Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

80 reviews

el1books's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

4.0


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shaipanda's review

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funny hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I absolutely loved thisss - would have 100% read it in one sitting if I hadn’t had work in the morning 
The relationships between the characters felt real and fleshed out and I really believed in the couples tho I wish we’d gotten a bit of a closer glimpse into at least one of the side character romances that are briefly mentioned 
Overall so so glad I finally got around to reading this I had a great time :) 

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rickireadss's review against another edition

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4.5

you literally got me when it says the book is fake dating & best friends to lovers!! LITERALLY LOVE THESE TROPES SO MUCH. and oh my gosh, b.k. absolutely DELIVERED in giving all the best parts of besties to lovers that i love - the angst, the mutual pining, “i’ve always been in love with you”, “i don’t want us to ruin our friendship” AHHH. i had the best time, i LOVED the side characters (and can’t wait to read their books!!), and loved the small town so much.

⚠️: death of parent, grief, abandonment, cancer, alcohol

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immovabletype's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I can see how this won't be for everyone. it's slow-paced and for the most part low conflict. innately so given this is friends to lovers, but the author also mostly* nips misunderstandings in the bud by actually having her characters communicate. (I don't mind miscommunication, it's human, but the lack of it here makes sense given the kind of long running intimacy the author is trying to build.) for my part, I loved this. friends to lovers is my jam, and I really, really jive with the writing style, the way Borison lends detail to action in a way that makes the characters come to life so vividly. the relationship feels complex enough that I feel like I could reread this and get things out of it that I didn't the first time, which isn't something I'd generally say about romance. weirdly, I really connected with our main character's business ownership woes and how it can be hard to balance your vision with financial realities. the steam was very, very hot even though it's probably a 4/5 spice level. my only quibble is that I always have to suspend my disbelief when the ensemble cast is overly invested in the outcome of the relationship, and there's a lot of that here. people are just not this invested in other people's romantic relationships unless they're your mother. it's silly hijinks in a novel that otherwise feels fairly grounded, so it pulled me out of the atmosphere a bit. however, it's still very cozy and lovely and sexy, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

*
there is a third act conflict/"break up" but the misunderstanding involved is rooted in the characterization.

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sxndaze's review

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lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

it’s a fun lighthearted holiday read! the premise is sweet and the characters are too, but they’re also a little bland. the basis of their relationship lacks substance, but they’re cute and they work. the sex scenes are pretty decent too.

you can definitely tell all the side characters are being set up for their own story down the line though, and it’s a little funny to notice.

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bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

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lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed the found family aspect and the relationships Stella has with different townspeople!

I loved Beckett and Layla! They were so fun and I can’t wait to read their books in the series, hopefully enjoying them more. I also loved Luka’s interactions with  his family and wish we had more of that!

I wish it had also explored Stella’s issues with her dad more as it’s brought up in the beginning but never really addressed ever again? It felt kind of pointless to introduce him and that storyline but then abandon it by the second half.

I also usually prefer romances with switching POVs to see both sides but Borison did a great job of showing Luka’s feelings even through Stella’s own POV.

The pacing was okay. It was a lot of slow build up just for everything (conflict wise) to explode and be solved, all within the last third of the novel. 

The romance was cute but towards the end I wanted to shake Stella 😅 She was being so frustrating!

Overall it’s cute, fun story that was a quick and easy read! It’s not a favorite for me and didn’t make me swoon or smile as much as I usually do with romances but I’m interested to read more from Borison. Recommend for anyone who wants an easy read with a Hallmark type holiday romance 🎄 

Tropes: friends to lovers, fake dating, found family, small town

Spice: 🌶️ (1.5/3)

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yvo_about_books's review

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4.0

Finished reading: December 26th 2023


“People get too caught up in how things look instead of how things feel.”

Jonetta first brought this Christmas read to my attention with her review, and after I kept hearing great things I decided to give in and read Lovelight Farms during the holiday season. I can definitely understand the love for this series now! True, the sexy scenes were a bit too long and steamy for me, so I skimread those... But the rest of the story more than made up for that. The main star of this story is without doubt the Christmas tree farm setting, which I absolutely adored. It made for such a great backdrop, and the mysterious incidents happening added a little suspense to the plot. I also liked the fake dating trope and how it was incorporated, although it was pretty obvious both sides were hopelessly in love with each other from the start. The story is mainly told through Stella's POV, although we get a glimpse at Luka's POV at the very end. I would have loved to see more of the story through his eyes! I did like the side characters even better than the main couple, but I enjoyed spending time with all of them. The kittens were a bonus! All in all I had a brilliant time reading this Christmas romance, and I can't wait to continue the series next year. 

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blewballoon's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Damn. If you want a holiday friends-to-lovers romance, this will be hard to beat. I loved all of the characters, I loved all of the festive descriptions of the tree farm and Stella's cozy cottage. The friendships and found family felt real. The romance had the right balance of physical and emotional chemistry and intimacy. I loved the little town we got to feel the presence of throughout the story. I listened to this on audiobook, and the spicy scenes had me so pleasantly flustered I would just stare into space for a bit. My only critique is that
at the end there's a bit of a hiccup in the romance that feels a little forced to make some drama, but it's resolved quickly. I can see how the author may have wanted a moment that would bring some tension, since the rest of the relationship was so smooth.

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effevve's review

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funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75


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m_liz's review

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lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75


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