*Thank you to Netgalley and One More Chapter for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
Read my review of the fist book in the series, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe and the second book, The Cinnamon Bun Book Store – perfect autumn reads with a happy ending guaranteed!
Christmas has come early with the third instalment in the Dream Harbour series, The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore. When I was invited to review this book I dropped everything to read it and absolutely devoured it in days. This series just keeps getting better and better! It has all the cosy vibes of a Christmas romance that makes a light-hearted read. I think The Christmas Tree Farm might be my favourite in the series so far and that is a bold statement, but each book just keeps delivering.
When Kira North buys a run down Christmas Tree Farm she is determined to do something on her own for once without any help. But when Jeanie’s brother, Bennett Ellis visits for Christmas, he is incapable of not offering to help Kira get her business functioning and fix her boiler! From the moment these two meet there is friction between Kira’s grumpy persona and Ben’s cheeriness and a friendship begins to unfold. Despite their best efforts to avoid each other and their growing attraction, fate has other plans and a snow storm brings their feelings for each other to the surface. Like with the last two books, a sub plot of a mystery ignites a flame between the love interest and acts as a spark for more meddling from the townspeople. Ben is the outsider and therefore the perfect person for the town to appoints to check on Kira, encourage her to re-open the Christmas tree farm and also look for any signs that the previous owner buried anything important in the grounds. A mystery that uncovers long forgotten love letters and bucketload of conspiracies!
Both Kira and Ben have baggage that they need to deal with from Ben’s failed relationships where his kind and good nature is taken advantage of and Kira’s need for independence away from her family and her twin. Through their relationship these characters start to realise they can be generous and independent without either being isolated or taken advantage. The Christmas Tree Farm is just as about personal growth as it is a romance. I enjoyed how Kira is soon integrated into the whimsical life of Dream Harbour and treated as she always belonged there. What this book does well is revisiting characters from previous books and continues to develop their personalities and storylines that intertwines and creates a charming cast of characters. I love the exploration of Dream Harbour that each book expands on and how characters from previous books are included like Jeanie, Logan, Noah and Hazel. Each book and relationship has something new, whether that is a conflict or character development that makes each book a joy to read. The slow burn romance was perfect in this setting that allows the reader to understand Ben and Kira’s past and vulnerabilities through a growing friendship and then a romantic relationship.
The story is simple with a growing attraction between Bennett and Kira, but the book delivers all the elements that I love in romance books. The mystery of what was buried on the farm grounds could have been entwined more within the main story and the novel’s conflict could have had more impact. This being said I still enjoyed reading and was an easy read that kept me hooked all the way through. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Final thoughts
The setting of the Christmas Tree Farm was fun and the festival creates the perfect atmosphere for these characters to fall in love. This book has all the elements of a Christmas romance wrapped in a bow with a snow storm, Christmas crafts and a winter festival and a happy ending that makes this an easy read to become hooked. Dream Harbour has quickly become my favourite romance series with well rounded world building, fun and endearing characters and plot that has me hooked from the very first page!
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Amy is a writer and reviewer and is currently querying literary agents with her Pirates of the Caribbean X Bridgerton debut Adult fantasy novel. For more content click here to read book reviews, short stories and updates on Amy’s writing journey.
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