It’s good to be back in the cozy town of Dream Harbor!

If you have ever wanted a Hallmark Christmas movie in book form, this book will fill that void.

The Christmas Tree Farm is the story of grumpy farm owner Kira North and Bennett, in town to visit his sister (Jeanie from The Pumpkin Spice Cafe) for the holidays.

This book obviously has a romantic plot, but also a bit of mystery to uncover when they townspeople are certain that there is treasure…or a dead body hiding somewhere on the tree farm property.

It’s short and sweet and perfect for the holiday season!

This might be my favorite in the series, so far.

"He set himself up on the couch. Laptop, coffee, peacefully snoring dogs: check, check and check." is such a vibe and honestly, relatable since Bennett do remote work and I do it too.

We briefly met Kira, the new owner of the Christmas Tree Farm in book 2 and she was a bit grumpy and aloof. Bennett's the FMC's brother in the first book, so we saw glimpses of him. Bennett is in Dream Harbor to visit Jeanie and for a vacation. When the town banded together, Bennett was given a task to visit Kira's farm and look for treasure due to a rumor.

Kira was a grouch and grumpy at first, and that's due to her decision buying the farm, sight unseen and was overwhelmed with how much it actually needed work for her to get by. Bennett got this hyperfixation to fix things.

"He probably needed therapy, but that was an issue for another day". We love a self-aware man.

The book was sweet, and I love all things Christmas-sy. It was such a vibe, especially with holidays coming. Add in dogs in books, love!

I do appreciate how we both saw character development in both characters. Kira realized that she can be friends with Dream Harbor residents and she can ask for help, while Bennett got past his issues. The third-act was really understandable, and I am glad for it to happen.

Overall, I love this series because it felt like a warm hug and it's always good to be back in Dream Harbor. I cannot wait for Iris' story since she's next and she seems fun in this book.

Laurie Gilmore’s *The Christmas Tree Farm* is the perfect festive romcom for fans of the grumpy x sunshine trope, with just the right amount of spice to warm up the holiday season! Kira’s reluctance to embrace Christmas and her chaotic tree farm setup make her the perfect grumpy heroine, while Bennett’s easygoing nature and charming determination balance out their unlikely dynamic. Their banter and chemistry keep the pages turning, especially with the added tension of forced proximity and that classic one-bed situation.

Set in the delightfully quaint town of Dream Harbor, the story brings together small-town charm, sizzling romance, and a dash of mystery, making it an entertaining and cozy read. While the plot has its predictable moments, the heartwarming character growth and undeniable chemistry between Kira and Bennett make it a delightful holiday escape. A definite must-read for fans of holiday romance!

I absolutely love this book it’s very cozy romance. The main character Kira was very flawed but she was able to own her flaws and over come her codependency on her sister is what I believed was holding her back after she got out of that mind she she started to flourish from finding love for Christmas and a special person opens her to be a likable person I loved this series thanks to netgalley I had to pleasure of reading this book early in exchange for a honest review. Out of the three books I would say this is my favorite it was like reading a Hallmark movie.

4.5 stars for this sweet small town romance. This is my first time reading this author and I’m so happy I gave her book a try. I will be going back to read the other two in the series but don’t think it took anything away from this one not having read them yet.
Kira is new to Dream Harbor and Bennett is just there visiting his sister for most of December. Great set up for a Holiday fling right? But can they end it when they agreed to? Or did they already root themselves into each other's hearts ? He is a fixer and she is trying to be independent. What can go wrong? Very enjoyable story. Love the characters. Love the banter between Kira and Bennett. From the fun times to the steamy times, this one checks off so many boxes for me.

I loved this as much as I loved the others, which was A LOT. This was a very cute holiday romance and just really the icing on the cake for this series. I NEED MORE

I really did try with this book because I love smutty books. And "Hallmark but spicy" sounded like a lot of fun in theory.

But not in this case.

But the dialogue was hard to distinguish from everything else because it's all apostrophes. So the book reads like consistent blocks of text when there's dialogue to be had.

I wanted to enjoy it but reading this book felt like a chore because it felt so bulky. I definitely think this author is not for me.

What a charming, gentle escape during a hectic holiday season. I want to move to Dream Harbor, I could be the librarian character that falls in love with the town Veterinarian!

3.5 stars!!!

I really enjoyed this book! It is the perfect read for the winter. Lauries writing style was reminiscent of a hallmark movie without being cringy in my opinion! I loved the two main characters and how self aware of their character flaws. They both worked on themselves throughout the story so they could be better for the other person!

Thank you Net Galley and Harper 360 for the ARC of the third book in the Dream Harbor Series by Laurie Gilmore. I enjoyed Kira and Bennetts story, and was quite surprised to be introduced to both of them in the book since they were both new to Dream Harbor! This book is a great read for Christmas Time and really got me into that mood even in September! I think one of my favorite aspects of this book is the dogs part in it and their relationship. Be ready for grumpy sunshine, being snowed in, Christmas Trees, new friends, an MMC that is always fixing things, FMC that lets her past get in the way of what she really wants. But you’ll have to read to figure out how they endured up! Overall an enjoyable read.

Laurie dedicated this book to anyone who wanted Hallmark movies to be spicy and I can tell you that is exactly what this book is. So cozy and festive but also very spicy. I loved the found family aspect and the main characters energies. Not a huge spice girly so I did skip over some parts

As expected based on the first two books in the series, this one was another cute and hallmark-esque small-town romance with a good balance of sweetness and spice! It had cute Wintery/holiday vibes (complete with a tree lighting festival, a tree farm, snowball fights, etc.).

I will admit that I struggled to connect with the main characters in this book. Bennett was a total cinnamon roll. Totally Mr. Acts of Service, but I also found him a little…pathetic? Almost desperate in his need to be needed? The instalove from Bennett’s side of things also didn’t help with this. Idk, his inner monologues felt repetitive and, again, made him seem a little pathetic to me haha. Kira was not really my type of person. She annoyed and frustrated me. She was a spoiled rich chick who was determined to be independent for once but she came off as stubborn, rude, and out of touch. Her inner monologues felt a bit repetitive as well.

I was not a huge fan of the third act breakup, the unnecessary other woman drama, and I didn’t love how the mystery was wrapped up at the end. Speaking of the mystery, it seemed almost like an afterthought in this one. It wasn’t featured as prominently in the story as the mysteries in the previous two books.

Idk, I just wasn’t as invested in this romance, mystery, or the main characters as I was with the last two books. That said, the author has a really engaging writing style and these books are so cute and easy to read! They’re literally Hallmark movies in book form just with a bit more spice. They’re totally bingeable!

While it wasn’t my favorite in the series, it’s still worth a read and I recommend checking it out this holiday season!

Thank you to Laurie Gilmore, Harper 360, and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

(3.5⭐️)
First of all, shoutout to the playlist (!) because why was it actually so good!! Loved that! After reading her other two books, I don’t go in expecting something astonishing. They’re fun, cozy reads that make me feel like I’m in Stars Hollow. The whole plot of the book was entirely predicable — I mean, come on… a Mr. Fix it Felix and not so grinch grinch. You could probably put two and two together and figure out how the rest of the book goes. However, her dedication did state that it was for anyone who ever wished for Hallmark Christmas movies to be steamier, so not really mad about it. The two MCs problems were basically solved after they got laid but I love the excuse “but it’s Christmas” because yes. The cameos from the other two books were so fun and the ending was actually really cute!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper360, and Laurie Gilmore for providing me this gifted copy for an honest review! ◡̈

She has done it again! Gilmore is back with another hit from the cutest small town, Dream Harbor. I've been following the series since its release last year, and was so excited to get my hands on this ARC. While I could see similarities to the characters/plot in previous stories (does any man in this town not have a broken heart and isn't broody because I'm falling in love with all of them), this story has definitely been taken up a notch. When Gilmore said this was a spicy Halmark movie, she wasn't lying! The story had all the charm that the previous books had as well as a new twist: two headstrong characters! I originally thought this would be a slow burn, but this book was a hot fire that had gasoline poured on it from time to time. Can't wait to check out the next book in the series next spring!

Laurie Gilmore has a talent of creating diverse characters with different personalities and life backgrounds and taking them on a journey to discover themself. This book was no different. I loved Mr. Fix It Bennet and Ms. Reformed-Rich-Girl-Rake Kira. The story contained all the Christmas vibes that I love in a Christmas story and added coziness, cute doggos, and some spice (Ch. 18, 21, 22, and 28 for anyone who wants to skip). I enjoyed Kira and Bennet’s journey and their time in their own snow globe of holiday wonder and whimsical cheer. It was the equivalent feeling of the multi-colored lights, obnoxious decorations, and child-like wonder I experienced during Christmases as a kid. I want to skip right to Christmas now!

Cue Taylor Swift's "Christmas Tree Farm."

"The Christmas Tree Farm" is the third book in Laurie Gilmore's Dream Harbor series, and as promised, it’s a spicy Hallmark Christmas story. If you love cozy holiday romances with heat, this could be a great pick for you.

This was my first read by Gilmore, and while it works as a standalone, I felt that knowing the side characters from the previous books might have made the experience even richer. There’s a lot of backstory with the town and its quirky residents, and being familiar with that might help new readers feel more connected.

The plot centers around Kira, who impulsively buys a Christmas tree farm using her entire inheritance, despite having no clue how to run it. Enter Bennett, Jeanie’s brother from the Pumpkin Spice Cafe, who steps in to help her (he’s definitely the “fixer” type). The two grow closer, though Kira is hesitant to let him—or the town—into her heart.

The premise is charming, and I’m a fan of sweet, cinnamon-roll male leads like Bennett. However, I found Kira's character a bit harder to connect with. Her decision to leave her privileged life felt sudden and not fully explored, and her grumpiness seemed unmotivated at times. I would have loved to understand her more deeply.

Bennett’s feelings for Kira also seemed to develop quite quickly, giving off major instalove vibes.

I was also excited by the treasure hunt aspect, but it felt like it was wrapped up a little too quickly. I would have enjoyed more of that adventure throughout the book. The third-act breakup was another element that felt rushed, hinging on a miscommunication trope that wasn’t as impactful as I hoped.

That said, this is still a light, fun holiday read. If you're in the mood for something festive, sweet, and spicy, this book will deliver. It’s predictable, and the character development isn’t super deep, but it’s a great option for a cozy weekend binge.

If you’re a fan of Tessa Bailey’s "Window Shopping" or enjoy cute Hallmark-style romances, this book will likely be a hit for you. Fans of the Dream Harbor series will also appreciate the familiar faces and cameos.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Harper 360 for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

Hallmark Movie with Spice? ✅ 🌶️ Kira and Bennett were so cute!!! Christmas Tree Farm owner meets hot techy nerd. Sign me up. Her old house seems to always be cold so he’s there to warm her up. I really enjoyed this one! 5/5 ⭐️ thank you Laurie Gilmore, netgalley, and Harper 360 for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to love The Christmas Tree Farm as much as I enjoyed the first two books in the Dream Harbor series from Laurie Gilmore. It should have been my second favorite, right after The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, but unfortunately the plot just didn’t hold me and I mostly skimmed through the finish it. Felt like maybe it was phoned in? I don’t know. And I know I’ve said this too many times but there’s a spicy scene limitation I have for Christmas books. Too much just feels gross, I want more sweet and lighthearted reads to get me in the Christmas spirit! But of course these books are known as smut and loved for it, so I shouldn’t complain. It’s just a personal preference. Overall, I will be giving her next book a try…The Strawberry Patch Pancake House…but I don’t know if I will be purchasing this one.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

Such a cute Christmas read! Loved being able to dive into Dream Harbor and get all the warm and cozy holiday feels. Laurie really knows how to make you connect with the characters and I love the fact that she intertwines the characters from previous books into this one.

Kira was such a breath of fresh air and loved the fact that she was the grumpy Christmas tree farm owner and Bennet was the sunshine. Such a feel good, warm and fuzzy story that is perfect for the holiday season.

I read all three of the books in the Dream Harbor series within about a week. I have really been enjoying them... they are very light, likable, and fun. There is no realism here however they are unapologetically Gilmore Girls-esque!

This third book started slowly for me... I disliked our heroine very much for the first quarter of the book but I absolutely came around to love this book. The cozy Christmas vibes were thoroughly enjoyable. I can't wait for the season, I will probably read this again!