Zoe Hart is perfectly happy running her cosy flower shop in the small town of Maple Falls, especially with her cat Whiskers by her side. That is, until her oldest friend (and long-time secret crush) Jackson returns home. When Zoe’s hopelessly romantic mum ropes them into fake dating for the Spring Festival’s Couple of the Year competition, Zoe suddenly finds herself pretending to be with the one man she’s always wanted, a setup that had me smiling right from the start.
Fresh home from military service, Jackson is struggling to find his footing, even while pouring his heart into his llama sanctuary. Zoe is the only person who truly makes him smile, and agreeing to the fake relationship is easy, especially when his feelings for her are anything but fake. Watching their pretend relationship slowly start to blur into something real was one of my favourite parts of the story.
This is the third book in Harper Graham’s Maple Falls series, and it was such a lovely read. While the books are connected, they can definitely be read as standalones. The Cherry Crush Flower Shop struck that perfect balance of cosy, heartfelt and engaging without tipping into overly fluffy territory, it really hit the spot when I was in the mood for something comforting.
I genuinely loved this book and absolutely adored Zoe and Jackson’s story. This series is pure comfort reading, the kind that feels like wrapping yourself up in a blanket with a cuppa on a quiet afternoon.
The romance completely worked for me. Friends to lovers is one of my favourite tropes, and the fake dating setup was handled really well. Zoe and Jackson have such a natural, easy connection, and watching their long standing friendship shift into something more felt genuine and earned. Jackson, in particular, was a standout, a veteran carrying a lot of emotional weight and struggling with feeling “broken.” I really appreciated how sensitively his PTSD was handled as it never felt brushed aside or minimised.
Zoe was also really likeable, and I found myself quietly cheering for Jackson to realise what was right in front of him and that he didn’t need to be perfect to be worthy of love. Zoe was exactly the steady, supportive presence Jackson needed and their dynamic was honestly lovely to read.
The storyline of trying to find the rare Moonlight Kisses flower was such a romantic touch and I was fully invested in hoping they’d succeed and bring it back to Maple Falls.
Overall, this was a really satisfying read. Zoe and Jackson felt perfectly matched, the writing was warm and inviting, and I finished the book feeling genuinely happy. I can’t wait to return to Maple Falls again and I’m already looking forward to book four.
If you love cosy small town romances with Gilmore Girls vibes, this one is well worth picking up.
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Publisher: Bookouture
Format: eBook, 330 pages
ISBN: 9781805504818
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Here’s the synopsis
Zoe Hart is right where she belongs: in the small town of Maple Falls, running her snug flower shop filled with the scent of rain-soaked earth, dried herbs, and spiced tea. But her oldest friend (and secret crush) Jackson is back too. And most of all, she longs to be in his strong arms. So when her hopelessly romantic mom bets on them being Maple Falls’ Couple of the Year, Zoe finds herself fake-dating the friend-zoned guy she’s always wanted…
When Jackson returns from military service, even working on his llama sanctuary can’t heal him. But Zoe is the only person who can truly make him smile. He’d do anything for her… even pretend to be dating. There’s nothing fake about his feelings as he crushes his lips to hers. But there’s no way she’d really want a broken man like him, would she?
All eyes are on them as the town prepares to vote for Couple of the Year. But when they discover a grove carpeted with long-lost flowers that shimmer like moonlight, real sparks fly. Will their make-believe romance bloom into true love forever?
What Caz Read 