Escape into the pages of spicy fall romance books that feel as cozy and warm as the coffee on Gilmore Girls that Rory and Lorelai Gilmore devour! Since 2020, I’ve led a Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge to read the list of 500+ books on Gilmore Girls, and I host a Gilmore Girls rewatch podcast, so I’ve got you covered as a superfan myself!
The romance genre, specifically, is anything but niche. In fact, recently, romance ranked at the top of Google search interest in nearly half of U.S. states! This is especially true during the unofficial Gilmore Girls season of fall, when both Gilmore Girls and romanctic fall books are trending on Google searches.
Get my top 5 Gilmore Girls book recommendations filled with small-town autumnal love below!
What Makes These Cozy Autumn Romance Books Feel Like Stars Hollow
The most escapist contemporary romance novels like Gilmore Girls are filled with small towns like Stars Hollow, Connecticut, inns, harvest festivals, New England settings, and all the cozy vibes you love so dearly, especially during sweater weather.
- The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller: the most like Gilmore Girls overall, set at a Vermont inn with lots of fall events
- The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn by Valerie Bowman: lots of Gilmore Girls references
- If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia (my top pick): a Vermont bed and breakfast in the 90s with a single parent and a divorcee like Luke and Lorelai
- The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore (most popular with readers): the spiciest, and not just because it involves a cafe and nosy neighbors!
- Well Met by Jen DeLuca: Liz and TJ Renaissance faire vibes
My Reviews of the Spicy Fall Romance Novels Most Like Gilmore Girls
The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller
Why Gilmore Girls Fans Will Love It: Livvy is a fish out of water who leaves behind a fancy pastry chef job in Boston for a job at a Vermont inn, where she falls for a local who comes home to care for his ailing father. There’s a Harvest dinner, an apple pie contest, and everything you would expect from a cozy, small-town, fall romance. It’s the one book I’ve read that feels the most like Gilmore Girls overall.
The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn by Valerie Bowman
Why Gilmore Girls Fans Will Love It: After a breakup and losing her job, Ellie returns to her family’s inn on a Long Island apple orchard, hoping for a quiet reset, but instead ends up sharing space with Aiden, the son of the orchard’s owners. Tasked with planning the Harvest Festival together, their personalities spark tension and chemistry. It’s filled with lots of Gilmore Girls references and made for an escapist romance book with my kind of Stars Hollow vibes.
If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia
Why Gilmore Girls Fans Will Love It: A divorced woman temporarily running her mother’s Vermont B&B struggles to find her footing, until her charming single-dad neighbor, a beloved baker and small-town golden boy, becomes impossible to resist. The small town, the B&B, the 90s era, the second chances, and the single parent lead are just the beginning of the Gilmore Girls feels— yet it feels fresh and different at the same time. I was highly invested in the characters, and we even got an epilogue from a dog! It’s my personal favorite on this list.
The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore
Why Gilmore Girls Fans Will Love It: This book begins a series for steamy romance readers who love BookTok, where it became famous (and currently has nearly 450,000 GoodReads reviews). Jeanie takes over her aunt’s cafe in the small town of Dream Harbor, which is very much like Stars Hollow, with its town meetings and nosy neighbors. There, she meets Logan (yes, Logan), a grumpy farmer reminiscent of Luke Danes, who begins to help her… in both the cafe and the bedroom. This small-town found family love story is super quick and light, with a heavy focus on romance!
Well Met by Jen DeLuca
Why Gilmore Girls Fans Will Love It: Emily moves to her sister’s small town in Maryland to help her recover from an accident. There, she volunteers for the local Renaissance Faire alongside her teenage niece, where she falls for the leader, who has a complex history with the fair. It’s a uniquely perfect setting for fall romance. Cue the Liz and TJ vibes!
Tip:
To maximize the Stars Hollow vibes, read these books while listening to my Gilmore Girls playlist and wearing your Rory Gilmore sweater.
Recap
If you’re still struggling to decide which fall romance book to read for the Stars Hollow aesthetic, go with my top pick, If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia, especially if you love Abby Jimenez books, or The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, the most popular (and most spicy) pick with readers overall.
