Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

45 reviews

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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kristinallard's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-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

4.25


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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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shadereads's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing 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

4.0


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yvo_about_books's review against another edition

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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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annabananadel's review

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

3.5

“Leaning on other people doesn't make your achievements any less yours, La La. You can trust me to help you carry the load. You don't have to do all of this alone. I know you can take of yourself. You've been doing that as long as I've known you. But let me hold your hand while you do it, okay?” 

It was a sweet and cute story right from beginning to the third act and I was happily just vibing along with the story. I really went in this book without even reading the synopsis and when I found out it's a fake dating trope, I was immediately hooked. Moreso when Luka got into the scene and made everyone swoon with Stella. Everytime he calls her La La, instant swoon. 

Rating this a little low because I did enjoy listening to the audiobook of this one, story-wise, it's not something really that different. Comparing to other fake dating tropes, I would put this a little low because although it did make me swoon, the third act killed it for me. Stella was just dumb as fuck. Yes, she fears abandonment but damn girl, you and Luka were already there. I just think that it was unnecessary and should just get together instead of being dumb like that.

Maybe in the future, I'll re-read this but as of now, it is what it is.

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wilybooklover's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

2.0

On paper, this book should’ve been everything that I love, but sadly didn’t really work for me. 

Firstly, it didn’t really feel all that Christmassy to me. The book ended in early December! The premise was ridiculous (what sane adult buys a Christmas tree farm when they don’t do any research or have a clue how to run a Christmas tree farm??), the writing was clunky and meandering, the characters frequently behaved goofily — and not in a fun way. Some of their behaviour felt forced and out of character in order to serve the plot. I felt like I needed more from the hero, especially since this is single POV until the very last chapter. And why was everybody huffing and shuffling? These words were used so repetitively that it was annoyingly conspicuous. 

Also, writing a cop (who is meant to be a positive, father-like character) threatening the hero with a gun as though it's cute and endearingly protective is... a Choice. 

On the plus side, the vibes were quite cosy (but also quite sad at times?) and the UST was excellently portrayed in the first half. That was my favourite part. 

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tguccione's review

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emotional funny hopeful slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25


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takarakei's review against another edition

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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

The most adorable holiday romance! Set on a Christmas Tree farm. Best friends to lovers. Fake dating (but between the best friends so it didn't feel like fake dating really). I am excited this is a series with some of the side characters cause I can't wait to read their stories.
The bonus chapters/epilogues are a must 🥵

🌶️3.5/5

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kylieqrada's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

I love a Christmas romance, and this one was super cute. I felt like Stella was a little too stupid for words about Luka at points, but it ended up making sense at the end. Can't wait to read the rest!!

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