In Briar Glen, a town in New England, fall is a big deal. There’s the annual fall festival, tourists from all over the country visiting, colorful leaves, and warm coffee in the coffee shop owned by Lucy’s mom. Lucy hates pumpkin spice lates so she refuses to let her mom put them on the menu, but when a huge coffee chain opens across the street, not having a PSL on the menu might mean not staying in business. To make things even worse, the new kid at school Lucy has a crush on turns out to be the son of the rival shop’s owners. Lucy might have to put aside her hatred of social media marketing and PSLs to save her mom’s coffee shop.

Although I wouldn’t consider this a good book, it feels almost rude to criticize it. It isn’t meant to be a deep, retrospective book with complicated characters. It’s not supposed to have depth. It’s supposed to be a cozy fall read with low stakes and good vibes, and it absolutely delivers on that. If you want a comforting fall read, this is a great option. It’s a quick, cute read for fall vibes.

This book was advertised as perfect for Gilmore Girls fans who love fall. It has local festivals, teen romance, and a mother-daughter relationship. Some of those promises came true. I did pick up on the Stars Hollow type vibes. Lucy and her mom don’t have a Lorelei-Rory type relationship, but they are close and support each other. Unfortunately, the book just… didn’t really have a romance. She has a crush, but it never fully develops or goes anywhere. It doesn’t have the payoff promised. There is no kiss or romantic relationship. I don’t necessarily hate the idea of the butterflies stages of a relationship being the main point of a book, but there wasn’t any payoff in the end.

Most of the book focuses on Lucy’s various pursuits of trying to get over her hatred of Instagram and pumpkin spice lates to save her mom’s shop. Lucy comes across as immature in a lot of it. Her insistence on not doing PSLs because they’re all fake ingredients and there isn’t any pumpkin in it is silly. Doesn’t everyone know there isn’t any pumpkin in pumpkin spice lates? I thought that was common knowledge. Her insistence on various things comes across as a little rude or naive for a lot of the book. Even her insistence on what kind of dessert to make for the contest when literally everyone is telling her to reconsider doesn’t come across as strong female character. It just comes across as “this kid’s an airhead who happens to be good at baking.”

In conclusion, is this a perfect book? No. Is it a great book to curl up with your favorite fall drink and a sweater and not have to think too hard? Absolutely.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t realize this was YA when I agreed to read it so I was not expecting much. I’m happy to say, I was pleasantly surprised. In general I wouldn’t really consider this a romance but I think it would be a great read for pre-teens and early teens because it’s got a great message about social media use and how easy it is to lose yourself because you’re trying to keep up with everyone else. Lucy and her mom’s relationship and teamwork running the coffee shop definitely gave me Gilmore Girl vibes and while Lucy had a couple of friends I would have loved some quirky side characters a la Gilmore Girls to add a bit more comedy to the story. All in all if you love YA or have a young reader I totally recommend this.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Katie Cicatelli-Kuc for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice coming out August 6, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was really intrigued by this book. I love a good autumn story. The nickname drama went on for a little too long. I’m not sure why the dialogue was so centered around it or why the high schoolers all called Lucy that. I loved the cozy small town feels of the books, but I feel like Lucy could act a little juvenile, especially if she’s supposed to be an old soul character. I get that she’s young, but she really acted like it was the end of the world that there was another coffee shop in town. Overall, I loved the autumn vibes of the books! I thought the innocent romance was sweet and Lucy had supportive friends. I think there could be a little more character development, but I enjoyed the plot.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy autumn YA stories!

When I first discovered Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice I was excited by the prospect of cozy fall vibes. I love everything about fall, including a good pumpkin spice latte, and always love books that give me those fall vibes. I think in that regard the book delivers. The book takes place in the small town off Briar Glen and follows Lucy through many fun fall activities such as her baking and creating the perfect PSL.

Where I think the book disappointed me was with Lucy’s character development and the romance elements. I wish the book could have developed the romance between our two main characters more. I found myself unable to fully connect with Lucy and her actions, which were cruel at times. Overall, I give this book 3 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

thank you netgalley for the arc. this is cute fall read about. coffe shop compatition between two families and a girl who doesnt like spice latte

2.5-3/5⭐️ thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book that comes out in a few days!

Lucy and Joanna Kane, the super cute mother/daughter duo, run and own a coffee shop called “Cup O’ Jo” in the small town of Briar Glen. Fall is their busiest season, but if you want a Pumpkin Spice Latte you’ll be turned down at Cup O’ Jo - find a different drink order ASAP. Briar Glen’s the-whole-town-goes festival is coming up in a few weeks, there’s a cute new boy in class, but oh wait there’s a chain coffee shop opening up in the space for rent across the street… and it just so happens the cute new boy turns into the enemy really quick when Lucy finds out his parents own the new-and-coming shop - Java Junction. The community is raving about Java Junction coming to town - especially because of their very well known, delicious Pumpkin Spice Latte on the menu. What risks and measures will Lucy go to to help Cup O’ Jo not lose business in their usually busy season because of Java Junction opening? Will the cute new boy, Jack Harper, be friend or foe?

The author lays out the landscape of Briar Glen gorgeously, made me feel like I was there, in the mountains. I loved the mother/daughter duo relationship and banter, however not any of the other relationships… Lucy’s love for baking made this book much more cozy than I thought - beings that I relate to the love of baking so much. The synopsis reads “for Gilmore girl fans” and “YA romance,” but I’d have to somewhat disagree with both. It seemed to me the only part that was Gilmore Girl-y was it having a small town coffee shop whose residents thrive on fall. I’d consider this book more of a middle school romance/less than YA romance? The character development lacked for me… Lucy specifically seems like either a middle schooler or overly hormonal/dramatic, but maybe that was the point? She seemed like such a brat and so mean to everyone who loved her so well until basically the last 30% of the book. The last 30% section I enjoyed her relationships with Jack and her best friends, but before that point I couldn’t stand Lucy’s character and how she treated people - does not react well under stress whatsoever. I also didn’t love how much Pumpkin Spice Latte was dwelled on/was dramatized. I gave this book a 2.5-3 because I loved how much Lucy cared about her mom and their business, but really disliked how mean, dramatic and almost unrealistic she was. Also because I found myself keep pushing through to finish it - wanting to complete it AND because I couldn’t believe how mean she was and I thought “this has to get better.” It eventually does, but not for the majority of the book.

This contemporary YA story is delightfully autumnal. I love the picturesque town and the coffee shop setting. It taps into my love of fall perfectly. Try story, however, was a miss for me. I didn’t really like Lucy (the main character) very much - she often came across as straight-up mean. If there was a romance, it was between the town and pumpkin spice lattes. Overall, it’s not a bad read. It’s great if you’re missing fall. Other than that, I think there are better options out there.

Thank you to NetGalley, Katie Cicatelli-Kuc, and Scholastic for this eARC.

It feels a wee bit early for PSLs, but this YA Romance was an absolute delight! We're dropped into a Stars Hollow like town with a main character whose mom owns the local coffee shop. After a long day at high school, she heads to the shop to find out that a new franchised coffee shop is moving in across the street, and they specialize in Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

The writing was fun, light, and on occasion, very silly. If you're looking for a low stakes, fall vibes read, this is going to be a perfect add to your fall TBR! And, if you have a teen wanting to read romance, this is absolutely age appropriate, but still feels relevant and non-cringy. I highly recommend it - as long as you can get your hands on a PSL after!

I'm so grateful to NetGalley and Scholastic Press for the ARC!

This was a cute and cozy read! It’s very YA and sometimes it felt slow but got better as the story progressed. It was a cute story. Definitely gives you all the fall vibes.

If you want some giddy, cozy, happy feels this one is for you. I feel like this was a great read for a small town, rivals light romance. Her mother owning a coffee shop and having to rival next to a branch coffee chain is something we know all too well. But the relationships in these are all too cute, and cozy with her closeness to her mother, gave me feelings of Gilmore girls, and their bantering. The typical girl talk with her best friend, that we all know and love. Beautiful. I do feel like the romance was a bit rush, and overshadowed by the plot. The setting, baking scenes and environment made this story for me, the author is very good at making you feel immersed into the scenes of the book. Enough details for you to understand and paint a picture but not enough to know every detail, which I think is perfect!

I ultimately enjoyed reading this book. I have to be honest and say that I am one of those crazy people who just love pumpkin spice lattes (PSL) and that I am counting down the days until they are back in stores. This story shows how teenagers will worry about their parent and their lively hood and do what every they need to make sure that everything will be okay. While doing this they loose themselves and the fact that they are just teenagers and should be living their life. I connect with this I have been in similar situation where I forgot that I wasn't an adult and that I need to act like a teenager. The character Jack was a great motivator in showing Lucy what she was really missing. I like that there is a hint of romance/friendship, that it doesn't overpower the other messages that this book gives off. I would consider this a coming of age story for sure. It has gotten me ready for the fall weather and the need to go to a small town.

On another note it could have been the kindle format and I'm sure this has already been caught and fixed in the published copy. Every time trouble is said there is a space between the word. It is slight complicated to follow the text message in making sure who is saying what. There are a couple that came up much lighter then the rest of the text.

Reviews will be posted on Amazon, Goodreads, my Instagram page,

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice = a cute fall read!! Call me your typical fall loving, pumpkin spice and coffee shop lover BUT throw in Gilmore Girls and I wanted to read this immediately!!

Small town coffee shop is owned by Joanne Kane whose daughter Lucy works there after school and weekends. Capitalism is shown where a larger corporation comes into town and makes Lucy want to help her mother keep the business afloat however by doing this, she’s not enjoying her teenage years entirely.

Lucy has amazing friends and a close relationship with her mother who also want Lucy to slow down and think about herself more rather then the coffee shop. This book is a YA novel and I love how it shows us readers that sometimes it’s not all about social media. This can take a toll on anyone’s mental health and therefore it’s good to sometimes leave the electronics on the back burner and just take me time for oneself and slow down a little. A refresh button is sometimes needed.

I was waiting to see the love story kindle between Lucy and Jack. You saw the moments where it could ignite but, wasn’t meant to be in this book I guess. Book #2 on the way!?!? I’d read it!! 😁 Give me some more small town gossip and love story and I’m there!!

Overall good, fast fall read. Happy reading!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for providing this AMAZING ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own, and I do not accept money for any reviews.

This is a nice falk book. I really enjoyed the characters. It was a lot fun to read. I loved the character development.

If you’re in the mood for a PSL and major fall vibes then you need to read this book immediately! Take a trip to the autumnal town of Briar Glen and immerse yourself into a beautiful Gilmore Girls type setting. This book totally got me ready for fall.

When coffee-chain, Java Junction, opened across the street from Lucy’s mom’s cute little coffee shop, Cup o’ Joe, she knew that could only mean trouble for her mom. Financially, they couldn’t compete with a huge chain like Java Junction, not to mention they also didn’t serve the classic fall staple, PSL.

This was a true fall emergency. In order to compete with Java Junction, Lucy was going to have to craft the BEST PSL to set the two businesses apart.

I absolutely adored Lucy’s relationship with her mother and how close they were. It truly added to the coziness of this entire book. Can I also admit that I LOVED how much Lucy hated PSL’s. I am THAT girl. Though I find them quite tasty, I think they’re overhyped and basic but you will absolutely catch me drinking one this fall.

The atmosphere and fall vibes are this book were great! However, the characters and plot fell flat. I found both aspects underdeveloped and left me underwhelmed.

Local coffee shop Cup of Jo is the only coffee shop in Glen Briar. Joann Kane is the owner and her daughter Lucy Kane think of Cup of Jo as their second home as it is Lucy's moms business. It does really well in this small town. That is until a big chain coffee store Java Junction opens up right across the street.

Lucy is the baker for her moms coffee store and she does it because she loves to bake. The coffee shop is unique in that it only offers fresh made baked goods and fresh ingredients. That being said they do not have pumpkin spice lattes on the menu as they don't have actual pumpkin in them. Until Lucy plays around with the ingredients and figures it out so she can put it on the menu with a clear conscience.

Lucy has two very good girl friends name Evie and Amber. They have grown up together and know each other very well. The new kid in town is Jack Harper. His family is the family that owns and operates Java Junction so needless to say Lucy does not have any need for him. Although, Jack would love to have something to do with her.. He really likes her but can't seem to understand what or why she doesn't like him. He tries to tell her that his family isn't there to cause any problems for her mom or their business.

This year for the Fall Festival Lucy is trying to figure out what she wants to make for the baking competition. Her girlfriends are trying to help her out by taste testing a couple of her treats. Little does she know who is going to be judging it!

Later, after the festival is over she is asked if she would be willing to give Jack a baking lesson. In exchange he would give her tips on their social media accounts. Lucy agrees but to only one baking lesson. After all the guy drives her crazy, right...
This book is sugar sweet just like the candy during Halloween! I absolutely loved this story between Lucy and her mom and then her trying to figure out how and where she belonged. Does she belong in the coffee shop or does she belong with her friends of maybe none of the above. Then there is Jack, yes what to do about Jack! All of this book is amazing and the way it flows together was as if I was living it myself. It makes me want Autumn to get here faster and no not for the pumpkin anythings... just for the beauty of it all. That my dear readers is exactly how this book starts! You will fall in love as I did with Katie Cicatelli-Kucs books!

Highly recommend this book
Happy Reading!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This was an adorable rom-com with a pretty good plot! It was at times hard to follow or read due to the repetitiveness in the plot. The main character felt a bit underdeveloped, along with some of the other characters. However, the town gave me Gilmore Girls vibes and I overall enjoyed the concept of this book. I think this is a good YA book for those that want a light-hearted read!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!

What a great romcom!! I enjoyed this book so much. A first for me by this author but will not be my last! Wow!! So good!! I loved the characters and they worked so well together.

As someone who loves cute reads like this, I was kind of disappointed. Although the plot and the overall idea were good, it was a bit hard to fully enjoy. The main character Lucy frequently expresses her dislike for pumpkin spice lattes in the most negative ways.

In the book, she and Jack have a very rocky relationship due to Lucy's ever-changing mood. At one moment she is angry at him, and at the other, she is friends with him. This annoyed me a lot because Jack was consistently kind to her, which made Lucy's reactions seem a bit childish. There was also no significant character growth, which was a letdown.

Oh boy where do I begin??
I was immediately excited to read this when I seen the cover and thought I was getting a cute and cozy fall read. Then we threw in the fact that it is for Gilmore Girl fans and a YA romance. Everything that I love about the fall season is right there. I wanted to love it so much but unfortunately this just fell so flat for me.

In the beginning, I did get Gilmore Girl vibes. The story is set in a small town of Briar Glen where everyone knows everyone. The town gives you all the fall vibes with local fall festivals, pumpkins, baking contests, mazes, Halloween costumes, you name it and its there. Lucy, our FMC, has an extremely close relationship with her mom, whom is a single parent, and owns the local coffee shop Cup o Jo'. Lucy works at her moms local coffee shop after school helping to come up with new recipes to bake for the shop. Then, Java Junction, a multinational chain decides to build a new location not only in Briar Glen but literally right across the street from Lucy's moms store. If matters couldn't get worse, the new boy at school who Lucy has a crush on, is the son of the owners of this new competition.

First, this was supposed to be a YA romance and romance where??? The romance part of this book was so overshadowed by the aspect of a "perfect pumpkin spice latte" that the most we got from this was a hug. I am not even sure if they even admitted to liking each other. The romance aspect of this was very dissapointing.

Secondly the character development was minimal and it was hard to connect to the characters. The female main character was kind of annoying and her attempts at "banter" was simply just rude. Overall, this book seemed a lot more juvenile then what I expected. The plot/storyline got lost and unfortunately it was just not what I was expecting.

Thank you to NetGalley, Scholastic Press, and Katie Cicatelli-Kuc for early access to this arc in exchange for an honest review.