To Fall Or Not To Fall

by J.S. Cooper

When an anonymous love letter tumbles out of my favorite book and straight into my pumpkin spice latte, I’m convinced fate is sending me a sign…

I’m Ava James, fall queen, pumpkin spice enthusiast, proud owner of Beachy Balls, Biscuits, and Books, and dating consultant extraordinaire (in my head). If I had a personal ad, that’s exactly how it would start.

Right now, though, I’m juggling three urgent

Find a date for the Coconut Beach Fall Festival so my grandma will stop playing matchmaker for the holiday season.Save my beloved bookstore-bakery from being snatched up by a mysterious corporate developer, who wants to turn it into yet another nondescript hotel.Uncover the identity of my anonymous letter-writer—and maybe, just maybe, ride off into the autumn sunset (or at least a not-too-bumpy hayride) with them.However, when two charming and handsome tourists arrive in town, each with secrets and smiles that could melt the icing off a cinnamon bun, my perfectly crisp fall plans start to unravel… just like the cute lights around my doorway.

I might be the queen of all things cozy and pumpkin-spiced… but for the first time, I may be in way over my head.

To Fall or Not to Fall is a small-town, cozy romance full of love, laughter, fall vibes, and spice. It features a grumpy billionaire hero who soon finds himself besotted with our sweet heroine, who is full of sunshine and charm.

Genres: Rom Com, Romance

254 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 21, 2025

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know this is a fall romance but good god does this girl drink anything other than PSLs??

This…is not great. The pacing is bad, the dialogue is cringy, the characters have no chemistry, and none of the problems really get solved at the end?? Unfortunately this book is a real miss. I don’t really understand how the characters even got together? The one date they actually have happens off page. So how are we building a genuine connection here?

And also, not to totally dog on the bedroom habits in the book but this man thrusts into her THRICE before finishing and then goes “oh shit are you on birth control?” Sir if you don’t gtfo of here.

[Lou Li Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love a good fall story, this one has all the pumpkin spice you need to get cosy, bonus it’s set in a small town bookshop! A case of hidden identity, billionaire alpha Theo who’s all work and no play meets sunshine Ava, the struggling bookshop owner who’s trying to fight off the big corporates who want to buy her shop. What she doesn’t know if that Theo is the hot shot corporate coming for her, until he falls head over heels for her and then it’s one big lying mess! Looking forward to this new series following three best friends who work at the bookshop and their journey to finding their HEA.

I voluntarily reviewed a free advance copy of this book provided by the author. The opinions expressed are my own

[Taylor Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

To Fall Or Not To Fall felt exactly like a Hallmark movie.

Ava owns "Beachy Balls, Biscuits, and Books," a small town struggling bookstore. Theo came to town to talk Ava into selling so he could build a new hotel. However, not everything goes as planned.

It was a cute, short read filled with fall vibes.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A small town romance with beautifully written characters. Ava has lived in Coconut Beach all her life and her bookstore has always been her dream, her Grandparents helped her with the finance for the store, and now that the bills are piling up, there are hardly any sales coming through the door, she is scared she s going to lose her beloved store but also affect her Grandparents credit rating and lose the money they invested but she has refused all attempts by the New York corporation who have been trying to buy her store and the others in Main St to put up one of their ugly modern hotels. Theo is the billionaire developer behind those offers and has lived all his life in New York, his only focus in life is money, business and making more money, he decides to go himself to Coconut Beach and see if he could understand why the owner of the bookstore was ignoring their offers and find a way for her to accept the deal. What Theo didn’t count on was the instant attraction to Ava. The antics of Ava and her two best friends trying to raise money for the store,at the same time trying to change their single status and find dates for the Fall Festival are at times chaotic and hilarious. Theo is starting to feel guilty every time Ava uses his fake surname and he is questioning the whole development itself, but as Ava and Theo’s relationship grows, he knows he must tell her the truth of who he is, he risks losing her, but he can’t risk her finding out first!
I devoured this book in one sitting, I loved the storyline, adored not only the main characters but all of the supporting characters and the town of Coconut Beach sounds like the perfect place to have a holiday and experience a real small town.
I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book via BookFunnel and I am writing this review voluntarily

[Korkoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fate Found them their Perfect Partner -
Theo was on a reconnaissance mission to see what he could dom to convince Ava to sell her shop to him, but meeting and spending time with her changed his perspective on what he wanted out of life. Ava’s life was all about her bookstore, as she was struggling to keep it open, but she was also conscious about the fact she was still single, so she tried to find a way to resolve both issues. Even though Theo was meant to be trying everything possible to convince Ava to sell the bookstore, he found his attraction for her growing the more time together, but the guilt of keeping his identity hidden continuously plagued him.

Whilst Ava was apprehensive about getting entangled with Theo, the pull she felt towards him made dismiss all her fears and make her dreams come true, which led to them embarking on a relationship. Unfortunately, Theo’s guilt from his secret made him question his feelings for Ava, which led to him confessing the truth about everything. The outcome of Theo’s confession wasn’t a positive one and as he wasn’t prepared to lose Ava, he did everything possible to not only get her back, but also found a way to save her bookstore, as well as changing his entire life.

J. S. Cooper has definitely exceeded my expectations with this heartwarming, small town romance with an exciting twist that made the story a lot more interesting. All the characters played a major role in ensuring the story provided a worthwhile reading experience. If you are look for your next entertaining story to keep you glued to the pages for a few hours, then look no further than this captivating romance book.

I received an advanced review copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Literally Jen]

Now that we've graduated from Spooky Season to Cozy Fall Vibes, it is time to switch gears. My bestie suggested this one because it's on Kindle Unlimited, so I apprehensively agreed. I dove right in, because I have a few other books that were vibing with me more, and friends, I DNF'd at page 30.

This book should have been everything I wanted and then some for a Cozy Fall Vibe. With a Little Shop Around the Corner/You've Got Mail theme, I should have been frothing at the mouth for this one. Instead, I was cringing at the high school mentality of the female leads calling men "boys" and their intense desire to all get boyfriends this holiday season.

Enter Theo, our out-of-town "hottie," who does not hold a candle to the endearing appeal of Tom Hanks in You've Got Mail. Theo has a history of short-term situationships and no desire to settle down. And I, as the reader, am supposed to believe that Ava is going to be The One to want him to change to be a better man? Call me jaded, but men with that mentality don't easily change their ways. He also lost me when he considered throwing a book he'd just bought (but didn't want, but needed a cover so Ava wouldn't know he's the billionaire wanting to buy her shop to build a bougie hotel) into the trash.

Aside from not connecting with either MC, the writing left a lot to be desired. The dialogue felt juvenile, awkward, and forced, and there just has to be more than one way to say "long, dark, curly hair" and "short, dark, shiny hair" to describe a character's appearance.

This one clearly was not for me.

[Alison Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC, and I was so excited for this book! It was such a cute story that definitely made you feel all warm and fuzzy, like drinking a pumpkin spice anything on a crisp fall day. Ava and Theo are such great characters, and their chemistry and cute banter were so fun right from the start. Seeing their feelings grow so quickly was a nice change to fighting feelings for so long! Her relationships with her friends and family was so supportive and really helped her throughout the story. The relationship development between Ava and Theo was beautiful and the spice was really well done! I absolutely loved this book!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kinda of a whimsical type of story, a fairytale of sorts so to speak. A Hallmark type of town that big company wants to come in and put a hotel in, and the problem being needed some businesses to sell to them. You have the back and forth between small town stores and big companies, of course no love lost.There are new acquaintances, feelings involved, trying to save businesses from failing, and lies being told, or truths withheld. Great Story.

[Sonia N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love small town romances, especially by JS Cooper! This book has everything I loved about her books. Ava a struggling book-bakery owner and lover of pumpkin spice just like me!
She meets the handsome Theo and they hit it off. I was so happy for her because her grandmother was trying to match her with a date. I enjoyed the banter, the chemistry and the happily ever after! Such a fun good read for my favorite season-the fall 🍁🍂

[Tracey Troxell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this sweet and spicy romance. He is there to buy property and build a hotel. He meets her and his whole outlook changes. She is a sweet small town girl looking for her forever. Together they may have found it. Great fall read.

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book

[Joanne Bosworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

love the writing of this book. the friendships and love plot are well balanced with Ava. Bonus chapter rounds the story out nicely.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc review for a honest review in my own words on a book I read. This very cute story has Theodore coming to coconut cove and find more then what he came for.

[Kim Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I need to just close the idea of reading any JS Cooper books. They just haven’t been for me. I keep giving her books multiple chances and they’ve pretty much all have disappointed me though Aria and Arabella’s stories seem promising but I guess time will tell. I’ll keep giving this author chances because I have faith that one of her books must get good at some point, right? Or maybe I’m just hoping for something that won’t happen. As it is, I think I’ve read maybe 3-4 of her books, and all have been disappointing. This one wasn’t an exception. First off, there were hero and heroine character flaws in both Ava and Theo. Ava had this personality that was like a teenager’s. She didn’t make sense and would go off and ramble about things that didn’t add anything to the plot or story. She kept repeating things and there was no depth to it or any revelations. It felt like she was whining about being single the whole time, complaining about a girl she went to school with when she shouldn’t even be worrying about her. She held on to grudges with this girl and had this intense passion to be on the same level as her and was obsessing over making an impression than worrying about her business. On top of that, she kept complaining how she has no money and that her bookstore is going down but yet she didn’t want to do anything about it. She just went on and kept doing what she’s doing even though none of it was helping her and she was focusing on the wrong things, I’ll even say Theo was a culprit in this too. She was naive in that she thought a few events would help raise money for the store and felt strongly about not selling to a corporation but let’s face it, she needed help and was too stubborn to admit it or ask, even give in. At some point, if a dream isn’t working out for you, and you’ve tried everything to revive and make it survive but nothing comes out of it then I’d just throw in the towel, sell the place, cut you losses and find another passion. You can take the money you got from the store and invest into something else, or just save. I admire her positivity but sometimes that can only get you so far. In this case, it was used as her way of putting rose colored glasses on and thinking everything was great but was just a band aid for the issue at hand. I think she was just too innocent and overly nice to the point where I think it didn’t help her. I’ll agree with Theo on this because she was too giving and it only made her lose money. I’m not part of, or have my own business but even I know that when you give away things and make them free multiple times a day, then it’s no wonder you’re losing money. Moving on to Theo, he wasn’t as naive as her and to a degree knew what he was doing when he offered his advice to Ava regarding the bookstore. It was his motivation and attitude he had regarding Ava, her bookstore and the town that rubbed me the wrong way. He wasn’t a bad guy, but the way he goes about trying to convince her to sell was wrong. It was also his denial that annoyed me. This is what he turned to every time he tried to talk himself out of admitting having feelings for Ava and when anyone questioned him about it. Honestly, it was immature and I don’t know why he didn’t just admit he was attracted to her from the very beginning. I can understand not revealing that to his partner, especially with how callous he was being about the whole takedown but to his assistant and the way he acted like a petulant child not wanting to say anything wasn’t necessary. What is his assistant going to do? Judge him? She didn’t seem like that type. In fact, I liked her because she tried to get Theo to admit there was something he felt and was drawn to regarding Ava and wasn’t afraid to put him in his place. She did it in a motherly and nurturing way while also saying what she really felt about it. While he didn’t come out and admit anything to her, it did get him to rethink his whole operation and what was more important. Aside from that, the book felt like it was written in a choppy and unorganized way. It didn’t flow easily through the chapters, and again, it was hard figuring out who was talking, losing my interest. It had Theo and Ava’s thoughts blurring together with no break so it made it confusing to follow the conversations between Theo and Ava. I had to re-read several segments, all because I wasn’t sure whose point of view we were in and who was talking so this needed more editing. I also wish you could feel their chemistry more, because it just felt calculating and unattached, almost robotic. The passion and emotion was missing in their love making, plus their conversations were confusing and would go on tangents and include these cryptic questions. It was almost like they were figuring each other out. I guess in a way they were, but it fell short because it sounded more like a questioning you would experience at the police station and not between two people who are attracted to each other or desire each other. Ava went about it in an innocent way whereas Theo got a little bit more detailed with his desire. It honestly felt at some points one sided which was confusing. To top it off, I think this went overboard with claims of Ava being the “fall queen” and too many pumpkin spice latte mentions and the passion for them with just pumpkins in general. There is a way to have a fall theme without making it a big deal or obvious. I think this and the last book played too much into fall. I ultimately gave this a 3, because there were some moments in the story that were romantic and sweet but also the little spice we did get between Ava and Theo was a nice touch but needed more emotion. It was just ok to me, maybe even a little bit less than ok but not enough to warner a 1 or 2 rating.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is A Small Town Cozy Romance and it is Ava and Theo’s story and omg it is definitely a must read. Ava owners her own bookstore and loves everything about it but sales are getting difficult to increase and she doesn’t want to lose it too a corporation who keeps asking her too sell so with her best friends Aria and Arabella they need to come up with a plan to help not only save her business but also help all the single people get partners for The Coconut Beach Fall Festival and they hope that all there ideas work because there are not many more options. Theo had decided to go to Coconut Beach for business and he is also determined to purchase Beach Balls, Biscuits and Bookstore so that he can turn it into a hotel but as of yet he hadn’t been able to get the owner to sell it to him so now he is going in for the kill. The more time that Ava and Theo spend together the closer they become and Theo is starting to feel really bad for deceiving Ava and now everything is getting even more complicated and though at times he feels like he is also helping her out he also doesn’t know what will happen when the truth is revealed. When Ava finds out exactly who Theo is she is angry, devastated and feels betrayed so she just walks away in disgust because trust is one of her biggest issues. Will Theo end up regretting everything that he had done, only time will tell what the outcome will be for Ava and Theo especially as he could lose everything and miss out on something very special if he can’t put right what he did wrong and end up alone. Ava and Theo have a strong connection, attraction and chemistry between them which grows even more intense over time and they are so perfect together and for each other in every single way and even though they come from different backgrounds and wealth will they be able to overcome all the obstacles that is in front of them when it really matters. Wow I absolutely loved this book so much and the story pulled you in right from the start and kept your attention throughout as it was so addictive and had you turning the pages while being unable to put it down and I can’t wait to read the next book.

[Luisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

To Fall or Not To Fall by J.S. Cooper
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 Stars)
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ (2 Hot Peppers)
From the moment I started reading, I got strong “You’ve Got Mail” and Hallmark movie vibes—with a spicy twist. The story is sweet and perfectly suited for the season.
Ava, the protagonist, owns a charming bookstore in the small town of Coconut Beach. The store is facing financial difficulties, and a New York investment company wants to buy the property to turn it into a hotel. Ava is determined to save her beloved bookstore and explores every possible way to keep it afloat.
Theodore (Theo) Winston, the CEO of the investment company, arrives in Coconut Beach incognito. He quickly falls in love with the town’s charm and finds himself torn between his business goals and doing what feels right.
As in many Hallmark-style romances, Ava and Theo fall for each other. But Ava doesn’t know that “Theo Wilder” is actually “Theo Winston.” When she discovers his true identity, she struggles with feelings of betrayal and finds it hard to trust him again.
Overall, the book is engaging and heartwarming. However, at times, Ava’s good-heartedness came across as a bit naïve. I wished her charm didn’t overshadow her intelligence—especially when she didn’t question the fake name or connect the dots sooner. That felt like a flaw in the plot. Additionally, the story could have been tighter; it dragged a bit toward the end, and I started to lose interest.
Still, I’m glad I read it—and now I’m curious to see if Ava’s best friends, Aria and Anabelle, find love too.
If you enjoy Hallmark-style romances with a dash of spice, this book is definitely for you.

[Antonia Mancinelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about a fun fall into fall book. This would be the Fall book for anyone that likes romance and billionaires and a whole lot of fun not to mention friendship, this book has this and so much more. The characters are steeped in richness just like the pumpkin spiced lattes they serve!

Enter Ava who owns and operates her book store that has always been her dream! She and her friends live in Coconut Beach it's a small town that pretty much everyone comes to for a summer vaca! Ava's friends names are Aria and Arabella. I know right, try saying that ten times fast.
They all work at Ava's book store called Beachy Balls, Biscuits, & Books. Let's start the story, in walks a tall drink of water. Hot and a strange. He says his name is Theo. Long story short he doesn't tell her who he really is. They fall head over heels in love. The whole time she is trying desperately to safe her book store from a hotel developer.
When the truth does get revealed does Ava forgive Theo or does she not?
I guess you find out during the Fall Festive just like the rest of us had to oh and read J.S. Cooper's beautifully written book!

[Donna reads Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect fall romance!!!

What a wonderfully beautiful and fun grumpy billionaire small town romance.
This book will give you all the feels, it’s heart gripping.
Filled with amusing banter, and fascinating, engaging characters, you can’t help but fall for the story.

Theo and Ava story will entertain you in the best kind of way.
The instant attraction between Theo and Ava when they meet is intense and exciting.
As an owner of a quaint bookstore, Ava is unaware that Theo is there to buy her out? As their connection to one another grows he worries about telling Ava his real reason for being in town.
The chemistry between Theo and Ava is hot and steamy.
Falling for the sweet and endearing Ava wasn’t part of his schedule or plan, but Ava has successfully captured his heart.
I really enjoyed Ava’s sunny, personality and charm.

Escaping into this amusing seasonal and entertaining story was spicy and delightful.
Let yourself be captivated by Theo and Ava‘s remarkably tantalizing, emotional and heartwarming romance.

[Manisha Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is an Hallmark fall goodness. The characters Ava and Theo are very likeable and the their chemistry is great.
This story is a page turner and a great read.
This book is very lovable. Fun! Sweet steamy.
The stories about Ava is trying to save her bookstore/bakery. She loves fall just like me lol.
Theo came to Coconut Beach and fell in love with the beachtown and that's not the only thing you fell in. Love with Ava. Was that other person she has charm? He love her personality and she was a sweet, caring person who owns a bakery/ bookstore.
Ava didn't know that Theo was the investor who's trying to take her bookstore away to build his hotel. When Theo find out that Ava is the owner of the bookstore .
Can he really take something that precious from her? What can he do to make it right.
Ava hates him and don't want nothing to do with him. What can Theo do to get Ava to forgive him ? Well you'll have to find out.
I've received this free ARC book and I'm voluntary my honest review.

[Louise J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava is struggling to keep her bookstore-bakery afloat and has been fending off a faceless corporation bidding to buy her store and the rest of Coconut Beach’s main street to build a hotel which will ruin to the charm of her home town. When Theo arrives in town, she’s in full rescue mission mode, whilst also hoping to find a date for the Fall Festival who might turn out to be the love of her life. When they meet, there’s an instant spark, and Ava begins to feel hope that all her dreams will come true, but Theo’s hiding something and soon Ava’s dreams and heart are at risk of being lost. Ava’s sweetness, optimism and enthusiasm will charm you and have you rooting for all her efforts in business and love, whilst Theo’s contortions to hide his true purpose in town whilst he wrestles with emotions he hasn’t felt before will have you willing him to see the light. Prepare to be charmed by this small-town romance with sizzling banter, chemistry and steam in spades. Another great read from this author.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mona · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review: J.S. Cooper
To Fall Or Not To Fall - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 / 🌶

This is a stand-alone book from the author, which is based off the Fall Season. I enjoyed the whole festive season in the book. Its about a bookstore owner yay. The book didn't grab my attention like her other books did but this is a good read but just not for me.

Ava is a sweet and charming, book store owner who is trying to save her store from closing down or selling it to a big corporation company to convert it into a hotel.
Theo is the sexy confident, corporate big shot who wants to buy Ava's bookstore and turn it into an hotel.

After the two meet, their is an instant connection between them, and while they keep trying to deny, each of them have there own other problems to deal with. They decide to just have a fun fling and see what happens.

Have to read the book to find out what happens next.

Thank you J.S. Cooper for giving me this opportunity to read this ARC and to give my honest review.

[Jennifer Wegner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this story, it reminded me of Hallmark and Fall mixed with Extra Spice. Ava lived in a small town that was busy in the summer but slowed down during the off season. She owned a Bookstore and was trying to keep it in business, she was offered to sell the bookstore but refused and wanted to work on getting more people in her store. She later met the man of her dreams and slowly got to know him. Little did she know that he was the man trying to buy her bookstore to turn into a hotel. Theo ended up staying longer and got to know Ava more. They obviously fell for each other but he had to tell her his secret of who he really was. I could not put the book down always trying to figure out what was gonna happen next. I liked how it took place in a small town instead of always the big city to find love. Excited to read the next book in this series.

ARC Review

[Zo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small town romance. Corporate shark meets a small town girl who wants nothing to do with adding another hotel to her small town even though her bookstore cafe is doing terrible. Ava is reluctant on selling to a corporate man from New York because she does not want the charm from her town to go away. Ava comes up with a plan to attract more customers and more revenue into the store by starting a match making event at the store for singles in the town. It’s cute and adorable small town romance and charm.

While Ava does not know who Theo’s real identity is, Theo knows who she is. And somewhere along the lies Theo starts to feel guilty especially when their relationship progresses and starts to mean more to him. Not trying to lose her he does everything he can to win her back and help her not lose her bookstore cafe.

[Deb Spalding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet small-town romance between Ava, bookstore owner and Theo, hotel developer. This developer wishes to buy Ava's bookstore and other buildings in town. The story of this romance drags a bit in the middle while Theo fights feelings for Ava. Ava is very lucky to have such fun, encouraging friends, Aria and Arabella, as she navigates her interest in Theo. An investigator, Rupert, is sent to get close to Ava to encourage the sale of the bookstore. Ava is spotted standing close to Rupert in an engaging conversation. This makes Theo jealous. Will Theo make his romantic intentions known to Ava or will jealously drive him away? Another big question is whether or not the quaint bookstore will be sold to develop a hotel?

[Diana Myers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ava lives in a quaint, small town called Coconut Beach with her two friends, owns a bookstore and LOVES the Fall and pumpkin spice. Theo lives in NYC, is a billionaire and LOVES building modern, sophisticated hotels and making money. Theo wants to purchase Ava's bookstore and the surrounding building and put up a modern, sophisticated hotel in the quaint beach town. Ava and Theo are opposites. Is it true that opposites attract? This is a story of what happens when a small-town woman meets a rich, big-city man who is hiding secrets. Will Ava fall in love with the big-city man? Will Theo take Ava's bookstore away from her? Read the book and find out. BTW: J.S. Cooper has Poppy found a starring role in this book as Popsicle???

I received an ARC copy of this book.

[Megs · Rating 4 out of 5]

🍁🎃ARC Review🎃🍁

Thank you, for this ARC copy of To Fall of Not to Fall!

This had all the cozy fall vibes! With a self proclaimed “Fall Queen” Ava and her love for everything pumpkin spice, and the most cozy small town and a Fall festival for the books!

This book definitely had all the Hallmark vibes but with spice! Just like a Hallmark movie knew what was gonna happen, but it gave you all the cozy vibes so you had to read it till the end!

I loved the story line and all the characters but I loved Popsicle (Ava’s Pupper).

I’m excited to see what comes next for Coconut Beach and Ava and Theo, but also Aria and Araabella too!

Tropes:
🍁Small Town
🎃Fall Vibes
🍁Grumpy X Sunshine
🎃She Owns a Bookshop
🍁He’s a Billionaire
🎃Hidden Identity

[Penny Leidecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a great book to read about Fall, pumpkin spice anything, love, friends, small towns or just a feel good story, this is the book for you. Theo has been trying to get Ava to sell her bookstore to him and she keeps rejecting his offers. He decides to visit Coconut Beach and see if he’ll have better luck in person. He doesn’t expect Ava and her picturesque town. Then, you have have her best friends Aria and Arabella added into the mix. I loved these characters as a group and as individuals. I’m not going to leave any spoilers because I really dislike it when people spoil the story in their reviews. Grab your copy and see what happens.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Jo-Ann Forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great fall romance. Ava and Theo's story is full of mischief and a lot of fun. Ava is the owner of a struggling bookstore/cafe in Coconut Beach. When a large corporation make an offer to buy her storefront and built an hotel, she will do everything possible to stop this. Theo is the CEO of the corporation and he goes to Coconut Beach to persuade her to changer her mind and buy her out. However, he is surprised to find a sweet, captivating woman who will do everything to her others at her own detriment. Their attraction is instantaneous, fiery and he will immediately fall for the lovely young woman. What happens to his plans? How will she react when she learns the truth about who he really is? Fun, entertaining story.

[Mrs Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ava and Theo

This was a good book to kick off the fall season with. The story was fine, small town businesses (bookstore in particular) not being successful, large city buyer comes into town to purchase all the business they can to build a huge, upscale hotel. It's been done before, but the characters are what make this book. Particularly Theo. I loved how quickly he had a change of heart for not only Ava but also the whole town. Ava was living in her dreams, so I hope when she grows up she gets a little more grounded. Maybe Theo will help her out.

Thank you for the copy, this is my honest opinion. Please be aware of any trigger warnings, as your mental health is most important.

[Melissa Motes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the ultimate cozy fall romance. Ava is the owner of a Coconut Beach local bookstore, "Beach Balls, Biscuits and Books." She is also the lover of everything pumpkin spice. Ava is desperate to save her bookstore from developers out of New York City. Ava has the support of her two best friends, Aria and Arabella.

Theo is visiting Coconut Beach to close a real estate deal. Coconut Beach is nostalgic for him, because the quaint little town reminds him of his grandparents. Theo is immediately taken with Ava's friendliness and slowly develops feelings, even though he is keeping a secret.

Readers will root for Theo and Ava and fall in love with Coconut Beach and all its festivals and celebrations.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review

Who doesn't love a bit of hidden identity, add a little slow burn into the mix between
Theo, a grumpy MMC who is also a billionaire just by the way and
Ava, a sunshine FMC who owns her very own bookstore set in a small town with cozy fall vibes
I mean... Come on, how could you not want to read this?

I enjoyed this book it was sweet and fun with a touch of spice. It was an easy quick read and I adored the storyline. The friendship in the book is really special and I look forward to reading Aria and Arabella's stories

JS Cooper has a great way of writing its easy to read and the details really gave a clear picture of all the scenes. This book truly gave me the small town in a fall season vibes.