I really enjoyed reading this book more than the Pumpkin Spice Cafe. It still gave me all the cozy, autumnal vibes but the spice was spicing. I felt like Noah and Hazel’s relationship had a little more development and growth with both characters and it definitely had me giggling and gushing. I can’t wait to read the third book but Annie and Mac def need their own story!!

Hazel is turning thirty soon and has realized that she hasn't really had any adventures. Her adventure begins when one day she discovers an askew book in the bookstore she is the manager for has a passage highlighted. This kicks off a journey of secret messages that lead to adventures that Hazel goes on with the help of the handsome Noah. Through this journey and with a birthday deadline relationship, they fall in love.
The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore is like a spicy Hallmark movie. This is a lighthearted and super sweet romance. I found the characters very likable and relatable. I can't wait to go back and read the other books in this series. The perfect romance for cuffing season!

This was so cute. I definitely love the first one more but this was so cute. And I always love a good puzzle and mystery, so I was trying to figure it out myself and coming up with predictions along the way. These books definitely seem like interconnected standalones. And I would think this was instant love if I hadn't read the Pumpkin Spice café. The sad part though is that this takes place in the summer instead of fall.The playlist threw me off because it gave such fall vibes (more than The Pumpkin Spice Café's and I think it was better than the PS cafe's) only to be met with no fall. I think I loved Hazel more than I loved Jeanie. I mean she’s a bookworm and she runs a bookstore? She's living the dream. Plus she seems more relatable to me.This might be a weird take, but these books are starting to give me strawberry shortcake and spicy Gilmore girls. Especially with the store names. I can't wait for the next book.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper360 for the eARC.

This is the second book in the Dream Harbor series, the first book is The Pumpkin Spice Café. I really enjoyed the first book, but this second book was even better! This is about a woman who feels like her life is boring. She is about to turn 30 at the end of September but feels like she hasn't had any adventures in life yet. She finds a book in her bookstore has been tampered with, and when she reads what someone has mysteriously highlighted, she feels as if it was meant for her to see. She feels called to listen to the highlighted lines of the book and do what it says. And she asks the fun-loving fisherman to help her accomplish these adventures, as more and more highlighted lines in books appear in the weeks leading up to her 30th birthday. This book was absolutely fantastic, such a great storyline and such a fun read! I absolutely loved it, I couldn't read it fast enough! 💛📚

Thank you to the author and to the publisher for this ARC of The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper360 for this ARC!

I was so excited to dive back into the Dream Harbor town and this one (especially the second half) met those expectations!

I found myself, at first, skimming the beginning and the details but quickly found myself immerse again once the romance started! I was glad when Hazel found herself and realized her love for Noah was legit!

I also loved that the author also threw in the next character for the Christmas Tree Farm during a town meeting (total Gilmore girls vibes!) and I can’t wait to read that one as well!

And if you’re questioning if you should read these, yes! Plus the book spines all match up to make a town! SO CUTE!

🔎 Review Time!

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store

Dream Harbor #2

@lauriegilmore_author
@onemorechapterhc

My Rating:
🌟 4/5

👀Read if you like
Opposites Attract
Small Town
Forced Proximity

When a secret message turns up hidden in a book in the Cinnamon Bun Bookstore, Hazel can't understand it. As more secret codes appear between the pages, she decides to follow the trail of clues… she just need someone to help her out.

Gorgeous and outgoing fisherman, Noah, is always up for an adventure. And a scavenger hunt sounds like a lot of fun. Even better that the cute bookseller he's been crushing on for months is the one who wants his help!

Hazel didn’t go looking for romance, but as the treasure hunt leads her and Noah around Dream Harbor, their undeniable chemistry might be just as hot as the fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon buns the bookstore sells…





🔎 My review
This was my second book by Laurie and I absolutely cannot wait for #3 to be released! This is such a cute followup book that still has the small town fall romance that will leave you wanting more. It has a decent amount of spice and how can you not fall in love with Hazel and Noah. I loved watching Hazel grow and catching glimpses of Jeanie and Logan. I would have given the book 5 🌟 if it had dual povs but regardless it is a good read and I highly recommend.

#books #bookreviews #bookstagrammer #bookworm #bookstagram #bookobsessed #romance #romancebooks #lauriegilmore #onemorechapter #TheCinnamonBunBookStore #cozyreading #smalltownromance #NetGalley

Hazel works at a bookstore where one day she finds a misshelved romance book with a dog eared page and a line highlighted in it. When on her way to put it back in place, Noah arrived to stock up on more books but mostly to see Hazel. Noah suggests that it might be a scavenger hunt to having her best summer before she turns thirty. Together the two of them follow all the clues and fall in love.

Very cute, but I really hate the miscommunication. Also really frustrated with the friends in this book totally messing with the relationship aspect on purpose. I will say though that Noah is the absolute cutest and I’m obsessed.

Laurie Gilmore is the perfect writer to curl up and read with a blanket and a warm coffee. Cinnamon Bun Store is the second book in this series, and I loved it. The characters each push each other in way that makes both of them better and stronger. Highly recommended:

Honestly I liked this book soooo much better than the first! It was super cute and very easy to read as long as you are okay with 3rd person writing…..
Noah is a mysterious fisherman who definitely captures a lot of hearts. He’s definitely the type of guy to crack jokes to hide his secrets and insecurities.
Hazel is a sweetheart goody two shoes and a huge bookworm. I can definitely relate with her on feeling stuck in a rut with life and wanting to experience being reckless at least once in your life.
The thing that put this at 4 star instead of 5 was the major lack of communication between the love interests. Absolutely zero conversations about their feelings for each other. And unfortunately there was a bit of the miscommunication trope in this…
But I think the book ended pretty well with a small amount of drama of course.
I’m excited to read the next book as we got a glimpse of the new girl in town!

I read the Pumpkin Spice Cafe and really enjoyed it and could not wait to read The Cinnamon Bun Book Store! These are a great summer-to -fall transition series that are cute,spicy, and predictable like a Hallmark movie series, which I love!
Hazel runs the book store and will be 30 in a few months and has not had any "big adventures" in life until she finds some dog eared books that have highlighted content in them. She takes it as a sign to take the clues the person has left to start an adventure before her 30th birthday comes. She does not know who is "damaging" her books and enlists Noah to help her live the clues as an adventure before she turns 30. Hazel does not expect to fall in love with Noah, who does not do long term relationships, but has had his eye on Hazel for a long time, and quickly falls for him in each adventure and brings her out of her dull life.
This is such a heart warming story that I highly recommend! If you like small town, opposite attraction and spice, then this book/series is for you!
Thank you NetGalley, Laurie Gilmore, and Harper 360 for my advanced copy! I can not wait to read the third book, The Christmas Tree Farm in December to set off the "Christmassy" feeling!

While this book was cute, I didn’t love it as much as The Pumpkin Spice Café. One of the main reasons is the storyline—I’m just not a big fan of the friends-with-benefits trope, and this one leaned way more into the physical side of the relationship compared to the first book.

The story follows Hazel, who starts finding mysterious notes hidden in the books at her bookstore. She takes it as a sign to set off on a summer adventure, and Noah, a charming fisherman who avoids commitment and sticks to casual flings with tourists, joins her.

I did enjoy seeing Noah, usually carefree, get totally swept up in his feelings for Hazel—the girl he can’t stop thinking about. Hazel’s journey is about taking risks and trusting that good things happen when you step out of your comfort zone. I liked both of them as characters!

But what I really missed was the cozy, seasonal vibe that made The Pumpkin Spice Café such a favorite of mine. Despite The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore's cover suggesting otherwise, most of the story is set in the summer, which felt misleading. Without that cozy, seasonal feel, the romance ended up feeling more generic.

Great follow up to Pumpkin Spice Cafe. I got the same cozy vibes while still feeling like I’m reading a fun romance with a touch of spice. A perfect book for the fall!

This is a great fall read!!! It is a cute little fall reading. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a light cozy fall read!

**| received an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.**
This book has two main characters: hazel and Noah! As hazel works at the bookstore, she has a fun and comforting job for herself, but feel as though she is spinning her wheels in life. As she nears the big 30, she realized clues are left in books for her. She she also has Noah along for the ride!

This is the perfect fall read to cozy up with! I loved how this was written, bouncing back and forth from hazel to Noah! Such a fun way to portray these characters!

This book kept me engaged and wanting to read one more chapter!

Thank you to NetGalley and Laurie Gilmore for the ARC.

4.5 ⭐️

This book was so cute. It felt like an adult autumn inspired version of Dash & Lily. I loved the adventures that Hazel & Noah went on and the way they fell in love. Their banter had me laughing out loud quite literally.

Noah's budding excitement and enjoyment of books recommended by Hazel was so cute. The way Hazel trusted Noah and overcame her fears with him because he became her best friend and safe place was everything I needed.

Noah's family dynamic was so cute. His bond with his nieces, the acceptance from his father, his sisters betting on his return home when needed, and his mother's protectiveness was relatable. It gave a real look at family bonds and how forgiveness, acceptance, and love means so much.

Hazel's diverse family dynamic and the way her parents worked with their town and friends to make her life more adventurous and fun was adorable. I was so happy that Noah was not the one leaving her the clues but rather just someone falling head over heels for her and enjoying their adventures together.

The ending was my favorite! The way they both felt loved and gave their love to each other so unconditionally was inspired. To be 100% themselves and not need to fight to prove their worth to one another was chefs kiss.

There is no way to read this series and not be left with joy and happiness with the need for your own personal adventures and desire to find family, love, and friends like this.

I have been waiting for The Cinnamon Bun Book Store since last fall when I read Pumpkin Spice Cafe and fell in love with everything about Dream Harbor. I loved Hazel and Noah and was rooting for them since page 1. The plot about the “mystery” book clues was unique and I loved going on all the fun dates with them. (Ex, can we talk about the Ferris wheel kiss?! Swooning over here!) There aren’t many books that are set at the very end of summer/early fall and this was a perfect light read to kick off the fall season before it gets too cold. I can’t wait to read Laurie’s next book around Christmastime!

Loved this one as much as the pumpkin spice cafe. This is such a cozy fall read and great for anyone to read who enjoys cozy fall romance.

✨i received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review✨
Okay i really went back and forth on what to rate this. I did enjoy it more than the first book, i thought it was written a lot better, the characters were more fleshed out, and the story was more cohesive. To me, this book is a solid 3.6, which made it hard to pick if i wanted to put it at 3 stars or 4 and i ultimately decided 4.
I really enjoyed the arc Noah goes through, how he goes from happy idiot that doesn’t really like himself to successful businessman, yet he doesn’t ever lose that cheerfulness that you really enjoy in the beginning.
I saw a lot of myself in Hazel and so I think that’s another reason i liked this one more, because i could actually see myself in one of the main characters. She’s feeling as though she’s stuck in her hometown, not very adventurous, and kind of like she doesn’t fit anywhere. And then Noah comes in and changes how she feels not only about herself, but also about the town she lives in.
Do i think it’s necessary for a man to be the one to make the woman to realize she’s smart and fun and sexy? No, but honestly i get it. It’s hard for a lot of women who have just bad or boring experiences to not feel like they’re fun and sexy and yeah the help of a hot man will do that.
This was cute and fun and I liked it much more than the original. (Still waiting on Mac and Annie’s book though)

I loved this book! I feel like it was better paced than The Pumpkin Spice Cafe. I also enjoyed the romance side of it more. I feel like it got more in depth on the characters relationship. I’ve recommended this book to friends. Fantastic fall read!

I am a bit of a seasonal reader so when I saw the adorable fall vibes here I had to read it! Luckily the interior is equally adorable. I loved watching Hazel explore and try new things with Noah. It was fun to see how much he admired her and see the way she was him in return.

I also loved exploring Dream Harbor with the characters! The small town vibes here are excellent and I'm really excited to read about the Christmas tree farm next! If you want a cozy fall read this is perfect!