I am obsessed with this series, and I feel like I love each book, more and more!
I am so thankful to have been approved as an ARC reader for this one, thanks to Netgalley and @HarperCollins360.
Dream Harbor is so full of coziness, character, and nosy residents who are absolutely everything.
Iris has lived in town her whole life and does not date guys, seriously anyway... just like her mother. She could use a place to live that wouldn't hurt her bank account since her career was lacking.
Archer is living in Paris and is a world-renowned chef when he finds out he has a child and her mother passed away.
His life is turned upside down when coming to Dream Harbor, getting an apartment and beginning a trial custody period of his daughter. He had no idea she existed or what his life was about to turn into.
He quickly realizes he needs live-in help, a nanny. Iris is recommended and quickly takes the job despite them both knowing it may be a mistake, they're attracted to each other.
Archer's daughter, Olive, quickly wins over not only Archer but Iris.
The level of emotion I felt while reading this book was unexpected. I'm usually not the biggest single dad romance fan, but this story was SO special. Sweet, fun, heartwrenching with a happily ever after. I can't wait for the next book in the series, and I was genuinely so sad that the book was over, I loved reading every minute of it!

This whole series is like a small town warm hug. I’ve been on a single dad romance kick lately and this one hit the spot. Of course, there’s a little lack of communication but NOT the dreaded trope. Gilmore’s writing improves with each new story and I can’t wait for the next one!

Archer?? Swoon.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC read!

I have only heard of this series by Laurie Gilmore, but this is my first time reading one of them. My first time reading a Laurie Gilmore book even. After reading the fourth book in this series, I plan to read the other three as well. What’s nice though is that you can read this as a standalone if you want. I am a big fan of Gilmore’s writing style and the way she builds the characters in her story.

This book is about Iris and Archer. The single dad trope. Live in nanny, where they fall in love (naturally). It was nice to see Archer’s development from bachelor life to dad life. I always find it sexy to see a man grow in his maturity that way. Iris is your typical single woman with daddy issues (even though it’s stated that she refuses to be one with daddy issues). Maybe we can say commitment-phobe instead? Grew up with a mom who bounced from relationship to relationship and never settled down; now Iris questions if that is how her life will be as well. I laughed, and I also cried. The smut scenes are classy, I like that Gilmore includes consent here. Definitely recommend!

Also a pregnancy trope in this book, which I will admit made me inwardly groan a bit. However, I think Gilmore made it work and thankfully the relationship/love between Archer and Iris was already fully developed before the pregnancy trope was intertwined in the story.

I thought I was going to have a really fun time with this book, but it fell flat for me. It was fun, but not what I was hoping for out of it. Not a lot of development in my opinion. That being said, I do still feel like it was a good book.

Archer acaba de descubrir que tiene una hija, Olive, de la que debe hacerse cargo después de que su madre falleciera. Esto lo obliga a dejar atrás su carrera, por la que tanto se ha esforzado, y mudarse de París a Dream Harbor. Olive no quiere saber nada de él, su nuevo restaurante no está recibiendo la recepción que esperaba, y la nueva niñera, Iris, lo hace cuestionarse toda su vida.


~

Iris me desesperó en los últimos capítulos, pero se entiende por qué actuó de esa manera.
Me gustó la evolución de Archer.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House 🍓

Spring just entered the chat 💬 and what better way than to begin your spring with one of Laurie Gilmore upcoming book in her series Dream Harbor. Following the story of Archer a chef who finds out he has a daughter name Olive he now needs to leave the life of culinary arts to prove he can provide for his daughter and for it to happen he decides to move to the small town of Dream Harbor. He was suggested to find a nanny to care for his daughter while he finds a job he then meets Iris, a uncommitted relationship (due to her mother’s background ) and a fear of having children of her own but with all the debt she has she has no choice to accept the job. To think a single dad a sweet kid like Olive living on the same roof. Will she leave those thoughts of having a family of her own wouldn’t be so bad right?

Being back to Dream Harbor and seeing new characters develop is such a treat Laurie Gilmore knows how to make you escape. Such a fast paced perfect for the spring right 🌷

Mini Summary
• single dad 🏡
• forced proximity
• slow burn 🔥
• found family
• one bed 🛌

Thank you Laurie Gilmore & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and share my thoughts of this novel.

"Fall in love with the brand new spring romance set in Dream Harbor, from the bestselling author of The Pumpkin Spice Cafe and The Cinnamon Bun Book Store.

As a world-renowned chef, single dad Archer never planned on moving to a small town, let alone running a pancake restaurant. But Dream Harbor needs a new chef, and Archer needs a community to help raise his daughter, Olive.

Iris has never managed to hold down a job for more than a few months. So when it's suggested that Archer is looking for a live-in nanny, she almost runs in the opposite direction.

Now, Iris finds herself in a whole new world. One where her gorgeous new boss lives right across the hall and likes to cook topless... Keeping everything strictly professional should be easy, right?

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House is a cozy romantic mystery with a single dad and found family dynamic, a small-town setting and a HEA guaranteed!"

I mean, the Gilmore Girls vibes are strong, just look at the pen name Melissa McTernan chose, she literally made herself a Gilmore girl...

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House is a cozy, small-town story with a dash of mystery. Set around a beloved pancake house, the book features relatable characters, light romance, and surprising twists. Gilmore’s writing is warm and inviting, making it a quick, feel-good read. While a few parts drag, it’s an enjoyable story perfect for fans of cozy mysteries and heartwarming communities. Such a solid read, thank you so much for this opportunity!

I was so lucky to be able to read this as a Digital ARC! Another amazing book from Laurie Gilmore. It was an 5 star read for me! Absolutely loved this! The forbidden love, close proximity and the spice was just chef's kiss. I absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a Hallmark style romance with some spice🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ And I do mean spice! Can't wait until this gets published as I will be for sure adding it to my physical book collection!

Laurie Gilmore's latest installment, The Strawberry Patch Pancake House was a fun read. If you enjoyed her last books, you will enjoy this one.

Archer and Iris are a fantastic couple who have to find their way like everyone else does. The dynamic in the town is amazing as well. Makes you want ro live there.

Spoilers Ahead!


I really wish the last 10% of this book did not happen. The unexpected pregnancy trope is probably the only trope I hate. It is generally completely unnecessary which was the case for "The Strawberry Patch Pancake House".

Besides that, the rest of this book was a very enjoyable slow burn and would have definitely been a 5 star without the fumble at the end.

This is my second book by the author. I didn't really love the first book and am uncertain if I'll pick up more by her.

Rated 4 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

An elite chef in Paris moves to Dream Harbor when he learns he has a five-year-old daughter after her mother dies in a car accident. This is a sweet, cozy, small town, nanny/chef romance.

When Archer meets his daughter, Olivia, she is afraid of him. He has a stern look about him, even though he tries to be gentle and kind to her. Archer rents a house in town so Olivia can be near her grandmother, school and friends. He hopes in six months she will feel more comfortable around him and that they will be able to move back to Paris. Meanwhile, he needs a job and the only one he can find is for a head cook at the local diner. It is humbling for him to go from working in fine restaurants in Paris to making pancakes at the diner but he makes the best of it and it brings a lot of humor to the story. When he is trying to juggle work and watch Olivia (who is an escape artist), the owner of the café, Gladys, suggests he hire a nanny.

Iris is struggling to pay rent. She teaches yoga in town and senior’s swim classes at the Y as well as filling in at the coffee shop but it’s not enough. Gladys suggests she work for Archer as his nanny. She doesn’t have any experience babysitting but she’s creative, knows CPR, likes Olivia and realizes how much they both need her.

It gets funny when the townspeople don’t like Archer’s pancakes. One of cooks warns him the town won't like him making changes to the menu. When they can’t find the original recipe and they can’t reach the old cook, Archie spends time at night trying different pancake recipes and Iris helps taste test. They flirt and have fun, yes Chef!

Archer likes coming home to Iris and Olivia and makes them delicious meals each day and Iris begins to see why people might want a partner to share their lives with, but there are still a few more challenges before they get their HEA. While I loved all of the characters and the way everything came together at the end, I would have liked a little bit more to their story. The different pancakes Archer came up with sound delicious, especially the strawberry ones he makes for Olivia (she loves strawberries).

I think readers looking for a lighthearted, summer story will find themselves smiling through this one. Thanks to the author, Harper360 and NetGalley for an ARC. My review will be posted at All About Romance closer to the review date.

This is hands down my favorite of the Dream Harbor series so far!

I’m not usually one for the single dad trope, but could not help but fall in love with Archer and Olive as he adjusted to being a dad with Iris’s help. Having a child in the book can sometimes get in the way of really developing a relationship in a romance, but this just added to their characters and who they be and throughout the book.

The character growth in this book really drew me in, they both changed so much from the start of the book to the end, but neither of them was a weak or underdeveloped character to begin with. They just really became a family through their situation.

I loved the town doing what they do best, being skeptical of anything new or changing, and finally finding out what the secret ingredient was in the “original” pancakes!

It was of course great to see all of the other loved Dream Harbor residents again, with some exciting developments for the future!

If you want a sweet and caring relationship set in the cutest town that ever existed, this book is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper360 for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As always an amazing beautiful love store they makes me happy. Perfect for spring time. The best romance writer as someone who strictly likes fantasy I love this and will read all her work and recommend it

I enjoyed this way more than I anticipated!! Archer did have me scared for a second because he REALLY was missing France, but he turned around quick and like me fell in love with this little town. I'm a sucker for a single dad and Archer found his way. I am so excited to read more about this crazy cozy town.

This series is so adorable. I’ve read all of the books before reading this one and I always get so excited when I see a new one come out. I feel like every book just gets better and better. I am not normally a romance girlie but these books are just too cute. This is definitely a slow burn book, which again, is not something I usually go for, but the authors writing is too good not to enjoy these. I do love the single dad trope (maybe because I’m a single mother) so I was happy to see it in this. Also, can we talk about the name Dream Harbor? Just the cutest name, I would love to live there.

AAAAAH Laurie Gilmore does it again!! This book was so precious. Olive immediately stole my heart and helllloooo single dad? Sign me up!! I read this book in one day and absolutely devoured it. I cannot even begin to explain how fun and squishy this whole book made me.

Oh my gosh! I loved The Strawberry Patch Pancake House! I loved the chemistry between Archer and Iris. I absolutely adored Olive! Possibly this is my favorite in the series!

I enjoyed the book, but I realize I really shouldn’t read storylines where it’s the boss/employee hooking up. Gives me the icks. Still gave it 4 stars though because that’s more of a “me” thing that shouldn’t be held against the author LOL Still a good story and I love the continuation of the series. Looking forward to book 5!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for The Strawberry Patch Pancake House to come out March 18, 2025.