The Apple Cider Orchard
Golden Valley (Book 1)
- Author Melissa Hill
- Narrator Bethany O'Halloran
- Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date 13 August 2026
- Run Time 10 hours and 24 minutes
- Format x-book®
- Genre Generational sagas, Romance: ‘western’, rural or ‘outback’, Romance: enemies to lovers, Romance: unintentional or forced proximity, Romance: wholesome, Romance: workplace, Romantic comedies.
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What to expect
Lose your heart and find your home in the heartwarming and charming Golden Valley series…
'Another beautiful book by Melissa, I loved the setting, the characters, everything!' ★★★★★
🍎💚🍎💚🍎💚🍎💚🍎💚
Molly Harris hasn’t taken a real breath since her grandmother died – so when her Manhattan boss forces her onto a month-long sabbatical, she does the one thing she’s been avoiding for a year: she flies to Ireland to keep a promise. All she has to do is reach the ancient oak in Golden Valley – the place her nan loved most – and complete one final goodbye.
Instead, Molly arrives to rain, cobblestones, and an apple-cart collision that puts her squarely in the path of Jack Flynn: Goldenridge Orchard’s fiercely protective owner, local legend, and the grumpy kind of handsome that makes a girl forget her jet lag. Jack has corporate buyers sniffing around his land, and he doesn’t trust outsiders – especially not a polished New Yorker with a laptop and too many questions.
But Golden Valley has a way of pulling people into its orbit. Between festival planning, fresh bread, and a village that treats curiosity like a sport, Molly finds herself helping Jack fight for the orchard’s future … while falling for the man who refuses to fall for anyone.
Keeping her promise means telling the truth. And the truth might cost her everything she’s beginning to love.
Welcome to Golden Valley – where roots run deep, and so can love.
🍎💚🍎💚🍎💚🍎💚🍎💚
Perfect for fans of:
🏠 Small-town romance
💕 Enemies-to-lovers
🍎 Forced proximity
💋 Cozy, emotional romance, kisses only
👪 Charming multi-generational characters
👫Found family and friendship
The Golden Valley series hits the spot with readers!
'This book had everything you’d want for a cosy autumn read, small town, slow burn romance with quaint shops just as you’d expect. I wanted to step inside the bookshop and the bakery and experience it for myself … I’m so excited to see there’s another book in the series so I can go back Ireland'
Return to Golden Valley with The Cherry Blossom Café – available to preorder now!
Critics Review
| Author | Melissa Hill |
|---|---|
| Narrator | Bethany O'Halloran |
| Series | Golden Valley |
| Duration | 10 hours and 24 minutes |
| Release Date | |
| ISBN | 9780008827434 |
| Format | x-book® |
| Publisher | HarperCollins Publishers |
| Genre | Generational sagas, Romance: ‘western’, rural or ‘outback’, Romance: enemies to lovers, Romance: unintentional or forced proximity, Romance: wholesome, Romance: workplace, Romantic comedies |
| Availability | AU, GB, IE |
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