Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

Book Review: The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore

Genre: Small-town romance, Grumpy x Sunshine, Cozy with a kick of spice

Series: Dream Harbor - Book 1 out of 6 (each book is a standalone and can be read in any order)

Extras:

• It has a super cute map

• There is a fun Spotify playlist for the book

Blurb:

A spicy small-town romance and TikTok phenomenon, perfect for fans of Hannah Grace and Stephanie Archer.

When Jeanie's aunt gifts her the beloved Pumpkin Spice Café in the small town of Dream Harbor, Jeanie jumps at the chance for a fresh start away from her very dull desk job.

Logan is a local farmer who avoids Dream Harbor's gossip at all costs. But Jeanie's arrival disrupts Logan's routine and he wants nothing to do with the irritatingly upbeat new girl—except that he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her.

Will Jeanie's happy-go-lucky attitude win over the grumpy-but-gorgeous Logan, or has this city girl found the one person in town who won’t fall for her charm—or her pumpkin spice lattes? *

My Thoughts:

I devoured this book. Cozy, flirty, and packed with feel-good charm, The Pumpkin Spice Café is everything I love in a small-town romance—and more. From the moment Jeanie stepped into Dream Harbor with her optimism, big dreams, and undeniable love for pumpkin spice, I knew I was in for a treat. And I was so right.

Jeanie is the ultimate sunshine heroine—funny, hopeful, and just a bit chaotic in the best way. Her determination to turn the café into something magical made me want to sip a latte and cheer her on from the next booth. Logan, the town’s grumpiest (and hottest) farmer, is her complete opposite—but he’s so wonderfully layered. The slow unraveling of his walls, and the simmering attraction between the two, made for a romance that was both swoony and real.

The grumpy x sunshine dynamic is done perfectly here. Their banter is hilarious, the tension is palpable, and the moments of vulnerability between them feel earned and heartfelt. There’s spice, yes—but it never overshadows the emotional core of the story.

The town of Dream Harbor is just as much a character in this book as Jeanie or Logan. It’s filled with quirky side characters, cozy scenes, and the kind of community that makes you wish you could pack up and move there. I found myself smiling through entire chapters, especially at the café scenes that felt straight out of a Hallmark movie (if Hallmark got a little steamy now and then!).

This book hit every cozy-romance craving I had:

✔️ Small-town charm

✔️ Enemies-ish to lovers

✔️ A strong, independent heroine

✔️ A gruff man with a soft center

✔️ Fall vibes and pumpkin spice EVERYTHING

If you’re in the mood for something heartwarming, a little spicy, and full of small-town magic, The Pumpkin Spice Café absolutely delivers. I adored every moment and can’t wait to revisit Dream Harbor again.

*Blurb from Amazon

Want the book? You can get it here: https://amzn.to/3In6JTJ

Want the super cute pen? You can find so many more cute ones here: https://amzn.to/4lmuuK2