Welcoming us into the comforting world of fall is the book “Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice” by Katie Cicatelli-Kuc, published on Aug. 6. Fans of sweet small town fall romances have a new must read book that will carry them through the gorgeous autumn season.
As a lover of all things fall and romance books, this book was a read that I definitely could not wait to have my hands on. It hits every point of a good fall book and feels like a warm hug on a cold breezy day. With all things fall, pumpkin, pumpkin spice lattes and a quaint little time in New England, what more could you ask for?
“Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice” is a first person point of view book that follows the main character, Lucy, who lives in the small picturesque New England town of Briar Glen. There, Lucy lives with her mother whom she works with at her mother’s coffee shop Cup o’ Jo. Lucy and her mom are known as the fall must-have shop and have been busy every year during the season.
But news of another coffee shop, Java Junction, moving in across the street worries the two and pushes them into a competition of who is the best coffee shop in town with the famous pumpkin spice latte. Lucy must set aside her feelings on the beloved pumpkin spice latte in order to keep her mother’s shop open and to win the competition.
This book is everything you want in a young adult romance book. From the vivid details of the surrounding landscape of the town to even the present season central to the plot, this book perfectly captures the essence of the season. Along with the fall vibes, this book is what you hoped you experienced in high school with first time love, friendship that meets no bounds and a town full of people that feel like home.
While this book is for young adults, it does not entirely read as such. This set of characters deal with real world issues and respond in such a way that makes you think of how they must be dealing with all of this just in high school. All of the characters, even though they are younger, present themselves as relatable characters and do not give up when faced with adversity. They work through all of their problems and defy the odds.
With that being said, at some points I felt as if this book was a little young. It was about a sixteen year old girl that at times made me feel nostalgic but I also had some issues with finding a connection with her and being able to fall into her mindset. There were a few times that I questioned what I was reading and had to think over what she was saying. It was a little all over the place and at times became a little difficult to understand. It seemed to take away from her character even though her story was there and developed pretty well.
However, I found myself falling into the story and wishing I was in Briar Glen and living out my own fall fantasy. From the town itself to the different shops, to even the variety of baked goods that she was making, I wanted to be right there experiencing it all.
One piece of advice before going into the book is to find a comfortable spot either on the couch or in your bed under a blanket looking out of the window at the changing leaves on the trees. Trust me, it makes the experience better and it will help make you feel as if you are a part of the story or like you are your own main character.
If you are looking for a cozy fall romance book, then this book is for you. It is all things sweet, comforting and will feel like a breezy fall day in October. In this case, judge the cover of the beautiful cozy book and read the story inside, they match each other perfectly and make it come together to be such a great book.
4/5 stars
rbleich@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of Katie Cicatelli
