I did enjoy the book .. the FMC was sassy and funny witty at times and H@orny 😇 the MMC was the opposite and both made a fun pair and easy read… slightly cozy and yet funny and with lots of pumpkin very spicy scenes as you’d might expect and overall is a 3/5 for me

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin - Romance | Afterglow Books by Harlequin & Harlequin Audio for providing me with ARCs of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is Isabelle Popp's first novel and I was into it! Like many others, I love all things fall so the cover and title caught my eye. Even though it's only the start of summer, the autumn vibes were easy to slip into. It made me want to tend my own garden and stroll a farmer's market with an iced coffee.

Sadie and Josh give off big black cat/golden retriever energy. She grew up in the small town of Pea Blossom, took off after high school and barely looked back. She's a textile artist in CA, but comes home to help her dad when he has to leave the farm to help her uncle in FL. Josh is a tech bro who left Silicon Valley behind for a slower and more fulfilling life. They end up as neighbors and competitors in the SPICE Pumpkin Weigh-Off.

A series of entertaining and seriously unlucky events throw them together again and again. Josh falls hard and fast. He's so endearingly adorable that Sadie can't help but fall too. They both have stuff to work through and I really liked the way it felt real. These are two people in their 30s who have lived lives and are trying to find their joy, individually and together.

This is dual POV, which I always love. It is full of lots of subtle, diverse representation that is done really well. And I felt weirdly invested in the pumpkin contest.

I had both the ebook and audio. This was narrated by Adelaide Fernport. I liked her style and would listen to her again. I listen at 1.5x and it felt like a comfortable speed to still get the emotion and nuances of the story. I mostly listened, but read the last 25% on my kindle because I was impatient to get to the end and find out what would happen.

I'm hoping Isabelle's next book is Grace's story, Sadie's sister. Because there is definitely a story there!

This book was cute and quirky and everything you could ask for in a small town fall romance. Sadie was a compelling female lead who’s family issues and experiences were handled with care by the author and written in a way that felt relatable and allowed for the character to grow from it without feeling forced or faked. I really enjoyed this book and my brief time in the fictional(?) town of Pea Blossom.

Never thought id be interested in a book about pumpkins and squash but here I am absolutely loving it. This story did not disappoint. Loved the characters and the family drama. Felt like you could feel their emotions. The fun little stories of their dating experiences had you giggling.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc.

🎃✨ ARC Review: Let’s Give ‘Em Pumpkin to Talk About by Isabelle Popp ✨🎃

Get ready to fall head over gourd for this adorable small-town rom-com! 🍁💛

Sadie Fox is everything I LOVE in a heroine—tattooed, sweary, edgy, and totally not here for anyone’s nonsense…except maybe her sunshiney, pumpkin-obsessed next-door neighbor, Josh Thatcher. ☀️🖤

What starts as a mission to win her dad’s approval (and the Indiana State Fair pumpkin contest 🏆🎃) turns into a hilarious disaster thanks to a herd of wild hogs 🐗💥—I mean, you can’t make this stuff up! Enter Josh: ex-tech millionaire turned squash-growing golden retriever boy who can’t resist helping Sadie…even if they’re supposed to be rivals. 👨‍🌾💻🌱

The tension? Chef’s kiss. 👏 That stormy, unexpected kiss?? Swoon. 🌧️💋 And the secret Josh is hiding? Well… you’ll have to read to find out! 😉

I laughed, I swooned, I craved pumpkin pie the whole time 🥧😂. Isabelle Popp nailed the grumpy x sunshine trope with heart, humor, and a dash of autumn magic. 🍂✨

Sadie returns to Pea Blossom,Indiana to take care of her father’s pumpkin patch while he is out of town. The goal is grow the largest pumpkins for the contest. Unfortunately, the patch is destroyed by wild hogs. Her father’s neighbor, Josh steps in to help, and there is certainly chemistry between the two of them.
This was short, fun read. I liked the small town feel of Pea Blossom, and the banter between the characters.

If you like cute and cozy vibes this is the book for you. This was my first time reading a Grumpy x Sunshine where the FMC was the Grumpy one. I really enjoyed it. This book had some spice. I really loved Josh he was an absolute sweety and 100% cinnamon roll energy. This is a small town romance with Fall vibes and the ultimate palette cleanser.

This cozy, fall themed rom-com is the perfect mix of humor, heart, and pumpkin patch chaos. Sadie Fox returns to her small hometown to grow a prize-winning pumpkin and maybe win her dad’s approval, only to have wild hogs destroy the whole patch. Just when things couldn’t get worse, in strolls Josh Thatcher: her sunshiney, annoyingly attractive neighbor who just happens to be her biggest competition… and maybe something more.
Sadie’s grumpy, Josh is pure golden retriever, and their chemistry? Off the charts. With flirty banter, a stormy kiss, and all the autumn vibes, this is a charming, feel-good romance about second chances, unexpected connections, and finding love where you least expect it.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publishing house for the chance to read this book in advance, in exchange of my honest review.

He paints her body!!😮‍💨
This small-town romance was such a charming read. Sadie is your classic black cat personality, guarded, independent and feisty; while Josh is a total golden retriever, loyal, warm, and a bit of a people pleaser.
Sadie may know everything there is to know about pumpkins, but when it comes to love and growth, she still has a lot to learn and that journey is full of emotion, self-discovery, and just the right amount of spice.
These two are complete opposites, but somehow, they just work.

This book is everything I love about fall wrapped into one heartwarming story. Isabelle Popp delivers a sweet, funny, and endearing romance that feels like a warm hug on a crisp October day. The writing is fresh and witty, and the characters feel like people you’d want to hang out with in real life.

What really stood out was the atmosphere Popp does an incredible job of bringing the autumn setting to life. You can practically smell the cider and hear the crunch of leaves underfoot. The story has just enough tension and tenderness to keep you invested, while still feeling light and comforting.

Whether you’re a die hard fan of fall or just in the mood for a charming romance with small town vibes and seasonal flair, this book is a must read. It’s cozy, clever, and completely satisfying.

Let’s Give ’Em Pumpkin to Talk About is an absolute autumn delight! Isabelle Popp weaves a warm, cozy story filled with charm, witty banter, and just the right amount of small town drama. The setting is picturesque and festive, making it perfect for fans of pumpkin patches, flannel shirts, and a good seasonal romance.

The characters are instantly likable and relatable, each with their own quirks and heartfelt moments that make the story both fun and meaningful. There’s a great balance of humor and emotional depth, keeping the pace steady and engaging from start to finish.

Whether you’re reading this during fall or just need a little seasonal magic any time of year, this book is a feel good treat. Highly recommended for fans of lighthearted romance, cozy vibes, and stories that feel like a warm mug of cider.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was short and sweet, very seasonal, and had some fun spice to it. One of my big gripes with romance novels is the miscommunication trope and this one did a great job of navigating it. The characters actually talked and worked through things when they had issues. That scratched an itch I didn't know I needed. I loved the passion for squash, as I grow squash every year...maybe not as diligently as they do, but still with gusto. I honestly laughed a lot and really enjoyed this romantic squash romp through Indiana. If you are looking for a cozy spicy read for the Fall, this fits the bill.

Stuck in a creative funk we find our FMC volunteering to help on the family Pumpkin patch to prove her worth to her disbelieving father. Turmoil strikes and she is forced to work with the sunshine next door neighbor. The spice between these two could ignite the pumpkin patch. She is the one in control and he is more than happy to let her have free reign. This story gives you the cozy feels but man is it SPICY.
Cozy fall read with SPICE and more than just the pumpkin kind! She likes to be in control and he is willing to do anything she wants, just to be close to her.

The story is in 3rd person POV so it was a bit hard for me to stick with personally. You do know the characters thoughts and feelings so that definitely helped.

This book takes place over the summer and it covers a whole lot of time in a few pages. Fast paced with multiple spicy scenes if that is what you are looking for.

FMC faces past family turmoil and the woes of coming back home to small town USA. The MMC is very much Golden retriever just wanting FMC to love him.

A quick and cozy Autumn read! 🍁

Starting off, the prose is really well done. For a debut author you can tell she knows what she’s doing!

The first half I wasn’t sure if our MMC (Josh) and FMC (Sadie) had much chemistry, and I didn’t find myself rooting for them often…but honestly once the story got rolling, I ended up loving them together so much.

There were also times I felt the plot was either not moving along greatly, or just jumping around a bit/felt random. Like the spice scenes. They didn’t feel like they fit, but to be transparent I love how they weren’t your typical spice scenes (yes you will have to read this for yourself if you wanna know the deets… 😏)

(This book overall wasn’t for me in a lot of ways but it gets three stars because I know how hard it is to not only write a book, but to publish it too).

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin, and Isabelle Popp for this ARC e-copy to review!

Just finished this delightful book. This is a romance full of cozy midwestern fall vibes between two unlikely people. Sadie is wears all black and is visiting her hometown to help out her dad with his prize pumpkin growing ventures while trying to figure out her next step in her art career. Josh is the Silicone Valley success turned farmer who lives next door. The book starts with a crushing disappointment for Sadie and Josh steps in to help. Their relationship takes some time to develop, but I really enjoyed the complexity of not only the two main characters but also the surrounding cast. You don't always get so much emotional texture in romance novels, but this one really has it in spades. I was a little sad to find out this was Popp's first published book because I wanted to immediately seek out her other books. So I guess she's just going to have to write more. :)

Don't worry. I can wait.

A solid 3.5 stars.

When Sadie Fox moves back to her quaint hometown to tend to her father’s beloved pumpkin patch while he's away, she plans to stay only for the summer. As someone who’s always felt like an outsider in her own town, Sadie isn’t exactly thrilled to be home—especially when a herd of wild hogs completely destroys the patch. Yes, the entire thing.

Enter Josh: her dad’s new neighbor, a former tech millionaire who swapped his sleek city office for overalls and a passion for growing gourds. As fate (and fall magic) would have it, he offers to help her rebuild the pumpkin patch—and maybe a little more.

This story had all the classic grumpy x sunshine vibes, with a refreshing twist: Sadie is the grump, and Josh is the sun-drenched cinnamon roll who’s totally smitten with her. I absolutely loved the role reversal and Josh’s soft obsession. The setting was charming, full of cozy autumn touches.

The pacing was quick, which made it a fun read, though I did wish a few parts were more fleshed out—especially Sadie’s relationship with both of her parents. Some scenes, particularly the spicier moments, felt a bit rushed. And while I enjoyed the story overall, I really wish it had been written in first-person dual POV. That would’ve added depth and helped the emotional beats land more solidly.

Still, this is a sweet, swoony read with a festive fall setting that makes it perfect for cozying up with a blanket and a pumpkin latte. If you love small-town romance, grumpy curvy heroines, and autumn vibes with just the right touch of spice, definitely add this one to your fall TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Romance for the ARC. All thoughts are my own. 🍂🎃

This was a cute fall book and I absolutely loved the aesthetics of it! This book was funny, cute, a bit spicy, and full of the best type of banter.

I loved the grumpy x sunshine dynamics in this book, and they made for such an interesting and fun dynamic. I loved reading about their relationship and it felt so real.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an arc!

I thought this book was great! Cute, funny, charming, spicy, and reflective. I loved the main characters, and the plot was entertaining!

Pros: I personally really related to Sadie (curvy, black cat, dominant, artsy), and my partner is similar to Josh (golden retriever energy, submissive, giver, charming). This definitely made the book super likable for me. I thought the spicy scenes were great and accurate for a femme dom/masc sub dynamic. Character development was great for all characters. Once the plot picks up, it's fast-paced and entertaining! 


Cons: For some reason, the 1st chapter was really hard to get through for me... so much so that I was rolling my eyes and didn't want to keep reading. I found the intro really cheesy, and the writing seemed different once you got 2-3 chapters in. I may have to go back and re-read the first chapter now that I've finished the book, just to see if that still holds true.

2.5 stars. Not really my kind of romance book, but it wasn’t all bad.

Overview: Sadie Fox is called back to her hometown to take over her dad’s pumpkins. Josh is Sadie’s now-neighbor who’s a ray of sunshine in Sadie’s otherwise gloomy life. After a tornado and the resulting destruction and kiss, not necessarily in that order, Sadie moves into Josh’s house and takes over growing one of his pumpkins for the big pumpkin competition. Josh and Sadie spend a lot of time together growing pumpkins and, eventually, feelings begin to bloom despite Sadie’s best efforts.

Thoughts: This book is quite a bit spicier than what I usually read, but I probably could’ve figured that out with a bit more digging. I did skip over most of the spice, and there’s a lot of it so if that’s what you like, this book’s for you. Otherwise, I liked the characters, especially Grace, and the whole pumpkin contest thing. Sadie and Josh just couldn’t catch a break, but they pushed through. However, I feel like for most of the book, Sadie and Josh’s relationship was more obsession and lust than love. On Josh’s side, I really do think it turned into love, I just couldn’t see Sadie loving Josh through her POV. Overall, it’s not a bad book, just not my style.

First book I’ve read by this author and I was genuinely impressed. The characters were well defined and well written. It was also nice to read a book without grammatical errors. I will definitely recommend this book to my friends and family. 4.5 ⭐️