Autumn in Glenkeld: Pumpkins & Firelight. (Glenkeld Book 1): A Cosy-Spicy Scottish Autumn Romance.

by Kara S. Lang

A grumpy Scottish carpenter. A sunshine American coder. Pumpkins, peat smoke, and a town that keeps “accidentally” matchmaking.

Samantha didn’t come to Glenkeld to fall in love—she came for a fresh air, fresh code, and cinnamon doughnuts warm from the oven. Ethan didn’t plan on noticing the newcomer in the fox-blue cottage—he’s spent years keeping his life steady, deliberate, safe.

But Glenkeld in October has ideas. A stuck bookshop door. A pumpkin patch at golden hour. A storm that strands two people in front of a hearth and asks if they mean it. Between laughter, wood shavings, and cider, sparks become slow-burn fire—and the town’s lanterns seem to flare at exactly the right time.


• Grumpy x Sunshine • Small-town Scottish charm
• Slow-burn → open-door spice (tender, consent-forward)
• Dual 1st-person POV (Samantha & Ethan)
• Found family & festival vibes (bonfire, ceilidh, pumpkin carving)
• A whisper of cosy, witchy magic and a very opinionated fox

Heat & Warm, playful, emotionally grounded; explicit on-page intimacy handled with care.
Perfect for readers who Emily Henry’s intimacy, Tessa Bailey’s heat (but cosier), and British village romance with a seasonal glow.

Will Samantha and Ethan keep it a fling warmed by firelight—or build something that lasts when the storm passes?

193 pages, Paperback

Published September 29, 2025

About the author

Kara S. Lang writes cosy, heartwarming romances set in the Scottish Highlands. Her Glenkeld series follows the seasons of a small village where every door hides a love story and every night is a chance to coorie in. When she’s not writing, Kara can usually be found with a mug of something warm, wandering through the countryside that inspires her books.

Reviews

[Chelsey Pryce · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me.
I felt it was missing something, I expected more dialogue between the main characters themselves and with the other characters. With a bit more storyline. Sorry.

[Debbie Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book at the beginning, but unfortunately it fell very short of the mark - I was tempted to DNF, but I pushed through.

The author describes Glenkeld beautifully, that is one positive I will say. I'm pretty sure I could smell the autumn leaves and the cinnamon doughnuts. However, the description of the scenery is not enough to give this book a high rating.

The dialogue was bland, minimalistic and basic. The plot was quite boring and I felt that it lacked any real depth.
The characters were ok - nothing special.

I got really sick of reading "not literal - close enough" and about the fox door knocker...

[Amanda Rockett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is poetry. I can honestly say I have never read another romance like it. The writing is beautiful. Characters well written
You will laugh cry and feel every im between. A hug set with a beautiful Scottish background 💖

[turningpageswithjamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
implied spice
samantha has moved from america to glenkeld, a small and cozy scottish town in hopes of leaving behind the remnants of a broken heart and finding a fresh start. ethan is a carpenter with sure and steady hands that know how to build things that last. ethan and samantha are taking things slow, deliberately, while the whole of glenkeld is cheering them on. as a carpenter, ethan is determined to fix things, even if he didn’t break them. autumn in glenkeld is a small-town, slow-burn, grumpy x sunshine soft romance.
@karalangauthor has created such a comfy fall read. the attention to world building really drew me in and the witty banter kept me wanting more. while there were a few parts that felt a bit repetitive i still absolutely adored this book and cannot wait for the second one!

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Personally, I didn’t think the book was terrible, but it could not grab my attention and keep it. I struggled to get through this book. This does not mean you won’t love it! The author did a great job describing Glenkeld and everything about it.

[rozcozyreading Cozy Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely cosy autumn read the perfect setting for glenkeld slow burn romance with the tiniest bit of spice enjoyed this book beacuse of the cozy vibes wish I could visit here I would have rated it 5 but I was confused with the povs wether there were repeating themselfs or not? And I wasn’t keen on the repetitive lines about the door knocker candles fire place etc but apart from that a great first book written by the lovely Kara lang

[Kara Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the perfect cosy, spicy read for the autumn season! The Scottish small-town setting is wonderfully atmospheric, and the slow-burn romance between the grumpy, quiet hero and the more energetic heroine is truly delightful. I loved the "found family" element and the charming cast of characters. If you're looking for a heartwarming, spicy romance to curl up with, this is it!

[Amy Maunders · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars review. No spoilers. I like the characters but the story was slow to get into but when got into the story. It was great to read. I really enjoyed the book. Very short autumn feel good book for this year. Enjoy!.

[Shannon Tisho · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a bit on the slow side. It was sweet, but I just don't think the style was for me.

[Kara Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the perfect cosy, spicy read for the autumn season! The Scottish small-town setting is wonderfully atmospheric, and the slow-burn romance between the grumpy, quiet hero and the more energetic heroine is truly delightful. I loved the "found family" element and the charming cast of characters. If you're looking for a heartwarming, spicy romance to curl up with, this is it!