The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore by Laurie Gilmore is a cozy romance in the small town of Dream Harbor. The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore is the 2nd book in the Dream Harbor series. The book is cute and cuddly but still has the spicy moments. I read and enjoyed the first book in the series (The Pumpkin Spice Cafe) mostly due to the townspeople. The couple Logan and Jeanie were a little annoying. They seemed like they belonged in High School instead of being adults. Noah and Hazel’s relationship is so much better. They don’t have love at first sight but there’s an attraction there. There’s a good reason they can not be with each other. It takes the book for them to get over that issue. At the same time, they slowly build their relationship and fall in love. The romantic element in this book works so well. There’s not a big sweeping gesture of romance at the end, there’s a small one that fits the characters perfectly. The end made me tear up and my heart fluttered at the clever way the couple both said I love you. The townspeople are still delightful and nosy. This novel still had the Gilmore Girls vibe. It was its own thing. It did not rely on the townspeople as much. Most of the characters introduced in the first book return. Some events that happened in the Pumpkin Spice Cafe are mentioned. The pace of the book was good some of the chapters are a bit long but the romance kept me interested. The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore is nominated in The Goodreads Choice Awards of 2024 in Romance. The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore was published on August 29, 2024.

Plot Summary: Hazel is 29 and on the verge of turning 30. Hazel doesn’t do anything exciting. She works at the Cinnamon Bun Bookstore. Her only adventure is through her books. She has casually flirted with the local fisherman tour guide Noah. Who has recently discovered the world of reading? Noah is fun and young, but given his reputation, that’s all he is. Hazel when working alone in the bookstore finds a book in the Romance section out of place. She straightens it but notices the book is defaced with a passage highlighted all about adventure. She tells Noah about this and then discovers more. Noah agrees to help her solve the mystery of who is defacing books and also go on the adventures the book’s passages are about. Noah and Hazel discover adventure and passion along the way.

What I Liked: The romance has a lot of hurdles, so when they get together at the end it is very earned. Noah’s romantic gesture with the books at the end almost made me cry it was so perfect. I liked the adventure aspect of the book. I did wince a little at all the book defacing. However, at the end, the person responsible does pay for the defaced books. I liked that outcome. The spicy moments were fun, only a little too brief. I liked the moments with Noah and his nieces. I love that Hazel’s parents call her Hazel Nut. The Ferris Wheel fear is real. I have been stuck at the top for a while. I appreciate the way the scene was handled. I do like the reason the bookstore is called the Cinnamon Bun Bookstore.

What I Disliked: The reason for the book defacing was just okay. When it was revealed it was almost forgotten about. The person responsible had to deface 6 books and didn’t even know Hazel would find them. I am bummed that the next book is not an Annie and Mac book. The next book tease for Kira felt like it got in the way. I hated the way Noah reacted to Hazel giving him a blowjob, you had gone down on her twice and Hazel doesn’t seem selfish. I thought his reaction of utter shock was too much.

Recommendations: I had a lot of fun with The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore. I liked this book quite a bit more than The Pumpkin Spice Cafe. The romance worked for me and did not feel fake. The townspeople are still lovely and fun. I recommend The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore to my followers.

Rating: I rated The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore by Laurie Gilmore 3.9 out of 5 stars.