Falling Under the Stars by Karen Deen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Small-town veterinarian Ashley Alleyne has everything she wants in Abbey a job she loves, a close-knit community, her menagerie of animals—and absolutely no need for a man, no matter what her meddling “woo-woo” friend, Tiffany, may see in her tea leaves. So when an angry stranger shows up at her doorstep, manhandling her animals and demanding she fix her fence, the fire he ignites in her can only be anger…right?

When Jake Davis’s grandma, Betty, asks for his help to restore the family vineyard, he doesn’t think twice. He’ll be there just long enough to bring Heatherbrae back to its full glory, then he’s gone. No ties, no complications. But with the stubborn—and annoyingly stunning—vet next door refusing to keep her animals to herself, his year in Abbey Falls suddenly seems anything but simple.

There’s nowhere to hide in a small town, and as Ashley and Jake circle each other, the sparks between them grow harder to ignore—or resist. They’ve both been burned before, but when it comes to love, are some risks worth taking?

Falling Under the Stars

A Vineyard, a Veterinarian, and a Venturesome Goat

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙❤️💚💛
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😋😀😍🤓
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration

Main Characters and Plot Overview

Ashley Alleyne is a hardworking veterinarian in the small town of Abbey Falls. Since her ex-boyfriend and former business partner Jeremy walked out on both their relationship and veterinary practice, Ashley has been carrying an overwhelming workload alone. She has little time for dating or socializing and is content with her quiet life, even if it revolves almost entirely around work. When her friend Tiff reads her tea leaves and predicts that a tall, broad-shouldered man is about to enter her life, Ashley dismisses the idea. The last thing she wants is another man complicating her carefully managed routine.

Jake Davis arrives in Abbey Falls shortly after the death of his beloved grandfather. According to his grandfather’s will, Jake and his three brothers must spend the next year living at Heatherbrae Vines with their grandmother before inheriting the family vineyard. As a contractor, Jake is well suited to restoring the aging property, and he welcomes the chance to escape the city and reconnect with the rural lifestyle he loved as a child.

Their first meeting is far from romantic. Jake returns Ashley’s escaped cow and goat, only to criticize the condition of her fencing. Exhausted and frustrated, Ashley immediately clashes with the opinionated newcomer. From that point forward, nearly every encounter turns into an argument, despite the growing attraction neither wants to acknowledge.

Highlights and Limitations

The strongest aspect of the story is its enemies-to-lovers romance. Ashley and Jake have fantastic chemistry from the beginning, and their constant arguments create plenty of entertaining tension. Even when they begin helping one another, they cannot seem to stop bickering. The banter feels natural and often funny, making their gradual transition from adversaries to partners satisfying to watch.

One detail I particularly enjoyed was that the couple eventually reaches a truce without losing their spark. Too many enemies-to-lovers romances abandon the verbal sparring once the relationship becomes serious. Here, the playful teasing remains part of their dynamic, which helps preserve the chemistry that made their early interactions so entertaining.

The re-introduction of Ashley’s ex-boyfriend Jeremy is another highlight. Although his role is relatively small, his appearance adds conflict at exactly the right moment. Watching a cheating ex realize what he lost is always satisfying, and Jeremy also gives Jake an opportunity to experience a little protectiveness over Ash. These scenes add emotional weight without overwhelming the central romance.

The family storyline surrounding Heatherbrae Vines is also appealing. Jake’s grief over losing his grandfather feels genuine, and the inheritance arrangement provides a strong reason for him to remain in Abbey Falls. It also lays the groundwork for future books involving his brothers.

One limitation is that some readers may find the misunderstandings between Ashley and Jake repetitive during the early chapters. Though the thing I disliked the most was Jake’s constant worry about the money problems he left at home and how he keeps putting off dealing with them. I have enough stress in my life about money, and I don’t want or need any more of that in my books or audiobooks that I use to escape from daily life.

Narration

CJ Bloom and Sebastian York deliver a strong dual narration performance. Bloom captures Ashley’s exhaustion, stubbornness, and vulnerability very well. She makes Ashley’s frustration with her workload believable while also conveying the softer emotions hidden beneath her tough exterior.

Sebastian York is an excellent choice for Jake. His deep, confident voice suits the rugged contractor perfectly, while still allowing Jake’s grief and uncertainty to come through when needed. York excels during the banter-heavy scenes, helping bring Jake’s dry humor and growing affection for Ashley to life.

Together, the narrators create strong chemistry that enhances the romance. Their performances make the arguments feel lively and the emotional moments more impactful.

Final Thoughts

Falling Under the Stars is an enjoyable small-town romance featuring a memorable enemies-to-lovers relationship, strong chemistry, and likable characters. Ashley and Jake’s constant sparring provides plenty of laughs and romantic tension, while the vineyard setting and family inheritance storyline add depth beyond the central romance.

The book delivers exactly what many romance readers want: a stubborn couple who fight their attraction until it becomes impossible to ignore, satisfying character growth, and a well-earned happy ending. Combined with excellent narration from CJ Bloom and Sebastian York, this audiobook makes for a fun and engaging listen that should especially appeal to fans of small-town romance and enemies-to-lovers stories.

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