Christmas Tree Farm: Book 3

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

The third installment from Dream Harbor does not disappoint.
The story follows Kira North, a transplant from Georgia, who purchased the local Christmas Tree Farm site unseen and must decide whether to reopen the farm or not.
She meets Bennett Ellis who is visiting his sister and they have a holiday fling which could become more or could it?
The story is a sweet meet cute but also about self discovery & personal growth for both Kira and Bennett.

Any book with four sweet dogs is a go for me! I enjoy the healing worked into this book! Kira learning self sufficient doesn’t mean doing it all and Bennett seeing his worth in being wanted, not just needed. Great little love story! I love this series of “Dreamers”. Stand alone but I recommend starting with Pumpkin Spice Cafe and getting to know all the fun and quirky peeps! 💞

Parfait

“I realized, maybe too late, that being independent doesn’t have to mean being alone.”

I dove into this book expecting a typical holiday story, but the author completely surprised me. Kira isn’t the picture-perfect protagonist—she’s a little grumpy, a little guarded, and after a lifetime with her sister by her side, she’s thrown herself into an adventure she’s not quite sure she can handle alone. Then there’s Bennett, who’s made his own mistakes and isn’t eager to repeat them, despite his natural “rescuer” instinct. But somehow, they both find a way to set aside their fears and move forward together.

I absolutely loved Jeanie, Iris, and all the other friends who welcomed Kira and helped her see that being independent doesn’t mean you can’t ask for help—and that sometimes, asking for help is a sign of maturity, a way of recognizing that some things just aren’t possible alone.

5 (spicy) stars for a story that warms your heart like a cozy fireplace on Christmas Eve.

I enjoyed this seasonal story and the entire Series thus far. I do have slight issue of the characters having sexual relations within a few weeks of meeting with no commitment — I don’t get that kind of life style — but as long as they end up together I let it go. But it would be nice to have a couple develop a close relationship before making love once in a while.

The Dream Harbor series has quickly become one of my new favorite series!
I love the characters, I love the settings. I just love everything!

Kira, is the new farm owner and is so hell-bent on making changes in her life that she,becomes grumpy personified. She has a hard time with accepting help be she doesn’t want to appear weak.

Bennett is in town to spend Christmas with his sister. When Bennett sees Kira struggling, he makes it his mission to help her in any way that he can. Or that she will allow because of her pride.

Then they spend a few steamy nights together that will open their hearts and heal the traumas they’ve carried for so long.