The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn

Honeycrisp Orchard #1

by Valerie Bowman, Andi Arndt (Narrator)

For fans of the Lovelight series and The Pumpkin Spice Café, this cozy and sexy romance follows a young event planner who returns to her family's inn on an apple orchard to help run their Harvest Festival--only to find herself butting heads with the handsome son of the apple orchard's owners.

Ellie Lawson's city life was treating her just fine until a sour turn of events knocks her out in one fell swoop. Dumped by her boyfriend and fired from her event planning job, she is left with no choice but to return to her parents' idyllic inn, nestled within a picturesque Honeycrisp orchard on Long Island. Anticipating a quiet hiatus in the attic apartment, she is instead met with Aiden, the stubborn, attractive son of the orchard owner who is currently occupying her planned refuge.

Forced together by circumstance, they find themselves not only roommates but also coworkers, when they're put in charge by their parents of the orchard's vital Harvest Festival, a lifeline for both the struggling orchard and the inn. Amidst the enchanting disorder of small-town life, Ellie and Aiden grapple with their conflicting values, burgeoning feelings, and an electrifying tension.

As Ellie discovers the unexpected charm of the life she left behind and Aiden learns there's much more to Ellie than he'd first assumed, one fact remains: the future of the orchard and the inn depends on their unlikely collaboration.

Embark on a captivating journey of rediscovery, love, and the irreplaceable magic of small-town life.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary, Cozy, Fiction, Adult

5 pages, Audiobook

First published September 9, 2025

About the author

Valerie Bowman is an award-winning author who writes historical and contemporary romance.

Valerie’s debut novel was published in 2012. Since then, her books have received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus. She’s been an RT Reviewers’ Choice nominee for Best First Historical Romance and Best Historical Romance Love and Laughter. Two of her books have been nominated for the Kirkus Prize for fiction.

Valerie grew up in Illinois with six sisters (she’s number seven) and a huge supply of romance novels. After a cold and snowy stint earning a degree in English Language and Literature with a minor in history at Smith College, she moved to Florida the first chance she got. Valerie now lives in Jacksonville with her family including her rascally dogs. When she’s not writing, she keeps busy reading, traveling, or vacillating between watching crazy reality TV and PBS.

Visit Valerie on the web at www.ValerieBowmanBooks.com and sign-up for her newsletter at: https://valeriebowmanbooks.com/newsle...
Be sure to follow Valerie Bookbub for the latest on sales https://www.bookbub.com/authors/valer...

Reviews

[cherie ^_-★ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75 stars ⭐
⤷ mini spoiler-free review!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ my thoughts
i didn’t hate this book, but i didn’t love it either. i enjoyed the small town fall vibes and the premise, but ellie, our FMC, was pretty insufferable (she should’ve just stayed in manhattan 😭).

right from the start, she kept going on and on about how hot aiden, our MMC, was—to the point where it got annoying. like we get it, he’s hot 😭 she was so horny, you’d think she hadn’t had sex in a million years 😭 i also didn’t like how entitled and selfish she was, and aiden deserved better—i genuinely don’t understand what he saw in her or why he still loved her after all those years 🤦🏻‍♀️

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ overall
this was a cute and fun read, but i would’ve enjoyed it more if ellie didn’t annoy me so much 🫤

────────── ⋆⋅end⋅⋆ ──────────

pre-read 🍎🍁
i’m afraid nothing will top If It Makes You Happy for me, but i’m in the mood for another cozy fall romance ~

[Alyssa Nieves · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!! ⭐️🍂

WOW, this was so good!! If you’re looking for a cozy fall romance book, this one is it! Add to your fall tbr immediately!

The vibes were IMMACULATE!! I love a small town setting and it just hits every single time! This delivered the fall feels!! The cutest little inn, the apple orchard, and the main characters planning an autumn harvest festival literally gave me everything I needed! Just cozy, fun, fall vibes! The fmc was so relatable and I loved all of the characters so much too. It was giving Gilmore Girls (which is my favorite show ever) and I loved it! Already want to reread!

𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒜𝓋𝑜𝓃 𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝐻𝒶𝓇𝓅𝑒𝓇 𝒱𝑜𝓎𝒶𝑔𝑒𝓇 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒶𝓇𝒸! 🫶🏼

[TheConnieFox · Rating 5 out of 5]

✦ My Overall Thoughts ✦

This book was perfection from beginning to end! I am new to this author and didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I am so excited that I discovered a fantastic new author. She helped me escape into this world, that was filled with warm hugs, laughter, a lot of banter and love! This book made me feel lighthearted, happy, hopeful and magical. This is a romance novel that is about rediscovering love in a small town. It is a slow to medium paced read, I didn’t feel like I had to rush to read it. I took my time reading this one and taking all the coziness in! I felt that Aiden was an extremely lovable character in the story! He brought the laughter and charm, even though he had a lot of seriousness to him. I enjoyed how the characters changed and grew in the story, how the plot was developed and well executed, and how it became a story of family and community bonding! This lovely story is very picturesque and inviting!

✦ Spoiler Free Synopsis & Rating ✦

“The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn” is a novel that revolves around an event planner named Ellie and a good looking country boy named Aiden. Ellie loses her job and gets dumped by her boyfriend in New York, so she heads back to her hometown. She leaves and comes to her family’s Honeycrisp apple orchard Inn! This is where she finds Aiden, who moved into the attic. Aiden is a son of one of the neighboring orchard owners. Ellie had planned on it being her new living space, when she arrived there. Both families get together and make them co-host a Harvest Festival. They do this and there is a lot of banter happening between the two! However, a romance begins to form between them! I give this charming book a 5 out of 5 stars!

✦ Who I think would enjoy this book & Content Warnings ✦

I think fans of the “Gilmore Girls” TV show and “The Pumpkin Spice Cafe” novel would absolutely love reading this book! Content warnings are extremely mild and include sexual content and emotional vulnerability.

✦ Thank You ✦

Thank you to NetGalley, author Valerie Bowman and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon a for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

✦ Release Date ✦

This book is expected to be published on September 9, 2025!

✦ Book Tropes ✦

♥️ Small Town Romance
✔️ Forced Proximity
♥️ Opposites Attract
✔️ Insta Attraction
♥️ Found Family
✔️ 2nd Chance at Happiness
♥️ Slow Burn Romance
✔️ Cozy / Seasonal

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《

❥ ୨⎯ Connie ⎯୧ ❥

ツ౨ৎ

[Alina ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

☆☆☆☆☆

I absolutely adored The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn by Valerie Bowman. This book was perfect for this season, with its cozy autumn vibes and the charming, small-town atmosphere that makes you want to curl up with a cup of cider. As someone who also has many apple trees, I couldn’t get enough of the orchard setting. It felt so personal and heartwarming. The fact that apples were such an integral part of the story made it feel even more special.

One of the things I loved most about this book was the forced proximity aspect. Ellie and Aiden's chemistry was palpable from the start, and their growing connection had me hooked. I also really appreciated the small, thoughtful details throughout the story, like how the animals wore adorable holiday outfits (so cute!) and the fact that the mayor is an 18-year-old gay woman. It felt so refreshing and inclusive.

Another thing I loved was that Ellie and Aiden are not in the typical early 20s age range you often see in romance novels. It was such a breath of fresh air to read about characters who are in a different stage of life, with a more mature outlook on love and relationships. Their journey felt real and relatable.

In short, The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn is the perfect blend of romance, charm, and festive energy. If you’re looking for a cozy, feel-good read with wonderful characters and a great setting, this book will absolutely leave you smiling. Highly recommend!

[aeryn rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️

While I thought this was cute and fun, I did find myself struggling with quite a bit of this book. Which is a shame because I really wanted to love it.

Before I say what I didn't like, there's a few things I did. I thought this was sweet and had some really wholesome moments! I liked the execution of the found family and the overall theme of surrounding yourself with those most important to you. It had a really good tone of what's most important in life, not just what will make you the most money or success.

That being said, that's about all I liked. I thought Ellie, our FMC, was absolutely insufferable. This girl had no backbone to her and she was INCREDIBLY selfish. She did only what SHE wanted and what benefited HER, not caring about how it affected others. Her only mindset was, "act now and apologize later." She really didn't deserve Aiden. He was sweet and thoughtful and all she did was walk all over him.

I also found the pace and plot very off. I know this was a short book, but I've read shorter book that weren't nearly this insta-lovey. I know Ellie and Aiden were childhood crushes/friends and whatnot, but I don't find that to be an excuse for them to say I love you to each other within 2 weeks. Everything happened so fast that as soon as I blinked it was all over. I wanted more from them, I wanted more from the book in general.

Overall, this was a cute read but I think it lacked the proper execution. The idea was definitely there, but that's about it. I honestly would've liked this to be a bit longer to really add that depth and substance that I thought was lacking. This wouldn't be a book that I'd necessarily recommend, but it was cute and short and sweet. It fit the fall vibes and aesthetic really well!

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𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭: 🍎🍂

This book sounds sooo cute and I'm on a fall binge currently 🤭🧡
Also I'm just about halfway through my fall bingo card and I'm so proud of myself for sticking to it so well?

[Renata Annese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pumpkin spice, cozy nights, and small-town delight! 🍎🍂🎃

This book was such a treat! From the very first page, The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn gave me all the fall feels, cozy small-town charm, apple orchards, cider, flannel, and just the right amount of Hallmark sweetness. 🍁☕️ I could practically smell the cinnamon in the air.

Ellie was a lovable main character, and I really enjoyed being in her head. The single POV felt refreshing... like getting comfy under a blanket and watching her world unfold. Her chemistry with Aiden was the perfect slow-burn spark (though once things heated up… whew 😅 let’s just say we went from cinnamon spice to spice spice real quick 🌶️🔥).

And can we talk about Pumpkin the pug? Absolute scene-stealer! 🐾💛 Pajamas and all.

If you’re craving a cozy, feel-good read that wraps you in fall magic, this is the one! A charming story with just the right mix of humor, heart, and harvest vibes. 🍎💞

[Aisvarya (Semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

🍂Sweet, wholesome cozy fall romance🍂

Rating - 3.5⭐

What to expect -
🍎Small-town setting (takes place during fall)
🍎Grumpy x sunshine
🍎City life x country life
🍎Childhood friends to estranged acquaintances to roommates to lovers
🍎Acts of service
🍎Witty banter
🍎Adorable pets

Eleanor has been away from her hometown for years, and now that she's been dumped & fired from her job, she returns home to plan the Autumn Harvest Festival, only to find out she'll be working with her childhood friend Aiden, who also happens to be the co-owner of the farm & her new roommate. And of course, he's got some ideas of his own. Will Ellie be able to get through planning the festival with him or fall head over heels for Mr. Hot Farmer Guy?!😍🔥

This was such a cute & wholesome read and it actually made me crave fall in India. Like wdym there's all these fun activities, parades, & festivals happening during fall in most parts of the world but we don't even have a pumpkin carving contest or apple cider donuts cuz they look so yum?!!!😭

Watching Ellie & Aiden plan the events together and host them was so much fun!! The food, the decorations, the community vibes, it all felt incredibly cozy. And don't even get me started on the pets dressed up in pumpkin & apple overalls, it was so cute!!!!🥺

The best part of this book was the small-town charm & the close-knit community. Everyone knows everyone, they all look out for one another, and I love when that sense of warmth and belonging shines through a story.

It was also heartwarming to see Ellie's journey of finally understanding what she wants in life & what truly makes her happy. Cuz let me tell you, she definitely is a bit annoying & selfish at the start, and seeing her slowly change (veryyyy slow cuz the girl definitely can overlook everyone and everything when she has her eyes set on something) was rewarding indeed, as her self-discovery seems to be the main part of the story over the romance, and I appreciated that.

And she immediately started crushing on Aiden from the start (yess, it was insta-love for her but she knew him since childhood, so could it even be said as insta-love?!!) cuz who wouldn't when he's hot & got a body like the Greek gods, and is also a guy who knows what he wants, and goes after it. But she much prefers city life & doesn't want to lead him on, so is extremely conflicted as to acting on her feelings vs keeping it practical, and I'm glad she understood her heart by the end.

On the other hand, Aiden is such a sweet, selfless, caring, responsible guy but he only seems grouchy to Ellie as he couldn't forgive her for leaving everything behind & moving to the city. But he's always been in love with her, and just cannot act this way even though he wants to stay angry at her. So, he slowly opens up to her, and takes care of her at all moments, and even witnesses her vulnerability & understands and respects her decisions. Also the guy can cook, and has a built-in bookshelf with a ladder, like what more do you need?!!😌

The only thing that bothered me was the FMC's constant mention of dementia, as if it's something so trivial to mention in small talk every time her parents or she forget something. Like girl, have you ever met someone with a perfect memory?!! We all have moments of forgetfulness, heck, I don't even remember why I open the fridge half the time!!! I only found this to be excruciating & wished the author or the editor had caught and toned down those lines.

Other than that, this was a sweet, cozy read, perfect to kick off your fall reading list. Definitely recommend it if you love small-town romances and stories about rediscovering your dreams and purpose.

✨Pre-read -
Craving something lighthearted & cozy, and this sounds perfect for fall too!!😌🍂

[Sarah (unable to comment but just know your review is amazing!!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Talented event planner Eleanor Lawson is not having a good day. First, she gets dumped by her boyfriend and coworker. Then, she gets fired from her job. Now, with nowhere else to go and nothing to do, a phone call from her mom sends Eleanor back to her hometown in Long Island, where she will be staying at the picturesque inn her parents own and helping with an event they planned.

Unfortunately, her parents forget to mention that grumpy, stubborn, and very attractive Aiden, her childhood friend, is also staying in Eleanor’s place of refuge. Forced to be roommates and coworkers, Eleanor and Aiden grapple with past conflict, present circumstances, and an undeniable attraction as they work on the Harvest Festival. Can they set aside their differences and work together to save the inn and orchard that has charmed its way into Eleanor’s heart?

The name screams fall vibes. The cover promises crisp breezes, falling leaves, and delicious autumn treats that make my mouth water. The description convinced me there would be forced proximity, an electrifying attraction, and an epic plan to save the inn. And, I’m very happy to say, it delivered. 🍂🍁🎃

Now, did I love everything about the book? Unfortunately, no. I didn’t like Eleanor very much. I thought she was kinda selfish, exasperating, and rude to think her parents had dementia because they forgot a lot of things. I get it. She watched a documentary about it, and once you watch one of those things about a certain subject, you cannot stop thinking about it or seeing it everywhere. But people forget things. All. The. Time. Heck, I forget stuff every single day, but that doesn’t mean I have dementia. I think there could have been discretion and care when talking/joking about it because it’s not a joke for some people. But that’s just me. 🤷‍♀ Actually, that was one thing Eleanor lacked: discretion. Aiden had his flaws, but he was tolerable, along with everyone else in the story. So, no other complaints there.

But the fall vibes!! 😍 It was so cozy and lovely! And the Harvest Festival sounded so fun! I want it to be autumn already so I can wear thick sweaters, eat pumpkin treats, and decorate the house with oranges and reds. This book made me impatient, lol! 😂

I definitely recommend this book if you, too, are looking for something sweet and fun with a hint of conflict that adds meaning and growth to the characters. I think this might be the first book in a series, so I’m excited to see who the next lucky person is to fall in love. 🧡

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for inviting me to read the arc via NetGalley! All opinions and statements are my own.

❗Content Warnings❗
Swearing: Yes
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶/5

#TheHoneycrispOrchardInn #NetGalley

[kimberly ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

good cozy fall read, i listened to this on audio on my commute to school and i was smiling

[veerali · Rating 3 out of 5]

─ 3.5 stars ⊹

this book introduces us to ellie, who is having a truly tough time. after her boyfriend breaks up with her and she loses her job, she finds herself back where she started: at her parents' beautiful, idyllic inn on long Island.

it's there that her life takes an unexpected turn. ellie meets aiden, the charming son of the local orchard owner. through a slight twist of fate, they end up as roommates and are tasked with planning the town's big harvest festival together. as they spend more time collaborating and getting to know each other, ellie finds herself increasingly attracted to aiden. this new connection brings up a lot of complicated feelings for her, especially while she's still trying to get over her past setbacks.

the atmosphere in this book perfectly captures that cozy, small-town feeling, especially with the beautiful fall setting. it’s undeniably a cute story that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.

the characters are also a big part of the book's charm. aiden is incredibly sweet and easy to like. he's definitely one of the highlights. ellie, our female main character, is relatable in her struggles, though i admit there were moments when her actions or thoughts got on my nerves a little. however, her journey of finding herself after a tough setback is still engaging to follow.

while i enjoyed my time with ellie and aiden, there were a couple of elements that kept me from rating it higher. firstly, the pacing felt a bit uneven at times. some parts moved very quickly, while others seemed to drag, which occasionally pulled me out of the story. secondly, i had hoped for a bit more depth from the characters, particularly as they navigated their personal journeys and their growing relationship. i felt like there was potential for more emotional exploration that wasn't fully realized.

despite these minor points, this book is a lovely escape, especially if you're a fan of romantic stories set in charming autumn towns.

thank you netgalley, avon and harper voyager for providing me with an e-arc of this book. all thoughts expressed in this review are entirely my own!

[Jessica]

This gave me everything I wanted and more in a fall romance! From the start, I was eating up the fall vibes of our heroine escaping to her small town in order to help run the fall festival in order to save the inn her parents owned. And, of course, there's a hot apple farmer she grew up with who is helping with the festival and also saying in her parents' extra apartment...the same apartment they told her she could stay in. The romance was so cute and the small town fall festival plot just gave me all the feels I wanted. I was so hooked and devoured this in a few days!

The only reason this doesn't get a full five for me is because the heroine was a bit hard to like. She made some decisions that were extremely selfish without really thinking about the feelings of others. There were also too many weird jokes about dementia in here? Not sure why everyone who read this thought those were okay to keep in, but they definitely weren't funny and didn't add anything at all to the story?

But overall, such a fun fall romance that needs to be on your fall tbr!!

[Lana Cuvelier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leuk feelgood boek om in de herfstsfeer te komen! Echt heel cosy met een leuke romance en medium spiceee ❤️‍🔥

[Ari · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was…. Not great. The description of the cozy small town with the fall decorations was nice but excessive at times. Ellie’s inner dialogue was so cringy, and very excessive. The characters randomly got basically offered millions of dollars that they turned down… huh? The writing felt like fanfic, not well done and no real depth to the characters. Yikes.

[windymornings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check this review out and so many more of your fav books at windymornings.net

Well, everyone, looks like we made it into another East Coast fall romance book. Am I upset? Maybe slightly.... I really wanted to give this book five stars as I did with, "The Cinnamon Spice Inn", which actually inspired me to read this one. Now, there were multiple things I wasn't too sure about in this book. I have to say the main character, Eleanor... or Ellie? Has a lot of insecurity issues and is kind of a bit selfish. Her dialogue alone was extremely cringy... I couldn't tell if she was being serious with the things she was saying or if the author was trying to make a joke. Ellie seemed to be very millennial coded that tried extremely hard to be a gen z, if that makes sense. She also had a tendency to add way too much banter with the reader, which at times it did pull me out of the story. I understand it was more so banter with Ellie herself... but there was too much internal thoughts where it was just getting way too distracting with the actual story dialogue. 



Well now you heard my rant. How about we actually met our characters a little bit. The story follows Ellie Lawson, event planner extraordinaire. She had everything she's every wanted. Her dream job in the heart of New York city, a boyfriend, an awesome apartment and of course, Starbucks every morning before work. Ellie had everything she wanted, until one day when her whole life came crashing down. It was a nice crisp September day; the leaves are turning color, and the scarfs are being pulled out. Just in time for the pumpkin spice lattes. Ellie and her boyfriend Goeff make their way into work not knowing this might be the last time. Ellie is going over her presentation a hundred times in her head for a very special client, Bolt Hotel Group. She was tasked by her boss to present revolutionary ideas for the new client they are trying to win over, and if anyone can do it, its Ellie. She makes her way nervously to the meeting room where she sets up her gadgets and presentation slides. The presentation goes extraordinary well and is pleased to hear that her boss is requesting to see her in his office. She definitely thinks she got the client, or even better, a raise after a job well done! Come to find out, she's being fired. For what you ask? For stealing Goeff's event ides, every single one, the same ideas she's been telling him about every day at home for a month. She tries to plead her case and save her job but quickly realizes that there is nothing she can do nor say, that will get her out of this. Oh, and to top it off, Goeff breaks up with her because he can't be seen around her anymore.



Poor Ellie is out of a job, a home, and a boyfriend. She calls her mom and is on the next train out to Long Island and the Honeycrisp Inn. She doesn't tell her mom much about what's going on, expect that she just got done with a huge project and, that she wants to spend some time at home. Her mom thinks this is a fantastic idea, considering Ellie doesn't visit much at all anyway. She tells Ellie this is amazing news and that she can help with the Autumn Harvest Festival. Ellie agrees to help and arrives at the hotel that night. She grabs the keys from the front desk girl, Charlotte and lets herself to the upstairs apartment. After a long day of traveling and let downs, she's excited for the rest and to see her parents in the morning. She opens up the door and is quickly greeted with a man in a towel. That man turned out to be Aiden, the stubborn attractive son of the orchard who is currently occupying her planned refuge. Turns out that Aiden grew some nice muscles and a six pack since the last time she saw him. Ellie had a crush straight away, and it seemed that he did too. Aiden explains that he's happy to see her again and that she will be in town for the Harvest Festival. This is the first time Ellie gets word that he's also planning on helping at the event. If Aiden thinks he can throw a better festival and party, then Ellie can... he better watch out.



This book for the most part was pretty fun to read. Annoying? a little yea. I really feel like Ellie is kinda disrespectful to her parents and treating dementia as a joke. She sent her parents an online dementia test because her mom forgot to tell her Aiden was in the upstairs apartment. Fun fact: no one told mom, and the dad forgot. Ellie takes it upon herself to keep bringing up dementia instead of actually recommending a doctor and taking it seriously. I guess if you take a google test and pass it, you're in the clear! I think Ellie has a lot of growing up to do and maybe a "come to Jesus" moment would be beneficial for her as well. I rated this book a generous 3 stars. I also had an issue with Ellie acting like she cared about Aiden all of sudden. It's like as soon as she saw that he's buffed up and filled out she suddenly acts like she's had this lifelong crush on him for years... when she literally said that she hasn't thought about him since she was 14 when they stopped hanging out in high school. 



Alright, alright I'm done ranting. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC and I really hope to see Valerie come out with some more works.

[Tabatha (tab.talks.books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75⭐️ 2🌶️
A city event planner Ellie Lawson, who returns to her family's apple orchard inn after a breakup and job loss. Forced to work with Aiden, the orchard owner's handsome son, to plan the crucial Harvest Festival, they grapple with conflicting values, growing attraction, and the future of both struggling businesses. The book features forced proximity, a charming autumnal setting, and a touch of spice, making it a perfect read for fans of cozy romances

Read if you like:
• small town
• cozy fall vibes
• forced proximity
• city girl
• fall festival event
• childhood friends to lovers
• opposites attract
• he falls first
• starting over (F)

[sanne ♥ (sann_reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[katie ⋅♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for cozy fall reading, fans of small-town romantic comedies 🍂🍁

﹒⟡﹒﹒⟡﹒﹒⟡﹒﹒⟡﹒﹒⟡﹒﹒⟡﹒

Summary
When Ellie’s life in the city falls apart, she heads back home to her family’s inn in the middle of apple orchard country. The last thing she expects is to be stuck sharing an attic apartment with Aiden—the guy she used to butt heads with. Between planning the town’s Harvest Festival, clashing over every little detail, and realizing there’s real chemistry underneath the bickering, Ellie starts to wonder if maybe small-town life—and Aiden—are exactly what she needs.

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Tropes & Themes
Cozy, autumnal, slightly spicy, reminiscent of a Hallmark movie
Forced Proximity. Ellie and Aiden are unexpectedly paired as roommates in the inn’s attic apartment
Enemies to lovers & opposites attract
Return to roots, career reassessment. Ellie’s return home lets her reconnect with who she is outside her career
Childhood friends reconnect

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My Thoughts
This was such a cozy, feel good read with all the fall vibes. I loved the small town setting, the orchard backdrop, and of course the Harvest Festival. Everything felt so warm and atmospheric, like stepping into a Hallmark movie but with a little extra spice. Ellie and Aiden’s forced proximity banter was fun, and I enjoyed watching their relationship shift from rivalry to romance. Some parts were a little predictable, but honestly, that’s part of what made it so comforting. Perfect for curling up with on a crisp autumn day.

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Release Date 🗓️
September 9th, 2025

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🤍 I want to give a huuugeee thank you Netgalley, Valerie Bowman, Avon, and Harper Voyager
for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. 🤍

﹒⟡﹒﹒⟡﹒﹒⟡﹒﹒⟡﹒﹒⟡﹒﹒⟡﹒

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[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn was super cute and fun! If you want an adorably delightful romance centered around fall, set at an apple orchard and inn, wrapped up in a small town, chock-full with every autumnal vibe your heart could ever want…this is the book for you. I had a great time reading this one and am excited for maybe more in the series in the future!

“I wanted to stay there, because you’re there.”

I’ve been familiar with this author because of her historical romances (which I still want to read), but this is the first time I’ve read her! This is set in Long Island and we follow Ellie. She lives in NYC when the story starts and gets dumped by her boyfriend and loses her job at the same time when the crappy boyfriend stole her project plans and passed them off as his at their work. Desperate for a place to live and get away from it all, Ellie returns home to her parents inn in a small town to help with their autumn harvest festival. There she runs into Aiden, who she has known since childhood and grew up with. Their parents are friends and business partners (his own the orchard connected to the inn) and Aiden has remained there to run the business. It goes from there and it’s just a delight to see unfold! Super easy read, sooo much fall/seasonal vibes, lots of fun side characters, I love both an inn and orchard setting so this was the best of both worlds combined for me, the romance was cute (and we get some spice too)!

I received an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own.

CW: a lot of dementia jokes (I saw multiple other reviewers mention it as well and I agree it felt off/unneeded and insensitive)

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Cute Romance, and this is the first book in the Honeycrisp Orchard Romance series. I found this book to be so cute and fun read. There were a few sexy times in this book, but this book was mostly a cute romance. I so enjoyed reading this book. I love the dogs in this book so much. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

[Isabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC - 5/5⭐️ oh this book is IT. From page 1, I just knew this was going to be the most perfect fall romance book. The story, the characters, the setting..absolute perfection 🍎🍂🧡

Eleanor is an event planner who has recently lost her job and been dumped by her boyfriend in the city; so she goes back home to help her family plan a fall festival to save their inn and orchard. When she arrives back home, she reconnects with Aiden, a sexy farmer and son of the orchard owner. The tension between these two was soooo much fun to read. I loved the forced proximity and the flirting throughout. My only beef with this book is that it was too short!! I was so sad when it was over.

This is the cozy, fall, small town romance that I’ve been searching for. Iconic ❤️‍🔥 I highly recommend this one!! Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Han ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this sweet, cozy and funny fall read! I was not at all upset with how many times a Gilmore Girls re-watch night got mentioned, I felt seen. Also, how much Ellie our FMC talked about her love for donuts? Yes. I adored the small town of Harvest Hollow and the descriptive writing took me right there with it. This is such a cozy book and the Honeycrisp Orchard Inn couldn’t have been cuter. I was pleasantly surprised by the humor in this book, I giggled more than expected! Ok now onto the stars of the show- Aiden and Ellie. These two were the perfect definition of childhood friends to lovers. It was done so well and I was cheering them on the entire way. I love a good grump v. sunshine dynamic. Aiden has been down bad for Ellie basically their entire lives- as they grew up on the farm together. There were promises broken and now these childhood besties haven’t seen each other in years. You’ve got the country man and the city girl. I struggle at times to find fall/autumn themed books I enjoy without them being too bland, but this one kept me intrigued from start to finish!

Thank you NetGalley, Avon and the author for this gifted ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Lis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Currently in my small-town fall romance era and I'm not regretting it for a moment! Reading this book felt like wrapping myself in a soft blanket on a cold autumn day. The setting of Harvest Hollow is super cozy and welcoming. The townspeople are so kind that I almost wished I didn’t live in a big city myself. Honestly, now I want to attend a Harvest Festival myself and eat every fall treat imaginable.

Aiden was such a sweetheart. Despite his own feelings, he genuinely tried to be considerate of Eleanor, whose life had been turned upside down. There were a few ''subtle'' jabs about her having left Harvest Hollow, but they felt realistic rather than cruel; like the kind of tension that lingers when someone walks away from a place that once meant everything. Eleanor’s big decision felt super real, life throws tough choices at us all the time. It gave the story a nice emotional depth.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed myself!

[Vera | booksandcoffee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️ Heerlijke herfst romance! Echt van dit boek genoten. Dacht dat ik even klaar was met romance maar dit boek maakte het wel weer goed met het Herfst thema

[Bethanys_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was AMAZING!!! It screams fall throughout, and has the coziest small town vibes. I loved both the main characters, and it’s set at an apple orchard as they work together to plan the fall harvest festival. Add this to your fall TBR immediately!!! This is one I plan to read every autumn! 🍂 📖

[Justin Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

An unabashedly small-town romance set in autumn, it’s hard not to notice the obvious—this is basically 'The Pumpkin Spice Café 2.0'. From its naming conventions, to the heroine finding her way back to her roots, to the charming, corporation-free small town, and even setting up future couples (each with their own unique small business) along the way—it hits every expected beat in the proven formula. Despite the lack of originality, I genuinely had fun with it.

If The Pumpkin Spice Café is a sweet seasonal beverage, The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn is like shoving sugar straight down your throat, cramming in every possible autumnal icon and stereotype (love dogs? Now there are two!) in its narrative. Most of the time, the excess reads like a playful romance satire (and I'm into how much it leans into caricature), but some writing choices feel clunky, and certain jokes—like the running gag about dementia—veer toward poor taste.

Still, The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn delivers exactly what it sets out to do and doesn’t dawdle in doing it. It’s no literary masterpiece, but if you’re looking for a heaping dose of cozy, cliché Americana autumn, there’s plenty here—and I’m intrigued enough to be looking out for the next instalment!

**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want fall vibes, look no further! This one was swoony, cozy, and gave me all the autumn feels. Ellie & Aiden were absolutely adorable together—flirty, playful, and such a heartwarming slow burn that had me grinning the whole way through. The setting was gorgeous and felt like wrapping myself in a cozy hug (so of course I had to hug the book too 🤗🍂).

Oh, and did I mention there’s a pug named Pumpkin?! 🐾✨ The cutest addition to an already perfect fall romance.

This book deserves a permanent spot in your fall romance rotation—like sipping apple cider in your favorite sweater, it’s pure comfort and charm. 🍏🧡

✨ Tropes you’ll love:
🏡 Small town charm
🎬 Hallmark but with spice
🍂 All the fall vibes & activities
🏠 Forced proximity
🔥 Slow burn tension
💕 Friends to lovers

📚 Add this one to your cozy fall TBR and thank me later. 🍁

[Olivia Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

[Karly Garofolo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably should only get 1 star but I’m giving an extra star for fall vibes. Really wanted a cozy fall read and was let down. I really wanted to like this book. The FMC’s inner dialogue was so cringy I almost didn’t finish the book. There didn’t really seem to be much chemistry between Ellie and Aidan and I just found Ellie to be really annoying. The writing wasn’t great and the only reason I didn’t stop reading is because I really hate not finishing a book.

[Jenniferleest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dit boek wil je knus op de bank lezen met een dampend theetje terwijl de bladeren van de bomen dwarrelen. Het is het perfecte verhaal voor de herfst: cosy, een tikje spicy en met een hond genaamd Pumpkin die je hart moeiteloos verovert.

gehele review binnenkort op mijn blog: jenniferleest.wordpress.com

[suonnahbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC by libro fm
This was an adorable small town fall romance. This was an easy quick read I’m not obsessed but it was cute and fun.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️