Do you ever finish a really good book and just want to hug it? Well, for me, this is one of those rare gems! I loved everything about this book: the cozy, autumn atmosphere, the adorable coffee shop, the mother-daughter duo, the list goes on. At first, I was put off by the “Gilmore Girls” comparison because every other book I’ve attempted to read those panders to this fanbase has been a disaster. Thankfully, this book is not a cheap replica of the TV show!

As for the story, this is just a very sweet YA book about a high school girl who loves working in her mother’s coffeehouse in a lovely little East Coast town. Think Sleepy Hollow meets Stars Hollow. Be still, my heart! I loved easing my way into the story as Lucy and her mom happily serve delicious drinks and baked goodies to their regular customers amidst the onset of spooky season.  When she’s not baking pies or serving maple lattes, she’s enjoying the fall festival with her friends–corn mazes, bonfires, hot cocoa and all!

Then the plot heats up when a popular coffee chain moves in right across the street and business starts to dip. Things are looking dire for the mother-daughter baristas, but hope is on the horizon when Lucy decides to whip up the most perfect pumpkin spice latte, thus ratcheting up my own cravings for this delicious drink and sending me straight to Starbucks. Yeah, I know it’s a soulless chain, but I’m not lucky enough to live in a cute town with a mom-and-pop coffeehouse, okay!

Anyhoo, romance is brewing (pun intended) between Lucy and the cute new boy, who sadly is the son of the rival coffeehouse owners. I’ll stop right here to avoid any spoilers, but I will say their love story is adorable. A lot of reviewers are upset about the lack of steamy romance, but I don’t really care about any of that.  I was just enjoying the G-rated ride, which really took me back to my high school days when a peck on the lips felt like such a scandal!

I don’t know why, but this book felt more like a throwback to the ‘90s when life seemed simpler…maybe because the social media element wasn’t overdone with teenagers taking nonstop selfies and speaking in hashtags. I know that stuff is our reality now, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it! I also really appreciated Lucy’s take on influencers…and how meaningless and shallow they all seem. Okay, maybe those are my own thoughts, but she did have some introspective moments that rang true to me.

Overall, this is just a wonderful little YA story that will give you all the fall vibes and warm fuzzies. I relished every moment of it!