The Sugar Maple Inn

Solace Springs #2

by Laura Bloom

A small-town café owner and a globe-trotting billionaire discover that their online connection is more than just business when they clash over an old inn in this spicy yet heartwarming romance.

Welcome to Solace Springs . . .

Grace Sullivan has been brewing perfect lattes and biting her tongue for years at her mother's café, but she's done being the dutiful daughter. When the historic inn on Maple Island goes up for sale, she sees her chance to build something of her own. Her secret weapon? Her anonymous online mentor, WildTrailGuide, whose late-night messages have moved from business advice to flirtation.

Reese Spencer is used to getting what he wants. A rugged, globe-trotting billionaire, he needs that same inn to uncover a family secret buried on the remote island decades ago. What he doesn't expect is a fierce, pink-haired single mom standing in his way.

Neither knows they're already falling for each other online until an autumn storm leaves them stranded together on the island overnight. Trapped in the inn's honeymoon suite with candlelight, stolen wine, and simmering desire, familiar phrases start slipping out . . . and soon their true identities come to light.

Now Grace and Reese must fight for the inn and lose each other, or find a way to build something together that's bigger than both their dreams.

The Sugar Maple Inn is a sweet and spicy second-chance romance filled with small-town charm, quirky characters, and a guaranteed happily-ever-after.

Genres: Romance, Small Town Romance

352 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 15, 2026

Reviews

[BookishKB]

🍁🏡 The Sugar Maple Inn 🏡🍁

I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.

🧡 What to Expect
• Small town romance
• Single mom FMC
• Billionaire MMC
• Online relationship
• Forced proximity
• Inn renovation
• Autumn romance
_ _ _ _

📅 Pub Date: September 15, 2026
Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in Laura Bloom's Solace Springs series and I was excited for the opportunity to read it, because I really enjoyed the first book. What I didn't realize was that the MMC was a billionaire, and I have come to realize that the "billionaire trope" is one of my least favorite. However, this one sort of worked for me - even though he was a Canadian billionaire (there are only a little over 80 billionaires in Canada - I actually googled if there were any, to be honest).

The way Reese's character was written, I believed he was a driven, career focused guy with business savvy. Grace, the FMC, was introduced in the first book in the series, "The Cherry Blossom Boathouse," and I already liked her and was happy to revisit some of the original books characters along the way. I enjoyed the set up of the competition to buy the Inn - sort of a David and Goliath story. Grace is a smart, single Mom, raised by a Mother who also ran her own business and she desperately wants something of her own to create. I loved her son - his allegiance towards her while still having an air of teenage indifference was spot on.

I really enjoyed visiting the Solace Springs community and could imagine visiting the island hotel on vacation. I hope the series continues and I get a chance to visit again!

[Jess Hilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gilmore Girls-coded in all the best ways. 🍂☕️ This was cozy, sweet, small-town fall goodness wrapped up in one very comforting read.

I loved the romance, the found-family feeling, and the way this series gives you interconnected stories that still work beautifully as standalones. Grace and Reese had such different lives, but their connection felt tender and believable within the soft, dreamy world of the book. Reese is very much a billionaire romance hero, I loved the juxtaposition of private jets and conservation work because apparently saving the planet still comes with luxury air travel, naturally. But I really liked the way his sense of duty and care balanced with Grace’s grounded, hardworking life.

There’s a little more conflict and mystery in this one than in The Cherry Blossom Boathouse, but it still never lost that relaxing, nervous-system-friendly feeling Laura Bloom does so well. The question of what was buried beneath the inn dragged out a tiny bit for me, and there were a couple places where the pacing slowed, but overall this was such a lovely, cozy read.

Absolutely recommendation-worthy. If you want small-town charm, autumn vibes, found family, and a romance that feels like curling up with something warm to drink, this one is it. 🍁💛

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 ⭐️

This was a sweet and cozy story.

I liked Grace from when we met her in book 1 of this series, so I was excited to jump into her world a bit more here. She’s just as fun and sassy as I remembered, but also a strong lead. Reese is a good guy (but we’re reminded a bit too frequently in no uncertain terms that he’s a capital B Billionaire). I loved that he was trying to be an ethical and moral billionaire who worked hard and gave back.

I think the story would’ve benefitted from a longer timeline. Everything felt so rushed since it took place over the span of a few weeks. The online storyline also felt like an afterthought at the halfway point. I get what we were going for with it, but at times I actually wondered how neither of them pieced together before, and I think a longer timeline would’ve helped with that. I’m also a bit disappointed we didn’t see any of the renovations. I thought that would’ve been the focus for the second half of the book, so I was surprised that we stayed to the insta-love trope.

Overall, I enjoy hanging out in this world with the quirky towns people and look forward to my future journeys back here.

Thank you to Ballantine / Dell for the ARC!

[Kayla B · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy reading hallmark style romance with spice and some parts you think are so silly they are cute than this book is for you. I really enjoyed reading this book. I laughed and rolled my eyes at parts but it made the story what it is. It's a cute and cozy fall romance that can be read at anytime of year.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🍁Small Town Romance
🍁Single Mom FMC
🍁Billionaire MMC
🍁Forced Proximity
🍁One Bed

Grace has been doing things for others her whole life, and when her chance to finally own her dream inn opens up, she knows this is her only shot. But when a hotshot billionaire Reese Spencer, from out of town bids against her, she knows her chances have disappeared. But as luck would have it, she got a second shot to compete for the inn and deliver a presentation of her dreams. The only problem, being forced to stay the night just doors away from the man she despises yet can't stop thinking about. And when she finds herself out late wandering the inn during a storm they both get trapped with no way out. Having to be so close to her competition yet desire was not going to be an easy task. And as the days progressed they ended up learning a lot more about each other not only as a person but their secrets as well. But will it be enough in the end for her get her dream Inn or will it all come crashing down against her.

Thank you Ballantine Press and NetGalley for gifting me an early reading copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[SJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in fictional Solace Springs, Washington, Grace Sullivan is putting together plans to buy the inn in her small town. Billionaire Reese Spencer shows up with the same goal. As they sell their plans to the current owners, they both feel a spark. Will the spark flame into something more when they are accidentally forced to spend two nights locked in the same room?

This was another cozy read while on vacation. I loved seeing Grace from the first book. And Reese was described in a way that made me root for him.

My only struggle was the British wording. While it was ok in the first due to the FMC, this one felt distracting.

This romance features:
💕 small town single mom waitress x Canadian billionaire
💕 anonymous online friends - You’ve got mail vibes
💕 rivals for the same business
💕 forced proximity
💕 fall in the PNW
💕 family mysteries
💕 complicated families

Open door / spicy!

4 / 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC!

[Gabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine for an advanced copy of The Sugar Maple Inn by Laura Bloom. This is the second book in the Solace Springs series and is just as lighthearted and cozy as its predecessor. The story follows Grace, a single mom who waitresses at the local coffee shop owned by her mom, and Reese, a Canadian billionaire who swoops into town on business to buy the local inn. Grace and Reese end up competing for ownership of the inn and falling in love.

Highlights of the book for me include the setting, characters, and writing style. Laura Bloom is very descriptive of the romantic fall season as it settles on Solace Springs. The town sounds so beautiful and charming that I want to take a vacation there myself. I also found the characters to be funny and often nosy/dramatic, making me laugh out loud while I was reading. Bloom's writing makes this a feel-good book that you can't put down once you've started.

If you like cozy fall romances and small town settings with a touch of mystery, this one is for you!

[Bluesworldofbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

How can I get myself a ticket to Solace Spring? 🥰 This is one of the cutest and coziest series I’ve read😩 I can perfectly picture myself on a rainy day next to a fireplace reading this book in one sitting.

We follow Grace on her journey to somehow buy the Inn she’s been dreaming about. As a single mother, with debt on her side, buying the Inn seems like the least probable thing Grace could achieve, but as the strong-headed and stubborn woman that she is, she is determined to achieve something on her own and craft her own future❤️ Grace fights with all she has to win the Inn over against Reese, who is a billionaire.

The pacing of this book was perfect, especially the bond and chemistry Reese and Grace had💕 I loved the scenes when it was only the two of them, but also the determination and fight they both had towards the Inn had me glued to the book and wanting to learn more!!!!

There wasn’t a lot of drama, which I love, and seeing Sophie and Luke again was heartwarming. I loved seeing them again🥰

Thank you Ballantine | Dell for the eARC!

[DomsLitCorner · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

The Sugar Maple Inn is the second book in the Solace Springs series, and like the first, it’s a light, cozy read filled with found family, soft romance, and a touch of mystery.

Grace Sullivan has spent her life in her mother’s café with dreams of owning something of her own, specifically the inn on Maple Island. Enter Reese Spencer, a billionaire with plans of his own. As they compete to win the inn, undeniable chemistry complicates everything.

At its heart, the story is about following your dreams. Grace’s journey from working at her mother’s café to betting on herself, despite the skeptics, is a powerful reminder to take chances on our own potential.

Overall, it’s a heartfelt, feel-good story with an enjoyable romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for an advanced reader copy of The Sugar Maple Inn (publishing September 15, 2026).

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ARC Book Review✨

This book is perfect for a cozy fall read 🍁

It follows Reese and Grace, who are competing to purchase a local inn. She’s a waitress, who is full of heart, and has special plans for the inn. He’s the rich billionaire who wants the inn because he thinks the inn may have answers about his family.

They shouldn’t like each other, but the way he couldn’t stop watching her 😏 Grace had his attention from day one 🔥

I really enjoyed this story! It has all the elements of a hallmark movie with the spice we all want 😈👏🏻

Definitely would recommend this book for a feel good romance 💖

Read this for:
✨Small Town Romance
✨Billionaire Romance
✨Forced Proximity
✨He Falls First
✨Enemies to Lovers

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

-small town romance
-single mom
-forced proximity and one bed
Second book in this series but it can be read as a standalone. Although I do suggest reading these books in order so that you get an understanding of the characters and a feel for the town. If you enjoy romances set in small towns with quirky characters you will like this one . It is quite steamy .

The author is British and her main character in the first book was also British so a lot of the words and terminology she used in that book made sense. In this book though , that is not the case for the characters and I felt that some of the terminology was not as appropriate. Very descriptive writing. Easy to visualize in one's mind the town and the characters.

Thanks Net Galley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3/5 stars

This book was a cute pallet cleanser!

Grace Sullivan has big plans to finally build something for herself and buy the historic inn on Maple Island. She's a single mom who is currently making a living at her mother's cafe and getting all her advice on next steps through a mentor on Reddit. However, she's competing with experienced billionaire entrepreneur Reese Spencer who wants to add the inn to his development portfolio. And of course they get stranded in the inn together for a couple of days.

Although it is book 2 in the series, I had no problem reading it as a standalone.... but I am also not interested enough to go back and read book 1 either.

Thank you to Random House Publishing for reaching out and providing this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 2 of the Solace Springs series. However, I think you can read as a standalone. Not much of the first story carries over and anything you need to know is recapped. I enjoyed this story more than book 1. It was a play on a billionaire romance. Grace is a single mom who works at her mom’s coffee shop and has been saving to buy the inn on the island in the lake. She is facing tough competition from Reese, a billionaire who has reasons for wanting the inn. This plays on enemies to lovers with them vying for the inn. I like that the story delves deeper into the characters. Grace is having some confidence issues while Reese is always on the run. This is an open door book and includes a couple of good build up scenes. Check it out.

Thank you, Ballantine|Dell, for providing this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

[Kim L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cozy, feel-good read! This story totally pulled me out of a reading slump with its charming small-town vibe and soft, sweet romance. I loved the autumn atmosphere in this book.

Grace’s journey really stood out, especially her struggle to step out from under her mom’s shadow and chase her own dreams. It felt relatable and inspiring. The dynamic between her and Reese added a fun, slightly predictable but still enjoyable romance, and their competition over the inn kept things engaging. The quirky town, nosy side characters made this one extra fun.

Overall, it’s a light, comforting fall read with found family, a hint of mystery, and plenty of heart. I look forward to reading more of this Solace Springs series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine | Dell for this ARC.

[Nicole Capps · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!! I loved the small town cozy autumn vibes!

Grace is a single mom working at a cafe, but she dreams of owning the local inn on an island. Reese is a billionaire who gets what he wants and he’s got his sights set on the inn as well.

As they go to the island to pitch their plans for the inn, a storm comes and they get stuck in a tower together for two days.

The characters were fun and I really enjoyed the storyline!

The author is British, so even though it was set in the PNW, there is a lot of British vocabulary used (I.e., jumper, torch, knickers). I thought it was charming but somewhat confusing. I kept asking myself if I missed something and it was in the UK.

This was the perfect autumn read!

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Possible spoilers-

I really wanted to love this book. Quirky small town girl goes up against billionaire hottie vying for the inn that is for sale.

The online mentor/mentee storyline could have been a cute “You’ve Got Mail” vibe but instead it felt like the way to sneak in a sex scene early on. It was just weird.

Another thing that was hard to buy into was the constant reminder that Grace is barely making ends meet. But she’s trying to buy an inn? I know dreams are meant to be made thru heart and hard work, but it just seemed like it could have been left out. Or made it out to be less tragic maybe?

Overall it was just okay for me.

I do thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sabrina Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a cute book. Really enjoyed the FMC and MMC. I will there was an early scene in the book that took place online that seemed out of place. Also some of the verbiage used is more British than American which I get because the author is British but the books takes place in US. Like jumper instead of sweater and knickers instead of whatever word you want to insert for unders. But overall good book. I give it 3.5 stars rounded up instead of four because there was like three third scene breakups I swear.

I received this free digital ARC from the publisher via Netgally in exchange for an honest review.

[Lauren Levy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley

This book was so cozy and cute! Lots of small town charm and neighborly interference in this cozy romance about a billionaire and a single mom competing over the rights to purchase a local Inn.

I thought Grace and Reece has great chemistry right off the bat, and it was fun to watch their friendly rivalry.

Obviously can't have a book about an inn without a classic one bed trope. Main downside for me was I truly hate a miscommunication trope and this book had to bring it in twice. Overall though a very light fun romance perfect for the Fall.

[Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC of the second book in the Solace Springs series.
This book comes out September 15, 2026 and I was so excited to get a copy to read!

When we return to Solace Springs we get to instantly come back to the small, cute town and the residents we met in The Cherry Blossom Boathouse. While these are stand alone books, it was so much fun to instantly be transported back.

In this book, we have a competition between a billionaire and a local for the sale of an established property in town. Our FMC and MMC find themselves in some bizarre predicaments. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be continuing the series.

[Kerry Glynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC of this book.

Quick and cozy read. Would be nice for a rainy day. Overall I liked this book. Grace and Reece had chemistry and I liked how Laura would describe the settings and emotions that allowed me to really see it in my head. I do think that the overall story was too rushed. I found it odd that within the span of two weeks they fell in love head over heels. The only other thing that I did not like is that we were reminded many many many times that Reese is a billionaire. I get I would pertain to the story, but it just came up way too often. I would recommend this book.

[Tina Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sugar Maple Inn by Laura Bloom is such a cozy, swoon-worthy read 💕☕🍁 I absolutely loved the mix of small-town vibes, a strong and independent heroine, and a rugged billionaire with a hidden past 😍 The online-to-in-person romance was so fun and full of tension, and the forced proximity during the storm added the perfect spark 🔥 The chemistry between Grace and Reese kept me hooked, and the sweet yet spicy balance made this story impossible to put down 📖✨ A charming, feel-good romance with all the cozy autumn vibes and a satisfying happily-ever-after 💫

[Kayla Coker · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book wasn’t what I was expecting, and to be completely honest, fellow readers, I was just disappointed.

I really wanted to like this book, but the cyclical argument of “he’s a billionaire, she’s a waitress it doesn’t work” was draining on me and it irritated me a little more each time it came up.

I didn’t really attach to the characters and I really don’t see myself recommending it.

I’m so disappointed because I was so excited to read this.

[Kheyra Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading The Sugar Maple Inn! I’m giving it 4 stars because it was such a cozy and warm story that made me feel so happy. I loved the "stranded in a storm" vibe and the connection between Grace and Reese was so sweet and spicy. The only reason it’s not a full 5 stars for me is that some parts felt a little slow, but the ending was perfect and tied everything together so nicely. It was exactly the kind of feel-good romance I needed!

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

I am always a sucker for a story about an inn and this one didn't disappoint me. It was light-hearted, cozy, romantic and just utter cuteness. I loved the chemistry and banter but was totally lost in the atmosphere. I could picture myself wandering the inn and soaking up the views. This was a great, easy read that had me smirking and giggling along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced e/copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Danielle Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book wasn't what i expected and I liked that! There was more suspense and mystery than I expected. the grumpy sunshine vibes were great. I loved the sense of independence, family ties, competition, and so much more! The spicy scenes were done well, but didn't overtake the storyline which was nice. I like the mystery aspect of this book! Such a cute read!

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a good time. I fell in love with Grace in book one so getting her story in book two was awesome. This series definitely give Dream Harbor vibes and Gilmore Girls vibes. The one bed trope with a twist was fun. The spice was perfect. Not on every other page but just enough to be real.

[Alyssa J · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS!
So perfect with the best fall vibe.
I loved how each person came to this town with a dream & went after it.
The significance of the Inn too, super sweet. This was a relaxing and down to earth, very enjoyable read. Highly recommend!!!

[Becca T]

I just finished this book, and I’m excited to share my review closer to the publication date!