Pumpkin Spice and not so Nice by Becky Monson
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I’ve enjoyed other books by Becky Monson, and Pumpkin Spice and not so Nice was no exception. This is the companion book to A Pumpkin and a Patch by Jennifer Peel, which I enjoyed earlier this month. I’m glad I took another trip to visit the Petersons.

Jenna Peterson is thirty years old, and has never been in love. She’s tried, but the last five men she dated ended up getting married soon after breaking up with her. With each one of these men, it’s been the same pattern: they meet, they date, he tells her how wonderful and special she is to him, and then he breaks up with her. It’s basically been date, praise, break-up, repeat over and over, and Jenna’s done with that. She’s had enough of being someone’s pre-true love, so she’s decided she’ll no longer date “emotionally unavailable” men.

When Jenna met Aidan St. Claire, she immediately heard alarm bells ringing in her head, warning her of yet another emotionally unavailable man. Nonetheless, she took him up on an offer and continued to meet him on a regular basis. She figured she’d just make sure not to fall for him. Simple enough, right? Wrong. This is a romance story, so of course soon enough she started having feelings for him.

I enjoyed this fun story of the sunshine/grumpy trope. It’s centered around family and finding yourself, and I especially liked that. The characters are genuine, likable, and relatable. The only ones who weren’t necessarily likable with the sisters (Jenna and Josie’s moms). Same as in A Pumpkin and a Patch, they were portrayed as OTT moms who are overprotective and highly judgmental women. Overall, this is a charming story full of endearing characters and a powerful message about being brave enough to learn something new about yourself.

This book was part of my 10 Cozy Books Perfect For Fall.

Available on Kindle Unlimited.