Fallin' Tides (Holly River Bk 1)

A small-town bookstore dream, a Fall Festival, and the one man she was never supposed to fall for.

Alice Sinclair has three months to transform her childhood home into the bookshop she's always dreamed of—or lose it forever.

Then Colt Mitchell comes home. Her brother's best friend and the former Marine she spent years writing letters to is determined to help make her dream a reality. But as renovations race toward Holly River's Fall Festival, their childhood connection turns into something neither of them can ignore.

Cozy, emotional, and deliciously spicy, Fallin' Tides delivers Gilmore Girls small-town charm with a swoony romance at its heart.

Perfect for readers who love: cozy fall towns, bookstores, brother's best friend, childhood friends-to-lovers, grumpy × sunshine, military heroes, forced proximity, and Fall Festivals.

Spice Level: 4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ — Explicit / Open Door

Themes & Tropes:

• Brother's best friend

• Childhood friends-to-lovers

• Grumpy × sunshine

• Small-town romance

• Military MMC

• Bookshop-owning FMC

• Forced proximity

• Dual POV

• Fall Festival

• Cozy autumn vibes

⚠️ Content Note: Includes PTSD related to military service, neglectful parenting, references to addiction, attempted sexual assault, and explicit sexual content.

Author: Tori Ford
Series: Holly River #1
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance / Small-Town Romance
Audience: Adult
Language: English
Format: Paperback
Pages: 416
Publisher: White Rock Books
Publication Date: August 25, 2026
ISBN: 9798995837206