She breathed new life into her family’s newspaper. His goal is to buy the Bayberry Gazette while trying not to fall for the woman opposed to the sale.

Foreign correspondent Sadie Plummer left her hometown in her rearview mirror years ago. Now she’s back and filling in at the family newspaper. But when she finds writing the feel-good articles inspirational…when a stray cat crosses her path…and when the Pumpkin Festival needs volunteers, she finds herself putting down roots in Bayberry.

Reed Stanton is the owner of Rumor Quill Media. He’s interested in acquiring the Bayberry Gazette, but first, he wants to do some in-person research. However, on his first day in town, he runs into a beautiful but stubborn woman who utterly distracts him.

Far-fetched rumors about Reed’s presence in town begin to circulate, making Sadie all the more curious about him. And when Reed learns the mystery woman’s identity, he knows he’s in trouble in more ways than one. But as their lives intertwine, their feelings grow, and business gets complicated.

Titles in the Bayberry, Vermont series include: Christmas in Bayberry ~ Valentine’s in Bayberry ~ Rumors in Bayberry ~ Springtime in Bayberry ~

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title: Rumors in Bayberry
Series:  Bayberry, Vermont #3
Author:  Jennifer Faye
Published:  September 1, 2025 
Publisher: Lazy Dazy Press
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Rumors in Bayberry is the third title in the Bayberry, Vermont series, and features Sadie, a foreign correspondent with more than a touch of wanderlust, coming home to run her family’s local newspaper while her father recovers from a medical emergency, and Reed, part owner of a company who saves small-town, floundering newspapers by bring them under the umbrella of their larger network.  Reed’s in town to see if Sadie’s family newspaper would be a good fit for his company, never realizing that he’s about to find far more than just another newspaper to save, but perhaps his own future as well.

I love an instant attraction romance.  I believe that a spark can ignite far more than just a glance, and Sadie, along with Reed, proves that… until Sadie realizes that the man she’s so attracted to is in fact her nemesis, the man who is about to destroy a long-held dream that she’s only now realizing how important that dream was to her.  I loved their interactions, their banter, both before and after they knew the truth about each other.  Watching them (and the town) work past those issues, and opening themselves up to other possibilities, was an emotional, satisfying journey.

There is a bit of heartache in their story, which only makes it more believable, more relatable, because life happens, in all its wondrous and heartbreaking moments, and Jennifer Faye has always been able to realistically portray that fact in every story of her’s that I’ve enjoyed over the years.  I enjoyed Sadie’s and Reed’s story very much.  It’s a well-written, emotional romance that touched my heart in so many ways.  If that’s the type of romance you also enjoy, then Rumors in Bayberry by Jennifer Faye is perfect for you.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or the author’s team via Booksprout, and I sincerely thank them for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review, giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)