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The Maine Stop

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She’s back in the town she swore she’d left behind. He’s still the boy next door—and the best friend who knows her better than anyone. Is this the fall they finally rewrite their story?

Murphy Kennedy’s life has always had one Banks Benson. Since she was four years old, he’s been her person—the neighbor who climbed through her window, the boy who made her laugh when life felt heavy, the best friend who never let distance get in the way—even when Murphy left for Boston to chase her dream design career. But when burnout hits hard, she finds herself back in her coastal Maine hometown, moving into her grandmother’s house for one last fixing it up before it sells. Which also means… living right next door to Banks again.

Their friendship slips easily back into rhythm, but being back in Bellmere means facing the grief she thought distance would soften—the reminders of her mom woven into every corner of town. But as Murphy pours herself into reviving her grandmother’s house and bringing cozy charm to Main Street, the ache starts to shift. With Banks next door, a circle of friends reminding her what life is for, and autumn wrapping it all in golden light, she begins to see that maybe home was never something to run from, but the place she was meant to return.

Perfect for fans of Sarah Adams and Emily Henry, The Maine Stop is a charming, slow-burn, closed-door romance brimming with autumn nostalgia, small-town whimsy, and the timeless magic of finding your way back to the love that was always waiting.

Read this book for…

✔ Cozy Fall Romance
✔ Best Friends to Lovers
✔ Boy Next Door
✔ Small-Town Charm
✔ Swoony Slow Burn
✔ Clean Romance
✔ Found Family
✔ He Falls First

316 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 5, 2025

134 people are currently reading
684 people want to read

About the author

Mollie Anderson

4 books10 followers

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5 stars
228 (35%)
4 stars
235 (36%)
3 stars
151 (23%)
2 stars
21 (3%)
1 star
4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
Profile Image for KellyJ1028.
546 reviews79 followers
November 18, 2025
This book was EVERYTHING!

This book was a warm mug of cider in romcom form. Sweet, heartfelt, and just the right amount of swoony. Banks and Murphy had me smiling like a fool—loyal, tender, and full of quiet charm.

This was such a sweet story of two lifelong friends and their journey to finding each other.

The writing wrapped around me like a knit sweater, and the characters felt like old friends. Pure comfort. Pure joy. I adored it.

The Maine setting was pure bliss!

I sure hope the author is reading and makes this into a series of some sort :)

Vibe Check
Small-town charm, autumn leaves, cozy cafés, and a romance that simmers like cider on the stove.
Profile Image for peppermintandprose.
6 reviews7 followers
October 20, 2025
•───── 5/5★ ─────•

««« 𝒞ℴ𝓃𝓉ℯ𝓃𝓉 »»»
Spice: kissing only
Language: low (1 d*mn)
Content ﹢ Trigger Warnings (sᴘᴏɪʟᴇʀs!):

««« 𝒟ℯ𝓉𝒶𝒾𝓁𝓈 »»»
Genre: romance
POV: third person, single pov, dual timeline
Tropes ﹢ Themes (sᴘᴏɪʟᴇʀs!):
Age of FMC: 27 years old
Age of MMC: 27 years old
Location: bellmere, maine
Year: 2025

•─────⋅°˖✧✿✧˖°⋅─────•
Profile Image for Leah Olson.
24 reviews
November 8, 2025
This was everything I wanted in a romcom!! It was light and fun, yet also deep and real. Banks and Murphy are so sweet together. They are there for each other in thick and thin. I love the town of Bellmere and I now want to plan a fall trip to Maine. The setting was so fun, the writing was captivating, the characters were likable. I loved this.
November 16, 2025
3.75⭐️ PLEASEEE MAKE THIS AN INTERCONNECTED SERIES. I want books for the other characters so badly. But first let’s talk about this book. I found this on kindle unlimited and had never heard much of anything about it but OMG. This is the perfect read for the fall and even winter. This story felt so sweet and the writing was so comforting, the atmosphere made me want to bundle up with hot chocolate near a window while colorful leaves fall from near trees. It felt like a comfort nook to bury yourself in for a few hours. (AND DIDDD) I loved the trope in this book and the found family was amazing. This book explores grief so well and (small spoiler) the letters in this book made me tear upppp. This was a SLOWWW burn and it fit with the story so well. My only downsides were that throughout the book Murphy felt like she was the “girl best friend” stereotype and (more small spoilers) when they finally got together there was no scene where they asked each other out and I wish there was because I feel like it would have added so much moreeee. And they didn’t always seem like friends, like they were not just being friendly at some points and it felt annoying because it’s like how can you not see that friends don’t act like that?? And then all of the sudden he asked her to marry him?? I just wished there was more time between and a little more depth because whenever they finally got together we were racing. But overall I enjoyed this read and the coziness that came with it like a hot cup of coffee.

“I still expect her to be in the kitchen when I walk in. Flour everywhere, something burning in the oven, yelling that she forgot the eggs again.”

“Just let people love you, Murph.”

“Don’t run from the good stuff. Don’t talk yourself out of joy. Don’t wait for permission to live a life that fills you up.”

“You deserve the good stuff, Murph. All of it.”

“You were made to love deeply, to create beauty, to take up space in this world-and I hope you never shrink yourself to make anyone else comfortable.”
Profile Image for Jocelyn (jocelyn.reads.books).
314 reviews44 followers
other
November 9, 2025
DNF for now at page 52. I may come back to it later. But I wasn't comfortable with how their relationship starts out/how their friendship is portrayed. I personally don't believe someone should be talking to a friend of the opposite sex *every* single day while dating someone else. That's like having three people in a relationship. Also, the touchy-feely-ness while they were still "just friends" (tucking her foot under his leg when sitting together on the couch, as it was said she always does–really? Even when you both were dating other people?) and then when she goes to hug him and wraps her LEGS around him (at this point she thinks he still has a girlfriend). I'm sorry, maybe I'm being nitpicky, but I don't like that sort of thing being romanticized; no one would be okay with that in real life as one of their significant others. No wonder his last gf didn't like you.

Other than that, I was loving the setting and the fall vibes. Like I said, might come back to it later if I feel I'm in a place to ignore some of the dynamics of their "friendship."
Profile Image for Meagan Rossi.
94 reviews4 followers
October 26, 2025
I picked this up to check a Maine book off my states book list, and while it definitely gave seasonal Hallmark movie in book form vibes, I found myself loving and really relating to so much of the discussion around grief and cancer and a parent passing and healing (and really not quite so much cheese as I expected!!). I was not expecting that and I was braced once I saw the parent-with-cancer trope coming, but truly the author did it so much justice, so props to that! It gave the book a lot more depth than the cheesy autumn puns and fall scenes usually give.

The romance was yearning and fairly closed door for those who care to read for the romance. It is a single POV.

Negative points for multiple high school was the glory day scenes (meh) and I think 2 typos? But overall, a lot higher ranking than I normally give romcoms! I will come back and read the rest of the series!
Profile Image for Abbey F.
3 reviews
November 9, 2025
The most cozy, fall read that you won’t want to put down. I loved the characters and the setting of the book - seriously made me want to pack up and move to Maine ASAP. Definitely a book to add to your list if you’re wanting something that you can read while you curl up with your favorite blanket and a warm cup of tea!
31 reviews1 follower
November 22, 2025
⭐️3.5-4/5 ⭐️ for me!

This was a really cute book.

🍁 Fall Vibes
🍂Small Town Romance
🍁Friends to Lovers
🍂Slooooooow Burn
🍁Flashbacks
🍂Cute

It's a cute little story. You get flashbacks in different chapters of them during different ages in their life. This is the SLOWEST slow burn I have ever read.

Minor spoilers :

There is loss of a parent and it definitely tugged at my heart strings. Didn't make me cry BUT I did feel my chest constricting with emotions lol. I did find Murphy and Banks' relationship/friendship a little annoying.... She wraps her legs around his waist while hugging.... Friends don't do that. How could she not see it was clearly more than friendship for the both of them?!

I think it would be cute to read more books of this friendship circle though. Just saying. 👀
Profile Image for Katy Girardeau.
15 reviews
October 9, 2025
the sweetest fall romance

a story as quaint as the little Maine coastal town it’s set in. a heartfelt, slow-burn - no spice, just vibes. all i need now is some warm apple cider & a cozy sweater 🍎
Profile Image for Hannah Stalvey.
68 reviews1 follower
October 27, 2025
This was the cutest read- it had me smiling the whole time. 5 stars bc it was just that cute
80 reviews1 follower
November 1, 2025
This was just so so so cute and so so good and cozy and heartwarming and lovely 🍂🍁🍂
Profile Image for Audrah Link.
91 reviews
November 21, 2025
This was so hard for me to rate. I feel like it is nice for fall but it gave a really dragged out story:/ I felt like we could’ve had more of Banks. It was also so obvious he loved her always, no friend is that touchy feely
Profile Image for Jody.
114 reviews
November 6, 2025
Cute clean romance with depth. Loved loved loved it.
Profile Image for Emma Schissel.
127 reviews3 followers
December 9, 2025
3.75 🌟

very cute, very cozy. i love reading books that take place in maine, and this one shouted out camden! minimal spice which i think is perfect for the winter vibes.
Profile Image for Sarah Lesko.
108 reviews
November 16, 2025
This book won’t change your life but it is so cute! I loved the author’s style and both Banks & Murphy. Syrupy sweet slow burn, no spice romance & allllll the cozy fall vibes.
Profile Image for McKenzie Crockett.
402 reviews1 follower
November 24, 2025
A classic small town, neighbors and best friends since toddlerhood turned to lovers. I do think that this was one of those cases where I had a hard time believing the friendship from the start. The kind of friends who wrap legs around waists while in other relationships - ehh, just not quite realistic. And if it is… that’s a whole other problem.

I did like the dual timeline and the way that the flashbacks were a bit sporadic, unlike every other chapter or every few. It gave me just enough sense of the past while not tugging me around the entire book. I think it told enough of their story to where I understood the present. (Other than the touchy-feely of it all, of course)

Something I struggled with while reading The Maine Stop was the perception of movements and bodies. At one point, they’re spooning and he kisses the top of her head somehow, but then she ‘feels his smile against her skin.’ Her skin where? Because last I heard, he was at the top of her head. Maybe it’s a lack of understanding on my part but I came across a lot of little things like that that weren’t making sense & frustrating me to no end.

I did resonate with the author’s note when she said one of her quirks since she was young is dreaming up stories as she fell asleep and that was me as a girl, and honestly to this day. She said the story of Murphy and Banks has been in her head longer than she wants to admit and finally got to write it down. I do think that’s precious and overall it is a good story & I can tell a lot of love went into it.

I liked the cleanliness as well. No bad language & although it was full of tension and kisses, it wasn’t sexual.

My rating: 16+ - death, alcohol
Spice: 2/5
TW: cancer, hospice care, death of a parent
Profile Image for Claire.
38 reviews
October 30, 2025
2.75 stars (so close to a three star read)

I really wanted to love this book more. The found family aspect and connection between the characters really shone and made the book enjoyable. I also think that the author did a very good job of emulating grief in a real and human way. Where this book missed out for me was the relationship between our main character and her best friend (friends to lovers). The tension was definitely there, but I wished that we had seen more pushback from the mmc, especially after this girl friend zoned him more than once. I do understand her fear but I don’t like that he didn’t really acknowledge it.

I also feel like there were so many loose ends with the side characters, which makes sense since it wasn’t about them, but still. I also feel like the book read a little too YA for the characters being in their late 20s. I just wanted more complexity and depth from the dialogue and characters. I did also feel like the pop culture references could have been dialed down a tad, as well as when our main character would describe herself.

Although this wasn’t my favorite, I do want to acknowledge the beauty of the authors writing, and am curious to see how she’ll improve as she writes more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Hannah.
726 reviews72 followers
November 3, 2025
3.5 Stars.

The vibes:
- best friends
- Neighbors
- Right person, wrong time
- Fall setting
- Grief journey
- Closed door

My thoughts:
Murphy quits her soul sucking job and heads back home to Maine. The setting is fall and the descriptions of the colors and leaves were so perfect. It made me want to immediately book a flight to Bellmere, Maine.

When I hit the chapter where we start to see Murphy at various ages, showing her friendship with Banks through the years, it was a really cute surprise.

Murphy was 100% an embodiment of hurt people, hurt people. And the way she continually hurt Banks really hurt ME. Even through that, I could see why she was absolutely not ready for Banks and the love he had for her. 😭😫

There’s a grief journey involved in the plot, and it definitely becomes more and more involved as the story progresses. It added a lot of depth to the story and characters. It made me have more grace for Murphy.

Overall I think if you love a true friends to lovers plot, you will likely really enjoy this one.

Note- closed door; cancer in the plotline (side character)
Profile Image for Lenny.
77 reviews
December 30, 2025
DNFd, i thought these two were sweet and i loved the setting and how much they really care for each other. but there were so, so, so, so, so, so, so many moments that were OBVIOUSLY going to lead somewhere where they got interrupted or just stopped themselves and pretended nothing happened. like an insane amount. i like a good slow-build just as much as the next girl, especially with friends to lovers, but this was absurd. in real life it would have taken half of those moments for one of these two to crack, spoiler alert: it would be banks. it's obvious to everyone, including the FMC, that the dude is down bad. and always has been. and the FMC is frustratingly afraid to take the leap for no good reason. yes, there is the typical "i don't want to lose you" - but really girl? you didn't think about what would happen when he gets married someday to not you and you can't be all over each other anymore? not once? i don't buy it. those were the biggest issues i had with the whole dynamic, it was just redundant and over the top, but they were ultimately very sweet together from all my skimming.
Profile Image for Summer Carder.
137 reviews
November 4, 2025
Another beautiful and cozy fall romance checked off! 🤗This was such a sweet story of two lifelong friends and their journey to finding each other. I loved how the whole time you could see the Murph and Banks loved each other, it wasn’t necessarily hidden which I enjoyed. The aspect of grief once again helped this story have more depth than just a fluffy romance, which made it all the more real and enjoyable. I also felt (as frustrating it was) that Murphy reaction to her feelings was so real - the fear of losing someone close to you, especially after already losing someone close to you is something many of us face and I felt like her character depicted that well. And I just love how Banks was so solid, he was her rock. The ONLY thing I’d say I didn’t love was the ending, only because it felt a little rushed! Maybe it felt that way because of how slow burning the rest of the story was (I loved that btw) but yeah it was still super sweet, just felt so fast. Overall, this was just such a good book, highly recommend as well for this season! 🍂🧡
Profile Image for Hanna Webber.
99 reviews2 followers
November 23, 2025
This was such a cute book! I just love a friends to lovers and this one was especially sweet. Banks is an angel and I love the way he showed up for Murphy in the big ways, but especially the small ways. The story was a little hard to follow at times, just because of some minor details and there being so so so many characters!! But on the other hand, I really loved how many people there were in the friend group because it really helped add to the small town charm and the community atmosphere. I really hope we get a sequel of Del and Daphne! The flashbacks leading up to their current age was also really neat and unique, most of the time I feel like flashbacks in books are sporadic, but I liked watching them grow up and then seeing how it ties in to their current adult life. All in all, a great end to my fall reading list.
Profile Image for Lexie | read.withlexie.
10 reviews1 follower
October 24, 2025
4.5 rounded up to 5. Oh my goodness dare I say this is my favorite fall book of the year!! Murphy hasn’t spent much time in her hometown since she lost her mom, but when her grandma needs someone to fix up her home to sell, she decides it’s time for her to return. But Murphy isn’t just coming back to work on the house, she’s coming back to Banks, her best friend for forever that she may or may not have feelings for.

This closed door, slow burn romance has all the fall vibes you could ever want, think small town in Maine, fall festivals, Friday night football, apple cider, and bonfires. Best friends to lovers. Small town romance. A SHE’S THE MAN REFERENCE. I devoured this book and cannot wait for the Bellmere series to continue.
1 review
September 10, 2025
This book made my heart extremely happy! It had all the fall feels, and as a lover of the season, I couldn’t recommend this book enough. The overall feeling of it was just so warm and cozy! It brought me so much joy just placing myself in another world for a minute. It was so descriptive, I felt like I was living (or wishing I did live) in Maine while reading it, and that I was a part of this cute group of friends! It was light and refreshing, but also the friendships were vulnerable, which was a fun mix. The small town feel, Murphy’s drive and passion, the friendship that turned into love- I smiled to myself so much while reading this book, I loved it so much!
Profile Image for Ava Kcomt.
17 reviews
November 11, 2025
Good SUPER easy read. The slow burn was a tad too slow for my taste, and the ending felt quite rushed.

My favorite part of the entire book was the friend group dynamic. I was reminded of the TV show Friends and I really liked how they weaved into the story but didn't take over.

I thought Murphy and Banks were great characters, and I'd enjoy reading other parts of a series with them.

The ending felt rushed, which is why I didn't give it 5 stars, however....

Overall, good read, a tad too mushy but GREAT closed-door CLEAN read which is why it deserves such a high rating :)
Profile Image for Summer.
45 reviews
November 18, 2025
⭐️ 5/5 Stars

A Heart-Stealing Friends-to-Lovers Gem

This book absolutely stole my heart. The friends-to-lovers arc is one of my favorites, and this story delivers it with warmth, depth, and breathtaking emotion. The writing is vivid and immersive, painting scenes so clearly that it feels like you’re right there beside the characters.

Fair warning: if you’ve experienced grief, some of the lines in this book will hit powerfully and tenderly—they spoke straight to my soul.

It’s available on Kindle Unlimited, but this is one I know deserves a permanent spot on my physical bookshelf.
14 reviews2 followers
October 10, 2025
My heart is so happy after reading this book! It pulled on all of my heart strings. I laughed a lot! Wished I could be a part of this town and friend group. I cried for the first time in a while over a book. The grief Murphy experiences over her mom is so raw and real. Banks was the sweetest man alive! The side characters were great and I hope we get a story for each of them as well. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book.
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