Book: The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore
Reviewed by Rie
Rating: 4/5
I came to The Pumpkin Spice Cafe because I kept seeing it everywhere, and as someone who loves autumn and all things cozy, it seemed right up my alley. And honestly? It delivered on the cozy fall vibes.
Dream Harbor was probably my favorite part of this book. Between the festivals, bonfires, talking to pumpkins, and all the other little seasonal touches, it was exactly the kind of autumn atmosphere I wanted. But what really made the town special was the community. Everyone seemed to genuinely care about one another, even when that care came with a healthy dose of nosiness. The side characters made Dream Harbor feel like a real little town rather than just a convenient backdrop for a romance, and I loved how welcoming they were to Jeanie while still looking out for Logan. I would happily spend more time with this community.
Jeanie and Logan were fun to follow, too. I liked them individually and enjoyed their grumpy-and-sunshine dynamic, especially because Jeanie seemed to have Logan figured out pretty early on and wasn't afraid to tease him about it. Their chemistry was great when it was allowed to shine, and I liked where their relationship ultimately landed.
My biggest frustration was how Logan handled his past hurt. I understood that he had things to work through, and I didn't expect him to magically get over everything overnight. But his feelings and decisions seemed to change direction so quickly that I occasionally found myself wondering how we'd gotten from one point to the next. I would have preferred to see him take his time getting to know Jeanie and gradually work through his baggage rather than repeatedly jumping in and pulling back. I also felt like we were reminded of his past hurt a few too many times. I got it! Now let the man grow and heal.
Outside of that, the story was an easy, enjoyable read. The writing was straightforward, the dialogue was entertaining, and the mystery surrounding the cafe disturbances added a fun little thread to keep things moving. I suspected who was behind it fairly early on, so it wasn't exactly keeping me up at night trying to solve the case, but I liked having something extra happening alongside the romance. I also appreciated Jeanie's interactions with her brother, which were a nice reminder that she still had a life and relationships outside of Dream Harbor.
I can absolutely see why this would appeal to readers looking for a cozy small-town romance with grumpy-and-sunshine energy and some open-door spice. The audiobook narration by Regina Reagan also added to the cozy atmosphere. Her voice had the warmth of an older relative reading you a story by the fire, which was lovely right up until the intimate scenes, when that particular vibe became a little awkward for me. The narration itself was great; apparently, I just have some very specific feelings about who sounds like they're narrating my spicy scenes.
Overall, I had a really good time with this one. It was cozy, romantic, and easy to settle into, and it gave me the autumn escape I was looking for. I do think the hype set my expectations a little higher than the book ultimately reached for me. It wasn't a bad read by any means, and I genuinely enjoyed it, but it didn't have that extra something that would push it into five-star territory.
Sometimes a good, cozy fall romance is exactly what you need, and this one delivered on that front. Four stars, and I'd happily return to Dream Harbor.