Reading this book is like visiting an old friend. I just sink into the story, the town, the kookie characters, the town meeting where we discuss all our pancake needs. I laughed and cried in this book. Laurie Gilmore just writes so beautifully that you can just immerse yourself in this fun, sexy and sweet stories.
For Strawberry Olive's story is so sad with the loss of her mother, but I loved watching Archer and Iris come together become her family. But I also loved how the whole town came together to make sure she was ok. The neighbors that stopped by to make sure they had dinners (even though he was chef), great neighbors that she felt safe with. Kids in romances are always so hard cause they can be an obstacle, but Olive really felt like an amazing addition to the story. We got two love stories for the price of one.
I am a huge sucker for single dad/nanny tropes and the fact that neither of them knew what to do with Olive just made them the perfect team. They really learned to love her and each other at the same time. From a romance perspective this was angsty and hot. The forced proximity, the late-night pancakes, kisses in the kitchen. It really felt like a routine of a family even if neither of them really thought that was what they wanted. They both got to grow and realize it is ok to change your mind, and love will always be the right decision!
I LOVE this town and their love of festivals. I love everything about this series and this book. I CAN"T wait to read the next in this series. I swear I could just enjoy this town's people for every. I love that we get little glimpse of the past character, but each one can be read as a standalone.

With each installment in this series, I genuinely feel like the books just keep getting better and more emotionally layered. Laurie Gilmore has a gift for creating a small-town world that feels not only charming but truly alive, with characters whose stories interweave in ways that make every return to the town feel like coming home.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is how seamlessly past characters reappear, grounding the story in a sense of community and continuity. The town itself feels like a character—rich with personality, tightly knit, and full of heart. It’s such a joy to see how each resident plays a part in the others' lives, even in small ways.

The single father trope is handled with a fresh and thoughtful perspective here. While I appreciated the vulnerability and complexity of his journey, I did find that at times his internal conflict—particularly around his personal dream—felt either underdeveloped or too easily resolved. A bit more emotional depth or resistance would have made his arc feel even more rewarding.

That said, I loved the broader theme of love in all its forms. The story beautifully celebrates not just romantic connection, but the bonds of friendship and family, which made it feel incredibly warm and grounded.

I can’t wait to continue reading more from this series—there’s something so comforting and heartwarming about returning to this world and its evolving cast of characters.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the story, more so than Kira's. I enjoyed Archer's character arc, and the inclusion of Olive. One thing I didn't like is the couple's 'struggle' and how it was handled. It seemed a bit unrealistic. BUT I LOVED that the book club was discussing the trope of 'single dad' in the book whose trope is the single dad.

A great addition to the series, can't wait for more.

Loved this book. It's cozy and comforting with a feel good romance. The characters are easy to love and root for. If you are looking for something heartwarming, this series is it.

These are so good. I feel like I stepped into Stars Hallow. The conversation between these characters is so fun and authentic. I love being able to escape into this world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for the advance electronic copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I had not read any of the previous books in the series when I obtained this ARC. I had seen a younger church friend with at least one of these books, and she had told me that they were "a little spicy"--wasn't sure what that meant. However, it turned out to be accurate, and I was glad I had been expecting it.

Archer has just discovered that he has a young daughter. Her mother has passed away, leaving instructions that he should now raise their daughter, Olive. Iris is not the commitment type, but she needs a place to live, and the live-in nanny position fits.

Archer has been working as a chef in Paris, but now he needs a job, so he takes over at the local diner, where no one appreciates his fancy pancakes. Iris has no experience with small children.

The two of them and Olive started growing on me very quickly! A couple of favorite bits--the origin of Olive's name, and the book club meeting.

And yes, I will be going back and reading the first books in the series, now that I've already met the characters.

I prefer to listen to the books in this series rather than read them. They make for great background noise while working and/or commuting, and this latest book was no exception.

If you’re looking for spicy, small-town, insta-love story, this is it. Just add in the single-dad trope and you’re g2g! Spice for this was surprising: 3-3.5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (I still don’t think it should be categorized as “erotica,” but I digress.)

(Thank you, Harper 360 and Netgalley, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

I am a huge fan of this series and just like the previous books, this one was filled with hope and love and a fair amount of spice.

I was so excited to be approved for this book due to seeing the hype on TikTok cant say I'm upset with it. I loved this book so much I ordered my physical copy so that I can reread it. Please let the author know that her writing is absolutely amazing and can't wait to see more work from her! Keep up the great work..

This may be my second favorite Dream Harbor book, behind Cinnamon Bun Bookstore. The plot — while fairly predictable — was the most unlike the other books in the series, and who doesn’t love a single dad trope?

The dynamic between the main characters is sweet and hit exactly how it needed to. And I so, so love Olive. She is so sweet and innocent and I just wanna scoop her up in my arms.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5

I just love the little town of Dream Harbor. Everything about it is so charming and just gives Gilmore Girls/Stars Hollow vibes. 🥰

I loved the single gruff dad vibes from Archer and the carefree vibes from Iris. The grumpy/sunshine is just another perfect addition to this book along with the single dad trope. This book was perfection, just like all the others in the series! 🍓

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore was the next book in the town of Dream Harbor series. In this book, we focus on Archer, a single dad to Olive, as well as a chef, who is needed for the pancake house. Iris, who always feels down on her luck, as she can never seem to hold down a job, is told that the new chef needs a nanny for his adorable daughter. While reluctant, Iris needs the money and just can't say no to the opportunity. Overall, this was a cute romance where we get to watch Archer and Iris navigate their new responsibilities and more importantly, each other. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast, cute read with a little bit of humor thrown in.

I'm enjoying this series more than I ever expected to, and I really liked the relationship evolution of Iris and Archer.

Archer, a professional chef hoping to earn a Michelin-star one day, is pulled from his fast-paced life in Paris and dropped into Dream Harbor. Not only is it a complete 180 in terms of setting, but he must now look after his five-year-old daughter, Olive, who he never knew existed. And, to make money, he works at the town's diner, an obvious step down from his restaurant days. Luckily, to help him out, he hires Iris as Olive's nanny, and things get steamy and complicated fast.

I don't typically love the inclusion of kids in romance novels, but I thought it worked well here. Plus, Olive is adorable. I also enjoyed the cameos of so many previous characters, and I'm looking forward to Annie and Mac's story next.

Another great installment in the Dream Harbour world. If you have enjoyed the previous books, you will devour this one as well. And who doesn’t love a good single dad trope? I am here for it!

If you haven’t read the other books in the series, I definitely recommend that you do because it helps to know some of the characters and the places that are referenced in this book. While this wasn’t my favorite of the series, it was still a cozy, sexy and yummy story.
If you’re a fan of grumpy/sunshine like I am and then you mix in forced proximity, found family, single dad and slow burn to the plot, it makes it hard not to gobble up this one in no time. I’m trying hard not to use food related puns, but it’s hard not to!
Archie is a Michelin star chef who is forced to come back to Dream Harbor when he discovers he’s the father of olive, a 4 year old who he knew nothing about and was the result of a short term relationship, and whose mother has recently passed away. He takes a job trying to revive the local diner in order to provide stability for Olive. The townspeople, however, don’t like the changes he’s making to the diner, and his daughter refuses to talk to him as he’s a stranger.
Then along comes Iris, who’s desperately in need of a fresh start so she takes a job as Olives nanny despite the fact that he’s sullen and brooding-and seriously hot.
The more time they spend together, the more the sparks fly between them but crossing the line could complicate things for all three of them. Is the risk worth the reward?
I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collin’s for my eArc in exchange for my review.

Omg I love every book in this series but this one is absolutely my favorite!! I just finished it with tears streaming down my face. I loved every single character. Shout out to the authors husband, she mentioned in the acknowledgments that the pancake names were his idea and I loved it! I never want this series to end, I need 100 more Dream Harbor books please!!

This series is still like nothing I’ve read before - a cozy romance with spice. Book four is probably one of my favorites as I did enjoy the plot of two people in a small town getting to know each other all the while raising a little girl who just lost her mother. The only thing that drives me crazy about these books are the cringe worthy dialogues about sex. Aside from those, it’s a cute story. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this one early! I will recommend it to library patrons who enjoy this series or others who like a good cozy with a bit of spice.

This is perfect if you’re into cozy small-town romances with food, found family, and characters you genuinely want to root for. Laurie Gilmore just became an auto-buy author for me. Highly recommend curling up with this one on a rainy weekend—with pancakes, obviously.

Super cute book! Didn’t realize this was part of a series when I requested it. Really enjoyed it - it’s definitely right up my alley. If you’re a fan of Abby Jimenez, you’ll be a fan of these books. The fiery 5 year old reminded me of my sassy 6 year old, so that was extra brownie points for this read for me.

Absolutely addicted and in love with this series, Laurie Gilmore is a great writer andi can’t wait for every single thing she writes. Sweet, gorgeous, cute and comforting this is everything you want in a cosy cute book