The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore caught our attention with its clear nod to Gilmore Girls, one of our team’s favorite series. Laurie Gilmore is actually a pseudonym of Melissa McTernan, inspired by the show itself. In interviews, she shares that she wanted to create her own version of Stars Hollow — a town she named Dream Harbor (a rather fitting choice). As we found out, however, there is a slight gap between concept and execution — though overall, it works.

The Pumpkin Spice Café is not a grand love story. The driving force behind this otherwise simple plot is a group of ordinary characters with ordinary problems, who win readers over with their warmth. Think of it as a classic Hallmark movie — in book form.

A bit about the plot: the main couple here (as the Dream Harbor series is expected to include six novels) are Jeanie and Logan. She is the new owner of the beloved Pumpkin Spice Café, and he is the town’s resident “sexy farmer.”

Disillusioned with big city life and shaken by the death of her former boss, Jeanie longs for a fresh start. She takes over her aunt Dot’s café but quickly faces unexpected problems and acts of sabotage that make her feel far from welcome in the town.

Logan, on the other hand, is a loner. After being publicly rejected by his girlfriend when he proposed to her, he retreats into the quiet life of his farm — avoiding both the pity of the townspeople and the risk of another heartbreak.

His first encounter with the energetic Jeanie disrupts his carefully maintained routine. He decides to help her uncover the mysterious saboteur, and the attraction between them becomes increasingly difficult to ignore. But are they truly right for each other? Starting a relationship with someone who might not stay in Dream Harbor feels like a risk Logan isn’t ready to take. At the same time, Jeanie must decide whether small-town life is really for her — or if selling the café and starting over elsewhere is the better choice.

Roughly one-third of the book leans into romance and spice, another third into light intrigue and humorous misunderstandings, and the rest leaves space for the supporting cast. And they are certainly colorful — a mayor who governs based on his dreams, a lively book club, and hints of another couple whose story will likely unfold in future installments.

If you’re looking for a book to bring you comfort during cold autumn (or even winter) evenings, you’ll find it here. If you want something to get lost in for a few hours and forget everyday worries — yes, that works too.

But if you’re looking for a novel to analyze, to deeply explore character behavior and motivations — Laurie Gilmore won’t give you that.

If you enjoy Emily Henry, you’ll likely find a similar tone here.

Booklovers Rating: 3.5 / 5

Because the novel follows the conventions of light romantic fiction and delivers exactly what its target audience expects. Don’t expect a book for analysis — expect one for tea, a warm blanket, and a sense of comfort.