Maple & Moonlight

A Grumpy Maple Farmer Romance (Maplewood, Book 2)

By: Daphne Elliot

Narrated by: Emma Wilder, Sean Masters

As a single mom rebuilding my life from scratch, I don’t need help. And I definitely don’t need the attention of a six-foot-three maple farmer with a beard and a hero complex who looks at me like I’m a problem he didn’t sign up for.

My landlord is broad-shouldered, permanently unimpressed, and entirely too comfortable telling me when I’m wrong. I think he’s grumpy, rigid, and overprotective. He thinks I’m chaos in Crocs.

Falling for Josh Lawrence was never part of the plan.

But then he starts showing up.

For my son when he’s overwhelmed.

For my daughters when they need someone steady.

And for me when my hands won’t stop shaking.

I didn’t come to Vermont looking for a protector. I don’t need rescuing. But somewhere between harvest festivals, pumpkin canoe races, and quiet mornings in the sugar shack, the man I swore was just an annoyance becomes my safe place.

And when my dangerous past resurfaces and threatens the new life I’ve built, the grumpy maple farmer next door becomes my fiercest protector, ready to stand by my side while I fight for my family.

Because it turns out maple farmers are a lot like their trees: quiet, stubborn, and surprisingly sweet when the pressure builds.

Series Blurb: Welcome to Maplewood, Vermont. America’s Most Charming Small Town has some dark, sticky secrets. Come for the maple syrup, festivals, and cheese wars; stay for swoon.

©2026 Melody Publishing, LLC (P)2026 Melody Publishing, LLC

Swoony, emotional and sweet

Oh my heart, Josh and Celine were so wonderful. “Maple & Moonlight” is a swoony, emotional, and sweet single Mom, grumpy/guarded small town romance that was an amazing addition to the series.

Celine is a single Mom to her three children after leaving her abusive husband who is now serving time in prison. Ever since then, she has been working hard to build a new life for them and give them the security they all desperately need. Josh is a grumpy-ish maple tree farmer who has a cabin that he can rent to them. He wants to give them their space but the kids have different ideas. Each child has their own needs within the farm and Josh shows up for them each time and he starts to slowly become a part of their lives. The last thing Celine was looking for was another relationship but it’s clear from the beginning they have an invisible string pulling them together. And when her ex and his family start threatening Celine and the kids, Josh vows to protect and be there for them.

I’m a sucker for a grumpy man finding his happiness when he is least expecting it and Josh was all of that. He had been burned in the past by a past relationship so he was under the impression that having a family wasn’t for him. But it turns out he was waiting for Celine and her kids to find him. Celine is a fierce mama bear and I loved how protective she was of her kids. There isn’t anything she wouldn’t do for them and that is the thing they needed the most after what they all went though. Josh built a special relationship with each of them but his relationship with her son, Julian, who has autism was so special. He made sure that he felt secure no matter whatever they happened to be doing that day. Josh and Celine had a slow burn to them coming to terms on what they were but once Josh realized, he was all in. He never pushed her and made sure she knew that anything they did was at her pace and she was in charge. That man is a walking green flag for sure. I loved how they were there for each other and really understood each other. The ending was so sweet for them and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series especially with the cliffhanger and teaser we got.

Emma Wilder and Sean Masters narrated in duet and I loved them as Celine and Josh. Emma’s narration was caring and protective, just like Celine. Sean was the perfect choice to bring Josh alive. He brought the protective and guarded farmer alive perfectly.

Amazing!! 🤩

10/10 overall for this book, for the history line, for the beautiful and careful way subject like autism and abuse are presented to us on the book.

Love this story and the narration is amazing

I loved this book when I read it…just finished the audiobook and it’s fantastic! I love how narrators create a whole new experience to enjoy an authors words. Emma Wilder and Sean Masters delivered a phenomenal performance. Their voice are strong, filled with emotion and give these characters perfect personalities. An amazing listen! I am loving this new series…book 1 was amazing and book 2 is equally as amazing. Daphne fills her stories with real life situations, laughs, heartfelt moments, amazing characters and beautiful love stories. Celine is a mom of three who’s doing her best. She feels like she’s not enough, not a good mom and doesn’t have her life together. She’s new to town and just so happens to be staying on Josh’s property which turns out to be a big blessing. Her kids are amazing. “Thanks for not giving up. On us or yourself. You’re all we’ve got, but we are damn lucky. Josh is a bit grumpy and stays to himself. When Celine and the kids move onto the property it turn his world upside down…for the better. He is amazing with the kids and helps Celine when she will let him. lol “Because Josh made me brave.” Celine and Josh don’t start out the greatest…but as the days go on and he spends more time around her and the kids…his walls begin to come down and he opens his heart and mind. Both Celine and Josh have baggage but they are so good together. Once they get past the snark…they begin to form a beautiful bond. The banter, chemistry, slow burn is fabulous! Daphne’s books have a touch suspense, big feelings, will take you through a realm of emotions and give you the biggest book hangover!

Daphne is an instant buy for me!

I have loved all of her books and this one does not disappoint! A broody loner who meets a healing independent bad ass and they learn to need each other….Im a goner every time!

Terrific story, wonderfully told!

The audiobook version of this book is narrated in duet format by Emma Wilder and Sean Masters. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to these two skilled narrators. I was especially impressed with being able to sort out the three children as I listened, with Ms. Wilder giving each of them a distinctive timbre and emotional imprint. Mr. Wilder does an equally excellent job with the cast of male characters: family, townsfolk, and even a creepy salesman are all voiced marvelously. And of course these two capture all the facets of Celine and Josh, conveying how they navigate their emotional minefields to achieve a relationship. Whatever the audiobook equivalent of "couldn't put it down" is, that's how listening to this book was for me.

This book is the second in a series. I read the first book ("Sap and Secrets") and looked forward to the next, and it is as entertaining, charming, and occasionally suspenseful as the first. There is a crowd of fascinating characters, including Wayne (Josh's dog: "an emotional support linebacker") and the whole small town of Maplewood, Vermont. Celine and her three children arrive in town and rent the cottage on Josh's family maple farm. Her plan is to escape her past and build a new, independent life. Josh is private and grumpy and would probably let her be, but as a diligent landlord and someone who worries about the children's safety on the farm, their paths intertwine. Watching them make their way to a relationship was a wonderful experience, especially given Celine's past. The children are so engaging, each having their own discoveries to make and understanding to gain as they learn to adapt to farm life. Reading this book was like being a fly on the wall, seeing and hearing everything. I can't wait for the next installment!