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book_concierge's review
3.0
Audiobook read by Tanya Eby
From the book jacket: One little girl needs a family. One single man needs a wife. Sometimes it takes a little magic … To make dreams come true.
My reactions
So, I knew going in that this was a cheesy holiday romance. Still, I have to admit that it was a fun read. The relationship between Mark, who has become guardian of his niece, 6-year-old Holly, after his sister died, and Maggie, the young widow who owns an old-fashioned toy shop, builds slowly, from September through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and finally Christmas Eve.
Despite the promised “magic” there isn’t much of it here … unless you count a child’s belief in fairies and Santa Claus as magic. But that’s okay. The “magic” of the central relationship is enough to entertain the reader.
Tanya Eby does a fine job performing the audio version. The voices she uses for the different characters are believable – even the little girl, Holly. Good pacing and clear diction.
From the book jacket: One little girl needs a family. One single man needs a wife. Sometimes it takes a little magic … To make dreams come true.
My reactions
So, I knew going in that this was a cheesy holiday romance. Still, I have to admit that it was a fun read. The relationship between Mark, who has become guardian of his niece, 6-year-old Holly, after his sister died, and Maggie, the young widow who owns an old-fashioned toy shop, builds slowly, from September through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and finally Christmas Eve.
Despite the promised “magic” there isn’t much of it here … unless you count a child’s belief in fairies and Santa Claus as magic. But that’s okay. The “magic” of the central relationship is enough to entertain the reader.
Tanya Eby does a fine job performing the audio version. The voices she uses for the different characters are believable – even the little girl, Holly. Good pacing and clear diction.
writer595's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
aimee_amina's review against another edition
3.0
Mark & Maggie | Single Dad | M/F | Book 1
A very sweet, good natured, inoffensive holiday read. By no means the best book I’ve ever read, but I smiled the whole way through and don’t regret a moment reading it.
Smut is barely smut though, level 1
A very sweet, good natured, inoffensive holiday read. By no means the best book I’ve ever read, but I smiled the whole way through and don’t regret a moment reading it.
Smut is barely smut though, level 1
nitzanschwarz's review against another edition
4.0
This was absolutely adorable. Holly was so cute, Maggie was sweet and intuitive, Mark serious and broody in the best of ways, and best of all... no angst! :D
cstaude's review
4.0
Classic Kleypas..... A touching story since it involves a little girl and a dog. Found it ended too soon, but since I started this series in the middle, I know it continues in Rainshadow Road. I liked the chemistry between Maggie and Mark and appreciated the way Kleypas developed them with their past troubles and trials. A fun read.
diana_acc's review against another edition
3.0
Solo había leído a la autora en historias de género romance histórico, y aunque este libro tiene pocos capítulos, es un gran cambio a la hora de leer, parece escrito por otra persona.
Es bastante cortito y la historia en parte un poco apresurada, y aunque no le encuentro mucho sentido al título, está pasable.
Holly acaba de perder a su madre hace menos de un año y ahora vive con dos de sus tíos que no tienen una buena referencia de lo que es una familia, además de que ahora ella ha decidido no hablar.
Y en un día de compras por una juguetería local conocen a Maggie, la propietaria, quién es joven y viuda, y con paciencia hace que Holly diga algunas palabras.
Espero mucho de los hermanos Nolan, se que no me van a defraudar.
Es bastante cortito y la historia en parte un poco apresurada, y aunque no le encuentro mucho sentido al título, está pasable.
Holly acaba de perder a su madre hace menos de un año y ahora vive con dos de sus tíos que no tienen una buena referencia de lo que es una familia, además de que ahora ella ha decidido no hablar.
Y en un día de compras por una juguetería local conocen a Maggie, la propietaria, quién es joven y viuda, y con paciencia hace que Holly diga algunas palabras.
Espero mucho de los hermanos Nolan, se que no me van a defraudar.
bookish_kristina's review
5.0
Pls don’t take this five star seriously, I was going to reread this but decided not to. So this rating is from years ago.
beaureads's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
amym84's review
4.0
I read both [b:Rainshadow Road|8546771|Rainshadow Road (Friday Harbor, #2)|Lisa Kleypas|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1341008055s/8546771.jpg|21561710] and [b:Dream Lake|9285100|Dream Lake (Friday Harbor, #3)|Lisa Kleypas|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1342464043s/9285100.jpg|14167526] before I read this book although the events in this book happen before the other two. I don't know if Kleypas had a series really planned out when she wrote this because whereas the other two books' storylines slightly intersect with each other and things that happen in the foreground in one also happen in the background in the other, this book stands alone. You can also tell as a reader, if you've read the other books first, that there are some slight timeline inconsistances. It's nothing that diminishes the book, but was definitely noticed.
The book was a quick read. I almost would have liked it to be longer because I really liked Maggie and Mark's story. In Rainshaow Road they are already a couple, but here is where we are supposed to get their backstory. Even though the book takes place over a few months (ending of course on Christmas Eve) it seems to fly by to the point where their relationship felt very quick and rushed, but if you step back and look at how many months it was supposed to take, it was anything but quick.
Mark has just been given some life changing news. Upon his sister Victoria's death he becomes the legal guardian of her six year old daughter Holly. Mark a confirmed bachelor who doesn't see marriage in the future with anyone is now responsible for a child. To help, Mark moves in with his brother Sam and they both take the responsibility of helping Holly through it rough time in her life and give her the love and care she needs. Having Holly really makes Mark reconsider his life, it makes him start to think about more than himself obviously because it is more than him.
Maggie is new to town and just opened a toy shop. She's fun and whimsical and believes whole heartedly in magic. She's been hurt in life and part of the reason she moved was to get away from her old life, start over. She doesn't want to be in a relationship because she feels it will only lead to heartbreak in the end.
They both start out with an easy friendship. Holly even opens up to Maggie in a way that she hasn't with Mark's current girlfriend Shelby.
This was a cute and sweet story. I like that it didn't really rely on the supernatural / magical element as much as the other two books have and likely [b:Crystal Cove|9285099|Crystal Cove (Friday Harbor, #4)|Lisa Kleypas|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1337584800s/9285099.jpg|14167525] will as well. It was just a straight up contemporary romance.
The book was a quick read. I almost would have liked it to be longer because I really liked Maggie and Mark's story. In Rainshaow Road they are already a couple, but here is where we are supposed to get their backstory. Even though the book takes place over a few months (ending of course on Christmas Eve) it seems to fly by to the point where their relationship felt very quick and rushed, but if you step back and look at how many months it was supposed to take, it was anything but quick.
Mark has just been given some life changing news. Upon his sister Victoria's death he becomes the legal guardian of her six year old daughter Holly. Mark a confirmed bachelor who doesn't see marriage in the future with anyone is now responsible for a child. To help, Mark moves in with his brother Sam and they both take the responsibility of helping Holly through it rough time in her life and give her the love and care she needs. Having Holly really makes Mark reconsider his life, it makes him start to think about more than himself obviously because it is more than him.
Maggie is new to town and just opened a toy shop. She's fun and whimsical and believes whole heartedly in magic. She's been hurt in life and part of the reason she moved was to get away from her old life, start over. She doesn't want to be in a relationship because she feels it will only lead to heartbreak in the end.
They both start out with an easy friendship. Holly even opens up to Maggie in a way that she hasn't with Mark's current girlfriend Shelby.
This was a cute and sweet story. I like that it didn't really rely on the supernatural / magical element as much as the other two books have and likely [b:Crystal Cove|9285099|Crystal Cove (Friday Harbor, #4)|Lisa Kleypas|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1337584800s/9285099.jpg|14167525] will as well. It was just a straight up contemporary romance.