Thursday, May 10, 2012

"Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor" By: Lisa Kleypas Review


"Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor"
By: Lisa Kleypas

Synopsis from Goodreads:
ONE LITTLE GIRL NEEDS A FAMILY
One rain-slicked night, six-year-old Holly lost the only parent she knew, her beloved mother Victoria. And since that night, she has never again spoken a word.
ONE SINGLE MAN NEEDS A WIFE
The last thing Mark Nolan needs is a six-year-old girl in his life. But he soon realizes that he will do everything he can to make her life whole again. His sister’s will gives him the instructions: There’s no other choice but you. Just start by loving her. The rest will follow.
SOMETIMES, IT TAKES A LITTLE MAGIC…
Maggie Collins doesn’t dare believe in love again, after losing her husband of one year. But she does believe in the magic of imagination. As the owner of a toy shop, she lives what she loves. And when she meets Holly Nolan, she sees a little girl in desperate need of a little magic.
…TO MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE
Three lonely people. Three lives at the crossroads. Three people who are about to discover that Christmas is the time of year when anything is possible, and when wishes have a way of finding the path home…


My Thoughts:
     “Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor” is the beginning of Kleypas' new Friday Harbor series. I had been putting off reading this romance because I'm not a huge fan of Christmas stories or contemporaries. However, as always, anything written by Lisa Kleypas is pretty magical and this book is no exception.
      The story opens with a funeral. Mark Nolan's sister has just passed away and he is now charged with caring for his six year old niece. Mark will be her chief caretaker while his two brothers will try to help. He doesn't know a single things about kids and is scared to death he will scare or hurt the little girl.
      Months go by and Mark's niece, Holly, doesn't speak a word...until one day they visit Maggie Collins' store. Maggie, Mark and Holly bond over fairy houses and its at the store Holly speaks her first words since her mother's death. Mark is impressed by Maggie's unspoken connection with the little girl and is intrigued by Maggie.
      The magic of this book is the pacing. You fall in love with the characters slowly before they even know one another. Mark is intrigued by Maggie when she helps Holly, but they truly don't connect until they are on the ferry together. You connect with the characters before they connect with one another, which doesn't happen very often.   You love the characters, their little quirks, and when they persevere, you do too.
      Kleypas has written a sweet, short beginning to start her new series. Light and fluffy, yet with enough depth to keep you interested, “Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor” is a romance not to be missed. Wonderful characters, Sunday afternoon romance, and an enchanting background come together to create a magical romance. I loved being swept away to Friday Harbor and you will too. You don't even have to read it at Christmas!

Product Description
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Date of Publication: October 4, 2011
# of Pages: 240
ISBN: 978-0312605872

Friday Harbor Series
"Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor" (Oct 2011)
"Rainshadow Road" (Feb 2012)
"Dream Lake" (Aug 2012)

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