The Christmas Tree Farm by 
This is my first intro to the Dream Harbor series and when I tell you, The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore was just so cute and good! I absolutely want to read more of this series. The characters were fun and well thought out, the pacing steady, and the romance sweet.
FMC Kira was raised spoiled and now that her twin has left her to start her own life, she’s decided to make some big changes. She feels so typical in this influencer filled era as she watches a handful of tradwife homesteader videos and decides that’s what she wants to do. If no one thinks she’s capable of living without her twin, Kira is going to show them just how independent she can be. And just like happens in real life, turns out influencers make things look so much easier than real life. I thought Kira’s tenacity and determination was endearing, despite what other readers may think. I didn’t view her as grumpy. She was lonely and scared but dedicated to proving everyone in her old life wrong about her. It’s relatable.
Meanwhile, MMC Bennett is a golden retriever who wants to stop being such a doormat. He knows everyone takes advantage of him and his big heart, and he wants to change. He instantly falls for Kira, then realizes he’s falling into the same cycle he’s constantly trapping himself in. This is why these two characters worked so well together. They know what others think of them, what they expect of them, and are so insistent in changing themselves that they go too extreme. Both are so worried they are slipping back into the roles they’ve played that they double up their defenses against one another without understanding the other’s motivations for their actions. It was a good take on the miscommunication trope and led to each character’s growth as individuals.
The spice was questionable. Calling something a sex exorcism was such a big no, but I didn’t pick this up for the smut so it wasn’t a wild dealbreaker for me. The pacing was steady. We get a bit of instalove but nowhere near as extreme as other holiday romances. There’s build-up. Kira and Bennett get to know one another and slowly decide to give into their attraction. We also see Kira beginning to open up and become her own person, forging new connections without her sister or family baggage.
As a newcomer to the Dream Harbor series, I really enjoyed The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore. It felt very Hallmark movie romance but still had enough character growth to make this a worthwhile read. If you want a grumpy x sunshine Christmas romance with some forced proximity, you’ll enjoy this! If you’re looking for something steamy, maybe steer clear.
Quotes
All he knew was he needed this mattress downstairs.
He needed Kira warm.
He probably needed therapy, but that was an issue for another day.
– Chapter 17 | Page 164
Sobbing and babbling, her orgasm tore through her like Bennett had performed some sort of sex exorcism […]
– Chapter 18 | Page 180
