Review by bookcheshirecat - The Pumpkin Spice Café

bookcheshirecat 's review for:

The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore

4.5

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

“Somewhere along the way, she’d forgotten to figure out who she was or what she wanted to be when she grew up. She’d graduated college all shiny and optimistic about her future with her nose ring intact, and then spent the next seven years having her soul sucked out one ten-hour day at a time.”

➽ The Pumpkin Spice Café was the perfect cozy Fall read! I was hesitant at first because this book was SO hyped and sometimes I end up getting disappointed. Instead, I was surprised by how much fun I had while reading! The story follows Jeanie, the new owner of the Pumpkin Spice Café who took over for her aunt. She used to visit small-town Dream Harbor when she was younger but has been stuck in her corporate 9 to 5 job in recent years. Desperate for a change, Jeanie is hoping to find purpose in her new job and can't help but feel drawn to Logan, the handsome farmer. I loved the cozy fall vibes of the book and it genuinely was so funny! It was a delight to read and the humor was spot on for me.

➽ Jeanie was an endearing character I rooted for! I sympathized with her fear of getting sucked into the corporate work and being afraid to lose herself. After being an assistant for over 7 years, discovering her boss dead at his desk is a wake-up call for her. It's obviously a traumatic event and shocks Jeanie, as she's been letting go of her dreams and not much going on in her life except for work. Determined not to end up like her boss, she reconnects with Dream Harbor and tries to find purpose in the café. I loved Jeanie, I could understand her fears and need to become a different version of herself, who wasn't so intense. At the same time, it's not clear if trying to be laid-back and unconcerned is really the answer to Jeanie's problems either!

➽ Logan has been living in Dream Harbor his entire life and perfectly fulfils the role of the hot farmer! It was easy to connect with him as well, as a public humiliation has left him guarded. Your proposal being rejected in front of the entire town is brutal and I felt so sorry for him! In a small town like Dream Harbor, the incident isn't easily forgotten and Logan hates the pity he's getting from everyone. He already feels like the town's charity case, since he's an orphan and was raised by his grandparents.

➽ I loved Jeanie's and Logan's budding romance, it was sweet! Both of them have their pasts to deal with and Logan is scared Jeanie is yet another person who's not here to stay. I would have loved a bit more slow-burn in their romance, as it felt pretty much like insta-love and I like more yearning in my pairings! Nevertheless, it was impossible not to root for them!

“Was that her future? To work and work until her heart just gave out? Gave up? Jeanie had a tendency to overthink. To over-talk. To overwork. She didn’t do rest and relaxation very well. She didn’t do calm or cool. But she was determined to try.”

Content Warnings