Reviewed by Jennifer Senick for Readers' Favorite

Sometimes the most unexpected turns can lead you exactly where you need to be. In A Fall to Remember by Ellie Alexander, Miranda Brown is approaching fifty and wondering what comes next. She raised her son, Pete, on her own and built a comfortable life running the Green Grocer in the seaside town of Half Moon Bay. After taking her first solo trip in twenty-six years, Miranda accidentally becomes an internet sensation when Pete and her niece, Elise, share a montage of her hilariously bad vacation photos. Soon, offers are pouring in, including one from Voyager Travel. The company sends Jim Cole and his colleague Shelby to Half Moon Bay during the town’s Fall Harvest Fest to see if Miranda has what it takes to become an unlikely influencer. There’s just one surprise: She and Jim have already met after an embarrassing encounter at the airport involving a spilled latte. Now they’ll be spending the weekend working together while Pete is quietly searching for answers about his own past and Shelby faces pressure involving her career. Can Miranda embrace a new opportunity without losing sight of what matters to her most?

A Fall to Remember by Ellie Alexander was such a great story. There was good chemistry between Miranda and Jim from the beginning, and I liked watching their connection develop. They were both at a point in life where they knew who they were, which made their relationship feel natural rather than forced. Miranda was especially easy to like. She’s funny, caring, and comfortable being herself, even when the internet is laughing at her terrible pictures. I also enjoyed the family aspect and the way the book explored what happens when children grow up, and parents finally have a chance to think about what they want next. The setting was another highlight. Alexander’s descriptive writing made the Fall Harvest Fest, Green Grocer, giant pumpkins, autumn decorations, and seaside town easy to picture. The humor kept things light, while the more personal moments added just enough emotion. The pace worked really well, too, and I never felt like the story dragged. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” Those words perfectly capture Miranda’s experience as she discovers that a new chapter doesn’t mean leaving behind everything she already loves. Anyone who enjoys romance, family, funny moments, and cozy autumn settings should definitely pick this one up. It’s the kind of novel that might make you want to visit Half Moon Bay in October.