Review: The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore
Thank you Harper 360 for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
When the Dream Harbor series started going viral on TikTok, I wasn’t sure it would be for me. I haven’t had the best track record with a number of the books people claim to love after virality, and I think it’s because my expectations are too high. But after a difficult year, all I want are low stakes, cozy, delightful romances. And this book delivered, with some spice to boot. I think this is my favorite in the series so far!
Synopsis:
“Bennett Ellis is on vacation in Dream Harbor taking a break from his life in California. And most importantly, taking a break from his latest run of disastrous dates.
After a run in with Kira in her fields, Ben has no intention of offering to help the grumpy owner set up her tree farm, despite the fact she’s clearly got no idea what she’s doing.
Kira knows she should stop being so stubborn, but her farm is not all cute and cozy like people always show on social media, it’s borderline dangerous with no heating, and she’d rather no one saw it.
But somehow fate finds Ben at Kira’s farm once more, and as Kira watches him swing an ax at the first tree, she finds herself appreciating his strength and questionning why she refused help in the first place..” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Cozy Mystery—The “mystery” elements of this series can almost hardly be called that, but they do add some fun mystique to the story.
The Holiday Vibes—A cozy, charming, woman own Christmas tree farm setting.
The Low Stakes Comfort—These characters are immediately are intrigued by each other, have open communication, and allow their chemistry to flourish.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
Some of the Dialogue—Some of the dialogue was a little Hallmarky/Cheesy for me but I think it was enhanced when I switched to the audiobook, so these may be a better eyeball read!
Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 2/5 Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Content Warnings:
toxic relationship (past), abandonment