I received a copy of this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Christmas Tree Farm is everything you could ask for in a holiday romance. The characters from the first 2 Dream Harbor books return for the holiday season with a couple new characters introduced. Kira is the spoiled heiress looking for a fresh start to stand on her own two feet and Bennett is Jeanie’s (pumpkin spice cafe owner) brother who is in town for the holidays and to escape his not so happy life on the west coast. The enemies to lovers slow burn is the best in the series so far and you really end up rooting for these characters to find their own independence while also finding companionship in each other.

I very much enjoyed the intricate descriptions of the town and tree farm that made me feel like I had stepped right into a Christmas wonderland. I felt the character growth was perfectly paced and I ended up wanting to snuggle with the puppies after the first couple of interactions the characters had with them. I very much look forward to seeing what else Laurie creates.

This is my first book by Laurie Gilmore. This is the third book in a series. Can certainly be a stand alone, but characters from the prior books are in this one.

Kira is a rich girl who has been given it all when she decides to start over homesteading on a Christmas tree farm. Bennett is visiting his sister and is trying to break his toxic ways in a relationship.

I personally found the first half slow. I also think there is a lot of talk about this book/series being Gilmore Girls like, which isn’t necessarily the case.

Cute light romance that lived up to the “hallmark movie with spice” into.

I have enjoyed every minute of this series! a Christmas tree farm??! I mean are you kidding me, with a grumpy sunshine trope, I couldn’t ask for more: kira & bennet are just my favorite people!

Kira North wants a fresh start. Her solution? Purchasing a Christmas tree farm sight unseen. In the midst of preparing to open the farm, she finds Bennett Ellis, a handsome man vacationing in Dream Harbor, walking her property with his dogs. Seeing Kira as another fixer-upper, Ben can’t seem to stay away. Will Kira’s heart grow three sizes or will she stay the stubborn, anti-Christmas Grinch?

Laurie’s dedication “for anyone who ever wished Hallmark Christmas movies were steamier” sums up this book beautifully. This story is the perfect cozy winter romance to get you in the holiday spirit. While reading I was actually wishing for snow in October (which I NEVER do).

This book is the third in the Dream Harbor series and while it is not necessary to read The Pumpkin Spice Café or The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore, I highly recommend it. There are characters and backstories that elevate this one and you’d be able to enjoy the cute Easter eggs sprinkled throughout. This series keeps getting better and better with each read and I find myself wishing I could transport myself into Dream Harbor with the snap of my fingers. I feel like this book helped me escape reality and I enjoyed every second of it.

The grumpy and sunshine trope is almost ALWAYS the MMC who is grumpy, but I loved how Laurie gave us a fresh twist as Kira, is the grumpy FMC instead. Throughout the book we learn about Kira’s life and how she became the latest resident in Dream Harbor. While I love a strong, independent woman, there were moments in this book where I struggled to connect with Kira and found her a little insufferable. As Kira’s heart opens up for Bennett, I think I found my heart opening up for Kira. I personally loved the forced proximity between Kira and Bennett and feel it was perfectly written. I found myself wishing I had a Bennett in my own life. I don’t love third act breakups usually in books, but because this was marketed as a book version of the Hallmark movies, I knew not only to accept it and actually thought it helped bring closure to some of the secondary plot lines.

Also, the music playlist at the start of the book was absolutely elite.

Overall, this book is ideal for a cozy Christmas read and I would recommend this to anyone and everyone. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper360 for giving me the chance to read this as an e-ARC!

Laurie Gilmore does it again!

Like the other Dream Harbor novels, this Christmas romance is full of the most lovable characters and has all the best tropes 🎄♥️

This book follows Kara after she bought a run down Christmas tree farm in holes of turning it into a homestead for herself. Determined not to fail, she has a hard time asking for help when the farm just isn’t what she pictured. Bills are piling up and she needs a working radiator! She reluctantly ends up restoring and re-opening the farm to make ends meet. All along the way Bennett is there lending a helping hand, which she doesn’t know if she likes.

If you love Christmas this story will seriously warm your heart. There’s twinkle lights, snowball fights, getting snowed in together, a woman who hates Christmas, and a man who loves it. This might be my favorite Dream Harbor story yet. Make sure to add it to your Christmas TBR 😌🎅🏼

3⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for an advanced copy of The Christmas Tree Farm.

Kira has made the rash decision to leave everything she knows and buys land and rustic cabin in Dream Harbor sight unseen. When she arrives she realizes the cabin needs work and the land is a Christmas tree farm. The whole town wants to welcome her but she is very stand offish at first. She misses her twin sister who just got married and moved away and she has a lot of guilt over how spoiled and selfish she used to be. She is determined to do everything herself since she feels like everything has been handed to her whole life. Then she meets Bennett who is visiting his sister and he is a fixer. They clash at first but they may be exactly what the other needs.

This is the third book in the Dream Harbor series. It was a good book, I wish Kira was not so harsh because it took me a while to like her character. But overall still a good read.

4.25 🌟
1.5🌶

I am thoroughly obsessed with Dream Harbor. This town and the vibes are just perfect. Kira fits in well with everyone even if it takes her a bit to come out of her shell. Bennett is such a huge cinnamon roll. He wants (needs) to help those around him. The way he fell for Kira was just so wonderful. Definitely a beautiful, cozy Christmas read.

Thank you to Laurie Gilmore and NetGalley for this ařç copy!! This book has all the feels - the grumpy fmc and sunny mmc, the small town, found family, and of course a secret.

I think that’s what I love most about these books is that there’s always some sort of underlying mystery and it’s never quite what you think it is! I don’t know if I’d call this a holiday book other than the fact that she owns the farm, but still a cozy choice for fall and winter!

Laurie Gilmore gave us an adorable cozy holiday book in The Christmas Tree Farm.

Our FMC, Kira, buys a Christmas Tree Farm, sight unseen. She is trying to prove to herself that she can live a homesteader style life without help. Enters Bennett, our MMC, who has a major fix it personality. They clash at first but end up really warming up to each other with some great banter and spice. The spice is not overly descriptive but definitely not closed door either. Both Kira and Bennett have some really great growth in the book giving it some really great depth to the story.

This is my first Laurie Gilmore book and while this is the 3rd book in the Dream Harbor series, you don’t need to read the other books to understand this one. I will need to go back and read the other two books in this series though because this one was so great.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

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.