Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!

A cozy-town, autumn, farm romance? I'll take one every autumn. This was absolutely adorable. Following Ellie work her butt off to practically save her family business and fall in love while doing it was the perfect send off to the autumn season! Not to mention Aiden is literally perfect (Argo and Pumpkin, too!).

Similar to the pumpkin spice cafe, I'm just as invested in the side characters and their chance at love! I'm hoping we get more from Harvest Hollow in the coming seasons! I will say, the only thing I disliked I think was the third act breakup....because there's always one and sometimes I just want the burn to last till the very end and then we get a happy ending.

Such a cute book! Loved it. Couldn’t put it down! Loved the characters and the story. Was great will be recommending it to everyone

This was the coziest of cozy fall reads - from apples to hay bales to pugs dressed in pumpkin pajamas, this book has all of the fall vibes you could ever dream of. I would happily go to the orchard and stay at the inn and do all of the festival activities for as long as I could! The only thing that felt a little weird to me was Ellie's indecisiveness but I think that was more coming from me wanting the story to happen faster! I'm glad the pace stayed steady, though, because all it meant was more fall fun to enjoy!

This one was a bit all over the place for me. While there was a plot, it felt disjointed and jumped from one thing to the next without much flow. The romance, unfortunately, didn’t land either. Ellie and Aidan’s childhood connection had potential, but their adult relationship lacked depth, it leaned too heavily on physical attraction without any real build-up or emotional grounding.

Ellie’s character felt directionless, and Aidan’s frustration over a childhood promise didn’t have enough weight to carry the conflict. On paper, this had all the ingredients for a cozy fall romance, but in execution, it just didn’t mesh together. I can’t believe I’m saying this about a romance, but there were even some noticeable plot holes. Overall, not a bad read, but it didn’t quite work for me.

The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn was super cute and fun! If you want an adorably delightful romance centered around fall, set at an apple orchard and inn, wrapped up in a small town, chock-full with every autumnal vibe your heart could ever want…this is the book for you. I had a great time reading this one and am excited for maybe more in the series in the future!

“I wanted to stay there, because you’re there.”

I’ve been familiar with this author because of her historical romances (which I still want to read), but this is the first time I’ve read her! This is set in Long Island and we follow Ellie. She lives in NYC when the story starts and gets dumped by her boyfriend and loses her job at the same time when the crappy boyfriend stole her project plans and passed them off as his at their work. Desperate for a place to live and get away from it all, Ellie returns home to her parents inn in a small town to help with their autumn harvest festival. There she runs into Aiden, who she has known since childhood and grew up with. Their parents are friends and business partners (his own the orchard connected to the inn) and Aiden has remained there to run the business. It goes from there and it’s just a delight to see unfold! Super easy read, sooo much fall/seasonal vibes, lots of fun side characters, I love both an inn and orchard setting so this was the best of both worlds combined for me, the romance was cute (and we get some spice too)!

I received an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own.

CW: a lot of dementia jokes (I saw multiple other reviewers mention it as well and I agree it felt off/unneeded and insensitive)

I absolutely loved "The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn"! It's a charming romance that perfectly captures the cozy, small-town feel of a crisp autumn day, making it the **perfect read for fall lovers**. I loved watching Ellie and Aiden's story of love and rediscovery unfold—it was such a fun and lighthearted book. I was so delighted by all the cute details, especially the pug in pajamas and the goat named Miss Guin, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

I am incredibly grateful to Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon a, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of "The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn."

#TheHoneycrispOrchardInn #NetGalley

This book introduces us to Ellie, who’s going through a really rough patch. After losing both her job and her boyfriend, she finds herself back at her parents’ idyllic inn on Long Island. What she doesn’t expect is that her return home will lead her to Aiden—the charming son of the local orchard owner. Thanks to a twist of fate, they end up as roommates and are tasked with planning the town’s Harvest Festival together. As they work side by side, Ellie starts to fall for Aiden, even while she’s still processing the heartbreaks and setbacks of her past.
The cozy, small-town autumn atmosphere is one of the book’s greatest strengths. The orchard, the inn, and the festival all come together to create that perfect “warm blanket and pumpkin spice” kind of setting. Aiden is definitely a standout character—sweet, grounded, and easy to love—while Ellie feels relatable in her struggles, even if her actions sometimes made me a little frustrated. Her journey of rediscovering herself after hardship, though, is engaging and heartfelt.
That said, there were a few things that kept me from rating it higher. The pacing sometimes felt uneven—racing through some parts while lingering too long on others—and I wished for a bit more emotional depth in Ellie and Aiden’s arcs. The groundwork was there, but it could have been explored more fully.
Even so, this is a lovely, cozy escape with a romance that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. Perfect for readers who enjoy small-town settings, autumn vibes, and sweet love stories.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for providing me with an e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

You need a comfy, cozy fall read with a little spice on top? Then give The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn by Valerie Bowman a look.

Ellie and Aiden were childhood friends whose parent's ran adjacent businesses. After high school Ellie left but Aiden stayed. Now she's back as her parents work to make their inn profitable and she licks her wounds from a nasty betrayal.

The chemistry between Ellie and Aiden is fantastic. I love the other townsfolk the book touches on; it gives Stars Hollow vibes. I giggled at the visuals of a Pug watching a washing machine waiting for his jammies to be clean. Also, enjoyed the clear openings for more books in the same universe.

Aiden's nurturing was so sweet and Ellie's can-do spirit was fun to read. The spicy scenes were also fairly solid. Some books start to feel like spice delivery mechanisms but The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn strikes the perfect balance.

I do wish Ellie's inner monologue was a little more mature. Sometimes she felt younger than she was meant to be. Also, for a book that has no one with diagnosed dementia, using the word "dementia" 18 times started to feel a little bit too much.

Overall, this is an easy recommend and I'd eagerly read others in the series if that's where this is headed.

Thank you to Avon & NetGalley for a chance to read this book for review. All opinions are always 100% my own.

Ellie Lawson an event planner gets dumped by her boyfriend and fired from her job. Her mom calls asking for help with the fall festival in their Honeycrisp Orchard Inn so she returns to her hometown to help her parents. When she arrives she finds her childhood friend Aiden the stubborn, attractive son of the orchard owner staying In her parents attic apartment where she was going to stay at and now she is stuck living with him and working with him

This is my first book by Valerie Bowman and I can’t wait to read more of her books. This was the perfect cute and cozy fall book for me. It really gave me the Fall Hallmark mixed with Gilmore Girls vibes. I loved and enjoyed this story and was immediately hooked from page one. The characters were all amazing and I loved how sweet and cute Ellie and Aiden’s love story was. The chemistry between Ellie and Aiden was perfect and I loved how their relationship unfolded. The cover was so gorgeous I loved it! This one definitely will be added to my FALL TBR list!

If you are looking for a small town cozy book to read this fall definitely pick this one up.

Thank you Avon a, NetGalley, and Valerie Bowman for the gifted ARC in exchange of my honest review! 🧡💛🤎♥️

This was that perfect cozy fall Hallmark movie vibe of a book. As someone who loves a good cheesy predictable romance, that is a huge compliment!

It’s a delightful book filled with loveable characters including adorable pups, romantic scenes that make you swoon, witty banter that makes your eyes pop, small town gossip that makes you giggle and the most beautiful fall backdrop. It was an easy read that made me smile.

This book was exactly how it sounds, cute and cozy. I can say in all honesty it reads like a Hallmark movie. It's definitely formulaic, and you know how it's all going to turn out, but it is a nice journey. I enjoyed it more than I expected.If there is a book two, I will probably look into it.

ARC Review: The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn by Valerie Bowman
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5/5)
🌶️ 2–2.5/5
🍎 Tropes: Slow Burn • Forced Proximity • Old Friends-to-Lovers • Small Town Romance
This one gave me all the cozy fall vibes. 🍂
Ellie is ambitious and career-driven, determined to make it big as an event planner, that is, until a betrayal from her ex/coworker sends her back to her hometown. Aiden, her childhood friend who never left, has been running the family business and has secretly loved her for years. When the inn faces financial struggles, the two are forced to share an apartment upstairs and work together to pull off a festival that could save the business.

This romance had a slow burn feel with forced proximity that worked really well for their dynamic. The old friends-to-lovers angle was sweet, and I appreciated that both characters admitted their attraction instead of dragging it out too long. The spice is on the lighter side, with a couple of scenes that add warmth to their relationship without shifting the cozy tone.

I’ll admit, Ellie annoyed me at times—she didn’t always think things through and put a lot of value on materialistic success in the beginning. But I ended up appreciating how this tied into her growth arc, as she slowly redefined what success looked like for her and rediscovered what truly mattered.
One character I really loved was Ellie’s best friend, Maria. She works as the PR rep for the inn, is fiercely loyal, a total girls’ girl, and isn’t afraid to stand up for herself (or Ellie). She added a fun spark to the story and balanced out the sweetness with some sass.

There is a brief third-act breakup, which felt a little unnecessary, but thankfully it was short-lived and didn’t take away from the overall heart of the story.
While some parts of the plot were a bit predictable, the orchard setting, fall festival backdrop, and cozy small-town charm made this a heartwarming, low-angst romance. Perfect for readers looking for something sweet with just a touch of spice.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Inc. for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was just what I needed to feel the first fall vibes of the year. It was so heartwarming and charming and everything you want in a romance novel. I enjoyed both of the main characters along with the side characters. I can see where the author is setting up for more additions to the series with some of the side characters development and she sets them up in a way that makes you excited for both of them. I can't wait to read more of Aiden and Ellies story and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this book!

The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn is a cozy, heartwarming romance perfect for fans of the Lovelight series and The Pumpkin Spice Café. When Ellie Lawson returns to her family’s inn after losing both her job and her boyfriend, she expects peace and quiet—but instead finds herself sharing space (and clashing) with Aiden, the handsome and infuriating son of the neighboring orchard owners. Tasked with running the annual Harvest Festival together, their reluctant partnership soon blossoms into something deeper amidst apple-scented days, small-town charm, and undeniable chemistry.

With its autumnal setting, witty banter, and swoony slow-burn romance, this story blends comfort and spice in just the right measure. Readers will fall in love with the orchard, the festival, and the sparks flying between Ellie and Aiden.

If you’re going to read one autumn themed cutie romance book this fall season, it needs to be this one!

This book was written in a casual manner that made it entirely relatable and also laugh out loud FUNNY. Ellie and I would be friends IRL, I just know it. I loved the forced proximity of Ellie having to deal with Aiden, and the rekindling their relationship. The true stars of this book are the dogs. There’s Pumpkin the Pug, who insists on wearing his orange pajamas, and Argos the Labrador who cannot go without his apple toy. The inn and orchard backdrop with the harvest festival as the main event made this a literal dream of an autumn read!

🍂 Forced proximity
🍂 Small town romance
🍂 Autumn themed
🍂 Grumpy x sunshine
🍂 Slow burn
🌶️🌶️ (chapters 21, 22)

Valerie Bowman’s The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn is the quintessential cozy romance novel—warm, witty, and impossibly charming. Ellie Lawson, recovering from heartbreak and job loss, returns to her family’s inn nestled among Long Island apple trees, hoping for quiet healing. Instead, she collides with Aiden—the handsome, stubborn son of the orchard’s owners—who’s already occupying her intended retreat.

Their forced cohabitation to co-run the Harvest Festival that supports both their families builds the perfect backdrop for a nostalgic, slow-burn romance. The book shines in its vivid autumnal setting and comforting small-town details—from crisp apple scents to colorful fall foliage, and even adorable sidekicks like a pug in pajamas and a yellow lab. Ellie’s internal monologue is both relatable and hilarious, while Aiden grounds the romance with steady charm and genuine care.

This is the kind of story that wraps you in flannel blankets and makes you crave apple cider by the fire. A delightful read for fans of small-town romance, pumpkins and cider, and heartfelt slow-burn love.

This book has all the cozy feels. A sweet family run inn, a fall festival and enemies to lovers in addition to close proximity. I loved it. It was an easy read you can breeze right thru. Perfect start to your fall TBR.

I loved this book! Felt like watching a hallmark movie! I never wanted it to end I’ll definitely be reading this book again when it comes out so I can’t also listen to the audiobook I’d love to see how it comes to life with narrators!!

This book is structured like your typical Hallmark Christmas movie. What you see on the cover (dog, gorgeous house, fall leaves, ambience) is what you get. I will warn that you have to get past the first part. Logically, I know that something bad has to happen to make her leave the city, but I was stunned at how bad it was going to be. You have to get past that. It'll be OK. Trust me. No spoilers, but there is also an adorable bit about a "true-crime chicken" and a bookshelf modeled like the one off of Beauty and the Beast. You'll have to read to get the details on those things. Suffice it to say that I recently encountered one of those bookshelves in real life and I did not get to have fun with it. Books are for the things you wish you could do, right?

Ohmyhoneycrisp…

I can’t tell you how much I LOVED this book. It has been so long since I have read a romance book like this and I gotta say I was hooked. I am crossing my fingers that there will be more. Because I know whose books I want!!

This book is like a walking hallmark movie with sex-y time! It was absolutely wonderful. I wanted a fall vibe and boy did I get it. This author really hit the mark. So if you love a hallmark like romance with big fall vibes and some serious sex-y time. Well add this one!

This is my first by this author and soooo not my last!