Ahhhhh!!!! How do I even express how much I loved this book! The slow burn and yearning were tearing me up!!!! And the 90’s nostalgia were so perfect I could have been watching a movie from my childhood!

These two were so fun to read about and I couldn’t put it down. The town was a character and I loved all the other people involved in the story along the way.

I’m truly not putting this into words properly. But if you are an Emily Henry or Abby Jimenez fan you need to read this! It’s not just the romance it’s everything! The family dynamics and the friendships, the kids were perfectly written and not an annoying plot point. Just everything was so good. Including the suggested playlist. Perfection!

"𝔹𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕔𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕖, 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕒 𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕒𝕞𝕓𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕔𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕙𝕒𝕚𝕣. ℕ𝕠, 𝕓𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕥 𝕤𝕦𝕘𝕒𝕣. 𝕆𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖, 𝕒𝕤 𝕒 𝕓𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕣, 𝕒 𝕝𝕠𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕤𝕞𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕤 𝕘𝕣𝕠𝕨 𝕤𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕥, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕓𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕥 𝕤𝕦𝕘𝕒𝕣 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕤 𝕠𝕝𝕕."

I read this one when it first came out and I adored it so much!! This was my first book I read by Julie Olivia and I loved every second of it! She had quickly become one of my favorite indie authors and I'm so glad that Berkley picked this one up! 🫶🏼

I absolutely adored this one! It is the perfect fall read with all the cozy vibes and characters with depth.

I loved getting to see Cliff tear Michelle's walls down slowly through their friendship and his girls! I also was in love with the small town, B&B, and bakery settings. It felt very Gilmore Girls-esque and just what I needed for the fall!

I love how goofy Cliff was, how secretly funny Michelle was, the sassiness of Emily, and the adorableness of Brittany! Also, the way the Epilogue was done was so sweet and heartwarming! It was all perfect and did a great job of eliciting all the emotions from me.

I literally cannot say more or I will spoil the whole book, but please read this!

What to expect -

🍂 Fall Vibes
🥧 Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine
🍂 City Girl x Small Town Guy
🥧 Single Dad
🍂 Set in the 90's
🥧 Friends to Lovers

AUTUMN. I mean orange leaves crunching, first perfect crisp in the air, first chai latte of the season, cozy energy galore.

Maybe it's just me being a snob, but recently I've been adoring these deeply complex and dare I say.. "older" characters in a love story. The days of relating to college or high school students have sadly passed me and have been replaced with a deep love for the divorced or single-parent (or both!) romantic leads struggling with real life and real emotions.

This story was all of those compelling things mixed with the oogey gooey tingles of romance and family and all the best end-of-the-year holidays.

I LOVED how this was set in the late 90s, felt super nostalgic of a John Hughes or Nora Ephron movie with all the best yearning lusty moments, combined with the most beautiful backdrops.

This book really had it all: tough-no-nonsense FMC meets sunshine MMC, found family, an adorable dog, and a career change. Ties it all in a bow with the classic show-stopping running through the airport love confession (in a time pre-TSA), to really tug on my heartstrings.

Buy it now, and save it for a week before Halloween. Totally worth it, loved every minute.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC.

This was really cute and nostalgic! Loved the references to all the 90's music throughout, though the 90's clothing still makes me cringe!. Stylistically, I thought it was very cinematic (the dialogue, cuts, and scene switching) but sometimes bordering on Hallmark movie. Banter was A+! The Epilogue was super cute too, since Rocket was such a big part of the story!
Tropes include: single dad, slow burn, low stakes, small town, mid-level spice.
Overall, this book is perfect for lovers of You've Got Mail, It Takes Two, Full House and/or a cozy fall read.

Thank you for the opportunity to receive and read this ARC!

This was an amazing feel good cozy and nostalgic read. The mention of a Walkman Radio, Tamagotchi’s, movie stores, Lisa Frank, Steve Austin, & Pearl Jam took me back in the 90’s. I loved the in depth description of new scenes. Sights, sounds, smells, taste - this author covered it all!

The story had a beautiful flow of sincere and serious life events and goofy banter / side conversations. Reading about moody teenage angst & six year old daughter drama was very relatable with being a mom of two myself. The topic of divorce & the struggle it comes with was also something I could identify with.

Cliff (MMC) & Michelle’s (FMC) relationship developed organically and deepened with the hurdles life threw at them. I loved their genuine connection & the laugh out loud banter they had. They of course had their struggles and I appreciated that the story wasn’t all roses and sunshine.

I highly recommend if you want to read a cozy fall story including the ups and downs of life! I will be reading more by this author for sure.

This is a book that kept me reading till 3am, which doesn’t happen that often anymore🤩

The characters are just so amazing, and the writing just clicks!

Friends to lovers, single dad with two daughters, a cute doggie (but with a character) as well? How can it get more perfect than this🥰

Highly recommended if you’re in the mood for a fun and cozy read🤍

This cozy slow-burn romance is everything I didn’t know I needed. I loved how this story is about healing and learning to trust again without losing yourself. The writing style is soft and inviting, with those small, intimate moments that make the romance feel lived-in and genuine. It’s a hug in book form, and I couldn’t put it down.

I love all of her books and I cant wait for the rest of this series if it ends up being a series that is. This is one of favs I could lost in the 90s and enjoy my childhood of no cell phones and no internet. The characters are just divine I cant say how much These 2 people made want to hang out with tme.

I am all up in my feels on this book.
I was 8 years old in the setting of this book (1997) and it was the last good year of my childhood (not to get too dark) so I remember it acutely.
I remember the feelings and sounds and smells of that time period (dear lord grunge). This book is so descriptive it was like stepping back in time.
It was like watching a tv show or movie that is a quintessential example of the 90s, boy meets world, Clarissa explains it all, salute your shorts, mixed with singles, empire records, clueless, Andre, mermaids… I could go on forever.

In a lot of ways, it was a simpler time and in every way, you are more connected to people physically, in person, then people are now. You were able to build the connections with people in person.
You knew your neighbors, you talked to them, you were able to go into your kids schools and discuss issues with their teachers.
You talk to the people in line at the grocery store and you got to know the people who checked you out while bagging your groceries. So, many things have changed and interpersonal relationships have gone by the wayside.

Our FMC however, would have thrived during Covid.
She’s a lone wolf and likes it that way. Or at least she thinks she does.
She’s always put distance between herself and others.
She feels it makes her stronger, independent, boss bitch.
She would have loved that hashtag!!!!
She moves to small town, Vermont, someplace that would surely feature on a Hallmark Christmas card to help take over her late mother‘s bed-and-breakfast.
How is an up tight, lone wolf supposed to do the job of her bubbly, outgoing mother?
With the help of her neighbor!
Perpetually tired, funny man, single dad, the town baker and her new next-door neighbor insists on helping.

They are acquaintances, to accomplices, to friends, to lovers is such a sweet transition and incredibly believable. This entire book feels like it could be non-fiction instead of fiction.

With a group of side characters so lovely Ireally don’t want to believe this book is over…. I’m just going to dulude myself that’s gonna be a series 😬

🌟 Absolutely heartwarming and charming! 🌟

If you’re craving that cozy small-town autumn vibe — this book delivers.
If you’re nostalgic for the early 2000s — prepare to be wrapped in a warm blanket of memories.
If you’re in the mood for a kind, passionate, and utterly swoon-worthy single dad — Cliff is your man.

This story reads like a love letter to the romantic dramas of the early 2000s — the kind that made me fall in love with American cinema when I was younger. It made me laugh, cry, and smile at the tender, real, and often funny interactions between the characters.

Michelle is such a relatable protagonist. Despite her past and an ex who did a number on her self-esteem, she learns to open up — to the town, to herself, and to a man who literally spent months perfecting a bun recipe just for her. Watching her slowly shed the armor of fear and grief was genuinely inspiring.

And then there’s Cliff — sunshine in human form. Supportive, affectionate, the ultimate girl dad, and a touchy-feely extrovert who falls (willingly!) for a woman who didn’t even see him coming. He melted my heart.

Also, the epilogue… told by Michelle’s dog, Rocket. I wasn’t ready. I cried. Again. 😭

This book is like a sugar-dusted croissant — sweet, soft, and just slightly bittersweet in the most beautiful way.
Highly recommend! ❤️

Julia Olivia has a new fan!!!! This is the first book I read by her, and I loved it! So sweet, but so much humor. I found myself laughing out loud with this book. When we meet our main character, Michelle, we find out that she is getting a divorce, she just lost her mother, and she has to move across the country for a few months to take care of her dead mother's Bed and Breakfast. Michelle was dreading this task, but doing it for her father and sister and she had no idea what was instore for her. So along with her ex's dog, Rocket, Michelle starts to run the inn and gets a lot of help along the way from the hunky neighbor next door, divorced father of two, baker extraordinaire, Cliff. Michelle is only slatted to stay in this small quiet town until December, then she wants to go back to her city living and job in Seattle. Can they start a relationship knowing that is has to end?

There are so many things I loved about this book so let's see if I can articulate a few. First off, the year 1997. I am old enough to remember 1997 with great clarity and nostalgia and this book brought back so many memories of things that were popular at the time. I felt like I was in a time capsule with my "Seventeen" magazine listening to Pearl Jam. Secondly we have Rocket. Who doesn't love a sassy little doggo sidekick? He plays such an integral role in this book and I just adored him even when he was being a bit naughty. This book also happens to take place in the fall and I cannot wait to re-read this when the leaves start changing color and I can sit and drink a warm beverage on the porch with a blanket. Perfect fall vibes.

Now on to our main man Cliff. Hoooo boy, he is just perfect in so many ways. Cliff is kind, caring, emotionally mature, humorous, a great dad, an excellent baker and all around good guy. Michelle was a strong, independent woman that I could relate to in many ways and I understood her on so many levels. I loved that the relationship between Michelle and Cliff grew from friendship to more and I loved the relationship Michelle had with Cliff's daughters. I am so happy that they got their happy ever after. The airport scene was top tier and I recall travelling before 9/11 and how different things were and I could not have loved this scene more.

Lastly, the epilogue from Rocket's POV? Are you kidding me? Cutest thing ever. Also, is someone cutting onions in here?

Needless to say this book is most definitely a 5 read star for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so beautifully and incredibly written. I felt like I knew every single one of the characters personally, and closing the book felt like saying goodbye to my friends. It was the absolute perfect combo of everything—plot, setting, characters, storyline. There’s nothing I would change about it. I’m OBSESSED with this book being set in fall in the 90s. Sooo atmospheric.

THE romance for the fall! Set in a small town in Vermont during a perfect 90s fall, it has all the Gilmore Girls and Stars Hallow vibes with tons of banter and joyful characters. The epilogue has a special POV!

DNF @ 42%.

I am so sad I did not enjoy “If it makes you happy”. I did enjoy the writing style and I liked the idea of the plot. However, it wasn’t executed how I anticipated.

I liked the majority of the characters but didn’t immediately connect with Michelle. I think this booked suffered from dual POV as I started dreading Michelle’s chapters. She seemed a little too inconsistent in how she acted (and hey she’s going through some stuff so I get it) but it just came off as poor development rather than her actually going through it. Cliff felt more defined in his struggles.

I was very excited for the 90’s nostalgia, but was let down by the execution. Except for mentions of a video store, this could have been set in the present day and no one would know the difference.

With at about half way through the book, I expected more to have happened, but I’m just left wondering where we’re going and what the point of it all is. I’ve been in a bit of a romance book slump, so this is most likely a me problem. I think contemporary romance readers will probably enjoy this.

Rated 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

"If It Makes You Happy" by Julie Olivia is a warm, nostalgic hug of a romance set in a charming Vermont town during the fall of 1997. With cozy small-town vibes and a Gilmore Girls-esque cast, it’s the perfect read for fans of slow-burn romance, found family, and 90s throwbacks. The story follows Michelle, the new owner of a bed & breakfast, and Cliff, a single dad navigating life after divorce. Their connection is sweet and subtle, and the setting feels like the coziest blanket on a crisp fall day.

While the book runs over 500 pages and could have been trimmed down, the writing is so comforting that it rarely felt like a slog. Julie Olivia’s characters are lovable, the pacing is gentle, and the epilogue adds a fun, unexpected touch. It’s the kind of book you’ll want to revisit each fall with a cup of coffee in hand. Rounded out at four stars for its heart, charm, and comforting atmosphere.

“If It Makes You Happy” by Julie Olivia is a heartwarming romantic comedy. Set in a charming Vermont town in the fall of 1997, the book transports you back in time, evoking a sense of nostalgia and coziness. Though it could’ve been shorter, it’s a cute book overall.

If It Makes You Happy is a dream of a cozy 90s romcom.

Between the small-town setting and Gilmore Girls-like cast of characters, it felt like the warmest cup of tea on a chilly Fall day. I’ve never wanted to run a bed & breakfast or enjoyed a single dad romance more.

I also had no idea this book was more than 500 pages! I enjoyed every second of it, and never once felt like it dragged. Something about Julie Olivia’s writing style is very soothing — I’ll be checking out more of her titles, for sure.

Thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for access to the ARC!

#IfItMakesYouHappy #NetGalley

I ADORED this book. It was emotional, cozy, nostalgic, everything you could want from a fall romance set in the 90s. I didn't expect to get so attached to these charact!ers, but from the first page the author knows how to reel you in. I anticipate this will be a hit this fall and can't wait to share this with my followers. 5/5!

This was super cute!

I had a great time and loved the depth of the side characters! The nostalgic 90s setting/gilmore girls vibe and found family element really sold this for me.

Rounded up to 4.5 stars because of the epilogue, IM CACKLING