If you are looking for a fresh small town romance complete with a Chef (Archer) just in from Paris and an authentic first time nanny and seniors’ exercise instructor (Iris) with just the right amount of nosy townspeople…that would be everyone…then, this is the book for you. I loved this feel good story that was believable and creative at the same time. Having grown up in a small town, I enjoyed reading about this one and its quirky characters. Ms. Gilmore did a wonderful job developing the story line. Thank you to Ms. Gilmore, NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers for the opportunity to review this delightful book!

While I haven't read the first 3 books in this series, I now understand what the hype is all about. In this 4th book, Archer arrives in town to assume custody of the 5 year old daughter that he never knew about. Her mother has died in an accident and the father she has never met comes to begin a relationship with her. Archer is a trained chef, coming from Paris, and takes over as chef at the local diner. Iris is hired to be Olive's nanny while Archer runs the breakfast and lunch shifts. You can correctly assume what transpires next!

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley.

«Mushrooms, peppers, his whole damn heart. She could have all of it.»

The Dream Harbor books are always just the perfect amount Hallmark movie vibes...

I actually love the inner growth for both of the MCs. But I guess, these books are too instalove for me?
The town tho? That's why l'll be coming back time and time again.

Just had a good time reading this.
And I did, in fact, had pancakes while reading... I may get them again after finishing writing this...

I’ve loved the Dream Harbor series since I read the Pumpkin Spice Cafe. What I love most about the books is the deep connections the characters have both with each other, but also with the community and the town as a whole. In this story though, I wasn’t as invested in those relationships. Jeannie and Hazel were barely mentioned and Annie was completely left out, which really disappointed me. We didn’t get any Noah, Mac or Logan, which I really missed. I did enjoy Iris backstory and the addition of Olive was a really cute twist on the other books.

While the romance was fun and steamy, I did inwardly cringe every time I read “yes chef” in a sec scene. Please no more. Overall, I will definitely continue this series, mostly to finally get a story on Annie and Mac!

Thank you to Laurie Gilmore, NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This is my new favorite by Laurie Gilmore. Well written and lovable characters. Fast read and will give you all the feels!
Thank you NG for the ARC.

This was the first book I've read by Laurie Gilmore. I've seen the first three books in this series all over social media and was very excited to get approved for an ARC on NetGalley by Harper360. Having not read the other books in this series I think it's totally fine to read this standalone if you'd like. There are times when you know side characters must have had their stories explored in their own book, but it doesn't take away anything if you don't know who they are.

I really like the idea of setting the book in a Stars Hollow-esque town. It was funny to get references to places like Target when the town is two streets big in my head. Sometimes I just wanted the town to either be a bit bigger or more clear on how close it was to I also had a hard time with the writing style. So many run-on sentences and commas.

And a lot of the characters felt a little flat, it wasn't until about 50-60% into the book that I started to care even a little bit about everyone and what was happening. I feel like after the 55% mark the book feels a little tighter, and Gilmore's voice shines better.

This was the first book I considered not finishing or giving feedback for, but I was grateful for the ARC so I pushed through.

Absolutely loved this book and the whole series
Definitely recommend. It you love small town cozy vibes this book is for you ✨️ it won't disappoint.

4 Stars – Sweet, Cozy, and Heartwarming!

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House is pure small-town charm with the perfect blend of romance and feel-good vibes. Archer, the swoony single dad and talented chef, stole my heart, and his relationship with his daughter Olive was just too cute! Iris was such a relatable character—flawed but loveable—and watching her grow into her role as a nanny (while falling for Archer) was the ultimate slow-burn treat.

The forced proximity trope worked so well here, especially with Archer’s accidental topless cooking moments—hello, tension! Plus, the found family dynamic in Dream Harbor added a cozy layer that made the whole story feel like a warm hug.

If you love single dad romances, small-town settings, and sweet slow burns with a sprinkle of mystery, you’ll devour this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the arc of this book. The Strawberry Patch Pancake House is the fourth book in the Dream Harbor series. This book can be read as a stand alone but I highly recommend reading the rest of the series. I love this series. This book is a cozy small town romance telling the story of local Iris and Archer who moves to Dream Harbor to raise his daughter Olive. I would have liked to see a little more of the Dream Harbor residents in this book and for it to be longer to accommodate for that. This book does have a small amount of spice but it fits the story. I read this book in two sittings. I cannot wait for the next book in this series. I have my fingers crossed that it will be about Annie and Mac.

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @harpercollins360 for an early copy of The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5
Release date: March 13th, 2025

Blurb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

A single dad with the cutest little daughter ever + a nanny? The Strawberry Patch Pancake House tells the romantic and almost instant attraction between Archer, an experienced chef who moves to a small town when he learns he’s a father to a five-year old girl from one of his past flings, and Iris, who’s a jack of all trades and finds herself a nannying job for Archer’s daughter Olive.

Iris’ first impression of Archer as being grumpy didn’t exactly last, as instant attraction for each other should have been a red flag for Human Resources, but despite his hesitation, Archer needed Iris to nanny for Olive. All of them living under one roof was very fun to witness, especially during the first days when they were all trying to adjust. Iris and Archer fighting off their sexual attraction was also enjoyable, and it all went spicy and spicier once they couldn’t resist each other anymore.

What really held my attention were scenes where live was present. Honestly, this girl is so adorable that I think apart from Iris and Archer’s spicy scenes, Olive’s presence really stood out for me in this novel.

Though I couldn’t specify anything else notable, The Strawberry Patch Pancake House is a light, cute and spicy read. I had fun reading

4.5 stars!!!! I ATE THIS UP!!!! truly another stellar book in this series and honestly this one has probably gone to the top of my list. i thoroughly enjoyed this book and the characters.

the grumpy single dad who didn't know he had a whole daughter b/c the mom felt like he deserved more? my goodness. i cannot. watching archer and olive go around each other and eventually love each other was heartwarming, it was everything. this story made me laugh, cry, swoon, fan myself ;) it was just really the perfect single dad/nanny trope.

these two characters were perfect and i loved every second of them. they are probably so far truly my favorite couple in the series. their story was so beautiful and seamless and everything i needed and wanted in this story.

also the book club? yall are the best. pls send me to a small cute cozy town where there is a fun book club, because i want IN!!

big thank you netgalley and harper 360 for the arc!! i am even more obsessed with this town and these people than i was at book 1. i cant wait to see where it goes from here!!!

These books are so cozy. They’re like a hug. The town in this series reminds me so much of Stars Hollow. I love it.

This book was just as sweet & spicy as the other books from this series.

This was the perfect small town romance to read during spring.

There is a trope that happens near the end that some people might not like, but I personally didn’t mind it.

The epilogue was the sweetest and the perfect way to end the couple’s storyline.

i’ve been obsessed with the dream harbor series since book one and it just keeps getting BETTER.

main character archer was in paris making all his chef dreams come true when he found out that he was going to be a dad…to a 5 year old…in the states. aka his cooking career was over for the time being. archer had no idea about his daughter but her mother had listed him on the birth certificate so she was his whether he liked it or not.

life must go on so archer went to dream harbor, got a job, and hired a nanny to watch olive while he worked. the new nanny, iris, instantly clicked with olive. they were like two peas in a pod and their relationship was too cute for words. iris lived with them and they quickly found a cozy routine. the found family aspect in this book was TOP-NOTCH.

archer and iris started catching feelings but she never really wanted marriage or kids and unfortunately with archer, both those things would be on the line so it seemed there would be only one safe solution — leaving.

this was easily my favorite dream harbor book so far and i can’t wait to see what’s to come in book five later this year!

I love a good light, romance read. I’ll eat up every book in the Dream Harbor Series. It’s your cheesy, but cozy romance novel. So when I saw her fourth book available on NetGalley, I immediately requested it.

I loved the storyline in the first 75% of the book. It fit all the typical Laurie Gilmore vibes. However, my least favorite trope was pulled out of nowhere in the last 25% of the book. That is where you lost me. Then, on top of that, adding in an incredibly immature third act breakup just had me rolling my eyes. However, I enjoyed the story and I can’t wait for the next book. We just want the final Annie and Mac story.

🖤Single Dad
🖤Slow Burn
🖤Found Family
🖤Small Town
🖤Dual POV

Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book was cute and very light read. I see why people love this series because it's very charming. This is a single-dad romance where the dad is just getting custody of his daughter because the mother passes away. He is a renowned chef who moved to Dream Harbor to run the pancake restaurant. He meets the fmc when she offers to be his child's nanny and as they spend more time together they have to fight the attraction.

I liked seeing the relationship between the MCS and the kid grow especially since it started rocky. The found family tight-knit town was also very nice to read. This book was steamy and for some reason, I wasn't expecting that but I enjoyed the scenes. Overall a good read and I'm going to go back and read the rest of the series. Thanks to the publisher for this arc for an honest review.

Read for:
- Small-town romance
- Single dad romance
- Nanny fmc
- Chef mmc
- Steamy romance

why did it take me so long to read this series? i started the first and loved it so much that i immediately read the 2nd and 3rd and then realized this one was on netgalley and HAD TO HAVE IT. im suddenly saying yes chef in my sleep. i loveeeeed noah and his competency and iris was so fun, they seemed like a great pairing and i wanted more of their little family with olive. how am i supposed to wait until september for mac and annies story???

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore is a heartwarming, charming read that took me on an unforgettable emotional journey. From the very first page, I was captivated by the lovable characters, each with their own quirks and depth that made the story so engaging.

At the heart of the book is Archer, a strict and career-driven head chef who makes the life-altering decision to leave his high-end career in Paris when he learns he’s the father of a four-year-old girl, Olive. His transformation from a disciplined, work-focused man to a tender, loving father is nothing short of beautiful. I loved seeing Archer evolve throughout the story as he navigates fatherhood and learns the true meaning of family. What really struck me was how his initially rigid demeanor quickly gave way to a gentle, caring side that was hard to resist.

Iris, the quirky and delightful female lead, was the perfect counterpart to Archer. As Olive’s nanny, she brought a much-needed spark to their lives, but her role in their world became so much more than that. Her unique blend of charm and humor made her an essential "ingredient" to the story. Watching Iris and Archer slowly bond, their connection felt so natural and warm. I loved how their relationship developed, moving from strangers to a real, functional family.

The single dad trope was done beautifully here, and I appreciated the depth of emotion that Laurie Gilmore infused into the narrative. The found-family aspect was another highlight — Archer, Iris, and Olive quickly became an unshakeable trio, each offering the other the support they needed in different ways. The result was a story full of love, growth, and a sense of belonging that left me with a smile on my face long after I finished the book.

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House is a lovely story about unexpected changes, and the importance of family in all its forms. Whether you’re a fan of heartwarming romance or love stories about personal growth, this one’s a gem that’s hard to put down!

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I really enjoyed this! Dream Harbor books are just so cute and cozy 🥰 I loved this one and found Olive to be the sweetest 🥹💖 I always liked Iris and I loved reading this! I can’t wait for book 5 to come out 🤩

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harper 360 and Laurie Gilmore for giving me an ARC of this wonderful book! It was on my 2025 read list and I couldn’t be happier to be given an advanced copy!

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House is just as sugary sweet and cozy as Pumpkin Spice Cafe, including a new father in over his head with his new precocious little girl. It's a trope that I don't really enjoy but it is an easy, cozy read filled with Gilmore's signature style.

I have read the other books in this series and this is on par with the rest. If you enjoyed the other books then you will like this as well. Even if you didn’t like some of the first ones I’d still recommend this book. I loved Archer and Iris, they were a great couple and the banter was great. Very swoon-worthy. These books are cozy romances with low stakes. The setting is adorable and half the fun. I love this town. I highly recommend this book, it’s so cute!

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper 360 for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.