Fall for Him

Enemies become lovers thanks to an unusual living situation in this entertaining contemporary from Burke (Fly with Me). ER nurse Derek Chang hated his upstairs neighbor, Dylan Gallagher, before he even moved in, believing Dylan dated and dumped his recently deceased friend and long-time crush, Jake. When Dylan’s floor collapses and he literally falls into Derek’s bed, it’s unlikely to make the situation any better. Both hoping to stay off the homeowners’ association’s radar, they decide to keep the incident quiet. Dylan will crash with Derek while doing the repairs himself. Dylan, who has ADHD, is “intensely attracted” to Derek but thinks of himself as broken and believes the self-professed “himbo gym rat” will never return his feelings. As these reluctant roommates find common ground, however, desire grows on both sides. Giving in leads to “stupid, lovesick, radiant joy”—but their relationship is tested by trust issues, misunderstandings, and their complicated families. Burke fills both men’s lives with enjoyable and quirky supporting characters who help keep the somewhat thin plot moving. This is a delight. Agent: Mariah Nichols, D4EO Literary. (Sept.)