We’ve had pumpkin spice and cinnamon buns, now it’s time for pancakes! Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. *This post may contain spoilers*
The fourth instalment in the Dream Harbour series comes The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore (pub date 13 March 2025). I love this romance series and the vibes are impeccable. Each book expands the small town of Dream Harbour and I fall in love with the vibrant personalities that each book seems to create. Read my review of The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, The Cinnamon Bun Book Store, and The Christmas Tree Farm here.
Review
The Strawberry Patch Pancake House follows single-dad Archer and his new live-in Nanny Iris on their journey to raise 5 year old Olive and navigate the trials and tribulations of parenthood all while resisting their growing attraction for each other. When prestigious chef Archer leaves his fancy restaurant in France to care for the daughter he only just found out existed, he enlists the help of bubbly and over positive Iris, who doesn’t know the first thing when it comes to looking after children. In comparison to the previous books in the series this one is a different pace in terms of the romance and the dynamic because it centres around Archer and his relationship with Olive. I think in some ways this book is like a love letter to parenting and how no one really knows how to raise a child but they muddle through and find friends and help along the way. Olive is really adorable and her interactions with Iris are so cute and funny that captures the child-like mannerisms and thoughts of a five year old.
I love this series and with each book the world and cosy vibes of Dream Harbour get better and better. I love the easy writing style and short chapters which made this book so easy to devour over a few days. I liked the juxtaposition of Archer as he tries his best to be a stern chef and a caring father, all while mourning the life he lost to falling head first into a new one. I particularly enjoyed the strawberry festival and seeing all the past characters make cameos. I love that these characters all fit seamlessly into whichever story Laurie Gilmore is telling. This just makes the world more dynamic and believable that past characters like Jeanie, Logan, Kira, Noah and Hazel are still happily in relationships and living their lives.
I’m personally not the biggest fan of the single-dad and nanny romance trope so I wasn’t as invested in the romance between Archer and Iris with that dynamic. But I really enjoyed Iris and Archer as characters and the found family theme. Both Iris, Olive and Archer all needed each other in some form and this made the read really heart-warming.
I can’t wait to continue reading the series and soak up the cosy vibes of Dream Harbour in Annie and Mac’s book The Gingerbread Bakery set 11 Sept 2025.
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Amy is a writer and reviewer and is currently querying literary agents with her debut fantasy novel inspired by the magic and adventure of Pirates of the Caribbean and grandeur of Bridgerton. For more content click here to read book reviews, short stories and updates on Amy’s writing journey.
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