Maple Falls: Book 2
Publication Date: October 20, 2025
‘Tis the season when sparks fly…
A new girl in town who lives for Christmas and has everything to prove. A local rival with tousled dark hair and a smirk that spells trouble. Who will win the holiday showdown of the year? Find out in this totally addictive small-town romance! Gilmore Girls + spice = 🔥
Cassidy is finally opening her dream chocolate shop, inspired by her dear Grandma who made the best cocoa. Now all she wants for Christmas is to win best decorated store and show she belongs in the small-town of Maple Falls. But she’ll have to pull out all the stops to beat the handsome, loveable grinch across the street…
Liam hates the holidays—they remind him of past heartbreak. But to support his family’s llama sanctuary, he’s determined to deck out his farm shop in holiday cheer and win that prize. Then he sees her—chocolate-smeared cheeks, wide blue eyes and the warmest smile. He’s up against the cutest, most Christmas-obsessed person ever…
Their rivalry heats up as the town divides between Team Cassidy and Team Liam. But with the snowflakes falling and their stores looking all merry and bright, will the magic of the season bring them together?
Snuggle up under your blanket with a mug of cocoa and get ready for the hottest ever holiday romance. Lots of steam and a sprinkle of mystery wrapped up in cozy Christmas vibes! Perfect for fans of Laurie Gilmore, Emily Henry, Love Actually and The Holiday.
Tropes:
Spicy
Grumpy sunshine
Second chance romance
Small-town vs. city life
Found family
When Cassidy moves into the small town of Maple Falls to open her dream chocolate shop, what she really wants is to win the best-decorated store for Christmas. The problem is she’ll have to beat the handsome, but loveable grinch from across the street in Author Harper Graham’s The Spiced Cocoa Cafe.
This is the second book in the Maple Falls series, but one doesn’t need to read the series in order, as each book is a standalone, and the author does a fantastic job of including enough backstory to understand what happened in the previous book.
Cassidy and Liam are both young business owners who have a fierce competitive spirit and are not afraid to show it to the world. I liked that they both have “stuff” from their past and are different in how they deal with it. They are each other’s opposites, and yet they complete each other in every way. I love that.
I loved the small-town activities that happen during the Christmas season in Maple Falls, the sense of community, as well as the family bonds that keep everyone together.
There is plenty of angst to give the reader “the feels” that comes with romance, and of course, a happy ending that will make the reader happy.
The Spiced Cocoa Cafe is the perfect holiday read for those looking for a spicy, second-chance, opposites-attract romance.
Harper Graham lives with her mischievous spaniel in a cozy small town in Connecticut. Her quirky neighbours may or may not have inspired the residents of her Maple Falls series. When she’s not hiking with her daughter, baking her grandmother’s recipes or reading in her favourite coffee shop, Harper can be found writing the sweet and spicy romance stories of her own dreams.
