Sweet friends-to-more story. Andie and Knox have been friends since they were kids. But underneath the friendship, there have been the stirrings of something stronger, though neither has pursued them. Andie is the divorced mother of twin boys, about to launch her dream job of throwing fairy tale-themed birthday parties for kids. When a water issue threatened her opening day, Knox stepped up and offered his ranch as a backup venue.

Knox is a nice guy with a big heart who has trust issues that make him wary of emotional entanglements. He has a reputation as a party-boy who avoids responsibility, but he's always been there for Andie.

I enjoyed watching Knox and Andie's relationship develop. Knox has always felt that something extra for Andie, but spending time with her and her boys now makes him realize the depth of his feelings. The more time they spend together, the more Andie discovers that she wants more than just friendship. However, Andie worries that Knox won't be able to commit to the stability that she and her boys need. At the same time, Knox wonders the same thing.

I ached for Knox because he can't see that he's got more to give than he believes. His dedication to his grandparents and their farm, as well as his relationships with the seniors he works with, all demonstrate what he is capable of. I loved watching him with Andie's sons. His fun side provides them with some much-needed levity, but he also has a serious side that steps up when he sees a need. I liked how various people helped him see himself through different eyes.

Andie is wary of her growing feelings for Knox. She doesn't have just her heart to worry about. If she starts something with Knox and it doesn't work out, it would also affect her boys. I liked seeing how well Knox fit in with them. The slip-and-slide scene was hilarious. A couple of bumps in their road made Andie question their relationship, but in the end, Knox's big moment won her over. The epilogue was sweet, too.

Thank you to Harlequin Romance for the gifted e-copy of this book. I read through 37% and am going to soft DNF (meaning I may return to it later). The reasons it's not working for me:

1. Biggest thing is that it's written in 3rd person POV, switching from Knox's limited 3rd party POV to Andie's, and back. This is a person preference, but I find it difficult to connect with the characters in a romance when the narrative is written this way.
2. Likely due to the 3rd person POV, there seems to be a lot of telling rather than showing. There are a ton of call backs to Knox and Andie in high school, but it doesn't flow well in the story. Again, I think the 3rd person POV makes this feel choppy and expository rather than character building
3. I recently got to a scene where the two MCs started making out and it happened so suddenly -- there was no yearning and no angst leading up to it. It was kind of unbelievable and just added to the sense that I wasn't connected with the character or their emotions at all.

That said, I firmly believe there is a book for every reader and a reader for every book. In this case, I think Her Fairy-Tale Farmer would work well for someone who enjoys stories written in 3rd person and loves the childhood friends to lovers trope (it's hit or miss for me, depending on the execution).

If I decide to put this one back up, I'll amend my review. TY again for the opportunity to review this book!

This was a wonderful and funny friends to more romance with strong characters. Andie and Knox just fit together but Knox is a play boy and Andie has 2 boys to raise. Knox does step up and help when Andie needs him and what they both learn, in this adorable and well written story, is there really can be second chances in love. The secondary characters and community were amazing and heartwearming in this great read. You'll find it hard to put down, I did!

Her Fairy-Tale Farmer begins the Sugar Maple Farms series with Andie’s and Knox’s charming friends-to-lovers romance.

Andie and Knox have been friends since childhood. As they grew, there might have been some sparks between them, yet neither acted on those whispers of attraction. Now, Andie is a divorced parent of twins, has a unique fairy-tale themed business, and is building her new life. When a semi-disaster strikes, Knox steps in with a temporary solution that will lead to something far more… a future that he didn’t see coming, but he has to make a few adjustments before their fairy-tale ending can become reality.

I completely fell in love with Her Fairy-Tale Farmer by Elle Douglas. Andie is strong, more than a bit stubborn. Knox is slowly learning to trust, to let Andie into his life as more than friends. Together, they simply fit and enhance each other in such sweet ways. Their story is believable, even somewhat relatable for some folks. Of course, there is world building as this is the first story in the new series, but new people were easily introduced in a way that made me look forward to discovering their stories in future books. In all, I had a great time in this world, and if you love a well-written, emotional, funny romance with a couple that really do fit so well together, then you’d love Her Fairy-Tale Farmer by Elle Douglas.

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

Her Fairy-Tale Farmer is book one in the new Sugar Maple Farms series by Elle Douglas.
This was absolutely delightful. The plot was well-paced and captivating from start to finish. The characters were charming and witty.
A wonderfully written small town romance!
I can’t wait to jump into book two Autumn Nights, Holiday Lights.

Her Fairy-Tale Farmer – this is an excellent title for a romance book! This is the first book in the Sugar Maple Farms series.
Andie and Knox made my heart sing with joy. The connection between them jumped off the pages as I read the book. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. Harlequin Romance knows exactly how to bring a romance book to readers that will stay in my mind for a long time.
Thank you NetGalley, Elle Douglas and Harlequin – Romance for the copy of Her Fairy-Tale Farmer. This is my personal review.

A divorced mom juggling twins and a new business finds herself unexpectedly drawn to her charming, commitment-phobic high school best friend. Can she help him overcome his fears so they can find their happily ever after? This is a sweet, Hallmark-esque romance.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

The story centers around Knox, a charming but somewhat scattered farmer who’s been quietly in love with his best friend Andie since high school. Andie, a single mom of twin boys, definitely feels the same way—but she’s also mature and grounded, and she needs Knox to show he’s serious before she lets him into her (and her boys’) life in a deeper way.

This isn’t just a light romance; it’s also a story about growth. Knox’s journey toward emotional maturity is heartfelt and believable. He leans on his supportive grandparents, gets wisdom from quirky townsfolk, and begins to see that in order to have the future he dreams of—with Andie—he needs to be someone she and her kids can rely on. Watching him figure that out, bit by bit, is a true highlight.

Andie’s support system is another standout. Her sister Mel and a close circle of friends offer both levity and wisdom throughout, creating a strong sense of community in Sugar Maple Farms. One side character in particular—Maya, the local baker and aspiring romance author—promises a fun continuation to the series, and I’m definitely looking forward to her story next.

This is a sweet, comforting romance about two long-time friends finally finding the courage and stability to be more. With its lovable characters, small-town warmth, and an undercurrent of emotional growth, this story delivers the kind of cozy read that’s perfect for a lazy weekend.

** ARC REVIEW **

Something about friends to lovers gets my heart strings every time, Knox is such a down bad guy, who has known the love is their since young where Andie is a planner something about them figuring out the path makes sense

Love this book, had so much fun with this one! I can’t wait to read more books from this author! This had so much fun, small town feeling read! A great book for summer, and a good binge worthy read!!!!

This is a very sweet best friends-to-more story featuring Knox, a farmer that has been in love with his best friend since high school, and Andie, a single mom of twin boys. Andie loves him too but Knox has to grow up and show a little bit of responsibility before she takes his feelings seriously. There’s a lot of hiking, coffee, and horses in this story. Knox is also a line-dancing instructor for seniors, which is a lot of fun. His grandparents have a big role in the story, and it’s so sweet the way he cares for them. They-along with some of the other folks in town-help Knox realize that he needs to settle down a bit and commit to the future he wants so he can feel stability. Andie’s sister Mel is in the story as well as a couple of Andie friends, and I like the supportive community she has around her. The baker in town, Maya, seems to be the focus of the next book and I’m eager to read her story as she is writing a romance book.

My only quibble with this story is the confusion of where this book falls in the Sugar Maple Farms series. NetGalley lists this book as the first book where Goodreads lists this book as the second in the series. This author does have another previously published book featuring Angie’s sister Mel, but I’m confused about whether it’s technically part of this series or not. I chose to read this when I saw on NetGalley that it begins a series; I always prefer to start series at the beginning. But if I had known there is another book previous to this one, I would have read that one first. It doesn’t change how I feel about the story-I really enjoyed it. But it’s just annoying when this happens, when there isn’t clarity about order of books in a series.

I enjoyed Andi and Knox's story. Becoming a family was a wonderful thing to read. I liked how he took to mentoring and fatherhood for both boys.

The era for cowboys, farmers, and rustic men is here, and this one is the dream guy! I could not put this book down. It was so incredibly sweet! Loved every page.