She’s a little edgy. He’s a lot of sunshine.
Love’s about to catch them completely off gourd…
Textile artist Sadie Fox did not sign up for this. When she agreed to come home to Pea Blossom, Indiana, it was to care for her father’s beloved pumpkin patch. The deal was that—just for the summer—she would grow a ginormous pumpkin, win the Indiana State Fair’s pumpkin contest and finally win back her father’s (grudging) respect.
Instead, a horde of wild hogs destroyed the. entire. patch. Which is precisely when the annoyingly sexy, sunshiny next-door neighbor shows up.
Josh Thatcher is a tech millionaire who traded in the office for growing gourds, including experimental squash hybrids. And for the life of her, Sadie can’t understand what he sees in her sweary, tattooed, prickly self—or why he’s offering to help his biggest competitor. But a storm-fueled kiss proves there’s definitely something growing between them.
Maybe it’s just attraction. Maybe it’s more. Whatever it is, it’s already bigger than Sadie’s fast-growing pumpkin…or the secret that Josh has been hiding.
About The Author
My Review
The story follows Sadie, a sweary, tattooed LA textile artist who reluctantly returns to her Indiana hometown to care for her father’s beloved pumpkin patch. When a horde of wild hogs wipes out her entire crop, she’s forced to team up with Josh, a sweet-natured tech millionaire turned squash farmer, to grow giant pumpkins for the state fair contest. What begins as reluctant cooperation soon turns into undeniable attraction, and their opposites-attract dynamic is both fiery and tender.
Told in dual POV, Popp’s writing shines with witty banter, rich emotional depth, and a cast of diverse, inclusive side characters who add warmth and authenticity to the story. Sadie and Josh are wonderfully complex—she’s prickly and guarded, he’s sunshiney and steady—and watching them confront their insecurities to earn their happily-ever-after is deeply satisfying. The romance is steamy, playful, and yes, delightfully kinky, but it’s grounded by genuine vulnerability and growth.
Beyond the central love story, the book brims with small-town coziness, autumn atmosphere, and thoughtful details—especially the fiber and textile art elements, which add a unique creative thread to the story. Overall, it is a steamy, grumpy/sunshine romance brimming with heart, humor, and cozy fall vibes.
My Rating
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