Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Harlequin - Romance for the gifted early copy of Let's Give 'Em Pumpkin to Talk About.

Overall, I enjoyed this story and thought it was a very cute/low-stakes romance book. This book was sweet and spicy, and had a good balance between the plot and the spice. The plot was low-stakes, focusing on Sadie, a textile artist, as she returns to her hometown. An unfortunate situation with her dad's pumpkin crop leads to a meet-cute with her neighbor, Josh, a tech millionaire, and the story takes off from there. I liked the dynamic between Sadie's black cat personality and Josh, the golden retriever. Josh was deeply invested in Sadie from the start, so there was an instant-love connection on Josh's part, which I'm not always a huge fan of, but it worked well in this storyline. I loved how reliable Josh was and gave Sadie all the time and space she needed as she processed what she wanted with her life and career. I wish there had been more depth explored with Sadie's parents, as I felt that issue was still unresolved. Overall, this was a fun read and would be perfect for the fall season. You'll love this if you enjoy small-town romance, black cat and golden retriever tropes, and fall vibes.

This was such a fun fall read!
Pub Date: 8/26/25

Edgy goth girl, Sadie, moves back to a small town in Indiana to look after her father’s pumpkin patch! She meets dad’s new neighbor, Josh, a sunshine former tech guy from California. They enter a pumpkin competition at the state fair. But a storm rolls through and turns their lives upside down!

It was a good story. There was some slight miscommunication that did a little old-fashioned. But it wasn’t anything to make me stop reading. I loved the growth of the characters. The setting was so cute and cozy. The spice was just right. All in all, it was a cute little quick read.
Adelaide Fernport did a fantastic job bringing the characters and story to life!

Thank you, NetGalley, Harlequin Romance, and Isabelle Popp for the opportunity to read this ARC!

What a cute, fun, quick read! It's a sweet, spicy romance and those spicy scenes were HOT! I loved Josh and Sadie's relationship and how well they worked together. This is expected to come out at the end of August and you don't want to miss this one! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!

This is a cute romance with some fun scenes. The characters are "quirky" but it makes the story more enjoyable. I thought the bringing was a bit choppy and gave me a minute to get into it. Don't let that deter you. Overall a great seasonal story.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Just finished the audio / ebook ARC by Isabelle Popp. I freaking loved it. Talk about fall vibes & close quarters trope. It was so good. Def be a yearly read. Thanks to @Harlequin Books & the shameless romantics! It was such a great read and listen. The audio narration was amazing. I loved the Dual POV. 🔥🔥🔥✨

4 stars

I had a lot of fun with this one! That man was smitten from the jump and I loved it. The spice was more adventurous than the cover would elude to but also really worked for who the characters were. I found Josh's trying to hard-ness to be really endearing in how much more he still wanted to do. And I found Sadie's black cat energy to be both surprisingly lovable and a perfect match for Josh.

About 75% through, we skip ahead 3 weeks after seeing quite a lot of every day stuff and that felt a bit jarring or like we missed some important steps in the relationship building to love. I think a lot of this period too would have involved the sister more and I would have enjoyed seeing a bit more of their relationship changes as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

Let's Give 'em Pumpkin to Talk About by Isabelle Popp

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3🌶🌶🌶

This was another cute read. When our FMC, Sadie agrees to come to her home town of Pea Blossom, Indiana to take care of her father's pumpkin patch while he is away, she didn't anticipate the catastrophe that awaited her. When she arrives at the farm she finds all of the pumpkins ravages by pigs from the neighbors pig farm.

As Sadie is chucking pumpkins to express her displeasure with the situation, her dad's other neighbor, Josh, rides up all white night style on his horse to assess the situation.

Josh offers to help Sadie by giving her one of his pumpkins so she can grow and enter it in the Pumpkin Spice Weight Off, a big competition to see who can grow the biggest pumpkin. Sadie can't figure out why Josh wants to help her or what he sees in her rough around the edges personality. But the 2 grow closer and things heat up in the best way. Reading these two stumbling through their feelings was heartwarming and funny at the same time. Definitely a lovely fall read!

🎃 Let’s Give ’Em Pumpkin to Talk About
by Isabelle Popp | Pub Date: Aug 26, 2025
🌾 Harlequin | Afterglow Books

#NetGalley #LetsGiveEmPumpkintoTalkAbout

Small town charm, goth-girl grumps, golden retriever guys… and one VERY big pumpkin. 🌻🥧

This fall rom com gave me all the cozy, crunchy-leaf feels! Set in Pea Blossom, Indiana (cutest name ever), Let’s Give ’Em Pumpkin to Talk About follows Sadie Fox, a tattooed, sarcastic, textile-artist, who reluctantly returns to her hometown to take care of her father’s precious pumpkin patch. But when wild hogs destroy it (seriously), she’s forced to team up with her annoyingly cheerful and very attractive neighbor, Josh, who’s basically a gourd-growing golden boy.

🍂 Opposites attract
🌞 Grumpy x Sunshine
🎨 Big city girl returns to her roots
🌻 Farmers market flirting
💋 Stormy kisses & slow burn tension
🔥 + a few unexpectedly spicy scenes that had me blinking like, “Wait, did that just happen in a pumpkin patch book?!”

What I loved: the autumnal vibes, the adorable community, the mutual character growth, and the underlying themes of self-worth and family tension. Sadie’s slow thaw and Josh’s warm steadiness made this such a sweet, emotionally rich read. It’s cozy, but it doesn’t shy away from deeper moments. And if you’re a sucker for state fair contests, seasonal swoons, or men who grow experimental squash hybrids (it’s a thing, apparently) you’ll want to carve out space for this one. 🎃💛

Would pair well with: a flannel blanket, cinnamon donut, and spiked apple cider.

#FallRomance #GrumpySunshine #OppositesAttract #PumpkinPatchRomance #SmallTownLove #CozyRomCom #AfterglowBooks #AutumnReads #FallTBR #NetGalleyReviewer #BookstagramRomance #RomComReads #FallVibesOnly #LetsGiveEmPumpkinToTalkAbout #TextileArtistLoveStory

There’s something deeply satisfying about a romance that holds space for both vulnerability and joy—and this one absolutely does.

Let’s Give ’Em Pumpkin to Talk About is the perfect bridge between summer heat and cozy fall magic. It follows a guarded, plus-size artist and her sunshiney rival-next-door, whose stormy first kiss sparks something slow-burning and unexpectedly tender.

Set against the golden glow of a small-town autumn, Isabelle Popp’s debut is crisp, clever, and quietly bold. The emotional undercurrent—grief, burnout, the ache of being misunderstood—makes it linger long after the last page.

Playful banter, delicious tension, and just the right amount of sweet heat. This one stole my breath and curled my toes—in all the best, most blush-worthy ways.

Thank you Harlequin and Isabelle Popp for the eARC!

Let’s Give Them Pumpkin to Talk About completely charmed me from the first page. Isabelle Popp’s writing is sharp, fun, and filled with just the right amount of sass to keep things lively. The characters felt authentic, with chemistry that builds naturally and moments that made me smile out loud. The fall setting added cozy vibes that made it impossible to put down. This book balances humor and heart perfectly, delivering a romance that’s both refreshing and satisfying. If you’re craving a seasonal read that’s equal parts sweet and spicy, this one should be on your list. Thanks to Harlequin’s Shameless Romance program for letting me discover this delightful story!

This is a cute fall read that is perfect to get into the holiday spirit. This is going to be great for getting cozy on a weekend and I can’t wait to share this one more.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Romance for this ARC, really enjoyed reading this book it got me ready for the fall season! This book was such a fun and easy read, I honestly really enjoyed it. Especially the chemistry between Sadie and Josh. I honestly loved that it was centered around the pumpkin competition and just around fall in general. I really enjoy when books are centered around seasons especially fall. I liked the fact that it talked about Josh being in therapy and how it has helped him realize that he does a lot for people and it doesn’t get reciprocated. I also liked how it touched on how difficult relationships with parents are and the different ways people navigate them.

Let's Give Em Pumpkin To Talk About by Isabelle Popp is slated to be released on July 1st. This was a fantastic romance that will get you ready for the fall. I highly recommend everyone to add ro their TBR. This read includes tropes such as fall vibes, he falls first, grumpy x sunshine, opposites attract, rivals ro lovers, and small-town romance. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

a perfect grumpy/sunshine book that you will not be able to put down! The humor and family dynamic is amazing, it made me feel like i was back home!

3.5⭐️

When Sadie has to return to her hometown, Pea Blossom, to help with her father's pumpkin patch, she thinks it's a fantastic opportunity to get out of her artists block & reconnect with sister. She is very surprised to meet Josh (the handsome millionaire neighbor) while tending to her recently destroyed pumpkins, and even more surprised to fall for him.

✨black cat fmc & golden retriever mmc
✨friends to lovers
✨forced proximity
✨pumpkin SPICE

"His affection for Sadie felt outsize, visible from space. She couldn't possibly miss it, could she?"

This was definitely cute & full of fall vibes! I found it to be pretty cheesy, but the character development was great. The pumpkin weighing contest plot line was not my favorite, but it did have Stars Hollow vibes and so much small town charm. The audiobook was pretty good too, and the narrator did a great job with the voices! I usually prefer dual POV for romance novels, but I still enjoyed this. I enjoyed the banter & the grumpy/sunshine vibes! Super cute & a great way to prepare for fall & all the pumpkin fun!

Thank you so much to Harlequin Publishing, NetGalley & Isabelle Popp for an ALC & ARC 🫶🏼

Unfortunately, I DNF this book. I couldn't connect with the main character and felt that the grumpy exterior was too excessive and made for a really difficult time getting into the book. The sexual things came hard, fast, and out of nowhere and left me confused and underwhelmed. I think the author is brilliant for the idea behind it all, I just couldn't connect...Im sure others will love it.

I thought the book was overall good but had a difficult time connecting with the characters. Both Sadie and Josh seemed to be extreme in their quirky personality traits, which made them almost unlikeable. There were cute moments of interactions between them but it felt off for me most the time. There also seemed to be a lot going on in the background with characters which might have taken away from developing a more fluid romance story.

Book Review: Let’s Give ’Em Pumpkin to Talk About by Isabelle Popp.
Thank you to the publisher Harlequin - Romance | Afterglow Books by Harlequin and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

Isabelle Popp’s Let’s Give ’Em Pumpkin to Talk About is a charming, spicy, and refreshingly funny debut that carves out a unique spot in the grumpy x sunshine, small-town romance subgenre. Set in the fictional Pea Blossom, Indiana, this book takes everything we love about autumn and wraps it in flannel, sarcasm, and a surprising amount of emotional depth. If you’ve ever wanted to read about a goth textile artist falling for her cinnamon-roll neighbor over pumpkins, trauma, and banter that bites—this is the one.

Our heroine, Sadie Fox, is not here to play nice. She’s tattooed, sharp-tongued, and very much Not Interested in being liked. When she returns home to care for her ailing father’s prize pumpkin patch, it’s clear she’d rather be anywhere else. Sadie doesn’t want to reconnect with her childhood, her family, or her weird hometown full of judgmental farmers and curious neighbors. She has one goal: win the SPICE Pumpkin Weigh-Off and maybe—just maybe—earn a scrap of approval from the dad who’s never really seen her. But as soon as she arrives, a gang of rogue hogs trashes the patch, and her big plan implodes. Enter Josh Thatcher.

Josh is every bit the golden retriever. A tech millionaire who traded Silicon Valley chaos for pumpkin-growing peace, he’s handsome, helpful, and wildly inappropriate for someone like Sadie—or so she believes. Their meet-cute is more like a meet-catastrophe: she’s furious and grieving her gourds, and he’s standing there with offers of help and experimental squash hybrids. He should be annoying. Instead, he’s irresistible.

The enemies-to-lovers vibe is there, but softened by mutual respect and some very real emotional wounds. Sadie and Josh aren’t just clashing personalities—they’re two people with deep fears about love, family, and being “too much” for someone else to handle. Sadie pushes everyone away before they can leave her, while Josh throws himself into everything and everyone to avoid his own emptiness. Together, they challenge each other to grow—and that growth feels earned, not forced.

One of the best things about this book is how it handles spice. Yes, there are steamy scenes, but they aren’t just filler or fan service. They’re character-driven and refreshingly realistic. Sadie is unapologetically in control, and Josh loves it. Their intimacy is messy and honest, and it builds from trust, not just attraction. Consent and communication are front and center, and it’s refreshing to see a heroine who isn’t softened to be sexy and a hero who is unafraid to be emotionally vulnerable and a little bit submissive. It’s hot, but also human.

The fall setting is more than just aesthetic—Popp uses it to build mood, tone, and even plot. Whether it’s Sadie weaving art from pumpkin vines or Josh casually riding into town on a horse named Shadowfax (yes, really), everything about Pea Blossom feels cozy and eccentric in the best way. The secondary characters—from Sadie’s equally sharp sister Grace to the oddball pumpkin-growing guild—bring humor, warmth, and just enough drama to keep things moving. Even the wild hog subplot adds just the right amount of chaos.

And while this book delivers on the cozy romance promise, it also doesn’t shy away from deeper issues. There’s exploration of generational trauma, self-worth, and the complicated mess of going home after you’ve built a life far away from it. Sadie’s relationship with her father is central to the story, and Popp doesn’t wrap it up in a neat bow. There’s no magical forgiveness or forced reconciliation—just small, honest steps toward healing. That grounded realism gives this book a richness that many small-town romances gloss over.

There’s also subtle but meaningful representation throughout—body positivity, nonbinary side characters, queer history, mental health discussions—all of it woven in without fanfare or heavy-handed messaging. It just exists, like it should.

If I had one critique, it’s that a few plot threads—particularly the “Go Hog Wild” farm responsible for the pumpkin massacre—felt underdeveloped. It was introduced as a major catalyst and then faded into the background. There’s also a lot packed into this story, and at times it leans more on chaos than cohesion. But the character arcs and emotional beats are so well done that it’s easy to forgive a little narrative wobble.

Popp’s voice is sharp, funny, and self-aware without being cynical. The dialogue snaps, the pacing rarely lags, and even when things get spicy, the tone stays rooted in character and authenticity. This isn’t a Hallmark romance with a little spice—this is a full-on pumpkin-laced emotional rollercoaster with jokes, longing, and genuinely moving moments of growth.

: Let’s Give ’Em Pumpkin to Talk About is funny, sexy, and full of heart. If you’re craving a fall romance with bite, bold characters, and an emotional core that doesn’t flinch, you’ll want to cozy up with this one as soon as the leaves start to turn—or honestly, anytime you need a little autumn magic. Isabelle Popp is definitely one to watch, and I already can’t wait to see what she writes next.

What a delightful read! This is black cat-golden retriever at its finest, people! I wish I could visit the quirky town of Pea Blossom, IN for the SPICE Pumpkin Weigh-Off in real life.

Sadie and Josh are such an unlikely pair, in all the best ways. She comes off as intense and scary, he’s known around town for being the nicest guy at the farmer’s market. Sadie is convinced all she does is inconvenience the people around her, Josh is always trying to think of ways to make things easier for people (sometimes to his own detriment). She has a sailor’s mouth, and he unironically uses the word “rats” when he’s frustrated.

But the way Josh yearns for her, yet doesn’t want to scare her off… I love it. Sadie is so reluctant to accept love, but Josh slowly works his way into her heart. I mean, this kind of stuff is like catnip to me. And all the while they are growing enormous pumpkins!

But it was also a story about facing unpleasant memories and learning how to move past them. About accepting change and learning who you truly want to be. It was in equal parts tender and steamy.

Thank you to Harlequin and Afterglow for letting me read this ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.

This was a fun romance novel, and I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.