The Cinnamon Bun Book Store

July 15, 2024
A small-town bookseller stumbles upon a scavenger hunt in Gilmore’s bighearted second Dream Harbor contemporary (after The Pumpkin Spice Cafe). Bookish introvert Hazel Kelly wouldn’t consider herself adventurous. She still lives in her hometown and has a job at the bookstore where she’s worked since her sophomore year of high school. But with her 30th birthday fast approaching, Hazel is in desperate need of a shake-up. When she discovers a mysteriously highlighted passage—“Come with me, lass, if you want adventure”—in a shelved romance novel, she takes it as a sign to dig deeper and finally venture out of her bubble. Further highlighted passages indicate a broader mystery. Eager to help Hazel follow these cryptic clues is charming fisherman Noah Barnett, the town’s most eligible bachelor. Working together gives Noah the opportunity to spend more time with the woman he’s been crushing on for months. With her head finally out of a romance novel, will Hazel finally notice what’s been right in front of her? The treasure hunt keeps the story moving, but it’s also low stakes enough that this falls firmly in the cozy camp. The result is a charming break from reality.