Candy Apple Kisses by Amy Clipston: Review

It’s kind of funny to be reading a story about fall when it’s barely spring. But this story immediately called my name.

From the title of the book to the charming cover, and the fact that Amy Clipston wrote it, I knew it would be a beautiful story. And I was correct.

Check out my thoughts on this upcoming fall story with a sweet, clean romance you’ll fall for.

Disclaimer: Affiliate Link
Candy Apple Kisses by Amy Clipston
Publisher: ‎ Thomas Nelson
Publication date: ‎ July 7, 2026
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0840716491

OVERVIEW:
Artist Emily Carmichael has always considered Splendid Lake her home, but she never imagined she would ever return. However, when she learns her childhood best friend, Jake Hughes, is struggling to save the beloved Hughes Family Orchard, she doesn’t hesitate to pack her bags and head back to the North Carolina mountains–even if it means battling a corporate giant and resisting the temptation of too many candy apples.

For Jake, the orchard is more than just a business; it’s a living legacy, a bond with his father, and a promise to his family. As Jake and Emily work side-by-side to prepare for the orchard’s centennial anniversary, long-held feelings, once hidden beneath years of friendship, begin to surface. For Jake, Emily’s return illuminates what’s been missing in his life, and for Emily, being with Jake stirs long-dormant emotions she’s too scared to name. The air is crisp, the apples are sweet, and the sparks? They’re flying higher than a bonfire.

But with Jake’s ex-girlfriend’s dramatic reappearance and the mounting pressure to keep the orchard from failing, their budding romance is put to the test. Can these two best friends turn a season of chaos into a lifetime of love, or will their romance fall flat before the first frost?

Candy Apple Kisses by Amy Clipston Review

I’ve enjoyed this author’s writings before, and you know what you’re going to get when you read a particular author multiple times. No surprises here, but a sweet, clean romance that brought back so many wonderful memories for me from growing up on a lake.

The story is set in a lake town, and Clipston‘s writing brings warm comfort and invokes a peaceful calm while you’re reading. That’s what I look for in a story when I’m super stressed and need to relax.

Candy Apple Kisses is a friends-to-sweethearts romance, but it’s also a beautiful contemporary fiction story. Friends take care of other friends, and that’s what this story is dedicated to supporting, but the turn of events makes it even better.

Second chances don’t come along very often, and the story slowly builds us into the community and the people in the town. The love and affection between them, and the growing love between our two main characters.

Emily is unsure of her gift of art or even where she should be in life, and Jake is devoted to his family’s business. Together, they let the feelings grow, and we get to watch a beautiful connection bloom.

There were a few communication issues, which were frustrating for me, but the author has crafted a story that you know will have a beautiful ending, along with an easy, comforting romance. With all of the ambience of fall, you can’t miss with this sweet, clean story.

4 STARS!!

Disclaimer: Affiliate Links have been included – Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review, but did receive a free ebook so she could evaluate and use it for this post. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest, and your opinions may differ.