Sadly this was a DNF for me. I got to 20% in but found it too slow going, and nothing in it hooked me to want to continue

The Pumpkin spice cafe

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read the eARC in exchange for an honest review of the pumpkin spice cafe.

I've given this book 3.5 stars.

I expected the pumpkin spice cafe to be like a cozy mystery with some romance. It ended up being more of a romance with a little side of mystery, which I didn't mind that much but something to keep in mind before starting the book.

We follow the main character Jeanie who has just moved into a small town to take over her aunts cafe. There are some strange things going on in the cafe and she's determined to figure out what's going on. And she doesn't mind getting some help from the local farmer.

I personally enjoyed reading this book and I think it is a promising debut novel and I will definitely keep my eyes out for whatever the author will put out next!

First the things that I enjoyed: the first half of the book. I was giggling, smiling, screaming and kicking my feet. It was a great start to a book. I liked the romance, I liked the mystery (while it was still a mystery) I enjoyed the friendships that were blossoming. I loved how it was a tight community. There is fun banter and great chemistry.

The first half of this book really made me feel like I was in a small town with them, buying my morning cup of coffee at the pumpkin spice cafe and going to the bookstore afterwards. I felt part of their community! Almost like a book version of the Gilmore Girls!

However I couldn't help but be a little disappointed in the second half of the book. I had guessed what the mystery was pretty early in the story. I was hoping for a twist, some big reveal. The mystery was solved in an anticlimactic way. I think the romance was still okay but it wasn't as exciting as the first half.

So to summarize, the book had a great start and middle, but the ending could've focused more on the mystery and less on the romance! Overall an enjoyable read.

Thank you again Netgalley for providing me with an eARC!

I have to admit that when I saw the title and cover of this book I was excited to read it as I am obsessed by autumn, Halloween and pumpkins, and I get so excited when pumpkin spiced lattes arrive in our cafes each year.

Jeanie is looking for a new start following a tragedy at work so when she inherits her Aunt Dot’s café she seizes the opportunity to re-evaluate her life and moves from the city to Dream Harbour to try and become the person she wants to be. However, running the Pumpkin Spice Café turns out to be less straightforward than Jeanie had expected. The townsfolk love their café and have certain expectations of the new owner and Jeanie is being kept awake by mysterious noises at night. And despite her intention to focus on the café without any distractions, Jeanie finds herself drawn to Logan, the handsome but grumpy farmer who supplies her café with pumpkins. But Logan is scared to admit his feelings for Jeanie after being hurt in the past. Can Jeanie and Logan leave their pasts behind, solve the mystery and find love?

This book is everything you would want in a cosy read I absolutely loved it . It will get you in the mood for autumn with small town vibes reminiscent of Gilmore Girls, hilarious characters with whom you would love to be friends, an overbearing book club that run the town, a clairvoyant mayor, plenty of pumpkins and a lot of spice! I am not usually a fan of romance but after reading this and Summer Reading I am doing some re-evaluating of my own as I have really enjoyed both books.

I thought this was adorable. It wasn’t deep or literary. It was a simple, small town romance. Occasionally cheesy, but definitely a good fit for anyone looking for a lighthearted romance. I found the obstacles realistic, LOVED that he recognized his issues and decided on therapy by the end. But before that, they both had hang ups and difficulty communicating their real needs with each other, although the miscommunication trope was not really the usual version. Just their being afraid to talk, not just some stupid misunderstanding like it usually is. But there was good build up, realistic attraction and chemistry.
I thought this was going to be fade to black in terms of spicy content but it wasn’t. It got pretty spicy by the end, so bear that in mind.
Overall, with a fun small town setting, interesting and entertaining side characters, and a sweet love story, I found this light and fun, and would definitely read more from this series in the future.

Ok this was absolutely adorable! It was the perfect cosy romantic mystery that really got me in the mood for crisp autumn days.

I loved the whole small town setting, the cafe, the townspeople, the spectacular grumpy × sunshine trope and all the autumn vibes and pumpkin spice you can get your hands on!

Jeanie and Logan were so damn cute, they had the perfect amount of chemistry and the spice was a very pleasant surprise indeed! The perfect book to warm up your autumn.

Already looking forward to reading The Bluebell Book Store and The Sugar Plum Bakery!

The perfect autumn read! A heartwarming fall romance with cozy vibes. Charming characters, seasonal atmosphere, and a delightful love story. Embrace the warmth of this book as the leaves turn

Laurie Gilmore's "The Pumpkin Spice Café" offers readers the perfect recipe for a heartwarming and delightful read, complete with a grumpy x sunshine romance dynamic and the cozy charm of a small-town setting. This novel encapsulates the essence of fall and captures the magic of new beginnings, all while serving up a delightful blend of romance and mystery.

The story follows Jeanie, who receives an unexpected gift from her aunt - the Pumpkin Spice Café in the charming town of Dream Harbour. Tired of her monotonous desk job, Jeanie seizes the opportunity to start afresh in a place where the aroma of pumpkin spice lattes fills the air. Enter Logan, a local farmer with a penchant for avoiding town gossip. However, Jeanie's arrival disrupts his carefully maintained routine, and despite his resistance, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her.

The novel shines in its portrayal of characters that are both endearing and relatable. Jeanie's upbeat personality contrasts beautifully with Logan's gruff demeanor, creating a dynamic that is equal parts heartwarming and entertaining. The chemistry between them is palpable, and Gilmore skillfully navigates their interactions, allowing their relationship to unfold in a way that feels authentic and emotionally resonant.

Dream Harbour serves as a picturesque backdrop for the unfolding events. Gilmore's vivid descriptions bring the small town to life, making it a character in its own right. The cozy and inviting atmosphere of the Pumpkin Spice Café perfectly complements the autumnal charm of the story, making readers feel as though they are stepping into a world filled with pumpkin-spiced magic.

The romance between Jeanie and Logan is beautifully developed, evolving from initial clashes to genuine connection. Their journey is accompanied by a sense of mystery that adds an extra layer of intrigue to the narrative. As secrets are uncovered and emotions come to the forefront, the novel keeps readers engaged and invested in the characters' growth and happiness.

Lovely read, nice characters, could almost smell some of the goodies they were selling. Would recommend this book.

This book.. well this book was a little piece of me.
It has everything that I absolute love: fall vibes, a cute romance, pumpkins, harvest festivals, flannel,… it is everything I wanted it to be and more.
In “The pumpkin spice café” we follow Jeanie who moves to Dream Harbour when she inherits her aunts coffee shop. Soon after moving in she meets Logan, the local farmer who delivers her fresh produce. But Logan isn’t just any farmer, he is a very hot farmer, who is trying to stay away from Jeanie as far as possible. But then strange things start to happen in the café…
I told you already, this book is perfect. It has a wonderful cast of characters. And then I really mean the whole cast! Even the smaller side characters. I can’t wait to learn more about the people of Dream Harbour in the next installment of the series.

This book was exactly what I wanted and never thought I needed. It is a episode of Gilmore girls in a book. It gives me the same warm, cozy feelings. I can’t wait to read more of this author. A new favorite author I dare say!

Admittedly I picked this up because I love pumpkin spice latte's, but was pleasantly surprised at this cute coffee store romance. A little predictable and paced but if you're looking for a cute autumnal, easy to read romance, this is the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for sending me an arc of this book.

It seemed right to up alley with the cozy fall vibes and romance, but I really couldn’t get into it. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s written in third person, which is hard for me stay interested when reading a book or if it’s just simply my current mood.

Everything about it seems lovely and something that I’d enjoy but I just couldn’t grasp onto it at this time. I think in the future I will have to give it another try on my own time. Overall, I definitely think I would recommend to others because it is something I know many people will enjoy and love.
Rating : 3/5

The Pumpkin Spice Cafe was a cute little fall romance. I love quaint fall towns and this book fit the bill perfectly! This is such an easy, light read that will get you in that autumn spirit! I look forward to reading more from this author.

Laurie Gilmore's The Pumpkin Spice Café is the perfect cozy fall romance for all the season's worshipers out there.
It fits right into the "Pumpkin Spice" everything trend (starting with the title). It's cute and heartwarming, with low stakes, and a nice and funny found family.
Is it original and groundbreaking? No, but it's not what we want going into this kind of novel. The reader know where it's going, and it's rewarding as it should be at the end.
So if you like the trope of the city girl falling for the small town farmer guy, go for it, it's very nicely done.
At first, I found the MC, Jeanie, a little annoying, but she grew on me and by the 40% mark, I was rooting for her.
And I must admit I had a crush on Logan, the love interest (I mean, what's not to love!)
The only thing I would have like more of was food and drink descriptions : I needed more scents, aromas, tastes, textures etc. (I loooove when books dive deep into these kind of details).
But that's really my only "complaint" about it, I had a great time reading this novel!

So many books claim to give people the same vibes as Gilmore Girls but none have ever come this close to making me feel the coziness and just sense of peace that I feel in stars hallow. Wowowowow. I did not want this book to end and I was literally about to cry tears of joy when I saw this was book 1 of a series. Thank goodness!

This book has everything- new england, fall, meet cutes, ghosts??, small towns, quirky mayors, etc. Truly. I wish I waited two more days to read it so I could have gone to Dunkin’ to get a pumpkin iced coffee and apple cider donut but I also couldn’t wait any longer to read this book. My only question is, when do we get book 2???

Seriously the most perfect fall read that I will be revisiting when I need to feel like a. book is giving me a warm hug.

First off - thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an early copy of this book!

If you are looking for a warm hug of a book this fall, this is your book! This is every lovely Fall hallmark channel movie rolled into a single book. If you love cats, coffee and romance you’ll eat this one up!

Specifics I loved about this book? The coffee shop aspect! I loved that she inherits the coziest coffee shop in this book, it’s amazingly cozy and fallish!

The cat! I love a cozy read with a cat adoption. I can’t get enough of that!

Finally the romance - I love a sweet romance book like this one!

Give this one a go and pick it up for your fall reads, it’s a solid and cozy book and totally worth it!

[3 Stars 😒] The Pumpkin Spice Cafe is a cute, cozy mystery read and is perfect for anyone looking to get their Gilmore Girls' Stars Hollow fix. The author's name, Laurie Gilmore, is just the cherry on top. I think The Pumpkin Spice Cafe is a good "seasonal" book to read when the leaves change color because I got all the autumnal vibes from this book.

While I enjoyed The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, I think I would have enjoyed it more told from the first-person point of view since I tend to prefer and engage better with romance books written with that perspective. I also think it could have been longer to really flesh out the romance between Logan and Jeanie and to drag out the mystery element more--even if it was pretty predictable. However, some books, in my opinion, are meant to be light and fun reads that create an ambiance, and that's what The Pumpkin Spice Cafe was for me.

I liked Jeanie and Logan's characters and their romantic relationship development. Even though they are late 20's/early 30's, I would recommend The Pumpkin Spice Cafe to someone like my mom or mother-in-law because the dialogue and monologues read more...mature(?) and the spice level is less than what is out in the market now. Coupled with the cozy mystery and coffee shop atmosphere, I would feel comfortable and happy recommending this to them.
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Details:
💘Contemporary romance
👀Dual POV
🕵️‍♀️Mystery

Tropes:
📍Forced proximity
🌤Grumpy/sunshine
🧨Slow burn
🏡Small town

Spice:
💥Sex, but not explicit (medium)
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Emoji Ranking System:
🤩Fantastic (4.75-5.00)
😍Great (4.25-4.75)
😊Good, but not great (3.50-4.25)
😒Just OK (2.75-3.50)
😑It's A No (1.00-2.75)
🚫DNF

A sweet floaty read. I loved the story which just transports you away. So easy to read and a quick read too. Would recommend!

This was a cute, quick easy read heavy on the “Fall in a small-town” thing and not much else. It has a very Gilmore Girls/Hallmark vibe, right down to the nosy neighbors and constant town festivals. In fact, it’s so wholesome that it was a little boring until the “pumpkin spice” hits. That part felt so out of place with the rest of the story!

Overall, this is a good one to read if you’re craving crackling leaves, flannel and pumpkin flavored everything.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is such a sweet, small town romance with all the cosy vibes.

There is a great cast of characters which really add to the small town feel of this book. They are nosy, funny, protective and involved in everyone’s business.

Logan is a perfectly written silent, introverted type which provides a great contrast to the sunshiney, optimistic and extroverted Jeannie. It is definitely a case of opposites attract but it works so well. It is a bit insta-love/attraction which may not work as well for fans of a slow burn romance.

Nana might be my favourite character in the book. Everyone needs a Nana in their life to give them advice, keep them fed and tell them when they’re being an idiot.

Only slight let down was that I was expecting more of an autumnal vibe based on the book title which I didn’t really get.

The plot is interesting and the pacing spot on to keep you wanting to read this cosy, sweet romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review

Overall an enjoyable read with a cozy autumn feel.
I love the grumpy/sunshine and small town tropes.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.