Book Details
Grab your favorite fall candle, cuddle into a comfy blanket, and travel back in time to 1997 in this cozy, slow-burn romance set in the autumn glow of small-town Vermont.
Now with exclusive bonus content!
My new next-door neighbor seems to have everything figured out. Small town golden boy? Check. Single dad extraordinaire? Check. Hot baker forearms? I didn’t notice them, I swear.
I, on the other hand, don’t–at all–have anything figured out. Trust me, I didn’t think taking over my mom’s dream bed and breakfast in Copper Run Vermont was going to be easy. It should be a good place to heal after my divorce. But apparently my scones belong in the garbage with my small talk skills. As pointed out by none other than Cliff.
Cliff is inescapable. He knows exactly what people need–always. His charm, the way he wears flannel, and even his pastries, make not wanting to be friends with Cliff and his daughters pretty hard.
Friends? I can make friends. That’s safe. Except I’m leaving in three months to pass the inn off to my little sister and get the promotion in Seattle I’ve been working towards. So ask me why I’m thinking about kissing my hot neighbor.
Book Review: If it Makes You Happy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Hello Book Friends,
Today I’m reviewing Julie Olivia’s If it Makes You Happy a love story about second chances and finding love in the least expected of places. The story is about Michelle, a thirty-year old from Washington State, who takes over her parents Bed and Breakfast after her mother passes. Overwhelmed and underconfident in her ability to run the place perfectly, Michelle, reluctantly turns to her hot neighbor, Cliff, whose a dad and baker.
You will be here for these tropes:
- small town romance
- black cat x golden retriever
- the slooooowest burn
- Harry Meets Sally meets Gilmore Girls
- autumn season book
- single parent (dad)
- he falls first
- opposites attract
Convinced yet?
Okay, if you’re still reading, here’s the great things about this book: It’s got that big family energy like you find in the TV show Full House where Cliff (our hot dad neighbor) LOVES his daughters with his entire being and they are his whole world. He’s funny, silly and just has this wholesome goodness about him (plus he’s a baker, AND has sexy forearms). He is the perfect opposite to Michelle’s independent, aloof, seriousness. She’s really all business. But what really sealed the deal for me was the small moments in between the pages that make this such an unputdownable read. How Cliff takes the time to know Michelle. To help her see that she is enough and deserves to be loved.
Plus, this takes place in the late 90’s with all the fun references of 90’s pop culture that rom-com readers will eat up. Picture it, the newcomer to a small town, she’s trying to run a B&B in a small (think Gilmore Girls) town and the hot neighbor tries to help and ends up wooing her by baking her a new pastry until he can make her favorite (which, book friends is worth the wait when you get to the end).
Get ready for your new book boyfriend and a romance that will live rent free in your long term memory.
Go preorder this one stat.
Happy Reading ~ Cece
RATING: 
– Exceptionally Inked
About the Author
Julie Olivia writes cozy love stories filled with humor, spice, and close friend groups that feel like a warm hug. She is a roller coaster fan, avid romance reader, and rainy day enthusiast. Before writing romance novels, Julie moonlighted as an illustrator and worked in Human Resources, in which she still maintains a SHRM-CP certification. However, she decided writing about office romances where they break all the policies was far more enjoyable than enforcing them.
Julie lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and their very vocal cat.
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publication details
| Pub Date | ISBN | Page Count | Publisher | Age Group | Source & Format | Review Posted Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Sep-25 | 979-8217187072 | 416 | Berkley | Adult | NetGalley, Digital ARC | August 24, 2025 |
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The Heartbreak Hotel, Ellen O’Clover
First-Time Caller, B.K. Borison
From the Publisher
OTHER BOOKS YOU MAY ENJOY
Welcome Reader!
I’m Cecelia and I’m so glad you’re here! You’ll find honest reviews, book recommendations, along with other bookish essentials. So happy you stopped by!
– C
Let’s Be Friends
ABOUT THE CREATOR
CECE BECKMAN
Cece holds a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from California State University, Long Beach. She lives in California with her husband and children. When she’s not reading or writing reviews she can be found wandering book aisles at local bookshops, drinking iced cold lattes with cold cream foam, or passing the time with her cats.
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