My Favorite Color is the Golden Hour

My Favorite Color #2

by Eva Austin

A cozy autumn romance, perfect for fans of Kasie West and Rory Gilmore. When her childhood best friend turned enemy arrives back in town after three years, a girl must decide whether to hold onto that grudge or open her heart and finally forgive.

After a recent string of bad luck, Emma’s parents send her to live with grandma for the fall semester in their Carlton Landing vacation home. Never mind that she swore never to return.

But during her autumn banishment, she’s decided to focus on a few simple school work, the fall festival, writing a novel, and, most importantly, arranging a chance meeting with the cute carpenter next door.

But her plans blow off course when Bryson, her childhood best friend, arrives.

Sure, he’s tall and cute and has grown up in a very good way, but three years ago, she promised to hate him forever. She intends to steer clear but soon finds this tiny town won’t let her avoid him…or the nagging feeling that she has it all wrong. He was the one to blame for their broken friendship…right?

Is he merely a distraction from her carefully laid plans with the carpenter, or will Bryson convince her to break that promise to herself and finally forgive?



The Golden Hour is a dual-point-of-view, sweet teen romance book with small-town charm, cozy autumn lake vibes, and a nod to Jane Austen. Don’t miss out on this fun, light-hearted, and sweet fall-themed romance book for teens or anyone.

The My Favorite Color novels can be read in any order
My Favorite Color is Your Something Blue
My Favorite Color is The Golden Hour

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Clean Romance, Autumn, Contemporary, Summer, Friends To Lovers

258 pages, Paperback

Published November 6, 2024

Reviews

[Sarah]

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Buddy read with the amazing Eve!!! 🩷

(🍂My Favorite Color is The Golden Hour - Eva Austin!)

🌆AHH!! This story follows Emma, Hudson and Will’s cousin (book 1) and Bryson, Emma’s ex…best friend?🤭
This book was SO adorable!!! It was the PERFECT fall read, and written sooo well! It had me angry at all the right times, and giggling at the right times too. 🌆

🍁I didn’t like the whole going-after-another-guy plot. It’s just so bland to me, and always makes me frustrated. 🍁

- - - - - - - - - - - - Characters: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

☕️🍂
Emma: love her! I can totally look past the immaturity because she’s young. It is SO COOL that she’s an author!!! I’m so impressed by that. I’m glad she got her head on straight about Bryson, and the way she slowly softened to him was perfection.

🔨🍁
Bryson: awww, he was SO CUTE! And sooo sweet to Emma, no matter how rude she was to him. Even trying to help her get McDarcy when Bryson himself was starting to have feelings for her?! So so so sweet! His character was so awesome, and I was really impressed by how mature he was. AND HE ALSO LIKES TO READ! AHHH!!!!!

🔩🌆
Kip: no. Heck no. He had that arrogant vibe from the beginning, and i’m SO GLAD Emma finally realized that!

🧸🥮
Tyler: okay, he’s a small side character but I just loved him so much I had to add him! He’s so sweet and innocent, and just an amazing kid. I’m so happy he was in the book!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

📚The plot (friends to enemies to lovers) was just perfect, and the writing was so good. The first kiss was ADORABLE! And I loved the including of the fall festival, the prep for it, and Emma and Bryson’s history. It was such a good book, and I’m so glad I got to read it with Eve!!! I loved going back to the spot where Will and Morgan met, and seeing them in this book was EVERYTHING.🍦His notes to her…🥹 and the book he read of her crushing on him was sooo cute 🤭 I enjoyed this book SO MUCH! And I CANNOT wait to read the next one!!! 🎄 I love this series so much, it’s definitely one of the bests I’ve read this year. It’s so incredibly good for YA!! I also love all the Jane Austen mentions! Makes me want to reread Pride and Prejudice…🩷

[jaycee ann]

═══════ ∘◦ ✧ ◦∘ ═══════
This review contains a few random statistics, my personal thoughts, and a content review! ♡
═══════ ∘◦ ✧ ◦∘ ═══════
• Book - My Favorite Color Is The Golden Hour
• Author - Eva Austin
• Pages - Paperback, 248
• Genre(s) - YA romance
• Published - 2024
• Recommended time to read - Autumn
• Cliffhanger - No
• On kindle unlimited? - Yes
• Vibe - 🍁☕️🎃📖📸
⇢─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───⇠
→ Setting - 5/5
→ Characters - 4/5
→ Writing - 4/5
→ Cover - 4/5
→ Vibes - 5/5
→ Plot - 3/5
→ Pacing - 4/5
→ Romance/Ship - 4/5
→ Overall - ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
⇢─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───⇠
Recommended to fans of-
✔︎ Reverse grumpy sunshine
✔︎ Dual POV
✔︎ Childhood best friends to lovers
✔︎ Autumn romance
✔︎ Small town
✔︎ Writer fmc

♫ Now Playing - All Too Well by Taylor Swift ♫
═════════════════
╰┈➤ My thoughts (spoiler free)
♫ ”Autumn leave falling down like pieces into place, and I can picture it after all these days.” ♫

Loved rereading this! Not as good as I originally thought (the first two books in this series were the first romance books I ever read, so I thought they were gold) but still a very fun read.

I love the autumn vibes and the small town setting. It feels so cozy and comforting, and this series is my default to return to when I need something familiar.
═════════════════
╰┈➤ Characters
♫ ”And maybe we got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much.” ♫

Emma - Not my favorite fmc, but she definitely has depth. I like how she didn’t get character development right away, just because Bryson came back. I also like how she realized she was wrong.

Bryson - He’s very sweet and I like him a lot.

Olivia - She pressured Emma into that date, so I don’t like her 🫠

Kip - Ew.
═════════════════
╰┈➤ Spoilers below!
♫ ”Running scared, I was there, I remember it all too well.” ♫

I still think it’s so sweet that Bryson built her the little library 🥹 And I love the ending scene on the balcony! It’s so sweet.
═════════════════
╰┈➤ Content review
♫ ”It was rare, I was there, I remember it all too well.” ♫

➸ Age Rating - 11+

➸ Language - None.

➸ Romance/Sexual - A couple non-descriptive kisses, mentions of crushes, mentions of romance novels.

➸ Violence - None.

➸ Religious/Spiritual - Emma goes to church once.

➸ Magic - None.

➸ LGBTQ - None.

➸ Alcohol/Drugs - None.

➸ Other Notes/Possible Triggers - Emma tells the story of how she got in trouble with the law as a teenager.

[Lidia]

Emma and Bryson met at 12 years, at 13 they discovered the little wonders of a small town becoming best friends , at 14 they had feelings for each other and at 15 they break up their friendship because of an incident.



Now 3 years later, they are brought back together and they hate each other ... well more likely Emma hates him and he thinks she exaggerates and yes there are miscommunications but is not over the top.



What to expect from this book:

- beautiful fall vibes

- childhood friends to enemies to lovers

-character development and I want to take some place here to write about the characters:

1. Emma can be sometime annoying but some times she is cool, the annoying part comes from her stubbornness to not forgive and act like a child BUT in a way I understand her grudge towards him. What I loved about her character is that by the end she takes responsibility and learns to forgive.

2. Bryson was a real down to earth guy, loved his witty sarcasm and honestly I cannot blame him for being frustrated on Emma because the guy did not knew the entirely chaos that Emma went throw after he betrayed her. He is a very caring guy and willing to set aside his own feelings as long as Emma is happy.

3. Audrey is the big sister everybody wants.

4. Tyler was so cute!

5. And Olivia, Emma's friend was hilarious.

- the romance is clean and very heartwarming, the true definition of what a true love means not the romance they sell on secular books

-there is not heavy Christian themes only people with flaws that want to be better and have a high set of values.

-some interactions made me laugh;

- the middle part was a little boring to me but if you persevere in continuing you will finish this book with a smile on your lips!

In conclusion is a very sweet romance story about second chances and development. I totally gonna read the 3th volume because my favorite character was Audrey and that's her love story!

[★*☆♪Ev★*☆♪]

Really, really good! I love all of Eva's sweet, lighthearted stories!

[Emma T ❧ Throne Warden (DaughterOfAslan2362)]

First of all, my rating has nothing to do with the book itself, which does a phenomenal job of being exactly what it's trying to be: a short 'n' sweet, very clean, small town childhood-friends-to-lovers story.
I'm just not all that into this type of story, and personally wasn't feeling very engaged until the last few chapters.
I have a tremendous dislike for miscommunication in novels, though it seems to be a staple for nearly all fictional romances, and this was no different.
I did like the fact that the characters are actual teenagers, purely because it justifies much of their insecurity and pride. And having a main character be homeschooled was nice too.
All in all, a fun choice for a clean fall happily-ever-after without too much memorability.

[𝔸𝕘𝕟𝕖𝕤]

RTC!

[Callie Rae]

Ok so the title is okayy but the story was adorable. Also I LOVE THAT IT WAS CHRISTIAN FICTION. THAT IS AMAZING. THAT IS WHAT MY BOOK WILL BE.

[Sara Watterson]

A cozy fall YA romance! Cute!

[carolyn ༄ {once upon a broken heart}]

⭐️⭐️⭐️

—————————✩—————————

🍿 – This was such a fun, cozy read. I liked the overall vibe a lot, even if it didn’t totally pull me in the whole time.

🎬 – I thought that the story was really great in this one! It was super fast paced, and very enjoyable. Unfortunately, I did think that the so called “betrayal” that led to them stopping being friends wasn’t super realistic. It just didn’t really seem like that big of a deal to me 🤷

🧍‍♀️– The characters were so cute! I loved how close Bryson was with his younger cousin, and the fact that he read Emma’s books that she wrote was so sweet! Emma, on the other hand, I had sort of mixed feelings about. I felt like she wasn’t very nice to a lot of the people, and, again, I thought she made a big deal of nothing with the “betrayal.”

🥰– The romance was cute, albeit a bit boring at times. I could tell that Bryson really liked Emma, but I had no idea what was going on with Emma the whole time… overall I thought that they were a super cute couple, just not really one that would really last that long.

———————––☽—————————

Tropes: Childhood friends to lovers, enemies to lovers-(sorta,) small town romance.

[Lillian's Lovely Library]

The plot for this one was straightforward and simple , so it was a pretty fast read .
The romance had its cute moments , a little cheesy even , but it is a YA romance 😜.
The majority of the book centered around Emma hating Bryson for something he did in the past , and while it's understandable to have a hard time forgiving someone , it got to a point where it took away from the story.
I did enjoy it though and would recommend it as a light fall read !

[ella]

“Nana, sometimes girls are complicated.”

💗 When I rolled on the floor, giggling, screaming, and kicking my feet, I promise I wasn’t having a seizure. I just read chapter 31.

“Besides, how can you trust anyone who doesn’t like pumpkin muffins?”

📖 Ahhh this hit so hard. Not a literary masterpiece, but I loved it so much. The ending was a little rushed but it was super easy to get into and puts the reader right into the action! And there’s dual POV 😍

“I’ve been looking for you.”
“Yeah? Sorry. I was sleeping. I sort of stayed up all night. But…I’ve been here all along.”

🌊 The characters were sososo relatable. This was a little cringe at times, but cmon. The characters are only kids, which meant related to this book on so many levels. Not to spill my personal life, but like every sentence I was like “real.” Also, FINALLY! A YA book without a toxic family!

“He plops down, and I’m fifteen all over again. One minute, I’m sitting next to Emma, having fun, playing cards, and the next, some jerk’s sitting between us.”

🍁 The setting!? Beautiful. It’s a real place, too, and now I gotta visit. Petition for more small town YA books! The scenery was so fun to read about, and all the little side plots were super fun. Gave all those fall vibes!

“You mean you haven’t noticed how cute he is.”
“Of course I noticed. I’m not dead.”

☕️ The group of friends, and all the memories were (again) so cute and so relatable. It reminds me a lot of my friends at home. So, yeah. That hit hard, too. Emma was pretty stubborn which was annoying but like…I’m also stubborn so REALLL.

“Trust me, if our story were a book, readers would throw it across the room in frustration.”

🎃 Love this cutie book. If you need something short and sweet (shout out Sabrina), especially if you’re trying to squeeze in some books to complete your reading goal (guilty), pick this up! It’s free on kindle unlimited *happy dance* it’s the second in a series but can be read as a standalone. (I didn’t read the first book but had no problems).

“You’re author Emmie Blackwell. Go write your own story.”

4 stars bc reading it brought me happiness 💕

[Tulle Jurney]

Clean, cute romance! Cozy fall-themed read 🍁☕️☀️☺️
I found the protagonist very relatable - I too just want to curl up and write a book in a coffee shop, and I too try to be bright sunshine when I simply am not.

Go read!!

[Zøe Haslie]

A YA Romance Made for Autumn
One of the biggest reasons My Favorite Color Is the Golden Hour caught my attention is the setting. In fact, it was one of my top picks for this year’s Fall TBR.

The entire story has that cozy fall YA romance atmosphere that makes you want to read with a hot drink beside you.

Emma is spending the fall semester in a small town. There’s a fall festival, cozy lake scenery, and plenty of opportunities for the story to lean into that quieter autumn feeling.

[Lily]

4.25 stars…that was SO cute

[Lillian B (Kaladin Stormblessed version)]

This was good, but kinda cliched, and Emma could be annoying at times.
I like how it ended, but the transition from her liking one guy then the other guy seemed kinda sudden. But I loved the Jane Austen references and quotes and I loved the scene that Will and Morgan were in!!
Frtc

[~Ria]

This was so cute! 🩷

[LateNightReader4742]

I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH. EVA AUSTIN, YOU HAVE OUTDONE YOURSELF, I SWEAR. Okay for starters, amazing, clean, romance book! I giggled, squealed and kicked my feet many times, but nothing in this book is spicy, it’s just very cute. No language, no sex or sexual situations, a few sweet kisses near the end with brushing hair out of the face and hand on cheek. Otherwise, squeaky clean. The amount of plot twists were perfect. I couldn’t recommend this book more. Would recommend for all ages. So, cuddle up with some coffee and a cozy blanket and enjoy reading this book! 🍁☕️

[StellarVoyager (previously Cozy) (Interstellar’s version 🪐)]

I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH OMG. Probably the sweetest romance book I’ve ever read. And it’s squeaky clean! No spice!!

Language: None

Sexual Content: A kiss or 2 towards the end

Spiritual Content: This book was written by a Christian author, so there are some mentions of God and the Bible.

THIS BOOK GOT ME GIGGLING AND KICKING MY FEET. I PROMISE I WASNT HAVING A SEIZURE.

[kaylin]

4.5 ⭐️
yesss i finally finished this book after libby returned it for me like 20 million times! 😃 this book was so slay and like in romance books i usually just find myself just wanting to skip to the end to see the actual romance but this book kept me hooked! it was interesting all the way through and it wasn’t too long! i would recommend and it’s completely clean!!

[Eliana]

first person to review this mwuahhahahha🤭🤪

[Lilian H.]

🍂🍂 Clean Fall Recs 2026 Series 🍂🍂

Thoughts:
I love Eva Austin's books and this one is definitely no exception. Her books make me what to live in Carlton Landing so bad :). The only reason I took off .25 was because Emma has her moments where she kind of bugs me. I just sometimes get tired of her childish hate for Bryson. I kept thinking, "Emma hate is a strong word!" But, I still love the story.

Cover Thoughts: 3/5
Story Length: Short, but not too bad

Content:
Honestly no concerns, unless you're preference is against a few sweet kisses.

Song Representation: Either This Is What Falling In Love Feels Like by JVKE or Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet by Relient K
Thanks for reading my review. I'm hoping to get better at writing more detailed reviews.

Until next time,

Lilian

[Lynette]

Once again, SO good! I may have binge read this because the first book was amazing, but it was totally worth it! The author just makes these books so interesting and easy to read!! And, they are pretty short too which makes it a cute little romance!! I loved reading this book, and my favorite character is definitely Bryson!!

[Kylie Holloway]

3.75 ⭐️! I liked the story and Bryson, but oh my goodness this girl held a grudge for 3 years that she 100% did not need to be holding. And there were a few grammar mistakes that bothered me. But I liked the book, and I feel like I really need to read pride and prejudice because even the other books I’m reading are telling me to read it lol.

[Millie Ann]

Literally love this author! So glad I randomly found her online. Perfect amount of romance for us who love zero spice and a cute love story. Can’t wait to read the third book of the series!!!

[Sophie]

I listened to this book really fast!!!
It was so good!
I think my fav character is Bryson!
Emma is a little dramatic haha
Anyway it was really cute and clean!
I want to read the other ones now 😝

[Lola Mae]

Cute, sweet summer romance!🥰
Some favorite elements:
☀️Sweet and heartfelt!
☀️dual-pov
☀️Writer female main character
☀️best friends-to enemies-to lovers
☀️sweet, hilarious little nephew
☀️tween/teen appropriate
☀️summertime vibes!
☀️strong sisterly bond

Definitely recommend this summer romance!😊

[kemble h!]

3.90 ⭐️
This book was not super interesting….
I lowkey did not like the FMC she was pick me and a for real hopeless romantic.
The romance/relationship (surprise, they get together) at the end was so rushed it was unbelievable and confusing to read honestly lol.
Bryson deserved better. He chose his childhood best friend/lover even after her hating him for basically no reason? Just weird to me.

On another note,
“My favorite color is your something blue” is still one of the best books I’ve ever read, which is Emma’s (THIS FMC” cousins love story.

[Mariana Plate]

You could read this book easily! While you reading some parts, it makes you smile like an idiot. It has that pull on you. If you’re looking for a feel good book, comfort book, you can read this one! It’s a good frenemies to lovers type book and also the tension is…I recommend it.
This is book 2 of hers

[Lily Berryman]

This book was soooooooo good!!! I love Eva Austin and I can't wait for her new book to come out! I get really attached to the charecters in her books! I also love how it's the storys of different cousins and siblings of the same family! It's also really easy to track!!! Overall this is a really cute fall romance! Also it's my favorite trope

[Scarlett Machado]

Very, very cute. Glad I read this during the fall season. It’s sweet, funny, and wholesome, and overall a very relaxing read. Despite the few typos and how annoying the main character could get at times, I enjoyed this story a lot. 4.25 stars.