Christmas in Lucky Harbor: Simply Irresistible/the Sweetest Thing

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Christmas in Lucky Harbor: Simply Irresistible/the Sweetest Thing (Lucky Harbor #1-2)

by Jill Shalvis (Goodreads Author)

4.34 of 5 stars 4.34 · rating details · 497 ratings · 54 reviews

Love awaits you in Lucky Harbor . . .

Simply Irresistible
After losing her boyfriend and her job, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim her inheritance-a ramshackle inn nestled in the little town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. She sees the potential for a new home and a new career-if she can give the inn the makeover it needs. Enter Jax, a tall, handsome contractor who knows exactly wha...more

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Published (first published November 1st 2011)

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Oct 15, 2012 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-for-review, two-books-in-one, author-jill-shalvis, holiday-christmas-themed, funny-sexy-romantic, series-lucky-harbor, first-in-series, 2011-reads, 5-stars, format-ebook-for-netgalley, reviewed-by-me, reviewed-for-netgalley

Christmas in Lucky Harbor is actually the first two books in the Lucky Harbor series; Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing, and if you've ever thought about visiting Lucky Harbor, now's the time when you can get two great stories for the price of one! And honestly, I loved them so much that I read both stories in less than two days, and yet I'm finding it nearly impossible to review them now because there is just so much to tell, so many funny quotes, so many sigh-worthy moments... I just...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Kerry sullivan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

This is the summary off the back of the book
Love awaits you in Lucky Harbor . . .

Simply Irresistible
After losing her boyfriend and her job, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim her inheritance-a ramshackle inn nestled in the little town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. She sees the potential for a new home and a new career-if she can give the inn the makeover it needs. Enter Jax, a tall, handsome contractor who knows exactly what Maddie needs...

The Sweetest Thing
Helping her sister set up the family in...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Anne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hot, Hot, Hot

Herzlich Willkommen in Lucky Harbor! Einem fiktiven, kleinen Städtchen unmittelbar vor den Toren Seattles im wunderschönen Bundesstaat North Washington, wo Jill Shalvis ihre neue Serie spielen lässt. Ich persönlich habe mich vom ersten Moment an zuhause gefühlt an diesem Ort, wo die Menschen unglaublich herzlich sind und der Klatsch und Tratsch von den Bäumen zu fallen scheint.
Zugeben, der Plot ist weder herausragend noch innovativ: Drei Schwestern; ein Hand voll familiärer Problem...more Hot, Hot, Hot

Herzlich Willkommen in Lucky Harbor! Einem fiktiven, kleinen Städtchen unmittelbar vor den Toren Seattles im wunderschönen Bundesstaat North Washington, wo Jill Shalvis ihre neue Serie spielen lässt. Ich persönlich habe mich vom ersten Moment an zuhause gefühlt an diesem Ort, wo die Menschen unglaublich herzlich sind und der Klatsch und Tratsch von den Bäumen zu fallen scheint.
Zugeben, der Plot ist weder herausragend noch innovativ: Drei Schwestern; ein Hand voll familiärer Probleme; ein tragisches Ereignis, das sie alle zusammenbringt – und natürlich das obligatorische Set von umwerfenden Männern.
Aber um ehrlich zu sein, der Plot ist sowieso nur die Hintergrundgeschichte zu großartigen zwischenmenschlichen Beziehungen, und dafür ist er vollkommen ausreichend.

Darf ich vorstellen: Maddie – mittleres Kind und graue Maus. Sie ist die Protagonistin von Simple Irresistible und wirkt anfänglich wie das typische Mauerblümchen. Maddie’s bisheriges Leben war nicht gerad angenehm oder traumhaft, Lucky Harbor ist ihre Chance für einen Neuanfang – mit ihren Schwestern und ohne Männer. Auftritt Jax – heiß, charmant, schlau und so unglaublich herzensgut. Und schon sieht Maggie ihre Pläne für ein neues, keusches Leben davon schwimmen …
Darf ich vorstellen: Tara – älteste Schwester und Magnolie aus Stahl. Sie ist die Protagonistin des zweiten Romans in Shalvis‘ Lucky-Harbor-Reihe, The Sweetest Thing. Genau wie Maddie hat auch Tara ihr altes Leben zurückgelassen, aber im Gegensatz zu ihrer Schwester ist sie nicht besonders scharf auf Lucky Harbor. Tara scheint von ihrer Vergangenheit verfolgt zu werden, und diese ist eng verbunden mit einem gewissen Mann. Auftritt Ford, Jax‘ verdammt heißer Segelkumpel. Und wie schon Maddie vor ihr, sieht auch Tara sich mit einer unerwarteten Änderung ihrer Pläne konfrontiert …
Jill Shalvis hat eine Reihe sehr leicht zugänglicher Charaktere geschaffen. Schnell identifiziert man sich mit den Frauen und noch schneller verfällt man den Männern. Auch ich muss zugeben, dass sowohl Jax als auch Ford meinen Wunschvorstellungen kompromisslos entsprechen … *lol*
Es ist pures Vergnügen mitzuerleben, wie die Schwester sich auf Lucky Harbor – und ihre jeweiligen Männern – einlassen.

Shalvis Schreibstil ist nicht nur leicht und sexy sondern auch verdammt humorvoll. Während des Lesens habe ich mehr als nur einmal Tränen gelacht. Die Autorin schreibt unglaublich detailreich und hat keinerlei Probleme, die Fantasy ihrer Leser anzuregen.
Shalvis hat eine Welt geschaffen, die sofort süchtig macht und einen mit dem starken Verlangen nach mehr zurücklässt. Ich stimme komplett mit Robyn Carr überein, die Simple Irresistible wie folgt beschreibt: „[h]ot, sweet, fun and romantic! Pure pleasure!“.

Wenn ihr nach einen Buch sucht, dass euch für eine Weile auf Wolke 7 entführt, dann besorgt euch Christmas in Lucky Harbor. Ihr bekommt zwei Bücher zum Preis von einem und werdet definitiv viel Spaß haben!
Ich kann es kaum erwarten, Head over Heels und die drei Folgebände, die 2012 veröffentlicht werden, in die Hände zu bekommen. In diesem Sinne, viel Spaß beim Lesen!

Originally posted at Living in a Fairy World (less)

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Jan 18, 2012 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved this book!!! My review will appear at Romancing the Book - so please be sure to check it out!
The link to my review: http://www.romancing-the-book.com/201...

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Dec 11, 2012 Jeannie and Louis Rigod rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This title is a grouping of the first two novels in a splendid series. The first novel is "Simply Irresistible" and the second is "The Sweetest Thing." Both are complete in their own works, but together, this book was a joy to read.

If you enjoy contemporary romance, with humor, true love stories, and more, then this book is for you.

Simply stated, the first novel reunites three step-sisters after their Mother passes on leaving them a run-down property in Lucky Harbor, Washington. To add to their...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Bibliojunkies rated it 4 of 5 stars

Love awaits you in Lucky Harbor . . .

Simply Irresistible

After losing her boyfriend and her job, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim her inheritance-a ramshackle inn nestled in the little town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. She sees the potential for a new home and a new career-if she can give the inn the makeover it needs. Enter Jax, a tall, handsome contractor who knows exactly what Maddie needs...

The Sweetest Thing

Helping her sister set up the family inn is just the thing to make Tara forget her ex-...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Romancing the Book rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christmas, contemporary, romance

Reviewed By~April
Review Copy Provided By~Net Galley

I dare you to not fall in complete love with these characters, not to find yourself absorbed within their lives and not to burst out in laughter several times throughout reading Christmas in Lucky Harbor! I truly do – and if you do manage these feats, I want to know, lol!

First off, Christmas in Lucky Harbor is the combination of Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing, the first two novels in the Lucky Harbor series. The series focuses on thr...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Suzanne Barrett rated it 4 of 5 stars

Christmas in Lucky Harbor is my first Jill Shalvis book. Actually, it's two books in one, the first being Simply Irresistible.

Maddie Moore, middle daughter of free-spirited and now deceased Phoebe Traeger, has just lost her job and her boyfriend. Having nowhere else to go, she descends on Lucky Harbor and the dilapidated inn bequeathed to her and her half sisters by Phoebe. It was Phoebe's wish to reunite the sisters, even though they're practically strangers.

Maddie, known as "the Mouse" is in d...more Christmas in Lucky Harbor is my first Jill Shalvis book. Actually, it's two books in one, the first being Simply Irresistible.

Maddie Moore, middle daughter of free-spirited and now deceased Phoebe Traeger, has just lost her job and her boyfriend. Having nowhere else to go, she descends on Lucky Harbor and the dilapidated inn bequeathed to her and her half sisters by Phoebe. It was Phoebe's wish to reunite the sisters, even though they're practically strangers.

Maddie, known as "the Mouse" is in dire financial straits, but something about the inn calls to her and she's determined to restore it and run it as her mother would have wished. All this goes contrary to her sisters' ideas-sell it and get out. Maddie, however, persuades them to give it a trial.

Enter ex-lawyer Jax Cullen, now a contractor and part-time bartender, also the man Maddie literally ran down on her entry into Lucky Harbor. While Maddie has no interest in beginning a new romantic relationship, drop-dead gorgeous Jax turns her on to the point of distraction. Can she maintain her cool enough to get the inn running and at the same time become friends with her sisters? It's a tall order, but Maddie's determined not to remain the Mouse, and jax is determined to help her out-any way he can.

I loved the town of Lucky Harbor and its quirky inhabitants. The interaction, snappy dialogue between Maddie and Jax, and between Maddie and her sisters, was enchanting. The sexual attraction was hot and nonstop and made for a page-turning read.

The Sweetest Thing is book two and Tara's story.

Tara Daniels is the oldest sibling, the serious one. She appears to have her act together, but a return to Lucky Harbor where she spent her seventeenth year, mostly in the arms of Ford Walker, is more of a challenge than she's prepared to handle. Their history is one Tara would like to forget, but when easy-going Ford turns up the charm, all she can remember is how he was the only man to completely fill her life, which makes her all the more determined to get her life back on track without the distraction of one sexy sailor.

Tara and Ford both have issues, and their romance takes a bumpy ride as they work out what each of them wants. Meanwhile, there's plenty of top-notch sex and enough innuendos to make you wonder if these characters think about anything but blatant sex 24/7.

If you love modern, uninhibited women and hot, hot sex, this may be the book for you. I enjoyed the story, certainly loved seeing how Maddie, Tara and younger sister Chloe grew closer as a family, but I found myself skipping pages of sexual description to get to the plot. (less)

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Dec 24, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, holiday

originally posted at http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...

Written in a way that almost guarantees “happily ever after”, this compilation is a great way to spend a long, snowy weekend. You need to supply the roaring fireplace, hot beverage, and someone to cuddle next to . . . . but Ms. Shalvis will supply the rest!

Simply Irresistible:

For someone who feels they are a “loser” and “mousy”, Maddie certainly does her best to browbeat her sisters into keeping and improving their inheritance. She als...more

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Dec 16, 2011 Julie Barrett rated it 5 of 5 stars

Christmas in Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis
This book there is actually 2 stories included along with a knitting pattern that goes with the first story and a recipe that goes with the second story.

Simply Irresistible
The story starts out with the 3 sisters meeting at Lucky Harbor to look over the resort their mother has left them. The girls had not seen each other in years and didn't stay in close touch with their mother.
I all ready love this book and know I will love it further as the decriptions...more

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Nov 17, 2011 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Christmas in Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis

Christmas in Lucky Harbor is an omnibus containing the first two “Lucky Harbor” stories Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing. These books tell the story of three estranged half-sisters that are brought together after their mothers’ death to figure out what to do with the inn that she has left to the three of them.

Simply Irresistible is the story of the middle sister Maddie aka the Mouse. Maddie comes to Lucky Harbor after being fired for spilling ho...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Christa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook-arc

Christmas in Lucky Harbor was a winning combination of the first two novels in Shalvis' Lucky Harbor series. Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing are the two books included in the anthology. The two stories introduce us to three sisters who were raised separately and haven't had the opportunity to know one another well. The Sweetest Thing was my favorite of the two stories. In the two books included, we get to know Maddie, the meek sister, Tara, the controlling one, and Chloe, the wild chi...more

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Dec 08, 2011 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: net_galley, contemporary-romance

I received this anthology of the first two books in the series from netgalley, and they made a wonderfully entertaining, sweet Christmas read (even though one of them actually is set in the summer).

I'm not going to go over all the other points in some of the reviews below or give a plot synopsis, but I'll just emphasize a few points, and why I couldn't give it 5 stars.

I really love the way this author writes contemporary romance. It's incredibly witty, with a realistic bite in every paragraph, b...more I received this anthology of the first two books in the series from netgalley, and they made a wonderfully entertaining, sweet Christmas read (even though one of them actually is set in the summer).

I'm not going to go over all the other points in some of the reviews below or give a plot synopsis, but I'll just emphasize a few points, and why I couldn't give it 5 stars.

I really love the way this author writes contemporary romance. It's incredibly witty, with a realistic bite in every paragraph, but is also comforting in that I can completely relate to how this author sees the world. This is the world in which a lot of people live, but she still manages to give it a twist and make it fun and interesting. It's also not too down-homey, or hokey, or just plain irritating. This author doesn't talk down to her readers - sadly, I've noticed that some contemporary romance authors can't seem to help themselves, and seem to be writing directly for the archetypal Walmart shopper, without really understanding who buys their books (wherever they happen to buy them).

I really like the small town setting and cast of characters in this series. Normally, it would REALLY annoy me - like the author was painting some prettily perfect world that no one could possibly aspire too, and there is some element of Lucky Harbor being some kind of picture book town, strewn with gingerbread houses, but it works OK for me. I used to live for a time in such a town (which was also a harbor and had cottages the color of marshmallows), but, believe me, it had it's share of idiots and drunken kids, just like everywhere else, so I'm incredibly skeptical if authors paint their small-down hokey settings as too frikkin' perfect. I think it also helps that the author doesn't really spend much time on secondary characters, except to tell us that they exist. I'm fine with that.

The romance is hot. Not scorching, but still nicely warming for a cool evening.

So, why didn't I give it 5 stars? Well, the heroes are gorgeous, tall, hard, built like gods and the heroines come in all shapes and sizes, between them have enough hang-ups/issues to make a decent-sized Walmart Thanksgiving sale crush, and are "brought around", generally, to the heroes' way of thinking by the end of the story. As I was reading the second book, I couldn't help wishing that there was just one hero who wasn't so perfect, and that there was just one heroine who wasn't quite so screwed up, and that, just for once, the hero and heroine could both come to some sort of equal acceptance of what their future might be, with real compromise from both parties. There was just too much of the old heroine-as-victim-but-I'm-courageously-working-on-it-in-a-suitably-attractive-fragile-way for me to give it 5 stars, no matter how well it was written.

So, 3.5 stars, bump it up to 4 because it's Christmas, and I'm sure I'll read the others in the series.(less)

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Oct 21, 2011 Erika Badass rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was my first swaree into Jill Shalvis, and I can honestly say that I will be taking a look at her back list. She is an author that has been on my TBR list for a long time, but never seemed to get around to her books, Something else would grab me, and then something else, and so on, so when I saw this available on NetGalley, I immediately snapped it up!

Simply Irresistible, is Maddie and Jax's story. and I am giving it Three Stars.

Why Three and not Four? Simple. I personally have issues with...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Estara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: small town contemporary romance funs who enjoy humor

Recommended to Estara by: Angie

Shelves: ebook, read-in-2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Simply Irresistible:

I really, really enjoyed the realistic interaction of the three sisters, who aren't just rough around the edges at the start but keep to their personal idiosyncrasies throughout (with the truth that if you love family, you have to love them, warts and all). The meet-cute between Maddie and Jax was one the one hand hilarious, on the other rather over the top, and I already commented that the hot kissing on the first day of their acquaintance with the way Maddie is introduced a...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Sharon Tyler rated it 4 of 5 stars

Christmas in Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis is a compilation of two previously published novels, Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing. It is due to be released on November 1 2011. Both stories revolve around three half-sisters coming together after the death of their mother to take charge of the inn left to them in the will. Tara, Maggie, and Chloe barely know each other, and come to town bearing secrets and wounded hearts and very different goals. The town residents already feel like they k...more

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Feb 26, 2012 Brandy rated it 5 of 5 stars

My first books (2 in 1) by author, Jill Shalvis...'Simply irresistable' and 'The Sweetest Things' (2 stories from her Lucky Harbor series.) About 3 estranged/or I should say, 3 sister's who didn't grow up together. Maddie 'The Mouse', Tara, the southern belle (oldest sister), and Chloe, (the youngest 'Wild Child'.) Who are thrown together, when they have to restore and run an Inn in quaint, Lucky Harbor in their Mother's will.

'Simply Irresistable' starts with Maddie. After leaving her abusive bo...more My first books (2 in 1) by author, Jill Shalvis...'Simply irresistable' and 'The Sweetest Things' (2 stories from her Lucky Harbor series.) About 3 estranged/or I should say, 3 sister's who didn't grow up together. Maddie 'The Mouse', Tara, the southern belle (oldest sister), and Chloe, (the youngest 'Wild Child'.) Who are thrown together, when they have to restore and run an Inn in quaint, Lucky Harbor in their Mother's will.

'Simply Irresistable' starts with Maddie. After leaving her abusive boyfriend, and losing her job over it, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim her inheritance-a run down Inn nestled in the little town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. Maddie see's the potential for a new home and new career-if she can give the inn the makeover it needs and convince her sister's NOT to sell it after fixing it up. Enter Jax 'Jackson', a tall handsome contractor (and his lazy dog, Izzy), with secrets of his own. Who knows exactly what Maddie need's...If she can learn to trust him.

'The Sweetest Thing'....Helping her sister set up the family inn is just the thing make Tara forget her Nascar driver, EX-husband and focus on her new life. Until she meets a sexy, green-eyed sailor from her past, Ford (coincidentally one of Jax's two bff's who fall for the other 2 sister's.) Determined to keep the Sothern Belle, hot and bothered and in his bed. When her Nascar driver ex-husband reappers to reconcile with Tara (not to mention a 17 yr old girl from her past with same green-eyes as her Sailor.)Tara must confront her past and decide what she really wants. With a little help from a green-eyed, sail-loving, 17yr-old who can also cook.

If the sister's are lucky, they might just find that everything their hearts desire is right here...In Lucky Harbor.

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED these stories. I will DEFINITELY be reading more from this author. LOVED the sister's, LOVED the GUYS! :-) LOVED all the secondary characters. Absolutely FELL-IN-LOVE with Lucky Harbor.I LOVED BOTH, but, I think 'The Sweetest Thing' (Tara & Ford's story) was my favorite of the 2. The scenes between Tara, Ford, and Mia (the daughter they gave up as teenagers) were just heart melting. And there are some LOL scenes between Ford and Tara's EX husband, Logan.

I CAN'T WAIT to read 'Head Over Heel's' About Tara & Maddie's Wild Child' baby sister with severe asthma and sherrif Sawyer (Jax and Ford's friend.)You get little sneek peeks of Chloe and Sawyer's chemistry throughout Maddie and Tara's stories.

AWESOME BOOKS!!! :-)
(less)

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Feb 19, 2012 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, great-series, lived-up-to-the-hype, rainy-day-reads, romance, for-review, net-galley

Christmas in Lucky Harbor is compilation of the first two books in the Lucky Harbor Series: Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing. So I'm going to review each story separately.

The Deal: Still trying to recover from the wreck her life became - after loosing her boyfriend and her job as a result of it - Maddie Moore packed up her things and headed to Lucky Harbor, a small town in the Washington Coast where her mother grew up.

Maddie herself hadn't seen her Mother in years, having been raised...more

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May 07, 2013 Angela Noviana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: giveaway, contemporary-romance, own, my-favorites

Simply Irresistible
Baca cerita ini membuatku senyum-senyum malu. Bagaimana tidak jika perilaku Jax kepada Maddie bikin lumer dan ber-"awwww....". Yep, Jax is definitely sweet and manly. Pokoknya nih karakter baik banget dah. Acungin jempol buat Jax. I give you my heart, Jax!

Maddie di lain pihak bisa dibilang wanita plin-plan. Mau tapi juga takut. Tapi kalau melihat kenapa dia bersikap seperti itu, aku sebagai pembaca wanita juga mengerti. Tidak mudah memercayai seseorang ketika pernah disa...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own-print, read-in-2012, favorites

This anthology contains the first 2 books in the Lucky Harbor series. I have reviewed each book separately below but this is a series I'd highly recommend.

5 stars for Simply Irresistible

I've really been on a contemporary romance kick recently so when I saw all my friends on Goodreads start raving about the 3 latest books in the Lucky Harbor series I decided I'd have to give it a try. I just want to say a massive thanks to everyone who has mentioned these books because I absolutely loved Simply I...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Blodeuedd Finland rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance

Simply Irresistible
Two books in one, now who can say no to that. Therefore I will also try to make this a bit shorter.

Maddie comes to Lucky Harbor to take over an Inn. She meets her sisters again too. Together they are the Steel magnolia, the wild child and the Mouse. And yes poor Maddie is the mouse. She has taken some crap in her life and it was nice to see her learning to stand up for herself in this one. She grew stronger.

In comes Jax, the hottie on a motorcycle. Oh yes sparks fly there at o...more Simply Irresistible
Two books in one, now who can say no to that. Therefore I will also try to make this a bit shorter.

Maddie comes to Lucky Harbor to take over an Inn. She meets her sisters again too. Together they are the Steel magnolia, the wild child and the Mouse. And yes poor Maddie is the mouse. She has taken some crap in her life and it was nice to see her learning to stand up for herself in this one. She grew stronger.

In comes Jax, the hottie on a motorcycle. Oh yes sparks fly there at once, but Maddie has been hurt and always takes a step back. Which makes sense, but I also liked how Jax did not give up. He took his small steps forward and showed her that he wanted more. I do like a man who knows what he wants.

The chemistry between these two are sizzling and there is a lot of smexing going on in this book that is so sweet. The chemistry between the sisters also works well, and I do want to read their stories next.

I liked the book and it was just sweet you know (and hot). I closed it with a smile.

The Sweetest Thing
In the second book time has passed and it is now summer. Tara is trying to make the inn work, she is bonding with her sisters and avoiding local hottie Ford. I knew at once why there was tension between these two in book 2 so the answer sure did not come as a surprise. But I guess not everything needs to be a secret.

Tara is the uptight one, but she is not nearly as uptight at people think. She felt normal. She worried, she was human. The love interested, Ford, is a nice guy who really wants her. And it was nice seeing these two struggle to make it work. It was not easy considering.

But I think what I liked the most was the local gossip who had a facebook page and the news about Tara and Ford was all over it. It had such a warm small town feeling that you just wanted to visit and never leave.

The triangle, oh that I did not see at all. Her ex comes to town and wants her back. Nut I never felt he even tried, and that I would have liked to see. So there really is none, this is about Ford and Tara and there lovestory, and the hot passion that burns between them. Yes they do get around.

Sweet is the word, I really can'y say much more than that. Sweet :) A feel-good book.(less)

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Nov 14, 2011 Jess (Gone with the Words) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, read-2011, multiple-narrators, adult, contemp

Read this review on my blog! --> Christmas in Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis

I was really in the mood for a holiday read, so when I stumbled upon the Christmas in Lucky Harbor cover, I was instantly sold. This is actually two books in one, which was even better!

Right off the bat, Jill Shalvis had me cracking up in Simply Irresistible. Maddie is one very funny lady. Could any one person run into any more embarrassing bad luck in a new town?! Luckily, our boy Jax found her endearing. Maddie and J...more Read this review on my blog! --> Christmas in Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis

I was really in the mood for a holiday read, so when I stumbled upon the Christmas in Lucky Harbor cover, I was instantly sold. This is actually two books in one, which was even better!

Right off the bat, Jill Shalvis had me cracking up in Simply Irresistible. Maddie is one very funny lady. Could any one person run into any more embarrassing bad luck in a new town?! Luckily, our boy Jax found her endearing. Maddie and Jax had a very strong attraction to each other very quickly. I loved how tender Jax was with her. He definitely made me swoon with his chivalry.

I really enjoyed getting to know the town of Lucky Harbor. From the pier, to the inn, it all seemed like a place I’d love to visit. The residents of Lucky Harbor were very colorful. It’s always fun when they all get involved in your personal business...ok, maybe not always convenient, but sometimes they see what’s best for you better than you can. Maddie’s sisters, Tara and Chloe, were a little harder to love from the get go. It took some warming up, not so much with Chloe, but with Tara. I thought she was too harsh sometimes, but by the end of the book I was wishing all three were my sisters. We also get to meet Jax’s best friends, funny guy Ford and the sexy, stern sheriff, Sawyer. If all small towns have dudes like these three, I’m moving out of the big city! :)

After finishing Simply Irresistible I was ready to see what the deal was with Ford and Tara in The Sweetest Thing. I kind of figured it out in the first book, but I wanted the juicy details. This story takes place six months after the ending of the first book, and we see how far along the inn renovations are, which was very exciting! In those six months, Ford has given Tara some space, but he’s now done. Only problem is that Tara’s ex also wants her back. It was really fun seeing these two guys try to outdo each other, but I did like that Tara wasn’t with both of them. She knew all along who her heart wanted to be with.

Mia was certainly a surprise! I definitely wasn’t expecting her character to show up. I am glad she did though because I think it’s what solidified the feelings between Tara and Ford.

I ended up liking Ford more than Jax. Ford was just...more, in everything. He was the perfect counterpart for Tara. And I loved getting into Tara’s head and heart. I really thought I wouldn’t like her because of her tough exterior, but I ended up really caring about her.

I found the the quotes at the beginning of each chapter very fun. Some were sweet, some inspirational, and some just plain funny. Let me show you some!

From Phoebe Traeger in Simply Irresistible:
“Learn from others’ mistakes. You don’t have enough time to make them all yourself.”

“Remember, it’s always better to be the smartass rather than the dumbass.”

From Tara Daniels in The Sweetest Thing:
“Good judgment comes from bad experience. Unfortunately, most of that comes from bad judgment.”

“Never do anything that you don’t want to have to explain to 9-1-1 personnel.”

Both books were a great example of what I love in Contemporary Romance novels, they were funny, mostly light, and sexy. Although only the first takes place around Christmas time, I still enjoyed the atmosphere and Lucky Harbor is a place I hope to revisit very soon. Actually, I look forward to reading a lot more than just Lucky Harbor books from Jill Shalvis. I’m already looking into her other books! (less)

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Dec 16, 2011 Kat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, review, romance

Originally posted on Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2011/12...

Simply Irresistible
Maddie Moore is at a crossroads in her life. She’s lost her job, ditched her jerk of a boyfriend, and isn’t in the best financial condition. With nothing left for her in L.A., Maddie heads to the small town of Lucky Harbor, Washington, to check out an inheritance left to her and her two half-sisters by their mother. What she finds is a run-down inn and two siblings who are nearly strangers to her. Maddi...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Christmas in Lucky Harbor is the first two in a trilogy about "Traeger" sisters and a delight to read. I wish I knew where Lucky Harbor was so that I could enjoy a town with such hunks living in it. The first story - Simply Irresistible - is the story of the middle sister, Maddy, the mousy one. Jax certainly brings out the best in her. The second is The Sweetest Thing with the older sister, Tara and her secrets that have kept her from happiness for so long. Ford is there to bring out the best in...more

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Nov 14, 2011 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, holiday-reads

Christmas in Lucky Harbor is a funny and sweet anthology featuring Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing by Jill Shalvis.

The first story in the series is Simply Irresistible. After the death of their mother, Maddie and her two estranged sisters find themselves in Lucky Harbor, trying to figure out the next step in their lives and what to do with the inn that their mother left them. Maddie, aka the mouse, finds herself wanting to stay in Lucky Harbor and run the inn. Sure, there is a lot of...more

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Dec 23, 2012 ALPHAreader rated it 5 of 5 stars

Phoebe Traeger died the same week that Maddie Moore finally got away from her abusive boyfriend and lost her job. Maddie really isn’t all that surprised – bad luck seems to follow her around like a plague. But if there’s a silver lining in the whole sad situation, it’s perhaps that although Maddie didn’t get to know her mother in life, after dying Phoebe left her three daughters with property inheritance in Lucky Harbor, Washington. Jobless, homeless and somewhat aimless, this may very well be t...more

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Feb 16, 2012 Anjana rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read Head Over Heels by Jill Shalvis a few weeks ago and I loved it. Christmas in Lucky Harbor is actually the first two books of the Lucky Harbor series, Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing and I loved them just as much as Head Over Heels!

Simply Irresistible, book one in the Lucky Harbor series, is about Maddie, a 29 year old who,all of a sudden inherits an inn along with two sisters from her late mother and she finds herself moving across states in the hope of restoring it. Shy, kl...more

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Dec 11, 2011 Lisa at Adventures of 2.0 added it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, favorites

The story: After their mother leaves them a run down inn, once owned by her own parents, three sisters who barely know each other come together to inspect their unexpected and unwanted legacy. Each has their own ideas of what they want, and it’s not leaving their lives to move to Lucky Harbor.

The first book, The Sweetest Thing, is my favorite. I don’t know if it’s just because it was the first and I got connected to the protagonist, Maddie (the Mouse), or just because it was the best. Maddie is...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Stella rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, for-review, christmas-read, romance

Here is my review of the 1st story in the book, Simply Irresistible:

I first heard of Simply Irresistible when it came out, it was all over the book blogs with its unique white cover. It sounded like a nice story and I put it on my to-read-one-day-when-I-get-the-time list and mostly forgot about it. Then being the Christmas-aholic that I am I requested the Christmas in Lucky Harbor book at NetGalley I was happy to discover it was actually a reissue of Book #1 and #2 of the Lucky Harbor series, no...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Rowena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review

I didn't realize that this book was a re-print of the first and second book in the Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shalvis. I picked this book up thinking that I was going to get something new but wasn't all that mad that I read Jax and Maddie's story followed by Tara and Ford's story again. I enjoyed getting to know both couples all over again and I'm not at all surprised that it was a treat reading them all over again.

I will say that this time around, getting readquainted with Maddie was hard to t...more I didn't realize that this book was a re-print of the first and second book in the Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shalvis. I picked this book up thinking that I was going to get something new but wasn't all that mad that I read Jax and Maddie's story followed by Tara and Ford's story again. I enjoyed getting to know both couples all over again and I'm not at all surprised that it was a treat reading them all over again.

I will say that this time around, getting readquainted with Maddie was hard to take at times because she was so mousy but Shalvis writes these witty scenes that always crack me up so it wasn't too hard to fall into Maddie and Jax's story again. Jax was still just as sexy as I remembered and I wanted to bang him on more than one occassion and it was good to see Ford and Tara again and remember just how much I didn't like her in the first book. I had forgotten just how uptight Tara was and reading Simply Irresistible again brought it all back.

Ford and Tara's story is one of my favorites of the series. I really enjoyed getting to know Ford again and I really liked the way that Jill Shalvis redeemed Tara in my eyes. She wrote her up real good because while she did get on my nerves in her story, I didn't want to push her off a cliff in this book and getting to know Mia again brought a smile to my face.

All of the shenanigans from the first time I read these stories was all brought back to me and I enjoyed everything all over again. The town of Lucky Harbor, seeing everyone back at the bar, Mia, the Facebook polls and just everything. It was great to see everyone again.

Jill Shalvis writes my favorite kind of romances, the contemporary kinds that are filled with laugh out loud scenes, a cast of characters that are easy to fall in with and steamy romances that stay with me long after I've finished the stories. This book brings it all back and it was another fabulous ride. =) I'm glad I took the time to re-read this book as it took me out of my October reading slump.(less)

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About Jill Shalvis

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras with her family and far too many assorted quirky animals. Any resemblance to the quirky animals in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website at www.jillshalvis.com for a completely booklist and daily blog detailing her ci...more

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