A review by paperprivateer
Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice by Katie Cicatelli-Kuc

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

2.75

 In Briar Glen, a town in New England, fall is a big deal. There’s the annual fall festival, tourists from all over the country visiting, colorful leaves, and warm coffee in the coffee shop owned by Lucy’s mom. Lucy hates pumpkin spice lates so she refuses to let her mom put them on the menu, but when a huge coffee chain opens across the street, not having a PSL on the menu might mean not staying in business. To make things even worse, the new kid at school Lucy has a crush on turns out to be the son of the rival shop’s owners. Lucy might have to put aside her hatred of social media marketing and PSLs to save her mom’s coffee shop. 

 

Although I wouldn’t consider this a good book, it feels almost rude to criticize it. It isn’t meant to be a deep, retrospective book with complicated characters. It’s not supposed to have depth. It’s supposed to be a cozy fall read with low stakes and good vibes, and it absolutely delivers on that. If you want a comforting fall read, this is a great option. It’s a quick, cute read for fall vibes. 

 

This book was advertised as perfect for Gilmore Girls fans who love fall. It has local festivals, teen romance, and a mother-daughter relationship. Some of those promises came true. I did pick up on the Stars Hollow type vibes. Lucy and her mom don’t have a Lorelei-Rory type relationship, but they are close and support each other. Unfortunately, the book just… didn’t really have a romance. She has a crush, but it never fully develops or goes anywhere. It doesn’t have the payoff promised. There is no kiss or romantic relationship. I don’t necessarily hate the idea of the butterflies stages of a relationship being the main point of a book, but there wasn’t any payoff in the end. 

 

Most of the book focuses on Lucy’s various pursuits of trying to get over her hatred of Instagram and pumpkin spice lates to save her mom’s shop. Lucy comes across as immature in a lot of it. Her insistence on not doing PSLs because they’re all fake ingredients and there isn’t any pumpkin in it is silly. Doesn’t everyone know there isn’t any pumpkin in pumpkin spice lates? I thought that was common knowledge. Her insistence on various things comes across as a little rude or naive for a lot of the book. Even her insistence on what kind of dessert to make for the contest when literally everyone is telling her to reconsider doesn’t come across as strong female character. It just comes across as “this kid’s an airhead who happens to be good at baking.” 

 

In conclusion, is this a perfect book? No. Is it a great book to curl up with your favorite fall drink and a sweater and not have to think too hard? Absolutely.