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Juniper Ridge #1
A Pumpkin Patch and A Fling
A rival pumpkin patch. A rising singer with a vocal injury. And a budding romance with an expiration date.
Lula Coleman hates pumpkins—and everything related to them.
Returning to the Coleman Family Farm for the first time in nine years and during the height of pumpkin season is not on Lula’s fall agenda. She ditched her judgmental family and her painful past to pursue her dreams of being an indie rock singer and hasn’t looked back. Just when things are finally looking up for her band, her vocal cords are damaged in the middle of the most crucial performance of her career. Following the public embarrassment, and at her band manager’s insistence, Lula begrudgingly returns home to heal her voice.
When she bumps into the Coleman’s farmhand, a backwards-hat-wearing, grumpy, single dad, her time spent at the farm during sweater weather feels less like a jail sentence.
Axel James has been hunkering down in the small town of Juniper Ridge, working on the Coleman farm, and living in the modest house on their property. His only focus is raising his five-year-old daughter with as few disruptions as possible. Until he meets the irresistible Lula, and she makes him an offer he can’t A fall fling.
When Lula learns a rival pumpkin patch will threaten the farm’s livelihood, her loyalty to her family is restored and she enlists Axel’s help to save the farm. Their relationship is supposed to have an expiration date. But what happens when their joined goal causes them to get too cozy?
A Pumpkin Patch and A Fling is a happily ever after small town romance that will have you swooning over Lula and Axel as they fall for one another.
Lula Coleman hates pumpkins—and everything related to them.
Returning to the Coleman Family Farm for the first time in nine years and during the height of pumpkin season is not on Lula’s fall agenda. She ditched her judgmental family and her painful past to pursue her dreams of being an indie rock singer and hasn’t looked back. Just when things are finally looking up for her band, her vocal cords are damaged in the middle of the most crucial performance of her career. Following the public embarrassment, and at her band manager’s insistence, Lula begrudgingly returns home to heal her voice.
When she bumps into the Coleman’s farmhand, a backwards-hat-wearing, grumpy, single dad, her time spent at the farm during sweater weather feels less like a jail sentence.
Axel James has been hunkering down in the small town of Juniper Ridge, working on the Coleman farm, and living in the modest house on their property. His only focus is raising his five-year-old daughter with as few disruptions as possible. Until he meets the irresistible Lula, and she makes him an offer he can’t A fall fling.
When Lula learns a rival pumpkin patch will threaten the farm’s livelihood, her loyalty to her family is restored and she enlists Axel’s help to save the farm. Their relationship is supposed to have an expiration date. But what happens when their joined goal causes them to get too cozy?
A Pumpkin Patch and A Fling is a happily ever after small town romance that will have you swooning over Lula and Axel as they fall for one another.
374 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 29, 2023
12 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
About the author
Starla DeKruyf
8 books88 followersStarla DeKruyf is a romance author of sweet stories with a dash of spice that always end in happily ever afters. She writes books that play like movies in your head about characters you wish you could hang out with. Follow her on her socials so you can have fun and be awkward together! When Starla isn’t writing, she’s probably drinking coffee and spending time with her husband, kids, and her rescue pup.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 29, 2023
✨ PRINCEMAN ARC REVIEW ✨
📝 Lead singer of The Broken Halos, Lula Coleman, hasn't been back home for 9 years. The family farm just isn't the same since the death of her brother. But, when Lula develops nodes on her vocal cords that require surgery, she heads back home to recover.
Axel believes in working hard, and doing everything he can to protect his 5 year old daughter after her mother left them. Lula doesn't fit into his plans, yet he can't help but feel attracted to her. Can these two help heal one another?
What I 🤍:
🎃 Oregon Pumpkin Patch
🍁 All Things Fall 🍎🌽 🎃
🍂 Sexy, Plaid-Wearing, Farmhand
🎤 Celebrity Romance
❤️🩹 Healing from Past
💕 Close Proximity
This was the perfect romance to kickstart Fall Season! 🍁🍂🍁 If you want all things plaid, apples, corn, and pumpkins mixed with romance~this is for you! This story has a lot of depth, and I appreciated how it was so much more than a romance. It's about grieving and how to move on from traumas that happen in your life.
Prince's Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Passion: 🔥🔥 (Kisses, Fade to Black)
Read If ➡️: You want a Fall Romance with an emotional 🤜.
Read 📅: Fall Season (September-October)
CW ⚠️: Death of Sibling, Parent Abandonment, Drunk Driving, Faith-Based
If you love single-dad romances, this one is perfect! Axel always puts his daughter first, and it's dreamy how he treats her. I did feel at times though, some of the small details in the story were irrelevant, and just made the chapters longer. For example, talking about dinner, or repeating the struggles about the farm over and over. I also felt there were a lot of characters to keep track of at the beginning of the story. It helped me to write them down. Finally, I would have loved to see more details regarding the resolution between Lula and her sister. I am really hopeful that more is coming in the series, because I am sure this will be addressed! I will definitely be reading those!
Thank you to Starla DeKruyf for an ARC of this book! It was the perfect story to get me in the mood for all things Fall!
A Pumpkin Patch and A Fling is out NOW!
📝 Lead singer of The Broken Halos, Lula Coleman, hasn't been back home for 9 years. The family farm just isn't the same since the death of her brother. But, when Lula develops nodes on her vocal cords that require surgery, she heads back home to recover.
Axel believes in working hard, and doing everything he can to protect his 5 year old daughter after her mother left them. Lula doesn't fit into his plans, yet he can't help but feel attracted to her. Can these two help heal one another?
What I 🤍:
🎃 Oregon Pumpkin Patch
🍁 All Things Fall 🍎🌽 🎃
🍂 Sexy, Plaid-Wearing, Farmhand
🎤 Celebrity Romance
❤️🩹 Healing from Past
💕 Close Proximity
This was the perfect romance to kickstart Fall Season! 🍁🍂🍁 If you want all things plaid, apples, corn, and pumpkins mixed with romance~this is for you! This story has a lot of depth, and I appreciated how it was so much more than a romance. It's about grieving and how to move on from traumas that happen in your life.
Prince's Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Passion: 🔥🔥 (Kisses, Fade to Black)
Read If ➡️: You want a Fall Romance with an emotional 🤜.
Read 📅: Fall Season (September-October)
CW ⚠️: Death of Sibling, Parent Abandonment, Drunk Driving, Faith-Based
If you love single-dad romances, this one is perfect! Axel always puts his daughter first, and it's dreamy how he treats her. I did feel at times though, some of the small details in the story were irrelevant, and just made the chapters longer. For example, talking about dinner, or repeating the struggles about the farm over and over. I also felt there were a lot of characters to keep track of at the beginning of the story. It helped me to write them down. Finally, I would have loved to see more details regarding the resolution between Lula and her sister. I am really hopeful that more is coming in the series, because I am sure this will be addressed! I will definitely be reading those!
Thank you to Starla DeKruyf for an ARC of this book! It was the perfect story to get me in the mood for all things Fall!
A Pumpkin Patch and A Fling is out NOW!
November 6, 2023
Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝔸 ℙ𝕦𝕞𝕡𝕜𝕚𝕟 ℙ𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕒 𝔽𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝗞𝗿𝘂𝘆𝗳
Rockstar Romance🤘
372 pages
🍁QOTD: Do you enjoy reading books related to the seasons?
🍂AOTD: I do! This is the only Fall themed book I’ve read this season. I have decided to take on less ARCs so I can read what is on my shelves 📚 (9 full bookcases in my little cabin library🏡). That includes seasonal reads. 🍁🎄💕
🧡🔸Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs
🔸Lulu comes home to her family’s pumpkin farm after suffering a voice injury and needing rest from her singing career. She hasn’t been home in many years but jumps right in to help during pumpkin season.
🔸She finds herself attracted to Axel, a man who works for her parents and is like a son to them. He is a single dad who’s had a bad experience with his ex. They have chemistry, but Lulu must return to her rock star life. Can they make it work?
🔸Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs
🔸A Pumpkin Patch and a Fling was a perfect Fall read. I saw a post from the author on Bookstagram and grabbed it from Kindle Unlimited. I am so glad I did. As a lover of reading and hard rock music, this was right up my alley.
🔸The hometown Coleman family farm, the family and their love for each other, and their issues with each other made for a fun read. I wouldn’t call it a cozy love story, but it throws out many real-life emotions and realistic life issues while incorporating some of the cozy story feel. Realism with a touch of Hallmark, perhaps!
🔸The story centers more on Lulu’s life while she recuperates at the pumpkin farm, but aspects of her rock star career are there and brought out more towards the end of the story. I love the attraction between the famous Lulu and an everyday man working on a pumpkin farm. A farmer and rock star couple tweaks the country life story!
🔗Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3FKIaeH
🔗My Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/latishasl...
~As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases.
~Check out all my reviews at Latishaslowkeylife.com!
𝔸 ℙ𝕦𝕞𝕡𝕜𝕚𝕟 ℙ𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕒 𝔽𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝗞𝗿𝘂𝘆𝗳
Rockstar Romance🤘
372 pages
🍁QOTD: Do you enjoy reading books related to the seasons?
🍂AOTD: I do! This is the only Fall themed book I’ve read this season. I have decided to take on less ARCs so I can read what is on my shelves 📚 (9 full bookcases in my little cabin library🏡). That includes seasonal reads. 🍁🎄💕
🧡🔸Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs
🔸Lulu comes home to her family’s pumpkin farm after suffering a voice injury and needing rest from her singing career. She hasn’t been home in many years but jumps right in to help during pumpkin season.
🔸She finds herself attracted to Axel, a man who works for her parents and is like a son to them. He is a single dad who’s had a bad experience with his ex. They have chemistry, but Lulu must return to her rock star life. Can they make it work?
🔸Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs
🔸A Pumpkin Patch and a Fling was a perfect Fall read. I saw a post from the author on Bookstagram and grabbed it from Kindle Unlimited. I am so glad I did. As a lover of reading and hard rock music, this was right up my alley.
🔸The hometown Coleman family farm, the family and their love for each other, and their issues with each other made for a fun read. I wouldn’t call it a cozy love story, but it throws out many real-life emotions and realistic life issues while incorporating some of the cozy story feel. Realism with a touch of Hallmark, perhaps!
🔸The story centers more on Lulu’s life while she recuperates at the pumpkin farm, but aspects of her rock star career are there and brought out more towards the end of the story. I love the attraction between the famous Lulu and an everyday man working on a pumpkin farm. A farmer and rock star couple tweaks the country life story!
🔗Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3FKIaeH
🔗My Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/latishasl...
~As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases.
~Check out all my reviews at Latishaslowkeylife.com!
August 29, 2023
Lula Coleman is the singer of a popular band, and when she loses her voice mid-tour the media and fan base quickly turn on her after finding out that she hasn't been home in nine years. Her manager decides she needs to recuperate at the Coleman Family Farm in Oregon, bolstering her image and staying away from the cameras. She arrives at the busiest time of the year- pumpkin season! Her family has hired a man named Axel who now lives on the property with his young daughter Sadie, and sparks immediately fly between the two, even though Lula has no voice to actually speak to him at first. Lula brainstorms ways to bring the farm more business as she strengthens her ties to her family and to Axel.
This was a sweet, clean romance set during one of the best times of the year. The setting on the pumpkin farm was such fun, and the descriptions of the activities and food trucks on offer made me so excited for our annual pumpkin patch trips. If it brings fall vibes, it is here- cozy hot chocolate, flannel shirts, boots, apple picking, and of course all the pumpkins you could ask for.
The love story between Axel and Lula is one of insta love, with a few complications along the way. Axel is a fantastic single dad with a beautiful connection to his daughter, always putting her first in his decisions. I enjoyed seeing his character development along the way as he let himself feel strongly for Lula.
Lula goes through massive life changes in the book, and her character showed tremendous growth. She struggles with figuring out what to prioritize, and I loved seeing her come to understand just how much her family and upbringing matter to her. Her song lyrics are beautiful, and I wish I could listen to her original songs!
Also, look at this beautiful cover- the author’s daughter was the illustrator! This one is available now on KU 🍁
This was a sweet, clean romance set during one of the best times of the year. The setting on the pumpkin farm was such fun, and the descriptions of the activities and food trucks on offer made me so excited for our annual pumpkin patch trips. If it brings fall vibes, it is here- cozy hot chocolate, flannel shirts, boots, apple picking, and of course all the pumpkins you could ask for.
The love story between Axel and Lula is one of insta love, with a few complications along the way. Axel is a fantastic single dad with a beautiful connection to his daughter, always putting her first in his decisions. I enjoyed seeing his character development along the way as he let himself feel strongly for Lula.
Lula goes through massive life changes in the book, and her character showed tremendous growth. She struggles with figuring out what to prioritize, and I loved seeing her come to understand just how much her family and upbringing matter to her. Her song lyrics are beautiful, and I wish I could listen to her original songs!
Also, look at this beautiful cover- the author’s daughter was the illustrator! This one is available now on KU 🍁
September 23, 2023
4.5 stars
I love Axel & Lula's sweet, caring, loving, swoony story!!
Thank you for the ARC,all opinions are my own.
I love Axel & Lula's sweet, caring, loving, swoony story!!
Thank you for the ARC,all opinions are my own.
September 11, 2023
3.5 stars
If you are on the hunt for fall vibes, this might be the book for you! Lula is the lead singer of her band. She suffers a vocal cord injury mid-tour and the band has to cancel the rest of her shows until she has surgery and heals. Her manager thinks she should do her recovery at her parents' house, where she hasn't visited for 9 years, to improve PR for herself and her band.
Lula's family owns a farm with a decades-long history of growing and selling pumpkins. When she gets back to town after her surgery, she thinks she'll be hitching a ride with her brother from the grocery store when he makes his usual delivery, but it's someone else driving the truck instead. He still brings her to the farm, despite the fact that she won't speak and keeps communicating with him via text on her phone. It turns out this is Axel, the new worker who has been at the farm for the last 3 years and is living in the "newlywed" house on her parents' property with his daughter.
Lula's ex-boyfriend, who refused to leave town with her when they finished high school, is now helping his family run their neighboring farm. She finds out they are expanding their crops to include pumpkins which will put her family in jeopardy and asks Axel to help her with some plans to save the farm. Axel doesn't realize Lula is a famous singer right away but is intrigued by her anyway. He hasn't been with anyone romantically since his daughter's mom left them both 3 years ago so he's a little hesitant to be involved with anyone. His whole focus is on his daughter.
I really enjoyed reading about the work they were doing on the farm, the fun fall activities they were adding to bring more business to the farm and just the general setting of a pumpkin patch. It definitely was the perfect thing to help me get in the fall move. The book as a whole did feel a lot like an open-door Hallmark movie in the way that the big city star comes home to fall in love with the small town single dad working on a farm and they work together to save the farm. I do wish that there was more build up between Lula and Axel because I felt like their connection felt mostly lust-driven. I also typically like more development between the child and the love interest during single parent romances. But I did enjoy seeing how Lula's relationship with her family members started to heal throughout the story.
If you are on the hunt for fall vibes, this might be the book for you! Lula is the lead singer of her band. She suffers a vocal cord injury mid-tour and the band has to cancel the rest of her shows until she has surgery and heals. Her manager thinks she should do her recovery at her parents' house, where she hasn't visited for 9 years, to improve PR for herself and her band.
Lula's family owns a farm with a decades-long history of growing and selling pumpkins. When she gets back to town after her surgery, she thinks she'll be hitching a ride with her brother from the grocery store when he makes his usual delivery, but it's someone else driving the truck instead. He still brings her to the farm, despite the fact that she won't speak and keeps communicating with him via text on her phone. It turns out this is Axel, the new worker who has been at the farm for the last 3 years and is living in the "newlywed" house on her parents' property with his daughter.
Lula's ex-boyfriend, who refused to leave town with her when they finished high school, is now helping his family run their neighboring farm. She finds out they are expanding their crops to include pumpkins which will put her family in jeopardy and asks Axel to help her with some plans to save the farm. Axel doesn't realize Lula is a famous singer right away but is intrigued by her anyway. He hasn't been with anyone romantically since his daughter's mom left them both 3 years ago so he's a little hesitant to be involved with anyone. His whole focus is on his daughter.
I really enjoyed reading about the work they were doing on the farm, the fun fall activities they were adding to bring more business to the farm and just the general setting of a pumpkin patch. It definitely was the perfect thing to help me get in the fall move. The book as a whole did feel a lot like an open-door Hallmark movie in the way that the big city star comes home to fall in love with the small town single dad working on a farm and they work together to save the farm. I do wish that there was more build up between Lula and Axel because I felt like their connection felt mostly lust-driven. I also typically like more development between the child and the love interest during single parent romances. But I did enjoy seeing how Lula's relationship with her family members started to heal throughout the story.
August 28, 2023
📖 e-ARC "A Pumpkin Patch and A Fling"
🖋️ Starla DeKruyf
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞:: Romance
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬: Small Town Romance // Friends to Lovers // Slow Burn // Single Dad // Open Door Romance
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
I'd first like to thank Starla DeKruyf for providing me with an ARC of A Pumpkin Patch and a Fling in exchange for my honest review of her work.
THE Must-Read Book for Fall
If you're looking for a small town romance that transports you to a farm in pumpkin season, you've found the perfect book.
A Pumpkin Patch and a Fling tells the beautiful love story of a small town girl, Lula Coleman who leaves her family's farm to pursue her dreams of becoming a singer. But the farm isn't all she's left behind. After losing her brother over seas, nothing is the same at the farm. Wanting to forget it all, Lula throws herself into her work and makes it big.
Flash forward 9 years, Lula experiences a vocal cord injury and in an attempt to save face, the band manager decides going back home is just what she and the band needs.
Cue Axel James: the broody, muscular, single dad who works on the Coleman farm. After Sadie's mother leaves them both he's built walls around his heart to protect him and Sadie. He throws himself into being the best dad he can be for Sadie. But when fate puts Lula Coleman right in his path, he begins to question everything.
Who is this beautiful woman? Why can't she speak? And why does he feel an electric zing every time they're close?
This book drew me in from the start. I was captivated by the twists and turns of Lula and Axel's story and truly transported to a pumpkin patch in Juniper Ridge. It kept me guessing, and I honestly had no idea how this was going to end. I laughed, I cried, I smiled from ear to ear, and I felt the anticipation of a true "page turner" - something I haven't felt in a long time.
🖋️ Starla DeKruyf
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞:: Romance
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬: Small Town Romance // Friends to Lovers // Slow Burn // Single Dad // Open Door Romance
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
I'd first like to thank Starla DeKruyf for providing me with an ARC of A Pumpkin Patch and a Fling in exchange for my honest review of her work.
THE Must-Read Book for Fall
If you're looking for a small town romance that transports you to a farm in pumpkin season, you've found the perfect book.
A Pumpkin Patch and a Fling tells the beautiful love story of a small town girl, Lula Coleman who leaves her family's farm to pursue her dreams of becoming a singer. But the farm isn't all she's left behind. After losing her brother over seas, nothing is the same at the farm. Wanting to forget it all, Lula throws herself into her work and makes it big.
Flash forward 9 years, Lula experiences a vocal cord injury and in an attempt to save face, the band manager decides going back home is just what she and the band needs.
Cue Axel James: the broody, muscular, single dad who works on the Coleman farm. After Sadie's mother leaves them both he's built walls around his heart to protect him and Sadie. He throws himself into being the best dad he can be for Sadie. But when fate puts Lula Coleman right in his path, he begins to question everything.
Who is this beautiful woman? Why can't she speak? And why does he feel an electric zing every time they're close?
This book drew me in from the start. I was captivated by the twists and turns of Lula and Axel's story and truly transported to a pumpkin patch in Juniper Ridge. It kept me guessing, and I honestly had no idea how this was going to end. I laughed, I cried, I smiled from ear to ear, and I felt the anticipation of a true "page turner" - something I haven't felt in a long time.
August 26, 2023
Read if you enjoy:
🍂Happily Ever After
🍂Dual POV
🍂Small Town Romance
This story follows up-and-coming rock star Lula Coleman, who is returning to her family’s farm for the first time in nine years, to rest and recover after a vocal cord injury. Lula has a bubbly, go-getter, at times selfish, personality that is easy to fall in love with.
When she arrives at the family farm, she meets the farmhand Axel. He is a grumpy, single dad whose only priorities are protecting his daughter Sadie and minimizing any disruptions to their lives. That is until he meets Lula, who will be leaving to record and tour again with her band as soon as her voice heals, and offers him a fall fling that he can’t refuse.
During her stay, Lula learns there is a rival pumpkin patch that is threatening the livelihood of her family farm. With Axel's help, Lula sets out to do everything she can to help save the farm while trying not to get too cozy in a relationship with an expiration date.
The cover for this book is beautiful 😍. It is what drew me to read this book. There is something about a beautifully illustrated cover that gets me every time. I loved the small-town and swoony feels in this book. I adored Lula’s character development most. Healing relationships with her family, falling in love with Axel, and watching her priorities shift 🤌
This sweet and heartwarming small-town romance is sure to give you all the cozy fall feels, perfect for the upcoming sweater weather season.
Thank you, Starla, for providing me with an ARC copy of A Pumpkin Patch and a Fling in exchange for an honest review ❤️
🍂Happily Ever After
🍂Dual POV
🍂Small Town Romance
This story follows up-and-coming rock star Lula Coleman, who is returning to her family’s farm for the first time in nine years, to rest and recover after a vocal cord injury. Lula has a bubbly, go-getter, at times selfish, personality that is easy to fall in love with.
When she arrives at the family farm, she meets the farmhand Axel. He is a grumpy, single dad whose only priorities are protecting his daughter Sadie and minimizing any disruptions to their lives. That is until he meets Lula, who will be leaving to record and tour again with her band as soon as her voice heals, and offers him a fall fling that he can’t refuse.
During her stay, Lula learns there is a rival pumpkin patch that is threatening the livelihood of her family farm. With Axel's help, Lula sets out to do everything she can to help save the farm while trying not to get too cozy in a relationship with an expiration date.
The cover for this book is beautiful 😍. It is what drew me to read this book. There is something about a beautifully illustrated cover that gets me every time. I loved the small-town and swoony feels in this book. I adored Lula’s character development most. Healing relationships with her family, falling in love with Axel, and watching her priorities shift 🤌
This sweet and heartwarming small-town romance is sure to give you all the cozy fall feels, perfect for the upcoming sweater weather season.
Thank you, Starla, for providing me with an ARC copy of A Pumpkin Patch and a Fling in exchange for an honest review ❤️
October 30, 2023
🎃 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 🎃
A Pumpkin Patch and a Fling by Starla DeKruyf
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (4 stars on Goodreads)
𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓲𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮:
-single dad romance
-small town romance
-found family
-dual POV
-workplace/celebrity romance
-forced proximity
-healing from past
I read this book in one sitting because it had me hooked right from the start! I swoon over a single dad and small town romance so I knew I had to read this one. This was such a cute book with all of the fall aspects throughout. Lula and Axel are just so meant to be together and I loved watching their relationship unfold. What is in their way is that Lula is a lead singer of a band and she went back home to recover from a voice injury. Lula also has some past family trauma that she needs to heal from as well. Axel being a single dad needs to stay in one place for his daughter Sadie; which happens to be in Lula’s hometown. Not only that, but Axel works on Lula’s family farm where they grow pumpkins. I like to leave my reviews spoiler free, so all I will say is that it does end in a HEA but I knocked off the half point because I felt as if the ending was rushed and I NEEDED an epilogue and there wasn’t one. Overall though, I really enjoyed this fall themed romance!
A Pumpkin Patch and a Fling by Starla DeKruyf
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (4 stars on Goodreads)
𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓲𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮:
-single dad romance
-small town romance
-found family
-dual POV
-workplace/celebrity romance
-forced proximity
-healing from past
I read this book in one sitting because it had me hooked right from the start! I swoon over a single dad and small town romance so I knew I had to read this one. This was such a cute book with all of the fall aspects throughout. Lula and Axel are just so meant to be together and I loved watching their relationship unfold. What is in their way is that Lula is a lead singer of a band and she went back home to recover from a voice injury. Lula also has some past family trauma that she needs to heal from as well. Axel being a single dad needs to stay in one place for his daughter Sadie; which happens to be in Lula’s hometown. Not only that, but Axel works on Lula’s family farm where they grow pumpkins. I like to leave my reviews spoiler free, so all I will say is that it does end in a HEA but I knocked off the half point because I felt as if the ending was rushed and I NEEDED an epilogue and there wasn’t one. Overall though, I really enjoyed this fall themed romance!
August 30, 2023
This book was so dang cute! I loved every second of it.
Lula returns to her hometown after being away for 9 years to pursue her music career. family’s pumpkin farm. She returns to her family’s pumpkin farm to rest and recover after a vocal cord injury. Axel is the broody, single dad that helps run her family’s farm.
This book is so sweet..filled with heartfelt moments of small town fun, saving the family farm, falling in love and pretty good character development. Axel is super swoony and the slow burn is perfect..with just the right amount of spice! This is the perfect book to get you in the mood for fall! I’ll be reading more from this author for sure!
🎃small town
🎃single dad
🎃friends to lovers
🎃found family
🎃swoon to spice
Thank you to Starla for letting me read this book in advance!
August 30, 2023
Thank you to Starla DeKruyf for letting me be on your ARC team! This review is completely voluntary!
I was hooked in the story of this book from the very first chapter. It was such a sweet romance with the best fall vibes.
The plot of this book had a chokehold on me. There was not a single part of this book that I didn’t like.
Lula has definitely become one of my favorite FMCs. There’s just something about her that made me feel so connected to her and her story. I was rooting for her the entire time.
Axel and his relationship with his daughter, Sadie, made him absolutely swoon-worthy. And Sadie was such an amazing ‘side character’. She brought the whole book together in my opinion.
If you’re looking for a clean, sweet romance for the fall, THIS is definitely the one for you. I finished this entire book in one sitting.
I was hooked in the story of this book from the very first chapter. It was such a sweet romance with the best fall vibes.
The plot of this book had a chokehold on me. There was not a single part of this book that I didn’t like.
Lula has definitely become one of my favorite FMCs. There’s just something about her that made me feel so connected to her and her story. I was rooting for her the entire time.
Axel and his relationship with his daughter, Sadie, made him absolutely swoon-worthy. And Sadie was such an amazing ‘side character’. She brought the whole book together in my opinion.
If you’re looking for a clean, sweet romance for the fall, THIS is definitely the one for you. I finished this entire book in one sitting.
September 3, 2023
The perfect romance to read with a coffee, enjoying the Autumn days!
Thank you for the e-arc I received, this is my honest review.
Lula Coleman is returning to her family’s pumpkin patch and farm after 9 years away. A singer in a popular band, Lula is sent back to the family farm to recover from a vocal chord injury and it is here she meets Axel, single dad to Sadie, and loyal employee to her family as a farm worker.
Family dynamics ensue, as well as small-town rivalry and past hurts catching up with both Lula and Axel as they navigate a relationship that has an expiration date. I love the pumpkin patch and Autumn vibes and the small-town setting, the author has created a cosy romance perfect for lovers of Fall and heartwarming romance. A closed-door romance that brings all the chemistry!
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you for the e-arc I received, this is my honest review.
Lula Coleman is returning to her family’s pumpkin patch and farm after 9 years away. A singer in a popular band, Lula is sent back to the family farm to recover from a vocal chord injury and it is here she meets Axel, single dad to Sadie, and loyal employee to her family as a farm worker.
Family dynamics ensue, as well as small-town rivalry and past hurts catching up with both Lula and Axel as they navigate a relationship that has an expiration date. I love the pumpkin patch and Autumn vibes and the small-town setting, the author has created a cosy romance perfect for lovers of Fall and heartwarming romance. A closed-door romance that brings all the chemistry!
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 9, 2023
This book was all the right feels for fall!
🎃Small town romance on a family farm with a pumpkin patch🎃
🎤 Lula escaped to the big city to pursue her signing career 🎤
👨👧Axel working on the farm doing his best as a single dad 👨👧
I really liked the dual pov between Lula and Axel, got to see both sides of the story as it progressed.
I think the author did a really good job touching on the more sensitive subjects, loss of a loved one too early and child abandonment. They felt very real with the reactions both characters had- built up walls, cautious with feelings.
Overall, this was a fun, sweet story watching Lula and Axel’s story develop. The small town rivalry between the family farms was entertaining. It had all the feels I would hope with a romance- excitement, frustration, giddiness, the tears, the laughs.
🎃Small town romance on a family farm with a pumpkin patch🎃
🎤 Lula escaped to the big city to pursue her signing career 🎤
👨👧Axel working on the farm doing his best as a single dad 👨👧
I really liked the dual pov between Lula and Axel, got to see both sides of the story as it progressed.
I think the author did a really good job touching on the more sensitive subjects, loss of a loved one too early and child abandonment. They felt very real with the reactions both characters had- built up walls, cautious with feelings.
Overall, this was a fun, sweet story watching Lula and Axel’s story develop. The small town rivalry between the family farms was entertaining. It had all the feels I would hope with a romance- excitement, frustration, giddiness, the tears, the laughs.
August 28, 2023
This was such a cute read! I love the fall vibes to it, as it's my favorite season. 🍁
I occasionally enjoy a single dad trope because it usually involves the child becoming important to the main character, feeling a love for them along with the love interest. I loved the closeness of the family that runs a farm and works together to make a great pumpkin patch, loved the whole homey feeling to it all while reading. Everything about this book was cozy and cute, it even had a dash of spice.
The only thing I could've hoped for was an epilogue with a time skip to show us how everything worked out but that's ok because I still enjoyed it, just like the authors other books! 🙂
I occasionally enjoy a single dad trope because it usually involves the child becoming important to the main character, feeling a love for them along with the love interest. I loved the closeness of the family that runs a farm and works together to make a great pumpkin patch, loved the whole homey feeling to it all while reading. Everything about this book was cozy and cute, it even had a dash of spice.
The only thing I could've hoped for was an epilogue with a time skip to show us how everything worked out but that's ok because I still enjoyed it, just like the authors other books! 🙂
September 25, 2023
I read this as a fun silly fall book, and it definitely was that. But it seemed to me that originally this was supposed to a closed door/just kissing type book and the author decided later to add some ‘spice’ and it was just forced and not written well. If it was just a closed door book I think it’d be a fun easy silly fall read, a little ridiculous but that’s what you want sometimes. There’s definitely good parts.
September 10, 2023
"A Pumpkin Patch an A Fling" by Starla DeKruyf is the Perfect Fall book to cozy up with. Loved every minute reading this book. It was full of A family pumpkin farm, a daughter living her singing dreams, and a single dad helping run the pumpkin farm. Can Lula have her singing carrer, find a way to keep love, while surrounded by the promise of pumpkin seeds!! 🎃 ♥
June 27, 2024
Somehow, this book fell through the cracks of my TBR pile. But to be honest with it being summer in Phoenix, I'm sort of glad because I sure needed some fall vibes right about now. It was a nice story with a well-rounded cast of characters. The reader can really get a sense of the Coleman Family Farm setting and I enjoyed how the book came full circle from the first sentence to the final one.
September 17, 2025
This book is like a fall themed Hallmark movie.
Pumpkin Patch/Farm
Farm Boy/Single Father
Farm Girl Turned Famous
An Asshole Ex boyfriend
The main characters got a little annoying at the end with the whole long distance relationship issue, but overall it was a cute book.
Definitely not a spicy read!!
Pumpkin Patch/Farm
Farm Boy/Single Father
Farm Girl Turned Famous
An Asshole Ex boyfriend
The main characters got a little annoying at the end with the whole long distance relationship issue, but overall it was a cute book.
Definitely not a spicy read!!
September 28, 2025
Very cute fall romance book. I loved the small town vibes. I also always just love the single dad trope, it’s one of my favorites. I enjoyed the characters and the chemistry was really great between the two main characters. I did feel like their issues were resolved a bit too quickly towards the end, but I still enjoyed the story overall.
October 15, 2025
A Pumpkin Patch and a Fling is a sweet, cozy fall romance full of charm and pumpkin-spice vibes. Written by a Bend native, whom I had the pleasure of working with, it’s set in a fictional version of Bend called Juniper Ridge. A perfect read for anyone who loves flirty, feel-good stories with a hometown touch. Check out all her other books too!
September 18, 2023
Wasn’t my fav. I wasn’t sure if I really felt the love and apart between the two main characters and I felt like there were a lot of unanswered questions for me personally.
September 27, 2023
I love small town romance books and this one was no exception. It’s cute, charming and full of pumpkins. But also about grieve, misconceptions, miscommunication and how to move on from the past. The perfect book to start the fall or curl up with any other season.
I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.
I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 9, 2024
A super cute romance book that takes place in a small town with a family that owns a pumpkin patch. If you are looking for a book with cozy fall-ish vibes, then this is the perfect one for this fall. I really enjoyed it. Other tropes: friends-to-lovers, single dad, open door romance, dual POV, celebrity romance.
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