Honeycrisp Orchard, Book 2
From the publisher:
For fans of the Lovelight series and The Christmas Tree Farm, this cozy Christmas romance follows an overworked publicist who is snowed in at the Honeycrisp Orchard Inn with her nemesis, a sexy brewery owner, for the holidays. The festive spirit, hot chocolate, and six feet of sparkling snowdrifts conspire to turn these enemies into lovers.
Maria never expected to spend Christmas in a small, snow-covered town—but a visit to her best friend Ellie’s Honeycrisp Orchard Inn turns into an unplanned holiday stay when a snowstorm leaves her stranded. The inn feels like stepping into a holiday fairy tale, with twinkling lights, crackling fires, and garlands everywhere, yet Maria can’t help missing her big, loud Italian family. Adding to her frustrations? Jesse, the ruggedly handsome, annoyingly charming brewery owner, who seems to delight in pushing her buttons.
Jesse has enough on his plate managing his bar and helping the inn stay merry for the holidays, but he can’t seem to resist Maria’s city-girl sass. As snow continues to fall and their paths keep crossing, Maria finds herself drawn into the inn’s festive magic and Jesse himself, as he shows her the charm of slowing down and being present in the moment.
With stolen glances under mistletoe and sparks flying by the fireplace, the line between a holiday fling and something deeper blurs.
But when the snow clears, will Maria follow her heart? Perfect for anyone craving snow-kissed romance, holiday warmth, and happily-ever-after magic.
Tropes:
• Enemies to lovers
https://bookshop.org/a/123058/9780063454088
• Forced proximity
• City girl x country boy
• Quirky locals
• Small-town romance
Bowman’s follow-up to The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn is a sweet-and-spicy Christmas romance that reads easily as a standalone. Maria, a stressed-out publicist for a demanding young movie star, is stranded in New York City by a blizzard while trying to get home to California for Christmas, so her best friend Eli invites her to spend the holidays at the Inn on Long Island. When Eli and her husband come down with the flu, Maria pitches in at the sold-out inn—unfortunately, that means working closely with Jesse, the flannel-wearing bartender she’s been avoiding since their rocky first meeting. But as Jesse helps care for a rescued kitten and sincerely apologizes, Maria begins to see him differently.
Their chemistry quickly heats up, though their lives seem headed in opposite directions: Maria is devoted to city life, while Jesse is building his future at the inn. After a passionate New Year’s Eve together, Maria panics and flees to California, leaving Jesse hurt and angry. Months later, fate brings them together again, forcing them to decide if love is worth the risk.
VERDICT: A warm, festive holiday romance filled with small-town charm, humor, and second chances. Perfect for fans of B.K. Borison, Jacqueline Snowe, and Laurie Gilmore.
©Library Journal, 2026
9/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
SNOWED INN by Valerie Bowman. Avon (September 29, 2026). ISBN: 978-0063454088. 304p.
