The Pumpkin Spice Café (by Laurie Gilmore)
I’ve been seeing a lot of praise for the Dream Harbor series by Laurie Gilmore over the past year, and I decided to finally dive in and see what all the fuss was about. While I love fall and everything pumpkin-related, I’m surprised it took me this long to read the book. I enjoy cozy mysteries, but I’ve never read a cozy romance mystery.
The Pumpkin Spice Café, the first book in the series, is a cozy small-town romance that combines sweetness with a hint of spice. When Jeanie inherits the beloved Pumpkin Spice Café from her aunt, she leaves her monotonous desk job behind and embarks on a fresh start in the quirky coastal town of Dream Harbor. Amidst steaming lattes, autumnal vibes, and a grumpy-sunshine romance with the town’s brooding contractor, Jeanie discovers that rebuilding her life—and her heart—might just be the perfect recipe for happiness.
As someone who rarely reads romance novels, I’m not an expert on the genre. I found The Pumpkin Spice Café to be okay, but not exceptional, which likely speaks to my lack of experience rather than the book itself. Despite my reaction, I enjoyed it enough that I will read the next book in the series.
I particularly enjoyed the setting of the small town, the autumnal atmosphere, and the characters. As a sucker for pumpkin spice lattes and books, I found that the book aligned well with my interests. However, I realized that I had been expecting a more significant mystery to be solved. The mystery presented in the book was somewhat weak compared to what I’m accustomed to, even in cozy mysteries.
I borrowed the audiobook of The Pumpkin Spice Café from my local library using Hoopla. I thoroughly enjoyed the narration by Regina Reagan.
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