In The Sugar Maple Inn by Laura Bloom, Grace Sullivan has spent years working at her mom’s café and putting everyone else first. When the historic inn on Maple Island 
goes up for sale, she sees the perfect opportunity to finally build something that belongs to her. Unfortunately, Reese Spencer wants the inn too.
He’s a billionaire with his own reasons for wanting the property, and Grace isn’t about to step aside just because he has deeper pockets. Meanwhile, she’s been getting closer to her anonymous online mentor, WildTrailGuide, without realizing he’s the very man she’s competing against. Then an autumn storm leaves them stranded together.
THE SUGAR MAPLE INN by Laura Bloom was a sweet and spicy small-town romance about chasing a dream, an old inn, an anonymous online connection, and two people who have no idea they’re already falling for each other.
I was completely here for the fall vibes in this book. Solace Springs, the café, the historic inn, Maple Island, and all the quirky small-town characters gave me that cozy autumn setting I was looking for.
The chemistry between Grace and Reese was playful, flirty, and full of friction. I enjoyed watching them compete for the inn while neither of them could quite ignore the attraction between them. And then there’s the fact that Grace is already falling for Reese online without knowing he’s the same man driving her crazy in person. That added such a fun layer to their relationship, especially once those two worlds started colliding.
What stood out most to me was Grace’s determination to create something of her own and I liked watching her fight for it. I also loved the small-town side of the story. The quirky characters, community involvement, and cozy setting gave Solace Springs so much personality and made me want to hang out there for a while.
THE SUGAR MAPLE INN had everything I want from a cozy fall romance: a charming small town, an old inn, quirky locals, a determined heroine, and plenty of chemistry. I loved the mix of Grace’s big dreams, Reese’s billionaire energy, Add in the family mystery, forced proximity, banter, and just the right amount of spice, and this was such a fun seasonal romance.
TROPES & VIBES
🍁 Small-town romance
☕️ Café owner FMC
💰 Billionaire MMC
💻 Anonymous online connection
🤫 Secret identities
🏡 Rivals-to-lovers
🔥 Forced proximity
🛏️ One bed
🌧️ Stranded together
🍂 Autumn setting
🏡 Historic inn
Book Info:
Publication: September 15, 2026 | Dell
Grace Sullivan has been brewing perfect lattes and biting her tongue for years at her mother’s café, but she’s done being the dutiful daughter. When the historic inn on Maple Island goes up for sale, she sees her chance to build something of her own. Her secret weapon? Her anonymous online mentor, WildTrailGuide, whose late-night messages have moved from business advice to flirtation.
Reese Spencer is used to getting what he wants. A rugged, globe-trotting billionaire, he needs that same inn to uncover a family secret buried on the remote island decades ago. What he doesn’t expect is a fierce, pink-haired single mom standing in his way.
Neither knows they’re already falling for each other online until an autumn storm leaves them stranded together on the island overnight. Trapped in the inn’s honeymoon suite with candlelight, stolen wine, and simmering desire, familiar phrases start slipping out . . . and soon their true identities come to light.
Now Grace and Reese must choose: fight for the inn and lose each other, or find a way to build something together that’s bigger than both their dreams.
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