We Read THE PUMPKIN SPICE CAFE by Laurie Gilmore

Do you get the appeal of Pumpkin Spice?This episode’s pick: The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore exploded onto BookTok a few years ago (yes, we know we’re a little behind the times) with its cozy cover and title vibes. It’s a “grumpy-sunshine” romance set in a small town that people are saying is very like Stars Hollow, the fictional town where hit TV series, The Gilmore Girls is set.In this episode, we cover:Pretty covers, sprayed edges and other special editions.The TikTok Bookshop AwardsBelievable conflict and sex scenesGhost and serial killers (spoiler, there are none)Cat behaviourWhat actually is pumpkin spice?💋 And, of course, we rate it: Kiss, Kill, or Marry⏰ Timestamps00.00 Amazing intro expertly put there by tech genius1.51 – We marvel at how Rachael has her finger on the pulse. (Anthea keeps herhands to herself)4.09 – A brief rundown of The Pumpkin Spice Café..5.25 – Laurie Gilmore bio. Too many awards we haven’t heard of (but wouldprobably like!)8.26 – Who the hell is Melissa and why did she change her name?12.02 – We Kiss, Kill, Marry… and cosy cups of tea are spat out, around the world16.18 – Rach and Anthea search for meaning – and TENSION23.36 – The humble house cat as a literary device24.18 – Pumpkin spice – just smashed up pumpkin, or something a little bit fancy?25.56 – The cover is retro - like Anthea - but cozier, and fonder of cats28.36 – Rachael spills on her new idea for a rom-com in a rage filled diatribe30.36 – Grumpy/sunshine trope – adorable in a novel, annoying in a husband34.08 – Rach goes nuclear37.02 – Chilli rating – Rach calms down – then gets frisky41.25 – There’s a mystery in the book, but what is it? (That’s the mystery..)42.30 – Anthea asks about other books in the series, and Rachael realises she ownsmost of them.44.00 – Substack – Reading Between Deadlines is one of the greatest substacks ofall time according to recent research45.12 What we are reading next – Serial Killers!!47.20 – Bad reviews – not as good as good reviews, but not that bad…?📖 Coming up next:👉Next Ep we’re chatting to Kayte Nunn about My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite.In March, we’re diving into The Crash by Frieda McFadden and guest author John Purcell will make us read The Friend by Sigrid Nunez.For what we’re up to after that, click here.🛍️ Do you read between deadlines too? Grab the merch💎 Did you know we have at least one bonus episode a month for paid subscribers? And every now and then we’ll drop and extra episode when the zeitgeist calls for it.In our regular bonus episode we share what we’ve been reading, watching, writing, listening to, eating, and any other recs or not-reds we see fit. For only $5 a month you can get SO much more out of your RBD subscription and help us with the costs of editing, hosting platforms etc. Thanks for listening. We love ya! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingbetweendeadlines.substack.com/subscribe