f you want all things Hallmark, no villains, charm and sweetness, book store and blueberries, boat ride in the storm and knock your socks off rumble in the sheets right after, cabins and coffee shops, then meet Noah and Hazel. It's your ultimate small town romance with steamy chapters sprinkled throughout. The couple here agrees to follow clues they find highlighted in book quotes to guide them in their summer romance. It's a no-heavy-stuff kind of read, and I must admit, I enjoyed this one more than book 1. It's a brain break just when you need it.

If you are looking for a no stress romance, this one is it.

One thing about Laurie Gilmore is she’s going to make you feel like you’re in an episode of the Gilmore girls. The Cinnabon bun bookstore is a cozy small town steamy with a little bit of mystery romance. If you want to read something that just screams fall with Gilmore girl vibes read this series. If your looking for more Halloween vibes this might not be the book for you

Hazel and Noah were so adorable. I KNEW that man was DOWN BAD for her after their first interaction. She was so blind to it. LOVED watching her finally realize that she did in fact make his heart skip a beat when he looked at her. The mystery of who was leaving the romance book notes in the bookstore was one that I could not crack on my own. I was totally surprise by who the culprit was. Can't wait to read more in this small town.

3.5 I am loving how cute and cozy the Dream Harbor series is!!! After reading Pumpkin Spice Cafe I was so hoping for Hazel & Noah’s Story & here it is!!! I am glad I read them one after the other because I still have a familiarity with all the people in Dream Harbor & I love how she is making it all connect! Hazel (Bookstore Owner) & Noah (Towns Fisherman) connect when Hazel starts finding these hidden messages in her books. Although it was defacing her property they took it as a sign to spark a romance! Totally worth the read 🫶🏽

🍂🍁What a PERFECT way to welcome fall! 🍁🍂

The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore is cute, cozy, comfy read to welcome the season of cinnamon, sweaters, and hot chocolate. This is book two in the series, and while I did not read the first before consuming this treat (though I sure did once I finished it) I was pleasantly surprised at the characters, storyline and author.

Hazel is the typical, everyday wallflower in her quant little bookstore, happy to live her happiness in the books that she reads. Noah on the other hand is an introvert's worst nightmare, (aka mine lol) he is the social, outgoing ladies man. Not exactly a cupid's couple, but that doesn’t mean a thing when Noah falls for the quiet little bookworm. Hazel is happy to live in her smalltown, living the same day with her same friends, she is used to it. Who needs all the other stuff anyway?

Right?

Nope. Slowly Hazel starts to get mysterious dog eared messages on the pages of specific books in her store. What do they mean? And more so; who are they from? Deciding to embrace something new and spontaneous; Hazel dives deep into the messages, wanting to solve the mystery. When Noah sees the messages by chance, Hazel requests his help in solving the riddle, and maybe something a little more…

To say this book was cheesy would be an understatement, but in the best way possible. The grin I had on my face while reading it was probably just as cheesy, but who cares lol For an author I have never read before, I was overjoyed to have the smalltown romance, but with such great spice! Noah and Hazel are such a cute couple, and how they get together is even better. The whole premise of Hazel having so many regrets before she turns thirty is really relatable for so many people, so when she takes a chance on Noah it has real meaning. While he may be a playboy, he is a sweet, caring guy that has had a crush on Hazel for years, so of course it makes sense for him to jump at the chance to help her out. Very happy with the book and very much looking forward to the rest of the series!

4 ⭐
2.5 🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for giving me an ARC of The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore in exchange for an honest review.

“Noah grinned and Hazel’s heart picked up speed and the book in her hands called to her and maybe it was a clue. At the very least maybe it would make a good story.”

The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore is the second novel in the Dream Harbor series, preceded by the TikTok sensation, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe. This novel centers around a 29-year-old woman named Hazel Kelly who is the manager of the Cinnamon Bun Bookstore and as her thirtieth birthday approaches, suddenly feels as though life is quickly passing her by and that she is missing out. She vows to herself to have some fun in the remaining two months before her birthday and ropes in the local fisherman, Noah in to help her achieve her goals. Assisted by mystery clues appearing in Hazel’s stock at the bookstore and Noah by her side, she embarks on a summer that she could never have imagined.

I’m probably the only reader on the planet who did not read The Pumpkin Spice Cafe last autumn but when this book came across my NetGalley homepage, I couldn’t resist and wanted to see what the big deal was. Needless to say, I absolutely loved this book. It had all the aspects of a cozy autumnal romance, some really good tropes, and was the perfect way to start out the cozy season. I loved Hazel to death and really related to her in the fact that I am also letting life pass me by. It was so much fun to go on all of her adventures along with her. Noah was such a fun character and had so many great lines throughout the book. Hazel and Noah are two characters who you could genuinely believe would exist and work in a relationship in real life. I was also pleasantly surprised because I thought that the book would mainly be about Hazel’s struggles and learning to break out of her box however Noah was also working though some issues as well. Both of these were both beautifully integrated into the cozy storyline without getting too serious.

Overall, if you love a good romcom and a good way to start out the cozy reading season, this is the book for you.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC copy. This book was so cute and gave all the snuggly vibes that I was wanting! Very good autumn read.

I wanted to like this book, but it was seriously lacking.
The main characters struggled with whether they were a fling or something more, and they didn’t keep my attention. The 'mystery' didn’t grab me & was extremely lame, and while the couple (Hazel & Noah) had cute moments, they couldn’t carry the story.
Also, the cover is misleading. Was this supposed to be a fall read? Almost the entire book is set during summer.
I'm sorry but I wouldn’t recommend this one.

Hazel and Noah were a great story! Sweet meets spicy in the second Dream Harbor book. An unlikely couple have quickly become one of my favorites. If you are in the mood for a cute, small town romance with a touch of spice, this one is for you!

This was a very cute and spicy follow up for the Dream Harbor series. I enjoyed the scavenger hunt activity that Hazel and Noah completed together and seeing how they went from casual to more. 3rd person point of view isn’t my favorite but I felt like this one was done well and had a nice flow in the story.

I don’t know a better book series to read in the fall. As someone who lives in Arizona, thus fall doesn’t kick in until January, I crave the crunchy orange leaves, crisp cool air, and carrying a cup of hot coffee as I walk under the foliage. Thus, this series has been a nice reprieve from the 112 degree weather and giving me a small escape into a world with autumn.

This cozy mystery allows you to leave the anxiety at the door and relax into this opposites attract, small town romance. Jeanie does what I wish I could do (leave her high stress, high pressure job to take over a cafe for a fresh start), and it was fun to live in her footsteps. Currently googling for the next small town to go stay in to get a similar vibe.

🍂 lighthearted read
🍂 cozy mystery
🍂 for those who want to leave their high-pressure job and escape to a small town
🍂 all the fall vibes
🍂cinnamon rolls!

I was so excited to read about Hazel and Noah. I loved the treasure hunt that brought them together. It was a new spin on a romance. I also enjoyed the little peak we get of other characters from past and (hopefully) future stories. These are cute cozy romances that can get you out of a slump quick!

Love Love Love!!
I enjoyed the first book in the series, which is why I requested the second book (and third). You get a little insight into them in the first book, which is why I was so excited the 2nd book was for them. I will note the 2nd book can be a standalone and you do not need to read the first in the series, but I do recommend just because it is good! Hazel's personality just cracks me up! Will be starting the 3rd book ASAP.

The title of this book should have been "Hazel Kelly CAN Have Fun." It was an adorable love story between a woman who didn't give herself enough credit, and a slightly younger man who didn't give himself any credit. Steamy but still sweet, with (thank god) NO third act break up. I look forward to more titles from this aithor!

This book was even better than the first!!! PSC was a cutesy, hallmark book but CBBS brought the spice the first was lacking! I am obsessed with Noah and Hazel! I want more of them! Such a cute story line and I loved where the plot went! A little mystery like the first book as well! I cannot wait to read the Christmas tree farm and learn about Kira and Ben!!

I was so happy to return to the town of Dream Harbor! And who doesn't love a good opposites attract trope? Introverted bookworm, Hazel, meets town playboy and local fisherman, Noah. There is an insta-love quality to their relationship, but there are so many cute moments and pining to make up for it. Overall, this is such a fun and cozy read and perfect transition from the summer season to fall.

Ok, this is the absolute sweetest book! This book was even better than the 1st in the series ( The Pumpkin Spice Cafe)and I wasn't sure that was even possible. Hazel and Noah are absolutely perfect together. Noah became my favorite contemporary romance boyfriend. He is compassionate, empathetic and wants to make himself better to be worthy of Hazel. I absolutely melted for him. That ending and the gestures he made.....OH MY GOD.

It was so fun to go back to Dream Harbor and see what characters from the previous book were up to and to truly see this as a cozy little town that is big on taking care of their own. I feel like these characters resemble friends of my own, and it really is so easy to connect and fall in love with them and want to know what's going on in their lives. I am so thoroughly impressed with Laurie Gilmore and how she has brought this series to life.

First off love the storyline, I loved the talking about changing a decade and the genuine feelings that come with that. I loved the characters so much and the continuation of the group of friends we got to meet and love in Pumpkin Spice Cafe. It is a perfect book to cozy up with a blanket and read! Cannot wait to read the next one.

Thank you so much to netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was so cute! I love a good small town, spicy romance. I read it in one sitting and stayed up late to finish it.
I would describe this book as Gilmore Girls meets Tessa Bailey It Happened One Summer. I love anything to do with books and bookstores, so I loved that she worked at the bookstore and the plot was driven by clues hidden in books.

It inspired me to read the first in the series, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe and it was also great! I pre-ordered the next two that are coming out too.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper 360 for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more book content, follow me @romantic.ally_ on instagram

It is a wonderful summer-to-fall transition book that I think readers will devour! I loved Hazel and Noah so, so much, way more than I thought I would! Anyone who has ever felt lost in life, like they are stuck spinning their wheels, can and will relate to Hazel. She is on the verge of turning 30 and feels like she hasn't had any grand adventures in life. She lives in a small town, has had the same friends forever, and works in the same bookshop that she has loved for years. Her life is fine. She is content... but there's no excitement, no chaos, no spontaneity. She starts getting secret messages dog-eared on the pages of certain books in her store, and she takes that as a sign that someone is leaving her clues to help get her out of her comfort zone. Enter Noah, who has been head over heels for Hazel for years. Hazel asks for Noah's help to have a memorable summer before she turns 30... but she doesn't expect to fall in love with him in the process! This book will surely satisfy people who are looking for a blend of spicy and sweet. It's shockingly more spicy than I expected! Sure, some of the dialogue is super cheesy bordering on cringe-worthy, but I think there is enough substance and fun here that most readers will overlook the goofiness. I liked this book quite a bit and cannot wait for the next installment in the series!