If It Makes You Happy

by Julie Olivia

An Instant USA Today Bestseller!

Grab your favorite fall candle, cuddle into a comfy blanket, and travel back in time to 1997 in this cozy, slow-burn romance set in the autumn glow of small-town Vermont.

Now with exclusive bonus content!

My new next-door neighbor seems to have everything figured out. Small town golden boy? Check. Single dad extraordinaire? Check. Hot baker forearms? I didn’t notice them, I swear.

I, on the other hand, don’t–at all–have anything figured out. Trust me, I didn’t think taking over my mom’s dream bed and breakfast in Copper Run Vermont was going to be easy. It should be a good place to heal after my divorce. But apparently my scones belong in the garbage with my small talk skills. As pointed out by none other than Cliff.

Cliff is inescapable. He knows exactly what people need–always. His charm, the way he wears flannel, and even his pastries, make not wanting to be friends with Cliff and his daughters pretty hard.

Friends? I can make friends. That’s safe. Except I’m leaving in three months to pass the inn off to my little sister and get the promotion in Seattle I’ve been working towards. So ask me why I’m thinking about kissing my hot neighbor.

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Small Town Romance, Audiobook, Slow Burn

501 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 2, 2025

About the author

Julie Olivia writes cozy love stories filled with humor, spice, and close friend groups that feel like a warm hug. She is a roller coaster fan, avid romance reader, and rainy day enthusiast.

Julie lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and their very opinionated pets.

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Reviews

[Brady Lockerby · Rating 4 out of 5]

we did itttt a very cute and fun fall szn rom-com! this book takes place from sept - dec 1997 and as a sept 1997 baby, very fun and nostalgic! but i do wish there were more 90s references, there are only a few sprinkled throughout and i selfishly just wanted more lol. i did a good big of it on audio and both narrators were great! doesnt need to be 500 pages but overall, would recommend!

unpopular opinion: i didn't love the epilogue.. i was confused and thought we were headed in a much more depressing direction (v thankful we weren't!!) if you want this similar style epilogue but done SO WELL, The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand!! <- that epilogue bumped my rating up where as this one did nothing for me

[Emmy Rosam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to live in this world forever. Reading this book gave me the same feelings as rewatching my favourite comfort tv show and nostalgic classic 90s romcoms. A fantastic fall read, genuinely my favourite contemporary romance book I’ve read all year.

ps. why did the epilogue actually make me cry BAHAA I love this book ❤️🍂

[Rachel Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

such a cute fall romance set in the nineties! Perfect atmosphere, sweet romance, the cutest little small town!!!! love

[Sara Carrolli · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

YEA!!!!! (That’s it just yea)

Kidding, this was incredible. The most perfect romance in the most perfect little town with the most perfect characters (and side characters). Send me to Copper Run, Vermont asap please 🍂😭

If you love a small town romance, slow burn, friends to lovers, fall-themed, single father, and a cinematic ending - READ THIS!!! BEFORE FALL ENDS!!!

[Larissa Cambusano · Rating 4 out of 5]

OKKKK GILMORE GIRLS 🧡🍁🍂🍯☕️🧶🧣🪵

this was exactly what I needed to start off fall szn

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Berkley makes the prettiest/cutest romance covers ever! Look at the upgrade this one got! 😍 Love it!


‎♡‧₊˚ "...𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓵𝓸𝓫𝓫𝔂 𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝔀𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓪 𝓻𝓪𝓲𝓷𝔂 𝓭𝓪𝔂 𝓼𝓮𝓮𝓶 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓵𝓯 𝓫𝓪𝓭.

𝓜𝓪𝔂𝓫𝓮 𝓲𝓽'𝓼 𝓫𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓼𝓱𝓮'𝓼 𝓪 𝓫𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓶 𝓬𝓵𝓸𝓾𝓭, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓱𝓮𝓻." ⋆⭒˚｡⋆ ♡
┊ ┊ ┊ ♡ ┊
┊ ┊ ┊ ˚ ♡
┊ ┊ ♡ ⋆ +
♡ ⋆ ┊ .
+ ♡

Finally getting around to writing some reviews. Sorry I'm being a lazy ass recently. So this one is really more like 3.5 stars for me - mainly due to the length of it. I just don't think a cute hallmarky(ish) romance needs to be any more than 300-350 pages, but this was still super adorable.

If you’re familiar with any holiday Hallmark movie, you’ll know exactly where this book is going from the beginning. A business woman from the city meets a hot single dad, who’s also a baker, in a small town… I mean, the storyline is obvious but I did really enjoy the journey to the happy ever after.

The characters were all well written but I did get tired of the pointless, chapter filling banter. This is a slow burn romance and it is slow. They hang out, he bakes for her and then they just talk… and talk… and talk.

I would say the romance doesn’t get going until around the 50% point and then it doesn’t really get going until around 75%. However, once it does get going, it’s SO good. I loved the flirting, the spice and just them together. The ending was so sweet that I actually teared up a bit and that doesn't happen very often.

Definitely recommend if you're looking for a low stakes, small town romance with all of the 90s nostalgia and the sweetest cinnamon roll mmc ever.

╰⪼ 🍁Single Dad Baker
╰⪼ 🧡Friends to Lovers
╰⪼ 🍁Gilmore Girls ✘ When Harry Met Sally
╰⪼ 🧡Autumn 1997
╰⪼ 🍁Cozy Small Town in Vermont
╰⪼ 🧡Slow Burn
╰⪼ 🍁Opposites Attract
╰⪼ 🥧Pumpkin Pie
╰⪼ 🍁Local Inn Breakfast
╰⪼ 🧡Cozy Flannels
╰⪼ 😱Scream the Movie (1996)

[April (s.i. work is busy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars ★

"I don’t know when it happened. It slipped over me so softly, like the changing of seasons. The seeping scent of baked bread first thing in the morning. A wistful sigh on a perfect fall day."


This gave me the warm, cozy fall vibes that I was looking for.

If it makes you happy is a standalone that is a small town, single dad, friends-to-lovers rom-com with 90s nostalgia that had the vibes of the Gilmore Girls. It had me reminiscing about my teen years and I was loving it.

We follow Michelle who has had her life turned upside down with recent events. She's tasked to put her career and life on hold for 3 months to run her mom's bed and breakfast in Copper Run until her sister is available to take over. She has no idea what she is doing. Her neighbor Cliff though seems to have everything figured out and offers to help her get a handle on things.


Michelle Cadell is a strong, confident, opinionated woman and I loved her. She has walls that are built up that take time to peel back the layers to find her fun, laid-back side. She's set in her ways, knows what she wants in life, and goes after it. I loved watching her grow and come into her own and find happiness that she didn't think she deserved. I do wish that the relationship with her mom had been touched on more. It's mentioned that it was strained but then she just got over it.

“Men don’t want women like me.”
“Like what?”
"Unfun, too serious, workaholics. I don’t know,” I mumble.
He gives a devilish, absolutely wicked smile. “I think men secretly want women just like you,” he growls, leaning even closer.
“And the men who don’t are cowards."


Cliff Burke is the town's baker who's passionate about what he does. He is funny and always trying to keep things light with a side of sarcasm that I loved. He's just all around charming and selfless. His two daughters are his world and he would do anything for them. The only thing that I didn't love about Cliff was that he talked down about himself. It wasn't entirely his fault as it's how someone made him feel. Aside from that I loved him.

"Burke’s Bakery is both my biggest accomplishment and one of my biggest problems. I love it."


Michelle and Cliff started simply as neighbors until he inserted himself into her life and they began a friendship that turned into being each other's best friend with a slow burn into more. I loved the way that they gave each other little pushes and challenged one another in a fun way. Cliff making her feel seen and baking for her trying to find the perfect dessert for her had me melting. Michelle making sure to compliment him and meaning it so he didn't feel so down on himself had my heart. Gosh, they were opposites in every way and also perfect for one another. The way that they had fun banter, teasing, and yearning for one another was the cutest. They honestly felt like a warm hug. Then you bring in Cliff's daughters and the relationship with Michelle making the cutest little family that supports one another. Let's not forget about Rocket, Michelle's dog who brought joy and fun to everyone. He was so cute and I just loved him and his bond with Cliff's youngest daughter.

"In the center of the lobby is the only woman who could make a rainy day seem not half bad. Maybe it’s because she’s a bigger storm cloud, and I like that about her."


This book all around was cute! I was feeling giddy, smiling, and kicking my feet throughout. There were a couple of times that had me tearing up but that epilogue had me sobbing. If you're looking for a cute fall book look no further.


Favorite quotes and moments

"He knows how to make people feel seen. Sometimes too seen. He’s so different from me. If I’m autumn, he’s spring. He’s all smiles and glowing warmth."

"I don’t want to remove her walls because that’d destroy her strength, but I’d kill for more peeks into the other side."

“I want you to be happy and—” His next words almost come out in a whisper. “Have you ever thought I might be happy with you?”

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

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Pre-read

First fall read! The cover is cute and it sounds good 😍 Excited to be reading this one with the book club on booksta 🍂🧡
🍂🧡

[cherie ^_-★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars ⭐
⤷ spoiler-free review!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

“Copper Run smells like crunching leaves and breezes that bite. There’s a hint of something warm in the air too—baked bread of some kind. Maybe a pie or biscuits in the oven. Mazzy Star hums from my neighbor’s open window.”

🎶 now playing: Fade Into You 🎶

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ main tropes
🍂 small town romance
🧡 small town single dad x divorced city girl
🍂 golden retriever x black cat
🧡 neighbours to friends to lovers
🍂 found family

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ my thoughts
this book deserves all the hype and more!!! i loved it from start to finish and 500 pages was not enough (which is crazy to say) 😫 the fall vibes were immaculate, the characters were loveable, and the romance had me screaming, crying, and throwing up 😭

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ characters
♡.ᐟ michelle
⤿ “Michelle has walls. A lot of them. And I don’t know where they were built—whether it was with Birdie or her ex—but they’ve closed her off to everyone. They’ve made her tough though. Confident. And I kinda like her screw everyone attitude. But she’s also funny. Kind. Gentle even. More generous than she lets on or probably wants anyone to see.”

i am michelle and she is me. the way she acts all nonchalant on the outside but actually feels and overthinks everything on the inside? that’s literally me. of course, because she reminded me so much of myself, i instantly connected with her and loved her (which technically means i love myself… 😬 but hey, #selflove am i right? 😅)

♡.ᐟ cliff
⤿ “There are two sides to Cliff Burke. The goofy town local with a worry-free crooked smile. And the single father—a man who carried his daughter in his arms when she got a cut on her leg. A man who’s protective of his girls. Stressed. Uncomfortable. Clenched jaw.”

and then there’s cliff. i loved him and his humour from the get-go. he’s so easygoing, effortlessly witty, and just radiates that “cool dad every kid wishes they had” energy. but when he’s serious, he’s serious. his love for his kids was so heartwarming, and honestly, can i call him daddy too? WOAHHH who said that?! 👀🫢🤣

♡.ᐟ michelle + cliff
⤿ “I search his eyes—the blue eyes that I saw from across the chapel. A man I knew before I even met him. A man who loves me in the same way I love him. For exactly who we are. Flaws and all.”

michelle’s ex-husband made her feel like she was too serious and underwhelming, while cliff’s ex-wife made him feel like he was too unserious and overwhelming. they’re complete opposites, but you know what they say about opposites—they always attract! i loved how she slowly opened up to him, how they were always there for each other, and as that quote perfectly captured, how they loved one another for exactly who they were—flaws and all 🥹

now yes, there was miscommunication in this book and i know i keep saying this, but i usually hate it unless it’s done right—and this one was for me. it was so angsty, my heart was aching and i almost burst into tears a few times—i was going through a rollercoaster of emotions fr. the way both of them could be avoidant at times but confrontational at others felt so real. and can we talk about how he spent so much time trying to figure out a pastry that perfectly represented HER?! 🥲

♡.ᐟ other characters
almost every single character in this book had my heart (i despised allen and didn’t really like tracy) and the found family aspect was so wholesome—it’s one of my favourite tropes for a reason 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ special mention to rocket and brit brit because they were adorable 🥺

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ overall
i absolutely adored this book! if you can only pick one fall romance to read this season, let it be this one ~ it’s my first fall romance of the year and i already know nothing else will top it 🧡

────────── ⋆⋅end⋅⋆ ──────────

pre-read 🍂
i’m a firm believer that romance books shouldn’t be over 400 pages, but i’ve heard great things about this one so it might just be another one of my exceptions 🤭

(p.s. If It Makes You Happy by Sheryl Crow is stuck in my head rn)

[ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

[Uswah · Rating 5 out of 5]

“And it hits me. I love this woman. I don’t know when it happened. It slipped over me so softly, like the changing of seasons. The seeping scent of baked bread first thing in the morning. A wistful sigh on a perfect fall day. I love Michelle. I’ve loved her for far too long.”

“He knows how to make people feel seen. Sometimes too seen. He’s so different from me. If I’m autumn, he’s spring. He’s all smiles and glowing warmth.”

Eeeep!!! I’m sooo happy because this book was everything I needed 🥹🍂🫶 It fulfilled all my cozy, heartwarming needs and dare I say—it’s officially one of my favorite small-town rom-coms ever 🤭🫶 I’m absolutely obsessed with the plot, the side characters, and of course, the main characters 🙂‍↕️ I mean, how can I not be?? 🤭

Michelle Cadell has my heart 🥹 I love when a book gives us a lovable FMC, not an annoying or damsel-in-distress type 🙂‍↕️ And Michelle is neither. She’s the best 🥹🫶 She’s strong, but yes, filled with emotions 🥹 and I think that doesn’t make her weak, it actually makes her stronger. And all the sacrifices she’s made for the Bed & Breakfast 🥹🍂 Ugh, I’m sooo in love with her. That letter part?!? It actually teared me up 🥹 And when Brittany gave her the unicorn stuffed toy to take with her, and when Emily hugged her, my eyes went blurry, omg 🥹🫶

“Men don’t want women like me.” “Like what?” Unfun, too serious, workaholics. “I don’t know,” I mumble. He gives a devilish, absolutely wicked smile. “I think men secretly want women just like you,” he growls, leaning even closer. “And the men who don’t are cowards.”

Clifford, aka Cliff, Burke, well, omgggg 🤭🙂‍↕️ That guy is PURRRFECT 😻 I’m obsessed with him. As SZA once said, “That’s why he my man, young and he fine and he tall and he handsome,” and whenever Cliff’s character shows up or we get his POV, that line forever comes to mind 🤭 I meeeean, he’s sooo fine and funny that I don’t think anyone could hate him 🥹🫶🍂 He always made me giggle, and I loved how he made Michelle feel comfortable around him and everyone in Copper Run 🥹 I loved everything about him. I have zero complaints about Cliff and Michelle 🙂‍↕️🤭 Oh, and when I was literally screaming at him to turn back and go to the airport and then he actually did?! AHHHHH best decision EVER. I loved that scene 🤭🥹🫶

And as for the side characters 👀 eeep! I’m in love with everyone 🥹🤭 They’re all sooo cute, sweet, and lovable in their own ways. And Cliff’s daughters 👀 Emily and Brittany 🥹 THE CUTEST!!! I loved how Miss Author gave them as much attention as the main characters 🥹 Not once did it feel like they were just side characters, nope, they were main characters too!!! 😼 My cutest babies 🥹🫶 Even the other characters were sooo good. I’m honestly in love with all of them 🥹 I wish I could talk about every single one, but then my review would be way too long 😭 Still, I loved every character. Yes, even Tracy, because in some ways, I get her. She did a lot of unforgivable things, but some of her reasons were understandable, and I loved how she, in the end, encouraged Cliff to go after Michelle 🥹 And no,we don’t talk about Allen here 👀 Not important enough to discuss 🙂‍↔️

“Copper Run smells like crunching leaves and breezes that bite.”

It gave me every fall vibe I was hoping for 🥹🙂‍↕️ I’m sooo happy I got to read it, and I’ll recommend it to everyone who wants to enjoy a cozy fall rom-com 🍂 And wow, Miss Author really served the comedy 🙂‍↕️ I’m sooo impressed! Not once did it feel like it was dragging or getting boring 🙂‍↔️

AND OMGGGG!!! THE EPILOGUE 👀 ROCKET’S POV??? AHHHHH I wasn’t expecting that, but it made me soooo HAPPY 🤭 Best epilogue ever!!! I loved how Rocket called Cliff “Funny Guy” 🤭 and Michelle “My Girl” 🥹 Ahhhhhh it made me sooo emotional 😭🐶 The “My Girl” part made my heart melt just reading about it. Lots of love to Rocket!!! 🍂🫶 He’s totally one of the main characters too 😌

Oops 🙊 I ranted a lot 😭 But that’s it, guys. Love y’all! 🫶🍂

———————————————————
࿔*:･༄˖°.🍂 pre-read ࿔*:･༄˖°.🍂

One of my most anticipated reads 🤭🍂 Eeeep!!!! I’m sooo excited. Plz gimme all the fall vibes 🫶🧡 that I’m hoping for.

[Alyssa Nieves · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is THE book to read during the ber months! It was exactly what I needed! 🍂🎃🎄🫶🏼

[Salma | Re-editing Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

⤿ rating: 4 stars
⤿ age: 16+
⤿ spice: 2/5
₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ Review contains a minor spoiler at the end.

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
🍂🧡 Small Town
🍁🥧 Single Dad
🍂🧡 Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine
🍁🥧 Fall vibes
🍂🧡 90s setting
🍁🥧 Slow-burn romance

══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══╡ Overview: ╞══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══

WHAAAAT WASSSS THATTTT BOOK? IT WAS SO GOOD. I LOVED IT SO MUCH. I smiled. I giggled. I teared up. I felt a wide range of emotions while reading this book. This book feels like a warm hug on a cozy day. I wish I could live in this world.

Was this worth the hype? Yes, yes, it was. Personally, this did not remind me of Gilmore Girls. Dare I say this book is even better? Oops!

This book is a very close 5-star read for me. However, I had some issues with it.
➪ Looooooong chapters + miscommunication trope (my least favourite thing in any book). Thankfully, the miscommunication trope wasn't heavy, so I didn't mind it that much. I've read books with much worse. The long chapters, on the other hand, were killing me.
➪ Nosy small town. This is the case in every small-town romance book. Thankfully, it didn’t get worse as the book went on. I have come to love everyone in this town. The way they were all so friendly with each other and had a special bond made me love them.
➪ Cliff and Sara (explained later in the review)
➪ The writing in this book was exceptional. However, it was repetitive and overly descriptive at times (Cliff's smile, description of the town, weather, etc.). These were mentioned in almost every chapter. Like, hey, sure, Cliff has a nice smile and is a guy who smiles a lot. I'm glad he smiles; keep doing it. I don't need to hear about it every time, though 😂.

That epilogue, though? The best epilogue I've ever read. I did not expect it to be from Rocket's POV.

══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══╡ Characters: ╞══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══

‎જ⁀➴ Cliff: The single dad to TWO daughters. He made me swoon so much. He's a green forest, not a green flag. I adored his charm and the way he treated everyone. He had known Michelle for a few months when her asshole ex, Allen, didn't in all the years he knew her and was married to her. He always knew the right thing to say to Michelle and how to break through her walls without being too much. He always thought he was too sarcastic or too much or too irritating, courtesy of his ex-wife (who I hated alongside Allen). He felt no one would love him, until Michelle came along and loved him with all his "flaws". He was the perfect amount of "too much" for Michelle. He made her feel seen . The fact that he kept baking different desserts to know what Michelle's favourite had me WEAK. That gesture means so much more than people think. I need someone like him in my life. Not only that, but he was the perfect dad to his kids. He knew when to be serious and when to mess around.

‎જ⁀➴ Michelle: Some people may say you're uptight, but no one will get you like I do. She has her walls built up. She doesn’t trust easily. She’s not very friendly and grumpy. All within good reason, if I’m being honest. I understood her attitude and actions. I loved her character so much. She was somehow similar to Cliff, yet different. Both were divorcees who felt insecure because of the comments their exes made. Allen, her shitty ex, made her believe she was unfun, too serious, workaholic. She felt like she didn’t deserve to be loved because of what her ex told her. Cliff loved her the way she was. Cliff helped crack her walls bit by bit and showed her that she is worthy of love. She's strong and driven and gave up a lot to help with her mother's business. She has this "nonchalant" attitude on the outside, but it's actually her overthinking, which reminds me too much of myself. I wasn't a fan of how everyone kept talking about her mother, like, let the WOMAN MOURN IN PEACE. 😭 Same goes for how everyone mentioned how she was a nice person, except to her daughter.

‎જ⁀➴ Emily and Brittany: Emily, the eldest daughter of Cliff. The second choice. I hated how she was treated by her mother, Tracy. I’m glad she gave her a piece of mind. Tracy had Emily when she was 16 years old and seemed to resent Emily for it. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? You were responsible for getting pregnant; you stand up to it and do your job as a mother. She didn’t ask to be born. She is the younger version of Michelle. No one can convince me otherwise. Brittany was adorable, and her relationship with Rocket was so cute. I loved how both daughters treated Michelle and vice versa. I loved how both of them opened up to Michelle and trusted her.

‎જ⁀➴ Tracy and Allen: Tracy was a terrible mother to Emily; she only cared about Brittany, and it made me so mad. Nothing could make me like them both.

‎જ⁀➴ Sara: ⚠️ MINI SPOILER ⚠️ Sarah got more annoying as the book went on. I hated that she asked Michelle to set her up with Cliff. I hate that she and Cliff went on a date. Why was this scene even added? It did not feel necessary AT ALL. Had this scene never existed, it would have been a close 5-star read for me.

── .✦ 𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼: I would definitely recommend this book! It's the perfect read for fall. It totally exceeded my expectations.

[Yana]

I DNF at about 75%, it’s just right book wrong time kind of situation

[chloé ✿ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75

oh how i love a wholesome indie romance with a cute cover 🥹🫶🏻

if you’re a seasonal reader like myself, this is the perfect romance for the colder ‘ber’ months. there are halloween, thanksgiving, and christmas celebrations. 🥰

this book is the definition of cozy.

selling points:
- slow burn
- small town
- single dad trope (usually i dislike this one, but it really worked in this case)
- based in 1997 (YESSSS. the 90s vibes were so good!!!)
- bed & breakfast, bakery, cozy vibes
- very, very autumnal

* available on kindle unlimited

[jenoodle✮⋆˙ · Rating 4 out of 5]

── .✦ 𝑺𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 🧡٠࣪⭑
. ݁₊ 🥐.⊹ 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘳𝘢𝘲 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦! ₊ ⊹˚₊
࣪ ˖╰› Her Review ⁺ 🍂 . ๋ ࣭

‧₊˚🍊‧₊˚ ◟𝐈𝐟 𝐈𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 ˚. 🥞︵‧ ࣪˖ ₊˚.
🧺︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑ 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚: 17+ (𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙤, 𝙨𝙚𝙭 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨, 𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨, 𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜), 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜: 14+ (𝙛*𝙘𝙠, 𝙙*𝙢𝙣, 𝙝*𝙡𝙡, 𝙨𝙝*𝙩, 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙖 𝙛𝙚��� 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨) ୧ ˚.🥮‧₊˚
⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣
₊˚.╰› now playing: 𝙎𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙒𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 🍯୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
˙˖°🦊‧₊˚. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙙
⌞ 0:59 ——◦———— 3:56 ⌝
↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ 🍪°˖◝
﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵

꒰ 🧸⋆ .⺌ "'𝘾𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙙" ⺌. ⋆ 📙꒱

🍁⸝⸝ ₊˚ Listen, I'm a avid hater for books that get popular for one reason and one reason only. AND THAT REASON IS BECAUSE HALF OF THEM SUCK. I swear some of these books either have the most dumbest plot, the most dumbest characters, the most dumbest setting, or the entire book is just dumb in general. BUT THIS? THIS??? THIS IS A MASTERPIECE. THIS IS ART. When I say this book took me by surprise on how AMAZING it is, I mean every word. The fall vibes, the characters, the DIALOGE?? I felt like I was reading a unreleased episode of Gilmore Girls with how good the vibes were. EVEN THE PACING OF THE ROMANCE WAS PERFECT! So let us dive into my review before I begin to ramble on how amazing this book is.




꒰ 🧸⋆ .⺌ "𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚" ⺌. ⋆ 📙꒱

🍁⸝⸝ ₊˚ I just want to say that this book started off STRONG. I mean, HEADSTRONG. We already have a small town, a bakery, a city girl x small town boy, golden retriever x black cat, I MEAN THE LIST GOES ON! I swear it had just the right amount of things going on for it to not be boring, or overly excessive. AND THE CHARACTERS? CHEFS KISS. I found that none of them were honestly annoying or repetitive and I loved that about them so much. Though I get you must be wondering why I rated this 4 stars instead of 5 and that is for a small reason. I found that the book was REEEAAALLY long for a romcom and it could have definitely been shortened to around 300 pages. ALTHOUGH I AM NOT COMPLAINING BECAUSE THE PLOT WAS INCREDIBLE, just in my opinion a book this genre shouldn't be this long. Now with that being said I do think the plot was fast paced enough to the point where you don't feel like it's an extremely long book because this book was VERY quick to read. Some of the chapters are quite long though so if longer chapters aren't your favorite, that is something to keep in mind.

꒰ 🧸⋆ .⺌ "𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙬, 𝙨𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙" ⺌. ⋆ 📙꒱

🍁⸝⸝ ₊˚ NOW THE ROMANCE? HOLY MOLY. The way the romance in this book unfolded was PERFECT. Just PERFECT. It wasn't rushed, it also wasn't slow, it was just the perfect amount of chemistry. AND THE WAY I LITERALLY JUMPED OF JOY WHEN THEY GOT TOGETHER???? I was giggling like a maniac because of words on paper while everyone stared at me. (Oh the struggle of a reader.) AND CAN WE TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT HOW OUR MMC IS A BAKER?? Because I don't know about you but I was HEAD OVER HEELS for pilsbury boy irl but just make him hot. 😏😏 Seeing his little sunshine personality with our stormy more reserved girl was just ADORABLE to witness. I loved how their personalities were so different yet so alike at the same time. AND THE SPICE SCENES? Oh that is a whole other topic.



꒰ 🧸⋆ .⺌ "𝘽𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧" ⺌. ⋆ 📙꒱

🍁⸝⸝ ₊˚ AND IF YOU LOVE FAMILY LORE THEN YOU WILL LOVE THE LORE IN THIS ONE FOLKS!! I swear all the tea and drama in this one was INSANE. But I think my favorite part was seeing how our characters navigated through the problems and overcame all of them. ALSO THE RETRO VIBES? I felt like I was living in the 90s reading this on how good the descriptions/vibes were. I loved that the book stayed true to that and I feel like it only added to the entire Gilmore Girls vibe.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁ 🧡 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 🧡 ⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁

🧇୧ ⁺ׅ⊹ 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞: UGHHH I LOVED HER CHARACTER SM!! The overachiever. the workaholic, the girl who has her walls up all the time, EVERYTHING ABOUT HER IS SO REAL!! Seeing the little things she did throughout the story and the way her character progressed made her SUCH a interesting female lead and not to mention incredibly strong and kind hearted. She reminded me SO much Lorelai in a few ways but also of Rory. I SWEAR SHE WAS LIKE IF BOTH OF THEIR PERSONALITIES WERE MASHED TOGETHER.

🧇୧ ⁺ׅ⊹ 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐟: Holy moly. HOLY MOLY. We are going to ignore the simple, clear as day fact that he is a middle aged man because guys... HEAR ME OUUUUTTT. I LOVED THIS GUY SO MUCH 😭😭Idk what it was about him but I swear this guy was FIIIIIIIIINNEEEEEE. HIS SARCASM? HIS JOKES? CAN I ORDER HIM OFF AMAZON?? (I swear Jeff Bezos is missing out on ALOT of money by not having fictional men for sale.) AND I STILL CAN'T GET OVER THE FACT THAT THIS GUY BAKES TOO. Screw being skinny I will become 600 pounds if he feeds me cake.

🧇୧ ⁺ׅ⊹ 𝐄𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲: Insert typical teenager from the 90s that is REBELLIOUS, has a BOYFRIEND, (that her father hates ofc) AND PROBABLY LISTENS TO METALICCA UNIRONICALLY. I honestly loved her character so much. Like yes it was cliche but did I eat it up? YES. HONESTLY SHE CARRIED THE SASSY SIDE OF THIS BOOK IN MY OPNION.

🧇୧ ⁺ׅ⊹ 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐲: AHHFBSBS THIS CUTIEEEEEEE!! I loved her so so much she literally was so adorable omg 😭💗 She was such a cute kid to the story and I'm so glad we got to meet her and see her personality. ALSO HER AND THE DOG BEING BESTIES?? I WAS LITERALLY IN AWEE IT WAS SO CUTE.

🧇୧ ⁺ׅ⊹ 𝐑𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭: Did I just make a section for a dog? Yes. BECAUSE HE CARRIED THIS BOOK. Now hear me out, HEAR ME OUT. The way the author wrote scenes with the dog as if he was a actual human was SO freaking CLEVER. HE MADE ME LAUGH THE MOST HONESTLY. It was like The Secret Life Of Pets all over again 😭😭

︵‧ ˚☕ ₊⊹ And like always these aren't all the characters, but the main ones. THE REST ARE FOR YOU TO FIND OUT BABES?? WHAT ARE YOU DOINGGG??? READ THIS BOOK.

🍁⸝⸝ ₊˚ 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍:
I loved this book to PIECES. I swear everything about this book was literally FALL CODED. I don't think I have ever read a better book that captures the fall atmosphere like this one. AND HONESTLY I MIGHT MAKE IT A TRADITION TO READ THIS EVERY AUTUMN BECAUSE OF HOW GOOD IT IS. So if you reached this far, (honestly what are you still doing here??) GO GET UP AND BUY THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW. And maybe buy a shit load of pastries because you are going to need it 🤫

﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵
🍂🍁 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: I swear everybody and their MOTHER has been reading this book this past month. AND I ADMIT, MY FOMO IS GETTING TO ME. So I think it’s about dang time I read this and drag my (incredibly mean) bestie ISHRAQ WITH MEE 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

[aira · Rating 4 out of 5]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 4.25/5

“And it hits me. I love this woman. I don’t know when it happened. It slipped over me so softly, like the changing of seasons. The seeping scent of baked bread first thing in the morning. A wistful sigh on a perfect fall day. I love Michelle. I’ve loved her for far too long.”

This is the first time I've rated a book with the single parent trope so high, but it was truly well-written. It's also been a while since I've been this interested in the storyline while I was reading it.

This book is giving early 2000 rom-com with the whole boy-next door vibes. However, factor in the inn, two daughters, a dog, and some super cute small-town vibes in 1997 instead. Spending fall in a small town in Vermont was such a nice setting. Every chapter of this book had me reeled it and I loved the epilogue too!!

I didn't have many problems with this book, most of it was just a me thing. I personally didn't like the smut. There wasn't much of it, but I have been pretty averse to it lately. I usually just end up skimming it, or skipping it altogether, so it's nothing against the book particularly. I liked seeing the tension between Cliff and Michelle though. I wish we got to see more of Emily and Josh. I was so invested in their storyline, especially because I love the relationship development and how Cliff eases up to Josh. I also wish we got more insight into the relationship between Michelle and her mother. Like maybe a flashback or something (I don't think there was one - I've been reading this for a while and I have a bad memory)?

Anyways, this is easily my favorite fall book ever, it's getting my stamp of approval, and I can definitely see myself re-reading this book at some point.

--------

pre-read: the cover is gorgeous and I've been wanting to read this for a while, so what better time than the start of November.

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

✩ 4.5 stars ✩

What to Expect:
➼ Set in the 90s
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Single Dad/Baker
➼ Opposites Attract
➼ Strangers-to-Friends-to-Lovers
➼ Running a Bed & Breakfast
➼ Black Cat x Golden Retriever
➼ Small Town Romance
➼ Cozy Gilmore Girls Vibes
➼ Dual Narration
➼ Dual First Person POV

This is the perfect cozy read for fall! This couple didn’t really remind me of any of the couples from Gilmore Girls, but the small town bed & breakfast the FMC was running definitely did! I also loved that it was set in the 90s! I’m a sucker for all things nostalgic so this was definitely a welcome detail for me!

Both characters had been through a divorce and were previously married to people who made them feel unappreciated. It was so lovely watching these two people who were polar opposites in so many ways meet and slowly realize that they were perfectly matched. This was a healing journey for both of them as well as his daughters and it was just beautifully written. The FMC was very closed off emotionally and viewed herself as uptight, but she was fiercely loyal and proved over and over that she would do anything for the people she cared about. Before they were even together she was investing in and supporting his daughters which made their relationship feel even more destined. They fought their feelings for most of the book, mainly because they couldn’t see how their two very different lives would ever fit together, but there’s no stopping true love. ☺️

I had really high hopes for this one and it delivered everything I needed it too! This was really such an adorable book! I’d recommend this to fans of First-Time Caller, The Heartbreak Hotel, and the When in Rome series by Sarah Adams. Such a beautiful heartfelt romance! 🥰

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: I need this to deliver all the Fall vibes! It’s still too hot here and I AM READY for cozy season! 🙌🏻

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

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[DIVINITY&#x1f319; · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC

OMG the epilogue sealed the deal 🥹🥹😭😭

[rei ‧₊˚✩彡 · Rating 4 out of 5]

╰┈➤ 4 stars!

to be completely honest, this book started out a little slow for me. at first, it felt like nothing was happening, and i was struggling to stay invested. but once i got through the first half, things started to shift. the story picked up, the emotions deepened, and from that point on, i couldn’t put it down. little did i know that it would turn into such a comforting, heartfelt read.

౨ৎ michelle. i completely understand her for being such a guarded person. you can tell she’s been through things that made her build walls around herself, and honestly, i get it. despite everything, she’s such a great woman—driven, resilient, and hardworking. she really worked her way to success, and i look up to her for that. she’s the kind of woman who refuses to settle and keeps pushing forward, even when it’s hard. there’s something so inspiring about that kind of quiet strength.

౨ৎ cliff. now, cliff—he’s just the sweetest soul. i love how he’s such a sunshine kind of person, the type who lights up any room he walks into. and the fact that he’s a baker? i mean, come on. where can i possibly find my own version of that man? a guy who bakes and makes you feel seen? unreal. but aside from that, he’s such a good dad to emily and brittany. their family isn’t perfect, and that’s exactly what makes them so real. he’s the kind of father who genuinely tries to be there for his daughters and the kind of partner who learns, adjusts, and keeps showing up. that’s rare, and I adored him for it.

౨ৎ emily and brittany. they absolutely stole my heart. they added so much warmth and liveliness to the story. i especially loved how michelle could relate to emily. it was like she saw a bit of her younger self in her, and that connection just made everything more emotional. the way these girls opened up to michelle and grew attached to her made perfect sense—she’s someone they can depend on, someone steady when the rest of their world feels uncertain.

one of my favorite parts was how cliff kept trying to find the perfect pastry for michelle—the one she wouldn’t just take a bite of and set aside, but the one she’d finish because it was hers. that detail was so symbolic. it wasn’t just about pastries—it was about him wanting to understand her, to find what truly made her happy. it’s those subtle gestures that speak louder than any grand romantic declaration.

and don’t even get me started on the epilogue. it completely threw me off when i realized it was written from rocky’s pov—but once i caught on, i actually loved it. the way he called michelle “my girl” had me emotional. it was such a beautiful touch that wrapped things up in a surprisingly tender way.

another thing i absolutely loved was the small-town setting. there’s just something about it that makes you feel safe and seen. in small towns, everyone knows each other, and relationships feel genuine and deep. you can fall behind, and people will wait for you to catch up. the city doesn’t give you that—it keeps moving whether you’re ready or not. but in a small town like this one, life feels slower, softer, and more connected.

as for tracy, i honestly understand her reasons for leaving town. sometimes people need to step away to find themselves, even if it hurts the ones they love. but her decision did have consequences—especially for the kids. emily’s attitude toward her mom was harsh, but it made sense. kids crave stability, and when that’s taken away, it’s hard to forgive. it was messy but real, and i appreciated that the book didn’t shy away from those complicated emotions.

and the 1997 setting? perfection. we rarely get books that go back in time like that, and it gave this story such a unique charm. it felt nostalgic, like stepping into another era, where everything—love, friendship, even heartbreak—felt a little more personal and grounded.

overall, this book was such a warm, emotional, and down-to-earth story. it may have started off slow, but by the end, it completely won me over. between michelle’s strength, cliff’s sunshine energy, and the girls’ genuine love, this book reminded me how healing it is to find people who truly see you and choose to stay.

・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・

pre-read:

it’s finally me and tanu’s turn to read this book! i’m genuinely so excited to dive deep into this because i’ve seen nothing but great reviews about it and i have fomo, so here we are! 🧡🍂

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fabulous book is the kind of warm, comforting romance that feels like stepping into a memory you didn’t know you missed. Set in the golden haze of a 1997 Vermont fall, Julie Olivia wraps you in nostalgia, quiet introspection, and the kind of love story that simmers slowly, patiently, and sincerely—like a pot of cider on the stove that fills the room before you’ve even taken a sip.

Michelle arrives in Copper Run carrying more than just luggage—she’s recovering from a divorce, at a crossroads in her career, and feeling more like a temporary visitor than someone ready to put down roots. She’s there to run her family’s bed and breakfast for a short stint, and then it’s back to her perfectly curated life in Seattle—or so she thinks. Enter Cliff: the handsome, flannel-wearing single dad next door who seems to be the embodiment of the town itself—steady, dependable, a little weather-worn, and impossible not to fall for. Oh, and he owns a bakery and casually tries to guess Michelle’s favorite pastry by baking her a new one each day. Try not to swoon, I dare you.

What really made this story shine was the quiet courage in the characters. Michelle, who struggles to believe she deserves more than just getting by, slowly unlearns her instinct to run from the things that scare her. Cliff, soft-spoken but emotionally grounded, carries the weight of single fatherhood with grace—and watching him navigate parenting two daughters of wildly different ages felt both authentic and heartwarming. The children aren’t just cute background filler; they’re deeply involved in the emotional arc of the story and bring a genuine sense of community and love to the narrative.

Set in a pre-digital era, the book uses its '90s backdrop not for gimmicks but as a grounding element—it’s a world of cassette tapes, handwritten notes, and real-time connections, which suits the story’s themes of reflection, reconnection, and slowing down. It was refreshing to read a romance where the characters take their time to rebuild themselves before they fully step into love. And while it’s packed with cozy vibes and flirty banter, this isn’t just sugar—it deals with grief, emotional walls, and the hard work of choosing love when it feels safer to walk away.

That said, the novel does run long, and while I appreciated the immersive pace, some sections could’ve been trimmed without losing depth. A few emotional beats, particularly related to the characters’ past relationships, were revisited more times than necessary, which slightly slowed the otherwise engaging progression. Still, those moments never eclipsed the beauty of the story—they just made me wish for a little more forward momentum in places.

Overall, this is a beautifully written, autumn-soaked story of second chances, healing, and the quiet magic of finding home in people as much as in places. If you’re a fan of slow-burn romances that feel like long conversations under a starry sky, with just the right touch of humor, yearning, and emotional weight, If It Makes You Happy is one to savor.

A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me the ARC of this cute, nostalgic small-town second-chance romance in exchange for my honest opinions that I highly appreciate.

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[lauren‎♡₊˚ &#x1f9a2;・₊✧ (semi-ia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5💫

THIS BOOK!!! I get it. I get the hype and i get why everyone is obsessed with it. When I tell you this is THE small town fall romance, you better believe me.

I loved cliff and michelle so much. Cliff was just the most golden retriever man ever and he 100% is perfect for michelle’s black cat energy. It took me a bit longer to fall for michelle, but i honestly think that was the point. Her being so closed off with everyone, including the reader, because her true personality didn’t come out until she got comfortable around cliff seemed so perfect and it just made sense. I ended up really loving her and feeling for her. Cliff was such a wholesome and caring guy and i absolutely loved his relationship with his kids. I love how Michelle started to care for them and easily became that mother figure for them. I honestly just loved everything about this story.

I want to reread it already🥹🍂🥐

[Grace Btrs · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Vibe vs The delivery
✨ The vibe? Vibing.
🍂 The delivery? Dragging.

✔️ Small town charm
✔️ Grumpy (her) x sunshine (him)
✔️ Opposites attract
✔️ Late 90s setting
✔️ Slow-burn romance
✔️ Strangers to friends to lovers
✔️ Autumn vibes
✔️ Single dad goodness
Basically, it checked all the boxes. But somehow… it didn’t click.
Amazing vibes. Frustrating delivery. - A five-star aesthetic wrapped in a three-star execution.

Read it if you want the fall feels and 90s vibes and are okay with a little internal chaos.

📼 Great Tropes, But Shaky Execution
The writing is overly descriptive, the pacing drags, and the emotional delivery just lacked and kept being interrupted.
I wanted to love it. I should have loved it. But the way it unfolded left me skimming more than I’d like to admit.

That said, there is a beautiful story here.
Cliff is the single dad with a soft heart and a sense of humour.☀️
Michelle is the black-cat-energy loner convinced she doesn’t deserve love.🐈‍⬛
Their chemistry? Authentic. Their found family arc? Heartwarming. The slow burn and nostalgia? Beautiful.
But I really wanted to see more character development.

Michelle’s relationship with her mom felt like a side plot that fizzled out, although it’s the main reason the entire book happens. 💢
Cliff is so selfless that he won’t even ask her to stay, he’d rather lose her than risk it. Beautiful in theory, but not fully fleshed out.


🙅‍♀️ Stop Talking About Your Exes!
I can’t lie. The amount of airtime their exes got was exhausting.
• Allen (her ex) is name-dropped 80 times, shows up on just 3 pages.
• Tracy (his ex) is mentioned 147 times, appears on 15 pages.
• The book is 512 pages long.

They’re practically invisible in the plot, but constantly living rent-free in both main characters’ heads. Even during their first time having sex, they’re still thinking about their exes. That’s when I nearly DNF’d at 76%.
They are constantly mentioned in conversations, MCs are compared to exes (in a good way, albeit annoying and excessive), in internal dialogues. 🔁
Yes, these exes did hurt them and leave some emotional scars, but I mean it wasn’t that traumatic. And the mentions should’ve ended at some points!


🎞️ If You’re a 90s Rom-Com Baby…
You’ll probably enjoy the grand gestures, the aching yearning, and the old-school rom-com vibes that you would’ve found in any 90s movie.
I’m frustrated and soft. I teared up, but I also skimmed through half the book. I kinda want to throw it across the room... but I also still care how it ends.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

--

Pre-read:
Lorena recommended this for my 25 from 25 for 2025, and then Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group gave me the new version as an ARC.

Heard great things, so here I go 🤞🏻

[Dani ˚⊹♡ (catching up) · Rating 5 out of 5]

── 5 stars ౨ৎ˚.

꒰ “I don’t believe in destiny or stars, but I have to believe Cliff’s constellation would align right beside mine.” ⊹₊

Aaaaaahh ok, where do I start? This book, i mean THIS BOOK, no because it's genuinely SO GOOD. I saw literally everyone and their mother reading this and you know who's fomo kicked in just like adrenaline at the top of a huge roller coaster.

This is not only the coziest slow-burn romance, but it's also the greatest example of the perfect fall atmosphere, but it's also situated in the cutest small-town in Vermont and just when you thought it couldn't get any better you realize it's happening in 1997. I genuinely felt like stepping into a Hallmark postcard but better *̶s̶c̶r̶e̶a̶m̶s̶ ̶'̶t̶i̶l̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶r̶e̶'̶s̶ ̶n̶o̶ ̶a̶i̶r̶ ̶l̶e̶f̶t̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶l̶u̶n̶g̶s̶*̶

⌗ ┊ 🧸 ꒰ characters

ෆ ┊ michelle
Her face comes with subtitles and she’s the loudest thinker, I mean she’s a relatable queen. I will be forever grateful for books that give us a lovable FMC. At times she drove me a little bit nuts ngl I was screaming at my kindle just kiss him alreadyyyyyy.
Her refusal to admit to having a crush on him… babygirl, with all due respect, EVEN I HAVE A CRUSH ON HIM.
⤿ “Are these butterflies around Cliff bad? Are they butterflies or moths? And in what world am I having potential butterflies at all?”

ෆ ┊cliff
He's not really something, he's EVERYTHING. Clifford Burke, the man that you are omg. The guy who's stupidly obsessed with her, addicted to the sound of her voice and the one who brought her pastries and was paying the most attention to what her reaction was so he could figure out what her favorite one was without asking… do i have to say more? I have a new fictional boyfriend YAY. Also, being hotter than the pastries in the oven is that a weird baker thing?
⤿ “I don’t want to remove her walls because that’d destroy her strength, but I’d kill for more peeks into the other side.”

ෆ ┊ michelle + cliff
She's so "strangers don't talk to me unless there's a coffee in hand or in special circumstances, like if i cut them off in traffic" and he's so "lean too close or ask too many personal questions that catch you off guard". They're just perfect for each other.
⤿ “He knows how to make people feel seen. Sometimes too seen. He’s so different from me. If I’m autumn, he’s spring. He’s all smiles and glowing warmth”

ෆ ┊emily + brittany
They are the cutest and most loving little girls, I'm definitely not surprised they were raised by Cliff. I loved every scene where they interacted with Michelle and they felt super comfortable with her. Picture-perfect family.

ෆ ┊rocket
Fav character lmao. This guy’s just cuteness overload and I LIVED FOR IT. I love all dogs sm but now i might say border collies are my favs.


⌗ ┊🥧 ꒰ final thoughts
Cinnamon buns will never be sweet enough to compare to this book. Guys i loved this so so much i just wish i read it in October. And the epilogue? I BREATHE BC OF THIS EPILOGUE… how can I get it tattooed?


⤿ 🍁 ꒰ + quotes

“And it hits me. I love this woman. I don’t know when it happened. It slipped over me so softly, like the changing of seasons. The seeping scent of baked bread first thing in the morning. A wistful sigh on a perfect fall day. I love Michelle. I’ve loved her for far too long."

“In the center of the lobby is the only woman who could make a rainy day seem not half bad. Maybe it’s because she’s a bigger storm cloud, and I like that about her.”

"I’m being guided through a dance. I hate being guided. But with Cliff, it doesn’t feel like he’s taking control. He’s moving with me in tandem."

"The world tilts. It suddenly feels like I’m falling through the ground, straight to the center of the earth. God, she’s breathtaking."


₊˚⊹｡⋆ 🍂🐕 pre-read
according to google, fall lasts until december 21st and I'm sticking to that thank you.

[BookishByTammi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
WOW! Finally a romance book that wasn’t insta love/lust
A true friendship was built before the romance began
This is my type of romance book
Especially with them being 30 and divorcees, they felt so real to me, they both had insecurities they had to work through due to their previous marriages.

Clif…what a man! And a fantastic dad, just him being the dad he is, was enough for me let alone how freely he complimented her, communicated and made everyone laugh.

Michelle was a tough nut to crack but I saw myself in her in so many ways. As a reformed people pleaser I love seeing a strict woman. It’s aspirational to me haha

I honestly haven’t felt this way about a romance book since reading Just For The Summer 2 years ago!
These characters burrowed their way into my heart and I will never forget them.

Not to mention the dog and his one liners, the idea of a pet that talks with facial expressions was genius and endearing.
Cliff’s daughters were a nice addition to the story, Emily was insufferable but you know…teenagers 😂

SLIGHT SPOILER!!
(The only reason this wasn’t a 5⭐️ for me even though I LOVED this book was because the arguments/not talking after Halloween was dragged out and started to annoy me)

[lexie · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/2/25 this book publishes today and i implore each and every one of you add it to your fall tbr!!! 🤍🤍

4.5 ⭐️

i say fall starts now and it began with this absolute gem of a book 🍂✨

thank you to netgalley and berkley for the arc!!

[Brooke &#x1d717;&#x1d71a; · Rating 4 out of 5]

—— 𝟒.𝟓 ✰ stars. 🍁

❝ᥲᥒd it hits mᥱ.. i doᥒ't kᥒow whᥱᥒ it hᥲρρᥱᥒᥱd. it sᥣiρρᥱd ovᥱr mᥱ so softᥣყ, ᥣikᥱ thᥱ ᥴhᥲᥒgiᥒg of sᥱᥲsoᥒs. thᥱ sᥱᥱρiᥒg sᥴᥱᥒt of bᥲkᥱd brᥱᥲd first thiᥒg iᥒ thᥱ morᥒiᥒg. ᥲ wistfυᥣ sigh oᥒ ᥲ ρᥱrfᥱᥴt fᥲᥣᥣ dᥲყ.❞

📚 || 𝐈𝐟 𝐈𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐚
🎧/📱|| 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭: 𝔸𝕦𝕕𝕚𝕠𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜 & 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕝𝕖
🏷️ || 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕣𝕪 ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖
📆 || 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: 𝟡/𝟛/𝟚𝟝 - 𝟡/𝟟/𝟚𝟝
📃 || 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
「 “Cliff is inescapable. He knows exactly what people need, always. His charm, the way he wears flannel, and even his pastries, make not wanting to be friends with Cliff and his daughters pretty hard. Friends? I can make friends. That's safe. Except I'm leaving in three months to pass the inn off to my little sister and get the promotion in Seattle I've been working towards. So ask me why I'm thinking about kissing my hot neighbor.” 」

❝ "mᥱᥒ doᥒ't wᥲᥒt womᥱᥒ ᥣikᥱ mᥱ."
"ᥣikᥱ whᥲt?"
“υᥒ fυᥒ, too sᥱrioυs, workᥲhoᥣiᥴs. i doᥒ't kᥒow," i mυmbᥣᥱ.
hᥱ givᥱs ᥲ dᥱviᥣish, ᥲbsoᥣυtᥱᥣყ wiᥴkᥱd smiᥣᥱ.
"i thiᥒk mᥱᥒ sᥱᥴrᥱtᥣყ wᥲᥒt womᥱᥒ jυst ᥣikᥱ ყoυ," hᥱ growᥣs, ᥣᥱᥲᥒiᥒg ᥱvᥱᥒ ᥴᥣosᥱr.
"ᥲᥒd thᥱ mᥱᥒ who doᥒ't ᥲrᥱ ᥴowᥲrds." ❞

. ܁₊ ⊹ . ܁ ⟡ ܁ . ⊹ ₊ ܁. ܁₊ ⊹ . ܁ ⟡ ܁ . ⊹ ₊ ܁.

❝i doᥒ't wᥲᥒt to rᥱmovᥱ hᥱr wᥲᥣᥣs bᥱᥴᥲυsᥱ thᥲt'd dᥱstroყ hᥱr strᥱᥒgth, bυt i'd kiᥣᥣ for morᥱ ρᥱᥱks iᥒto thᥱ othᥱr sidᥱ.❞

ᴍʏ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ★★★★½
ɢᴏᴏᴅʀᴇᴀᴅꜱ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 𝟺.𝟹𝟼 ☆ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ
ꜱᴘɪᴄᴇ: 🌶️
ᴡᴇᴀᴛʜᴇʀ: 🍂⛄️
ᴘᴀɪʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ: ᴄɪɴɴᴀᴍᴏɴ ʀᴏʟʟꜱ & ᴄᴏꜰꜰᴇᴇ ☕️
ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɪ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅ?: ✅

⊱ ────── {⋆ ‧₊˚♪𝄞 ⋆} ────── ⊰

lıllılı.ıllı.ılılıılıı.lllııılı.

ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: ɪꜰ ɪᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ — ꜱʜᴇʀʏʟ ᴄʀᴏᴡ
1:55 ———♡——— 5:24

⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻

╭───
┆
╰⪼ ❛I come 'round, around the hard way, bring you comics in bed, scrape the mold off the bread and serve you french toast again. well, okay, I still get stoned; I’m not the kind of girl you'd take home. if it makes you happy, it can't be that bad.❜

⊱ ────── {⋆ ‧₊˚♪𝄞 ⋆} ────── ⊰

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
🍁 ꜱʟᴏᴡ ʙᴜʀɴ
🧡 90’ꜱ ɴᴏꜱᴛᴀʟɢɪᴀ
🥧 ꜱɪɴɢʟᴇ ɢɪʀʟ ᴅᴀᴅ
🍁 ʜᴀʟʟᴍᴀʀᴋ ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇꜱ
🧡 ᴄᴏᴢʏ ꜱᴍᴀʟʟ ᴛᴏᴡɴ
🥧 ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅꜱ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ
🍁 ᴏᴘᴘᴏꜱɪᴛᴇꜱ ᴀᴛᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ
🧡 ɪᴍᴍᴀᴄᴜʟᴀᴛᴇ ꜰᴀʟʟ ᴠɪʙᴇꜱ
🥧 ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴄᴀᴛ x ɢᴏʟᴅᴇɴ ʀᴇᴛʀɪᴇᴠᴇʀ
⚠️ TW: death of a parent

❝ …iᥒ thᥱ ᥴᥱᥒtᥱr of thᥱ ᥣobbყ is thᥱ oᥒᥣყ womᥲᥒ who ᥴoυᥣd mᥲkᥱ ᥲ rᥲiᥒყ dᥲყ sᥱᥱm ᥒot hᥲᥣf bᥲd. mᥲყbᥱ it's bᥱᥴᥲυsᥱ shᥱ's ᥲ biggᥱr storm ᥴᥣoυd, ᥲᥒd i ᥣikᥱ thᥲt ᥲboυt hᥱr. ❞

. ܁₊ ⊹ . ܁ ⟡ ܁ . ⊹ ₊ ܁. ܁₊ ⊹ . ܁ ⟡ ܁ . ⊹ ₊ ܁.

💬 || 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
• If you’re looking for something that feels like pumpkin pie in book form, look no further. If It Makes You Happy is it. The perfect book for the BER months.

• I went into this one not expecting much, especially since the audiobook narrators made me cringe so bad. I mean come on, why have a narrator for the FMC & MMC’s POV, but never use them together? I can’t stand it. So if you’re going to read this book, avoid the audiobook. You’ll thank me, I promise.

• I was thinking maybe this would’ve been a 5 star read for me if it wasn’t for the cringe fest of the audiobook, but there was one more issue I had. As much as I loved Cliff, his self deprecation was such a turn off. I love a man who is confident within himself. Sure, they can have some insecurities, but him talking so much about how annoying he is made him annoying.

• Despite my little critiques, I fell in love with this book; this world, the characters, the town, the vibes, the overall feeling it gave me. And that epilogue was the cream cheese icing on the pumpkin cake.

. ܁₊ ⊹ . ܁ ⟡ ܁ . ⊹ ₊ ܁. . ܁₊ ⊹ . ܁ ⟡ ܁ . ⊹ ₊ ܁. . ܁₊ ⊹ . ܁ ⟡ ܁ . ⊹ ₊ ܁. . ܁₊ ⊹ . ܁ ⟡ ܁ . ⊹ ₊

❝ …hᥱ kᥒows how to mᥲkᥱ ρᥱoρᥣᥱ fᥱᥱᥣ sᥱᥱᥒ. somᥱtimᥱs too sᥱᥱᥒ. hᥱ's so diffᥱrᥱᥒt from mᥱ. if i'm ᥲυtυmᥒ, hᥱ's sρriᥒg.
hᥱ's ᥲᥣᥣ smiᥣᥱs ᥲᥒd gᥣowiᥒg wᥲrmth.❞

[Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

•Small town setting
•Hallmarkesque
•Opposites attract
•1990's setting
•Single dad
•Close proximity (next door neighbors)
•Slow burn
•Friends to lovers
•Dual POV

If It Makes You Happy is a cute story with a cozy late 90's Vermont setting. Likable cast of characters, lots of pining, and all things fall. Cliff is a single dad, the local baker, and lives next door to the town's bed & breakfast. Michelle is an advertising exec from Seattle set to temporarily take over her mother's bed & breakfast after her sudden death. Michelle is a fish out of water in her new setting & Cliff is a pro at all the things it seems Michelle isn't. Can Michelle fake it for the next three months until her sister comes to officially take over? Or will her true feelings about Copper Run, the bed & breakfast, and her handsome neighbor, become more real than she ever imagined possible?


4/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I love this woman. I don't know how it happened. It slipped over me so softly, like the changing of seasons. The seeping scent of baked bread first thing in the morning. A wistful sigh on a perfect fall day."

This book was great! It was such a heartwarming and wonderful cozy romance about love, family, finding happiness again and realizing that the little moments matter too. If It Makes You Happy follows Michelle who takes over her mother's Bed and Breakfast in a small town in Vermont after her mother passes away. Cliff is a baker and next door neighbor to Michelle and they meet when Cliff offers her help at the Inn. Michelle is only running the Bed and Breakfast until her sister finishes college but then Cliff and Michelle become very close. Will Michelle go back to Seattle or stay in at the Inn?

"He knows how to make people feel seen. Sometimes too seen. He's so different from me. If I'm autumn, he's spring. He's all smiles and glowing warmth."

After the prologue I was swept away by this wonderful fall book and the characters that brought the book to life. The fall vibes were immaculate, I loved the descriptions of the small town festivities as well as the fall treats. It made me feel that I was experiencing fall in a small town just as the characters were. The plot was interesting and the pacing was nearly perfect. The writing was engaging, witty and descriptive. I loved that this book took place in the 90s it made every moment feel wholesome and the references were perfectly executed. This book felt like a cozy blanket on a breezy fall day.

"I want you to be happy and-" His next words almost came out in a whisper. "Have you ever thought I might be happy with you?"

The characters were relatable and well developed. I loved Michelle, she was intelligent, independent, strong willed, hard working, kind and protective of the people she cared about. Michelle kept her walls up to protect herself but once she took the walls down she was less rigid and had a fun side. I related to Michelle because my sister is one of my favorite people in the world. I wished that Michelle spoke her mind more and reflected what she actually felt. I also hoped for more of an exploration of why Michelle and her mom had a strained relationship before her mom died. I'm in love with Cliff, he was funny, caring, hard working, thoughtful and protective of his kids. Cliff was such a great dad, he was patient and understanding with his kids. I enjoyed the side characters immensely as well especially Emily, Brittany, Rocket and Michelle's neighbors. I wished that Emily's relationship with her mom was resolved more and that she apologized to Emily. The romance was fantastically done, I loved the slow burn and the chemistry was amazing. I'm so glad that the romance was developed slowly, Cliff and Michelle were friends for a long time first and then slowly reflected on their feelings for each other. The sweet and romantic scenes made me smile a great deal. The ending was so wholesome and heartwarming.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves fall romance, awesome characters and engaging writing.

[⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ Kim ⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆]

⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: Okay, time to see what the hype's all about! I've seen so many people rave about this book on Bookstagram, so I was lucky enough to snag the ONLY copy at Barnes & Noble a couple of weeks ago!🍂🍁🎃 This is giving me all of the fall vibes I've been looking for so I'm hoping this delivers, considering I usually have a bad track record with books that are hyped up heavily on social media (I usually don't end up liking them as much as other people🥹)

[Kelsey S · Rating 5 out of 5]

▹TL;DR Review: Excuse me?! With that epilogue?! I would have crawled into this book if someone would have let me. I’m mad that it had an ending. If I don’t find this kind of love by the end of my life, I’m coming back to haunt everyone.

▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
▹Format: 📱 eReader
─────────────────────────

○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○

– About: Set in autumn 1997, Michelle, freshly divorced and grieving her mother’s death, moves from Seattle to run her mother’s Vermont bed & breakfast until her younger sister graduates art school. Her new next door neighbor, Cliff, is the town golden boy single dad and baker. As Michelle grapples with loss, expectations, and her upcoming move back to the city, her friendship with Cliff deepens into something more. Guys, there’s a dog. And it’s so sweet.
– FMC: Michelle (aka “Shells” or “Shellfish” but only if she allows it). 30-year-old recent divorcee. Not entirely sure what she wants, running her mom’s bed & breakfast AND trying to maintain her career in advertising, dealing with grief and loss, trying to heal.
– MMC: Cliff. 33-year-old single dad to two daughters, local baker, charming and steady, golden boy of town, knows people’s needs (often before they do), kind and warm, reliable.
– Location: Vermont
– POV: Dual first-person (with special POV at the end)
– Spice: 2-3 open-door spicy scenes
– Tropes: friends to lovers, fish-out-of-water, single dad, black cat-ish FMC / golden retriever MMC, slow burn, second chances at love, small town romance
– Content warning: death of parent (off page), grief, paternal estrangement, divorce, teen pregnancy (off page), cheating (off page; not main characters)
– Representation: the dog ♥

─────────────────────────

↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12

Now Playing: There She Goes by Sixpence None the Richer

╰┈➤ ❝There she goes again, racing through my brain; and I just can’t contain, this feeling that remains❞

─────────────────────────

★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★

➼ Gilmore Girls, but just the romance between Luke and Lorelai, and their genders are reversed (he’s the town sweetheart and she’s the grump; he has daughters and his ex needed to leave the small town life)
➼ 90s nostalgia through music, movies, and the lack of cell phones (and the height of the video stores)
➼ Baking a pecan pie and sipping on homemade hot cocoa on a fall day listening to Pearl Jam and dancing around the kitchen with your crush and his daughters and your dog (I squealed and said “omg I loved this book so much” after I wrote that just FYI)

─────────────────────────

⍟»This or That«⍟

Character Driven————✧———————Plot Driven
Fast Burn————————✧———Slow Burn
Sweet———————✧————Spicy
Light/Fluffy——————✧—————Heavy/Emotional

─────────────────────────

🎯 My Thoughts:

What do you mean that I can’t just shut off my brain forever and live inside this book? It was everything I’ve been looking for. The vibes (90s autumn), the characters (small town charm in every one of them), the romance (no, it’s cool. I don’t need Cliff to exist irl. I’ll just live without him ::sobs in single::).

This book has heart but it’s not too serious. It really did remind me a lot of the charm of Gilmore Girls (just without the fast-talking wit or the mother/daughter bonding). But it was also unique enough to stand on its own. I genuinely wanted to crawl into the pages of this book and take up residence in Copper Run. IDEC if Cliff and Michelle leave me out (though I wouldn’t be opposed to turning this into a why choose if they were interested), I would be satisfied to just exist in this town with these people.

AND ROCKET. Listen. If you ever catch me talking to animals, mind your business—I’m networking. The way I thought maybe I was Brittany with her immediate connection to the dog (Rocket), it might as well have been me. I want to cry just thinking about how amazing pets are and Rocket is the goodest boy.

Allen can choke on a [insert whatever you want that would cause damage]. And I hope Tracey burns her forehead on a curling iron once a year until she gets her shit together.

Would I Recommend?: Not even going to answer that one. Only thing is that the ending was VERY rom-com-y and might not be for all readers, but…just get over it. ☺

Convincing you to read with some of my favorite quotes:

╰┈➤ ❝Anyway, thanks for that.❞ ❝For what?❞ ❝Listening.❞ ❝You talk so much; it’s hard not to.❞

╰┈➤ ❝He’s so different from me. If I’m autumn, he’s spring. He’s all smiles and glowing warmth. His blue eyes are so deep, like the first beautiful clear sky of the season. He likes to rest them on my breeze-blown hair, drift them down to my painted lips or to the cardigan falling off my shoulder.❞

╰┈➤ ❝You’re a kind man with a great personality.❞ ❝People only say that about ugly people. ❞