The Christmas Tree Farm

Written by Laurie Gilmore

Narrated by Regina Reagan

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Pumpkin Spice Cafe comes a #1 Sunday Times bestselling grumpy x sunshine Christmas romcom! ❄️

‘A charming break from reality’ Publishers Weekly

❄️❄️❄️❄️

Every book in the Dream Harbor series can be read as a standalone.

Kira North hates Christmas. Which is unfortunate since she just bought a Christmas tree farm in a town that’s too cute for its own good.

Bennett Ellis is on vacation in Dream Harbor trying to take a break from both his life and his constant desire to fix things.

But somehow fate finds Ben trapped by a blanket of snow at Kira’s farm, and, despite her Grinchiest first impressions, with the glow of the fairy lights twinkling in the trees, and the promise of a warming hot chocolate, maybe, just maybe, these two lost souls will have a Christmas they’ll remember forever…

The Christmas Tree Farm is a spicy romantic mystery with a HEA guaranteed, perfect to curl up with this winter!

Tropes:

• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Small Town
• Forced Proximity
• One Bed

Readers have fallen for Laurie Gilmore:

‘Wonderful story with tears, laughter, mysteries, uncertainty and happiness’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Compelling, cozy and delightful narrative’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A charming small town romance with sizzling chemistry and plenty of spice’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I LOVED THIS SO BAD. The vibes of the small town were immaculate’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'This book makes my heart happy!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘The perfect kind of romance for me’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Oct 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9780008719951

Laurie Gilmore

Laurie Gilmore is a #1 New York Times, Sunday Times and Globe & Mail bestselling author who writes small-town romance. Her first novel, The Pumpkin Spice Café, won the TikTok Shop Book of the Year award in 2024. Her Dream Harbor series is filled with quirky townsfolk, cozy settings, and swoon-worthy romance. She loves finding books with the perfect balance of sweetness and spice and strives for that in her own writing. Laurie is currently based in upstate New York.

Reviews for The Christmas Tree Farm

[vampqueen5698 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was the least good from the series. Bit depressing the book. The sex scene was cringe for me. It could be better. I didn't liked the characters either. Not felt christmas vibe unfortunately..

[Kate · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kyra bought a farm unseen using up all her money on a whim. Bennett is in dream harbour visiting his sister, Jeanie from book 1. Kyra really should have come to visit the farm before buying it because it's in need of significant repairs, which she can't afford, and... it's a Christmas tree farm. Bennett is sent by the nosy neighbours to check on Kyra. She is as frosty as the weather to the guy who keeps trying to help her when all she wants is to show she can be independent. Kyra is also grieving her twin who has moved to the other side of the world.

This is a story of growth for Kyra and a dilemma where both parties feel that staying together would be falling into bad habits from the past (being selfless to his own detriment v Kyra being spoiled and selfish). But as usual people are their own worst critic.

I did have a good cry at this book, really loved the characters and the things they noticed about the other and how kind Bennett is. The benefits of a Mr nice guy including considerate bedroom skills. It was quite steamy showing the growth in their trust and connection at their relationship developed. Also love a bit of forced proximity!

We also get to see all the characters from the earlier books, go to a community event and a town meeting and pop into the pumpkin spiced cafe. Our friends, the book club members, also turn up.

Will it change the world?
I love the community vibe and the discussions people have - is die hard a Christmas movie, the eco friendliness of meat substitutes. Still a bit weird that she loves animals that much but eats chicken, can't see her killing one, but that is how society is.

[Naiara Cinque · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a cozy book recommended to be read on a winter's day indoors. I'm not sure if I like it as much as the other books, but it's still a good one. I gave it a 3.5, or a round 4. I didn't love all the storylines, but I'm happy to give the next book a try.

[Charlotte · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The Christmas Tree Farm had potential with a very cute cover and one that gained my interest, but unfortunately, it just didn’t land for me.

Kira, the grumpy farm owner, wasn't likeable as a character. I kept hoping for a redeeming moment or some personal growth, but it never really happened. Bennett brought all the lovable vibes to the book and their relationship, he made it more enjoyable. His character had way more personality, but he needed to work on those terms of endearment. It gave me the cringe

The story was repetitive and very surface level. There was no depth to Kira and Bennett getting to know each other, so their journey from strangers to lovers didn’t feel believable at all. I found myself wanting more emotional connection and more everything. The small town community was cute and some side characters were entertaining.

Not the holiday romance I wanted, it missed all the cosy Christmas vibes.

[Ashley Sweeney · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My favorite book of the series so far. Loved the character development in this one.

[Kristin Sparkman · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Struggled to finish. The characters were weak and not developed. All about sex and no real story.

[Alyzza Viray · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Read this on Christmas day, and it's perfect! Skipped the spice, and apppreciated it more. It's cozy, it's witty. Love it! ???

P.S. The narrator of this book, Regina, is amazing, as always! ?

[lenaemaart88 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A lovely little festive read and my favourite of the series so far ?

[Kayla Pratt · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Cute. Kira was slightly annoying. I understand being independent, but there is a big difference between being self-sufficient and willingly being harmful to yourself. Kira was borderline being harmful to herself in an effort to be independent. Not necessary to prove a point, girl!

4 stars

[jalowenberg · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really loved this cozy Christmas read. It may possibly be my favorite so far in the series!

[kennabear08 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I read the other two books by this author and really enjoyed them. However, I couldn’t even finish this book…I was half way through the book and nothing had even happened. Bummed!

[jacqueline.grayson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very cute and quick read! Slow burn but gives you all the cute holidays feels.

[Jessica Burr Frickey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A bit spicy (read sex scenes) with a cute little mystery and some romance,this book will hit those SUMMER fling vibes. But I'm about to ruin the audio portion for you: the narrator sounds like Jennifer Coolidge during the sex scenes and I can't unhear it.

[Kelsey Lyn Ciolan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Supee cute and well worth the listen. Def read the cinnamon bun cafe first though

[Tisha · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

The story isn’t bad but I did not like the narrators voice. DNF at chapter 5.

[annabananaaudio1013 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This story and narration just wasn't it for me unfortunately

[ecataldi-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Super quick and fluffy seasonal read. I finished this in one day. A grumpy meet cute about second chances and improving oneself. Kira North buys a Christmas tree farm sight unseen because she was influenced by people homesteading on social media. She finds out it is a lot more work then she anticipated and is loathe to ask for help. She wants to fix everything herself and in waltzes Bennet, an out of towner who loves a damsel in distress. It's hardly love at first sight, but she adores his dogs and he admires his gumption. The two find themselves thrown together time and again. Maybe a Christmas miracle will give them what they both want? Fluffy, steamy, and charming. Give me more!

[mchwest · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another really good holiday story. I didn't realize it is a part of a series, Dream Harbor #3, but was fine as a stand alone book.

[whiskeyinthejar-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

2.5 stars

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review

Kira North hated Christmas.

Kira's twin sister has married and left to live overseas, as someone that has always depended on her sister's more level-headed personality, Kira feels extremely adrift. After watching a bunch of homesteading videos, Kira gets it in her mind that what she needs to do is buy a farm and with a trust fund just sitting there, well, a Christmas Tree Farm is purchased. This is third in the Dream Harbour series but each book works as a standalone, the tying thread is the small-town and friend group that flutters in and out of whoever the main characters' book is at the time. I read a paperback copy of this and there was a map of the town, which was fun to see and imagine all the characters going to and fro shops and businesses. Kira gets paired up with Bennett, series readers will remember him as the brother to a past lead, he's in town for vacation and to get his dating life in order, no more fix-it women. So, we have a determined to make it her on her own for the first time in her life and a will explode if he doesn't help, couple.

When she lifted her eyes to his, he was still looking at her like he had plenty of ideas on how to keep her warm.

If you couldn't tell by the title, this works super well as a seasonal read, snowball fights, Christmas festivals, stroopwaffles!, you're probably going to want to lean into those feelings as the actual plot was a bit slow going. Kira and Bennett meet and have instant attraction right away but Kira's a grumpy gus who does not want to give into her attraction as she sees that as her going back to her old ways. Bennett has a bit of that as well, he was burned bad by an old girlfriend, he actually moved from the East to West coast for her only to be told, he was too boring for her and then to be used a periodic desperate grab when she got lonely. He's working to shore up his defense for women who only use him. He never builds up too tough of a wall against Kira but he does get his feelings hurt after they have some bedroom scenes (some spice heat to these scenes) and Kira still tells him she doesn't want him, for some later in the book angst. Kira, exhaustively, ping pongs hot for Ben and doesn't want to lean on anyone.

Lumberjack fantasies that Kira didn't even know she had rushed into her head.

This was pretty low angst but at over three hundred pages (to me, this easily should have been two-twenty-ish) there wasn't a lot to keep this going, the relationship issues were draaaaaaaaaaaaged out. There was also a little bit of mystery thread, the farm Kira bought is rumored to have treasure or a body!?, buried on the property, it's what first gets Bennett out there continuously, friends/townspeople pressure him to go search for the body so the new gal doesn't find it and get scared away. I don't know, this mystery thread gets brought up and then, just about, completely ignored for the majority of the book, only to be kind of brought in with some found letters and then secrets revealed in the epilogue.

He wanted to confess that all he wanted for Christmas was her.

The page count was way too long on this for me, making the story feel dragged out, Kira ping ponged too much, and the mystery thread wasn't invested in enough. It was fun to visit the town again, see past couples, and experience some festive vibes.

[srkromer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the perfect read for the Christmas season! It captures all the festive vibes in a charming, spicier Hallmark style. The story offers a fun twist on the grumpy/sunshine trope, with our female main character, Kira, taking on the grumpy role.

Kira moves to Dream Harbor after her twin sister relocates across the world with her husband, leaving Kira feeling lost and lonely. After binge-watching a plethora of homesteading content online (who can blame her?), she decides to purchase a farmhouse sight unseen. Little did she know, she had just bought the town's beloved Christmas tree farm. The only downside? She absolutely hates Christmas.

Bennett comes to town to visit his sister in December after she convinces him to stay with her. Known for his fixing tendencies, Bennett can't resist stepping in to help Kira when he discovers she needs it. But is he only helping her out of a sense of obligation, or does he genuinely have feelings for her?

I think this novel is my favorite of all the Dream Harbor books so far. I admire Kira's bravery in changing her circumstances when she could have easily continued her comfortable life. She knew what she wanted and went for it. Bennett was a dream come true, and I’m so glad he was able to overcome his insecurities in the end. I can't wait for the next in the series to be released!

4.25 Stars

[Sara Unger · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Torturous... probably should have been a DNF...narrator definitely gave off grandma vibes and listening to her read the spicy scenes was a bit uncomfortable. Also, who pronounces router as "rooter"?