Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Lovelight Farms by BK Borison Series: Lovelight #1
Published by Berkley on November 10, 2021
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 332
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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Two best friends fake date to reach their holiday happily ever after in this first romantic comedy in the Lovelight series.
A pasture of dead trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams.
In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a kid, Stella enters a contest with Instagram-famous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and the $100,000 cash prize, Stella might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on her application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only…there is no boyfriend.
Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just stopped by for some hot chocolate and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process. But fake dating his best friend might be the best Christmas present he’s ever received.
Lovelight Farms came along just in time for a July holiday readathon. It also has my favorite fake dating trope. But it’s also a friends to lovers story. Stella and Luka have been best friends for a decade. They met when Luka’s mother moves to the small town and Stella’s mother has just died. Luka is often in town but lives in New York City. But they text, facetime, call, Skype and visit each other.
So other than the lack of sex, they ARE dating. Stella purchased a Christmas tree farm and things haven’t gone well. There have been a number of incidents which she chalked up to bad luck and teen vandalism. She’s worried about whether her beloved business will make it. Her two full-time employees are a farmer, Beckett and a baker, Layla. Stella is loathe to ask anyone for help but she enters the contest of a social media influencer where the prize is publicity and big bucks. She says on the application that she runs the farm with her boyfriend.
Luka immediately agrees to be her “fake” boyfriend, but really it’s mostly not so different and what everyone else knows they both have wanted for years. Here’s where I have a disconnect because 10 years is a LONG time. I’d think they would have addressed it by at least 5 years. Because it couldn’t have been pleasant to watch the other date someone else.
So we have the setup of the relationship changes, the mystery saboteur, the contest and a lovely small town with lots of great characters and the business aspects of the Christmas tree farm. That’s plenty of story and layers to make an interesting read. A sweet and sexy read which had wonderful holiday moments and small town kindnesses.
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 23-COYER
Sounds like a perfect book to read during a heat wave! This cover caught my eye, it’s so sweet😁
Thanks Tammy. It’s a really nice story.
I love a good holiday contemporary romance! Nice review!
I normally only read holiday books in late November and December but I was interested in this one and it fit the readathon.
Yes! You summed it up well. I thought this was a great Christmas in July sweetie, too. 🙂
Thanks Sophia. I really liked it. It had the best things about a small town.
Yay! I took a chance on this one and was hoping it would live up to what it seems to be. Lovely review, Anne💜
Thank you Jonetta. I hope you really like it too.
Yes! I did find it hard to believe it 10 years for them to figure things out! But being I didn’t have to “witness” those long years of longing I was ok and put it aside. There were so many swoony moments and the setting sounded so lovely! I’m looking forward to the next one. Glad you enjoyed it, Anne!
Thanks Rachel. I did really enjoy it but that part was a bit too much. Overall a really fun read.
I just recently purchased this one. I think it will be one of my holiday reads at the end of the year. Glad to see you liked it!
Thanks. I really did enjoy it. The character personal growth is always part of a great read.
I have heard great things about this one. I might have to grab the audiobook at some point.
I really liked it. There was something about the word choices for some parts that was delicious.
This sounds so cute! My review partner read/reviewed and enjoyed it.
It was a character growth with plenty of other good layers. There was a good found family / support circle vibe and I like that in a small town story.
I miss Xmas!
I really want to read this one! It sounds so good. Great review, thanks for sharing!
I really enjoyed it. I hope you get a chance to read it Lisa.