Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor (Friday Harbor, #1)

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Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor (Friday Harbor #1)

by Lisa Kleypas (Goodreads Author)

3.76 of 5 stars 3.76 · rating details · 8,330 ratings · 1,041 reviews

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas’s new series begins during the most magical time of year

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...more

Hardcover, 211 pages

Published October 26th 2010 by St. Martin's Press

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Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

Best Seasonal Romance {Christmas, Winter}

2nd out of 338 books — 378 voters

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Best Ever Contemporary Romance Books

160th out of 1,791 books — 4,030 voters

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Community Reviews

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May 29, 2012 Lady Jayne *~*The Beach Bandida*~* rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who wants a sweet, romantic PG-rated holiday novella

Shelves: romance-contemporary, author-lisa-kleypas, first-in-series, holiday-christmas-stories, reviewed, owned-read

5 Stars - Also reviewed at: Lady Jayne's Reading Den

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor , for me, was like…

...A homemade chocolate chip cookie accompanied by a cup of mocha with the right blend of roasted coffee and warm, smooth chocolate. All this, enjoyed sitting looking out at the harbour, with the sea breeze on my face, and the fresh scents of the air after a rain. I see a beautiful rainbow against the blue sky, and spy the dark storm clouds, which had just passed by, away in the distance. I...more 5 Stars - Also reviewed at: Lady Jayne's Reading Den

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor , for me, was like…

...A homemade chocolate chip cookie accompanied by a cup of mocha with the right blend of roasted coffee and warm, smooth chocolate. All this, enjoyed sitting looking out at the harbour, with the sea breeze on my face, and the fresh scents of the air after a rain. I see a beautiful rainbow against the blue sky, and spy the dark storm clouds, which had just passed by, away in the distance. I feel the warmth of the sunshine against my face, the brightness of the light causing my eyes to glisten. There is a huge smile on my face and I sigh because of the beauty in the “now”, in the precious simple moments of life.

That was how this book made me feel. Or in other words: “Awwww…..” *sighs* ^_^ This book really touched me and gave me the "warm fuzzies".

Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington

To put it simply, this is a story about loss, grief, change, hope, commitment, family and love.

I finished this book in the wee hours of the morning, with tears in my eyes and a big smile on my face, as I drifted to sleep. Lisa Kleypas is one of my favourite authors. Her writing always paints such vivid pictures in my mind and her characters burrow themselves into my heart.

While, like other Lisa Kleypas fans, I wish this was a full length novel, Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor is a sweet and romantic PG-rated holiday novella. The ingredients of this sweet story are: A cute little girl named Holly, who asks Santa for a “mom”; Holly’s guardian uncle, Mark Nolan, the owner of a small coffee-roasting business, trying to be a parent deserving of Holly; two other uncles, Sam and Alex Nolan, drawn together to be there for this little girl; Maggie, a young widow who owns a toy store; the setting of the beautiful San Juan Islands; and the magic of imagination and love.

I loved this for the hope-and-magic-filled holiday novella that it was, and for that reason, it was a 5-Star read, for me. Of course, novellas are never as good as full-length novels, since I always want more - especially more Lisa Kleypas!

I look forward to the full-length novels of the Friday Harbor series: Rainshadow Road (2012), Dream Lake (2012) and Crystal Cove (2013)

Favourite quotes:

“And there were no rules for how to deal with the death of someone you loved. You had to accept that the loss would always stay with you, like a reminder note pinned to the inside of your jacket. But there were still opportunities for happiness. Even joy.”
....

“Staring down at the little girl, Mark experienced one of those moments when you had a sudden and intense awareness of who you had been not all that long ago, and discovered that you were now in a different place entirely.”
....

“For the first time in his life he knew what it felt like to have his heart broken… not broken in a sad or romantic sense, but broken open. He had never known this before, the desire to surround another human being with perfect happiness”.
....

"Something happened to you, they discovered, when you were given the unconditional love and trust of a child. You wanted to try to deserve it"
....

“ Quoting Emily Dickinson: “Forever is composed of nows.” Maggie paused, her smile turning wistful at the edges. “You shouldn’t worry about forever … time runs out faster than you expect.”
....

“As they continued to talk, it somehow slipped into the bonelessly comfortable, unstructured conversation of longtime friends, both of them letting it go where it would.”
....

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: I do not hold the copyright to any of the images used in this review. They are posted to add visuals to the review and for fun. If any of these images are yours and you would like me to remove them, please let me know, and I will do so as soon as possible. If I can identify the copyright, I will do so.

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Dec 24, 2010 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-lisa-kleypas, genre-contemporary-romance, first-in-series, prequel, 5-stars, 2010-reads, holiday-christmas-themed, keepers, must-reread, raising-niece, series-friday-harbor, short-reads-novellas, starts-with-a-thru-d, widow-widower, kid-orphaned, reviewed-by-me, christmas-2011-reads, christmas-2010-reads, favorites

Anyone who reads historical romance has probably already been introduced to the art form that is Lisa Kleypas’ storytelling, so you’ll understand when I say that there really are no words to describe just what a talented writer she is. Therefore, I’ll save you all a lot of time and keep this short.

It must not be easy to give readers the feel of a full length novel in a short story such as this because very few authors actually do it. But with Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor, we were given a trul...more
Anyone who reads historical romance has probably already been introduced to the art form that is Lisa Kleypas’ storytelling, so you’ll understand when I say that there really are no words to describe just what a talented writer she is. Therefore, I’ll save you all a lot of time and keep this short.

It must not be easy to give readers the feel of a full length novel in a short story such as this because very few authors actually do it. But with Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor, we were given a truly sweet story with just the right amount of holiday magic. It’s a heartwarming tale that has all the right ingredients to make this a 5 star read. There’s Holly, an adorable little girl whose loss broke my heart. We have Mark Nolan, a very sexy hero who, because he understands the importance of family and was willing - without hesitation - to give up his own life’s plans to care for niece, earned my respect. And finally, Maggie Collins, a truly enjoyable heroine who I came to admire because while she had heartbreaking emotional baggage, she didn’t let it ruin her life. And I haven’t even mentioned Mark’s brothers, Alex and Sam, who were amazing men in their own right and will no doubt have fabulous stories. Wow! All this was accomplished in just over 200 pages.

And why did that surprise me? In a way, it didn’t – this is Lisa Kleypas we’re talking about here – but this was my first contemporary read by her, so I had no idea what to expect. Silly me! There are some authors who might be fabulous writing within the confines of one genre but can’t venture any further than that or they lose their magic. And then there are some authors who, regardless of the genre, can do no wrong. Lisa Kleypas is one of those rarities, and Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor is without a doubt, proof of that.

And look at this - I went on longer than I had intended, but when it comes to talking about Ms. Kleypas' stories, that's easy to do.

I'm soooo looking forward to the next book in this series, Rainshadow Road!(less)

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Jan 01, 2013 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult

I am shocked. I didn't believe it was possible for me to EVER dislike a Kleypas book. How could this have happened?

Before I start this review, I must first go back in time a few days...

DATE : December 23

TIME : Lazy afternoon with the kids out of the house

ACTIVITY : My viewing of a taped movie - Christmas With Holly, based on the book I'm reviewing. Don't ask me why I decided to tape and watch it, but I have to admit to being curious about seeing a Kleypas book translated to film.

RESPONSE : Well...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Auntee rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: All Kleypas fans; contemporary romance fans; anyone who likes a heartwarming story

Shelves: contemporary-romance, lisa-kleypas, 2011_reads, christmas-theme, made_me_cry, where-s-my-epilogue, shawna-says

No big review, just some thoughts:

Kicking myself for hesitating over this one (when will I learn to listen to Shawna?) Of course I loved it. I didn't care that it was a G/PG-rated romance--the storytelling was second to none, and LK didn't really need to spell out that one incredible love scene. I felt it emotionally, and even shed a few tears near the end of the book. Maggie, Mark, little Holly, Sam, and even Renfield(!) were such incredibly drawn characters, and Friday Harbor? I want to move t...more

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Nov 04, 2010 Shawna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Lisa Kleypas & emotional, sweet contemporary holiday romance

Shelves: contemporary-romance, lisa-kleypas, holiday-reading, brothers-sisters-cousins-family, kindle, small-town-lovin, i-read-kindle, i-read-own-faves-keepers, made-me-cry, sweet-romance-left-smile-on-my-face, humorous-at-times-or-fluffy-fun, pregnancy-fertility-baby-kids-drama, cheating-hearts-fidelity-issues, hh-widow-or-widower, best-faves-of-2010, favorites, friends-to-lovers, 2010-reads, best-top-favorites, angsty-dark-heavy-lotsa-drama, animals-matter, hero-abused-scarred-tortured-angst, hero-bad-boy-playboy, hero-mix-of-alpha-beta, hh-sweet-nice-paired-vs-gruff-cynic, love-triangle-vying-courtships, series-friday-harbor, 5-stars, ending-abrupt-poor-epilogue-needed, heartbreaking-gutwrenching-romance, feel-good-read-pick-me-upper, tearjerker-tugs-at-heartstrings, heartwarming, kids-cute-faves-prominent-in-story, best-secondary-characters-ensemble, chick-lit, hero-marriage-wife-hunting, hh-love-commitment-marriage-phobic, favorite-romance-series

5 stars – Contemporary/Holiday Romance

Let me start by saying that I’m a romance addict, and I read for escapism and rate books solely based on my level of enjoyment and how they make me feel, not the literary value or social relevance.

Lisa Kleypas is my favorite author, and I’ve absolutely loved every book of hers that I’ve read because her characters and stories are always full of life, engaging, and poignant. I was beyond excited about her new contemporary Friday Harbor series, and although I...more 5 stars – Contemporary/Holiday Romance

Let me start by saying that I’m a romance addict, and I read for escapism and rate books solely based on my level of enjoyment and how they make me feel, not the literary value or social relevance.

Lisa Kleypas is my favorite author, and I’ve absolutely loved every book of hers that I’ve read because her characters and stories are always full of life, engaging, and poignant. I was beyond excited about her new contemporary Friday Harbor series, and although I would have loved for it to be longer and steamier with a bit more romance, the series debut novella, Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor, is still a deeply moving and utterly satisfying read that, to me, was worth the $9.99 + tax (about the price of a movie ticket) that I paid for it on my Kindle.

Take an adorable six-year-old girl who hasn’t spoken a word since she lost her mother, a hardened bachelor uncle with skewed views on marriage, family, and happily ever who has his life turned upside down, heart touched, and soul healed through the responsibility and unconditional love of becoming his niece’s guardian, another fun loving uncle who opens his vineyard home for them all to live together, a guarded widow with a toy shop who’s love of magic is just what the heartbroken little girl needs, an ugly but lovable Bulldog, and a beautiful, small town island setting and then add several tender, emotional moments, some uplifting holiday cheer, a nice dose of humor, and a touch of nostalgia, and you’ve got an endearing romance that’s a real heartwarming treat.

It’s such a sweet, genuine, and touching holiday story that tugged and wrenched my heartstrings and made me cry in earnest, smile, laugh, and feel all warm and cozy inside like I’d had a nice, comforting, steaming cup of Bailey’s hot chocolate or apple cider in front of a roaring fire on a chilly winter’s day. I usually like my romance a little (okay, much) hotter, and although I would have liked a bit more of Mark and Maggie together, the charming family moments with brothers Mark and Sam showering their precious niece Holly with affection were the most gratifying. I loved it! This gave me a good dose of sentimental holiday spirit that I needed. I just wish there had been more of it, and I can’t wait until the next story in the series. 5 sweet stars!

Favorite quote:

And there were no rules for how to deal with the death of someone you loved. You had to accept that the loss would always stay with you, like a reminder note pinned to the inside of your jacket. But there were still opportunities for happiness. Even joy.

Rating: PG
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May 07, 2011 Annie the Destroyer *Leather Lust* rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Contemporary romance fans, LK fans

Shelves: author-lisa-kleypas, genre-contemporary-romance, ebooks, books-i-go-rabid-over, drinks-on-me, favorites, first-book-in-series, king-of-the-harem, my-hottie-harem, read-in-2011

There is a reason why Lisa Kleypas is a New York Times Bestseller. For those of you who read historical romances, I’m sure you are aware of Kleypas’s amazing Wallflowers and Hathaways series. Kleypas is simply the queen when it comes to historical romance. Her cunning wit and endearing characters jump out of the pages and settles in your heart where you find yourself scouring her backlist to get that feeling back!

I will admit, I was terrified to read her contemporary novels just because I didn...more There is a reason why Lisa Kleypas is a New York Times Bestseller. For those of you who read historical romances, I’m sure you are aware of Kleypas’s amazing Wallflowers and Hathaways series. Kleypas is simply the queen when it comes to historical romance. Her cunning wit and endearing characters jump out of the pages and settles in your heart where you find yourself scouring her backlist to get that feeling back!

I will admit, I was terrified to read her contemporary novels just because I didn’t think they would live up to her beloved historicals. Contemporary romance isn’t a genre that I read often and so there isn’t much for me to compare this to, but nevertheless, this book charmed me to my toes!

Mark Nolan lost his sister in a car crash and was thrust into the world of parenting without warning. Handling six-year-old Holly was the last thing on his to-do list. As if cooking and cleaning wasn’t enough, little Holly chose not to say a single word to anyone, scaring Mark to the point where he questioned if she would ever speak again.

Kleypas has a way of making me love all her characters. Mark was SUCH a great guy! He was charming and funny. He was persistent, but never overbearing. And even as his other relationship crumbled, he was still optimistic about that failed relationship, never regretting any of the events. Mark Nolan was just an all-around good guy, the kind that made this book so easy to love.

Maggie is such a sweetheart. Being a widow for two years has stripped some of her hope from her life. But there was still a spark inside her that Mark saw and the two of them had unbelievable chemistry! And although there’s not a lot of steamy sex in this one, their conversations are just as passionate. I especially loved the conversation about coffee. So unbelievably cute!

Then there is Mark’s younger brothers, Sam and Alex who need to have their own books! Sam had the best sense of humour and Alex was already showing some growth as a character.

Holly, of course, was the light of this book, overcoming a personal barrier that had nothing to do with her selective mutism. In the beginning, she asked Santa for a mother, one that wouldn’t replace Victoria. But another one that could guide her through life and I thought Maggie fit that role from their very first encounter with one another.

Christmas Eve at Friday Habor was a book that warmed my heart. I loved it, and if you’re wondering if Kleypas’s contemps are worth the read...THEY ARE! Everything that I loved about her historicals was in this book. It was perfect!

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Jan 03, 2011 Dina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, ebook, novella, to-blog

2 1/2 stars

It pains me to say this, but I didn't enjoy this read. *ducks rotten tomatoes*

The plot is pretty simple and the book description is good enough to give you the gist of it, so I won't bother with writing a plot summary here. What can I say? I liked the premise of the story, but the book didn't live up to my expectations.

As usual, Ms. Kleypas' writing was solid and made the story flow easily. Her description of Friday Harbor was so charming and vivid that it made me want to move there.

A...more

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Jan 23, 2011 Mollie *scoutrmom* rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of contemporary romance

Shelves: romance, read-in-2010, first-reads, read-in-2011, read-in-2013

This is a great love story with characters who are both well and deeply drawn. It feels as if the end of the story would only be chapter seven in a full-length novel. The dog alone is worth reading about.

There is not much of a plot in that the story depends on character growth rather than action. The theme here seems to be healing from emotional trauma.

The setting is lovely, I really liked the description of the holiday event where all the boats parade with lights, as the beautiful cover depict...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Crista rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-star, contemporary, series, tear-jerkers, holiday

Reread on 11/25/12. Better the second time!!

Lisa Kleypas is in a league of her own, and while I don't think that Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor is by any means her best work, it's definitely great. Kleypas has such a unique voice and has a true talent for creating chemistry between her leads. This book is no exception to that rule.

This is a true "making of a family" type of story. It centers around the Nolan family. Victoria Nolan is killed in a car accident leaving behind her sweet 6 year old...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Vilda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, holiday-reads, first-in-a-series-to-read, e-book, read-in-2012

'Dear Santa
I want just one thing this year
A mom
Please dont forget I live in friday harbor now.
thank you
love Holly'

Ohhhhhh, how I loved this little story! I was in the mood for a nice, sweet holiday read and that's exactly what I got. It was the first Contemporary Romance I've picked up by Kleypas and I loved it just as much as her Historicals; she's such a fantastic writer! I just wish there was more of it--after finishing within a few hours I was craving more.

I absolutely loved both Mark and...more

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Dec 27, 2012 willaful rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: foodies

Shelves: he-s-just-not-that-into-you, story-novella-or-anthology

I remember seeing a lot of "meh" reviews of this; I liked it more than that but did find it somewhat... passionless for a romance. I thought it ironic that the hero Mark broke up with a women because he never had any conflicts with her and then went into another similar relationship, based more on compatibility than sparks. This line kind of summed up my dissatisfaction:

"As Mark walked outside with Maggie, he was filled with desire and liking and sympathy, all bound up with a thread of frustrati...more

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Dec 27, 2010 ALPHAreader rated it 2 of 5 stars

I cannot believe I am about to blaspheme like this. . . but I have now read a Lisa Kleypas book that I did not love. Dare I say; I disliked it? Eek! What has the world come to?

‘Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor’ is the first book in Lisa Kleypas’s second contemporary romance series. The series is set in San Juan Island, off the Washington coast, and centres on long-time Sanjuanense residents, the Nolan family. There are three brothers, eldest Mark, middle Sam and youngest Alex. The brothers also ha...more

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Jan 28, 2012 Cherise rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-review-copy, romance, re-read

This book reads like a novella, it felt more like a short story than a novel, and I am a little disappointed it was over so soon. That being said, it has me in the Christmas spirit at the beginning of September and has successfully reeled me into Friday Harbor. I loved the characters and the setting and look forward to reading more about the Nolan brothers, who are as different as can be.

I read this book in a few short hours and enjoyed every minute of it. Lisa Kleypas is one of my favorite auth...more

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Jan 18, 2011 Pamela(AllHoney) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, dreamy-heroes, favorites, own, pet-or-animal-in-story, 1st-in-series, christmas-holiday-themed, my-4-star-romances

The first book in the Friday Harbor series by Lisa Kleypas. Six year old Holly lost her mom and is now being raised by her Uncle Mark. Mark Nolan is the owner of a coffee roasting business. Maggie is the owner of a toy shop. Three lost souls who desperately need each other.

I thought this was a delightful story but like many I felt it was cut short. We all KNOW there is a HEA but it doesn't really give you that. Still I can't wait for the next in the series.

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Mar 01, 2011 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, contemporary-romance, i-own, read-in-2010, romance, seasonal, christmas, first-reads, read-in-2011

STILL WAITING ON MY BOOK FROM FIRST READS GIVEAWAYS, WILL REVIEW AFTER I RECEIVE IT

This review is from an ARC, courtesy of a Goodreads giveaway.

I really enjoyed this book, but I guess I should also say that I adore all Lisa Kleypas books. I can't believe how her books are consistently great, without any flaws in my eyes. She is one of my favorite authors.

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Nov 17, 2010 Rosanne rated it 2 of 5 stars

As far as this type of fiction goes, Lisa Kleypas is definitely one of the best. She has the best characters, takes time to develop relationships, is great at banter, and has moments of true humour in all of her books. This one is no where near her best, but overall an enjoyable and quick read.

My major beef (and the reason that this one can not compare to her other novels) is that the publishers actually packaged this and have the nerve to sell if for $16.99. This barely counts as a novella and...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Jodie Riverina Romantics rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, on-amazon, on-shelfari, on-blog, short-story

3.5 Stars

Hotness Rating 2 out of 5 (the one sex scene was summed up in a paragraph, so it is definitely a sweet read).

This was my first Lisa Kleypas read....ever....Yes I know I am a bit slow, but I finally made it.

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor was only a short read, but it gave me a good indication of Lisa'a writing style. It is smooth and sweet, definitely well written. It was just a little slow for me. There was a lot of description about the town, the characters families, their jobs etc, bu...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Jackie Lane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Page 188 -

My favorite line from the book was:

Holly began to giggle. Her gaze met Maggie's, and she said innocently, "I didn't know turkeys could fly."

I absolutely loved this book.

For me, it's always wonderful to read books about brothers and their family and tragedy.

The Nolan family has gone through tragedy and not lived the perfect life. The oldest brother Mark was awareded custody of his niece Holly when he sister, Victoria was killed in a car crash.

Maggie who helped nurse her husband through...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Maja rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: annoying-love-triangle, contemporary-fiction, just-another-book-crush, romance

3.5 stars
This was so lovely! I could have done without the love triangle, but whatever, it was fun. I can't wait to read book two, Mark was great, but I have a feeling Sam will be even better.

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Sep 18, 2012 Wanderlust rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: baby-mama-drama, plight-one-s-troth

Cover & Title - 4/5
Favorite line - “I like pessimists. They’re always the ones who bring life jackets for the boat.
Favorite Character - Maggie

This was such a lovely book, if it was a candy it would be fudge - homely & super sweet.
I have an insane hatred towards holiday themed book, i realize it is illogical but *shrug* what can you do? So yeah because of the holiday hatred i normally avoid books named things like this or with cover like this. The reason i did not avoid it is because i h...more

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May 15, 2013 Jennifer Garcia rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a very short (4 hours listening time) and cute story. I think it could have been longer to spend more time on the romance between Mark and Maggie. I felt Mark's desire for Maggie and felt Maggie's fear of loving again, but I needed to feel more of them together. The connection wasn't as strong as it could have been.

Holly, Mark's niece and new ward was adorable. Now she was a strong character. The story, a romance, was also about Holly and her wish and dealing with losing her mother. It...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Sarah Mayberry rated it 5 of 5 stars

My only complaint about this book (and it's a pretty self serving one!) is that I wish it had been longer. I loved being in the world of the island and the three Nolan brothers. I loved poor, orphaned Holly. I REALLY loved the notion of two formerly footloose men being brought to heel and finding new depth and meaning in life thanks to the experience of loving their niece. The conflict between the hero and heroine was understated, mature, and beautifully dealt with. Needless to say there was che...more

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Jul 15, 2011 Kelly22 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Kelly22 by: Many goodread friends

Shelves: hero-makes-good-girls-go-bad, beta-hero, contemporary-romance, friends-to-lover, opposites-attract, favorite-heroine, bad-boy-rake-rogue-casanova, lisa-kleypas, traumatized-abused-heroine, family-moments, small-town-setup, hh-single-parent, favorite-series

I'm a huge, huge fan of Miss Kleypas. Really. Who’s not? I've read most of her historicals and all of her contemporaries to arrive at this judgment. But for some reason this book wasn’t much to my liking as I hoped it would. I believe I felt this way may be because I read it at a wrong time or regrettably was looking for something else while I was reading it.

It tells the story of three forlorn people, who each had an empty post for fill in their lives, struggling to find each other to gain once...more

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Apr 07, 2011 Lisa Kay rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-time-favorites, genre-romance-contemporary, re-read-for-comfort, genre-magical-realism, animal-dog-in-story, sweet♡with-a-little-spice, amazing-secondary-characters, character-child-children-featured, auto-buy-author, trying-to-be-just-friends, reviewed-by-me, holiday-christmas-perfect, holiday-halloween-perfect, holiday-thanksgiving-perfect, season-winter, authors-k, authors-l, has-a-movie

Magical Realism or Not?

Yes, I do think Kleypas 'blew a kiss toward' magical realism in Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor in the first toy store scene (an enchanted place for everyone) (view spoiler)...more

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Dec 21, 2010 jessa ♥dhanger♥ EvilDarkSide rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

Wow....Lisa Kleypas is back with a bang! I absolutely adored this book. Mark and Maggie were perfect and Holly was so sweet and endearing. This is one of those stories that make you believe in the magic of love. I can't tell you how many times my chest tightened up while reading. Like everyone else, I wished it was much longer. As short as it was, the story was still perfect and I can only imagine how much better it would have been at full length. I might not have survived it without weeping ;)

P...more

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Nov 04, 2010 Theresa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Kleypas fans

Shelves: audiobooks, library-reads, romance-contemporary, 2010

This was a sweet story from Lisa Kleypas. It is rather short - I listened to it on an audiobook from the library and it was only 4 CDs. The story features Maggie as the heroine and Mark as the hero. The story starts with Mark's sister, Victoria, dying in a car accident and Mark becoming a guardian to Victoria's daughter, Holly. Mark is a good hero... strong, uncomplicated, and not crazy alpha like some heroes I've read lately. Maggie is a widow who took care of her husband while he suffered and...more

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Nov 25, 2011 Lady Rutledge rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: lisa-kleypas, family, chicklit, widow, contemporary

For Lisa Kleypas' readers, it's kinda a too light short story, but as usual it's sweet. It's the series about Nolan Brothers.

The hero Mark Nolan, has a 'perfect' relationship with his wannabe-bride. He wants to marry her to give his young niece a 'mom'. His niece has a traumatic experience because of a sudden death of her mom, and she becomes an orphan. But then, he realize his relationship is just perfect from other's point of view, not his.

In Friday Harbor, he meets Maggie Collins a widow who...more

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Dec 16, 2010 Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm not usually a fan of novellas or shorter books because I feel that the plot is often rushed and I'm not given enough time to relate to the main characters. That was definitely NOT the case with this book. Once again, Lisa Kleypas did not disappoint. I really liked that this book wasn't initially your average 'feel-good christmas romance'. It began with major tradgedy and the effects of deep loss were felt throughout the book. Kleypas uses her words to create vivid imagery, and characters wit...more

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Dec 13, 2010 Ceej rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: lisa-kleypas

Although a short a quick read, this book is going to be one of my favorite LK books. I love her books because they are mostly real stories. It isn't just a rich guy meeting a woman who may or may not be his equal and falling in love. The stories have depth and this one really did. I can't wait to read more about Holly and her uncles, especially Alex. Who just might join the ranks of Derek Craven and Lord St Vincent, my favorite of all her heros.

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Nov 03, 2010 FlibBityFLooB rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr

Shelves: contemporary, read-in-2010, made-me-cry, christmas, witty-i-am-not

4.5/5 stars. This was a very sweet, romantic novella by Lisa Kleypas. It wasn't her usual style, but her writing skills shined as usual. I would equate this book to more of the style of the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr. If you're a fan of that series, you are very likely to enjoy this book.

I would guess that if you're a fan of Kleypas' heat factor you are likely to be disappointed. There is one sex scene in this book, but it is very abbreviated. Personally, I could have done without the sce...more

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About Lisa Kleypas

LISA KLEYPAS is the RITA award-winning author of 21 novels. Her books are published in fourteen languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband and two children.

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Books by Lisa Kleypas

Secrets of a Summer Night (Wallflowers, #1)

It Happened One Autumn (Wallflowers, #2)

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Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor (Friday Harbor #1)

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