Max Crawford has reached the point in life where he’s starting to think about settling down. Unfortunately, he’s always been a little awkward when it comes to social interactions, and working from home doesn’t help. He spends so much time alone, painting beautiful, historically accurate model trains that half of Whitford has begun to joke that he may be a serial killer. Not exactly prime husband material.

Tori Burns has found happiness in Maine, thanks in large part to her shifts at the Trailside Diner. She likes the work, and she loves the local gossip. When shy, geeky Max Crawford becomes a regular, she’s intrigued. When she finds out he’s in the market for a wife, she’s fascinated…and determined to help.

Molding Max into every woman’s dream turns out to be much easier than expected. But has Tori’s plan worked a little too well? As she turns his comfortable life all sorts of upside down, she’ll have to find a way to show just how she’s fallen for him…the real him.

I’ll be honest – I am all over the place when it comes to this series.  I have not read all of them (but most, I think) and I even reviewed a couple – All He Ever Dreamed and All He Ever Desired.  The ones I have read definitely weren’t in order, but so far that hasn’t bothered me at all.  If this is your first, third, or ninth, I don’t think it matters.  What does matter is that they are wonderfully well written, with detailed characters and a great plot.

I remember Max from earlier stories.  I remember that he kept to himself and there was a HUGE mystery over what he did in the basement, but I don’t remember him being that much of an “odd duck”.  Maybe that is one of those things I missed in my skipping around in my reading.  I must say, though, that I do love him.  He’s always been a little different and he’s learned to adapt, but now he’s reached a stage where he is thinking of settling down and getting married.  It definitely will take the right woman to understand him and his intricacies, but I think that is true for any relationship.  Or at least for one to work.

Tori, on the other hand, isn’t interested in long-term.  And with her parents history it is understandable.  I think my favorite part of the story is that someone tries to get her help for her issues.  That it isn’t a case of her finding the right guy, falling in love, and forgetting ALL about her hang-ups.

Falling for Max is a super cute story about two people who meet, become friends, and find themselves falling in love.  Like real life, there are problems and stress and hurt feelings but also fun and love and sex and love and a bunch of other good things too.  That’s one of my favorite parts of this series – it’s real and true.