"Rainshadow Road" By: Lisa Kleypas Review

"Rainshadow Road"

By: Lisa Kleypas

Synopsis from Amazon:

Lucy Marinn is a glass artist living in mystical, beautiful, Friday Harbor, Washington.  She is stunned and blindsided by the most bitter kind of betrayal:  her fiancé Kevin has left her.  His new lover is Lucy’s own sister.   Lucy's bitterness over being dumped is multiplied by the fact that she has constantly made the wrong choices in her romantic life.   Facing the severe disapproval of Lucy's parents, Kevin asks his friend Sam Nolan, a local vineyard owner on San Juan Island, to "romance" Lucy and hopefully loosen her up and get her over her anger. Complications ensue when Sam and Lucy begin to fall in love, Kevin has second thoughts, and Lucy discovers that the new relationship in her life began under false pretenses. Questions about love, loyalty, old patterns, mistakes, and new beginnings are explored as Lucy learns that some things in life—even after being broken—can be made into something new and beautiful.

My Thoughts:
     I love Lisa Kleypas books. There, I said it. I love them. They make me happy. They are the kind of book you can pick up at any time, read it, and end up smiling. While “Rainshadow Road” isn't going to go down as my favorite romance of all time, it did leave me smiling.
     Lucy is living in Friday Harbor, pretty much having a perfect life, until her sister and her boyfriend (Kevin) decide they are in love and want to get married. Pretty much leaving Lucy shocked, alone, and heart broken.
     Sam has known Kevin since they were younger, but is surprised when Kevin asks him to pretend to date Lucy. Kevin thinks that if Lucy finds a new man, his new girlfriend (Lucy's Sister) will like him better and her family will be better able to accept the switch. Got all that? Sam kind of goes with it and yet doesn't...its kind of a weird situation, but he does become interested in Lucy.
     Lucy and Sam are kind of thrown together in a weird mad romance that at points make you go what? They have seen each other like two times and suddenly Lucy is staying at the Nolan's house. I actually read this part 2x because it seemed to come out of left field. I also think Sam was kind of shady in his dealings with Kevin, instead of coming out and telling Lucy he knew him it was kind of kept as a secret. I know it probably needed to be that way for plot but it was annoying.
     The characters aren't as fully developed as they are in the predecessor "Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor" and the plot isn't as tight, but you do come to enjoy Sam and Lucy. They verbally spar for most of the novel which I always enjoy. Quick wit is always fun and Sam is full of it. I also liked delving into the Nolan family again and hearing more about the characters from the first title. I'm looking forward to "Dream Lake" coming out later this year!

Book Details

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Date of Publication: February 28, 2012

# of Pages: 336

ISBN: 978 - 0312605889

Friday Harbor Series

"Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor" (Oct 2011)

"Rainshadow Road" (Feb 2012)

"Dream Lake" (Aug 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)

"Smooth Talking Stranger" By: Lisa Kleypas Review

"Smooth Talking Stranger"

By: Lisa Kleypas

Synopsis from Amazon:

Jack Travis leads the uncomplicated life of a millionaire Texas playboy.  He makes no commitments, he loves many women, he lives for pleasure.  But no one has ever truly touched his heart or soul.  Until one day, a woman appears on his doorstep with fury on her face and a baby in her arms.  It seems Jack is the father and this woman is the baby’s aunt. The real mother has abandoned the child to her more responsible sister.  And now, Jack is being called upon to take responsibility for the first time in his life.  With delicious romantic tension, characters so real they walk onto the page and into your heart, Lisa Kleypas delivers the kind of novel that makes you laugh, love; cry and cheer. 

My Thoughts:

      Lisa Kleypas is one of those authors for me that when she's on, she's fire hot...but when she is a little off her game, she loses me. "Smooth Talking Stranger" is Kleypas at her best, with a wonderful romance, great characters, strong women and a pretty awesome hero. 

      Jack Travis is the brother of Gage Travis, the hero of "Sugar Daddy." Jack is a son of a millionaire, owns his own business, and isn't used to anyone telling him what to do or telling him no. He meets Ella Varner, our heroine, when she accuses him of fathering her sister's baby. When its proven that he isn't, Jack sets out to help Ella out with this brand new baby she has kind of inherited.

      Characterization is so important, and I think that its something Kleypas shines at. Writing a character so well that you can know she is going to do next or how she will feel is something pretty unique and wonderful. The romance was wonderful, no doubt about that, but it was so fun to see Ella come out of her shell. She was reserved and knew everything when she arrived in town, and it was interesting to see her character develop. The characters are real too. If your sister is a druggie who doesn't take care of her child, what do you do? Your mad but you help - which is what Ella did superbly in this novel.

      "Smooth Talking Stranger," is a wonderful romance, that should be an example of what is great about romance today. The only gripe I have is that Kleypas isn't going to write any more in this series, leaving the youngest brother without his own story. A uniquely written contemporary romance that leaves you wanting more! What else can you ask for? Really? 

Book Details

Publisher: St. Martins Publications

Date of Publication: March 31, 2009

# of Pages: 352

ISBN: 978-0312351663

"Sugar Daddy" By: Lisa Kleypas Review

"Sugar Daddy"

By: Lisa Kleypas

Synopsis from Amazon:

SHE'S FROM THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS

Liberty Jones has dreams and determination that will take her far away from Welcome, Texas---if she can keep her wild heart from ruling her mind. Hardy Cates sees Liberty as completely off-limits. His own ambitions are bigger than Welcome, and Liberty Jones is a complication he doesn't need. But something magical and potent draws them to each other, in a dangerous attraction that is stronger than both of them.  

HE'S THE ONE MAN SHE CAN'T HAVE

When Hardy leaves town to pursue his plans, Liberty finds herself alone with a young sister to raise. Soon Liberty finds herself under the spell of a billionaire tycoon---a Sugar Daddy, one might say. But the relationship goes deeper than people think, and Liberty begins to discover secrets about her own family's past.  

WILL THEY FIND THEIR HEARTS' DESIRES OR WILL HEARTBREAK TEAR THEM APART

Two men. One woman. A choice that can make her or break her. A woman you'll root for every step of the way. A love story you'll never forget.

My Thoughts:
     I'm going to start this off on a negative note and end on a positive, so be prepared. This is perhaps my least liked Lisa Kleypas book. I read it when it came out and HATED the first person narrative that I didn't finish. I didn't like Hardy the so-called hero and I felt so bad for our heroine that I didn't pick it up until recently. While it is still probably my least liked Kleypas novel, I can say that the second time around was much better than the first!
      "Sugar Daddy" is a complete departure from what most readers would categorize as classic Kleypas. It's a contemporary novel and written in first person while spanning decades. The book description is a bit of a misnomer, Hardy isn't the hero of the novel although he is a friend of Liberty's in the beginning. Easily the first half of the book deals with Liberty's life as a poor Latino girl living in a trailer court, with a fairly useless Mother, and an infant sister who relies on her. Her Mother is killed and Liberty decides to care for her sister and refuses to give her up for adoption. She works thankless jobs for minimum wages to put food on the table until suddenly, things start looking up. Mysteriously she gets a scholarship for school, money here and there, a sudden job offer...and on and on. 
      At the salon she's working at, an older man starts coming in for manicures. He turns out to be a multi-millionaire and over several months they become friends. He has an accident and decides she should quit her job at the salon and come to work for him as a secretary. Of course his children are suspicious, heck I would be. Anyway, she has this love hate relationship with his oldest son, Gabe, AND Gabe turns out to be the hero. It's such a long journey getting there but the payoff is almost worth it.
       Gabe is one of those heroes that is quiet, reserved, but has a lot of passion hidden. He doesn't mind the responsibility of Liberty's sister, he's interested in helping out and rolls with the punches. I loved Gabe until Hardy comes back in the picture. Suddenly Liberty's childhood friend Hardy comes back into the picture and he graciously steps back. Bleh. I was incensed that he would just step back and let her decide. Maybe I've read too many romance novels, but I just don't see that happening in real life.
      So in recap, the book is really only ok. I enjoyed the journey and the destination, it was just the pitstops that I didn't care for. It's a fast paced book and Liberty is a fun, strong heroine...but the men she chooses to surround herself with just make you roll your eyes. PLEASE don't start reading Lisa Kleypas with this novel because she is just an incredible novelist. "Mine til Midnight," "Lady Sophia's Lover," and "It Happened One Autumn" are all amazing romances that will bowl you over. 

Book Details

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Date of Publication: March 6, 2007

# of Pages: 432

2012 Krazy Kleypas Reading Challenge

Are you Lisa Kleypas' number one fan?

 Well, if you belong to either extreme or somewhere in between the Krazy Klepas Reading Challenge 2012 is perfect for you!

Sponsored by: Under the Covers Book Blog

Here’s the rundown:
1. The Krazy Kleypas Reading Challenge runs from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. You can join at anytime during the year. This is a 2012 challenge, so books read before then will not count to your progress. 

2. Pick whichever category you like! You can get your feet wet and just do 1-3 books or develop a full blown obsession and try and read them all! You can change your mind at any time, if 1-3 books is not enough feel free to go on to the next category.

3. Re-reads are acceptable.

I've signed up for : Category Four -12-16 Books

Kleypas Addiction

Books I've read to complete the 

Krazy Kleypas Reading Challenge

1. "Sugar Daddy" (Published 2007)
2. "Smooth Talking Strangers" (Published 2009)
3. "Rainshadow Road" (Published 2012)
4. "Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor" (Published 2010) 
5. "Dream Lake" (Published 2012)