Morangos, panquecas e romance: Série Amores de Dream Harbor (Os Amores De Dream Harbor Livro 4)

Dream Harbor #4

by Laurie Gilmore, Beatriz S.S. Cunha (Translator)

Neste romance aconchegante, Iris aceita ajudar um chef de cozinha com uma emergência familiar, sem imaginar que estaria embarcando numa picante aventura.

Iris Fraser anda meio perdida na vida. Cansada de não engatar em nenhum emprego — e há tempos sem se relacionar com ninguém —, ela acha que está na hora de se dedicar com mais afinco à sua vocação, que ela também precisa descobrir qual é. Desde que a mãe se mudou para a Flórida com o namorado da vez, Iris tem se virado sozinha, só que agora ela está prestes a ser despejada e precisa operar outro milagre para arranjar dinheiro. É então que Gladys, a dona da lanchonete mais amada da cidade, lhe conta que o novo cozinheiro que ela contratou está à procura de uma babá que aceite se mudar para a casa dele. Ela teria um teto de graça e ainda seria paga por isso? Essa proposta realmente tinha caído do céu. O único detalhe é que Iris não é muito chegada a crianças — e nunca cuidou de uma. Mas não é como se ela estivesse cheia de opções. Archer Baer acaba de descobrir que é pai e está na cidade para regularizar a guarda da filha, Olive, de cinco anos. Chef de cozinha mundialmente famoso, ele não vê a hora de voltar para a sua vida em Paris. No entanto, sua prioridade no momento é cuidar da menina, e é por isso que aceita contratar a mulher que deu um banho de smoothie nele enquanto entrava no café outro dia. À medida que se adaptam à nova rotina, Iris e Archer percebem que podem ter mais em comum do que imaginavam e vão ficando cada vez mais íntimos. Eles precisam manter uma relação profissional, mas para Iris é uma tortura ficar vendo seu patrão gato cozinhando de regata, e Archer não sabe mais como esconder seu interesse por ela. Em meio a noites regadas a panquecas e conversas profundas, até quando eles vão conseguir resistir a esses sentimentos?

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Cozy, Chick Lit

369 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 18, 2025

About the author

Laurie Gilmore is a #1 New York Times, Sunday Times, and Globe & Mail bestselling author who writes steamy small-town romance. Her Dream Harbor series is filled with quirky townsfolk, cozy settings, and swoon-worthy romance. The first book in the series, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, was featured on Good Morning America and was named the TikTok Shop Book of the Year 2024.

She loves finding books with the perfect balance of sweetness and spice and strives for that in her own writing. If you ever wished you lived in Stars Hollow (or that Luke and Lorelai would just get together already!) then her books are definitely for you.

Reviews

[Brady Lockerby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hands down my favorite in the series!! Single dad x nanny romance? say less. i love their banter and relationship, plus throwing in a fiery 5 year old? the perfect dynamic 🍓💫🥞

[rachelscourtofbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this and absolut love this series! But Laurie, sweetie, when are we getting Annie’s and Mac‘s story?? Those are the ones I’m really interested in?!

Update: read it.loved it. need Annie and Mac NOW!!!

[anh · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star

I honestly don’t have much to say about this book, and I really didn’t want to give it a one-star rating, but I genuinely did not enjoy it at all. Everything that could go wrong in a romance book, unfortunately, happened here. It’s a crime for this monstrosity to have such an adorable cover.

Let’s start with the characters. If I’m being honest, they were a joke. I don’t even have the words to describe them, which, when you think about it, is a pretty bad sign. They had absolutely no substance. There was no chemistry, no build-up, no tension, no angst—nothing! It was just pure insta-lust, and it was done so poorly. I felt no connection to the characters at all, and frankly, I felt disconnected from the entire book.

I felt nothing. I didn’t get any vibes from the story, just flat words on paper. The writing made it even worse. It’s in third-person perspective, and while I don’t always mind that, I think the book would’ve fared much better if it had been written in the first person. At least then, maybe I would’ve felt something, anything, for the characters or the plot. As it stands, I felt zero emotional investment. This book has left me feeling slumpy, and I honestly wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

Thank you Harper Collins for the arc.

Also, thanks to Cherie for buddy reading this with me! I’m so sad our first buddy read was such a fail.

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (Semi-Hiatus-attempting return)]

I truly just don’t have the bandwidth for this one right now lol. The likelihood of it impressing me is pretty slim, so I’m just going to pause for right now and try again another time.

After not really liking the cinnamon bun bookstore- the second book and so I’m skeptical but I’ll give it a whirl bc of the tropes and the cover… 😩

🍓Single Dad x Nanny
🍓Forced Proximity
🍓Only One Bed
🍓Small Town
🍓Slow Burn
🍓Grumpy Chef MMC
🍓Found Family

[cherie ^_-★ (busy) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars ⭐
⤷ mini spoiler-free review ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ my thoughts 💭
this book fell short for me unfortunately. i’m not entirely sure what i was expecting going in, but it certainly wasn’t this. that said, it wasn’t a bad read—it just didn’t quite hit the mark 🤷🏻‍♀️

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ characters 🫂
♡.ᐟ iris + archer 👩🏻‍🍼👨🏻‍🍳 (the emojis are sending me 💀)
the romance between iris and archer was based on insta-lust and built on constant physical attraction, which made their connection feel rushed and shallow. there was also little depth to their characters, and i found it a bit hard to fully connect with them.

what bothered me the most was the ending, but i won’t go into details because i don’t want to spoil anything 🤦🏻‍♀️

♡.ᐟ olive 👶🏻🫒
olive, archer’s 5 year old daughter, acted much older than her age, and while it wasn’t a major issue for me, it felt unrealistic.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ overall 📝
despite these issues, the book was fast-paced which helped me get through it quickly and even eased a bit of my reading slump. there were also a few cute and wholesome moments scattered throughout that i did enjoy.

i can see the appeal for readers looking for something light and fluffy, but if you’re after a story with well developed characters and a deeper, more meaningful connection between them, this one’s definitely not it.

────────── ⋆⋅end⋅⋆ ──────────

pre-read 🍓🥞🏠
this is one of my most anticipated releases of the year ~ single-dad x nanny small town romance and a pancake restaurant?! say less!!!

impromptu br with my bestie anh 💞

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

After surviving a terrible flu, the only thing I wanted was to digest a book that would nourish my soul and heart, lift my broody mood, and bring some warmth back into my life. Thankfully, this book was the perfect cure! It completely treated my post-flu blues, made me swoon, and had me grinning so wide I thought my face might split in two. And, of course, I lost count of how many times I said, “Aww!” while reading.

If you’ve had a tough day, are in a bad mood, or just need something cozy, sexy, and cuddly, grab this book! It’s better than any medicine and just as effective as a warm, gooey chocolate lava cake.

I haven’t read the other books in this series yet, but they’re now at the top of my TBR. I’m saving them for the days when life feels overwhelming, and I need the sweet, swoon-worthy, soft healing powers of a great romance. It gives off a bit of a Hallmark vibe with its small-town, tight-knit community full of good-hearted people, but it’s done in a way that feels authentic and completely lovable—never over-the-top.

The forced proximity, grumpy meets sunshine, and opposites attract tropes are all wonderfully executed. The single dad, found family, and slow-burn romance themes are also major highlights, making it impossible not to devour this story in one sitting.

The plot revolves around hotshot chef Archie, who suddenly discovers he's the father of a little girl, Olive, after her mother tragically passes away. To gain full custody, Archie leaves behind his prestigious career in Paris and moves to the small town of Dream Harbor, where he takes a job at a local diner to prove he can provide a stable home for his daughter.

But adjusting isn’t as easy as he expected. The townspeople hate the changes he makes to the diner’s menu (they even send back his pancakes in protest!), Olive refuses to talk to him, and the town’s elderly ladies keep dropping by unannounced to monitor his parenting skills. Archie is drowning—and he desperately needs help.

Enter Iris, who can barely hold down a job, is struggling to pay rent, and is in dire need of a fresh start. Becoming Olive’s nanny seems like the perfect solution, even if it means dealing with her brooding, ridiculously sexy, grumpy chef of a dad. She should be able to resist his charms… but how can she when he’s whipping up late-night pancakes like it’s some kind of seductive one-man cooking show? Or when his arms flex while whisking butter (seriously, how is that even legal?)? Or when those adorable dimples make an appearance every time she teases him?

But crossing the line could ruin everything. Archie is determined to be a good father and secure full custody of Olive, and Iris can’t afford to lose another job—especially not one that could finally give her some stability. On top of that, the last thing she wants is to hurt Olive by giving up when things get complicated.

Yet, with each passing day, sparks fly, tension builds, and the temptation to break all the rules grows stronger. And even though everyone warns them to keep their hands to themselves, resisting might just be impossible.

But what if this could be more than just a fleeting attraction? What if two struggling adults could come together and create the kind of family they never thought they’d have? Could they find their own happily ever after?

Overall, this book is as sweet as a stack of strawberry pancakes and absolutely deserves its five heartwarming, swoon-worthy stars. I can't wait to read more books in the series, and I highly recommend grabbing a copy as soon as possible!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this cozy small-town romance in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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[Paige · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing like a last min arc approval to stress me out 😅 this one is up next! 🍓🍰🍂

Thank you Harper Collins!

[Jan Agaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

all I'm saying is if you're inconsistent with the pill, you should probably be more transparent with that.

[Francesca (pavisfrancesca) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely my favourite of the series so far, gorgeous characters 🥹 super cheesy as always but this is such a comfort series now! Single dad x nanny trope worked really well and the ending ONLY worked once, normally I hate those endings. A lot of characters development too. Easy quick cute read x

[Flo Camus · Rating 1 out of 5]

[1.2⭐] 𝙇𝙖 𝘾𝙖𝙨𝙖 𝙙𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙨 𝙏𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙨 𝙙𝙚 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙖 es una novela romántica escrita por Laurie Gilmore y publicada en 2025. La historia nos presenta a Archer, un chef reconocido y padre soltero, que deja atrás su vida en la ciudad y su sueño de conseguir una estrella Michelin para mudarse a Dream Harbor, donde termina dirigiendo un restaurante de panqueques. En paralelo, conocemos a Iris, una joven que no logra mantener un trabajo estable y que, por necesidad, acepta ser niñera de Olive, la hija de Archer. 


A ver, me pasa que este no era mi libro y quiero ser muy honesta con eso desde el principio. Hay ciertos tropos que simplemente no disfruto en las novelas románticas y aquí se mezclaron varios de ellos: el padre soltero, la niñera que se convierte en interés romántico y todo lo relacionado con maternidad y crianza. No es solo que no me guste este tipo de tramas, es que me incomodan profundamente porque no conecto en nada con ellas. Yo no tengo instinto maternal, no me gustan los niños y tampoco los veo en mi vida en el futuro. Tengo dos sobrinos y, aunque los quiero, no tengo ese instinto hacia ellos, sé que puede sonar frío o cruel, pero es la realidad. Entonces, cuando un libro centra toda su tensión romántica en la crianza de un niño, siento que se apaga el romance y se pierde el interés. En mi caso, jamás estaría con alguien que tuviera hijos, lo tengo demasiado claro y, aunque no soy exigente con el físico ni con el aspecto de un hombre, sí tengo dos requisitos básicos: que me hagan reír y que no tengan hijos. Nada más. Por eso, esta historia no me convenció: no era para mí y eso marcó toda mi lectura.

Más allá de lo personal, también creo que la trama se queda corta. Todo gira en torno a la tensión sexual inmediata entre Archer e Iris, y eso me incomodó. Desde el primer momento en que se ven, el libro insiste en el deseo erótico, en la atracción física casi fetichizada de “la niñera” y eso me hizo ruido. En vez de centrarse en si ella realmente era buena para Olive o en explorar de manera profunda la relación entre ellos, se vuelve una fantasía sexual demasiado obvia y, la verdad, no me gustó. Archer pasa más tiempo pensando en ella como mujer que en ella como la persona responsable de su hija, eso me parece problemático dentro de la dinámica que plantea.

Tampoco me convenció el final. Laurie Gilmore insiste en ese tipo de cierre “gringo” donde todo se sacrifica por la familia: Archer, que soñaba toda su vida con una estrella Michelin y con volver a París, de pronto decide que ya no lo quiere, que lo único importante es la familia. Obvio que entiendo el mensaje de que la familia es lo primero, pero eso no debería ser incompatible con los sueños personales. Me cuesta creer que alguien pueda abandonar un deseo tan profundo y de tantos años así como así. No es lógico, no es realista y, para mí, no es inspirador. Más bien, sentí que el final me robó la posibilidad de ver a un personaje que pudiera conciliar su vida personal con su ambición profesional y ese “ya no quiero la estrella Michelin porque ya tengo a mi familia” me resultó forzado y demasiado cliché.

Otro punto que me molestó fue la actitud del pueblo hacia Archer. Yo disfruto mucho el tropo de small town; me gusta ir descubriendo las dinámicas del pueblo, sus personajes secundarios y sus rincones, pero aquí encontré que el tono fue más hostil que entrañable. En las otras novelas de esta saga, Dream Harbor tenía un encanto especial, con vecinos curiosos pero agradables; en cambio, en esta entrega la comunidad me pareció demasiado dura con Archer, como si no quisieran darle lugar. Eso me quitó parte de la magia del escenario, que es uno de los grandes atractivos de estas novelas.

Si tuviera que rescatar algo, diría que la ambientación de la cafetería/pastelería sigue siendo simpática. El resto, en cambio, me pareció débil: los personajes principales no tuvieron química real, la tensión romántica era puramente física y el desarrollo del romance quedó tapado por el exceso de clichés.


Finalmente, puedo decir que 𝙇𝙖 𝘾𝙖𝙨𝙖 𝙙𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙨 𝙏𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙨 𝙙𝙚 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙖 se convirtió, hasta el momento, en el libro que menos me ha gustado de la saga de Laurie Gilmore. No logré conectar ni con la historia ni con los personajes, me incomodaron varios tropos y el final me pareció poco convincente. Puede que a lectores que disfruten el tropo del padre soltero o que sí tengan afinidad con temas de crianza les guste más, pero en mi caso fue una lectura fallida de principio a fin. Aun así, sigo con ganas de leer el tercer libro (que aún no está traducido) y el quinto, para ver si recupero lo que me gustó en las novelas anteriores.

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every now and then I feel like reading pure fluff and being under the weather for several days had me feeling down so I decided to grab something that would be a light escape. This small town, forced proximity romance did the trick. If you miss the town of Stars Hollow (Gilmore Girls) Dream Harbor is worth checking out.

Archer is a single father who only found out about his five-year-old daughter Olive after her mother’s death. He was a hot shot chef living in France, but he dropped everything once he knew he had a child that needed him.

Iris is a free spirit who never considered having a serious relationship much less children. She only agrees to take a job as Olive’s nanny because her back is against the wall financially. Iris is a yoga and water aerobics instructor and has a lot of elderly clientele. I liked her relationship with these older ladies and seeing her interact with them brought a smile to my face. She also has a way with Olive that’s heartwarming and funny.

Don’t let the cutesy cover fool you, the spicy scenes are plentiful. So take that into consideration according to your personal preferences. I have never seen so many variations of pancake recipes in my life. Don’t read on an empty stomach.

I got up and made a huge stack of pancakes first thing this morning 🥞 😋 so the family was glad I stayed up last night to finish this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for providing an Advance Reading Copy for review. These are my unbiased opinions.

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5⭐️ If Laurie Gilmore is writing it, I’m sat. I’m just having such a silly goofy time reading this series 🤭🩷 this was such a fun, cute springtime read! Wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about the single dad x nanny trope, but it was a vibe and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I just love all of the characters in this series! Cannot wait to read from this author! 🌷

The playlists that Laurie includes at the beginning of each book..immaculate…obsessed. They just really elevate the reading experience for me.

[Nerlie౨ৎ🎧📚 · Rating 1 out of 5]

⋆˚࿔ review 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
1⭐️

It takes a special kind of talent to make me hate a book that has my absolute favorite tropes. Do you know how much I let slide when it comes to the single dad trope? A lot. And the pregnancy trope? I’m basically the president of that fan club I actively seek it out.
Yet somehow, you managed to butcher both. That deserves flowers, honestly. Not because it was good, but because making me despise the tropes I love most is a skill all on its own.

At this point, I feel like I should be compensated for emotional damages. I came here for heartwarming family vibes and got… this. I should sue.
I’ve learned my lesson never touching her books again.

⋆. 𐙚 ˚ pre read ⋆. 𐙚 ˚
The first book was god awful, but hear me out, I saw a Pinterest collage so here we are 😭

[Emma.catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozy PERFECTION 🤩

I have been waiting for this book launch ever since I read the last instalment in this dreamy series…and I can safely say IT DELIVERED!

I could not put this book down. There is something so infectious about the Dream Harbour Series; Laurie ropes me in and, somehow, manages to keep my attention and heart on the line until the very end.

Quick summary: world-renowned chef, Archer, suddenly finds himself in the small, quirky town of Dream Harbor. After working in Paris, set on becoming a Michelin-star chef, his life is quickly uprooted when he learns that he is father to a 5 year old girl, Olive. Cate, Olive’s mum, has died in an accident, leaving Archer with her little girl. He somehow finds himself working in the town diner as a chef; not exactly what he had in mind. Enter: Iris - the new nanny…you can see where this is going. As they both get used to their new roles, is it possible that they might have more in common than they first thought, or is Olive just determined to play match-maker...let the fun and games (and extreme cuteness) begin.

Iris and Archer. Possibly one of my favourite couples in this series. Their romance was very much a slow burn at first, which only felt right given there was a child in the mix. And speaking of children…I don’t normally like romances with kids involved, but here it worked wonders 😉 I love little Olive so very much. She might just be my favourite child character ever - can I keep her? 🥹

Archer was competent, talented, and a man who was confident in his abilities. He was a boss man. In charge and in control. While, Iris is a free spirit who never considered having a serious relationship and only concerned children as ‘sticky’. I love watching both of their characters morph as the story develops.

‘The man who had once only thought about his goals. About being the best. About perfection. About himself. Now just wanted a sunny afternoon picnic with his favourite girls.’ ☀️🧺🥰

‘Iris didn’t drift, she floated. She floated and she danced and she laughed and she just made everyone’s life better.’ ❤️

I loved the start to this story. Although slightly brutal, it definitely made the story highly engaging from the beginning. And furthermore, it was very different from the start of any of the previous books in this series. There is no doubt that this novel is complete and utter comfort reading. But that is what I love so much about it, and Laurie has it down to a fine art. It is the perfect weekend treat strawberry 🍓🍰♥️

And finally, just a little detail that I loved: this book was set at the beginning of spring and, somehow, reading it at the beginning of spring felt like I was really IN the town. 🥰 Oh, and I also love the fact that this little town has bi-weekly meetings; it has definite Gilmore girls vibes!

I am so sad it is over; now I wait for book 5 🙇🏻‍♀️

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[Mai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwarming 

This is the second book I’ve read in this series, and I must say—I really enjoyed it. The story carries a soft, almost magical charm with classic rom-com vibes. It’s the kind of cozy read that makes you want to sit back, relax, and simply enjoy the ride.

What I appreciated most was the way the characters were written. They’re healthy, well-mannered, and refreshingly kind—something we don’t see nearly enough of these days. The character development was the cherry on top: slow, steady, and perfectly paced, allowing the relationships to feel natural and genuine.

Every element of the book felt thoughtfully constructed, working together to elevate the overall experience. In the end, this was a sweet, heartwarming story that left me smiling.

[Kendall Watson · Rating 2 out of 5]

single dad nanny trope had so much potential but there’s just not enough depth in these little books

[zoë ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ · Rating 3 out of 5]

ੈ♡˳ rating: three of five stars

ੈ♡˳ summary: the strawberry patch pancake house by laurie gilmore is book four in the dream harbor series and follows iris, a woman looking to rebuild her life, and archer, a single dad and local chef who’s trying to keep his world from falling apart. when iris accepts a job as his live-in nanny, the two are thrown into close quarters, slowly forming a connection that grows from mutual respect to something deeper. add in a small-town setting, some cozy culinary charm, and a big helping of emotional baggage, and you’ve got the latest addition to the dream harbor lineup.

ੈ♡˳ thoughts: i liked this book—it was comforting and easy to read, but i can’t lie and say it completely worked for me. dream harbor still delivers on the charm, and archer as a love interest was sweet, grounded, and a genuinely good guy. iris had moments that pulled me in too, especially when she let her guard down and showed the pain she was carrying.

but the more i read, the more i felt like what iris really needed wasn’t a romance—it was therapy. her backstory is emotional and important, but it felt unresolved. and instead of fully exploring that healing journey, the book kind of veers into romance-is-the-cure territory. i needed more focus on her before she was pushed into a relationship arc.

and the pregnancy at the end? totally unnecessary. it didn’t add anything to the resolution and honestly felt like it was thrown in to create stakes that didn’t need to exist. the love story was already working just fine without it, and it pulled away from the emotional development that should’ve been the main focus.

i still enjoyed a lot about the book—iris bonding with archer’s daughter, the soft domestic moments, the small-town quirks—but it just didn’t hit as hard as i wanted it to. it was a good story. just not quite good enough.

ੈ♡˳ tropes:
ꕥ single dad x nanny
ꕥ small-town romance
ꕥ forced proximity
ꕥ found family
ꕥ slow burn

ੈ♡˳ fave quotes:
➼ “she liked relationships like she liked her chicken wings, hot and fast.”
➼ “i’m in love with you, iris,” he said, in between kisses, like it was normal, like they said it to each other every day.”
➼ “was this why people wanted a partner? this feeling at the end of a rough day that they’d survived something together?”
➼ “damn this man and his pasta-making skills! resisting his adorable dad-ness was one thing, but serving up a big ol’ bowl of carbs and cheese was going to be another thing altogether.”
➼ “she looked so small and pitiful, and it physically hurt to see her like that.”

[lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

ㅤㅤ���─ ★★★★.75 .ᐟ


 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ❛ “I’m in love with you, Iris,” he said, in between kisses, like it was normal, like they said it to each other every day, like it didn’t suck the air from her lungs to hear it said out loud ❜


‎ ‎ ‎ ⌗⠀، started: dec 12
 ‎ ‎ ‎ ⌗⠀، finished: dec 13


‎ ‎ ‎ 📖┆ tropes:

 ⟶ single dad x nanny
 ⟶ small town
 ⟶ forced proximity


────୨ৎ────


🍓┆ review:

 ‎ okay everytime i finish a book in this series i always get so surprised that i liked it as much as i did. ONLY bc i hated the first book. but this book?? so good. everytime i read a book about a single dad and nanny they never speak about how this could affect the child but in this book it did and im really glad they spoke more about that

the more i read the series the more i feel like this really is stars hallow (gilmore girls) it feels like such a cute little family and i look forward to reading these books everytime


🥞┆ characters:


 ﹒ ୨  iris — as soon as i started this book i was like this girl reminds me sm of myself… then come to find out her middle is literally LYN. i think she’s my actual twin. she was cute, funny, and i loved her sm!!

﹒ ୨ archer — i know i just said this in my last book review but… i think archer has made it to top 3 of my book bf list… everytime i was reading i just kept thinking that hes so hot LMAO

﹒ ୨ olive — all i have to say is that she’s a cutie pie and i can’t wait to see more of iris, archer, and olive in the next books <3


📄┆ extras

 ⸝⸝ olive ending up naming the restaurant, so cute 
 ⸝⸝ olive sneaking out to go see noah and hazel 😭🩷


📌┆ final thoughts

 ‎ ‎ what can i say, i love my little found family 🤭



────୨ৎ────




୨୧ ﹒ ﹒ pre-read . ౿
— prediction ⋮ 4 ★

⌗⠀، single dad x nanny?? oh, im so in 🤭




⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

[Kelsey Mansingh · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars… I only read it because I’ve read the rest of the series. This book was cute, but not great… it was so redundant with the “I shouldn’t be interested in my boss/employee” thing and the “I can’t believe I have a kid, what do I do” thing. I swear half the book was filled with that, it got to be way too much. Olive was the best part of the book, she was super cute! Not a lot of romance for a romance book, especially compared to the previous books, felt like it was more of a book about pancakes hahah..Honestly probably my least favorite in the series so far!

[Miranda Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

"She liked relationships like she liked her chicken wings, hot and fast."

Iris may not be able to hold down a job good enough to reliably pay for rent (or a keep a boyfriend) but she's always made it work. Always. Well...until now.

Rent's due and leading water aerobics classes for the seniors in Dream Harbor isn't going to cut it anymore. She needs another job, and fast.

Meanwhile in one fell swoop, Archer discovers that he has a daughter and that his ex passed away in a car accident, leaving his only child motherless in Dream Harbor.

"Olive hugged her stuffed wombat and grabbed the remote, flipping on her favorite thing to watch, baking competitions. A small flicker of something lit in Archer’s chest. Maybe she was his after all."

Archer is faced with a choice - continue on his career in France, where he's a well-respected chef...or drop everything and join his daughter in Dream Harbor.

He chooses his daughter...but quickly realizes that he needs another set of hands if he is going to remain employed at the local diner...and so he hires Iris on the recommendation of basically the whole town.

Hopefully that will work out. And hopefully his daughter will start to like him. AND hopefully he can look beyond how incredibly hot Iris is. Fingers crossed.

"It takes a village to raise a child and we're that village." She held his gaze. "And we're watching you."

So, I am a little torn on this book.

On the one hand, I LOVE the idea of this book - of how the world-renowned chef finds himself in charge of the Strawberry Patch Pancake House.

It's a role so far beneath his skill level that he feels frustrated and trapped...but the longer he stays, the more he sees a change in himself. He's naming pancake dishes after the residents, bonding with his child, and realizing how nice it can be to actually get to know his neighbors...

And I liked Iris as a character - the fitness instructor who loves to gossip with the seniors in her class and is surprisingly good with children. Someone who has done her best but still can't quite make it in the cuthroat world of business and has chosen to take her own path through life.

And yet...and yet I just didn't gel with this book.

I think it is (in part) that I'm not a huge fan of books with power imbalances. And yes, you could argue that being a nanny of a few weeks isn't really a BIG power imbalance...but at the same time, it was enough to get me to pull away from the story.

Another part was just how gosh-dang horny these characters were for each other. I'm not a huge fan of insta-love and insta-lust is just too much for me.

The characters spent so much time telling us that they thought the other one was crazy-hot that I just got bored of it. I wanted to shake them and scream, "I GET THAT YOU WANT TO BANG EACH OTHER. CAN WE MOVE ON????"

And finally there was the kid in this story. If I'm being completely honest, I did really like Olive. I thought she was very well-written as a character...but I had an issue with the timeline.

I can't recall if the book gave us a specific time on the death of Cate (Olive's mother) but the general vibe I got is that the mother died right before the story starts. Within a week of tracking down Archer, he arrives in Dream Harbor.

And therein lies my issue - Olive is pretty much fine. There's a few mentions of going to therapy, she sleepwalks, and occasional seems a bit down...but it definitely isn't "I-just-lost-my-mother" levels of grief.

To me, it felt like five-year-old Olive lost her mother several years ago and is ready to move on...which just didn't make sense given all the comments from other characters about the 'recent tragedy.'

Her becoming so attached to Iris, even asking if Iris was going to marry her dad so she can have a new mom just felt like a stretch too far for me. I remember thinking, 'gee, if I pass away, I hope my kid will at least miss me.'

Overall, 3 stars because if I overlooked the timeframe, the horniness, and the power imbalance... I did enjoy the story... but that was a lot to ignore.

[Alya ( 20 comments restriction ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guys!!! This author has officially won me over! First 5 star in the series!I think I have a favourite romance trope, this is single dad (x nanny ) and I absolutely devoured it, I don't know what it is about this trope but it tugs at my heart 🥹😭 I LOVED THIS SO MUCH 😍

[vicky ꨄ︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

𐙚⋆°. preread

Buddy reading with jo, I will say that I heard mix reviews about this book but I love the town it set in so I’m choosing to ignore it

[Phil Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t know why I do this to myself (I’ve pre-ordered the next one)

[⋆⭒˚.⋆ Eloise⋆⭒˚.⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 🌟

This is the definition of a mid book to me, it was fun, but cliche and nothing new or interesting that I really connected with

[give me books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

Jak na samym początku byłam nią zafascynowana, to niestety później zaczęły pojawiać się bardzo duże minusy. Nie poczułam miłości między bohaterami, bardziej pożądanie fizyczne i miłe gesty i słowa, ale zabrakło mi tutaj budowania samej relacji między nimi. Nie jestem też fanką zakończenia i tego co się stało między nimi, bo moim zdaniem idiotyzmem jest fakt że dorosła osoba która zaczyna brać jakieś leki nie wie jak one działają.
Nie lubię też zwrotu akcji i całej emocjonalności z nią związanej. Moim zdaniem było to przesadzone i pisanie trochę na siłę, bo coś musi się pojawić żeby relacja między bohaterami się popsuła.
Niestety jest to chyba najgorszy tam ze wszystkich książek, chociaż nadal bardzo dobrze się na nim bawiłam

[Muffinsandbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

C'est toujours prévisible dans cette saga mais honnêtement, je m'en fiche royalement de voir venir la fin à des kms. C'est doux, c'est drôle, c'est touchant, c'est addictif... j'ai été au bord des larmes à plusieurs reprises, j'ai ri souvent et je suis tombée amoureuse des personnages autant qu'eux sont tombés amoureux mutuellement. Le côté found family est toujours bien fait dans cette saga, tout autant que l'ambiance small town qui contribue à en faire une saga que j'aime trooooooop. Je crois bien que c'était mon tome préféré ❤️

[Nina's Reading List · Rating 1 out of 5]

I actually could not care less about Archer and Iris.
Archer was a dick and his only personality trait was not being able to make a good pancake.
And Iris was a dumpster fire.

🩷🥞🍓
• Single dad x Nanny
• Small town romance
• Slow burn

[Mihaela Abrudan · Rating 1 out of 5]

1,5 doar pentru personajul Olive, în rest o povestire relaxantă de weekend.

[Sadie E · Rating 3 out of 5]

I flew through this book. The writing's so easy to sink into that you barely realise you’ve lost several hours of your life. It’s aggressively cosy.

It feels like being wrapped in a blanket with your favourite comfort show on the TV while something sweet bakes in the oven. Which is honestly fitting because

The food!

Everything sounded so comforting and delicious. I adored the cooking scenes. Laurie, please start adding recipes to your books 🥺

Also? way spicier than I expected 👀 Not complaining. Just emotionally unprepared.

The romance is SO cute I almost couldn’t cope. I mean: domestic moments? (adorable) late night pancake tests?? (I’m deceased) dates around Dream Harbor?? (obsessed) the slow burn tension?? (chef’s kiss)

It’s soft, warm, and ridiculously satisfying to watch unfold. Archer and Iris complement each other so well. Their dynamic just works. The chemistry feels natural and the emotional development feels earned.

And Dream Harbor? 👌 In the wise words of Liz Lemon: “I want to go to there.”

Revisiting old characters from the series was a lot of fun. There’s something so sweet about seeing familiar faces pop back in. It adds to that cosy, lived-in, “everyone is emotionally entangled in a charming small town” feeling that these books do so well.

And can we talk about the pancakes named after residents of the town? So. Cute. I cannot handle charming small-town details like this. It’s my kryptonite.

The characters are a little one-dimensional and could do with some more substance. BUT. This book is operating firmly in Hallmark-movie-logic territory. This is vibes. This is comfort. This is feelings and pancakes and romance and yearning. On that level? It works.

Now… my personal gripes (because peace was never an option):

I’m sorry, I know this probably makes me a terrible person, but I cannot stand kids in books. They always either act like tiny middle-aged adults or like they were born three minutes ago. Or (as is the case here) they’re basically set dressing, a convenient plot device to push the main couple together. Did it ruin the book? No. Did I notice? YES. (I guess it would be weird if Archer hired a nanny without having a kid though 🤔)

🚨🚨 Spoilers ahead 🚨🚨

THE ENDING

I hated the ending. Utterly despised it. It genuinely soured the experience for me. I loathe a happily ever after that involves a surprise pregnancy. I don’t care if it’s a book or a show, the idea that the ultimate reward for romance is “and then BABY” makes my skin crawl. It makes me irrationally angry.

Like… you’re so worried about having a kid with this man that you ghost him and run off for weeks, spiral into emotional chaos, but then he says the right thing and suddenly everything is fine?? GTFO

It felt like emotional whiplash and such a cliché ending for what was otherwise a very charming, cosy story.

[Liz | lizzuplans]

I am already counting down the days till I can read this undoubtedly fabulous book. Hopefully preorder options will appear online soon 🍓🥞🩷