Bonfire and Bliss Bookstore

Hope Harbor #2

by Brittanee Nicole

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER


Sparks fly as the leaves fall this autumn…From the New York Times bestselling superstar romance author of the Boston Bolts hockey series comes a spicy and swoony friends-to-lovers fake-dating delight.

These old flames are ready to catch fire.

For Penny Darling, love is best enjoyed between the pages of a book. After a very public failed engagement, she’d rather cozy up by the fire with a book boyfriend than a real one any day. And as the owner of Bonfire & Bliss Bookstore, she has her pick.

Then Jake “Monty” Montgomery returns home. Her high school best friend, now a struggling author with inked forearms and wicked green eyes. And he needs her help.

His proposal is She’ll teach him to write the perfect book boyfriend and he’ll pose as her real boyfriend, keeping Hope Harbor’s busybodies—and their obsession with Penny’s love life—at bay.

But when their lessons begin, the line between fiction and reality grows dangerously thin. As pretend kisses in the apple orchard turn into searing ones beneath the autumn moon, Penny begins to wonder if Monty could really love her, or if she’s destined for another broken heart.

Genres: Romance, Autumn, Friends To Lovers, Fake Dating, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

Audible Audio

First published August 11, 2026

Reviews

[Ana]

This might be my favourite read of this year, I loved it so much!! I already had high expectations, because I really enjoyed the first book, but this was even better!! The cozy fall vibes, the relationship, the chaotic small town and the way I related to Penny, it all made this book into an unforgettable journey.

Penny and Monty were close friends in high school and drifted apart, but now he's back in town and staying for a while. He needs to write his new book and has to make it amazing, she's trying to heal from a terrible relationship and hates that the whole town is trying to set her up with someone, so they decide to fake date and help each other. Everyone will leave her alone and she'll show Monty how to be the perfect book boyfriend so he can write romance into his novel better, a perfect solution. But, spending time together, kissing and practicing has them crossing the invisible line rather quickly...

I absolutely adored Penny, we are so similar which made me enjoy this book even more, as I never felt so seen as I did reading about her. She was incredible and loyal and she deserves the world. I loved seeing her be cherished and worshipped, Monty truly saw her and made sure he showed up.
Monty was such a perfect book boyfriend, the way he did everything for her, how he made sure she knows how perfect she is and who doesn't love a man with slutty glasses and tattoos!! He had his issues, but he always did the right thing.

Honesty, their relationship might be one of my favourites ever. I need a Monty in my life!!
The comfort they felt with each other, the way they understood one other and how integrated they were in each other's life before and now, it was simply amazing. The yearning, the t-shirt, the book club, the fake dating, the meeting, the lessons, the sweet pumpkin, the tension, the date, the dirty talking, the picnic, the maple tree and the bonfire, the library, the list, the devotion, the boom box and all the little things he did for her, it made for an incredible story. I just love their love. The spice was so good too, I wasn't expecting that, I really enjoyed it!! 

This weird little town is honestly the best part. I love the town group chat, the Liberty Ladies and their meddling, the book club and all the town hall meetings. I could read the stories of everyone in town and still want more!! I enjoyed seeing Tally and Walker again and Daisy was an adorable edition. Seeing the bond Tally and Penny have and how Billie got her place with them and Rosie was so special. Also, vovo and her matchmaking skills were unmatched.

I seriously can't wait for the next book, I hope it's Billie's and then Rosie's, I'm really curious about her and Fletcher!!!

*Thank you to Netgalley and to Random House UK, Cornerstone for providing me with an ARC.*

[* A Reader Obsessed *]

4 Stars!

Brittanee Nicole continues her new series, and this second installment did not disappoint!!

As per the blurb, long time besties Penny and Monty are reconnecting as Monty comes home to find some much needed inspiration regarding his writer’s block. When he and Penny agree on a mutually benefiting arrangement, both think their long ago crushes can remain secret despite pretending to be in a relationship. They should’ve known better that reconnecting over their shared past and portraying a loving infatuated couple will only add fuel to the fire!

Just like Darling Daffodils Farm, this was fun funny sexy and way spicier than you would assume despite that cozy cover.

Unlike the first book, this was more grounded with satisfying hurt comfort centered on Monty’s family dynamics that have affected his negative outlook on love and Penny's failed engagement to a person who never truly put her first. Bonus points for body positivity, a shout out to a love of books and a love of romance, quirky hilarious meddling small town living, and a gaggle of friends who won't let you get away with anything.

Overall, this was a really good fake dating, friends to lovers story built on a solid foundation of mutual history and trust that results in a combustible happy ending. If it's not already obvious, I’m invested in this cast of characters now, and I’m only sad it will be too long a wait to get the next installment!

Thank you to the author and GP Putnam’s Son via NetGalley for a copy to review honestly


Hope Harbor
1. Darling Daffodils Farm - 3.75 Stars
2. Bonfire and Bliss Bookstore - 4 Stars

[Ashlyn]

Loads of sugar, heaps of spice, and a romance that made me think twice about my obsession with childhood besties-to-lovers 👀

I was craving a cosy fall escape, and this book delivered that in spades while packing a surprisingly spicy punch.

The charming side characters, magical world building, and playful humor were an absolute delight.

But by the midway point, the mmc’s allure had faded and the fmc’s spine had disintegrated, leaving me relatively unmoved by the romance from there on out.

It felt like a case of ‘she falls first and harder’ to me, which isn’t my cup of tea.

And since the childhood friends-to-lovers trope is a previously undisputed favorite of mine, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little extra disappointed their love story didn’t sweep me off my feet.

Hence my rating of 3.5 stars ⭐️

That's pretty much the long and short of it. But if you’d like the yapper’s extended cut review, then feel free to keep reading.

The Premise:

Penny Darling is the proud owner of Bonfire & Bliss Bookstore in the idyllic New England coastal town of Hope Harbor, where she’s built a magical life around her obsession with fall and romance novels.

She smells like a pumpkin pie 365 days a year, lives in cosy knit cardigans regardless of the season, and is forever adding a new book boyfriend to her infinite roster.

But even Penny’s Pinterest board-worthy life has its challenges.

Business isn't booming as she'd hoped, leaving her bookshop’s future uncertain. Not to mention that she's written off men after a very public failed engagement. While this should at least leave her plenty of time to focus on saving her store, the meddling matriarchs of Hope Harbor won't stop trying to set her up with ill-suited bachelors. And on top of all that, Penny is still navigating the immense grief of losing her father.

Though she’s not the only one whose carefully laid plans have gone awry.

28-year-old novelist Jake Montgomery (“Monty”), is back in his hometown of Hope Harbor, tail between his legs, after his last two books flopped and he lost his NYC apartment. His entire career now hinges on the book he’s supposed to be writing, but a wicked case of writer’s block has thrown a wrench in the process.

So he’s back in his childhood home living with his estranged father and beloved grandma (“Vovo”), hoping the scenic harbor and slower pace of life will give him the inspiration needed to crank out a career-saving story.

Penny and Monty were besties in high school, but lost touch after they left for college. Nearly a decade later, they unexpectedly crossed paths again while Monty was visiting Hope Harbor. They’ve been talking regularly ever since, and now, three months later, they're rekindling their friendship in earnest with Monty back in town.

Which is how they quickly discover each has something the other person needs.

As a voracious romance reader, Penny can teach Monty what it takes to write a captivating love story–and more importantly, how to be the ideal book boyfriend so he can channel that knowledge into creating a swoony male lead for his book.

And Monty can finally put a stop to the town’s incessant matchmaking by ostensibly taking Penny off the market, giving her breathing room to focus on boosting sales at Bonfire & Bliss.

And so their fake-dating arrangement begins.

Sounds adorable, right?!

And for the most part, it was. Had you surveyed me at any point before the 40% mark, I would’ve rated this 5 stars without hesitation.

But just beyond that, I fear I came down with a sudden and severe case of the ick where Monty was concerned. Alongside this, Penny’s paper maché backbone left me increasingly weary.

From there, it became a constant battle to stay invested in their romantic development.

I’ll expound upon the many splendid bits I adored first:

There’s a certain magical essence and fizzy anticipation that wafts through the air during the transition to fall, which Brittanée Nicole captured beautifully in her writing and world building.

And the prose drips with a deliciously edible quality that further elevated the atmosphere for me. Think sunsets that wash the sky in “beautiful shades of pumpkin and cranberry.”

All of it cocooned me in the cosy fall feels I was craving.

As did the festive plot and lovable supporting cast–

🍁We’re indulging in every fall tradition under the sun: the first football game of the season, evening bonfires, haunted hayrides, Sunday mornings at the farmer’s market, even a naughty apple picking adventure…

🍁We’re immersed in the town’s hilarious group chat, which is intended for 'official town business’ but really just consists of good-natured teasing, prying, and meddling.

🍁 We’re shown so many beautiful moments of women uplifting and nurturing one another, such as Penny’s sisterhood with Tally and both of their friendships with Rosie and Billie. And the way all the women of Hope Harbor consistently showed up to offer their unwavering support touched me.

Then we have the storyline of estranged besties rekindling their secret high school crushes, which was definitely working its magic on me at first.

Their shared history was creating that innate vulnerability and sincerity that makes me feral for this trope.

And Monty’s wholly unabashed adoration for Penny was infusing their emotional intimacy with an electric heat that made their chemistry crackle off the page.
When I tell you this man had me FLUSTERED!

The way he expresses his affection with such fierce, all-consuming intensity felt almost stifling. And watching Penny, who’s never been loved out loud by a man, melt into a puddle of blushes and giggles under all that attention was pure catnip to me.

But then after the 40% mark, the enchantment began fading.

⚠️major spoilers ahead–you may want to skip if you haven’t read this yet and plan to⚠️

Starting with their first (fake) date.

Lesson one of Penny’s ‘book boyfriend training’ has Monty planning their first fake date. And considering he's known her intimately for well over a decade and therefore knows exactly what she loves—and keeps gloating about what a top tier book boyfriend he can be—I’m fully prepared for this man to sweep me off my feet.

Then, after a few days of planning, he comes back and asks Penny to reserve her entire Saturday for the occasion. So now I’m assuming he must have a truly magical and substantial itinerary planned.

My mind was whizzing with possibilities, and my loins were girded for an extended romantic extravaganza uniquely curated around everything we know Penny loves.

Alas, imagine my surprise when the grand romantic adventure turns out to be a trip to a bookstore in Boston? Not to be confused with Penny’s bookstore, which she’d left under her mom's care to be on this date with him 😶

While there, he tells her to pick out a book they’ll be using for unspecified purposes later in the date (spoiler alert: nothing ever comes of this and the book is never referenced again).

This is followed by a picnic of sandwiches, but that gets rained out, so he takes her back to his dad’s house where they eat a dinner his grandma made because Vovo was horrified he’d planned to feed Penny sandwiches instead of a proper meal on their first date.

You may be thinking, surely this is meant to be a learning moment where Penny schools him on what an actual dream book boyfriend would plan, since she's supposed to be his teacher on the matter and all. But that never happens.

To be clear, I didn’t need him to empty out his coffers or do anything insane, but this is the best he could come up with for the woman he’s been secretly pining over (allegedly) since he was a teen? It felt so low-effort and uninspired.

And while I can see how he was trying to cater to her love of books, asking her to leave her bookstore so you can take her to someone else’s and then stuff a sandwich down her throat hardly feels well thought out. I’d be much more understanding if this was the first in a series of activities. Like, was there nothing else you two could do in the beautiful city of Boston since you were already there?

But he just rushes her right back to Hope Harbor and takes her to spicy town in his dad’s library while trying not to get caught by his grandma upstairs, as though he’s 16. Please make it stop 😭✋

And this is where my bigger issue with Monty started to gradually creep in.

I’m sympathetic to his struggles; his last two books flopped, he lost his apartment, and he’s now living with the father he resents deeply, while trying to get his career back on track. I admire his commitment to pursuing his dreams even when the going gets hard. But I still couldn’t shake how exceedingly convenient his dynamic with Penny was in light of all this.

She has her own place, lends her time and expertise to help him create the winning love story his career hinges on, and their fake dating clears his writer’s block. He gets no-strings-attached intimacy. And because Penny is shy, coming off an engagement that eroded her confidence and left her accustomed to giving far more than she received, it doesn’t take much effort to have her melting into a googly-eyed stupor under his affection. It was pretty evident that he knew the kind of effect he had on her, too.

And that's what started to make the arrangement feel emotionally lopsided. Monty is never really challenged or forced to put anything on the line to reap all these benefits. He never has to work hard to get closer to her or make a meaningful commitment before gaining deeper intimacy. It never feels like he’s in danger of losing her or grappling with the angst Penny struggles with, because the only major obstacle to them being real is his hang-ups about love.

For context: Monty doesn’t believe love lasts due to some losses he endured when he was younger, and therefore doesn’t do relationships. He makes it clear he can’t give Penny the happily ever after she deserves and wants as a result.

The idea that she benefits equally because their dating keeps the townspeople from setting her up on ill-suited dates also felt pretty thin to me.

I’m not saying Monty is a manipulative villain or reads as disingenuous about his feelings. There are many moments where he’s sweet, attentive, and thoughtful, and I did believe he liked her.

But because the overall dynamic started to feel increasingly opportunistic on his part and one-sided when it came to emotional risk, those moments lost much of their appeal in my eyes.

Especially as he kept pushing to take things further physically within their fake relationship. While Penny is the one who asks to expand their deal to include sex, their intimacy leaves her battling her growing attachment to him and rationalizing away the pain she believes is inevitable when it ends. I didn’t really feel any commensurate emotional turmoil from Monty, despite the narrative being dual-POV.

Of course, Penny is making her own decisions. I don’t mean to treat her like she’s made of glass or imply she’s not consciously choosing this, because she very much is.

Rather, this is where I really started to struggle with her character: how readily she seemed to talk herself out of her own wants, needs, and feelings, and how she needed someone else to validate them before she could fully acknowledge them herself.

This is such a relatable experience, but it’s never really explored as a part of her character arc, which is especially disappointing since empowerment is such a big theme for her. But so much of it seems to rest on outside influences, and I never saw her internalize that confidence.

But back to Monty—since we’re constantly told how deeply he loves and cares for her, I wanted to see that love and care lived out through some instinct or desire to protect her from a situation where he knows it’s pretty much guaranteed she'll end up hurt. I wanted to see genuine concern for how taking things further might affect her. Instead, it sometimes felt like he was milking everything he could out of the situation.

It left me with the impression that he prioritized his own interests over Penny’s heart and well-being, and that kind of self-serving behavior didn’t resonate with me at all.

The story wanted me to read their sexcapades as empowering for Penny, but I didn’t really buy into it.

To me, it felt like Penny was settling for crumbs and trying to convince herself it was a meal because she was so dazzled by finally getting the man she’d wanted forever, even if only temporarily.

Naturally, things conclude with a HEA and it all works out for her. But I didn't enjoy the journey to that HEA as much as I expected to.

I also didn't buy into the mutual nature of their secret crush in high school.

Penny’s long-standing crush is loud. The moment word spreads of her and Monty’s (fake) relationship, her friends and family are all commenting how great it is that they’re finally dating since Penny has always been so obviously smitten with Monty. Penny repeatedly tells us from her POV that she always secretly dreamed of being his girlfriend, and this arrangement is her childhood dream brought to life.

With Monty though, I struggled to find much evidence that he had this same secret love for her back in their youth. The only thing I can point to is him telling us he wanted to kiss her the night before they left for college, but stopped himself out of fear of ruining their friendship. But none of their memories, his inner monologue, or commentary from family or townspeople establishes the affection or desire that would’ve driven him to kiss her that night.

His feelings felt more spur-of-the-moment to me, something that sparks when they reconnect a few months before the story starts and then intensifies once he moves back to Hope Harbor.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with this, but it’s incongruent with the narrative and again made me feel the pacing and fate of their romantic development was always in Monty’s court.

And their third-act conflict reinforced this for me.

Monty promises to bring Penny’s favorite author to her bookstore for a signing to help boost sales. She invests in inventory and puts her reputation behind the event while entrusting Monty to coordinate with the author and bring her to the signing.

But the morning of, he unexpectedly finds his divorced parents kissing and spirals because it brings up unresolved pain from their breakup. Which is very understandable.

How he handles this, however, is anything but.

Instead of communicating with Penny, he flees town, sends a cryptic text that he needs the day to clear his head, then turns off his phone and disappears. He also blows off a town fundraising event they were supposed to host together.

More importantly, he failed to confirm the details for the book signing when the author reached out (the day before this all goes down, mind you) and completely forgets about the event. So when Penny calls him ten mins before it starts, with guests pouring in and him still MIA, she’s horrified to learn he’s failed to pull through for her.

After Penny does damage control and the event is over (Monty never shows face or does anything to try and salvage the event, by the way) she immediately starts minimizing her own hurt on account of their relationship having been fake. She tells herself he didn’t owe her anything because what they had wasn't real.

Except whether they’re fake dating or real dating is irrelevant??? He’s her best friend, and he made her a promise that impacted her business and reputation. He failed to keep his word, communicate, or try to remedy the situation.

That's what I expected us to be focused on.

But for some insane reason, every conversation afterward centers on whether Monty’s feelings for her were ever real. Her friends console her with assurances that Monty really does love her despite the relationship being fake.

Why is no one talking about the fact that he completely let her down?

Then comes the subpar “grovel”.

What feels like a million years later, Monty appears at her place throwing rocks at her window and serenading her. Within 30 seconds, Penny is downstairs running into his arms, crying tears of joy and internally gushing over the fact that he’s ‘groveling’.

And she forgives him instantly.

He shares his epiphany about love and wants her to be his real girlfriend—which he automatically assumes she agrees to without asking.

From Penny’s POV, we get to see her process Monty’s gesture through her inner monologue:

"Monty’s right, he did let me down. And now, with him in front of me, acknowledging that, it hits me just how much it hurt. Because he’s telling me what we had was real and that I’m allowed to feel sad about the way he handled everything.”

Why on Earth would she need his permission to feel her feelings, or to hold him accountable for the promises and commitments he makes?

Mind you, that’s her inner monologue 90% into the story, so the time for character development has basically come and gone.

But Penny hardly says two words outwardly. She never tells him how his behavior made her feel or impacted her, or ask any questions.

She cries tears of joy while he recites his love proclamation and then reciprocates. Then we’re thrust into an epilogue two weeks later where he claims her during a town meeting and we learn he’s now moved into her place 👀

Other minor quibbles:

🍁 It’s casually mentioned that Monty didn’t attend her father’s funeral, though he tells us on several occasions that Penny's dad meaningfully impacted his writing career, and he quotes advice her dad gave often in a sentimental way. We’re given no reason as to why he didn’t show, so naturally I jumped to the most pessimistic conclusion possible, which is that he just didn’t care enough to take a quick train, plane, or automobile from NYC to Boston to show his respects and support his “best friend” in her time of grief.

🍁 He also felt a bit too self-aware at times in his inner monologue, with the kind of psychological clarity I’d more readily expect from a narrator observing a character from the outside. And that made me feel like he was talking at me, or trying to convince me of things at times rather than organically thinking and feeling.

🍁 Writing Penny's ex-fiance to be "all bad" felt very simplistic to me and raised questions about her own character that we never really see explored or resolved to the extent I would expect after a relationship like that. He hated everything about her from what we’re told, so I can't even see how he found a tender moment to propose amid criticizing her and micromanaging her food consumption all hours of the day? I would've appreciated more nuance and subtlety regarding the way their relationship was written, or at least a more substantive growth arc for Penny in their aftermath.

I know it probably feels like I’ve torn the characters and story to shreds by this point…

But I really did enjoy a lot about this book, I swear 😭

I write these reviews as a way to process the thoughts, feelings, and reactions stirred by whatever I've just read. So that’s what you're seeing in this overly long “review”, more so a journaling process than anything else.

I still very much recommend this as a cutie fall romance read.

[cat]

“After having craved those copper eyes for so long searching for their color in every cup of coffee, every sunrise, in the dancing flames of a fire, and the evening sunset. How did I think I could do anything but claim her as mine?”


on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ‎♪ˎˊ˗
“ᴏᴄᴛᴏʙᴇʀ ᴇʏᴇs” x ᴀʟᴛ ʙʟᴏᴏᴍ
0:14 ─♥──────── 2:27


When I tell you I ate this up… I mean it. Fully consumed. No crumbs left. 👏🏼 I went in with ridiculously high expectations (which is always a gamble🫣) especially because my first book by this author Darling Daffodils Farm ended up being an all-time favorite… and somehow this one didn’t just meet those expectations, it blew past them.

This story feels like coming home to something you didn’t realize you’d been missing.

Penny is just… everything. She loves so deeply, so selflessly, always showing up for everyone around her without hesitation. And there’s something so devastating about her character because you know how much she deserves in return (and hearing how she was treated in her last relationship makes me want to scream). Watching her navigate her fears, her past hurt, and still continue to love the way she does? I adored her. I rooted for her so hard.

And Monty. *screams in delightttt*

Monty, who has wanted her apparently since he was SEVENTEEN??? AHHHH And when they’re thrown back together?? When fake dating enters the picture?? It’s like striking a match over something that was already soaked in gasoline.

The setup was so good. Every moment, every “pretend” interaction had this underlying tension of this is not pretend, not even a little bit. And the way they slowly start crossing that invisible line??? I was LOSING IT. Especially because Penny is over here trying to guard her heart, convincing herself she’s alone in what she’s feeling…

Meanwhile Monty is internally writing poetry about her existence.

“Penelope Darling’s eyes are pure perfection and the color of a shimmering copper penny.”

LIKE??? HELLO??? 🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼

And when things start to unravel (in the best, most emotionally chaotic way) and he finally starts saying what he’s been holding in???

“Stop thinking you’re too much for me when you are absolutely everything I want.”

“Trust me when I say there isn’t an inch of you that I’m not desperate to worship.”

YUMMM YUMMM YUMMMM 🤭😝

I was not prepared for the spice level in this book AT ALL 😭 The mouth on Monty should be criminal that’s all I’m gonna say.

I will say there were a couple things that I slightly didn’t like. For one, there was no need for Monty to call her by her nickname SO MUCH. 😭 also I’m not sure why Daisy the cow was mentioned so much… But those things weren’t enough to drop a star imo.

Also I can’t not mention the town because the chaos??? unmatched. The meddling, the group chat (forever iconic 😂), the way everyone is just deeply invested in everything… it adds this warmth and humor that balances out the emotional weight so perfectly. And Penny and Tally’s relationship?? I loved it. It felt so genuine and grounding.

But the thing that really stayed with me is the way Monty loves her. Not just loudly, but consistently.

“My story begins and ends with you. Because you, Penny Darling, are my heart. You’re the love of my life, my best friend.”

“Penny is my past, present, and every second of my future.”

*faints* I’m unwell.

This isn’t just friends-to-lovers. This is inevitable love. The kind that refuses to fade no matter how much time passes. And when it finally comes together?? It’s explosive in the best way. 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

Five stars doesn’t even feel like enough.

And now I’m just sitting here, already desperate for the next book. Rosie? Billie? I don’t even care. Just give it to me immediately because I need more of this town and their people

things to know about the book ↓

🧡 friends to lovers
🧡 second chance
🧡 fake dating
🧡 small town chaos
🧡 meddling townspeople
🧡 group chat shenanigans
🧡 writer x bookstore owner
🧡 body positivity rep
🧡 found family energy
🧡 dual POV

spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
swearing: yes

The biggest thank you to NetGalley, Putnam & Brittanee Nicole for allowing me to read this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you're interested in reading my review for the previous book in this series! ↓ ↓
Darling Daffodils Farm Review
─────────

・❥・⁀➷ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕

I’ve been waiting for Penny and Monty 👀
I loved Tally and Walkers story so much… so to say my hopes are high is an understatement. Can’t wait to get into this!! Hope Harbor here I come 🧡💛

[Eleanor]

Bonfire and Bliss Bookstore is a sweet and cozy small town story full of charm! This friends to lovers romance between struggling author Monty and bookstore owner Penny was so swoony. I loved that the two had so much banter and chemistry. It was so obvious that they were enamored with each other and willing to go to great lengths for one another. I especially enjoyed how Penny and Monty explored their chemistry as their friendship slowly blossomed into something more; the way the two fell for each other was so natural. I also loved how the fake dating came into play between these two. Add in all the fall activities and small town happenings, and the story kept me dialed in from beginning to end. Altogether, this warm and heartfelt romance was the perfect cozy read to kick off fall, with all the charm, swoon, and steam one could want!

~Many thanks to Putnam for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

[Meagan (Meagansbookclub)]

Great second book in the series!!!

Spicy alert!!!! 🥵🥵🥵

[Jess Ciesla | cozy library shed]

⭐️⭐️.75 (rounded up)

This one started off promising, but unfortunately lost me pretty quickly. I’m usually fine with the cheesy Hallmark vibes that come with seasonal romances, but the fake dating setup barely felt like fake dating, and the book ended up feeling way more focused on spice than plot.

I did love the story behind the MMC’s nickname for the FMC, but it got so overused.

And the random spicy mask scene came out of nowhere???😭 definitely not what I expected from a cozy fall romance

Not terrible, just not quite what I was hoping for.

[Carolyn]

I enjoyed parts of this book. The fall vibes were very nice. I just couldn’t get past the constant use of the FMC’s very annoying nickname.

[Kayla | Kayla Reads Smut]

Welp I straight devoured that book. I’m currently licking my fingers clean then will be sucking up every freaking crumb like a Hoover vacuum because this right here is Brittanée’s best work yet. Monty is hands down book boyfriend zero. And chapter 28?!? My legs no longer work because holy smokes, Batman 😮‍💨🫠🥵 so if you need me, I’m currently making a residence on the floor. That’s it. That’s the review. That’s all you need to know.

Oh and also, if you are an audio girlie pop, listen to the audio. James Cassidy and Megan Wicks fucking slayed the game my friends. Bc again what was chapter 28 and why am I still at the restaurant 🤭

[Dozelina 666]

I have a confession to make :D I may or may not have screamed when I got approved for this book , because I loved book 1.

And I think I liked it even more than the first.

We get friends to lovers plus fake dating and it worked really well for me. Penny and Monty have history, they were close, drifted apart and now they’re finding their way back to each other.

Monty was such a fun character. An excellent fake boyfriend, always there, always helpful… and with a very unexpected dirty mind. I wouldn’t really call him a failed writer, more like someone who lost inspiration or maybe picked the wrong genre.

Penny was great too. I really loved her journey, especially how she slowly regained her confidence and allowed herself to open up again. I liked that she didn’t hold back from trying new things and just went for it.

The small town vibes are still as charming as in the first book, with all the quirky characters that make Hope Harbor feel alive. And honestly, I already can’t wait for the next one.

⭐ 5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC.

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[Elle G. Reads]

I freakin LOVED this book to pieces! This is the perfect fall romance between two childhood friends who CLEARLY have been harboring feelings for one another for a long time… The atmosphere is top notch! It feels like fall as the author added all the cozy elements of the season and depicts the sweetest small town in New England. I do live in New England, but I specifically want to live in Hope Harbor. Anyway, with the fall activities, drinks, desserts, and even clothing I truly felt like I was living in the season and not the “in between” that we typically feel living here when the weather doesn’t want to cooperate 😂 I could smell the bonfire, taste the spiked cider, and feel the cool breeze at night. Sigh, I just loved it so much. That’s not all though, the romance between Penny and Monty? SWOONWORTHY!

Friends to lovers has always been one of my favorite tropes so reading THEIR story where they start as fake dating to finally figuring out their true feelings was magical. Their chemistry was explosive from the beginning, and I loved watching them slowly come to terms with their true feelings. I hope to see more of them as side characters in future books.

Speaking of side characters, the found family aspects and these friendships made the book even more special! I still need to go back and read Tally’s story, but I have to wait a few days for my copy to come in (yes, I bought physical copies and preordered book 3 based on my LOVE for this one!).

I’ll stop gushing now but I want to say that I highly recommend this book especially if you’re in the mood for something set during the fall!

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘
📚 Cozy Bookstores
💕 Childhood Best Friends
💘 Friends to Lovers
🎭 Fake Dating
🏡 Small-Town Romance
👨‍👩‍👧 Found Family
💋 "Romance Lessons"
🍂 Cozy Fall Vibes

[Montse Perez]

450 pages of this was certainly a choice.

Apparently, at some point ROMANCE books stopped requiring an actual romance. This was basically 400 pages of pumpkin spice smut and questionable decisions. There was no yearning, no emotional connection, and barely even a romance.

Monty is genuinely one of the most lustful MMCs I’ve encountered in a while. Almost every thought he has about Penny somehow circles back to her body, her appearance, or how badly he wants to sleep with her. It was honestly gross. Especially considering she is a plus size fmc...

The worst part is that this man doesn’t even KNOW her. They haven’t seen each other since high school, and instead of trying to actually get to know her again, he apparently decided that her curvy, freckled, voluptuous body was enough character development.

And the random sex jokes?? Completely unnecessary. I’m sorry, but when your book club is casually passing around an alien dildo (which I pray was washed prior) I start wondering if I accidentally picked up a parody novel.

“Viola practically throws the dildo at me and the silicone peni wobbles through the air.”

I’m not even going to unpack that. I simply do not have the emotional strength.

Once Monty and Penny had sex, the book basically became
smut scene > barely any plot > another smut scene > another smut scene but in public > and somehow more smut

when did romance books stop needing to be romantic?

I wanted chemistry, tension, emotional intimacy, yearning. Instead, I got a man who apparently cannot look at Penny without mentally undressing her and a plot held together by pumpkin spice and alien dildos.

[Megan]

This is in the running for my favorite book of the year. The yearning that starts from the first sentence is palpable. The love story evolution is believable and pure. And the spice is insane! Aka a spicy romance trifecta.

Penny has a great life. She owns the bookstore in her hometown, her sister is back home and found love, and they’re finding their way after their dad’s passing. But, everything’s just a little bit off. She no longer has a fiancé, her bookstore is struggling, and she’s just floating through life without knowing herself and what she wants. When her best friend Monty comes back to town, that safe haven from childhood could just be her safe haven to finding herself— and love.

Monty has writer’s block, so he escapes New York and comes back home for new surroundings. Those surroundings include his best friend and the woman he can describe in writer’s detail and who convinced him to pursue his career. When he sees her again, there’s no going back— especially if a chance to fake date her means a chance to finally act on those longstanding feelings he’s buried.

Every single word of this story was perfect. I’m obsessed and BEGGING for the next book in the series already.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[BookishKB]

🍂Bonfire and Bliss Bookstore🍂

Very cute, very cozy, and such a perfect fall read. Seriously, grab a blanket, make a cup of tea, and settle in because this is the kind of book that feels made for a rainy day.

🍁 What to Expect
• Friends to lovers
• Fake dating
• Small town
• Bookstore owner FMC
• Author MMC
• Second chance
• Cozy fall
_ _ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 4.5 stars
📅 Pub Date: August 11, 2026
📝 Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Mama Needs to Read Romance]

Too rich for my blood.

While cozy and fall feels abound, so does the F* word, and at 158 uses, it feels a bit much for me. The spice is too spicy for me too. 🤷🏻

Content Warnings: breath play (?) -- he's grabbing her around the throat during sex, degradation kink

[Katy Fann]

I love being back in Hope Harbor! Books about books is always such a fun trope, and I really loved Penny and Monty together. I definitely enjoyed the first book in the series more, but I still had a great time with this one and can’t wait for book 3!

[Hannah]

This book has IT ALL!! Friends to lovers 🩷 Fake Dating 🩵 AND Small Town Romance!! Swoon someone catch me because I’m gonna faint from how cute this book is!

This book would be absolutely perfect to read cozied up under a comfy blanket with a cup of tea in the fall! The vibes are just so sweet and the whole town is so so cute!!

Monty and Penny’s relationship was just so touching! I loved seeing them fall for each other but not wanting to admit it! Monty wrote the book on yearning and I’m gonna need every copy!! ALSO!! Do not be fooled by the cute cover!! This book is very spicy 🌶️ !! It also made me cry like a lot at multiple points while reading so be ready for that!!

Overall, this book is fantastic and I love it and I can’t wait for it to come out so I can get my hands on it!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

[The Rampant Reader]

Thank you to the author and Putnam for the gifted e-copy.

“You can’t use my book boyfriends against me!”

Vibes: it’s always been you meets fall

Penny’s life sounds great to me: bookstore owner, sister, small town life, pumpkin spice fiend, and a super hot best friend who is pretty obsessed with her. He’s tattooed, has slutty glasses, and uses Portuguese endearments.

Tropes:
Small Town
Fake Dating
Old Friends to Lovers
Family
Author &
Bookstore Owner

[Book_O_Holic]

What a fun fall read!?! It was so cute and spicy.

This was a fun friends to lovers/ fake dating situation which I’m a sucker for! Also our girl is a book girly and Monty agrees to help her bring to life all her smutty fantasies. HOT lol

This was also in duet narration!

[Stacey Beane]

So I actually really liked this one! It was cozy, the spice was good & I really liked the characters & their story! I haven’t read the 1st book yet so this can absolutely be read as a standalone! Definitely recommend!

[Paige (wingsandsmut)]

If I could live in Hope Harbor, I would be there in a heartbeat! This is the perfect book for those cozy fall vibes and about to be my entire personality because I am a fall girlie! And then add in the fact that Monty has tattoos and wears glasses…cue the swooning!! I absolutely loved Penny & Monty! Their friendship is so easy going and it’s clear how comfortable they are around each other. But when they decide to fake date, I was done for! Will forever be a favorite trope of mine and I was obsessed with seeing their story play out!

This audiobook is performed in duet by Megan Wicks & James Cassidy and let me just say, it is PERFECTION! If you’re debating on whether or not you should listen to this one, do yourself a favor and just get the audio!

What to expect:
-author x bookstore owner
-friends to lovers
-fake dating
-small town
-fall vibes
-spicy lessons
-he wears glasses
-it’s always been you
-mutual pining

[Amy]

I have found my first five star fall read of the year, and yes, it is only August. No, I will not be taking questions. 😂🍂 This book had EVERYTHING I want from a fall romance. The autumn descriptions, the apple orchard, the cozy bookstore, the fall events, the adorable small town atmosphere… the vibes were immaculate. Hope Harbor is already ridiculously cute, but Hope Harbor in the fall? Even better. I was ready to move in immediately.

And Penny? Penny is me and I am Penny. A cutesy bookstore owner, Bookstagrammer, lover of fall books, obsessed with autumn, and happiest surrounded by books? Brittanee Nicole apparently went into my personality settings and wrote a heroine specifically for me. 😂 I absolutely adored her, and I loved that the book gave so much attention to her friendships with her sister and their friends. The female friendships were such a fun part of the story.

Then there’s Monty, who was a fantastic hero. Their chemistry was so good, and the friends to lovers/fake dating setup gave us plenty of swoony and spicy moments. I especially loved watching Monty work through the baggage from his parents’ divorce and the way it had left him jaded about love. His emotional journey added some nice depth beneath all the cozy romance and fall fun.

And can we talk about the Hope Harbor residents and their town wide group chat?! The meddling was elite. I loved how much personality the town had and how the side characters made Hope Harbor feel like a place I actually wanted to visit. This was only my third book by Brittanee Nicole, and I am officially delighted to discover she has a giant backlist because apparently I have some serious binge reading to do while I wait for the next Hope Harbor book.

I already loved the first book, but I liked this one even more. It charmed the absolute hell out of me. The setting, the fall atmosphere, the bookstore, the friendships, the banter, the chemistry, the spice, the swoon… it all worked. If this is what my fall reading season looks like, I am VERY ready.

Perfect for Readers Who Love:

* immaculate autumn vibes and cozy small towns
* bookish heroines who own bookstores and live for fall reading
* spicy friends to lovers fake dating with serious chemistry
* meddling small town residents and unhinged group chats

[monica •]

so so so cute! Such a sweet friends to lovers story and perfect for the fall time

[Jacqie]

I keep trying romances and keep bouncing off them. It's probably me.

If you are looking for autumn vibes, you couldn't find more powerful ones than what's in this book. The colors, the foods, the feel, it all blares fall-and-cozy right in your heart. That's probably its best quality as far as I was concerned and it succeeds there with no problem.

Where it lost me was with the three headed blue alien dildo being thrown around by members of Penny's book club because... IDK. Because they wanted her to go on a date? I still don't see how that leads to fishing a friend's sex toy out of her drawer and tossing about her place of business (book shop). I am just too old to find that funny or charming; my reaction is that real people just don't do such things and it's a dumb and juvenile attempt to get a laugh at the expense of giving characterization to any characters.

The "pretend boyfriend" aspect was pretty weak too. And Monty's nickname for Penny was about two syllables longer than it needed to be and reading it threw me out of the story every time as I tried to figure out how it could roll off the tongue naturally.

BUT. If you're just there for the vibes, don't mind a lot of goofiness and are good with the "obstacle" keeping the couple apart only exists so that there can be a last minute reconciliation, then this will do fine.

[kaylyn]

this was CUTE!!!! omg a book boyfriend who's a writer and spent two chapters trying to describe the color of her eyes? PLEASEEEEEEEE.

[Sofia Pereira]

loved this! so sweet and so wholesome, Penny and Monty have my heart 🧡 also sorry the mentions of pumpkin spice, cinnamon sweet treats and fall?! me in a book I’m obsessed and need everyone to read this 🌶️

[A court of wanting books]

Das perfekte Buch für den Herbst🍂🍁

[Afton]

This was such a cozy, feel-good read! This story had everything I love about a small-town romance… community, found family, a charming setting, and plenty of heart.

I really enjoyed getting to know the mains and watching their relationship unfold. The bookstore setting was definitely one of my favorite parts, and I loved the overall cozy atmosphere of the story. Overall, this was a sweet and enjoyable time that left me with all the warm and fuzzy feelings.

A perfect book to pick up when you’re looking for something light, cozy, and full of heart!

[Sara]

DNF at 67%. This is a serious case of misleading marketing; this book is not a fluffy, cozy fall romance. It is definitely erotica and absolutely not my cup of tea. But more than the marketing being misleading and me not being the right audience, it pissed me off for a few reasons.

With her main character being an avid romance reader and the owner of a bookstore, the author wrote so much about doing tropes right and the key elements of what makes a good romance novel while not nailing them herself. The fake dating was just real dating. Friends to lovers was missing the development of the friend part; we were just told how they were friends over and over without being shown. Then, she even had a line about spice scenes not being the focus of a romance, about how a good love story is about the characters getting to know each other and falling for each other, but then her own book is just dominated by very out there spicy scenes. (I am aware I am a prude but I'm also not the only reviewer who was bothered by this — see the above re wrong audience and misleading marketing.)

The book boyfriend stuff was too much, just way over the top. I never want to read that term or "viral" ever again. And I refuse to believe a romance reader could be so obtuse when finding herself in the very situation she reads about so much (the fake dating not being fake).

I also found most of the side characters very annoying and hard to keep track of.

The worst part is that I really wanted to hang in there for the one good part of this book that gets my single star: the fall vibes. They were extremely well done, but I just can't with the rest of it.

[Brittany]

Rating on vibes alone. 4.5 stars rounded up. The tropes were troping and the spicy was spicing and I had fun reading it! Cozy fall spice. The fake dating trope was overplayed and lost me on believability, but there is a character named Babs who wields a three headed d*ldo and is very s*x positive and I just love that.