Could not get into this. Struggled with the fmc did not really find likable and chemistry with the mmc was lacking. Cover is gorgeous, premise was okay but this was not for me.

Determined party planner, Wren, needs a location to throw her best friend’s 30th birthday party. And she has found the perfect place - she just needs to convince the grumpy, pumpkin farmer, Gus, that this will benefit them both in the end.

Unfortunately, this book was just not for me! I was hoping for a cosy autumn themed romance. However, I didn’t really find the book very cosy and the autumn theme seemed almost like an afterthought. And while I enjoyed the plot line and the idea of a party being planned at a pumpkin farm, the story ended up falling flat for me.

I just could not see the chemistry or connection between the two main characters. I really did not enjoy how they interacted with each other. Especially Wren, she was often mean and disrespectful towards Gus. And she stayed that way until the end of the book. Wren said that she wanted to understand Gus’ autism but then would get mad at him when he reacted in a way she didn’t understand. So it was hard to see why Gus fell instantly for Wren.

Also, I can’t really comment on how accurate the autism representation was, but I feel like I have read better books with better representation.

Thank you to Netgalley and One More Chapter for the Advanced Reader's Copy of There's Pumpkin About You.

There’s Pumpkin About You is a charming and heartwarming contemporary romance that completely won me over. One of the things I appreciated most was the representation of a neurodivergent male lead. Something that’s far less common in romance and gave the story a refreshing and unique perspective.

The author does a lovely job balancing cozy seasonal vibes with genuine emotional depth. The romance felt authentic and sweet, with great chemistry between the leads and thoughtful character development throughout.

This book was a delight from beginning to end, and it’s perfect for readers who love autumn-themed stories, inclusive representation, and feel-good romance.

This is a cute cozy fall read. The vibes are immaculate we got the pumpkin farm, nosy neighbors, coffee shops and a grumpy mmc.

We follow Wren who is determined to throw her best friend the best bday party ever which will hopefully boost her party planning business. She finds GoldLeaf farm nearby which is run by three brothers in the town of Eaglewood. Enter in Gus who is the lead for the pumpkin farm. He’s grumpy and she thinks he hates him. They end up coming to a business agreement where she will help with the Barnes repairs and her friend can have the party on Gus’s farm.

This was a really sweet story and I thought the vibes were there. I do feel like something is missing, the pacing was fine but I wish there was more chemistry between the main characters and even the side characters. I love the autism representation and how diverse the book and most I importantly the two characters opening up to each other

Thank you to one more chapter for the e-arc

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
* Grumpy x sunshine
* Small town romance
* Pumpkin farmer & events planner
* It’s a hate/love kind of thing between them
* They help each other (in many ways 🤭)
* Autism rep

Thank you to NetGalley, Athena Carstairs, and One More Chapter for this eARC! It gave me all the cozy fall feels 🥰

I like the dual POV, especially for Gus given the author’s sensitivity that she mentioned by choosing to make him a MMC with autism. Whenever someone got upset with him, I felt protective of him, honestly. He is honest in how he can’t understand why everyone perceives him as stupid or rude, and he’s very endearing from the very beginning. So it made me happy when Wren really pulled back those layers of frustration and shame from him to see him for who he truly is. And once they both open up, their chemistry is very sweet and steamy!! Once he’s in the zone, he’s frisky and mischievous, and I couldn’t stop reading!

I really enjoyed how he says she’s the only one whom he can read all her emotions. It shows that she is a vulnerable and raw woman, which is a good FMC for him to connect with. She’s more patient and empathetic to what makes him tick, and he clearly feels at ease with her. He’s so wholesome and yet just the right amount of rough around the edges, so I especially loved the chapters from his point of view to really understand him and how little experience he has really making this kind of connection with her. I loved their HEA so much! ❤️

Thank you Netgalley, HarperCollins UK and One More Chapter for this ARC

This is the first book I've read from Athena Carstairs and I really enjoyed it.

Its got the banter, the second chance romance, all the autumn feels.

The MMC has autism a he learns how to let someone in because hes got abandonment issues.

The FMC had a bad past relationship and she's dealing with all of that

I loved it from start to finish. Can't wait to see what else we'll get from Athena.

As someone with level 1/low-support-needs autism, I was very excited about this book. However I found the portrayal of Gus to be one-dimensional, stereotyped, and lacking an understanding of actual autistic people.

I appreciated the explanations of masking and the note that essentially points out that “Rain Man” isn’t an accurate representation of autism. But I would be shocked if this book went through any qualified sensitivity readers. Gus is good at math and has a temper (stereotypes) but has no stims or self soothing, no special interests, no explanation of how he deals with interactions or thinks through things. I could go on, and of course everyone is different (“if you’ve met one person with autism then you’ve met one person with autism”) but the biggest tell is that he’s shown being “less autistic” when he’s more comfortable with someone and that’s just so deeply inaccurate and offensive. The idea that he’d become more “normal” (ie mask more) as opposed to being more accepted for how he is (ie mask less) by his person is honestly just offensive, I don’t know how else to say it. I just cannot in good faith recommend this book to anyone.

A cute, cosy, autumnal story.

When Wren is tasked with planning her best friend’s 30th birthday party, she sets her sights on doing up an old barn, belonging to a particularly grumpy pumpkin farmer!
What follows is a typical tale of boy meets girl, boy and girl argue about everything, then fall for each other.

As much as I enjoyed this story, I did find myself getting annoyed with Wren at times, constantly pushing for what she wants and not really considering everyone else. I get that the premise is enemies to lovers but they rarely converse without arguing or getting grumpy, which does start to get a bit much.

I liked how August was portrayed regarding his autism. I liked how the author showed how differently it can affect everyone and to be honest, diagnosed or not, many people will be able to relate to different aspects shown in the story.

All in all a fun, quick read.
3.5 stars

This story is the literary equivalent of being wrapped in your favorite fall blanket. Wren, an ambitious party planner, and August, a pumpkin farmer, connect in a slow-burn, small-town autumn romance that’s sweet, cozy, and full of heart. The setting practically smells like cinnamon and leaves. If you’re looking for a light, feel-good escape that’s as comforting as hot cider, this novel is worth adding to your fall reading list!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for allowing me to read an advanced reader copy of this book before publication Aug 22nd.
This was such a cute autumnal read! The writing was great with some fun teasing and banter between characters! Second chance romance - MFC dealing with a bad past relationship and the MMC having autism and how he learns to let someone in when he has abandonment issues. Can’t wait to read more from Athena Carstairs!!

Thank you @harpercollins360 @onemorechapterhc and @netgalley for my free copy 💖.

✨What it is about:
A cheerful party planner teams up with a grumpy pumpkin farmer to throw the ultimate fall birthday bash, but neither expects romance to be on the guest list. ✨

💭My thoughts:
Personal struggles play a big part in this story and might stand in the way of something real.
August carries emotional trauma and often struggles to feel understood by those around him. He wants connection and acceptance, and Wren sparks something in him he never thought he could feel. At the same time, he’s under pressure, trying to keep the family farm afloat after his father abandoned them. Wren, on the other hand, left her job as a dental assistant to launch her own party planning business and is determined to make it successful. She’s impulsive, impatient, and often forgets to put herself first. These two don’t seem like a match at first, but their character growth brings them to a surprisingly sweet ending.

The story dives deeply into autism and what it means for August’s character. While I appreciated the representation and where the author was coming from, it did feel overly detailed at times, to the point where it distracted from the romance. I understand why the author made that choice, but for a story marketed as a romance, it sometimes felt like the love story took a backseat, and it was all about August’s issues.
That said, I still enjoyed it for what it was: a quick, autumn-themed romance with strong representation. Not a ton of plot, but definitely cozy.

Read if you like:
🎃Grumpy x sunshine
🎃Forced proximity
🎃Enemies to lovers
🎃Small town
🎃Opposites attract
🎃Autism representation

⚠️CW: Abandonment by a parent, ableism, sexual content.

This book gave me all the cosy feelings I needed , A wonderful grumpy sunshine .
Wren and Gus made my belly laugh so much both so relatable..Gus works for his brother at his pumpkin farm he struggles a bit to show his emotions due to his autism i could relate to this due to my son having it too, i think it takes a special person to understand this and i thought that Wren was wonderful at making his feel comfortable.

I thought it was the most perfect autumn cosy full of so much fun cosy romance feels we all love as romance queens that we are .

I really loved Athena's writing style. She knows how to keep you intrigued and wanting more from the story .

i am giving the book 5 cosy romance stars

I loved watching Wren and Gus fall in love. It was relatable and informative at the same time. I love a book that makes me think and helps shift the way I think into a better way. I knew that autism was a spectrum but I never put any thought into how far that spectrum ran.

P.S. why did Wren only wear though high boot heels? Doesn't she own any other type of shoes? Send illogical since she knew she was going to be on the farm or working on it.

Thank you so much for this ARC!

If you’re looking for the coziest fall romance to curl up with, this one is it. Small town charm? Check. Pumpkin spice and hayrides? Double check. A slow burn romance that feels like pulling on your favorite sweater? Absolutely.

The story follows two characters who, at first, couldn’t seem more opposite, yet somehow fit together perfectly once life (and a few pumpkin-themed mishaps) throws them in each other’s path. I loved the banter, the festive setting, and the way the romance built naturally without feeling rushed. The descriptions of the town and seasonal details made me want to pack up and move somewhere with a fall festival every weekend.

It’s sweet, funny, and just the right amount of heartwarming. If you love Gilmore Girls vibes, cinnamon-scented air, and romance wrapped up in autumn magic, this book will give you everything you’re looking for. 🍂 4.5 ⭐️

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Athena Carstairs for letting me fall into this pumpkin spiced love story early. I had such a fun time reading it!

I was hoping for another cute fall themed romance but this wasn’t it. It was awkward, the characters unlikeable and it all felt forced until it wasn’t cute at all. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

This was really, really cute. I absolutely love the mental health rep here, and the normalization of autism, as well as anxiety. These are real issues, real situations, that real people experience, and I know that some reader out there is going to feel seen with this.

Wren is determined to make her besties 30th party the best ever! She partners with a pumpkin farm, working to fix up their barn and have it be the perfect space for her event, and maybe more in the future. But it seems the universe is against her, when things keep going wrong with the farm, specifically for August. He's got a broken arm, needs help with harvest and is now dealing with the barn as well.

As Wren and August navigate their own quirks, they both experience a difficulty communicating their wants and needs. But instead of judging each other, they just may be the only ones to understand the other. I loved watching them realize things about themselves and each other.

This got me in the perfect autumn mood, like please autumn come now! I am ready for cosiness and pumpkins. Wren is the perfect opposite to Gus and I just loved her endless enthusiasm. I has so much fun reading this and adored every moment!

“What can I say, there’s something about her.”

This was a cozy, feel good read with strong autumn vibe and a sweet romance.

The story follows Wren, a bright and bubbly party planner, who’s trying to throw the perfect birthday for her best friend at a local pumpkin farm. That farm just happens to be owned by August Finch, a grumpy, introverted farmer who’d rather be left to his crops than host a party. Cue the sunshine meets grumpy dynamic and lots of pumpkin themed cuteness.

What I liked:
* The fall setting is adorable. Full of pumpkin patches, flannel, crisp air, and small town charm.
* Gus’s character, especially the thoughtful portrayal from autism, was refreshing. His bluntness and social challenges are handled with care.
* Light cozy vibes throughout.
* The grumpy sunshine dynamic is always a win for me.

If you’re in the mood for a pumpkin spiced romcom that’s easy to read and offers inclusive representation, this fits the bill. I can never say no to a Hallmark style cozy romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, Athena Carstairs, and One More Chapter for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A great read, the story of August and Wren. August runs a pumpkin farm, and Wren is determined to renovate a barn and have a party there. I loved both characters and hope August and Wren's brothers get books too!

The title and the cover of this book totally drew me in, and the story is totally charming to boot! This book. is small town charm, cosy autumn romance in a warm cozy hug. The characters in the town and within the family are charming, quirky and well rounded. Our story follows Wren, a tenacious, sunshiney event planner determined throw a party at the local pumpkin farm. Gus is the grumpy pumpkin farmer who thinks it cannot be done, and is totally thrown by Wren's whirlwind arrival into his life. The two are forced into close proximity, to fix up the barn to throw Wren's party. Over time, the two learn more about themselves, each other, and learn how to put themselves first. The book beautifully explores neurodivergence and mental health in a respectful educational way, If you like a grumpyxsunshine, autumn romance set in a small town, this is a book for you!