REVIEW: So It Grows by Andie Burke

So It Grows by Andie Burke is a small-town romance about Felicity, who inherits her aunt’s plant shop in Kansas, and Nic, the hot chef running the trendy mac-and-cheese restaurant next door. When a developer threatens both of their businesses with a massive parking garage, the two reluctant neighbors have to work together to save their little corner of town—and somewhere along the way, their rivalry starts turning into something neither expected.

I’m always here for a good business-rivals-to-lovers setup, but the combination of a plant shop owner + chef + small-town Kansas + forced teamwork had me immediately curious.
I also went into this expecting a cozy rom-com and was definitely not prepared for how much more was underneath the surface. Felicity and Nic are both carrying some pretty heavy things, so I was curious to see how Andie Burke would balance all of that with the humor, romance, and small-town charm.

I liked watching Felicity and Nic go from irritated neighbors to reluctant teammates and then slowly become friends. That friendship was actually one of my favorite parts because they get to know each other and start seeing the person underneath the assumptions they’ve made about each other. I also liked that their relationship doesn’t magically make either of their problems disappear. They both have their own things to work through, and their connection helped them learn to let someone else into the messy parts of their lives.

SO IT GROWS was so much more than the cozy romance I expected. I loved the quirky Kansas setting, the banter, and watching Felicity and Nic go from business rivals to friends and eventually something more. But what really stayed with me was the depth underneath all of that—their trauma, grief, mental health struggles. Add in the small-town community, a down-bad chef, and a romance that takes its time to bloom, and this was a heartfelt story with plenty of humor, heat, and heart.

TROPES & VIBES
💕 Rivals → Friends → Lovers
🏡 Small-Town Romance
🔥 Forced Proximity
🌤️ Grumpy x Sunshine
🐢 Slow Burn
💕 He Falls First
🫶 Found Family

There are some heavy topics throughout the book, so be sure to read content warnings.

Book Info:

Publication: September 22, 2026 | St. Martin’s Griffin |

Felicity Gallagher thought inheriting her aunt’s plant shop would be the fresh start she needed after the worst year of her life. She never expected that the trendy, mac and cheese themed restaurant next door–and its inconveniently hot chef–might be her downfall.

Nicolas Holm-Bozic is arrogant and presumptuous and just flat-out gets under her skin. Felicity has made ignoring him an art form―until the exploding popularity of his restaurant leads to renewed interest in Felicity’s quirky corner of Kansas. Now, a greedy developer is threatening both their businesses with a towering parking garage that could steal the sunlight from her plants. With her shop’s future in jeopardy, Felicity must join forces with her least favorite neighbor.

As the pair fight back, Nic and Felicity’s formerly contentious relationship blooms into something new, but hidden battle scars, old secrets, and a devastating storm threaten everything they’ve built. Will they choose to cut and run, or are they finally ready to put down permanent roots?

Andie Burke’s So It Grows is chock-full of heat, heart, emotion, humor, and everything in between.