Sterling Fight

Sterling Falls, Book 5

De: L.B. Dunbar

Narrado por: Ryan West, Erin Mallon

These former friends might be faking their engagement, but revealed crushes prove there might not be anything fictional about their arrangement.

In college, I often saw Judd Sylver in the library. He was a cool, broody type of guy who reminded me of a deeply tortured soul who might write poetry. He was very different from the boy I met in third grade on National Make a New Friend Day when I passed him a note, asking if he wanted to be my new friend: Check yes or no. (I’m a bit obsessed with calendar days). He was also vastly different from the young man who stood me up after I asked him to his prom.

Twenty years later, I can let bygones be bygones, especially when he rescues me from a bad date.Then I witness him breaking up with his girlfriend, which resulted in a sticky coffee drink on his chiseled cheeks and ice cubes on his fine-fitting jeans.

I offered him a napkin.Hey, once a friend, always a friend, right? *insert sarcasm*

However, Judd takes us to the next level at my mother’s garden party, where a misunderstanding occurs with a teeny tiny slip of the tongue and a precious ring on my finger.

And suddenly, I’m Judd’s fiancée. Fake or not, things are about to get a little too real with my old friend.

©2025 L.B. Dunbar (P)2025 L.B. Dunbar

Great addition to the series

It was great being back in Sterling Falls and I couldn’t wait to read Genie Webster and Judd Sylver’s friends to lovers story.

I love L. B. Dunbar writing style as her characters are engaging and so easy to relate to.

From the first chapter, I was invested in the story. This is a beautifully written, witty, emotional story that ticked all the boxes for me.

There are equal amounts of passion, romance, and some angst in this story which had me tearing up and smiling, sometimes at the same time.

Their journey was not without its ups and downs, but it was worth it in the end.

Narrated by Ryan West and Erin Mallon who did a brilliant job in their narration. They brought all the drama, passion and romance out . Their performances did justice to the wonderful story and the characters created.

❤️ And now it’s Judd’s turn…

Story 4.5 ⭐️s
Narration: 4 ⭐️s

To say I’ve been eagerly anticipating Judd Sylver’s story is an understatement. I’ve been on tenterhooks waiting for this one, and now that it’s here all I can say is well done Ms Dunbar! And despite some trope overlap with past books and undercooked external conflict, the way Judd and Genie’s story unfolded was a joy to me.

I loved that this book’s plot allowed the MCs so much time together. There was all this wonderful space for them to be one-to-one and to renew their connection. While there is a lot of steam between Judd and Genie, their intimacy never felt rushed or overdone. And though there are shades of second chance here, it felt different from Knox and Halle, because unlike them, Genie and Judd never truly got their first chance. There’s also some fun overlap with the fake fiancé trope that added humor and angst, which I was surprised to find worked for me. There’s lighthearted banter, but also this exploration of underlying grief brought on by the loss of a parent. Both Judd and Genie are dealing with their own version of it, and the unfolding is beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. Five books in, we already know that the Sylver clan had it rough growing up, and each story reveals more devastating details to the picture of their past. The series began and it was a blurry family portrait, but each story has made each individual Sylver sibling clearer, along with the whole.

The secondary cast of the Sylver clan are still wonderful and my love for them, and their family dynamic, only grows. I thought there were some great scenes of dinners and the family coming together to support Judd (and Genie!). It’s just a family portrait I love returning to.

With book 5, the weaker elements boil down to some lackluster external conflicts, in this case with Judd’s obnoxious ex-girlfriend, Heather, and Genie’s self-centered mother. Both started out fine, but by the time the story wrapped up, those tensions kind of fell away. Ultimately, I was almost grateful for the brushing aside of those external factors, because it left room for such a tight focus on Judd and Genie building their connection.

The audiobook was very good. Erin Mallon is her usual best, and turns in a wonderful performance as Genie. This is a character with a charming blend of heart, vulnerability, and quirks, and there are few narrators who portray that blend as well as Mallon. Ryan West as Judd was also good. While I found his portrayal less engaging than Mallon, he still fit the bill for the brooding but tender Judd very well. Together the narrators make the audio well worth a listen.

All told, SF is an enjoyable story of love and reconnection, as well as another wonderful addition to Dunbar’s Sterling Falls series. Again, I’m looking forward to the next while at the same time being sad that there are not many more Sylver siblings to go!

I received an ALC copy of the audiobook via Home Cooked Books and read via KU. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Took the top spot as one of my favorite audiobooks

L.B. Dunbar is an auto read author for me because she writes such relatable stories with the swooniest, most vulnerable men that just need someone to love them proper. I love that she writes later in life romance that I can relate to on a more personal level.

I have loved, and I mean loved the entire Sterling Falls series, but Judd & Genie just became my favorite couple of the group. It may be because I read the first four books and this was my first audiobook of the series, because let's be honest, audiobooks just hit different, and Ryan West and Erin Mallon were phenomenal as Judd and Genie. They delivered the emotions, the angst, and all the love that these characters had inside them. I genuinely felt like I was sitting in a room listening to Judd and Genie tell me their love story.

Judd and Genie were both carrying scars from the past when they reconnected, and even though Judd knew from the moment he laid eyes on her after all those years that she was going to be his, Genie was much more hesitant to let them be anything more than a fling. Some scars run deeper than others. The genuine friendship and connection these two had could be felt deep in your soul. The love and passion was read with such vulnerability that you will feel it to your core.

When they both started to let their walls down they fell hard and fast and, even though they were still working through their individual turmoil, it was clear to both of them that they only future that existed was them together. The epilogues made my heart explode with happiness and I felt like I was celebrating my friends HEA. They truly got everything their hearts desired.

Bravo on an incredible audiobook. An absolute must listen.

Oh my heart!

Erin Mallon and Ryan West were dreamy casting for Genie and Judd! The queen of romcom was amazing as the vivacious, compassionate, and adorkable Genie. Ryan’s portrayal of the angsty, romantic AF, dirty-talking boxer was everything. These two ripped my heart out and melted it back together with their phenomenal performances of this wonderful love story.

Yummy

Sterling Fight is a grump/sunshine second chance romance. I like this book a lot, I like that Judd is so die hard for Genie and she brightens up his life.

This is the Sterling Falls series book 5. I like that this a long series and we get to hear about the past characters. I like that the family has each others back and that accepted Genie so easily. I really like the epilogue, it was so awesome. This book has plenty of steamy moments, rabbits have nothing

Ryan West & Erin Mallon were absolutely fantastic with this book. ZI really like this pair together, they seem to compliment each other.

There's Healing in Love

Wow! This is another wonderfully written book in the Sterling Falls series. I literally couldn't stop listening once I started. Erin Mallon and Ryan West nailed their performance. I could truly feel all the emotions of Judd and Genie. Judd and Genie reconnect after over 20 years apart and realize nothing from their youth was as it seemed. So many missed chances and hurts have these two doing a lot of second guessing. I love how they build a friendship that turns to something so deep and meaningful. These two have a lot of family baggage but find strength in each other and their bond. What a journey to love these two have had only to realize it was always them. This book is full of drama, emotional depth and heat. Love catching up with the Sylver family and friends. Truly a fantastic book and series I highly recommend.
I was sent a free audiobook from HCB and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Great Series

Judd and Genie have known each other since they were 10 and 8. He never acted on his feelings and the one time he was going to was interrupted. I liked how she asked in notes to check yes or no. She's back in town and things happen and he tells her mother that they're engaged. He has ten days to convince her to stay. Will things work out this time? Listening to Ryan West and Erin Mallon bring Judd and Genie to life was wonderful. I'm looking forward to the next sibling's story.

Judd and Genie define couple goals! ❤️

Story -❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Spice -🌶🌶
Narration -⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sterling Fight is book #5 in the Sterling Falls series. I was so happy to get Judd's story as he has been an enigma to me in each book so far. Judd and Genie (Virginia) were friends in school, but a bad prom night drives a wedge between them. Fast forward a couple of decades and Genie is back in Sterling Falls for a visit to her uber-controlling and condescending mother. A chance encounter has them fake engaged, but Judd knows he only has a short amount of time to make her fall in love with him for real. Ms. Dunbar really brought all the goodies to this story (small-town, second chance, enemies-to-lovers, close proximity, fake engagement, steamy smexy times, he falls first). This was my favorite of the series, hands-down! It's a standalone, but you do NOT want to miss this series.

The narration of Ryan West and Erin Mallon was very impressive! Ryan West isn't a new narrator for me, but I don't hear him much in my favorite genre of audiobooks. Wow! He is so versatile! And did he deliver Judd? Yes, yes he did. Exactly as I have imagined him. Erin Mallon is narrator royalty, so we always know she is going to deliver greatness. Loved these two together. 5/5 stars!

second chance, fake engagement, forced proximity

Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall: 4.75/5
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 (0-5) but lots of scenes which I love!

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 Erin Mallon and Ryan West are fantastic narrators, perfectly cast as Genie Webster and Judd Sylver, and alluring us into this captivating story.
🤩 Let’s just say fake engagement, forced proximity, and ALL the rooms/surfaces in the house!! Yes, please! These two MCs are hotttttt! I’m a sucker for a bathtub scene. 🛁
🤩 Second-chance at friends to lovers. So much longing, all the feels.
🤩 The time on main street is so fun—it’s one of my favorite things about a small town!
🤩 The good, the amazing, and the ugly of small town.
🤩 Quirky Girl Calendars and celebrating every day!
🤩 Check yes or no! “You marked my soul the moment you asked me to be your friend.”
🤩 The tattoos! The MMA fighting! But also, Judd Sylver is a romantic and total book boyfriend material. ❤️‍🔥🫠

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 I’ve experienced firefly as a nickname before, and it’s just not my favorite. It didn’t ruin the intimacy for me in this book. I’m glad there are a few baby endearments thrown in.
💫 Their traumas are big, and they probably need therapy alone and together.

Great series, fave narrators, the best one yet!

I am so in love with the Sylver Siblings romance series, Sterling Falls - LB Dunbar sure knows how to keep me on my toes, and constantly invested in this huge family! There’s never a dull moment in Sterling Falls, that’s for certain… the 40+ ages she writes is my favourite part, being there myself. Characters my own age, with issues and life experiences similar to mine, which are far more interesting than those college aged ones, since I can relate far better.

Sterling Fight starts with an unexpected gut punch (literally), when Genie is out on another horrific date set up by her mom… seriously, she’s got to stop giving in!… when she’s leaving but winds up in the back room of a secret boxing club. Lo and behold, who is in the ring but the man who stood her up for prom night himself, Judd Sylver.

Thus starts the most unexpected reunion leading to his imminent breakup and their sudden engagement, and such a wild ride of a story. We learn so much more about the history of their father than we had in the earlier books (and we hate him even more!), about how Genie always tried to befriend Judd throughout school - I would have checked yes! - and how he accidentally wound up with her enemy Heather up until now.

The audiobook is narrated by my absolute favorites Erin Mallon, and Ryan West, who both did such a superb job. 5-stars to both! I will never stop loving them or listening to their performances.

5-stars all around for this one - another spectacular release from Dunbar, that you would be remiss if you do not pick up (but do yourself a big favor and get the audio version). You could technically read it as a standalone, but would do best with the whole of the family background from the rest of this series.

Thanks to the author and Home Cooked Books PR for an early listen copy of this release. This is my honest opinion.