Trust Fall coming September 29th, 2026 from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; 416 pages
Content Warning: Bullying, death of a family member, profanity, sexual content
About the Author: “Lynn Painter is the author of Better Than The Movies. She writes romantic comedies for tweens, teens, and adults, and when she isn’t reading or writing, odds are good she’s guzzling energy drinks and watching rom-coms” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Lynn Painter on the following platforms:
Julia has never really been anywhere besides her small town in Nebraska, so when her elderly neighbor Lou passes and leaves her family his mansion in New York City, Julia quickly trades small-town life for big-city drama. Lou, whose actual name is Remi, is Damion’s great-uncle, and Damion isn’t thrilled about some random family invading Remi’s house. Julia and Damion don’t get along, but when Julia needs a math tutor at her new high school and Damion is the best option, the two start spending more time together. Julia needs the help at school, and Damion needs some dirt on her family to prove that they aren’t the rightful owners of Remi’s house. As their feelings for each other turn from hostile to romantic, Julia and Damion must figure out if they can trust each other and have a real relationship.
Trust Fall perfectly encapsulated fall feelings and high school drama all while being the sweetest love letter to New York City (NYC). I’m not surprised that I absolutely devoured this book—Damion may be my new favorite male character that Painter has written (I’m sorry, Wes!). Julia was also an incredible main character because she was so relatable and kind to everyone despite being heavily bullied at her new school. Her ability to romanticize every situation and slow down to admire the mundane made me appreciate her so much. I liked how distinct all of the characters were, including Remi, even though he’s not as present in the book. Another thing I loved was the plot—it was so dramatic, and I could feel myself getting tugged in each direction as I read the points-of-view (POVs) and sympathized with each character and their situation. I thought the tutoring lessons were so interesting because I was able to see Damion’s true character come to light, which only made me root for him more as the story progressed. Painter did such a wonderful job with the setting as well. I’ve never visited Nebraska, but she made it sound like the perfect place to spend while reminiscing on your childhood summers. I actually just traveled to NYC for the first time myself, so it was fun to relive those first-time moments with Julia and see the city through her eyes. I hope Painter writes more books that take place in NYC because her love for the city matched my own, making this read so wonderful and immersive.
Trust Fall releases on September 29th, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Emersen Cooper, Pine Reads Review Co-Assistant Director & Lead Editor