5 Cozy and Spooky Romance Reads for Fall 2024
Pumpkin spice is in the air, and it’s time to curl up with these five (or six!) cozy and spooky romance reads for Fall 2024! Whether you’re craving a haunting love story or something that feels like a warm sweater on a chilly day, these five (or six!) romance reads have you covered. Let’s dive in!
1. Stop Ghosting Me by Tara Sivec (2022) – Goodreads Rating: 4.3/5
Tara Sivec brings her trademark humour into this funny and cozy Halloween romance with Stop Ghosting Me. Sidney Tanner is in jail on “October Eve” much to her dismay. But apparently this is a yearly occurrence and was also one for her mother and her grandmother. In fact, Sidney has a personalized chair in the jail. Trouble is pretty much hereditary in Sidney’s family.
“October Eve, the night of September 30th, is sacred in the town of Harvest Grove.”
Back in the 70s, a low-budget horror movie was filmed in Harvest Grove and now, every October, the town turns into a huge tourist attraction for the increasingly large packs of fans of the movie. The town goes all out and really leans into celebrating Halloween.
For the past six years, it has become something of a tradition for Ford Prescott to come to town and bail Sidney out. He’s her “best October friend”. She’s got a crush on him (despite her best efforts) and she thinks he’s put her firmly in the friend zone. They have a weird friendship in that Ford lives in Oregon for the rest of the year and they don’t communicate for eleven months. So Ford basically ghosts Sidney every year and she’s finally had enough of it. But then, so has he.
Ford pines for Sidney. He feels so much for her. He wants her desperately. I love a pining hero! Sidney is a tough, fun and sassy heroine. She’s been hurt by love but is still willing to risk her heart for Ford. Here’s a link to my review.
2. If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia (2024) – Goodreads Rating: 4.6/5
In If It Makes You Happy, Julie Olivia serves up a cozy autumnal romance that’s just what your fall TBR needs. Set in a small town brimming with charm, the story follows a divorced woman chasing her dreams—and a maybe a single baker father?—in the heart of autumn in 1997. It’s got feel-good vibes, a sprinkle of humour, and the kind of warmth that makes you want to curl up with a blanket and a cup of tea.
My short review: I Adored This Cozy 90s Fall Romance
This is one of my favourite books of the year. I absolutely loved Cliff and Michelle’s love story. If a season could be distilled into a book, it’s this Autumn-filled romance. This friends-to-lovers story is set in the 1990s at a bed and breakfast in Copper Run, Vermont. Single Dad Cliff meets newly divorced Michelle and they slowly become friends. I hope I revisit this book many times over the years.
3. Hollow by Karina Halle (2023) – Goodreads Rating: 3.62/5
Karina Halle delivers a hauntingly atmospheric gothic romance in Hollow, a spicy retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. With witches, mysterious disappearances, and dark magic at its core, this book takes you deep into the shadows of Sleepy Hollow, where danger lurks and romance smolders. Kat Van Tassel finds herself torn between the enigmatic Ichabod Crane and her missing lover, Brom Bones, in this seductive and spooky tale. Check Trigger Warnings!
4. Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca (2024) – Goodreads Rating: 3.77/5
Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca is an adorable rom-com with just the right amount of paranormal twist. Set in a haunted bed and breakfast, this book follows a bride-to-be who accidentally stirs up some ghostly drama. The light, flirty romance and the charm of DeLuca’s writing make this the perfect book to enjoy on a crisp autumn day.
5. The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore (2024) – Goodreads Rating: 3.47/5
Laurie Gilmore’s The Pumpkin Spice Café is a spicy small-town romance and TikTok phenomenon, perfect for fans of Hannah Grace and Stephanie Archer.
When Jeanie’s aunt gifts her the beloved Pumpkin Spice Café in the small town of Dream Harbor, Jeanie jumps at the chance for a fresh start away from her very dull desk job.
Logan is a local farmer who avoids Dream Harbor’s gossip at all costs. But Jeanie’s arrival disrupts Logan’s routine and he wants nothing to do with the irritatingly upbeat new girl, except that he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her.
Will Jeanie’s happy-go-lucky attitude win over the grumpy-but-gorgeous Logan, or has this city girl found the one person in town who won’t fall for her charm, or her pumpkin spice lattes…
The Pumpkin Spice Café is a cozy romantic mystery for fans of Gilmore Girls, with a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, a small-town setting and a HEA guaranteed!
Bonus: Pumpkin Spice and Poltergeist by Ali K. Mulford & K. Elle Morrison (2024) – Goodreads Rating: 4.17/5
Get ready for a bewitching tale of love, laughter, and supernatural shenanigans in the heart of Maple Hollow!
The last thing apothecary witch, Jordyn, had on her mind was romance, but when she got witchy-wasted, she cracked open the coffin of her love life and conjured the ghost of her ex-girlfriend. Jordyn is in for a spell of trouble now that the snarky specter is determined to haunt her until she finds someone new.
Enter Harlow, the new girl in town, who just wants a job in her sister’s cafe but she discovers that the spooky town of Maple Hollow is more than just a gimmick. Real magic lives here. But after run-ins with vampires and one too many grave cafe blunders, she’s ready to hop on a broomstick and fly out of town. Until she finds herself falling under the spell of the enchanting witch who asks her on a date.
As sparks fly and cauldrons bubble, will this unlikely pair brew up a love potion that defies the ghostly odds? Or will Jordyn’s shade-y ex be the ultimate buzzkill to their budding romance?
Grab your broomstick and buckle up for a cozy sapphic paranormal rom-com that’s sure to cast a spell on your heart this fall season!
These books are the perfect companions for your fall reading routine. Whether you want something spooky or just cozy, there’s a little magic in each one to get you in the autumn spirit.
Here’s my October 2024 listicle of new romances being published this month.