The Pumpkin Bride: A Novel

Shrek meets The Princess Bride in this cozy romantic fantasy that hits the heart of Gen X and Millennial nostalgia for the beloved movies. Set in the perpetually autumnal kingdom of Harvest Hollow, a bubbly princess takes refuge in an orc's pumpkin patch to avoid an arranged marriage, not recognizing him as her long-lost love.

True love is never out of season in Harvest Hollow, where golden leaves swirl, the scent of cinnamon lingers, and the warmth of a crackling fire invites secrets to unfold.

Princess Marigold’s world unravels when she escapes an arranged marriage to the kingdom’s most selfish prince, plunging into the shadowed woods with nowhere to turn. Hunted by palace knights and haunted by memories of her lost love, she stumbles into the hidden sanctuary of a gruff pumpkin farmer—unaware that he is the brave knight Bram, the childhood sweetheart she thought gone forever. Bram, trapped by a cruel curse that’s twisted him into a hulking ogre, must hide his true identity even as Marigold’s presence stirs up old dreams and new dangers.

He recognizes Marigold instantly, but the curse prevents him from revealing who he is...or was . He reluctantly allows her to stay, and as they spend their days harvesting pumpkins and their evenings by a crackling fire, their playful banter blossoms into a tender connection. Marigold finds herself more at home with the grumpy farmer than she ever felt in the palace, while Bram falls for her all over again, convinced she could never love the man he has become.

When a long-forgotten keepsake reveals Bram's secret, Marigold realizes the stranger she’s been falling for is her lost love. Now, she must not only confront the mischievous autumn sprite who cursed him but also convince Bram that he is worthy of a second chance at forever. In a world scented with cinnamon and magic, can they find their way back to each other before the first snow falls?