The Risks of Falling - by Taylor Hartley (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A ski trip takes a dangerous turn when a teen ends up stranded in a snowstorm with her best friend's ex-boyfriend in this swoon-worthy romantic drama that's Falling Like Leaves meets Survivor.

Halle is rather proud of her nickname, Halle "Intensity" Peters. Forever focused on her studies, she is one acceptance letter away from her Ivy League dream school, and she couldn't care less about dating or prom--top priorities for her best friend, Sofia. Halle was really hoping that after Sofia's dramatic breakup with River "Scumbag" Walsh, she would have come around to a truth Halle learned long ago: men don't stick around.

But when college rejections start rolling in, Halle's dream becomes a living nightmare. Desperate to escape it all, she agrees to join Sofia on a backcountry ski trip at a nearby national park. Things are looking up--until River becomes a last-minute addition to the group. Just when things couldn't get worse, Halle winds up separated from her friends and lost on the mountain during a snowstorm...with none other than River Walsh as a survival buddy.

Stranded with limited supplies, the two must put aside their mutual dislike for each other to survive in the frigid wilds, a feat that kindles complicated feelings and forces Halle to question everything she thought she knew about what she wants--and who she really is.

Review Quotes

"Harrowing descriptions of wilderness survival combine with magnetic enemies-to-lovers chemistry to present a fresh and satisfying romance." --Publishers Weekly "October 19, 2026"

"Simultaneously thrilling and beautifully introspective, this adventure story never loses sight of the human struggles of the heart. This novel is a page-turner full of exciting events that also delivers heartfelt character growth through lush and poetic writing. Perfect for readers seeking a story about resilience, redemption, and the unexpected connections that happen when two people finally see each other clearly."--School Library Journal, Starred Review "October 1, 2026"

Hartley's YA debut delivers an enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity romance packed with sharp dialogue and strong emotional stakes. . . More romantic drama than romantic comedy, this tender, engaging story . . . proves that sometimes getting lost is the first step to finding yourself--and maybe even someone to love. A chilly survival adventure combined with a decidedly cozy romance. --Kirkus Reviews "December 1, 2026"

About the Author

Taylor Hartley graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor's degree in English literature and a minor in creative writing. Inspired largely by Tamora Pierce and Madeline L'Engle, they started writing stories when they were nine years old and never looked back. An eternal lover of the em-dash and the Oxford comma, Taylor lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with their partner Aaron and two spoiled familiars masquerading as house cats. They are the author of the adult romantic fantasy Song of the Hell Witch and the young adult novel The Risks of Falling.