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Autumn Heat In Cedar Falls #1
Taken By The Pumpkin Farmer
When a grumpy mountain man agrees to supply her festival, she doesn’t expect him to claim more than her pumpkins…
Event planner Tessa Langley is desperate - her business, her future, and her pride are all riding on the Cedar Falls Harvest Festival. There’s just one the only pumpkin farmer within a hundred miles is a brooding, broad-shouldered recluse who hates crowds… and city girls.
Brody Kane has three no festivals, no complications, and no getting close to anyone who can break his heart. Tessa is a walking violation of all three. But her fire, curves, and stubborn determination spark something in him he swore he’d buried for good.
Now they’re partners in business, and maybe something far more dangerous. Between stolen glances, slow-burn touches, and nights that taste like whiskey and sin, the lines between contract and connection blur.
He’s grumpy, she’s sunshine. He’s the mountain, she’s the storm. And in a town where everyone knows your business, they’ll have to decide if this fling can survive past the festival gates.
Tropes: Grumpy/sunshine, small town romance, opposites attract, forced proximity, slow burn to steamy, protective hero, strong heroine, mountain man romance, possessive hero, curvy heroine, HEA.
Event planner Tessa Langley is desperate - her business, her future, and her pride are all riding on the Cedar Falls Harvest Festival. There’s just one the only pumpkin farmer within a hundred miles is a brooding, broad-shouldered recluse who hates crowds… and city girls.
Brody Kane has three no festivals, no complications, and no getting close to anyone who can break his heart. Tessa is a walking violation of all three. But her fire, curves, and stubborn determination spark something in him he swore he’d buried for good.
Now they’re partners in business, and maybe something far more dangerous. Between stolen glances, slow-burn touches, and nights that taste like whiskey and sin, the lines between contract and connection blur.
He’s grumpy, she’s sunshine. He’s the mountain, she’s the storm. And in a town where everyone knows your business, they’ll have to decide if this fling can survive past the festival gates.
Tropes: Grumpy/sunshine, small town romance, opposites attract, forced proximity, slow burn to steamy, protective hero, strong heroine, mountain man romance, possessive hero, curvy heroine, HEA.
92 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 26, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 29, 2025
Tessa Langley is that woman—the one who keeps going when the odds are stacked, who plasters on a smile even when everything is on the line. She’s not just planning a festival—she’s planning her comeback. Her future. Her everything. And when the festival hinges on finding a pumpkin supplier, the last person she expects (or wants) to rely on is Brody Kane, a man who growls more than he speaks and seems allergic to smiling
Brody is more than a grump. He’s grief-worn, emotionally guarded, and so used to being left that he’s built walls as thick as his beard. And Tessa? She’s the storm that shakes every one of those walls loose. Their dynamic is electric in the most authentic way—grumpy vs. sunshine, yes, but also deeply human. Flawed. Honest. Real.
The slow burn between them is exquisite. Every glance, every accidental brush of fingers, the flirtation and fall vibes. Tessa’s desperation isn't just professional—it’s personal. Her pride, her worth, her belief in herself are on the line. And Brody sees that. He really sees her.
And isn’t that what we all want?
There’s a moment—one that snuck up on me—where Brody stops seeing Tessa as an interruption to his solitude and starts seeing her as a reason to step out of it. That moment broke me a little. Because sometimes the bravest thing you can do isn’t fall in love—it’s let someone in.
By the end, I was rooting not just for a successful harvest festival but for these two beautiful, broken people who found home in each other. In a world full of filtered, fast-paced romances, this one lingers. It crackles with chemistry but stays grounded in vulnerability, choice, and healing.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Brody is more than a grump. He’s grief-worn, emotionally guarded, and so used to being left that he’s built walls as thick as his beard. And Tessa? She’s the storm that shakes every one of those walls loose. Their dynamic is electric in the most authentic way—grumpy vs. sunshine, yes, but also deeply human. Flawed. Honest. Real.
The slow burn between them is exquisite. Every glance, every accidental brush of fingers, the flirtation and fall vibes. Tessa’s desperation isn't just professional—it’s personal. Her pride, her worth, her belief in herself are on the line. And Brody sees that. He really sees her.
And isn’t that what we all want?
There’s a moment—one that snuck up on me—where Brody stops seeing Tessa as an interruption to his solitude and starts seeing her as a reason to step out of it. That moment broke me a little. Because sometimes the bravest thing you can do isn’t fall in love—it’s let someone in.
By the end, I was rooting not just for a successful harvest festival but for these two beautiful, broken people who found home in each other. In a world full of filtered, fast-paced romances, this one lingers. It crackles with chemistry but stays grounded in vulnerability, choice, and healing.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 19, 2025
Tessa and Brody
TAKEN BY THE PUMPKIN FARMER is Book 1 of the August Heat in Cedar Falls series. It's a short and steamy, instalove, OTT, opposites-attract, grumpy-sunshine, curvy city girl gets her mountain man romance. Tessa is a curvy event planner from the city. She is trying to save her event planning company after her business partner took all of their funds and ran off. Brody is a hunky, grumpy, reclusive pumpkin farmer who was also hurt by his ex-wife three years ago when she ran off with their savings and her personal trainer. When Tessa approaches Brody about hosting a pumpkin festival, he rudely shoots her down. She leaves with her hopes dashed, but he ends up reconsidering. The two end up working together and the attraction just continues to build until they give in. Things get hot and steamy, but they are both scared. Can Brody convince her to stay? These two had such great chemistry. It was beautiful to see these two broken people start to heal each other, and the ending was so happy. I loved this one so much.
TAKEN BY THE PUMPKIN FARMER is Book 1 of the August Heat in Cedar Falls series. It's a short and steamy, instalove, OTT, opposites-attract, grumpy-sunshine, curvy city girl gets her mountain man romance. Tessa is a curvy event planner from the city. She is trying to save her event planning company after her business partner took all of their funds and ran off. Brody is a hunky, grumpy, reclusive pumpkin farmer who was also hurt by his ex-wife three years ago when she ran off with their savings and her personal trainer. When Tessa approaches Brody about hosting a pumpkin festival, he rudely shoots her down. She leaves with her hopes dashed, but he ends up reconsidering. The two end up working together and the attraction just continues to build until they give in. Things get hot and steamy, but they are both scared. Can Brody convince her to stay? These two had such great chemistry. It was beautiful to see these two broken people start to heal each other, and the ending was so happy. I loved this one so much.
August 25, 2025
She is looking for a venue to save her company and he wants to be left alone. Tessa, the event planner for the Cedar Falls Harvest Festival, is at the Kane Pumpkin Farm to offer him a wonderful opportunity to showcase his farm. But Kane is adamant that he is not interested and he does not do festival. As he watches her leave, he can’t help but feel an attraction towards her. When he conducts some research on her, he finds what the desperation in her voice was all about and convinces himself to help her. As they work together as partners, the chemistry between them grows but they are afraid of the outcome. Join Tessa and Brody as they work through their feelings, their fears and their decisions that could change their life. Can Brody show her that taking chances are worth the risk? Great heart-warming story. Highly recommend.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 21, 2025
Taken by the Pumpkin Farmer by Maya McKenna is the perfect fall-vibes mountain man romance.
Tessa is hitting a rough patch, and her entire livelihood hinges on convincing Brody—the brooding pumpkin farmer—to partner with her on a fall festival. Brody’s answer is an immediate no: he doesn’t do festivals, he doesn’t do crowds, and he definitely doesn’t do business with beautiful women who make him feel things he swore off years ago.
But when he learns more about Tessa, he sees a kindred spirit—someone just as broken as he is. As the two work together to bring the festival to life, tension simmers against a backdrop of crisp autumn air and warm coffee. The real question is: what happens when the festival ends? Will Tessa return to Denver… or will she—and her heart—stay in the small town of Cedar Falls forever?
Tessa is hitting a rough patch, and her entire livelihood hinges on convincing Brody—the brooding pumpkin farmer—to partner with her on a fall festival. Brody’s answer is an immediate no: he doesn’t do festivals, he doesn’t do crowds, and he definitely doesn’t do business with beautiful women who make him feel things he swore off years ago.
But when he learns more about Tessa, he sees a kindred spirit—someone just as broken as he is. As the two work together to bring the festival to life, tension simmers against a backdrop of crisp autumn air and warm coffee. The real question is: what happens when the festival ends? Will Tessa return to Denver… or will she—and her heart—stay in the small town of Cedar Falls forever?
January 5, 2026
This one was kind of odd. It started with Tessa trying to source over a thousand pumpkins from Brody’s farm for an upcoming harvest festival, and then suddenly the festival was being held on the farm, with all of the locals contributing, and everyone basically singing Kumbaya.
It was very much like when a sitcom family would enter the talent contest to save their house/dog/the whales, in that this festival was the deciding factor in whether Tessa’s event planning business would survive. Predictable.
Book is SAFE.
Heat is open door, but totally NON-EXPLICIT. Mostly alluded to the act rather than going into great detail. I have to say, this was the one decision by the author that I agreed with.
NO TRIGGERS.
TROPES included Grumpy x Sunshine, Instalove, Fish Out of Water, Small Town.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It was very much like when a sitcom family would enter the talent contest to save their house/dog/the whales, in that this festival was the deciding factor in whether Tessa’s event planning business would survive. Predictable.
Book is SAFE.
Heat is open door, but totally NON-EXPLICIT. Mostly alluded to the act rather than going into great detail. I have to say, this was the one decision by the author that I agreed with.
NO TRIGGERS.
TROPES included Grumpy x Sunshine, Instalove, Fish Out of Water, Small Town.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 27, 2025
This is a short, sweet story about two people who have been used, hurt by others. they have isolated themselves so they're never taken by others again.
Brody Kane was married but his ex was more interested in becoming the next reality star. she took half of everything from his pumpkin farm. For the past 3 years he's not allowed anybody in his life professionally or personally. He won't trust another woman to hurt him.
Tess Langley~ Trying to rebuild her crumbling, Events business from going bankrupt due to her Ex business partner & lover. Who stole all the revenue from the company. She has to convince Kane farms to have a festival on his pumpkin farm. Can Tess get thru to the cold & angry man to accomplish her professional goals & save her business from ruin? Read the sweet story!
Brody Kane was married but his ex was more interested in becoming the next reality star. she took half of everything from his pumpkin farm. For the past 3 years he's not allowed anybody in his life professionally or personally. He won't trust another woman to hurt him.
Tess Langley~ Trying to rebuild her crumbling, Events business from going bankrupt due to her Ex business partner & lover. Who stole all the revenue from the company. She has to convince Kane farms to have a festival on his pumpkin farm. Can Tess get thru to the cold & angry man to accomplish her professional goals & save her business from ruin? Read the sweet story!
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September 14, 2025Taking the Big Risks
Tessa's almost bankrupt and on her last chance since her partner embezzled their business away, she has to make this Harvest Festival a success but she can't do it without Brody's pumpkin farm. Brody has lived as a recluse on his farm since being burned by his ex wife, he doesn't want a city girl and her festival idea in his life but there is something about Tessa, when he learns her story he decides to hear her pitch and once he does he agrees to help with the festival. These two work closely and are soon crossing lines but are they willing to take the big risks to be together for the long haul in this engaging read.
Tessa's almost bankrupt and on her last chance since her partner embezzled their business away, she has to make this Harvest Festival a success but she can't do it without Brody's pumpkin farm. Brody has lived as a recluse on his farm since being burned by his ex wife, he doesn't want a city girl and her festival idea in his life but there is something about Tessa, when he learns her story he decides to hear her pitch and once he does he agrees to help with the festival. These two work closely and are soon crossing lines but are they willing to take the big risks to be together for the long haul in this engaging read.
September 10, 2025
Tessa is in charge of the Cedar Falls Harvest Festival, but she has hit a snag. Pumpkins. She needs to find someone who can provide the pumpkins, but when her only solution is the grumpy pumpkin farmer Brody, she is not sure if she will be able to make it happen in time. When Tessa first comes to him, his walls stay up, but when he looks more into why she needs his help, he begrudgingly agrees, which starts this slow burn romance that they both needed. I loved this fall short read, and I look forward to more in the Autumn Heat In Cedar Falls series.
October 10, 2025
“Taken by the Pumpkin Farmer” by Maya McKenna
-A slow-burn, grumpy-sunshine romance that’s cozy, steamy, and full of heart. I received a free copy and am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts.
Tessa’s determination meets Brody’s guarded solitude in a charming small-town fall setting. Their chemistry sizzles as trust and tenderness bloom between them.
A heartwarming, pumpkin-spiced love story perfect for crisp autumn nights. A timely read for the Fall.
-A slow-burn, grumpy-sunshine romance that’s cozy, steamy, and full of heart. I received a free copy and am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts.
Tessa’s determination meets Brody’s guarded solitude in a charming small-town fall setting. Their chemistry sizzles as trust and tenderness bloom between them.
A heartwarming, pumpkin-spiced love story perfect for crisp autumn nights. A timely read for the Fall.
September 16, 2025
Tessa is a stubborn city girl who wants his pumpkins.
Brody is a farmer who wants her gone.
It all starts as business partners, but soon they become life partners.
I liked this book because it is sweeter than others I have read by this author. And the chemistry between the characters is believable.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Brody is a farmer who wants her gone.
It all starts as business partners, but soon they become life partners.
I liked this book because it is sweeter than others I have read by this author. And the chemistry between the characters is believable.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 29, 2025
An event planner on her last legs goes to the country and tries to convince a grumpy pumpkin farmer to let her use his farm for a fall festival. Once bitten by a ‘city girl’ he refuses. This is her last chance or her business will collapse and he recognizes desperation and finally agrees. Sparks fly!
September 2, 2025
Great romance book with some really romantic and fun characters to read about. This book makes me ready for Fall weather. This is definitely a story you are going to love reading from cover to cover and the ending is AWESOME.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews