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The Donut Clause: A Sprinkle Sweet Rom-Com
Welcome to Strawberry Grove, Tennessee—population 1,253, where gossip travels faster than Wi-Fi and everyone has an opinion about your love life.
Lucy is the owner of Sugar Rush Donuts, the town’s pride and joy and the legacy her grandmother left behind. She’s twenty-seven, wildly lovable, deeply committed to meemaw hobbies, and physically incapable of swearing. She believes in community, tradition, and the healing power of a perfectly glazed donut. Strawberry Grove is her whole world—and she has zero intention of letting anyone mess with it.
Enter Rowan.
A cold, calculating corporate strategist whose actual job is to mess with it.
Strawberry Grove is just another small town on his modernization hit list—until Lucy, her donut shop, and a town full of aggressively friendly locals get in his way. When Rowan lies about who he is to gain the town’s trust, things spiral quickly. Add in fake dating (for reasons that absolutely make sense at the time), a whole lot of accidental feelings, and a man who did not plan on falling for the town sweetheart… and suddenly Rowan is in way over his very expensive head.
Because lying to a town is one thing.
Lying to the woman you’re falling in love with? That’s a sugar-coated disaster waiting to happen.
A laugh-out-loud, semi-sweet rom-com packed with fake dating, small-town chaos, meddling locals, and enough donut-fueled chemistry to ruin a perfectly good career—welcome to Strawberry Grove.
Lucy is the owner of Sugar Rush Donuts, the town’s pride and joy and the legacy her grandmother left behind. She’s twenty-seven, wildly lovable, deeply committed to meemaw hobbies, and physically incapable of swearing. She believes in community, tradition, and the healing power of a perfectly glazed donut. Strawberry Grove is her whole world—and she has zero intention of letting anyone mess with it.
Enter Rowan.
A cold, calculating corporate strategist whose actual job is to mess with it.
Strawberry Grove is just another small town on his modernization hit list—until Lucy, her donut shop, and a town full of aggressively friendly locals get in his way. When Rowan lies about who he is to gain the town’s trust, things spiral quickly. Add in fake dating (for reasons that absolutely make sense at the time), a whole lot of accidental feelings, and a man who did not plan on falling for the town sweetheart… and suddenly Rowan is in way over his very expensive head.
Because lying to a town is one thing.
Lying to the woman you’re falling in love with? That’s a sugar-coated disaster waiting to happen.
A laugh-out-loud, semi-sweet rom-com packed with fake dating, small-town chaos, meddling locals, and enough donut-fueled chemistry to ruin a perfectly good career—welcome to Strawberry Grove.
392 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 30, 2026
About the author
Katie James-Lawson
1 book1 followerKatie James-Lawson writes romantic comedies filled with lovable, slightly chaotic characters, slow-burn tension that will have you yelling “just kiss already,” and just enough heart-melting moments to keep you kicking your feet and smiling like you’re in on the secret. Her stories are the kind you curl up with when you want to laugh out loud, feel all the feelings, and fall headfirst for swoon-worthy men who show up, step up, and love like they mean it.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 1, 2026
Now this is what a RomCom shld def be like! I laughed so many times reading this book. I absolutely love Katie’s writing! She sucks you in with her hilarious banter and storylines!
We have Lucy who is a small-town as she can get and runs the donut shop in Strawberry Grove and she’s as sweet as her donuts. Then we have Mr City slicker Rowan who works for a powerful development company, that send him to Strawberry Grove to swoon the locals so they will sell so his company can swoop in and redevelop the town.
This is such a funny, breath of fresh air comedy that you will want to read over and over so you can stay in Strawberry Grove, with Porch Geese and people who like to gossip and do not like, want or need change. Everybody knows everybody and this little town has more history than you cld ever learn in an history book you read.
We have Lucy who is a small-town as she can get and runs the donut shop in Strawberry Grove and she’s as sweet as her donuts. Then we have Mr City slicker Rowan who works for a powerful development company, that send him to Strawberry Grove to swoon the locals so they will sell so his company can swoop in and redevelop the town.
This is such a funny, breath of fresh air comedy that you will want to read over and over so you can stay in Strawberry Grove, with Porch Geese and people who like to gossip and do not like, want or need change. Everybody knows everybody and this little town has more history than you cld ever learn in an history book you read.
May 17, 2026
This book is EVERYTHING!!! It’s sassy and smart and funny and sweet and everything my heart needed! Lucy is who I want to be when I grow up! I need a trip to Strawberry Grove, Tn immediately! The semi-sweet adult humor mixed with the goosey fun is too cute! This book will have you wanting to buy all the crochet stuff and sprinkles!!
March 16, 2026
By far the CUTEST rom-com I've read in a long time. I was in a slump with the dark fae spicy books and The Donut Clause was a breath of fresh air!! I love the town of Strawberry Grove and soooo wish I could visit! I would spend a week curled up with the Geese! The banter is adorable and the whole story feels like a Hallmark Movie in waiting! Lucy is adorable in her Granny Squares and dresses! And Rowan, WHAT A STORY LINE! I can't wait to see what happens in book 2!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews