This is literally the perfect small town autumn romance vibes 🧡 I really loved this and can’t wait for more in the series!!! TBH it’s giving dream harbour but better 👀 but I wish Zach and Madison would freaking COMMUNICATE!!!!!! EVERY problem in this book would’ve been solved if they just TALKED to each other like and that is precisely why it’s 4 stars and not 5

The perfect book to launch me into the fall spirit. The narrator’s voice really brought the cozy vibes to the max. The low stakes plot kept me engaged but not stressed. The characters were sweet and relatable.

Autumn in an audiobook. The Cinnamon Spice Inn has the perfect cosy vibes as summertime comes to a close and we await cinnamon spice and all things nice landing in our coffee cups. The small American town oozes all things Gilmore Girls, as everyone knows each other, and everyone knows your perfect Autumnal spiced coffee. Madison returns to her hometown for the first time since breaking up with Zac. As the roof literally caves in due to strong winds, the pair are thrown together and create an instant storm of their own. Firey dislike merges with flames of unfinished passion. if you like a little bit of spice in your ears, wrapped up in romance and pumpkin vibes, then this is the audiobook for you. #Thecinnamonspiceinn #harpergraham #netgalley #audiobook #bookoutureaudio

I was very excited when I was approved for the audiobook of The Cinnamon Spice Inn, unfortunately, the best thing about it ended up being the narrator. Andi Eloise did a fantastic job with the material she was given, and I was genuinely impressed with her performance. I can’t speak to Brandon Francis's narration, as my audiobook didn't include the bonus content that featured him (even though it’s mentioned at the beginning of the audio).

In The Cinnamon Spice Inn, we follow Madison and Zach, a former couple who cross paths again after Madison returns home to help her father get their family inn back up and running. Over the course of the book, they slowly reconnect while trying to save the inn.

The premise is promising. You expect a cozy Hallmark-style small-town romance. While yes, you get that to some degree, I ran into quite a few issues with it along the way.

The pacing was one of the biggest problems. The story begins on October 11th and ends just after October 31st. Why is this important to know? Because the first 50% of the book only covers October 11th-13th. The rest of the month is rushed into the second half. So much time is spent on unimportant details early on that the crucial plot points later are told instead of shown, which made the story feel unbalanced and underdeveloped.

The book is told in third person, alternating between Madison and Zach. I don’t mind this POV when done well, but here, it wasn’t. When the perspective shifted, we’d often get the same scene repeated from the other character’s point of view without any new insight; often, some of the same descriptions were even repeated, which did nothing to deepen their personalities or the plot. Both characters lacked uniqueness and felt flat as a result.

On top of that, there was a lot of repetitive language and phrasing throughout. Phrases like “fire in her eyes,” “everything disappeared,” “humorless laugh,” “his sleeves were rolled up, showing his muscular forearms,” “Zach hurt her,” and “he had nothing to say to her,” showed up again and again. This overuse dulled their emotional impact and made the writing feel uncreative.

The main conflict, why Madison and Zach broke up six years ago, was resolved by day two. It was based on a simple misunderstanding/assumption that they immediately cleared up once they had a full conversation. For two people who grew up together and had a deep history, the original breakup felt unrealistic.

Additionally, the characters claimed they wanted to keep their rekindled romance secret, yet a chapter later (or even just a scene later), Madison is bidding on Zach at a town charity auction, making their words hold 0 weight. This scene as a whole also felt entirely random.

The focus on spice was oddly intense. By chapter 4 (or possibly sooner), Madison is already fantasizing (IN DETAIL) about past hookups with Zach. They also hooked up at the most unrealistic and inappropriate times, which made it feel like filler and made them seem a bit immature for not being able to keep it together and be present in moments when they should have been.

It felt like this book tried to cram in every small-town autumnal romance trope imaginable, but didn’t allow any of them to develop properly. There were moments where I genuinely wondered if AI was involved in the writing due to the constant repetition and lack of originality. Whether that’s the case or not, the result was a disappointing and frustrating read.

I read/listen to this book because let be honest mom life is hectic and school just started. With that said I just wanted you all to know I throughly enjoyed the narrator of this book when listening!

Okay so this book has a touch of mystery which I absolutely loved! But the touch of FALL was perfect! This is the perfect book to kick off your fall romance reads! Full of Cinnamon & Spice and everything so nice! It definitely gave Hallmark vibes and I ate that up!

Before I begin I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture Audio for the advance listening copy. All opinions are my own for this honest review.

Narration Style: Dual POV, Solo Narration
Length: 9 hrs

I feel the need to preface this review with just a couple of points;
- The book says that it features bonus content narrated by Brandon Francis, but this (very sadly) was not included in ALC (so I can't review him yet sadly. When I get a copy of the completed audio, I'll update this review)
- This review is based solo on vibes. I think the actual plot and story might be closer to what I wold normally rate a 3, but as this is my review and I can do what I want I decided to go higher because I actually really love the cute town, I love Andi Eloise and I think she did a fabulous job, finally even though I was frustrate through much of this I also had a good time in general throughout. It's also a debut novel and I really love the style.

This is actually my first narration with Andi Eloise (you can blame my library for that!), but I've followed her (and Brandon) for a long time on her socials, so I found that she really brought her signature warmth to her performance. Her narration style is deliberate, cozy, and she really just nails emotionally charged moments while not overacting, giving space for the story to really breathe. Her Character voices are all very distinct, consistent (with no slipping in tone), and well-executed. In today's climate with listeners really favouring duet-style narration, Andi Eloise really takes a full cast personalities and keeps each one uniquely voiced without ever feeling forced.

She has the perfect cadence and pacing for this small town, cozy mystery genre. She's gentle but not sleepy or boring and maintains enough energy to keep the story moving and listeners engaged in the story.

Honestly it's been a fight to get her narration in my TBR, but I’ve already flagged every title she’s narrated that my library offers and have my fingers crossed for more! Definitely one of my top narrators!

As for the story; It definitely does have that small-town charm, with a cast of eclectic characters. The atmosphere and aesthetic of this cozy fall romantic mystery are absolutely immaculate. The setting is pure magic, this book isn't witchy by any means but it definitely gave me Practical Magic vibes, probably more-so than Stars Hallow. Definitely got the Pumpkin Spice Cafe vibes as well, but with even more delicious sounding foods, the descriptions of which had my stomach growling CONSTANTLY.

It wasn't all perfect vibes and aesthetic for me though. The FMC, Madison, is what I would describe as a flaky mess (and this is coming from a Gemini!). She tends to create drama and tension where none exists, she spirals at even the most minor conflict, and has am EXTREMELY frustrating habit of running away instead of talking things out.

The broody MMC Zach, has the patience of a saint, but he also has the tendancy to bottle everything up and take his cues from her constantly. He never pushes her or questions her, he lets her lead everything instead of voicing his concerns and basically just waits for her to run away rather than voice what he's thinking. Their dynamic feels kind of like an emotional treadmill, there's lots of movement, no real forward progress.

I think I actually connected for to Liam because he seemed to be the only one making any emotional sense and really had no issue challenging Zach (even if it made no difference in the grand scheme of things). But honestly, if there’s a sequel, I’m begging for it to be in his POV!

I'm not entirely sure the emotional character arc really feels satisfying, because it doesn't feel ike Madison has actually learned from her mistakes. By the end of the book I wasn’t fully convinced that she’d actually grown enough to break her cycle of retreat. It felt a little rushed and not really "earned". We didn't get a satisfying scene where she actually fought for what she wanted, she just kind of...ended up with getting everything she wanted without actually showing us what she was willing to do to have it all (vague to avoid spoilers)

From a technical standpoint, the pacing of the audiobook as a whole felt very comfortable, especially for cozy mystery lovers. This was my first audio from Bookouture Audio so I wasn't really sure what to expect, but overall the production is clean and seamless, which really allowed Andi Eloise's delivery to carry the entire narration solo.

I loved this, but I will admit the solo narration of a dual POV story might be tricky for listeners who strongly prefer duet narration. As I said, for me it worked because of how clear Andi Eloise was, but I do think it’s worth noting for those who expect full voice separation between romantic leads it might be a little jarring to have a solo narration on a dual POV especially when you have bonus material by a, very talented, male narrator.

So, final Thoughts? I found this to be a strong debut, that's bursting with atmosphere, food, and fall vibes, my only regret is that I wasn't able to read it with a PSL and an apple butter cinnamon roll! It's funny when you end off a book with a soft spot for a side character, but here's to hoping that we do get a followup with Liam's POV in the continuation of the world. Also, if she wants to drop the official Cinnamon Spice Inn Cookbook, I will definitely be picking that up!

As mentioned in the beginning, I received an ALC of this audiobook from NetGalley, Bookouture Audio in exchange for an honest review. Having said that, all thoughts are my own.

This book really got me in the mood for autumn. Its a cosy vibe read not an epic plot read.
You know the feeling of watching something like Gilmore girls? That's what this felt like. Small town life, close knit neighbour, a little romance.
The audiobook was well read and the story was predictable but really easy to follow.

Review of The Cinnamon Spice Inn by Harper Graham

As someone who lives for autumn, this book is pure magic. It hits every cozy, Midwestern fall note with the perfect blend of pumpkin spice and bedroom heat.

Atmosphere That Nails the Season
Harper Graham transports you straight into the heart of fall with vivid descriptions of crisp leaves, cinnamon rolls, and spiced lattes. If anyone ever asked what autumn feels like, The Cinnamon Spice Inn would be the answer.

Cozy, Small-Town Charm
The fictional town of Maple Falls is a dream—complete with a charming bakery café, seasonal festivals, and a cast of warm, welcoming characters. It had my heart from the first chapter. Think small-town autumn vibes, spiced-latte charm, and a dash of second-chance magic.

Second-Chance Romance with a Touch of Heat
The slow-burn chemistry between Madison and Zach simmers in all the best ways. Imagine Gilmore Girls with a steamy Hallmark twist.

A Mystery That Adds Heart
The subplot involving anonymous letters adds a sweet layer of intrigue, and the reveal is as satisfying as it is heartwarming.

Miscommunication Trope
Some might call it frustrating, but it felt real to me. Miscommunication isn’t just a trope—it’s human. It gave the story depth and tension without feeling forced.

This book is autumn in a cup. From pumpkin-spiced treats to cozy sweaters, golden afternoon light, orchard air, and the crunch of leaves underfoot—it delivers fall in every sentence. The perfect balance of warmth and heat.

If your must-haves include small-town charm, slow-burn romance, Midwest fall magic, and a little spice, The Cinnamon Spice Inn is a sweet and satisfying escape you won’t want to miss

The story itself is sweet, heartwarming, and full of that perfect mix of romance and comfort, but what really made it shine was the narration. The narrator brought the characters to life with so much emotion and nuance. It felt like I was right there at the inn. Giving it four stars

This book read like every small town romance, but was missing the spark that makes me love a nice cozy small town.

I like a good miscommunication trope, but only when it’s done right. I felt like this was a book about two people who really need to learn how to talk to one another and not jump to conclusions to soon. The whole book could have been avoided if they just spoke to each other and that really let me down.

It was missing the tension that would have made it amazing and everything seemed to happen to perfectly.

All thoughts and opinions aside, the narration was really well done and redeemed it a little bit.

Thanks NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copies. I wish I could have enjoyed it more.

This was a cute story and I did enjoy it, but the lack of communication on behalf of the FMC left me feeling irritated.
The MMC deserved better. The will they/wont they started to feel like overkill after a while

I did enjoy the mystery behind the letters! That was probably my favorite part!

I had the chance to listen to the audio ARC of The Cinnamon Spice Inn, and while I loved the cozy promise of a small-town romance, the execution fell a bit flat for me.
The story had a sweet setup, and the inn backdrop could have been the perfect stage for charm and warmth, but it never fully pulled me in. The romance felt a little rushed and lacked the spark or depth that would have made me really invested in the couple’s journey. I found myself wishing for more slow-burn development and emotional layering.
The pacing of the story was uneven, with some parts dragging while other potentially meaningful moments were skimmed over. This kept me from really connecting with the characters and their growth. On the audio side, the narration was clear and easy to follow, but it didn’t fully enhance the story in the way I’d hoped—it sometimes felt more neutral than immersive.
Overall, it delivers on cozy vibes and could work if you’re looking for a light, comforting listen, but it didn’t quite bring the small-town magic to life for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was just okay. The fall vibes were amazing and definitely got me excited for the season. I loved everything that had to do with the inn. It was so cozy & cute. The romance is really where this book fell flat for me. The relationship just felt very surface level and the miscommunication annoyed me. I listened to the audio and I would recommend. The narrator brought each character to life. The book cover gets a 10/10!

On paper this should have been a slam dunk for me. Enemies to lovers, small town, and fall vibes are right up my alley. The fall coziness and the backdrop for the story were both perfect. This book made me feel very autumnal and I will be dreaming of my own stay in the inn! Unfortunately the romance isn’t exactly enemies to lovers in my book. The plot relies HEAVILY on miscommunication. Initially I was excited because the characters seem to resolve their initial misunderstanding early in the novel, but then it became almost a revolving door of new miscommunication -> break up ->clear it up-> try again. This along with a lot of telling not showing the love or chemistry between our two main characters made this a bit of a miss for me. I loved the warm mug of apple cider vibes, and still think if you’re looking for a light romance to get you into the season this could be a charming choice!
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

The Cinnamon Spice Inn is first romance in the Maple Falls series. Madison has been away from Maple Falls for a long time and has no intention in going back anytime soon until she gets a letter telling her she needs to help with the family inn. Without a second thought she’s back in the town that holds so many memories and facing her ex, Zach. She doesn’t want to face him, but it’s inevitable in this small town. Will they be able to make up after all this time or will their past hold them back?

The cover and atmosphere of this book pulled me in. I am definitely in the mood for cozy fall romance vibes and this book did that. I liked the setting and time of year. The writing was good and the secondary characters are ones I’d like to get to know better. I wish I could say the same about Madison and Zach though, I didn’t really like either of them or have any connection with them. The miscommunication between them was crazy and it just kept happening time and time again. All it would have taken was two seconds of thought and a quick chat and there wouldn’t have been a story. I didn’t feel the enemies to lovers vibe either. It wasn’t a bad read by any means and I loved the fall vibe, but the miscommunication was too much for me. Just because this romance didn’t land for me doesn’t mean it isn’t for you. I am still interested in reading more in this series because I love the town and writing, but this particular romance didn’t hit for me.

Andi Eloise’s performance on this audiobook was the cherry on top of this cozy, second chance romance. If you love hallmark movies, Laurie Gilmore, and the Fall this is the PERFECT book for you. I cannot wait to dive back into Maple Falls to experience the side characters stories.

In this book, after receiving a mysterious letter, Madison returns home to the small town she grew up in to save her family’s inn and cannot do so without the help of her high school sweetheart, and forced proximity may or may not do its job.

Thank you Net Galley and Bookouture for the Advance Listener Copy.

This story was so cute and cozy. I loved seeing the classic tale of a young woman who went away to chase her dreams in the city coming back to her small town where her first love resides. Madison and Zach. Yes this sounds very much like a Hallmark movie, but fear not my spicy romance lovers, this book has some heated slow burn spice. There was plenty of fall description that set the perfect scene for this entire small town. I felt like I was actually in Maple Falls, smelling the cinnamon in the air. It honestly made me want to curl up with a blanket and a pumpkin spiced latte. Zach was the type of man that is reliable and steady, being such a kindhearted town handyman. I can see why Madison fell for him. I can also see why Zach was so guarded when Madison returned back to her small town to save her family’s inn. One thing I wish is that these two characters communicated better. I feel like most of their problems could have been solved with a simple conversation. However, I do love that Madison had a chance to go to NYC and build a career that she loved in food writing. Though I was frustrated with their lack of communication, I could see how it made their appreciation and love for one another grow. Another bonus in this book for me was the small mysterious aspect to it- the anonymous letters. I love a dash of mystery in my stories so this only made it more enjoyable. Like I said earlier, I really did think this was a sweet and cozy romance story and I would definitely recommend this to those looking for a fall romance read this upcoming season.

✨ Review ✨

The Cinnamon Spice Inn was such a cute and cozy read, like The Notebook blended with the heartwarming charm of a Hallmark movie. From start to finish, I was completely pulled in. It gave me that same feeling you get when you’re curled up watching a Hallmark movie: smiling one minute, teary-eyed the next, and so wrapped up in the emotions that you don’t want it to end.

The story carried so much warmth, and I really loved how beautifully the author captured both the highs and lows of young love. The happily ever after was the perfect touch, and it left me closing the book with a huge smile.

I’m giving this 4.5 stars, knocking off just half a star because I struggled a little with the perspective it was written in. Personally, I think the story could have been even more powerful told in first person with alternating POVs between Madison and Zach. At times, I found myself a little confused, especially when Madison referred to her dad as “George” instead of “my dad.” It took me out of the moment here and there.

That said, this is absolutely a book I’ll re-read, especially in the fall. It has those cinnamon-spice-and-pumpkin-latte vibes that make you want to curl up on the couch with a blanket, a pastry, and just feel. Madison and Zach’s journey is the perfect cozy love story for the season. 🍂💛

Thank you NetGalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was definitely a cozy, cute fall romance. The town had such a beautiful charm about it and the description of the town and inn itself really captured the world. I really enjoyed the story and thought it was simply adorable.

The FMC & MMC... I did like them but if you follow my reviews, you know I despise miscommunication tropes. This one urked me so much. The two were so in love then wasted 6 years of their time when a simple 5 minute conversation ended up fixing everything. Infuriating. I felt like the FMC was immature at times and the two truly could not communicate, unless it was with other people. Some interactions were cute though.

I loved the meddling Grandma. She was a great character.

If you're looking for a cozy autumn read, this was a wonderful debut.

What a cute fall read! This small town romance has all the fall vibes, exes finding their way back together, mystery letters, and a cozy inn that needs fixing up! There are a couple of spicy scenes and lots of tension! I loved the narration of the audio; it was very well done. Highly recommend to fans of The Pumpkin Spice Cafe series!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!