Falling for Mr. October by Angela Casella

A Romance Novel published (09/03/26)

Summary: Fake dating, a secret celebrity chef, meddling Nonnas, and fall romance

“There was me, Giovanni Cafiero, and there was him, the Shirtless Chef. I could become him whenever I wanted to, and the rest of the time I could pretend he didn’t exist.” (Kindle).

A small-town apple orchard, fall festivals, a failing family business, meddling Italian Nonnas, fake dating, and a shirtless chef hiding out after his unexpected internet fame gets to be too much.

Keywords:

Contemporary, Fall, Small Town, Fake Dating, Celebrity hiding from the spotlight, Friends-to-lovers

My Review:

This was such a fun fall rom-com! Bianca and Giovanni were a really cute couple, and I liked watching their relationship develop from the initial awkwardness into something much more genuine. Giovanni is basically the perfect rom-com book boyfriend. He is charming, funny, thoughtful, good with the grandmas, and, of course, he can cook. But he does have his doubts and flaws and still feels human and imperfectly perfect.

The Nonnas were probably my favorite part of the supporting cast. They brought a lot of humor to the story, and all of the small-town characters helped make Apple Ridge feel like an actual community rather than just a backdrop for the romance.

I also liked the storyline behind Giovanni’s secret identity as the Shirtless Chef. His decision to walk away from the attention and hide out in Apple Ridge gave the story a little more substance than just the typical fake-dating setup. There are also some deeper themes about family, grief, learning to accept help, and figuring out what you actually want out of life.

And the theme is definitely there: Fall. Apple orchards, pumpkins, festivals, small-town activities, cooking, and cozy family moments make this a perfect book for when you’re ready to get in the Autumn spirit.

I read the sweet/closed-door version, and I liked having that option. There was still plenty of romance and chemistry without needing the spicy scenes. I really appreciate that Angela Casella offers both versions so readers can choose what they want.

Overall, this was a cute, easy, feel-good fall romance with fun characters, plenty of humor, and exactly the kind of cozy small-town atmosphere you’d expect from a fall rom-com. If you’re looking for something light and romantic to kick off your fall reading, this would be a good choice.

I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

This novel was published on 09/03/2026 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 5.00

Links for more information

Goodreads