Maple Sugar Crush

An Autumnboro Sweet Romance #2

by Beth Labonte

Powerball winner Josie Morgan has learned the hard way that dating, in her financial situation, will only lead to heartbreak. She's been perfectly happy living the single life and running the Pumpkin Everything country store. Too bad her mother can’t seem to take the hint. Unwilling to face another lineup of suitors and gold-diggers at this year's Thanksgiving dinner, Josie opts to stay behind in Autumnboro to host a free meal for anybody without a place to go.

When Josie’s family turns up in Autumnboro, faking a relationship with funeral planner Riley Parker seems like the only way to make it through the holiday. Like every other man on Earth, Riley’s only interested in her money. So what if she has a teeny, tiny crush? If he agrees to help her out, she’ll gladly write him a check.

But as Thanksgiving draws closer, turkey and stuffing aren’t the only things heating up, and maybe money isn’t the only thing on Riley’s mind. Josie’s already hit the lottery once, dare she hope for anything more?

Set against the scenic backdrop of the White Mountains, New Hampshire, Maple Sugar Crush is a small town, sweet romance, and the perfect way to ease into the Thanksgiving season!

Genres: Romance, Thanksgiving, Holiday, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Fiction

188 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 11, 2019

About the author

Beth Labonte received a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She worked as an administrative assistant for fourteen years, turning to writing as her creative outlet in an excruciatingly mundane corporate world. Beth now writes full-time and resides in Massachusetts.

Sign up for her mailing list & receive exclusive access to Summer's photo albums! Sign-up on her website: www.bethlabonte.com

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maple Sugar Crush is book two in An Autumnboro Sweet Romance series by Beth Labonte. Both of the books in this series are sweet, clean holiday romances that take place in the beautiful little town of Autumnboro.



In book one, we met Josie Morgan. She is about thirty years old. A few years ago, she won the power ball for over four hundred million dollars! Now she is plagued with being constantly pursued for her money. It’s not something she would wish on anyone. She tries her hardest to stay hidden in Autumnboro and do as much good for her community as she can.



Josie has had her heart broken as a result of the money, so has vowed never to allow herself to be in that position again. Love just isn’t going to ever be in her future. But she still can’t help the crush she has developed for her friend’s brother, Riley.



This Thanksgiving instead of traveling to her parent’s home and having to suffer not only her relatives but her mom’s matchmaking attempts, Josie decides to stay home and host a Thanksgiving dinner for anyone who doesn’t have someone to spend the holiday with. Only of course, you know things aren’t going to go as planned.

This is a very sweet story of learning to trust again, of getting over your fears and opening your heart. Josie might be the one hosting the community Thanksgiving dinner but she and her family might be the ones receiving the biggest gift of all.

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
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[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maple Sugar Crush is the second and final book in the An Autumnboro Sweet Romance series written by Beth Labonte. I'll say it again, and i'll keep on saying it, BRING OUT THE ICED PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES!!!!! All the food that was mentioned in this book just sounded so delicious, so if you choose to read this book, don't read it without eating. Both of the books in this series are sweet, clean holiday romances. Both of these books take place in a small beautiful town of Autumnboro, New Hampshire. I loved every minute of this book, it was fun, sweet, quirky, and heartwarming. Maple Sugar Crush gave me all the feels of the fall festivities. All the characters are sweet, loving, and caring souls. I'm so sad this series has ended because it was one of the best fall books I have read this season, but now I can watch the Hallmark movies. If you haven't read this series, I totally recommend doing so because it was such a beautiful, heart touching story. Maple Sugar Crush is the perfect book for fall. Beth Labonte, you have my heart after writing this series. I wish there were more books to the An Autumnboro Sweet Romance series because the characters were so easy to fall in love with.

Maple Sugar Crush continues with Kit and Amy owning the new inn that they built, but we don't see as much of them as we did in the first book. Now, we continue with Josie Morgan, the power ball winner who is now the owner of Pumpkin Everything, the store that Amy's grandma owned. Josie has so much money after being the winner of the power ball, but she doesn't care after her mother's words and encouragement of retiring, Josie just wants to give back to her small little town of Autumnboro, New Hampshire. Josie has learned the hard way that dating men, in her financial situation will only lead to heart break. My heart absolutely broke for Josie after she told the story of how her ex-boyfriend Dean, was such a sweet man, but they went on vacation together and he just up and left with a ton of Josie's money. Josie, Amy, Kit, and Riley truly made my heart melt, they are such sweet people that I want to meet.

The previous year, Josie went home for Thanksgiving dinner, but it didn't turn out the way Josie hoped for, her mother kept trying to set her up with someone to date. This year, Josie is content with being single, and now she is unwilling to face another lineup of gold diggers, for this Thanksgiving dinner, Josie opts to stay behind in Autumnboro and host a free meal to those who are alone for Thanksgiving dinner. Josie has had a crush on Riley Parker, Kit's brother for a while now, but Josie doesn't know if Riley feels the same way about her. Last Thanksgiving dinner, Josie's whole family just wanted her money, but she's way too sweet to put her foot down. When Josie's whole family suddenly shows up in Autumnboro, faking a relationship with Riley seems like the only way to make it through the holiday season since her mother doesn't get the hint that Josie is perfectly happy being single.

Like every other man Josie has dated, Riley is only interested in her money. If Riley agrees to fake a relationship with Josie, she'll be more than happy to write him a check. Riley is obsessed with Pokemon Go, so when a trip to Japan for a Pokemon Go event comes up, Riley decides to bite the bullet and ask Josie for money, Josie will only give Riley the money if he's willing to help her out. After a little bit of this fake relationship, Riley turns a corner, and Josie realizes that he's not after her money, Riley just doesn't know how to let go of his phone and share his feelings with Josie. After a little bit, I found myself loving Riley. Maple Sugar Crush just left a smile on my face, at times my heart broke for Josie. Let me just say, the Maple Sugar Crush just sounded so delicious, I need to find a recipe for it because YUM!!!!! I don't want to be a debby downer, but Josie's mother annoyed me so much. She pretty much controlled Josie's dating life. But, I still loved the book so much.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’re back in Autumnboro, the New Hampshire autumn-themed town, just in time for Thanksgiving. Our lovey-dovey couple from book one in the series (the Halloween book—totally check it out) is doing great and about to open their inn, and Josie, who volunteers at Pumpkin Everything, is feeling a bit forlorn about her crummy romantic prospects and certain family members who see her as a meal ticket after she won the lottery. Josie decides to throw a Thanksgiving dinner for those who may not have any place to eat or family to eat with for the holiday, and also begins growing closer to Riley, Kit’s brother from book one. This is a great series, perfect for lovers of fall, holidays, and who want a cozy romance! I hope Beth Labonte writes more holiday romances!

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 in the Autumnboro Sweet Romance by Beth Labonte

When we dream of winning the lottery we don’t consider the negative impact of our short-sighted wish. We think it’s an answer to all our financial woes. Author Beth Labonte shows us the struggle of remaining anonymous and continuing to live a simple life after a life-altering winning.

As you’d suspect, people come out of the woodwork to befriend Josie or remind her of their familial connections all in an effort to request some financial help after she wins $458M on the Powerball jackpot five years ago. Josie has struggled to find honest and reliable friends, so she invests philanthropically; this year, the main event is a free Thanksgiving dinner for anyone.

I loved the charming romance, the backdrop of the quaint town of Autumnboro, and the cozy mystery. I think a Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is in my sights for today!

[Asheley T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun seasonal read that takes place in the fall-obsessed town of Autumnboro, NH. Josie moved to town after willing a massive amount of money in the lottery. She moved to find anonymity in hopes that people would see her for herself rather than her money. Riley grew up in Autumnboro and now works at the funeral home as a funeral planner. We got to know these two characters in the first book, but this story explores more of their backstory and how they came to be where they are right now. There is also a sweet, slow-burn romance that begins as a fake relationship. (I LOVE the fake relationship trope.)

I'm not sure that I loved the entire story as much as I enjoyed Pumpkin Everything in its entirety, but once the fake relationship gets going, I really enjoyed it. And the ending is wonderful. Just like with the first book, there are plenty of seasonal feels with the inclusion of Thanksgiving dinner preparations and cool, crisp weather. And there are plenty of quirky, interesting characters in the form of Josie's family members and the Autumnsboro townsfolk. Fun to look in to Amy and Kit from the first book. I like to see how well they're doing!

I read this one in one sitting with my morning coffee, after practically inhaling the first book when Amazon recommended it to me. I'm so excited that I took a chance on this series and hope the author writes more about these townsfolk featuring perhaps Christmas and maybe even Valentine's Day.

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ending was a 4.

The middle was a 3 or less...I was pretty tired of hearing about her winning the power ball.

I was especially tired of her male friend calling her moneybags.

[Aoife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie Morgan has an odd problem. She has two much money after winning the Powerball lottery, and now her life is a series of annoying relatives begging for cash and her mother trying to set her up on dates with men only after her money. Thankfully, Josie has set up her home in the cosy, peaceful town of Autumnsboro and this Thanksgiving she's giving back by hosting a public Thanksgiving dinner for everyone on their own or in need of a hot meal and company.

This was a really sweet book that is the spiced chai latte you want for the Autumnal season but not too Christmassy just yet. There's definitely a bit of a 'poor little white girl' vibe from it because Josie's problems are a bit laughable in that she simply has too much money but otherwise a charmed life with a family who are all hail and healthy. But at the same time, Josie is a lovely character and someone who (even without her money) you'd want to be friends with.

The fake dating part in the book was done just right (though I went through a stage wondering if the fake boyfriend was going to be Moose, and I got excited thinking it was the perfect Gilmore Girls Luke and Lorelai match) and while I didn't like Riley at first, I warmed up to him a lot. He's someone who will appeal to a lot of readers I think - shy, introverted with a love of all things geek.

The writing, the setting, the characters were all small town loveliness and I'm definitely going to be reading more of Beth LaBonte's writing with a Reindeer Falls book all ready to go for my Christmas reading!

I would love more books in the Autumnboro series!

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

We met Josie and Riley in the previous book. He's Kit brother and she's Amy's new friend. Even if Josie stayed the same kind and down-to-earth generous soul, her life changed at 25 when she won the Powerball. Or more precisely, people around her changed. Boyfriend's betrayal and relatives always asking for money or people acting jealous. It's no a matter of stop working for Josie nor stop offering her help to others. She's happy managing Pumpkin Everything, a country store in Fall themed town, Autumnboro.

She's been more than generous with her family, even extended, but after 5 years, Josie is still at a point where she often have to dodge requests for money. That's why she doesn't date and she's not interested in a fling either. Could be also because she's got a crush on the geeky funeral planner, Riley? But he doesn't seem to notice her, always his nose in his cellphone. They used to talk and walk together, but their meetings suddenly stopped one day.

This year, Josie intend to escape her mother's Thanksgiving matchmaking schemes and what a better way to do it in helping others? She decide to host a dinner for people who are alone for Thanksgiving. But when her family surprise her with their arrival, she blurt out that she already have a boyfriend. Since she learned the hard way (what an heartbreaking scene!) that Riley needs money, she convince him to play the part in exchange for cash.


There's details in this story that should have bothered me but I could easily forgive because I had fun with the story. But I didn't like the nickname Riley gave to Josie, he spend way too much time on his cellphone and I wish the romance was more present and arrive earlier. But surprisingly, maybe I like the fact that the characters, especially Riley, could have been people I'd meet in real life, even if it means a flaw hero who was not the most supportive nor sensitive in my opinion. But it also show how positive Josie is and that she still have faith in people.

I prefer books written at third person but in this series, the first person works really well and I like the humor.

[Shelley Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maple Sugar Crush, by Beth Labonte, is the second book in the Autunmboro Sweet Romance series. Whereas Pumpkin Everything, the first in this series, was set in October, Maple Sugar Crush is set in November and centered around Thanksgiving.

In this story we follow the friendly Josie Morgan who runs the Pumpkin Everything store and has a huge heart for others. She faithfully makes coffee runs for the citizens of Autumnboro, and is known for generously giving to worthy town causes after winning millions in PowerBall. This windfall has caused her to trust very few people since experience has taught her that most seem to want to befriend her only for a free handout, including her ex-fiancé. Josie is scarred from this experience, the way the money has changed her own family, and the way others judge her. She knows she should be grateful, but the price of winning is high.

Moved by a newspaper advertisement explaining that many spend Thanksgiving alone, and wanting a break from her needy family, Josie decides to host a dinner in town for anyone who finds themselves alone. It’s a worthy cause, but of course, things don’t turn out quite as planned.

This story is sweetly seasonal, promotes the spirit of giving, showcases family and all their gory and glory, and has a reluctant romance. It is a quick, easy, feel-good read and one you won’t want to miss.

[Jazmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5ish stars

I absolutely loved Pumpkin Everything so I couldn’t wait to start this one, but unfortunately this one just didn’t work as well for me.

I’m sure I would’ve enjoyed it more had I not wanted to shoot Josie’s ENTIRE family out of a cannon. I hated them. I didn’t always enjoy Josie either I thought she was dramatic at times. But I loved seeing the cast of characters again(especially Tom) and being in the picturesque little town.

[Ashley Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not as enjoyable as the first book, but still met my Autumn/holiday reading needs.

[Laura..devouring books like crumpets · Rating 4 out of 5]

wasnt overly blown away by "Moneybags" Nickname, but i loved the romance between Josie and Riley, and loved visiting Autumnboro again.

[Victoria Borelli-Gingras · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another adorable book in Autumnboro! I love each of these characters and their stories. I wish there were more books in this series!

[thebrunettebookjunkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't intend to sit down and read Maple Sugar Crush as soon as I had finished Pumpkin Everything, but Kindle Unlimited had it available to read, and I just couldn't resist. I'm here to say that I loved MSC more than Pumpkin Everything. The characters are more defined. The storyline has a bit more depth. And there's fake dating, which comes only second to grumpy-sunshine. I wish there had been more of the townsfolk, but I enjoyed getting to know Josie and her family more. Josie is a character that had to grow on me. She seemed a bit flighty in Pumpkin Everything and for some reason I pictured her older than she was which threw me off quite a bit but once I settled into the story and her character, I couldn't put it down. The story is as sweet as the title, but this one worked for me.

[Mother Goose Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a sweet romance with a Thanksgiving theme, this is the book for you. It’s the second book in An Autumnboro series but if you haven’t yet read Pumpkin Everything, Maple Sugar Crush does read as its own book. It’s the perfect feel good holiday story. Highly recommended.

[Liz | lizzuplans · Rating 1 out of 5]

Already annoyed by everyone. This author is not for me.

DNF@ 10%

[Jenna Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ A clean, sweet fall romance

[Christine Spoors · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another fun cosy autumnal read, though slightly more festive as it takes place around Thanksgiving (which I think is November maybe?? I’m not American so who knows!). In this story we follow Josie, a lottery winner trying to find meaning in her life, company and reconnect with her family. I enjoyed this book even more than the first.

These are such quick easy reads, perfect for getting you in the autumnal mood. It’s just slightly a shame that they went down the predictable everyone’s married & having babies route!

[Remi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was super cute! I really enjoyed it, although Riley being on his phone all the time playing pokemon go really annoyed me, as did Josie's family (until the end with their sudden character development). ANYWAYS, I loved the fall vibes, happy ending, little update on Amy and Kit (from the last book), and now I really want to have a Maple Sugar Crush. Actually, I just want to go to Vermont in the fall now (even tho this is in New Hampshire, I think).

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet Thanksgiving romance. If you’re a Hallmark fan then you will definitely love this one. Josie, the powerball winner had trust issues with good cause. Riley just needs to win her trust. Fake relationships are one of my favorite tropes.

[Chloe Reads Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could've done with some more spice? Little bit too PG-13!

[shannon✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning was a bit tedious and boring, but the ending was definitely heart-warming. I enjoyed reading this and I think that the length was just perfect.

[Maddie Chyczij · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I can’t tell you why I absolutely devoured this book? It was a physical read and I don’t think I’ve read one that fast in a minute. Like, a minute being 10 years? That being said it is a skill that I’m actively trying to rebuild. But it’s kind of hilarious that my fastest read yet was this fall romance garbage lol. And don’t get me wrong, I love some fall romance garbage.

I actually preferred this sequel a lot to the first one. I thought Josie was just such an interesting character. Her trauma mixed with her privilege was really fresh. She’s super self-aware of how lucky she is, but I really respect the burden she feels as well. The idea that everyone would use you for your money sounds like a really hard way to live. And it’s really frustrating that her family is so unsupportive and constantly making things worse. I couldn’t even be mad at Josie for not standing up for herself, because she constantly did. They literally just never listened?? They made me so angry! I’m glad that there was growth for them in the end, but there was not enough growth for my satisfaction.

Surprisingly the worst part about this was the romance between the two. I just thought Riley was such a meh character. First of all…He was so dated with his Pokémon go obsession. I know this book was written in 2018, clearly in the height of the Pokémon go craze, but it was cringey. Even at the time it was happening, I think I would’ve found it incredibly cringey. Not just how into it he is (hey whatever, like what you like), but how addicted he is. I hated that he was always staring at his phone, and his big explanation was that he has social anxiety. Not enough for me. All those things are totally valid, but they’re not what I want in my MMC. And him running away at the first little rejection? Boooo. He improved a little bit, but not that much.

Even though I didn’t care much for the romance, I really did like Josie as a character and the rest of the story. I liked watching her pull off the Thanksgiving dinner, and learn to stand up to her family. It was cheesy as hell, and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to anybody, but I had a fine time. I don’t regret reading the sequel! If there was more, I would probably read more, but thankfully there isn’t…so I’m free.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a feeling Josie and Riley might get together… nothing in the first book suggests this, it was just an assumption I had because romance authors love setting friends up with brothers. It took me about 4 hours to read this book (including a couple breaks) so it really was a quick read. I honestly liked this better than the first book. It definitely gave me the feels more, as women with big hearts being used / taken advantage of really pulls at my heart strings. Josie’s family is super quirky and fun, Riley is a stone cold weirdo you can’t help but love and then of course Josie is an extremely likable FMC. I wish this wasn’t a clean romance, because I think adding some spice might have made it a little less boring and vanilla (0/5 🌶️) but the love story was still really sweet. I also felt like there could have been a little bit more like a little bit longer with a little more details would have made it 5 stars. Overall, I would give it 4/5 stars ⭐️ based on how my I personally liked it but I think for others you might see this more as a 3/5 star ⭐️ read. This book is late autumn (Thanksgiving) and early winter vibes but if you’re looking for a series about the Fall then I would take this one up!

[Racheli Zusiman · Rating 3 out of 5]

ההמשך של "Pumpkin Everything".
הפעם הסיפור הוא על ג'וסי, ידידה של טום (סבא של איימי), שקנתה ממנו ומנהלת את החנות שהיתה שלו ושל אשתו, ועל ריילי, אחיו של קיט מהספר הקודם.
ג'וסי היא מולטי-מיליונרית לאחר שזכתה בלוטו האמריקאי. משפחתה המורחבת מנסה (ומצליחה) לנצל אותה ולחלוב ממנה כספים, וכך גם בן הזוג שלה לשעבר. שאר האנשים סתם מנסים להידבק אליה בגלל הכסף שלה, או לחילופין - מתרחקים ממנה כי חושבים שהיא סנובית.
ג'וסי נדלקת על ריילי, אבל נראה שהוא לא ממש שם עליה והיא גם חושבת שהוא נחמד אליה רק כי הוא רוצה שתלווה לו כסף. אמא של ג'וסי מנסה לשדך לה גברים וג'וסי מבקשת מריילי שיעמיד פנים שהוא בן הזוג שלה, כדי שאמא שלה תרד ממנה, ובתמורה תממן לו את הטיול שהוא כל כך רוצה.
הספר חמוד אבל מאוד שטחי. הדמות של ג'וסי היא כזו חסרת ביטחון וחסרת עמוד שדרה וכל כך רוצה שכולם יאהבו אותה, ולכן גם משלימה עם היחס המזעזע שהיא סופגת מהסביבה, שבשלב מסוים זה כבר מתחיל לעצבן... הספר מאוד מנסה להיות משעשע, אבל בעיניי אין משהו משעשע בהשלמה עם יחס כזה... קריאה חביבה אבל לא יותר מזה.

[Amber J (Thereadingwitch) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so cute. I really liked Josie from book 1 so I love that they made her the main character this time. She and Riley are adorable together.

I agree that Josie is a very generous person, but she is also really cynical. I know she's been through a lot with everyone using her for her money, especially her family. But she's at a point where she has no trust in her friends at all, and that is really sad. Also, some of those family members didn't deserve the little bit of redemption they got there at the end.

If you're in the mood for a sweet, clean romance, with a great fall vibe, then this is the book/series for you.

[Michelle Patton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maple Sugar Crush by Beth Labonte is the second book in the Autumnboro Sweet Romance series, this time following Josie and Riley. When her well-meaning family arrives in town for Thanksgiving, Josie ropes Riley into being her fake boyfriend to stop their constant matchmaking.

I really enjoyed this one. I liked Josie in the first book, but getting her full story here made me absolutely love her. Riley is the perfect blend of sweet and charmingly awkward, and their chemistry felt so natural. The writing is tight and every detail fits seamlessly into the story—nothing feels extra or out of place. And as a bonus, I loved getting a little more of Kit and Amy’s journey from book one.

[Cherihy808 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. This is the second book in the “An Autumnboro Sweet Romance” series. I loved the first book and I loved this one just as much. I’m so happy that I read them back to back since they both had the same characters. This one focused on Josie (the Powerball winner) and Riley (Kit’s younger brother from the first book). The story was really cute and I caught myself smiling quite a bit as I was reading. This is another one that would be a great Hallmark movie. I highly recommend both books in this series if you’re in the mood for a sweet romance.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prompt 49 - A Flavor in the title
6/52

This was such a super cute story. It was predictable, cute, little bit of cheesy romance and ending. It wasn't my favorite book, but we all need this kind of story every once in a while.

[Kerstin Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Auch dieser Teil der Buch Reihe hat mich total verzaubert. Eine kurze aber richtig schöne und romantische Geschichte.
Im ersten Teil konnte man die Haupt Charaktere Riley und Josie schon ein wenig kennenlernen und die Beiden waren mir schon dort super sympathisch 🥰