This book was such a fun grumpy sunshine book. I can't wait until fall to re-read with a PSL in my hand. its kind of your standard seasonal rom-com but who doesn't love a hallmark read? Very fun vibes. Not a ton of character development but most rom roms are that way. I love that the grump is the woman and the sunshine is the man because it is usually the other way around.

Josh is a soft soul, quick to want to solve other peoples issues and deeply caring about them regardless if they feel the same way for him. To find Sadie (screaming and throwing pumpkins at the time) who had never experienced such softness in her life. Naturally pessimistic, and unfavourably nicknamed “sad-face” by her Mom, Sadie has no patience for the facade she assumes Josh is portraying. They learnt each other bumbling but with genuine interest in their hearts.
Their story takes place over 2 months. Sadie(grudgingly) and Josh submit to the scariness of falling in love and learn to trust each other. Stu is Sadie’s father. A cankerous man who can be difficult to get along with, and stuck in his ways. So when Sadie comes back to Pea Blossom and meets Josh who Stu has grown close with, her curiosity is peaked. Just how much has changed in the 13 years since she’s been in this town?
Even with some west coast living Sadie hasn’t, still pale as a ghost and dedicated to all clothing items that are black. She found her aesthetic at a young age and has stuck to it since.
Sadie and Josh’s chemistry was hot, even when they were learning each other they clicked immediately in the bedroom. Everything bloomed in a server room of the library, down in the basement waiting for the tornado to pass. As much as this is a small town romance, there were so many interesting ways Josh and Sadie bench marked their relationship. Meet cute? Sadie feral screaming while throwing pumpkins. Start of their sexual relationship? During a tornado in the basement of a library in the server room. First activity together? Painting the second largest paint ball. They were a really cool couple to read about.

3.5
Sadie returns to Pea Blossom, Indiana to help care for her father’s pumpkin farm while he is away taking care of his brother. When she arrives the entire crop has been destroyed. The neighbor,Josh hears her and comes over to help her. She was planning on entering the giant pumpkin contest but every pumpkin has been destroyed by hogs. Josh offers to let her take over one of his plants in order to compete in the contest. He is hoping the goodwill will help him convince her father, Stu to sell him the farm so he can expand. Soon after there is a tornado and it knocks a tree into the roof of her father’s house so she moves in with Josh. They begin a sexual relationship.

Grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity
Refreshing change with Sadie being the grump and Josh being the sunshine. Overall, i enjoyed this book but i had a few issues. I loved that Sadie was plus sized. I really loved all the Spice (fair) and market day scenes. I really would have liked more of them. I love the setting of the small town and the community.
I thought it was odd that when Grace (Sadie’s stepsister) finds out her husband is having an affair Grace has a minimal reaction. She throws him out and we never see her sad or upset. It’s just over. I feel like Sadie’s relationship with her father, Stu is not resolved. It’s one of the main issues of the book but we never really have them work it out. It just ends.
This is a quick, cozy read that happens to have spice. I would consider reading more in the series. But I wouldnt be a must read

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review

A short and sweet seasonal read! The romance is fun, the spice is good, the father/daughter dynamic is unique but very relatable to a lot of people. I liked Sadie’s inner monologue. I loved that Josh was obsessed with her. I did hate how many times it referred to her “hissing” because whether thats like a cat or a snake, it’s foul.

I had a good time reading it, It didn’t have me like obsessively engaged but I was invested in them! I do wish the end was a little longer, I kept going back to the app only to remember that the book was over.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-Arc! Overall, this read was short and sweet with a little bit of spice. This read gave me the perfect satisfaction for fall that I’ve been craving! Fans of a grumpy/sunshine romance will enjoy this for sure.

This was such a fun, cozy little read—perfect for autumn! With its small-town charm, pumpkin patches, and a sweet romance at the heart of it, I can see this one becoming a seasonal favorite.

The story had a nice mix of humor, heartache, and a dash of spice. I especially enjoyed the twist on the usual Grumpy x Sunshine trope—Sadie is the grump here, which made for a refreshing change. The pumpkin-growing plotline was super charming, and honestly, I wish there’d been even more of it!

While I flew through the book (it’s a fast-paced read), I did end up skimming a lot of the spicier scenes—they felt a little out of place with the otherwise cozy vibe. There’s also a subplot involving Sadie’s strained relationship with her dad that felt like it had potential to add some real emotional depth, but it never quite landed. The book hints at tackling deeper family wounds, but then sort of sidesteps them.

Still, it was an enjoyable read with a great setting and some lovely moments. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Romance for the eARC!

Thank you Harlequin Books and NetGalley for this ARC, in exchange this is my honest review.

Let’s Give ‘Em Pumpkin to Talk About by Isabelle Popp is a cute, cozy, spicy read that left me giggling aloud and excited for more!

Popp creates two uniquely fun characters Sadie, a sassy, curvy, confident, burnt out textile artist ready to redeem herself to herself and her father, and Josh, her father’s neighbor, a charismatic man excited to grow gords and share what he can with the world.

Set in the small town of Pea Blossom, Indiana, Sadie returns home to help take care of her father’s prize winning pumpkin patch, after an unfortunate event with hogs decimating the patch she meets Josh who offers his assistance. Sadie is initially resistant to the idea that Josh being as rich as he is could possibly just be that nice, while Josh is just that nice and always wants to help. Both discovering each other and themselves on a journey of growth and pumpkins.

I enjoyed the characters: Sadie an edgy can do it herself goth with a heart of gold deep down, and Josh as once nerdy boy who blossomed later in life and becoming a textbook people pleaser; they were fun to get to know and watch grow. However, I felt there were missing scenes in the time skips of days or weeks, and while romance novels are typically fast it still feels like their love story was fast and gave me a bit of whiplash trying to figure out if I had missed anything. Also Sadie tended to drone about her desires a bit do nothing to fix it and then suddenly make growth as a character, without much context.

However, Popp did still a wonderful job making me laugh and swoon for Sadie and Josh. Overall a 4/5 star read, but I would come back to Pea Blossom to learn more about their small town life. Buy or Pre-order Let’s Give ‘Em Pumpkin to Talk About by August 26, 2025.

THis was a cute and sweet fall romance! Perfect for the upcoming spooky season. I adored this quick romance and the author did a great job!

Let Give Em Pumpkin to Talk about is a small town romance, that I think would be enjoyed by fans of Laurie Gilmore’s Dream Harbor series.

I’ve been struggling to put into words how I feel about this book. I think my thoughts all boil down to the fact that I didn’t like the writing style. The book was descriptive, but things felt written as if they were matter of fact and that was hard for me to digest.

I don’t have specific issues with the plot or anything, the writing style just made me not want to read & made me not like the characters.

All in all, this book isn’t for me but it could be for others. 2 stars.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

I won’t give any spoilers but this gives all the cozy vibes. I loved this book and want to add it to my yearly reread list! It’s perfect for fall and especially if you’re a mood reader. Please give this book a try. You might love it as much as I do!!!

Let's Give 'Em Pumpkin to Talk About was a great time! Isabelle Popp has an excellent voice! Very excited to see what comes next.

This book just was not for me. The idea of the story was cute, however, I didn't get the feel of the character's chemistry or the excitement that should have been present. Some of the topics that were mentioned really just did me in and I ended up DNFing near the end.
I believe that others may really like it, it just wasn't for me.

Starting off… the title! The cover! Absolute perfection. This book was a breath of fresh air and got me into such a fall mood! I adore Sadie and can relate to her so much. And Josh freakin Thatcher!!! I LOVE HIM! This story was just so cute and fun and I had a blast.

Let’s Give ’Em Pumpkin to Talk About is a surprisingly heartfelt, fast-paced read that captures the essence of small-town life and the quiet complexities of human connection. What sets this book apart is how quickly it draws you in.

The story moves at a pace that makes it hard to put down. The emotional beats land well, and there’s a sincerity to the relationships - both romantic and otherwise - that makes you care about what happens next. The author does a great job balancing charm with substance, and even the lighter moments carry emotional weight.

This isn’t just a seasonal comfort read - it’s a story about second chances, vulnerability, and finding meaning in unexpected places. If you're looking for something that’s warm yet grounded, easy to get into but hard to forget, this book is worth picking up.

Wow! Let’s Give ‘Em Pumpkin to Talk About is a spicy book perfect for reading as Summer season turns to Fall. The story is fun and fresh and very sensual, too! I adore the characters and the depth and believability that Ms. Popp created for them. Don’t miss out on this seasonal treat! Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin and Isabelle Popp for the opportunity to review this book. I can’t wait for the next one!

Grump vs Sunshine is literally my absolute favorite trope and this book does it so well!!! Grumpy Goth Sadie has to go home to help her father with his pumpkin weighing contest, but next door is a sunshine former techie turned farmer hottie Josh. Did I mention Josh rides a white horse through town, *swoon*!! There’s a little bit of family drama, there’s amazing side casts, some very spicy scenes (toys & light bondage), what more could you ask for in a very cute Fall read?

I was sent this book and was excited to read a new author. This one was SLOW and I felt took me forever to get through. I always say if you can’t capture my attention within the first couple pages you’ll be lucky if I finish the book. I had to really push myself to complete this book so that I could write this review.

I did like Josh and it’s probably because he’s a nerd and I have a thing for nerdy guys. The female character made me happy because she was curvy and not skinny but also didn’t have body image problems. At times I felt like it dragged on and I could’ve thrown my kindle across the room (no I didn’t). I also felt like I was missing parts that could’ve been important even though this was a short read.

Thank you NetGalley and Afterglow Books by Harlequin for the eARC copy of this book!

Mild spoiler alert.

This book was an adorable and refreshing read! In my mind, this book was like a derived written version of the movie ‘She’s All That’, with Sadie a fun twist on the Laney Boggs movie character and Josh a sexy grown-man version of Zack Siler (that movie was a childhood favorite, so the comparison is meant with the utmost respect.)

It was a nice to read about an FMC who was not your stereotypical model type. Sadie had some realistic life issues to work through with an appropriate level of emotional trauma and response that was easy to relate to while reading. It was easy to empathize with her artistic stagnation and self-doubt as well as her struggles to connect after her childhood issues with her parents. It was equally easy to empathize with Josh’s need for connection and his overcompensation in relationships while seeking to fulfill his emotional needs. The character development here was outstanding.

I enjoyed the light-hearted plot line of this book mixed with the mildly spicy intimacy scenes. But to be honest, the mutual masturbation scene is why I docked a star from the review. I thought the scene was pretty ridiculous. It didn’t come across as burgeoning love or hopeful intimacy, it was just off-balance. I think the overall story would have been better supported by the scene had Sadie and Josh kissed or messed around with each other but then something interrupted them, whether an unexpected call or visitor or even just anxiety on the part of Sadie or Josh. This scene just wildly missed the mark for me.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book for those looking for a light-hearted read after a long day or between heavier reads. You will be sad to miss out on this one!

Thank you to Harlequin Romance and Netgalley for a free copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.


I guess the most overall thing I can say about this book is "I just want more."

I really enjoyed the small town autumn setting in the book! Yet, I wanted more. I loved the farmers market and the quirky characters in this small pumpkin obsessed town, but every time we started to get into those scenes, it was suddenly ending. I thought that the farmer/pumpkin parts were cute and loved every time those moments were on the page. Again though, I wish there was more of those moments, especially since the Pumpkin aspect is portrayed as being a major part of the book.

The Reverse GrumpyxSunshine, with Sadie being the grump was a nice change. I loved her emo aesthetic and Josh's golden retriever energy was really well written. They had the best banter between them and all of the getting to know you scenes were honestly adorable! Plus, Sadie is plus sized and proud!

A side plot of the book seemed to be the issues between Sadie and her dad. While it did touch on those moments, everything felt superficial. They never really got to talk to each other and get down to the brass tacks. So I am left wanting more. I wanted honest and awkward conversations, especially considering what ends up happening in the book. Instead, the depth comes between our MMC and her dad, with Josh being the messenger most of the time. For a book that seemed to want to tackle the deeper family trauma, it definitely did its best to avoid it! Not to mention, the drama surrounding Sadie and her mom was glossed over at best and never addressed at worst. THIS would have been a beautiful family drama moment and it was ignored for the entire book, except when it was offhandedly mentioned. Even the resolution was glossed over, if you can call it a resolution.

One thing I DIDN"T want more of was the spice. Honestly, that aspect felt extremely forced and rushed. She finds sex toys in his linen closet and a cute moment comes of him opening up about past relationship woes, then suddenly she wants to pleasure herself while he watches? I skipped over the majority of the spice scenes, as it just didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the vibe of the book.


Overall, it was okay. I loved the pumpkin and fall aspects but the rest of the story fell a bit flat to me.

This was an adorable, cozy romance perfect for fall (or anytime really!)

Sadie and Josh were the perfect black cat/golden retriever couple. If you like opposites attract, you’ll love this.

I loved the character growth, the progression of their relationship, and the rebuilding of her relationships with her family. This was just so cute. Don’t skip this one this fall!