A review by kerosenelit
There's Pumpkin About You by Athena Carstairs

3.0

This mastered the fall vibes! The small town of Eaglewood felt so cozy, with its failing pumpkin farm run by three brothers. Wren Southwick, a determined party planner, is set on throwing her best friend an unforgettable 30th birthday and boosting her business in the process. Her dream venue is the Goldleaf Farm’s barn, but securing it means convincing its grumpy owner, August Finch, to get on board.

I thought the autism representation was really heartfelt. August is blunt, self-assertive, sometimes painfully honest, and avoids people because of the constant judgment and misunderstanding he gets from the locals. I really felt for him. He tries SO HARD (and fails) to keep his guard up around Wren. Their acceptance of each other for exactly who they are was probably my favourite part. 

As for the romance, it’s what I’d call “slow burn insta-love.” Very tropey and fun, and I know ten years ago I would have devoured it without question. But now, I think I just wanted more. The chemistry felt a little forced and formulaic at times, and some of their reactions—especially considering they’d just met—were a bit over the top, like the story was working extra hard to sell the enemies-to-lovers aspect. But overall, it was a sweet, easy read that left me excited for the fall season!

(heat level: 1 open-door scene, explicit details)

I voluntarily read and reviewed and advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.