October Kiss is a delightful story about Poppy, a free spirit still figuring out her path in life. She’s tried everything from college to yoga instructing to working at a pizza place. Living with her sister Megan while Megan’s husband is deployed, Poppy helps out with her niece and nephew. Enter Ryan, a widower and workaholic focused on launching a new app, who needs a nanny for his two kids, Zoe and Zach. Through a serendipitous connection—Megan’s kids playing with Ryan’s—the solution becomes clear: Poppy steps in to help.

What I loved most about this story was the cozy autumnal theme. Ryan’s journey from a career-focused single dad to rediscovering the importance of family is heartwarming. Poppy’s spirited personality and her ability to connect with the kids bring joy to every scene. Both characters value family, and their budding relationship feels organic and sweet. From pumpkin shopping to seasonal decorating, the story captures the magic of fall.

This feel-good romance is a perfect pick for fans of heartwarming stories filled with family, love, and the charm of the autumn season!

October Kiss: Based on the Hallmark Channel Original Movie is a good fit for readers looking for a heartwarming story about finding one's place and experiencing the joy of living in the moment, while also enjoying a contemporary romance with a focus on family and personal growth.

Beautiful cover ✔️
Favorite season ✔️
Inspired by Hallmark✔️

I felt like I was immediately transported into my favorite Hallmark film. The book was nearly scene for scene of the movie. Can I confess the fall romance movies are my absolute favorite?

This story centers around a widower with two young children and their beautiful, carefree nanny. Or is she? Poppy doesn't love to be tied down to anything and sometimes runs from job to job. Hey, why chose just one? But for stuffy forgot-to-have-fun dad who is too busy with work to enjoy his children, she may be just what he needs.

This is Hallmark, so we know the formula that follows! The attraction, the misunderstanding and the reconciliation. It is all so very sweet that you won't be able to put it down.

This is one of my Favorites. Poppy is one who love life no matter what. She comes in at the nanny to help out. She bring life back in to Ryan’s home. She helps him to learn to live again. His kids love her as well. I love how to decorates their house for Halloween and does all kinds of fun fall activities with them. She helps Ryan get his mind off the things that are stressing him out. It is such a great read. Happy Hallmark Book Reading!!!

Such a cute and fun read! Perfect distraction in life right now. Really enjoyable characters and story and hard to put down!

When Poppy begins to nanny for Ryan‘s kids, it‘s the perfect opportunity for everyone to find exactly what they need. With classic Halloween activities, like pumpkin-carving and costume making, the feel-good romance unfolds—just as you would expect from a Hallmark story.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was a great quick read where it was hard to put the book down! I think you will really enjoy this one!

A charming love story. A few tears may have been shed along the way. The Hallmark movie was but a distant memory, but a few scenes were recalled by the book. As usual, the movie was good, but the book is even better. A delight to be able to read and get even more involved with the characters.

cute love story, which was originally a Hallmark Channel movie, made its mark on my heart with its warmth. I loved the bubbles of happiness that coursed through me, while reading this book, each popping up to bring in my smile. It was that kinda book.

October Kiss

by Kristen Ethridge

Seriously, you can’t start a book made from a Hallmark movie without knowing how it is going to end. October Kiss has all the requisites: a smart, attractive twenty-nine year old woman who has commitment issues in work, relationships, and most other areas of her life. She becomes a temporary nanny for a handsome, workaholic widower with two kids. It’s no spoiler to predict a happy ending, but like a good motorcycle ride, reading this book is not about the destination, but the journey. Even though you know what the conclusion will bring, it is just so much fun watching the story of Poppy, Ryan, and the children, Zoe and Zack, play out.

Kristen Ethridge, the author, reveals the worst faults of the four main characters in the beginning of the book, but pretty soon their true and more positive characteristics shine. They are all likable, and you will be rooting for that inevitable successful ending. A quick read with a beautiful fall setting will convince even the most adamant naysayer of Halloween that fun and whimsy can still be found through the eyes of children.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Hallmark Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Romance, Women’s Fiction

Notes: The movie October Kiss premiered in 2015.

Publication: August 2, 2019—Hallmark Publishing

Memorable Lines:

These kids weren’t complicated. They just needed a little undivided attention and unconditional love.

The mere acknowledgement of the other woman tasted like black licorice on Poppy’s tongue as she spoke. Poppy hated black licorice.

The truth hurt like rug burn on her soul.

Poppy is a young energetic twenty something, who has no idea what she wants out of life. She has tried so many jobs and is fired twice in one day. While visiting with her sister, she acknowledges how much she loves spending time with her niece and nephew. Her sister finds her a new job, being a nanny for a friend, Ryan, who is a single dad with two children. The kids don't want her there, so after one day she decides to quit, but this young, handsome workaholic convinces her to stay on until Hallowe'en. She says yes, determined to give them the attention they need and are not getting from their dad. What she does not expect is to fall in love with the kids and their father. How can she be the nanny when she loves her employer.

This book is based on a Hallmark movie and it fits the bill perfectly. Kristen Ethridge did a great job with this book. The quirky Poppy was so well written and fun. I loved how the children changed from resistant to Poppy as a nanny, to wanting her to get together with their father. There were some funny situations, but also some sad and emotional ones. There were many times when I wanted to scream at Ryan when he stood his kids up after making a promise. A delightful, emotional and sappy story that I have come to expect and love from Hallmark movies, and in this case, a Hallmark book. An easy read, sweet romance, cute kids and a second chance romance for this workaholic dad. I definitely recommend that all romance lovers, especially those who love Hallmark movies grab this book.

Many thanks to Hallmark and #Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fall is my favourite time of year. I love the autumn colours, the harvest and all the beautiful things this season brings so the cover of October Kiss was instantly appealing to me.

Poppy is a 28 year old woman still trying to get the hang of this "adulting" thing and discovering what in life she feels passionate about and good enough to commit to.

Ryan is a harrowed widower who is trying to provide security for his two young children Zoe and Zach by selling an app he has designed to a large Japanese company. There are not enough hours in the day to do all his work before a Halloween deadline and he has no nanny to help out. He adores his children but is failing at maintaining a work/life balance.

And then, Poopy arrives on the scene declaring herself "temporarily yours". It isn't long before the kids have warmed up to her and life gets easier for Ryan. Poppy helps him get his priorities in better order but his co'worker Abigail is determined to draw him back into the dating scene. Can Poppy learn to commit? Will Ryan discover who he truly needs in his life?

First of all I loved Poppy, Ryan, Zoe and Zach. They were all just nice people and Poppy had a way with her that just drew people to her. I found this book a delight to read and lift my spirits and finished it in the space of a few hours. If you need a good way to pass some hours, I'd recommend this book. As an added bonus there is a delightful sounding recipe for pumpkin soup at the end. Yum!

Temporarily Yours Nanny becomes Permanently Yours Wife

A cute love story, which was originally a Hallmark Channel movie, made its mark on my heart with its warmth. I loved the bubbles of happiness that coursed through me, while reading this book, each popping up to bring in my smile. It was that kinda book.

Kristen Ethridge's words had me falling in love with the main character Poppy who was etched oh so lovingly in trails of enthusiasm and sensitivity. I adored the way she dealt with kids, the ideal nanny/mother. She knew the right words to say to them. Ryan, on the other hand, was completely a workaholic, making his phone apps, who had lost his way and needed a nudge to make time for his family.

I loved the play of contrasts in both the characters yet they had a deep sense of family in them. Kristen's writing simply made me happy. Opposites attract and in land of Hallmark, the path of love is almost always smooth and sweet. And so was this book.

A completely warm feel good autumnal romance that had me smiling and sighing...

I loved this story. Poppy is such a great character, and the kids are adorable. This is the perfect story to read during the fall—or anytime that you want a sweet and clean romance to warm your heart. It’s not a long story, so it’s a great length to read when you don’t have a lot of time to read but want something light to entertain you during a busy season. The author did a good job with this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Really enjoyed this sweet book. Truly hope it will become a Hallmark movie. Loved the story. Thank you Kristen Ethridge. October Kiss was one of the better "feel good, sweet" stories I have read in a long time.

Such a sweet, emotional, feel-good romance. I loved this story! Can't wait to see it on the Hallmark channel.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Good read! Interesting and fun characters! Great romance to follow through many twists and turns. Would recommend!

Well it was a Hallmark book so what more can I say... It was sweet, fun, romantic, troubling, predictable, and happy.

Widowed workaholic dad of two children, Ryan needs help. Nanny after nanny and no one is working out. Then there is Poppy, a woman who jumps from job to job and is completely afraid of commitments. Poppy's sister is always trying to set her up on blind dates but this time she fixed her up with a job, nanny of two children.

As time goes on, her feelings for the children, and their dad, grow stronger and stronger. Is this a commitment Poppy can make? Its Hallmark, what do you think?? The journey was fun and heartwarming. Definitely worth the read. Sometimes, you just need a feel good tale for the warm and fuzzies.

I received this book the NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing in return for an honest review.

What a better way to kiss October goodbye than delving into a sweet, heartwarming Autumn romance?

I finished it in a matter of a few days, so I can say that October Kiss is hard to put down. I had a great time reading about how Poppy is navigating adulthood and all its expectations. She’s an endearing, quirky character you definitely want to see get her happy ending. I believe she’ll be easy to relate to for a lot of women out there who find it hard to figure out their place in today’s demanding world. From messed-up dates to professional hiccups, Poppy never gives up and shows a “can-do” attitude, especially with Ryan’s kids who’ve had their fair share of heartbreaks and family drama in their lives.

Overall, October Kiss is a lovely romance that will surely put you in the season’s atmosphere. From pumpkin carving to dressing up and having fun decorating your house, this book will give you great ideas, and offer some sense of escapism, all the while conveying a relevant message about living in the moment and picking the right priorities in life. Highly recommended!

it’s a cute romance story.
sadly i can’t say i loved it as much as the other hallmark books i read so far, but that’s only natural!
Its a perfect read for the fall, not just because of the cover but because the entire book has a very autumnal feel throughout it.
But sadly i can't say that the overall book felt special or and it was just a good book not one of those romance book i need on my shelves since i don't plan reread this one even though it was fun and a very fast read so all in all a good book.