Always Be My Pumpkin

I picked this ebook based solely on its cute Fall cover and was hoping for a cozy romance. It was light and had a small-town Samhain festival in it, but all that autumnal goodness was overshadowed by so ... much ... miscommunication. 

The couple, Gracie and Flynn, were two immature 20-somethings who apparently couldn't have one conversation for over a decade to clear things up. Instead, the reader has to languish in their inability to communicate for 90% of the book. That's a frustratingly long time so grab a large pumpkin spice latte and a butter tart because it's gonna be a looooong ride and you'll need some sustenance.

While I love an Irish setting, for the most part, this story could be set in any small town since there were hardly any descriptions of culture, the beauty of Ireland or Irish expressions.

There were some sweet moments between the couple that showed their growing romantic tension and I loved that a public library is mentioned, but overall, this was a tedious read that I (thankfully) got for free through the Amazon First Reads program.

My Rating: 2 stars

Author: Linda McEvoy

Genre: Romance, Halloween

Type and Source: ebook, Prime deal

Publisher: Montlake

First Published: Oct 1, 2026

Read: Oct 1-5, 2026

Book Description from GoodReads: Samhain sweeps magic into Gracie’s cosy Irish hometown, and with it the boy who broke her heart ten years ago…

Sunny librarian Gracie isn’t looking for love. After dumping her cheating ex, she’s living the life she’s always dreamed of as a small-town librarian – surrounded by books, knitted pumpkins, and the cosy magic of Samhain.

Then Flynn Anderson walks back into her life.

Not only is Flynn her childhood best friend, he’s the boy who broke her heart ten years ago, disappearing to New York with no explanation. Now he's back, annoyingly handsome and somehow roped into helping her organise the village's Halloween festivities. Even worse? They’re forced to share his family's cottage. With only one bed.

Between sweet, funny notes, stolen glances, and far too many moments that make her pulse race, Gracie finds her feelings for Flynn are more complicated than she thought. And when a spicy fake kiss feels all too real, she faces an impossible choice.

Will Gracie be heartbroken again? Or will the magic of Samhain, and the support of their cosy small-town community, help Gracie and Flynn find their way home – this time, for good?