Tag: California

A Fall to Remember (Half Moon Bay)
Contemporary Clean Romance
1st in Series
Setting – California
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Storm Publishing
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 1, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1837006148
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1837006144
Kindle
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1837006595
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H84265WR

If you love cozy small-town settings, swoon-worthy autumn vibes, second-chance romance, and Gilmore Girls, pour yourself a pumpkin spice latte, and curl up with A Fall to Remember.

Miranda Brown never meant to become famous. She just wanted a quiet vacation—a rare break from running The Green Grocer, the cozy market that’s been the heart of Half Moon Bay, California, for three generations. But when her spectacularly terrible travel photos go viral, Miranda becomes an unlikely internet sensation.

Now a major travel company wants her to cover her hometown’s beloved Fall Harvest Festival, sending the charming (and undeniably handsome) Jim Cole to help capture her authentic, imperfect magic on camera.

As golden leaves fall and the scent of apple cider fills the air, Miranda finds that being yourself is harder than it looks—especially when she’s falling for Jim. But when she learns his job depends on this campaign’s success, she must decide: are his feelings real, or is she just part of his marketing plan?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Miranda Brown finally took some time off from the family business, The Green Grocer, to take a nice, quiet vacation. She left her son and niece in charge of the market that has been part of the patchwork of Half Moon Bay for three generations. Miranda had a great time, but her photography skills leave much to be desired or do they? When some of her awful photos are posted on the internet, they go viral! Everybody loves her, and the comments keep rolling in.

Her video also lands on a marketing specialist’s desk at a major travel company. The company wants her to cover Half Moon Bay’s Fall Harvest Festival. When she agrees, the company sends Jim Cole and Shelby Bowerson to work out the logistics and to help Miranda through the process. Jim is absolutely delightful and appears to have Miranda’s best interests in mind. Shelby is more of a taskmaster with a completely different vision for the project.

Miranda enjoys showing Jim around the town and festival while he records her, but being her authentic self isn’t easy, especially when she is falling for Jim. But his job is to create a successful campaign that will drive tourists to Half Moon Bay. Does he have real feelings for her? Or is being affable just part of his job?

When I need a break from the mysteries I usually read, romance is my go-to genre. When the romance is written by one of my favorite cozy mystery authors, I am all in!

Miranda Brown has always been a single mom. Her son Pete is now an adult with his own life, friends, and future plans. They are very close, and he works at the market regularly in addition to his full-time gig. Miranda’s niece, Elise, came to live with them after college to help run the Green Grocer. The kids easily pass for twins. They are the ones who made the montage video of Miranda’s photos and uploaded them for the world to see.

That montage brings Jim Cole and Shelby Bowerson to Half Moon Bay. Jim has been with the travel company for nearly 30 years, making him close to Miranda’s age. Pete trusts him and his pitch to help Miranda build “connection and community”. Shelby is the Senior Specialist for Partner Communications Content, and Jim’s boss. She is up for a much-needed promotion and feels the pressure to bring Miranda in as an influencer parner with the perfect campaign. I enjoyed that the story was told from multiple points of view. Seeing what everyone was thinking brought the characters to life and gave them depth.

I loved that Miranda could laugh at herself. It made her genuine and easy to identify with. I found her and Jim’s whirlwind romance heartwarming. Miranda wanted her son to be happy too. She was always on the lookout for a suitable match. Jim catches one of those moments, and it brings Pete into the limelight with the travel company. He reluctantly agreed to Shelby’s plan, but as we learn, the best-laid plans usually go awry.

Half Moon Bay puts on a beautiful and fun fall festival. When a forklift is needed to transport pumpkins for the biggest pumpkin contest, you know the event is one not to miss. The Harvest Farm to Table Dinner under the stars sounded amazing as well. Add to that a parade, hayrides, food vendors, music, costumes, and plenty to keep the kids busy too. I would love to visit there so I can understand why the travel company was so enthused.

A Fall to Remember is a clean, comfy, cozy romance with charming characters set in an idyllic town on California’s Gold Coast. As the weather gets chilly and the leaves start to turn, make yourself a cup of hot apple cider, and curl up in your favorite chair with this story filled with warmth, romance, humor, and all the fall feels. It has started this series off to an excellent start. I am intrigued to see what Ms. Alexander has planned as the series continues. Who will we meet next in Half Moon Bay?

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

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About the Author

ELLIE ALEXANDER is a voracious storyteller, a lover of words and all things bookish. She believes that stories have the ability to transport and transform us. With over thirty published novels and counting, her goal is to tell stories that provide points of connection, escape, and understanding.

She loves inhabiting someone else’s skin through the pages of a book and is passionate about helping writers find their unique storytelling lens. As a writing teacher and coach, she guides writers in crafting the story they’ve always wanted to tell while navigating the path to publication that’s right for them.

Find out more about Ellie, her books, and writing courses by visiting her online:

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Find all of Ellie Alexander’s books HERE.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org, and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.