La Ferme des sapins de Noël: Elle déteste Noël, il va changer sa vie

Dream Harbor #3

by Laurie Gilmore

Deux cœurs perdus, une touche de magie, et Noël pour les réunir.

Kira North déteste Noël. Un comble, puisqu’elle vient tout juste d’acheter une ferme de sapins de Noël dans une petite ville si adorable qu’elle pourrait figurer sur une carte postale.

Bennett Ellis, quant à lui, est venu à Dream Harbor pour fuir le tumulte de sa vie et son irrésistible besoin de tout réparer. Mais le destin, capricieux comme toujours, l’enferme sous un épais manteau de neige… à la ferme de Kira.

Malgré son attitude de Grinch, Ben découvre peu à peu que la magie des guirlandes scintillantes, l’odeur des sapins fraîchement coupés et la promesse d’un chocolat chaud peuvent faire fondre bien des cœurs. Et peut-être, juste peut-être, ces deux âmes égarées trouveront-elles dans ce Noël inattendu une raison de croire à nouveau en la magie des fêtes… et en l’amour.


Traduit de l’anglais par Marion Schwartz

 

À propos de l’autrice :

Laurie Gilmore écrit des romans à l’atmosphère chaleureuse typique des petites villes. Sa série « Dream Harbor » est remplie de citadins excentriques, de décors douillets et de romances cosy. Elle aime les livres au parfait équilibre entre doux et épicé, et s’efforce de le trouver dans ses propres récits.

Genres: Romance, Christmas, Holiday, Audiobook, Fiction, Contemporary, Cozy

347 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2024

About the author

Laurie Gilmore is a #1 New York Times, Sunday Times, and Globe & Mail bestselling author who writes steamy small-town romance. Her Dream Harbor series is filled with quirky townsfolk, cozy settings, and swoon-worthy romance. The first book in the series, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, was featured on Good Morning America and was named the TikTok Shop Book of the Year 2024.

She loves finding books with the perfect balance of sweetness and spice and strives for that in her own writing. If you ever wished you lived in Stars Hollow (or that Luke and Lorelai would just get together already!) then her books are definitely for you.

Reviews

[Ilze Van der Merwe · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate these but I’ll continue to read them because I hate myself

[Snjez]

dnf @40%

Not working for me at all. Everything about this story feels forced and unrealistic and the character development is very weak. I can't stand Kira. She is supposed to be grumpy, but there's 'grumpy' and than there's 'mean for no reason'. The reasons behind her buying the farm are ridiculous. Bennett, with his hero complex, is supposed to be nice, but the way he lets women take advantage of him is pathetic. And totally unbelievable. The insta-lust between them came out of nowhere. I'm not invested in this and I find the storyline bland and boring.

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus)]

Alright... might as well just read this one too...


╰⪼ 🎄Heartwarming and Festive
╰⪼ 🐾Dog Lovers
╰⪼ 🌟Christmas Magic
╰⪼ 🎄Seasonal Ambiance
╰⪼ ☃️Hallmark Vibes with Spice
╰⪼ 🌟Small Town
╰⪼ 🎄Black Cat ✘ Golden Retriever
╰⪼ ☃️Cozy and Lighthearted
╰⪼ 🌟Low Stakes

[Eden Yonas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cozy holiday read that I am not mad at at all. Had a good time with her🩷

[Janneke · Rating 2 out of 5]

unfortunately, the super mario movie has altered the way i hear the word “peaches” forever, and bennett calls kira this an ungodly number of times in this book

[Sophie Jayne Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️*

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

By far my favorite of the three!! It’s basically a cute Christmas hallmark movie where the FMC is the grinch. I adored this one and their relationship very much. Quick and easy read! 🎄🎁

[Becca Voisich · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m deeply sad to report that these continue to get worse

[Francesca (pavisfrancesca) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

WHEN WILL WE GET ANNIE x MAC 🥲🥲🥲🥲

I enjoyed this one but I think largely because I read the first two books in the series first and knew all the supporting characters. Imagine a Christmas hallmark romcom with above average spice and you get this book - lovely easy read x

[Chloe (whatchlozread) · Rating 2 out of 5]

they need therapy and not each-other

[Abbie Konnick · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 🌟 cute, def “Christmas-Cringe”

[⋆. ezra ೀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

❄️🎄.ִֶָ𓂃 recommended age: 16-17+

₊˚⊹♡ rating ! : 5/5

────୨ৎ────

𝜗 review ! ৎ finished while listening to a holly jolly christmas by burl ives ♡

જ⁀➴ 💞 “I think you are the most beautiful in the morning when your hair is a mess and you’re all soft and warm from sleep. I could look at you like that forever.”

this marks my first holiday tbr book this year! and may i say it was a magical start too! now let me give you guys what i know you've been waiting for way too long...

────୨ৎ────

I absolutely fell in love with these lovely characters from the VERY BEGINNING. This gave the most gilmore girls, rom-com, hallmark-movie-cozy vibes ever and guess what? your girl was HERE FOR IT!

This author has been so hyped for the past year or two and I was really skeptical but I gave it when I found out her Dream Harbor was seasonal?? of course I had to pocket the winter reads for now..

I decided to start my day off with a sugar cookie latte and this cozy read and let me tell you it was so worth it! After I write this I will be putting my tree up and decorating for the best holiday of the year that I die for.

This book starts us out with Kira who is leaving her life behind to start her anew in Dream Harbor! She then meets Bennett when starting off her Christmas tree farm and she was never the same since.

If you adore seasonal reads or just love that cozy feel with your romance then I would 100% get this book!

Now I am sorry for keeping you guys away, trust me it's been pure torture not being able to read and write reviews like I did this summer but school has been HEAVY and marching season left no room for reading at all. But I am trying my best to get back into my feels and trust me you've got some reviews coming your way..

Have the most wonderful night lovelies!! See you later!

— playlist I listened to while reading!! : ⊹₊ walking in a winter wonderland

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅

𑣲 ezra / ezzy

[aeryn rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

Okay this was actually soooo cute!! This is the perfect fluffy Christmas romance to kick off December with 🤭

I really enjoyed Kira and Bennett as individuals and as a couple! Their chemistry was really good and I definitely think they fit in with the small town vibe that this book is known for. This is a reverse grumpy x sunshine with Bennett being a golden retriever boyfriend and it was done so well! I found both of them to be very relatable, even though they didn't have a lot of depth to them (but I wasn't expecting that so how can I hold it against the book?)

The one thing that is consistent between every book in this series is the HEAVY insta-love. We're talking like these people fall in love within days and are already planning to get married and have kids. CAN WE AT LEAST SEE Y'ALL GO ON A DATE OR SOMETHING FIRST??? 😭😭😭 I also need to point out that the third-act breakup in this book was so bad it was completely unnecessary and was just kinda thrown in there for shits and giggles.

Overall, this book was a classic Hallmark movie but put it on trees. I mean that in both good and bad ways. It was cute, quick, and quirky but it also missed on several levels. I still preferred the first one more, and if you saw my review on the second one...you'd know just how much this one was an improvement. I don't think this is anything legendary and you could definitely read it on it's own (if you're okay missing some of the characters and their relationships). Wouldn't be a bad idea to give it a shot! 🩵

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm crossing my fingers and toes that I don't end up hating this as much as the last one 😭

[Nora Currie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Updated Review: I was able to get past some of the things that bothered me the first time I read this book and I was able to read a little bit further in the book this time but unfortunately I am going to have to DNF this book a second time. I made it through this book until I read the part where Kira rescued a racehorse. On Halloween, I found out that my time doing equine therapy is ending and I can’t go there anymore to work with my horse 🐴 Tequila. I was absolutely heartbroken 💔 and I inhaled so much Halloween candy 🍬 because I am depressed. And then I became even more depressed because they suggested that I go to clubhouses for disabled people where I have already been at and I quit both of them because they made me depressed like listening to Coldplay in the dark depressed. Which trust me will most likely happen again. Therefore, I unfortunately can’t continue reading this book and this series.

Update: I am going to try to start reading this book again because I love this series so much and I am very excited about starting this book over again!

I’m sadly going to DNF this merry and festive book. I find that I am too closely relating to Kira, our heroine. I’m also having a hard time with things that this author finds amusing and I don’t especially as well. I love some aspects of Kira and I absolutely love Bennett. I love the Christmas aspects of the book. I also really love the first two books in the series so much, so I am sad that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed reading the other two books I read.

[Emma Griffioen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore, the third book in the Dream Harbour series, focuses on Kira North, who recently purchased the Christmas tree farm in town. This is a grumpy x sunshine troped romance, and that is where most of my issues with this book lie. She was so 'grumpy' she was borderline mean and I just didn't love that aspect. Otherwise, it was cute, and Christmasy, just nothing stand-out or special (hence the 3 star rating). Probably one of the better holiday romances I've read to be honest. Although this one wasn't my favourite, I do love this world, and being back with the characters from the previous two books. There were some cute scenes with everyone, and I'm looking forward to reading the fourth and fifth installments when they come out later this year!

If you're a fan of cute, cozy, interconnected romance series, like Elsie Silver's Chestnut Springs series, I highly recommend picking this series up!

Read my reviews for Laurie Gilmore's books here:
The Pumpkin Spice Café - 3.5 stars
The Cinnamon Bun Book Store - 3 stars
The Christmas Tree Farm - 3 stars

[Jan Agaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book has solidified that I am now a Christmas romance girlie

[Mai · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uneven (2.5 ⭐️)


This was a sweet and heartwarming story with a smooth flow from start to finish. The pacing was on the slower side, but in the right way—more of a gentle slow burn than a drag. It had that cozy, comforting charm that makes it an easy, relaxing read.


The character development started strong but had some inconsistencies that took away from the story. The main female lead felt confused and all over the place—one moment wanting to break free from the world her family built for her, the next making impulsive, almost illogical choices. Moving to a random town, buying a farm and house where she knew no one, and—ironically—not even liking Christmas trees? It made her journey feel a bit messy and hard to connect with at times.


As for the male lead, his emotions were scattered and his character felt somewhat contradictory. His reactions didn’t always align with his supposed personality, which made the emotional dynamic between the two feel uneven.


Overall, it’s a soft, gentle read with a pleasant tone and smooth flow—but the shaky character direction kept it from reaching its full potential.

[Emma.catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s official December…bring on the Christmas. I have simultaneously started reading Christmas fiction alongside my daily advent Bible reading. Bring on the joy ✨

Ah, it always feels like a breath of fresh air returning to Dream Harbour. After loving both books 1 and 2, I was more than excited to start this new Christmas instalment. I will say up front, I am not usually a Christmas fiction fan…I usually find them over the top cheesy and predictable but, this one I had to get my hands on.

I have very mixed opinions about this book. It wasn’t what I had hoped for but it did deliver in some aspects...

3.5 🌟🌟🌟💫

Kira hates Christmas…well that is a good start when you are buying a Christmas tree farm…Kira’s plan was to get as far away from her old life as possible. She was in need of a total reimagining of who she wanted to become. Kira was done with wasting her life away being simultaneously spoiled and stifled by her parents… this is what led her to Dream Harbour. She found this piece of land without realising it was a Christmas tree farm. And despite hating Christmas, she slowly grew to appreciate its novelties.

Bennett is on vacation, visiting his sister who lives in Dream Harbour. He is a ‘fix-it’ man. That is his weakness.

A snow storm rolls in and fix-it man can’t help but do something to help Kira survive the storm in her old dark and cold house…I am sure you can see where this is headed…

As with the previous books in this series, I loved the dual POV. Personally, I find getting inside the heads of both main characters is key to my overall enjoyment of the book. I also really appreciated Laurie’s decision to include the couples from her previous books. This is not a stand alone novel (although it could be read as such) and was very much embedded in the cozy small town of Dream Harbour.

I love this series, so I am sad to be writing this, but this story just didn’t do it for me. It lacked depth of feeling. I wasn’t invested enough in the characters. The romance seemed fake and rushed. Oh, it just wasn’t right. Sorry 😢

I found it very hard to connect with Kira’s character which I think impacted my overall enjoyment of the book. She isn’t the easiest character to like but she did grow on me as the book went on and I enjoyed the more subtle signs of affection towards the end of the book.

This book had so much promise. So much to give. And I was SO looking forward to it; Perhaps too much! While it did entertain me, I felt that it desperately lacked the WOW factor.

All in all, it was an entertaining holiday read which just fell a little flat. It was also extremely predictable from the word go, which is something coming from me because I am usually awful at guessing the outcome of novels 😂 Nevertheless, I will still be dreaming of book 4 to come in the new year.

Some little quotes I liked:

‘Your vibe attracts your tribe’ ✨

‘…being independent doesn’t have to mean being alone.’ ❤️


I am interested to hear what any other Dream Harbour lovers thought of this book???? 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

[Shawnaci Schroeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 ⭐️
- This was a fun and fluffy read. Enjoyable, but I probably won’t remember most of in it a month. I definitely will recommend it for a cute christmas read!
- It was definitely a spicy book so if you go into it, keep that in mind! Wasn’t expecting them to bring toys into the mix because the vibes were giving hallmark, but the first page did say it was spicy so at least I had fair warning!
- Kind of wish I read the books in order because the pumpkin spice cafe was mentioned, but it didn’t change my perspective of the story so then again maybe reading the book I was most interested in was the right choice!

[Dani · Rating 2 out of 5]

ALLURE's December Group Read!!!

2/5 ★'s


This one was just not it for me! I felt like it was SO repetitive. They thought the same surface-level things over and over again. They were completely enthralled with each other before even really knowing one another.






The town was cute, as always. However, I've read so many seasonal romances that are worlds beyond this series in my opinion! I think I just don't click with "Laurie Gilmore" unfortunately.





No sustenance was added to grip me in or feel anything for the characters. Personally, I would skip this. It is the second book I've read by the author and I don't plan to read another!

[daisyreadsabook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one might be my favorite so far! I thought I wasn't going to like it bc Kira annoyed me at first, but she definitely is redeemed. And Bennett is just 🥵🥵 I definitely liked the spice more in this book than the first 2!

[natasha · Rating 1 out of 5]

from the bottom of my heart, I’m telling you this book was written by ai

[⁠*⁠♡Lilac⁠*⁠♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute asf
___
Need something cute and festive 🤭 in my holiday era 💅🏻

[✨️ Jessica's Bookshelf ✨️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The lies we tell ourselves are often stronger than the truth. They worm their way into our hearts and our minds until they are all we see, all we believe."

I thought this book was adorable. I think it would make a great rom com Christmas movie. Bennett and Kira were adorable.

[Karla Martínez · Rating 3 out of 5]

básicamente stars hollow en plena navidad (pero con sexo).

[Jaime Fok · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 starts out super annoying but gets cute at the end.
not a fan of the smut 😭

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I swear this entire series is just edging us for the Annie and Mac story. And I STG if it doesn't absolutely slap I'm going to riot.

This book unfortunately did nothing for me. Kira is just so unlikable and has such a weird and sloppy backstory. Bennett was kind of hot, NGL. But also if a dude could be a pickme, it'd be him.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up really liking it! I was unsure at the beginning, but it won me over. It honestly felt like a Hallmark Christmas movie, and there is nothing I love more.

I really disliked Kira at the beginning, but she did grow on me. Bennet was okay, I guess. I did absolutely loved his dogs tho.
Honestly, I was scared I was gonna end up hating this book, because I was having so much trouble connecting to Kira and Bennet, but them being trapped in her cottage during a snow storm really changed my mind. That's my weak spot, that particular storyline always brings me joy. It was hard for me to be mad at anything after that. Although, I am a bit unsure how I feel about their decision in the epilogue. I don't think I like it..

I really do love Christmas books, they are my comforts reads, and this series knows how to deliver the vibes.

Now I'm even more excited for the next book, I was really beginning to lose hope in this series. So happy I didn't.

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5⭐️ the words on these pages are ✨magical✨ Laurie Gilmore has me longing for a real life Dream Harbor! In this book, we get to see Kira and Bennett’s love story unfold and it does not disappoint! The tropes we’re getting in this book are grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, small town, etc! I can’t get enough of this small town romance. The vibes of this book are, again, so cozy and wintery…and come on, who doesn’t love a Christmas themed romance?! 💚🎄❄️

Laurie Gilmore is absolutely rocking this series. I loved everything about this. Super excited for the next book!

[zoë ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ · Rating 4 out of 5]

ੈ♡˳ rating: four of five stars

ੈ♡˳ summary: the christmas tree farm by laurie gilmore is the third book in the dream harbor series and follows kira north—a city girl with zero love for christmas—who inherits a failing tree farm in dream harbor and is suddenly stuck managing mistletoe, holiday lights, and an entire small-town christmas season. when bennett ellis, a sunshiney do-gooder from out of town, arrives to help get the farm running, kira finds herself reluctantly depending on him… and maybe catching feelings in the process.

ੈ♡˳ thoughts: this was such a sweet holiday romance! i flew through it and really loved the cozy setting, the slow-burn tension between kira and bennett, and how this grumpy x sunshine pairing actually worked. kira’s sarcasm and bah-humbug attitude were so relatable, and watching her slowly open up was satisfying and honestly kind of healing. bennett was the definition of patient and supportive, and i found myself rooting for them pretty quickly.

that said… i don’t think this should’ve been the next book in the series. dream harbor already has characters—specifically annie and mac—who we’ve all been waiting for. after seeing their dynamic build up over the past two books, it felt a little strange to be introduced to two totally new people instead. a lot of reviews on goodreads pointed this out, and i completely agree. if you're reading the series in order, you’ll probably feel a little thrown off by this shift.

still, the story itself holds up really well. kira’s arc—from emotionally closed off to slowly, painfully letting someone in—was one of the best parts of the book. and the christmas setting? absolute perfection. i wanted to crawl inside this story and live in the town square. even with my mild frustration about the series order, i genuinely enjoyed the writing and the emotion behind it.

ੈ♡˳ tropes:
ꕥ grumpy x sunshine
ꕥ forced proximity
ꕥ small-town charm
ꕥ holiday romance
ꕥ big city girl in a small town

ੈ♡˳ fave quotes:
➼ “the lights were still up at the end of january, because this was her place and she made the rules.”
➼ “the lies we tell ourselves are often stronger than the truth. they worm their way into our hearts and our minds until they are all we see, all we believe.”
➼ “she laughed and it sounded like hope.”
➼ “you wouldn't try to snuggle with a feral cat, and tugging kira into his arms right now would amount to the same thing.”
➼ “he knew nothing about her and he was not going to let his overdeveloped need to fix things get in the way of his holiday.”