The Magic of Christmas

Lovelight Farms is a romantic read for the holidays

By PHOENIX CARLISLE | Cover courtesy of the publisher

With the holiday season skating around the corner, Lovelight Farms by B. K. Borison is the sweetest novel you’ll read. It’s perfect for a season of love, friendship, and that nostalgic Christmas feeling.

Lovelight Farms is about Stella Bloom’s childhood dream to keep the Inglewild Christmas tree farm open for making memories, aka Lovelight Farms. Unfortunately despite running the picture perfect farm with her friends, Stella finds that it is more like a horror picture. Raccoons, diseased soil, and low funds cause Stella to enter influencer Evelyn St. James’ publicity, prize winning contest. The only problem? Stella submits her farm as one that she runs with her nonexistent boyfriend. Conveniently, she has a boy best friend, Luke Peters, who has always been there for her, even at her worst. It’s only faking dating … for a couple weeks … during the most romantic time of the year, what could go wrong?

Lovelight Farms was such a cozy, comforting read. Stella’s passion to give the same joyful memories to everyone who visits the farm as she once had is child-like bliss. Stella knows it’s not all freshly baked gingerbread and twinkle lights, which I personally loved because it set realistic expectations or plot problems later. The plot was modern but didn’t take away from the magic of the romance. An influencer coming to gain publicity for a small town? Realistic. Two best friends realizing they are in love while it snows at a Christmas tree farm, smelling of peppermint hot cocoa? Magic.

I’m a sucker for the fake dating trope. Even though I know they end up together, I love the “surprise.” The hints of growing tension as well as doing more couple-y things because “it has to look real” had me blushing and kicking my feet. This book was the best baked recipe for fake dating. First, to start off they were best friends for years, meaning he was falling for her while knowing her quirks or lowest moments, but also the little things she loved. Luke and Stella were having movie dates, dinner dates with his Italian grandma, he would come over to work on things in the farm for “just because” and “it might need it later.” Like Stella, how could you miss that?! They were so perfect for each other, yet they didn’t want to ruin what they had which is completely understandable … but still. Luke found every excuse to do “pretend” couple things. He really wanted her, yet Stella was still questioning everything.

Now let’s talk outside of our turtle doves, the background characters were really putting the support into the story. Stella was able to work with two amazing people who really loved her, having the same success visions as she did for the farm. We met Beckett, the rough around the edges, shy, hot farmer. Then we had Layla, the sassy, sunshine baker. Both of these characters helped guide Stella through her blind Luke shenanigans while adding in all the humor we need. I’m so grateful that the author continued it as a series where we are able to experience their own romances, developing the characters as a whole.

The only flaws I found in this book were how the plot went into other seasons and how Stella dragged the “we’re just friends” card. I assumed the book took place in November/December, which of course is unrealistic. Luckily once we got to the holiday season it was stretched out, making it most of the book. Then Stella — sweet, passionate, klutzy Stella. My gosh she couldn’t figure out that Luke liked her enough to save her life … or her farm. I understand that it added anticipation, but I believe we were robbed of more cute couple scenes between them.

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison is a great romantic story to snuggle up to as love warms us all. Cozy up with your partner and fall in love with the childhood dream of a Christmas tree farm. Happy holidays!