The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn

Bowman (Hiring Mr. Darcy) gets a new series off to an enchanting start in this pitch-perfect contemporary. After event planner Ellie Lawson’s boyfriend dumps her and her boss fires her from her prestigious Manhattan firm, she returns to her Long Island hometown to help her parents’ Honeycrisp Orchard Inn prepare for the upcoming harvest festival. Ellie is surprised when she’s forced to share the inn’s two-bed attic apartment with Aiden Paker, the son of the nearby orchard’s owner whom she hasn’t seen since they were kids. Though the mutual attraction between them is instant, the pair initially clash over festival planning. As Ellie adapts to small-town life, however, she and Aiden come together to ensure their parents’ financial success—and share some steamy stolen kisses in the process. But when Ellie gets a job opportunity back in the city, she must carefully weigh her priorities. The cozy autumnal setting provides an idyllic backdrop for the sweet yet sensual romance between former childhood friends. Readers will be thoroughly charmed. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary. (Sept.)