The Cherry Crush Flower Shop

Maple Falls #3

by Harper Graham

A totally uplifting and addictive cozy small-town romance

Their relationship is fake… The chemistry is not!

A small-town girl with the coziest flower shop and a secret crush. A dark, rugged veteran with scars only she can see. Could fake dating turn into happily ever after?

Zoe Hart is right where she in the small town of Maple Falls, running her snug flower shop filled with the scent of rain-soaked earth, dried herbs, and spiced tea. But her oldest friend (and secret crush) Jackson is back too. And most of all, she longs to be in his strong arms. So when her hopelessly romantic mom bets on them being Maple Falls' Couple of the Year, Zoe finds herself fake-dating the friend-zoned guy she’s always wanted…

When Jackson returns from military service, even working on his llama sanctuary can’t heal him. But Zoe is the only person who can truly make him smile. He’d do anything for her… even pretend to be dating. There’s nothing fake about his feelings as he crushes his lips to hers. But there’s no way she’d really want a broken man like him, would she?

All eyes are on them as the town prepares to vote for Couple of the Year. But when they discover a grove carpeted with long-lost flowers that shimmer like moonlight, real sparks fly. Will their make-believe romance bloom into true love forever?

Snuggle in with a steaming mug and a novel that feels like a hug on a crisp day. This cozy small-town romance is brimming with steamy romance and heartwarming, feel-good charm. Perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls, Laurie Gilmore, Emily Henry, and all things cozy + spicy.



Steamy + cozy

Small Town Romance

Friends to Lovers

Second chances/new beginnings

Fake dating

Military

Slow-burn

Spicy

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Rom Com, Friends To Lovers, Fake Dating

318 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 5, 2026

Reviews

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW TO COME😍🍒💗!!!!!!!!

🍒🌷🌺A flower girl and a veteran🍒🌷🌺!!!!!!!!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

°•. ✿ .•° Home is where the heart is, and for Zoe Hart, her heart belongs to her beloved town of Maple Falls, where she runs a flower shop. What’s also great is that her childhood best friend and long-time crush, Jackson, is back and continues to make her heart skip a beat, even though she stays in the friend zone. But when her mom nominates Zoe and Jackson for Couple of the Year at the Spring Festival and bets a lot of money on them, Zoe and Jackson feel like they have no choice but to pretend they are in a relationship. It would mean nothing to Zoe if her stomach didn’t flutter every time she caught Jackson looking at her for a beat too long…

Back from military service, Jackson tries to keep himself busy by working on his llama sanctuary to ignore the noises in his head. But nothing works, except for Zoe’s calming presence and bright smiles. Although he longs to be with her, Jackson feels like he’s too broken to be with someone as special as his best friend. But it’s as if fate is working in his favor when he and Zoe search for a mysterious and magical meadow flower while trying to convince everyone in town that they are dating, which isn’t hard for Jackson because being with Zoe is what he’s always wanted. But will he be able to allow himself to heal not only her, but also himself and their future?

✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧

°•. ✿ .•° This book was a nice read, but it also pissed me off towards the end. I swear, there must be something in my water because why am I so edgy about characters recently? 😅 I’ll explain why after I start with some positivity, because who doesn’t love positivity?

Omg, can I move to Maple Falls, please? It sounds so magical, so cute, and literally the perfect place to live out my dream of being a Gilmore Girl, even though I have never watched the show. Let me live a little! 😭😂 To be honest, I don’t think I would like the nosy neighbors and friends that snoop “because they care,” but I’m willing to overlook it if I get to live in a cute town. Besides, they were good people, and I really enjoyed the side characters. I haven’t read the other books in the series (go figure 😏), but I wasn’t confused about who was who, nor did I feel like I was missing information that the previous stories had.

Also, the first half of the book was great. I was intrigued, interested, and rooting for the characters. Out of the two main characters, Zoe was my favorite because she was really sweet and cool, but my heart broke for Jackson. I can’t imagine what it was like to endure what he went through, and it always brings tears to my eyes when I think about what our servicemen and women have gone through for our country. 😭

The ending was also good, but it was ruined by the fact that I don’t think the characters should be together. Look, I love the whole “will they, won’t they” thing in books, but if you are going to play with my emotions like that for the ENTIRE story, you’ve got another thing coming. At that point, I stopped caring. I’m surprised Zoe and Jackson didn’t just call it quits because one second they are all over each other, and then the next, Jackson is running away and leaves Zoe scratching her head, wondering what went wrong. Oh, no, sir. Absolutely not. I get why you are scared and why you want to protect Zoe from your demons, but making her confused about where you stand is not okay. I would have been fine if they just stayed friends, which is something I never say when it comes to the friends-to-lovers trope. Yes, they were cute together. Yes, they got their problems sorted out. But the back and forth was just too aggravating.

Oh! What also ticked me off was them, you guessed it, NOT COMMUNICATING! It wasn’t as bad as the last book I read (I’m looking at you Maybe This Once), but I do not appreciate hypocrisy. Zoe wanted Jackson to talk to her about his struggles, right? It’s hard for him because not only is it hard to be vulnerable and talk about his trauma, but he’s a guy, and most men aren’t exactly the best at sharing their emotions. But when it comes time for Zoe to communicate what’s on her mind, she’s silent and puts it off until I’m about ready to throw my phone down a canyon! I thought they were friends! Why is it so hard for them to talk to each other? They don’t have any trouble staring at each other, or kissing, or doing the deed, but God forbid they have to actually talk to each other about their feelings. I’m literally so confused. Can someone make it make sense, please, I’m begging you.

But other than that, they weren’t too bad. 😂 The romance was sweet (I guess), and I’m glad it ended the way it did (I guess). I mainly liked the book for the cute, small-town vibes, the citizens of Maple Falls, and the mystery surrounding the meadow flower. That was definitely my favorite part! 🤭🫶🏼

Overall, this was an okay read. I still had a good time and smiled as steam blew out of my ears. I’m wondering if I’ll like the previous books in the series since I haven’t read them before reading this one. Go figure. 😏 I guess there’s only one way to find out!

❁ Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. The book is now available! ❁

❗Content Warnings❗
Mentions trauma & PTSD.
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Yes (🌶🌶🌶.5/5)

[ashlyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

set the cherry crush flower shop on fire. my eyeballs didn’t deserve to be tortured with the miscommunication trope🫩

thank you Alyssa for suffering with me!🫂💕

[Alyssa Nieves · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 underwhelming and boring star ⭐️

I went in expecting this to be a cute, fluffy read but instead got boring, bland garbage. This had absolutely no substance at all. Hardly any character development and the romance felt nonexistent and just so bland. The MMC also annoyed me so much with his miscommunication and the way he treated the FMC. They were both acting like children instead of grown adults. I’ve read other fluffy books similar to this one and enjoyed them so I’m very disappointed this didn’t hit the same way. MAYBE this is good if you want a really easy and quick read, but definitely nothing memorable.

(also more than half of the book involves them trying to find a missing flower and I couldn’t care less)

thank you to my bestie ash for reading this with me!! we suffered together

[❀ Tia ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

| ARC REVIEW | 🎧 ~ Audiobook

Publication Date: 10th Feb 2026

★ 3.75 ★

This is my first taste of the Maple Falls world, and although this is the third book in the series, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that each book can be read as a standalone.

First and foremost, I'm going to address the elephant in the room, and the reason that I was initially hesitant to start this series. This series has some very obvious similarities to Laurie Gilmore's Dream Harbor series. Now this isn't necessarily a bad thing for those who love small town romances (I for one, absolutely do). However, some of the similarities between the two series made me raise an eyebrow. For example, in Laurie Gilmore's book The Pumpkin Spice Café, the male main character has a rescue alpaca, whereas in this book, Jackson has a llama sanctuary. Both fun, minor additions to the story and not that big of a deal, and I know that there's no such thing as a completely original idea, but it did make me feel that some elements were a bit too copycat-like. I would be lying if I said that this book broke moulds with its creativity.

Howeverrrr, I'm so glad that I didn't let these similarities deter me from picking up this arc! Despite them, I still found this book very enjoyable in its own right. It was a fun, feel-good story filled with wholesome yet spicy chemistry, a sprinkle of adventure, a good ol' serving of yearning, and an abundance of cosy, small-town spirit all wrapped up in a beautiful, springtime bow.

Harper Graham's language and writing style is right up my alley! I was instantly hooked and will absolutely be reading more of this series. I'm 100% an autumn/winter girly, but the detailed descriptions of the surroundings and the springtime vibe made me rather excited for Spring and all the new beginnings that season brings: the longer days, and the rebirth of nature.

This book did touch on some heavy topics — specifically Jackson's PTSD and Zoe's infertility, and these were handled in a sensitive manner. But I really wished that these topics had been explored more deeply in order to allow for a more comprehensive understanding of Jackson and Zoe's past and present, instead of only really seeing them from a surface level.

I enjoyed the plot and found Zoe and Jackson a sweet couple, but despite having known each other for years, I couldn't help but think that their relationship felt kind of superficial and left me craving for a deeper connection between the two of them. Again, I feel this connection could have been elevated if they had communicated about their personal struggles and the sensitive topics mentioned above a bit more. By allowing themselves to be a little more vulnerable around each other, I would've found the relationship less superficial.

Although this book is predominantly a romance book, I thought that the adventure-driven subplot which focused on Jackson and Zoe's mission to rediscover the town's rare (potentially extinct) flowers was a captivating addition to the storyline. To be honest, I found myself more absorbed in that aspect of the book than the actual romance and would've loved for it to have been dragged out a little longer.  

The narrator, Andi Eloise, was in my opinion, fantastic! Her vocal range, tone and expressions were very enjoyable and kept me engaged throughout the entire audiobook. Her impressions of male characters were not in any way cringeworthy, unlike some other voice actors I've encountered, and she had the perfect blend of enthusiasm, clarity and emotion which all made for a fun and engaging listening experience.

Overall, I recommend this book if you love feel-good friends to lovers romances, fake-dating, and small-town vibes. I will definitely be reading more of this series, and will also keep a look out for more books narrated by Andi Eloise. This was a great audiobook!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Graham, and Bookouture Audio for gifting this audiobook in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

[Emma.catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am back in Maple Falls 🍁 Actually, let’s be honest: I never left…This was been a very enjoyable binge-worthy series so far and I am pleased to be entering spring along side my favourite characters 🌼🌷🌿

The Cherry Crush Flower-shop was yet another very addictive, and uplifting read. This third instalment of the Maple Falls series focuses on Zoe and Jackson. Their relationship may be fake..but their chemistry is not! 💖✨

This may be a fake-romance story but it is by no means JUST that. This story is about facing and living with past trauma, and learning to trust that you can be loved just the way you are 😌 This story held a particularly important message for me, being a fellow PTSD warrior, and Harper portrayed the true raw feelings in a very realistic way.

"You don’t have to carry it all by yourself. That’s what love is, honey. Being willing to be seen. Even in the hard times.” ❤️‍🩹

Once again, Harper impressed me with her easy, smooth flowing narrative, her detailed descriptions of the surroundings, and all the spring vibes 🌱 I love spring as it is but this story settled nicely into my soul, making me rather excited for the coming months full of new beginnings, longer and brighter days, and the rebirth of nature.

This story was a little different to the previous two. It had more depth and emotion, touching on difficult topics such as PTSD and infertility. However, Harper struck a perfect balance between the heavy and lighter topics. To balance out the challenges, she included some of my favourite tropes including:
- Best-friends to lovers
- Fake dating
- A mystery element
- Small-town charm/close knit community vibes
- New beginnings

Zoe, the flower shop girl, and her childhood best friend, Jackson, a handsome veteran, fake a relationship to help out Zoe's mom...only nothing is fake about the way they feel about each other. Romance has been simmering for the past 20 years - is it finally their time or will past traumas be too much?

Zoe was such a sweet, understanding soul. She is a typical small-town girl, having lived in Maple Falls most of her life. She brings the sunshine and fun ☀️ However, I loved that there was more to her than a cheery exterior. She has faced difficulties regarding infertility but wants nothing more than a family. I would have liked to explore this further but sadly the book just wasn’t long enough…I adored her adventurous, wild nature though. She made me excited for the coming months 🌱

Jackson is without a doubt my favourite MMC of the series so far. I connected with his story deeply and he felt the most realistic. Furthermore, I felt that he played a bigger role in the overall story than some of the other males. I loved his caring, protective nature and his love of animals. Especially the llamas 🦙 - I want a Llama farm now too 😂 He cared for them, as they cared for him; soothing his broken soul ❤️‍🩹 He was obviously still holding a lot of hurt, but he would do anything for Zoe.

“Everything you’ve done—for the country, for the farm, for your family. For me. You show up, Jackson. That matters.” 🥰

I LOVED Jackson and Zoe’s love for each other. It felt so natural in a way most romance novels don’t. It really captured the true essence of childhood sweethearts to lovers and I fully believed they would work through their difficulties together. Furthermore, I am pleased to say that little by little Harper’s MMCs are getting better at communicating 😅 They still have a way to go but compared to Zach and Maddie in book 1, the miscommunication trope is fading into the background and the lines of communication are becoming clearer. And finally, I loved this couples missions they went on together - particularly finding the mythical flower that hasn’t been seen in decades…

“Finding the Moonlight Kiss flower… It was like finding proof that hope comes back, even when you think it’s gone.” 👣🪻✨

Overall, this was a really feel good, uplifting springtime read. It had everything from PTSD to woodland adventures, and even some kittens. While it was a fake-dating novel, I like to think of it more as a childhood sweethearts to lovers story. The fake relationship allowed them to finally give in to the years of pent-up love 💖 I look forward to the next book coming in June 🙇🏻‍♀️

"And in the center of Maple Falls, with the town cheering, blossoms drifting, and the future blooming bright before them, Zoe finally let herself believe that some kinds of love really were enchanted. And theirs had just begun to bloom." 💘✨🌱

4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

[нuѕηαн .✦ ݁˖ [INACTIVE-EXAMS] · Rating 3 out of 5]

‧₊˚ ┊Review contains spoilers

⤷ Rating : 3.5 ✰

⤷ Plot : Zoe and Jackson has been best friends for ages, and for a good part of their lives, Zoe have had a crush on Jackson. But after the war, Jackson is no longer the same. He is suffering from severe PTSD and wanted to keep Zoe in the friend zone. One day, Zoe’s mother saw them hugging each other and went on telling the whole town these two have been dating, to the point of even betting her vacation funds on them to be the best couple of Maple falls. So Zoe and Jackson had to fake date and w2in best couple so Zoe's mom could recover her funds.

⤷ Thoughts : This book has been a very dangerous read. Why, you may ask? Well it makes me want to quit the corporate world, move to a small town, open a bookstore, with my besties each opening their coffee shop, bakery and their flower shop with everyone watching out for you. But alas, that's wishful thinking.
Anyway, The Cherry Crush Flower shop has been a warm, cute and fun read. There is just something special about friends to lovers. Like Zoe and Jackson have known each other for 20 years, they know when each other are happy, are stressed or need a break. They both have been pinning for each other. Like both of them knew they would always be a safe space for each other.

Despite this being a light read, I loved the fact the author included emotional and heavy issues. Jackson has been back from war and since then he hasn't been the same. He had a lot of emotional baggage, he couldn't be in crowded space and surprise noises ticked him off. He suffered from severe PTSD. Now, I do have something that bothered me a lot. While Jackson and Zoe were fake dating, obviously they had to act convincing to the town, so touching, hugging and kissing were in order. But Jackson used this excuse to keep kissing Zoe and whenever Zoe would asked him if they were still pretending or faking it, Jackson would pull away and be like "You deserve a whole man" - "I have too many ghosts" - to which Zoe would give him space and they both would agree they must not be left alone together. THEN JACKSON COULDN'T KEEP HIS HANDS TO HIMSELF AND WOULD GO ON KISSING ZOE AGAIN, HE'D BE LIKE "Let me love you" - "I am going to surrender" AND THEN HE WOULD PULLED BACK AGAIN AND BE LIKE "I don't know if I'll ever be the man you need"

Like bruh, Zoe never asked you to be perfect. She just wanted you to let her in, she wanted to help you. I absolutely hated this hot and cold that Jackson had going on. BUT eventually he realised and came around. I am glad he agreed to go to therapy for his PTSD.

Now, second issue- Zoe had fertility problems where her FSH level has been low, and doctor told her if she wanted to have a family she start planning sooner. So when Jackson has been playing his to love Zoe or not game, Zoe had an appointment with a fertility clinic. After she and Jackson started dating for real, she just Jackson if he wanted kids and nothing was mentioned about the fertility problems or the appointment.

All in all - this has been a comfort read with no 3rd act breakup and the town never knew about them fake dating; cute all around.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

𓇢𓆸 Pre-read 222°･ ✿

Whee!! My first ARC ever - Thank you Bookouture, the author Harper Graham and NetGalley for the ARC ˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

[Meilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cherry crush flower shop was such a good book. This was my first read by Harper Graham and I loved It . I’m adding the rest of the series to my Tbr . This book was a cozy, & romantic book.
It’s about Zoe who owns a flower shop & her child hood friend Jackson who returns back from the service. They find themselves in a fake dating situation and things begin to change between the two. Don’t let this cute little cover fool you the spice is real In this book 😜🥰. I’m sucker for small town romance and highly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by Harper Graham !!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Netgallery for Alc for my honest review ❤️

[AmdynReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️
This is a story about facing fears, overcoming past trauma, and trusting that someone can love you just the way you are, broken parts and all.

A flower shop owner, Zoe, and her best friend since childhood, Jackson, a dark rugged veteran, have to fake a relationship to help out Zoe’s mom… only nothing is fake about the way they feel about each other.

What to expect:
🌸 best friends to lovers
🌕 fake dating
💐 working together to solve a town/ floral mystery
🪻working through ptsd
🌷 small town (all up in their business)
🌺 slow burn but the fantasies they thought about each other weren’t slow 👀
🌹second chance/ new beginnings

Spice rating: 3.5🌶️ out of 5
This was spicer than I expected or prefer. I did fast forward some scenes but they weren’t multi-chapters long or anything.

This was a sweet and emotional contemporary romance, mostly predictable but satisfying love story. I did not realize it was book 3 of a series (Maple Falls) but other than side mentions of the other couples, I didn’t feel lost. I do want to go back and read the other stories now as well.

🎙️Narration Style: solo by Andi Eloise. She did a great job and I had to think for a second if there was a male narrator because she was fabulous!
Audio production was perfect as well.
🎧 Thank you Bookouture Audio & NetGalley for this ALC. All opinions are my own.
🗓️ Publication date: February 9, 2026

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[Michaela | bumblebeeslibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cherry Crush Flower Shop is book 3 in the Maple Falls series

In this story we read about Zoe and Jackson, and how a seemingly innocent hug turns into a town-wide gossip, fake dating adventure.

After Zoe's mom "caught" Zoe and Jackson sharing a friendly hug, she jumped to the conclusion they were dating, and went and bet all her money on them winning the Maple Fall's couple of the year. In a panic, because Zoe knows her mom doesn't have a lot of money, she confirms that her and Jackson are dating...and hopes Jackson will agree to fake date her so they can win. Unbeknownst to either Zoe or Jackson, they both have had a crush on each other for years, but have kept it hidden not wanting to lose each others friendship. With Jackson navigating his PTSD, Zoe worrying about her own personal time clock, and a treasure hunt for a mysterious fabled flower, how long can Zoe and Jackson "fake" date each other before their real feelings come to light?

I thought the hunt for the Moonlight Kiss flowers was such a fun part of the story, as the reader I was excited to follow along as Zoe kept uncovering clues to this lost flower's location. And what a perfect way for Zoe and Jackson to get closer! Out in the wilderness, by themselves, looking for this hidden "treasure." I enjoyed how characters from the previous books would make appearances, and all the chocolates and flowers in this story make everything seem so friendly in Maple Falls. Zoe and Jackson have some start/stop action as they blur the lines between fake dating, and the real chemistry that they feel for each other.

I have to say my favorite character in this story is Zoe's cat Whiskers, who likes to knock things over, snuggle into clothes that aren't hers, and even has a fun surprise near the end of the story. The spring vibes in those story are dreamy, and you can just imagine smelling all the flowers in the Cherry Crush Flower Shop, as Zoe makes her fancy arrangements.

This was my least favorite book in the series so far though. I did get a bit annoyed with the starting and stopping that Jackson kept doing to Zoe, and their "fake" dating didn't really have any angst or excitement, they kind of immediately jumped into some sort of not fake or real dating. I also just thought their characters kind of fell flat, and I was more excited to see which character will be in the next story.

I did love coming back to Maple Falls and all the shops and other characters, I look forward to the next one!

Some fav quotes:
"Zoe told herself to look away, to stop staring, but it was useless. Jackson had been her best friend since forever, and her daily test in emotional restraint."

"Because he'd rather break his own heart a hundred times over than hurt Zoe once."

"Nothing bad could possibly come of pretending to date the man she'd secretly loved for twenty years. Right?"

"She felt her breath quicken as she watched him. He wore dark jeans and a fitted charcoal T-shirt that left nothing to the imagination."

"The Maple Leaf Cafe smelled like strong coffee, sizzling bacon, and warm bread fresh from the oven."

"Jackson had been through storms and fire, lost friends and years. But nothing had ever undone him quite like this woman sitting across from him..."

"Jackson smiled to himself. Tonight's fake date was quickly turning into something dangerously real."

"The kiss wasn't tentative. It was heat and hunger."

"He wasn't sure if it was madness or love, or if there was a difference anymore. He didn't care as long as they were together."

Thank you so much to Bookouture, Netgalley, and the author for a copy of this book!

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this a little too good to be true and a little obvious what wad going to happen in the end. It was an easy read but, just a little too sweet and fluffy for my tastes.

[Readwithri · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC, I need to collect my thoughts.
It was so good to back in this world again and catching up with with all the locals.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zoe and Jackson are childhood besties.
Zoe is the local florist, and proud of it. She has always loved small town Maple Falls, it's habitants and everything that comes with it
When Jackson returns from the military to work on his family's Llama farm, he's missing his spark for life, but being around Zoe reignites a flame that has always been alive.
An innocent hug between the two besties leads Zoe's mum to speculate about the two dating, finally. Zoe's mum is so overwhelmed with excitement she spreads a white lie around the town, about Zoe and Jackson dating.
Zoe's mother decides to bet her retirement fund on Zoe and Jackson winning "Couple of the Year" contest at the Spring Festival. Not wanting to let her mum down, Zoe and Jackson agree to fake date. (No, of course).

Both have had a crush on each other since they were kids. Neither one knows their feelings are mutual. Will they finally find the courage within themselves to bring their truth into the light.

This is a fast paced, easy read, small town romcom that has all the cute vibesss and the perfect dash of spice 🌶️😜.
Perfect autumn read to company with a hot brew, beside the fire - or a travel companion.

Gilmore Girls, Laurie Gilmore, Emily Henry, Tessa Bailey.

Andi Eloise does such an amazing job of creating an immersive experiencing for listeners.
The voice was fitting for the characters ages.
I find that in some audios the female sounds like an adolescent yet the character is a mature lady in her mid 20s. That's not the case with Andi who also did the narration for the previous books.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the arc and audio.

[vioreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 of my 24 hour readathon 📚 I love this series so much - it’s everything I wanted the dream harbour series to be. I definitely need some spice with my cosiness 🥰 Video review -> https://www.tiktok.com/@vioreads/vide... 💖

[Eva ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sterren: 3,5 🌟
Pagina’s: 332
Spice: 2,5/5

In De Cherry Crush-bloemenwinkel volgen we Zoe en Jackson. Zoe en Jackson zijn al vrienden sinds hun kindertijd en ze zijn ook al jaren stiekem verliefd op elkaar. Als ze elkaar op een dag vriendelijk omhelzen wordt dat door Zoe’s moeder anders opgevat. Zoe’s moeder geeft Jackson en Zoe op voor het lenteliefdesstel van het jaar en zet er zelfs geld op in. Zoe en Jackson gaan een fake relatie aan, voornamelijk vanwege de hoeveelheid geld die er op hun is ingezet. Ondertussen gaan ze ook nog op missie om een speciale bloem, die jaren is weggeweest, terug te brengen naar Maple Falls. Kunnen ze de relatie fake houden of werkt alle samenwerking die ze hebben hun daarin tegen?

Ik vond dit boek erg schattig en leuk om te lezen. De manier waarop het boek geschreven is zorgde er wel voor dat ik echt even moest inkomen. Het is in de 3de persoon, alwetende verteller geschreven. Alsnog lazen sommige zinnen heel raar en stonden er veel taal- en spelfoutjes in het boek. Erg jammer en het zorgde ervoor dat het moeilijk weglas. Het plot vond ik wel erg leuk! Hoe Jackson en Zoe het hele dorp meenamen in hun fake relatie en iedereen geloofde het ook. Ik vond de sidequest met het vinden van de Moonlight Kiss echt een magisch randje hebben. Het was heel mooi om te zien dat de hele stad geobsedeerd was door de zoektocht die Jackson en Zoe hadden en iedereen was ook bereid om hun ieder stukje informatie te verschaffen die ze maar konden vinden. Het was echt qua seizoen perfect om nu te lezen, de lente straalt van het boek af. Ik ga de andere boeken uit deze serie ook lezen, maar door de manier waarop het is vertaald ga ik die wel in het Engels lezen. Per seizoen het seizoensgebonden boek lezen lijkt me echt perfect. Nu ga ik dus uitkijken naar The Hot Honey Hideaway. Ik ben heel benieuwd naar de andere koppels en hoe het verder gaat met dit stadje. Ik raad dit boek zeker aan, nu was dit een vooruit exemplaar en hoop ik dat de spelfouten en rare zinnen zijn verbeterd voordat dit boek echt uitkomt. Dat zou de ervaring zoveel beter maken.

Dankjewel Zomer en Keuning voor dit recensie exemplaar, deze review is compleet mijn eigen mening.

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re in the mood for small-town romance that feels like a warm drink on a cold day, this one delivers.

Another sweet and cozy romance from Harper Graham, this is the third installment in the Maple Falls series—and it was a genuine delight. While the books are interconnected, they absolutely work as standalones. That said, I’ve read all three and enjoyed them to varying degrees. Book one remains the strongest (and easily rivals other popular comp titles in this space), book two dipped a bit for me, but book three rebounds nicely—engaging, comforting, and cozy without tipping into pure fluff.

The relationship between the FMC and MMC really worked for me. These longtime best friends slide into a fake-dating setup that—shocker—turns into something more, but it’s handled with care and emotional depth. The characters feel layered, especially Jackson (MMC), a veteran struggling with feeling “broken.” Zoe (FMC) is exactly the steady presence he needs, and watching that dynamic unfold was genuinely satisfying.

I especially loved the audiobook. Narrator Andi Eloise is always a treat, and she brings just the right balance of emotion and warmth to the characters. Her pacing is excellent, and the sound engineering allows for speed adjustments without losing inflection—something I deeply appreciate.

I’m already looking forward to spending more time in Maple Falls with book four.

If you love cozy, character-driven romance with small-town charm—think Laurie Gilmore, Emily Henry, and strong Gilmore Girls energy—this one is absolutely worth your time.

I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Bookouture Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.

[Balaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cherry Crush Flower Shop is a cozy, small-town friends-to-lovers romance that balances softness with emotional depth. Zoe and Jackson’s transition from best friends to fake dating felt natural and full of quiet tension. I loved how the story explored heavier themes like infertility and PTSD with care while still delivering warmth and hope.

The small-town setting added charm, and the romantic payoff was satisfying with just the right amount of spice. At times I wanted a bit more backstory on their long friendship, but overall this was heartfelt and comforting.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — sweet, tender, and perfect for fans of cozy romance with emotional layers.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up
2 for spice

The Cherry Crush Flower Shop is the third book in the Maple falls series by Harper Graham.
This is a small town, friends to lovers romance. I thought that there was a lot of development in the writing style and development in this third book compared to the first one in the series. I thought that the hunt for this special flower was a fun and unique way to not only tie in the flower shop but bring them together and an excuse for them to spend time with each other. There was more build up and development of these two characters and tension. The small close community. It was just a fun sweet time, I would recommend checking out this series.
I received an ebook,via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

[Trio · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm so glad I gave Harper Graham's The Cherry Crush Flower Shop a go. The premise appealed to me as I've been gravitating toward the small town, cozy themes lately. I'll be the first to admit this plot was a tumble of twists and turns and sometimes I was scratching my head in confusion. Still, it was a colorful and event filled tale.

The audio version of The Cherry Crush Flower Shop is nicely performed by Andi Eloise.

an audiobook copy of The Cherry Crush Flower Shop was provided by Bookouture Audio, via NetGalley, for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own

[Makayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Bookouture for the ARC

The way I squealed when I saw this hit my email! I absolutely love this series so much!

Harper does it again another 5 stars read.

The Cherry Crush Flower Shop follows Zoe and Jackson, and I adored them together. From childhood friends, to fake dating they both have my whole heart.

Whiskers (Zoe’s cat) absolutely stole the show for me!

This series just keeps getting better, and I’m already counting down to the next one, and with that ending I think I can guess who book 4 will be about 😍

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading an advanced copy of a book that was just released on February 10th called, The Cherry Crush Flower Shop. This is about a florist named Zoe, she's had a secret crush on her best friend Jackson since they were kids. When her mom thinks they're dating and enters them into the "Couple of the Year" competition for their upcoming Spring Festival and also bets on them, Zoe and Jackson decide to go along with it and fake date until the festival. Jackson is back home from the military, he has things he won't talk about and things that trigger him, but being around Zoe has always made everything better and feel a little less heavy. She's everything to him, but he doesn't know how to tell her and he doesn't feel like he can be in a real relationship with all he's dealing with. So he decides to be the best fake boyfriend he can be, since he can't be her real boyfriend. A fake relationship that consists of all real feelings is very convincing, but it alters their friendship forever.
I was so happy to be back in Maple Falls! I love this series so much, this was book 3 and I loved getting to see how the characters from the previous books are doing. This was such a lovely springtime small town story, with friends to lovers, fake dating, a spring festival, weekly markets, a wedding, llamas and a flower shop cat, adorabley nosey townies, a rare flower search, healing, and the sweetest love story. I adored every minute of this one, and I absolutely can't wait for the next book in this series!! 💜📚

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for this ARC of The Cherry Crush Flower Shop, in exchange for an honest review.

[amymariareads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cozy Hallmark vibes - ⭐️⭐️⭐️

In het derde deel van Maple Falls is het lente aan het worden. Zoë is druk met haar bloemenwinkel en haar beste vriend Jackson is terug gekeerd van zijn militaire dienst. Haar moeder ziet hun samen, zoekt meer achter hun vriendschap en geeft ze op voor ‘Koppel van het Jaar’.
Nu moeten de twee vrienden gedwongen een fake relatie aan gaan máár daarbij lopen de spanningen hoog op. Een fake-relatie met je beste vriend, waar je stiekem al die tijd al een oogje op had, is misschien niet het beste plan.

Het leest echt heerlijk weg met een goede afwisseling van Zoë en Jackson’s perspectief. Het tempo is lekker hoog, het is zoetsappig en een heerlijke cozy read.
Ook in dit boek komen we weer karakters tegen uit De Cinnamon Spice-Herberg en Het Spiced Cocoa Café. Tevens word er een hint gegeven voor wie we in het volgende boek gaan volgen!

Dit boek behandelt een aantal gevoelige thema’s. Zoë kampt op vroege leeftijd al met vruchtbaarheidsproblemen. Jackson worstelt met trauma’s/PTSD na zijn tijd in het leger. In de eerste twee boeken is hij wat op de achtergrond omdat hij er zo'n last van heeft en opeens kan hij wel drukte e.d. aan. Zoiets is na een jaar, zonder hulp, niet zo maar verwerkt. Dit had wat meer naar voren mogen komen wat mij betreft.

Dus.. lees als je van Hallmark vibes houd! xoxo

Dit boek heb ik als recensie-exemplaar mogen ontvangen van Zomer & Keuning. Dit heeft echter niet mijn review beïnvloed, alleen de lengte van mijn tbr. 💖

[Christine Villanueva · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ ARC Review: The Cherry Crush Flower Shop by Harper Graham ✨

This was my first read by Harper Graham, and I’m officially a fan. The Cherry Crush Flower Shop is cozy, romantic, and full of heart—the kind of story that feels like a warm drink on a quiet afternoon.

Set in the charming small town of Maple Falls, the story follows Zoe Hart, who runs a flower shop and is just trying to keep her little world blooming. When her oldest friend Jackson returns home from military service, the two end up in a fake dating situation that quickly has the whole town watching—especially with Maple Falls preparing for its “Couple of the Year” award. 👀💐

I loved the small-town charm, the floral shop setting (swoon), and the way the romance unfolded naturally and emotionally. The characters felt real, flawed, and easy to root for, and the chemistry? Soft, sweet, and just the right amount of tension.

What really stood out to me was the atmosphere—this book feels like comfort.

🌸 Final Thoughts:
If you love heartfelt romance, charming settings, and fake dating + friends-to-lovers vibes, this one’s a must-read. I went in not knowing what to expect, and I came out excited to read more from Harper Graham.

✨ Thank you Bookouture Audio, NetGalley, and Harper Graham for the ARC opportunity! ✨ All my opinions are my own

[Bibi Muresan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ - a lovely & cozy romance that made me blush and shy away at points!


The Cherry Crush Flower Shop is not your normal small town cozy romance! This is a book about healing past trauma, putting your trust into the one you love in order to overcome your fears and facing your “demons” ( but not like in a scary dark way ).

The story follows Zoe, the owner of the Cherry Crush Flower Shop and Jackson, her childhood best friend and veteran suffering of PTSD. They work together in order to bring a local project to life that would incorporate both of their lives: plants & the desire to educate, offer support and heal the community. But one friendly hug one that was interpreted “wrong” later, they end up being forced to fake date in order to help Zoe’s mom.

I don’t even know where to begin about this book. There is a lot happening, from fake dating which of course leads to the childhood best friends finally facing the truth about their feelings, to going on a hunt for a mysterious and rare flower, to Jackon having an inner conflict due to his past trauma mixed with the need of growing past his fears, to the couple working to get their project up and running. If there’s one thing this book didn’t lack, was a “problem” that needed solving, that’s for sure.

The book also starts strong in the romance section, all guns blazing with the MCs inner monolouges and very veeeery rich imagination. Their thoughts honestly made me blush quite a few times. Because of the start being so “steamy”, I expected the remainder of the book to follow suit, however, once they finally move from fake to real dating, it’s like the intensity of the steaminess diminishes. I might also attribute this to the overwhelming amount of different action and subplots that happened throughout the book. It felt at some points we just didn’t have time to enjoy the MCs stories as too much needed to happen, all the time.

Altough the action is very fast paced, I’d say the romance was quite slow paces, probably because there wasn’t really time left in the poor character’s 24 hours to develop any faster from all the quests and work they were doing.

Neverthless, this was an easy and nice read, so I’d recommend it if you’re looking for a small town cozy romance, with some mystery involed!

2/5 🌶️ 

Tropes
Small town romance
Best-friends to lovers
Fake dating
Mystery solving
Slow burn
New beginnings

Thank you Bookouture for the ARC in exchange of an honest review!

[Kayla Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uuggghhhhh Zoe and Jackson are just so perfect together and I love them! I love a good small town romance and this did not disappoint! Also gotta love a good fake dating trope!! The narrator for the audio was incredibly talented and really made it easy to distinguish between all the different characters! I really hope Harper Graham plans on writing more in this universe cause it is so good! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my audio ARC!!

[Iris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaah ik vond dit weer een heerlijk boek van Harper Graham. Ik heb De Cinnamon Spice-Herberg ook mogen lezen en die heb ik met vier sterren beoordeeld. Van dit boek had ik dus best wel hoge verwachtingen. Mijn verwachtingen werden in ieder geval weer waar gemaakt. De sfeer van dit boek is knus en vindt plaats in small town Maple Falls. Het voelde als thuiskomen door de bekende gezichten. De bloemenwinkel, het Lentefestival en de zoektocht naar bijzondere bloemen maakten het plaatje helemaal af.

Ook dit boek voelde als fijne romance, maar met een diepere laag. Zoe en Jackson zijn al jarenlang beste vrienden, waardoor hun overgang naar een romantische relatie heel natuurlijk aanvoelt. Het fake dating-element zorgt voor leuke, romantische momenten, terwijl er tegelijkertijd ruimte is voor meer serieuze thema's. Vooral Jacksons worsteling met zijn verleden gaf het verhaal extra emotionele diepgang.

Als je houdt van cozy romances, small town vibes, fake dating, friends-to-lovers en een verhaal dat voelt als een Hallmark-film in boekvorm, dan is dit absoluut een aanrader.

Bedankt Zomer & Keuning voor het ontvangen van dit e-book!

🌸💐💕📚✨

[Maureen ~Bitch Can Write A Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fast, sweet fun read. I really enjoy stepping into this town and all the great characters we get to meet. Looking forward to the next book.

[Cheryl Hanzidiakou · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️. This was okay, not as good as the others in the series. Premise was a little flimsy for it to be a 330ish page book.

[Kristina Marie]

3.5

This was better than the second one. I just struggle because I compare this series to Lucy Score and Laurie Gilmore's small town series. I just feel like the town and the characters are more disconnected when I compare this to the other series. The world building isn't there and that bores me.

This was the best out of the series but still needed more world building.

[Daiana Ximena 🥞 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for an ALC of this book! 🌸💕🎀📖🦋

Readers of Sarah Adams and Julie Soto please come to the front. I have a little secret to tell you. I think I just found the most perfect Valentine’s day read. Yes you heard me right.

If you love friends to lovers, found family, a yearning veteran, small town romance and you’re always thinking about opening a flower shop The Cherry Crush Flower shop should be your next read.

What stood out most to me in The Cherry Crush Flower Shop was how quietly real the characters felt. Jackson, a veteran who’s emotionally closed off and afraid to hurt Zoe’s feelings and Zoe an adorable flower shop owner in a charming small town, a supportive daughter and friend who’s dealing with her own struggles.

Bonus points for treating the subject of fertility. This felt so real.

Overall I loved this book so much, it felt like a fuzzy blanket you reach for on chilly February nights.

[Rebecca Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cherry Crush Flower Shop is a cozy, small-town, friends-to-lovers romance that perfectly blends softness with emotional depth. Harper Graham truly knows how to create a setting you want to step into and never leave. Maple Falls once again delivers all the charm, warmth, and community vibes that make this series so special.

This story isn’t just fluffy romance—it thoughtfully explores heavier themes like infertility and PTSD with care and sensitivity, while still wrapping everything in hope and comfort. The balance between emotional weight and cozy warmth was beautifully done.

The spring atmosphere is absolutely dreamy. You can practically smell the fresh blooms as Zoe creates her gorgeous arrangements inside the Cherry Crush Flower Shop. Between the flowers, the chocolates, and the friendly faces popping in from previous books, Maple Falls feels more alive than ever. (Although I still can’t get over them saying Easter is their favorite holiday 😂).

One of my favorite parts of the story was the hunt for the legendary Moonlight Kiss flower. Following Zoe as she uncovered clues about this lost bloom felt like a romantic treasure hunt, and what better way for her and Jackson to grow closer than venturing into the wilderness alone together? It added a sense of adventure and intimacy that really strengthened their connection.

That said, this book does lean heavily into classic tropes. Friends-to-lovers, fake dating, and the whole “Couple of the Year” storyline felt a bit overplayed for me. The fake dating, in particular, didn’t bring much angst or tension—they seemed to skip straight from “pretend” to something very real without much buildup. I also found myself occasionally frustrated with Jackson’s starting-and-stopping behavior toward Zoe, and at times their characters felt slightly flatter than I hoped. I even caught myself more curious about who might star in the next book than fully invested in their arc.

I also wished we had seen more backstory about their long friendship. For a friends-to-lovers romance, that history can add so much emotional weight, and I would have loved a deeper glimpse into their shared past.

Still, coming back to Maple Falls felt like coming home. The cozy shops, familiar faces, and heartfelt atmosphere make this series incredibly comforting. Harper Graham does it again, delivering total Hallmark movie meets Gilmore Girls small-town vibes—and honestly, I loved every minute of it.

Thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley, and Harper Graham for the ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own!