Pumpkin and Spice — Abby Knox

Maxine Pumpkin Novak is coming home to Chicago to do three things: eat turkey with her family; chill with her best friend, Joy; and avoid all the awful people who gave her that childhood nickname. But a run-in with a dreamy old classmate sidetracks her plans in a heartbeat, and gets her heart pounding. Bartender Talbot Stoner Spice has out-performed his high school epithet and whooped his childhood demons. Dividing all his time between running the neighborhood bar and caring for his widowed mother, he has never seen the need for a serious relationship. That all changes when his high school crush, Max, returns from California and walks into his bar two days before Thanksgiving. She doesn't know it yet, but she's not getting away from him again. Content notes: Some issues discussed in this book may be difficult for certain readers. Specifically, non-descriptive mentions of past childhood abuse of the hero and religious trauma. Please take care of yourself first and always. For more information, please see the content notes page on my website.