Hi all!
Today I am ranking Laurie Gilmore’s Dream Harbor series. Each book follows a different couple, set within the charming town of Dream Harbor. They are all interconnected, so whilst you can techinically read them as standalone romance novels, you will lose some of the context and inside-jokes. If you’re a fan of Hallmark movies, Gilmore Girls, cosy vibes and spice, I recommend picking them up. Having said that, I have gone on a very interesting journey with this author (more on that down below). She has the potential to deliver compelling stories, yet at times, introduces problematic plotlines and frustrating endings. Just when I think she’s nailed it, her characters say or do something to make me audibly groan. I wish she focused more on depth and less on recycled sex scenes. I have a lot to say, so without further ado, let’s get into it!
Light spoilers ahead!
Note: The Apple Pie Ice Cream Parlor novella will be out in Australia April 2027. I will cover it then.
1.) The Strawberry Patch Pancake House
In first place, I have The Strawberry Patch Pancake House.
World-renowned chef and single dad, Archer, never planned on moving to a small town, let alone running a pancake restaurant. But Dream Harbor needs a new cook, and Archer needs a community to help raise his daughter, Olive.
Iris has never managed to hold down a job for more than a few months. So when she learns that Archer is looking for a live-in nanny, she almost runs in the opposite direction. Soon, Iris finds herself in a whole new world. One where her gorgeous new boss lives right across the hall and likes to cook topless. Keeping everything strictly professional should be easy, right?
In my opinion, this book is the best example of Laurie Gilmore’s potential. It has a significant amount of depth to it. Introducing a vulnerable child, plus a father new to parenting, helped achieve that. Iris herself has to navigate the slippery slope of trying not to replace Olive’s deceased mother, whilst still being a solid presence in her life. The author managed to nail that balance. Furthermore, the pacing paid off. One of my big issues with this series is there’s no build-up to the intimacy. The characters tend to just jump right in. In The Strawberry Patch Pancake House, we don’t get a kiss until approx 200 pages in. The chemistry between Archer and Iris was palpable. We, as readers, were able to bask in their flirtation before getting to the good stuff. Moreover, the story touched me. There was an unexpected twist toward the end I didn’t see coming. It made me quite emotional, which doesn’t tend to happen in a Dream Harbor novel. I wish Laurie always wrote in this way.
2.) The Daisy Chain Flower Shop
In second place, I have Laurie’s latest full-length novel: The Daisy Chain Flower Shop.
Daisy is fed up with being unlucky in love. After several weddings she has worked end in divorce, her beloved flower shop gains a reputation of being cursed, thanks to Mayor Kelly and his infamous visions.
Dream Harbor newcomer, Elliot, has been adjusting to town life, following his own relationship turmoil. Until now, he’s avoided Daisy’s store at all costs. If the mayor is correct, he doesn’t need any more bad luck in his life. But with his family coming to visit, Elliot finds himself reluctantly in need of some flowers. As the petals blossom in the sunlight, Daisy and Elliot learn that love comes when you’re least expecting it.
This book was a pleasant surprise, yet not without its faults. I enjoy the fake-dating trope. It’s always super fun, despite its prediticability. Moreover, Daisy and Elliot were a charming couple. I totally bought their romance. I also found myself welling up over their character growth. There was something nice about Daisy reclaiming the curse, by turning it into a blessing. However, I took issue with the frustrating ending. We fast-forward into their future, where they are getting ready to attend their child’s graduation. Instead of it being a wholesome moment, it became icky. With the daughter in the next room, the lovers decide to have a quickie before going to the ceremony. It was such a tacky way to close out what I thought was a solid story. I wish I could say this was a one-off but our Laurie Gilmore is a repeat offender…
3.) The Christmas Tree Farm
In third place, we have The Christmas Tree Farm. A major plus about Laurie Gilmore is she loves Taylor Swift as much as I do! I like how she includes musical playlists at the beginning of each book.
Kira North hates Christmas. Which is unfortunate, since she just bought a Christmas tree farm in a town too cute for its own good. Bennett Ellis is on vacation in Dream Harbor, trying to take a break from both his life and constant desire to fix things.
Yet somehow, fate finds Ben trapped by a blanket of snow at Kira’s farm. Despite her Grinchiest first impressions, with the glow of the fairy lights twinkling in the trees, and the promise of a warming hot chocolate, maybe these two lost souls will have a Christmas they’ll remember forever…
This book is super cute. It’s the perfect holiday romance to get you in the seasonal spirit. Having said that, nothing happens. At all. It has a very basic, run-of-the-mill plot. Kira doesn’t have any major obstacles to overcome and Bennett’s biggest issue is he’s a hot guy who likes to fix things. Poor sod! The pair had fantastic chemistry and the steamy scenes were a lot of fun but there really wasn’t any depth or substance to uncover. It was all vibes.
4.) The Cinnamon Bun Book Store
In fourth place, we have The Cinnamon Bun Book Store. Sounds like a perfect combination, right?
When a secret message turns up hidden in a book in the Cinnamon Bun Bookstore, Hazel can’t understand it. As more secret codes appear between the pages, she decides to follow the trail of clues, with a handsome helper in tow…
Gorgeous and outgoing fisherman, Noah, is always up for an adventure. And a scavenger hunt sounds like a lot of fun. Even better that the cute bookseller he’s been crushing on for months is the one who wants his help! Hazel didn’t go looking for romance, but as the treasure hunt leads her and Noah around Dream Harbor, their undeniable chemistry might be just as hot as the fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon buns the bookstore sells.
The Cinnamon Bun Book Store was a big disappointment. It started off so well, I was certain it would be my favourite of the bunch. There was an adventerous quality to the story I was really vibing with. I loved the scavenger hunt aspect. And then (see The Daisy Chain Flower Shop) we got to the ending. Laurie truly struggles to land that damn plane! Hazel and Noah (who had only been dating for about a month), decide to travel to an island, where not only does Noah get Hazel’s name spontaneously tattooed on him, he springs a random proposal on her and they get hitched! It wasn’t even romantic – more of a “how about it?” My eyes couldn’t have rolled any harder! They also kissed way too early in the book for my liking. No build-up at all.
5.) The Pumpkin Spice Cafe
In fifth place, we have the first book in the Dream Harbor series: The Pumpkin Spice Cafe.
When Jeanie’s aunt gifts her the beloved Pumpkin Spice Cafe in the small town of Dream Harbor, she jumps at the chance for a fresh start away from her very dull desk job.
Logan is a local farmer who avoids Dream Harbor’s gossip at all costs. Jeanie’s arrival was meant to disrupt his routine, except he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her. Will Jeanie’s happy-go-lucky attitude win over the grumpy-but-gorgeous Logan, or has this city girl found the one person in town who won’t fall for her charm, or her pumpkin spice lattes…
There was one glaringly big issue with The Pumpkin Spice Cafe that I just couldn’t see beyond. The minute Jeanie moved to Dream Harbor, she was told not to mess around with Logan’s heart. If she couldn’t commit to him, she had to basically pack-up shop and leave. Firstly, she didn’t even know him. Secondly, why all the pressure to move so quickly? Casually dating Logan was never an option for her. She had to be all in, or get out. It was such an off-putting plotline, I couldn’t celebrate their romance. Their love was genuine but the way it was presented to readers was baffling and outdated. This is not the 1800s!
6.) The Gingerbread Bakery
In last place, I have The Gingerbread Bakery. Oof – this one was rough!
Mac Sullivan has everything he wants, except the girl of his dreams. It’s easier to argue with Annie than get her to talk to him, but with Jeanie and Logan’s wedding coming up, they’re about to spend a lot more time together.
As the snowflakes fall and with romance in the air, will Annie finally see that the one she loves to hate, might just be her perfect match after all?
This is easily the worst book I’ve read this year. To understand my disappointment, I need to briefly explain the lore. Fans had been asking for Annie and Mac’s story for years. Laurie finally bit the bullet and published it. It has the second-chance romance trope; meaning they had dated before, broke up and years later, wanted to give things another go. However, I believe because of the pressure, Gilmore rushed it. This was not the best version she could’ve delivered. It was far too short, lacking any sort of plot. If Annie and Mac weren’t arguing, nothing else was happening. It was just a lot of dialogue between the pair. Not only that – and this was the most egregious mistake of all – Annie slaps Mac in the face during a fight. Physical violence isn’t okay just because he’s a man. I don’t understand why Laurie wrote that in. It was hard to root for Annie or her relationship after that. To make matters worse, The Gingerbread Bakery was the first book I read in the Dream Harbor series! I almost gave up before I began! Luckily, things improved from there.
Thank you so much for reading. How would you rank the Dream Harbor series? Sorry for being so negative. I always want to be honest with my readers. I will continue to support Laurie because I know she has the potential to deliver great stories. She’s certainly heading in the right direction.
Peace & Love xoxo
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