Spotlight & Giveaway: IF IT MAKES YOU HAPPY by Julie Olivia

Posted September 2nd, 2025 by in Blog, Spotlight / 45 comments

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Julie Olivia to HJ!
Spotlight&Giveaway

Hi Julie and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, IF IT MAKES YOU HAPPY!

 

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

A newly divorced woman moves to a small town in Vermont to run her mom’s bed and breakfast, only to find an unexpected friendship with the charismatic single dad next door. Set to the backdrop of autumn 1997, this is a slow burn love story exploring friendship, grief, and how to fall in love again.
 

Please share your favorite line(s) or quote from this book:

I love when our male protagonist, Cliff, finally kisses our female lead, and now, as a dedicated baker determined to know everyone’s favorite pastry in town, he has to rethink all the baked goods he’s been trying to make for her:
“I can’t get her flavor out of my mouth. I realize everything I’ve been trying to bake for her is nothing like the real thing. She isn’t cinnamon. She’s honey all the way through, and I need to taste it again.”

 

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

Here’s the problem: I could talk about the process of writing this book for hours and hours! This book has all the warm, cozy vibes of autumn combined with 1997, so there was so much fun research that went into both autumn activities and the 90s. The book title itself is a reference to the iconic Sheryl Crow song, If It Makes You Happy (released in 1997). Every song on the playlist was released either in or before 1997 as well. But probably the most fun form of research was diving into authentic details. In one chapter, the television is on in the background, and I thought “hmm… what would be playing in December 1997 at around 3 o’clock?” Tiny, unseen specifics like that were really fun to explore.

 

What first attracts your Hero to the Heroine and vice versa?

They appreciate their differences first, which I absolutely adore. Our heroine is very private and closed off, so she naturally admires how charismatic our hero is and how easily he converses with others. As for him, he sees our heroine’s assuredness and resilience, which is a form of peace he struggles to maintain, being the single dad of two girls. They complement each other well.

 

Did any scene have you blushing, crying or laughing while writing it? And Why?

Yes!! I try to make every interaction as swoony as possible, even if it’s just a conversation that isn’t romantic in nature but feels intimate. In particular, there’s a scene where they finally open up about their past relationships and insecurities in the kitchen of his bakery. They’re slow dancing to a song that absolutely isn’t meant for slow dancing, but it’s special because they make it so, and I was just giggling the entire time.

SNIPPET:
He lets out a heavy exhale. “Listen, I’ve been told most of my life that there’s a lot of me to go around. You don’t need to be nice about it.”
“Well, if you’re exhausting, so am I,” I say. “High maintenance. Argumentative. Abrasive. According to my ex, boring.” I scoff.
“First off, never call yourself that,” he says sternly with a pointed finger. “And second, what I’m hearing are other words. Classy. Opinionated. And intimidating to people who can’t handle strong women. Which I really like about you.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m closed off.”
“You open up to people you like.”
“I don’t like anyone.”
“Yes, you do. You like me.”
My chest stutters, and I curl my lips in. “Sometimes,” I tease.
“Sometimes is better than not at all.”
The song changes on the radio again. I recognize it this time. It’s not difficult to place Eddie Vedder’s mumbled crooning. I sway to it a little, but I instantly freeze when I catch Cliff gazing at me with the corner of his mouth tilted up.
“What?”
“Want to dance?” he asks.
“To what? Pearl Jam?”
The rest of Cliff’s smile spreads over his face. “Yes.”
I scoff. “We are not going to slow dance to Pearl Jam.”
“Oh, yes, we are.”
He slowly walks over to where I lurk. He tucks a palm into my elbow so that I release my crossed arms, sliding one of my hands into his and wrapping the other around my lower back. I suck in a breath when he tugs me closer and lowers his cheek down to meet the side of mine.

 

Readers should read this book….

If you love a slow burn romance, autumn, the 90s, and cozy small towns.

 

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have in the works?

I’m always cooking up something new! I’m currently working on a super secret project that won’t be released until next year, then I’ll jump back into my Never Harbor series, a coastal small town set in Massachusetts.
 
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

 

Giveaway: A finished copy of Julie Olivia’s IF IT MAKES YOU HAPPY

 

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: What is your favorite autumn activity?

 

 
Link to Giveaway Widget: https://sweepwidget.com/c/93059-diou6rx0
 
 

Book Info:

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.
 
 

Meet the Author:

Julie Olivia writes cozy love stories filled with humor, spice, and friendships that feel like a warm hug. She is a roller coaster fan, avid romance reader, and rainy day enthusiast. Julie lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and their very opinionated pets.
 
 

 
Rafflecopter is being retired...
I will be trying out other replacements this week
- let me know if you run into any issues.

 
 

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45 Responses to “Spotlight & Giveaway: IF IT MAKES YOU HAPPY by Julie Olivia”

  1. erahime

    Drinking fall beverages like apple cider and pumpkin spice caffeinated drinks. And apple picking, too.

  3. Lori R

    I like to go to a pumpkin farm and go out in the field to pick pumpkins.

  4. Janine Rowe

    I can’t sign in. I get this error message: This entry has been flagged by our anti-spam system. (31)
    My favorite fall activity is just getting back outside after the heat of summer keeps me inside.

  7. Crystal

    My favorite Autumn activity is jumping in leaves
    books sounds looks like a great read looking forward to reading in print format

  8. hartfiction

    I always travel to the mountains during the fall to visit with my bestie at a riverside cabin. Love sitting and chatting around a fire pit.

  12. Diana Hardt

    I still can’t enter and I tried more than one way that you have listed there. I’m still getting the same error message each time.

  15. Summer

    My favorite autumn activity is probably just enjoying every last moment of the weather being warm enough to read outside.

  26. Patricia Barraclough

    I love walking in the woods or around town. The crisp air, smell of fallen leaves, and kids jumping into piles of raked leaves all make for a lovely time of year.

  27. T Rosado

    Fall is my favorite time of year. The weather is temperate and nature is beautifully changing. I enjoy getting outside for various activities, like hiking and getting out with the my dog and family.

  28. laurieg72

    In the fall we like to visit a local apple orchard. I love baking apple pies and apple crisps during this time of the year.

  35. psu1493

    My entry says it can’t be completed because of anti-spam.
    I like watching football and observing the leaves changing colors.