Unfortunately, due to the amount of spice and inner monologue (spice) I could not finish this book. I prefer spice that can be skipped and this book does nor allow that, with the inner monologue.

This was my favorite from the series (so far). I love Bennett and Kira’s relationship! I also love how all the characters from the other two books show up often in this book as well. It’s such a cute community that makes me want to be a part of. I cannot wait for the next book ♥️

Truly was a steamy hallmark movie in book form. This was the coziest read with all my favorite tropes (reverse grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, small town romance) we even get a one bed moment! Binged within 24hrs and can’t wait to go back and read the first 2 in this series!

Putting aside the October vibes for just a sec to discuss this spicy and quirky story, The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore. This is book 3 of her Dream Harbor series, so we get a chance to revisit some of the characters from the previous 2 books. Here we get to know Bennett, the brother of Jeanie (the protagonist from the first book) who meets Kira, and she's not into Christmas at all. Kira is a difficult character to embrace, but I admire her willingness to improve and strengthen herself to be a better version of herself. I personally like to think Kira was the tough, cold exterior who refuses Bennett--and Bennett is the warmth that melts her away. Such a cozy read with a balanced amount of spice to keep us warm throughout the winter storm that the characters faced together.

I really wanted to enjoy The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore, but unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. The story felt too similar to The Pumpkin Spice Café—predictable and lacking the freshness I hoped for. I also struggled with the third-person narrative, which seemed bogged down by too much backstory, often repetitive, and at times, distracting from the main plot. I found it difficult to stay engaged and, ultimately, couldn’t push through to finish. It just wasn’t the right fit for me, though I’m sure others might appreciate its cozy holiday vibes.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Laurie Gilmore for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Christmas Tree Farm coming out October 10, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’m not sure if this book is coming out October 10th or 22nd. I really enjoy this series. The books can be read as standalone books. I love Hallmark movies, so this did feel like a spicer Hallmark movie. I really loved Ben’s character. I found him charming, even though it was sometimes hard to see why he’d pursue a prickly person. Kira wasn’t always my favorite. I’m not a fan of the grumpy character trope. It was a little unclear why she bought a Christmas tree farm if she hates Christmas. I think things really picked up in the second half of the book and I really enjoyed that. I really like this series and I’d definitely read more of them.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christmastime stories!

4⭐️

Alexa, play “Christmas Tree Farm” by Taylor Swift

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced reader copy of “The Christmas Tree Farm” by Laurie Gilmore. I’ve really enjoyed this series and all the cozy hometown vibes and fun romances. This book was no exception: I absolutely devoured this! Bennet and Kira are the definition of a true grumpy x golden retriever combo. I was hesitant at first and thought there was going to be no way I actually liked Kira as she was honestly written as so unlikeable with some of the things she presents about herself and her behavior past and present towards others, but trust the process! I was a fan by the end. Additionally, I feel like this romance story was very realistic in this day and age which adds to the appeal.

This is the perfect holiday read and I can’t wait for everyone to get their little Dream Harbor holiday special!

I was super excited for another Laurie Gilmore book, this one gave off the perfect Hallmark Christmas movie vibes. However, I really struggled to get through this one.

Kira unexpectedly bought a tree farm but once she moves in she seemingly doesn't really want to chat with anyone in the town for more than surface level. And her grumpiness didn't really come off as grumpy, to me it read more so rude than anything else. There also comes a point when trying to be independent, comes across more as stubborn because she absolutely hated asking for help.
When it comes to Bennett, I actually really liked him at first, but then he just kinda came across as pathetic there for a while (for lack of a better word). Outside of that, I feel like somethings were just repetitive in this story.

I really liked the idea behind this book, but I personally didn't just like the execution of this story. But I love the small town setting that Laurie has created in the town of Dream Harbor.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper 360 for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Laurie Gilmore does such a great job combining cute, spicy, and small town. Will read every one in this series!

4.5/5
This was such a cute and had all the classic hallmark Christmas movie vibes you could wish for! The grumpy sunshine trope is always a hit with me especially when the FMC is the grumpy one.
I definitely think this is my favorite book out of the series so far because of how cute and cozy it was!
Kira views herself in a negative light thinking of herself as selfish and not a fan of Christmas when really she is the sweetest and most selfless person.
Bennett is a sweetheart that just wants to help anyone and everyone he can and will do anything to make sure Kira is happy.

I love the little world that’s been created in Dream Harbor it feels so cozy and tight knit and you can really connect with each of the characters. I feel like as the series has gone on the books just keep getting better.
Definitely recommend for all the Christmas lovers.

This was a super cute holiday romance! It definitely reminded me of a Hallmark movie with a little bit of spice. It’s a reverse grumpy/sunshine. Overall I enjoyed this book! I received a free copy of “title” from the author, publisher, and netgalley, in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Laurie Gilmore, HarperCollins360, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Christmas Tree Farm is described as a spicy Hallmark Christmas story, and I think it delivered on that claim. Much like a Hallmark movie, I thought it was fine but I felt like we didn’t get to know our main characters well enough to root for them to date each other.

I really struggled with Kira. She’s meant to be the grumpy of this grumpy/sunshine book, but for the majority of the book she was more than grumpy, she was aggressive and rude to anyone who would try to talk to her.

On the other hand, we have Bennett. I felt like we were getting constant reminders of how good of a guy Bennett is. He can’t stand to see someone struggling, he must intervene and save the day. That’s all we learn about him.

Together, something about them didn’t sit right with me. It just felt like they hardly knew each other. Kira seemed like she was looking for a man because her twin sister has one and she’s been dependent on her for years. Bennett seemed to forget how rude Kira was to him. It truly was reminiscent of Hallmark Christmas movies.

This book was so cute and cozy with great winter/Christmas ambience! I really enjoyed seeing how Kira and Bennett's relationship bloomed (reluctantly) and the conflict in this book felt very natural to me. I am excited to read the other books in this interconnected series!

Ok full transparency- I did not read the first two books in this ~Dream Harbor~ series (Pumpkin Spice Cafe & Cinnamon Bun Bookstore.) Everyone is in their fall feels so the wait on Libby is out the door. BUT @netgalley so graciously gifted me with this early copy of the third book, The Christmas Tree Farm, and I just couldn’t wait any longer to read it! Definitely catch me going back to the first two books though, because this series is cute!

So imagine this. Your stereotypical hallmark Christmas movie, but with way more spice. If you’re a Bk Borison fan, it gives Lovelight Farms vibes. There’s a small town setting, a perfect meet cute, and a house with no heat so body heat and a wood burning fire are of course essential. It’s giving cozy, cheesy Christmas energy and I’m here for it!

Kira bought the local Christmas Tree farm and is in over her head. She’s become known as the town grouch, and Bennet confirms that the first time he meets her when he’s walking his dogs on her property. She’s trying to be independent and get the farm up and running on her own, while he has the Mr. Fix it mentality. She’s resistant at the start, but Kira warms up to Bennet (figuratively & literally) and she wonders why she was denied his help for so long.

#romance #romancereader #romancereader #romancebook #smut #smutreader #book #bookinstagram #cuttthesmut

This is so stinking cute!

Kira and Bennett had great chemistry. They give the black cat x golden retriever energy. I thought their dynamic was super cute and entertaining. I also enjoyed that this was a slow burn romance. It was nice to see Kira and Bennett connect on a deeper level before anything sexual happened.

I love the small town of Dream Harbor. It captures what we all hope a small town feels like. That Hallmark movie magic if you will. It just provides that heartwarming feeling you crave in a holiday read.

Loved this one!

Big town man visits a small town and falls in love with the owner of a Christmas Tree Farm - sounds pretty Hallmark to me! But this story adds a bit of spice and I loved every second of it!

This book is like a spiced hot cocoa, warm and cozy with a little kick to it.

If you don't want some spice in your cute small town romance, this book isn't for you. There are plenty of "clean" romances out there especially small town ones, but this isn't that and I personally had no problem with that (especially because they tell you ahead of time so there's no surprise there).
I also think the author does a good job of weaving it in, the characters are clearly not celibate and occasionally think about sex leading you to figure that they're no strangers to it and it could happen naturally in the story. The early mentionings of sex are not heavy handed either, they just simply exist in a perfectly normal way.

Moving on from the spice--

I've read all the previous books in this series and I would recommend reading them in order for the full effect (otherwise you'll read book 2 after book 3 and find yourself getting introduced to the new woman who bought the Christmas Tree Farm). While not a horrible decision, Dream Harbor is a small town and the series includes all the characters in all the books for the most part so it's best to follow the overall story.

I find Snowed In to be one of the lesser used tropes but it's so effective! It's a great tool to utilize for some forced proximity and I loved the way it unfolds in this story.

I adored Kira and Bennett - they're both fairly new to town but their stories both together and individually along with the progression of Dream Harbor all really worked for me. Kira and Bennett both have a bit of growing to do at the beginning of the story and this book allows them to grow together as much as they grow individually which I really love. I especially liked the ending and look forward to seeing more of them and their farm in the future books!

I am very much invested in all the lives of the Dreamers and will drink up any morsel of Dream Harbor at this point. Keep throwing these books at me I will be reading every single one.

Thank you Netgalley, Harper Collins, and of course Laurie Gilmore for the eARC!

I was so happy to come back to Dream Harbor and get another fix of my favorite adorable town, this time during Christmas. Kira wants to get away from her family and decides buying a Christmas tree farm is the way to go. She envisions herself as a homesteading queen because...social media made it look easy. She realizes she may actually have to sell Christmas trees in order to make ends meet. Bennett is in town for the month visiting his sister and runs into the grumpy Kira when her life is falling apart. However, Bennett has bad luck with women and gets used often. While they may be falling for each other, they may or may not be good for each other. Very cute third story, can't wait to read the next one!

Christmas Tree Farm is described as hallmark but make is smutty, and I don't disagree. It feels like a warm cup of coffee and a fuzzy blanket while reading it.

Thanks to HarperCollins for my NetGalley ARC!

Reformed spoiled rich girl Kira North buys a run down Christmas tree farm in an attempt to make it on her own. The meddling townsfolk (including our fave couples from Dream Harbor books 1 and 2!) send Mr. Fix-it Bennett Ellis (and his adorable dogs) to make sure she's safe, and despite wanting nothing more than a holiday fling, the two find they balance each other perfectly. This cozy spiced-up version of every classic Hallmark Christmas movie is a great holiday romance read!

Definitely not a work of fine literature, but that's not what we read romcoms for! Everything you love about Dream Harbor books is here - town meetings and events, knowing looks and comments from the book club, comfy cuddly vibes, the sweetest MMCs, a little bit of mystery sprinkled in, and just the right amount of spice. This is a perfect potato chip book for the season, romance lovers will eat it up. Bennett is precious and I think a lot of readers will love and relate with Kira's grumpy-but-secretly-soft personality, as well as her working through her loneliness. AND, there's an accompanying playlist and plenty of Taylor Swift references, so you couldn't ask for more.

4 stars. Recommended read, but the writing felt a bit repetitive and juvenile for the first half, which can take me out of the story if the characters feelings/motives/worries come off as overly simplistic, unreasonable, or I get "kuzcos poison, the poison for kuzco" vibes.

I'm sorry to say that I was disappointed in this book especially when I really loved the prior book in the series. I was frustrated by the couple's start. When the MMC continued getting turned down repeatedly, him coming back time and time again made it feel like he just had no backbone, no self-esteem, and it made me think less of him. I couldn't understand their motivations.