Very cute short read with surprisingly zesty spice. Sadie embodies the essential black cat with a heart of gold. When she meets Josh’s golden retriever personality he has just enough intrigue and assertiveness to bridge her gap of aloofness. The banter is solid, and we avoid any “misunderstanding tropes” which I always enjoy. There’s also a great subplot of community and how to belong when you’re used to not only standing out but also being a community of one. Sadie’s relationship with her sister is adorable and makes her connection with Josh make all the more sense: when she cares she cares hard. Once the spice got going it was delightful, with a bit of kinkiness I didn’t expect from such a light read. Overall very enjoyable, likely even more so once the fall gets going.

Extra Notes: The scene with Zach and Josh was hilarious, I love it when a marshmallow gets crispy for their love.
Tornado drills should not be sexy. Unless they’re written like that, then by all means.
I appreciate that despite her being depicted as more of a plus size character, while Sadie has unrelated insecurities, the author avoided making them weight centered.

Audio specific: no complaints the narrator had good tone, pacing, and inverse character vocal change.

Thank you Harlequin Audio for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

3,75 stars
This book has: a small town setting, reverse grumpy sunshine, lots of autumn vibes and lots and lots of pumpkin.
Sadie, a closed-off cynic, provides emotional contrast to Josh’s warmth and optimism. Their clashing personalities create tension and humor, while also allowing deep emotional growth. Josh slowly draws Sadie out of her shell, revealing vulnerability beneath the gruff exterior. Meanwhile, Sadie grounds Josh. Watching them clash, soften, and ultimately fall for each other makes for a deeply satisfying arc.
They are cute together and seem healthy.
However, some parts of the story left me feeling unsatisfied, for example how Sadie and her Dad didn't really make up and he just...disappeared? Also the fact that Sadie's mom literally told her other daughter she wishes Sadie had never been born? I feel like the romance wrapped up nicely, but the family dynamics didn't and that left me a bit sad.

*this review is based on an advanced copy of the audiobook provided by Harlequin and Netgalley

Rating: 3.7 Stars
Sadie Fox has come back home from California to her father's pumpkin farm in Indiana to help with the crops while her father, Stu, is out of town. Her underlying goal was to prove to her father that she can win the largest pumpkin at the town's annual fair. Her plan goes awry when a pack of wild hogs destroy the entire farm, leaving her with no crops. But when this happens, the neighbor she's never met before shows up and offers to help her. Josh Thatcher is an ex-tech executive who gave up his life in Silicon Valley for a quiet squash farm in Indiana. He is charismatic, appears innocent (rarely EVER swears), and oh so delicious. Everything opposite of what Sadie believes she is.

I loved this small town, boy-next-door romance. This is grumpy meets sunshine, but with the man being the sunshine and the woman appearing as "grumpy". I absolutely adore the MMC - we love an emotionally intelligent king. Plus, the spicy scenes were beyond hot. This was a cute story that will be absolutely perfect this fall with your PSL <3

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a cute audio to kickstart me into the fall mood.

Sadie Fox is a textile artist but has arrived in town to step in for her father in growing and entering a pumpkin into the local festival. When things are looking dire, her father's neighbor Josh, of Josh's Squashes, steps in to help. He may be her biggest competition, but he also turns into her biggest cheerleader. Sadie is giving black cat vibes all throughout, while sweet Josh does his best golden retriever impression. It was nice seeing Sadie give more of her trust over to Josh as time progressed.

The pacing was a bit slow for me at times, and I wouldn't have minded a bit more depth to their connection, but overall, it was a fun and quick read and great for anyone looking to channel those fall vibes. Adelaide Fernport did a good job of narrating and giving each character a voice. I gave this book 3.5 stars, but I rounded up because I did have a good time with it.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Harlequin Audio for an advanced listener copy.

I liked this meet-cute romance book. My favorite season is fall and harvest so I like that this book takes place in the summer/fall season. Even though this is a romance, it is an open-door spicy. I also like that there is mental health representation in the form of mentioning the MMC having a therapist. In all this was a sweet and spicy book about self-growth and finding love!

4🌟
1.5 🌶

This book was just not for me! I appreciate what the author is doing here but I couldn’t get over the writing and swearing (which doesn’t usually bother me if used with purpose). It is very much like a Hallmark fall movie and if you’re not picky about the writing style, then it could be entertaining!! I liked the concept enough but it just didn’t do enough for me.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job with this one. It had a joyful tone for the book.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you Net Galley for this arc!

Overall I would say this book is a 2.5. I didn’t love the narrator, which didn’t help. I just feel like this was not the book for me, it did have good fall vibes but I didn’t love the dialogue or the two main characters.

This was a very cute story and will be perfect for people looking for the fall hallmark vibe but with spice.

I think what I appreciated most about the book was that both of the main characters were not your stereotypical mains. Sadie is a plus-sized textiles artist with goth vibes and an often cynical outlook. Josh on the other hand is a people-pleasing tech millionaire turned farmer with a sunny outlook. The perfect opposites attract pairing! Also, I really enjoyed that Sadie was the one in charge in the bedroom, so few books go this route and I think we need to see more of it!

My biggest complaint is that while the plot was very hallmarkish/romcom, sometimes it felt like it was being written by an erotica author. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good smut scene and dirty talk as much as the next reader, but there is a way to do it when its a cuter plot as opposed to a darker romance, etc. and I don’t think it was a success here. I was finding that there were a lot of times a random smutty line was put in, like when she was thinking about how Josh liked to “eat pussy” while they were in the museum, and it was just jarring and took you out of the story a bit. That being said, I was listening to the audiobook and it is very possible that it could have been the narrator’s reading of it, because I also found that she was overemphasizing every time the book got more spicy.

A bit more on the audiobook, I think the pacing was decent and the narrator did a good job distinguishing the different character voices. That being said, her portrayal of Sadie was not my favourite. I believe Sadie was supposed to have a bit more gravelly sultry voice if I am remembering correctly, and I think the narrator was trying to do that but it came across as more breathy and vapid.

Very good 3 star read. What a silly & cute read!! I listened to this on audio; she did a solid job.

Overall, this was a super quick and fun read- defiantly will put you in the mood for fall. I think if I was going to read this, I would eyeball read it to really get the full experience. I really enjoyed the whole plot and the relationship between the MCs- especially the quirky FMC. All in all, good read to get in the mood for fall.

Thank you NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was cute, spicy, and just okay for me. I love a fall setting so that earned some points but overall I just was not connected to the characters. I didn't hate it but found it forgettable.
Posted on Goodreads as well

🎧 🎃 𝓛𝓮𝓽’𝓼 𝓖𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓔𝓶’ 𝕻𝖚𝖒𝖕𝖐𝖎𝖓 𝓣𝓸 𝓣𝓪𝓵𝓴 𝓐𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓐𝓛𝓒 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 🎃 🎧

A edgy textile artist returns to her home town in Indiana and becomes neighbors to a tech millionaire gourd farmer. This took me back to my small hometown with the mention of a VFW. If you want a quick fall read with witty banter, this is it.

This was a meet-cute, cozy, and quick read. I enjoyed that the curvy and fierce FMC- Sadie, played the “grumpy” character in the Grumpy X Sunshine trope. The plot was easy going and it had a fun balance between sweet and spicy.

The narrator - Adelaide Fernport did a great job at helping me get immersed in this cute little town. This has a dual POV, but Adelaide did a great job with telling both sides of their story. The pacing was good as well and I found her voice soothing to listen to.

🧡 Thank you Harlequin Audio | HTP Books | After Glow Books by Harlequin and Isabelle Popp for the opportunity to listen to this book. All thoughts are my own & I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Tropes:

🎃 Small Town Fall Romance
🍁 Grumpy X Sunshine
🎃 Black Cat FMC / Golden Retriever MMC
🍁 Secret Past
🎃 Rivals To Lovers

Triggers: Rough relationship with mother, brief mention of infertility / pregnancy loss, mild cursing.

☕️ Perfect for readers who liked The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Gilmore Laurie.

🍂 Release Date August 26th, 2025 🍂

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Let’s Give ‘Em Pumpkin to Talk About is a cozy, sweet, and delightfully seasonal small-town romance that gives off major Hallmark fall movie vibes—in the best way. From the moment we step into Autumnville (yes, it’s as charming as it sounds), we’re wrapped in all things pumpkin spice, flannel, and feel-good tension.

The chemistry between the leads is warm and believable, with just the right amount of banter and slow-burn buildup. I appreciated the emotional depth layered beneath the surface—family expectations, personal growth, and the messiness of vulnerability. The seasonal setting adds a ton of charm without overpowering the plot, and the pumpkin festival backdrop is a fun twist that kept the energy light and festive.

My only quibble is that a few of the supporting characters felt a bit one-note, and the pacing dragged slightly in the middle. But those are small bumps in an otherwise delightful read.

If you’re a fan of Gilmore Girls, fall-themed everything, and rooting for two people who deserve a happy ending, Let’s Give ‘Em Pumpkin to Talk About will warm you like your favorite autumn latte. 🍂🎃

Sadie thought she left Pea Blossom, Indiana, for good. However, she finds herself back home to care for her father’s pumpkin patch so that he can win at the Indiana State Fair’s pumpkin contest. She comes home to find that the patch has been destroyed and in walks the next-door neighbor, Josh. Josh was a tech millionaire who gave up The Grind™ for, I guess, The Gourd™. As Sadie works to (pumpkin) patch things up, she starts to fall for Josh. Will Sadie’s pumpkin win the contest, and will her heart win Josh’s affection?

The concept of this book was so cute - how many meet-cutes happen in a pumpkin patch? I was also excited for how much Midwest ↔️ California overlap there was between both main characters (and my own background!), with dressed-in-all-black and foul-mouthed Sadie representing an edgy main character and flannel-wearing and searching-for-something-more Josh giving golden retriever energy. The spicy scenes were very spicy and numerous, and felt fairly unique given the tropes. The narrator did a great job of oscillating between the silly and spicy, capturing the grumpiness of Sadie and the sunshine of Josh. That said, it felt like the author relied a bit too heavily on these stereotypes and tropes that it took me out of the book a bit; and while their chemistry grew on me, it didn’t feel quite as swoon-worthy as it could have. That said, this book reads like a fall-themed Hallmark movie that I think others will like!

Reviewed as part of #ARC from @NetGalley. Many thanks to @harlequinbooks / #AfterglowBooks for the opportunity to read and review.
•
Read this book if you like:
☀️ Grumpy/sunshine tropes, pseudo #SmallTown trope
🎃 Pumpkin spice lattes
💌 cute concepts and meet-cutes


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This review will be posted to Instagram @AutobiographiCole on or around the release date!

I was hooked on Let’s Give ‘Em Pumpkin to Talk About right from the start! Isabelle Popp’s writing is super charming and funny, and the cozy holiday vibes totally pulled me in. The characters felt real and lovable, with just the right amount of humour and heart. Plus, the narrator did an awesome job. Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I definitely recommend this one if you’re in the mood for a sweet, feel-good read.

It's Fall Ya'll! Let's Give 'em Pumpkin to Talk About so a total fall romance. Sadie Fox needed to come back home to the farm to help her father out. They dont have a great relationship but when duty calls........... Sadie needs to grow the biggest pumpkin for the annual fall festival. Enter Josh, a farmer near by. Josh really knows how to grow his vegetables. Josh's Squashes are an actual thing! But when they have a fling................a very spicy fling, will Sadie stay on the farm and put down roots?

🎃 Bookish Thoughts
Sadie and Josh foreverrrrr! And the spice? 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Let’s Give ‘Em Pumpkin to Talk About is the perfect fall read. A little cheesy at times, but it made me love it even more.

Josh was sunshine in human form and easily one of my favorite MMCs this year. Sadie was such a fun FMC. Grumpy, prickly, and fully herself. Their enemies to lovers tension was just right, and the vibes were peak cozy fall.

This one felt like a Hallmark movie but with a pumpkin spice latte in hand and a few extra steamy chapters.

🖤What To Expect:
• Black cat FMC
• Golden retriever MMC
• Small town setting
• Pumpkin contest
• Plus size rep

📖 Final Score: 4 stars
🎧 Audio Score: 3.5 stars
📅 Pub Date: 07/01/2025
Thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you NetGalley, publishers and Isabelle Popp for allowing me to listen to this AUDIO ARC -Lets Give ‘Em Pumpkin to Talk About. I absolutely loved this book. The narration was great and kept my attention. It’s the perfect book for fall! I loved the pulse size representation! The story plot was so fun, and I enjoyed the chemistry between the FMC and MMC. The banter made this perfect as a rom com! I really liked Sadie, she was confident, redeeming and a bit stubborn. Fall vibes. Fast Read. Golden retriever MMC. Generational healing. Spice was mild. This would make such a cute Hallmark Movie!

I really enjoyed this audiobook! The story is fun & cute, the banter made me giggle & the narrator did a wonderful job! The perfect fall read/listen!

3.75 🥵🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlquin Audio for an advanced listener copy.

This story is a spicy autumn romcom with a grumpy x sunshine trope. But one where the female is grumpy and the male is the sunshine.

It’s mostly a lighthearted read with some serious topics sprinkled in. The spicy parts are extra spicy 🥵.

The setting of battling each other to grow the biggest pumpkin was an excellent backdrop to the story as a whole, and will certainly put the reader in the fall frame of mind. It was also refreshing to read a book with an fmc that was plus size, but that that point wasn’t a big deal or fetishized in a weird way.

When Sadie goes back home to care for her father’s beloved pumpkin patch, she was fully expecting to grow a ginormous pumpkin, win the State Fair’s pumpkin contest and finally win the respect she deserves from her grudge-holding father. What actually happens is a horde of wild hogs that destroy the entire patch. Only then does the next door neighbor, Josh, who is annoyingly sexy, shows up and continues to wreak havoc in poor Sadie’s life when he offers to help her.

The attraction between the two consenting adults is off the charts and this book is such a fun ride. It made me yearn for the fall weather and air. It made me want a sexy, sunshine-y neighbor who was attracted to me.

The narrator, Adelaide Fernport was so wonderful. I enjoyed listening to this ALC so much.

This book is out now. GRAB IT before you get distracted. Josh Thatcher is one for the books, folks. Get on that NOW.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio, the author, and NetGalley for the early ALC.