steamy sex, so if you like that sort of thing I’m sure you’d like Fall into Temptation, but it’s just not my thing.

So why did I give it 4 stars (rounded up from 3 1/2)? One part really did resonate with me. At one point, Gianna is feeling pulled in many different directions. Beckett arranges to put a dishwasher in her rental. She didn’t ask him to; he was over one night and she made a comment about not having a dishwasher. It was in such a way that it wasn’t a complaint, it was just matter-of-factly stated. By the next weekend, Beckett and his brother are installing a dishwasher. He’s also arranged for their parents to take the kids to give her some time for herself. At this point, Gianna is working two jobs and trying to be a supermom. She resents the help they are offering her.

At what point has that happened to us as a society? My spouse often talks about when he was young and when someone in the family had a new baby and how the female family members rallied around the mother to help her out as needed. We’re missing that now. Everyone is so intent on proving they can do it all that they resent it when people help them, instead of embracing it. Everyone is so busy trying to prove they don’t need anyone instead of building a community that helps each other out. Fall into Temptation does capture that sense of community and makes a good argument for it, although I do think the town of Blue Moon takes it to an extreme.

If you like romance, I’m sure you’d like Fall into Temptation. I could take it or leave it, really, although I thought it made a good point about people reaching out and helping each other, as well as accepting that help and not seeing it as a comment on their abilities.