“She wasn’t so much afraid of dying as she was of forgetting to live her life. Somewhere along the way, she’d forgotten to figure out who she was or what she wanted to be when she grew up.”
― Laurie Gilmore, The Pumpkin Spice Café
Jeanie’s aunt has given her the ultimate gift, ownership of her beloved, Pumpkin Spice Cafe, and the apartment above, located in a small town called Dream Harbor. Needing a break, Jeanie packs up her belongings, leaves the big city, and travels to Dream Harbor, yearning for a new start in the small town. The adjustment period proves a little rough, but Jeanie is determined to be a new person, to break away from her past self and become a bright, bubbly person. Her happy attitude starts to shake when strange noises repeatedly keep her awake at night.
A local farmer who provides the Pumpkin Spice Cafe with some of its produce, Logan is happy to limit his time in Dream Harbor as much as possible. The people in town are gossip happy and his past relationship’s disastrous ending has already given them enough fodder for a lifetime. When he stumbles upon Jeanie, Logan knows that his quiet life is about to change. His routine starts to crumble and he finds himself wanting to get closer to Jeanie. Logan may find Jeanie’s positivity irritating, but he can’t stay away. The two grow closer when issues start to plague Jeanie at the Pumpkin Spice Cafe. Will Logan and Jeanie’s new friendship survive the gossip mill? Or will they separate, leaving their feelings for each other crushed?
I came into this book with no prior knowledge, other than it was very popular on social media and with Davenport patrons. I found The Pumpkin Spice Cafe to be a quick, cozy, cute read. Gilmore introduces some elements of mystery alongside the romance, which I enjoyed. She also features some of my favorite romance tropes: found family, small town feels, and grumpy x sunshine. This is also a spicy romance! If you want to feel like you’re reading a Hallmark movie with some spice, try out The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore.
Dream Harbour series
- The Pumpkin Spice Cafe (2023)
- The Cinnamon Bun Book Store (2024)
- The Christmas Tree Farm (2024)
- The Strawberry Patch Pancake House (2025)
- The Gingerbread Bakery (2025)