Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison (★★★★★)
Print • Owned (indie bookstore) • Contemporary Romance • 2021
Short synopsis: To save her struggling Christmas tree farm, Stella Bloom enters a high-stakes holiday contest and ropes her best friend Luka into a fake relationship—only to discover that pretending to be in love might lead to something very real.
You guysssss. This book gave me all of the happy, dopey, lovey-dovey feels. Friends-to-lovers is my favorite romance trope, even though, yes, it doesn’t really make sense. I don’t care! It soothes some little part of my soul. Stella and Luka have been best friends for 11 years, and it’s obvious to everyone around them that they are meant to be together forever. While Luka seems ready to take the leap, Stella continues to hold back—she’s already lost so much in her life and doesn’t want to risk losing her best friend, too. This is a book I could see myself rereading every December because it is filled with holiday sweetness. It’s set at a Christmas tree farm! And two friends are falling in love! What’s more Hallmark holiday movie than that? This book won’t appeal to everyone (I have quite a few friends who gave it 3 stars!), but for me, it was the best reading experience.
I See You’ve Called in Dead by John Kenney (★★★☆☆)
Audiobook • Libby • Contemporary Fiction • 2025
Short synopsis: After accidentally publishing his own obituary and being declared legally “dead” by his workplace, a risk-averse obituary writer confronts his grief and fear of living by attending strangers’ funerals.
I had read some rave reviews of this book, and while I am not usually one to pick up a book written by a white man about a white man, I decided to give it a try and see what all the buzz was about. And, as I expected, it was just fine. The writing was engaging and funny, though at times Bud felt like a caricature of the sad-sack man archetype. He struggled to access emotional depth—even in therapy—and didn’t seem to know how to connect with people unless it was through sarcasm and humor. His character arc was largely lovely, but something happened near the end of the book that nearly had me throwing my phone across the room. I really should have seen it coming, but ugh. It felt like a lazy shortcut to deepen Bud’s character far too quickly. There are some interesting thoughts here about death, grief, and the funeral industry as a whole, but ultimately, this isn’t a book I expect to have much staying power with me. (Recommendation source: Lazy Genius)
State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny (★★★☆☆ 1/2)
Print • Owned (library book sale) • Thriller • 2021
Short synopsis: A novice Secretary of State serving under her former rival must race to expose a global terrorist conspiracy after coordinated attacks plunge the world into chaos.
I’ve had this book on my TBR for a long time because what could be better than a political thriller co-written by someone who has intimate knowledge of Washington and someone who writes my favorite mystery series? Sign me up! Unfortunately, it wasn’t exactly the knockout I had hoped for. This book is long, at almost 500 pages, and I really felt the length. It was a slow-moving conspiracy story with a large cast of characters and multiple secondary plotlines to keep track of. However, it was still well-written and kept me engaged, and things really sped up in the last 150ish pages—I couldn’t put it down until I knew how everything would unfold! Ellen, the novice Secretary of State, was such a badass, and I couldn’t help but feel there was a lot of Hillary Clinton in her. She’s fiercely loyal and unafraid to stand up for herself, but also vulnerable and soft at times.
The biggest challenge with this book is reading it during the downfall of our democracy. The novel asks us to believe in accountability at the highest levels of power, and right now, that belief feels more fictional than the conspiracy itself. It’s hard not to feel a sense of grief reading about functioning checks and balances, real accountability, and leaders who are forced to answer for their decisions. Oh, what a world that is! Imagine leaders being held accountable and justice being served. Sigh.
The best part of this book was the small nods to Three Pines and our glorious Armand Gamache. It was unexpected and so delightful! All in all, this is a book that will work for you if you love political thrillers, but be aware that you may have complicated feelings after reading it.
What are you reading?
OOOH! I’m reading State of Terror right now! I saw it at the library when I was getting Age of Innocence, and couldn’t resist. I will say that political thrillers aren’t usually my thing, but so far I’m enjoying this one- I’m only a few chapters in though.
I also just finished Heart the Lover! It was so good- I’ll be interested to hear what you think.
Btw how are you enjoying the frozen tundra, Florida-style? My windshield was iced over this morning- that’s never happened to me in South Florida, ever.
Oh wow – we didn’t get ice like that, even though my car kept warning me that ice was possible, ha. I don’t think I would know what to do if my car was iced over? Do I just let the engine run and let it defrost??? I am not prepared for situations like this in Florida!
I’m so glad you loved Heart the Lover. That’s my next read!
I just listened to BK Borison’s Good Spirits and thought it was delightful. The plot wasn’t that fully fleshed out in the end, but I loved the two main characters- they were adorable and hilarious. I’ll be interested to read other books by her, so maybe I’ll pick up Lovelight Farms.
Lovelight Farms was so sweet – a perfect holiday read! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
FIVE STARS!! I’m on the fence about this. Should I read it? I really want to because I always think about how delightful Delilah Green Doesn’t Care was and I never would have read it if it weren’t for you…I’m going to give it a think.
You have to really love the friends-to-lovers trope in romance novels. It works SO WELL for me, but I know it’s not for everyone!
I’ve not heard of any of these – the obituary one sounds so clever. What a great premise, but alas, it sounds not so great. I don’t know that I’ll read the cute friend to lovers romance, but it does sound heart-warming. A book that is too long, Ick – not for me.
The obituary one is clever. I just wasn’t in the mood to read about a sad white man, ha.
I’m bummed that the obituary writer one wasn’t better, because it sounds so clever. But… just because a concept is good doesn’t mean it will deliver. Sadly.
It may work better for you than it did for me! Our reading tastes don’t really align, so you would probably enjoy it a lot more than I did, ha.
I’ve added and taken “I See You’ve Called in Dead” to my TBR. I think it’s time to take it off for good. The Christmas Tree one sounds right up my alley though so I will check that one out. I read the Clinton/Penny book when it was a new release and I liked it, but if I remember correctly, the plot line/story was a bit hard to follow at times – which is how I have felt about Penny’s last couple of Three Pines books. Maybe I am just too tired/overwhelmed to process complicated plot lines? IDK. So I think I am done with Three Pines books, as sad as that makes me.
Right now I am reading “Mercy” which I read about in the Bookpage publication at my library. It’s one of the 3 books I put on my list of books to vote on for our 2026 book club but it didn’t get chosen. When the book opens, a daughter asks her father “what’s the worst thing you’ve ever done.” He lies to her, but the book is about a decision he made to leave a friend he’d gotten high with at an ER in NYC and the regret he feels for that decision. The book is almost more like linked short stories as we hear from different characters. It’s really well done IMO and it’s short – less than 300 pages!
I haven’t read the latest Three Pines books, but they are getting noticeably darker and more complex. Since I listen on audio, they’re easy to put on in the background and not listen TOO deeply. I just can’t give up Armand Gamache!
I am so glad you loved Lovelight Farms. Yay!!!!
I’ve been wondering about State of Terror. I think it would be too hard to read now too.
I am reading Tell Me Lies, and listening to Just A Heartbeat Away (and reading the aviation weather textbook).
Yeah, I’d definitely steer clear of State of Terror right now – it just made me sad because it didn’t feel real! Gah.
I added the first one to me tbs and maybe I pick it up next year.
Currently I am trying to read a book called My Norethpole. While it is interesting it is a historic deep dive into all explorers and I had hoped for an emotional personal story to prepare me for the arctic. It is still interesting but it’s taking forever. Two month and I might have hit 50%? Also I am trying to read Age of the Innocence. I am not finding quiet moments to read and if my mind is elsewhere. Feels like that state has been going on forever.