Title: The Strawberry Patch Pancake House
Author: Laurie Gilmore
Year Published: 2025
Genre: Romance
Setting: New England, The United States
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Strawberry Patch Pancake House: A Blurb
When Archer finds out that he has a five year old daughter whose mother just passed away and left custody to him, his world is turned upside down. He not only has to relocate from his job as a world renowned chef in Paris to the small New England town of Dream Harbor, but also figure out how to be a dad. To help him out, he hires Iris to be Olive’s nanny.
Iris has no idea what she’s doing, but she needs the money. She quickly bonds with Olive–and Archer, despite the fact that he’s her boss. As the bond between Iris and Archer deepens, so does their attraction, which only spells trouble.
My Thoughts
Out of the three Dream Harbor books I’ve read, this one was by far my favorite. It retained the cuteness of the previous two that I read (as of right now I’m only missing The Christmas Tree Farm), the small town vibe, and the previous characters. Like before, I loved the vibes created, and I absolutely enjoyed watching the Dream Harbor universe expand. I don’t understand how the author has popped out so many so quickly, but kudos to her.
The Strawberry Patch Pancake House quickly became my favorite of the three because it was the most well-rounded and believable. In The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, I found myself frustrated at the constant miscommunication and lack of depth between Jeanie and Logan. In The Cinnamon Bun Book Store, there was some progress made, but it was a little too sappy for my taste. The Strawberry Patch Pancake House didn’t present any of these issues, and because of that, I enjoyed it.
The Characters
It made me laugh when I saw in the acknowledgements that Archer was partially based off Gabriel from Emily in Paris. As soon as I saw that he had messy hair and had been a Michelin-oriented chef in Paris, I kind of assumed. Throughout the story, it was fun to watch his grumpiness and intensity melt away a little as his relationship with both Iris and his daughter, Olive, grew.
Iris, on the other hand, reminded me so much of Hazel in Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating. In fact, a lot of this story reminded me of that book, mostly because of her “quirky”/flaky personality and the way she subtly changes when with the male main character. She felt a bit more grounded and realistic than Gilmore’s other characters that I’ve read so far, and I liked watching her step into the nanny role and grow.
The Romance
That one of the things that made The Strawberry Patch Pancake House so much better: the growth. In the first two Dream Harbor books I read, there was some very minor growth, but nothing that really impressed me. It was clear that the focus was solely the romance. In this book, there was so much more. Archer and Iris had real issues to overcome–specifically within parenting and figuring out what to do with a five year old–and real emotions to confront.
These challenges and emotions helped to build their romance in a way where I was rooting for them. Unlike in the previous two books, there was none of the kind of insta-love and/or suddenly realizing they’re so in love. The romance and HEA were earned. Each obstacle served to bring them together and strengthen their bond, and it worked. Iris and Archer grew together, and they felt like a real couple with real potential.
Although there is a third act breakup, it makes sense for the story. I’m not usually a fan of this, but given the characters’ personalities, it really fit and actually made their HEA stronger in the end.
The Family Aspect + More Growth
Olive was an excellent addition to the story, and she upped the cuteness factor by a thousand. The fact that Archer had no idea what he was doing as a dad, and Iris had no idea what she was doing as a nanny, but they figured it out together anyway really made the story work. I loved that Olive had a personality, as well; kids written into romances don’t always have this, and I thought that she really added to the story.
If you like “found family” stories (check out The Only Purple House in Town if you want another cute one), I’d highly recommend The Strawberry Patch Pancake House. Although Archer is Olive’s biological father, he has to start his relationship with her from scratch five years into the game, as well as find his place in town. Similarly, Iris has her friends, but she’s a little bit adrift, and the bond that she forms with Olive permanently changes her. This was what made this story my favorite out of the three I’ve read: the fact that it talked about more than just romance, which in turn made the romance wonderful.
A Final Word
The Strawberry Patch Pancake House didn’t quite reach a full five stars for me, but that’s pretty hard to accomplish. However, it fully earned those four stars, and it was the perfect quick, enjoyable summer read. If you want a light romance that’s set in a picturesque, lively town with memorable characters and features a single dad, an adorable little girl, and an out-of-her-depth nanny, this is the perfect story for you.
Have you read it? Let me know what you thought!
