The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice
by Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell, and Allyson Charles
Summary
Every autumn, Moonbright, Maine, is the picture of charm with its piles of crisp leaves, flickering jack-o’-lanterns … and a touch of the sweetest kind of enchantment.
Witches, goblins, the occasional ghost—they’re all sure to be spotted at the annual Halloween parade, where adults and children alike dress in costume to celebrate Moonbright’s favorite holiday. And no place has more seasonal spirit than Bellaluna’s Bakeshop, a family business steeped in traditional recipes, welcoming warmth—and, legend has it, truly spellbinding, heart-melting treats …
Between good-natured Halloween tricks, frothy pumpkin lattes, and some very special baked goods, for three Moonbright residents looking for love—whether they know it or not—the spookiest thing will be how magical romance can suddenly be…
My Review
Stopped reading the ebook around the 10% mark.
1 star based on the portion I read.
This was a really disappointing reading experience for me. The book is made up of three short stories, but I couldn’t get past the first one. The writing felt choppy and awkward, with word choices that did not flow well. There was a lot of telling rather than showing, and the dialogue came across as unrealistic and cringey. It simply did not sound like how people actually talk.
The romance element leaned heavily on insta-love and insta-lust. While I can appreciate the idea of love at first sight, the way it was written felt forced and unconvincing. The characters are supposed to be adults, yet they acted more like infatuated teenagers, which made it difficult to take the story seriously.
I also hoped for more autumnal atmosphere. There were only a few scattered mentions of fall elements, with very little focus on cozy details like baked goods, festivals, or seasonal traditions. On top of that, I had been expecting touches of magical realism, but the story lacked the charm or depth I was looking for.
In the end, I just could not make myself continue. This was not the book for me, unfortunately. I had gone in hoping for a cozy autumn read with a magical touch, but instead, I was left frustrated and underwhelmed.