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sleepiebear's review
4.0
no conflict and therefore a little too Pat, bit also the reason I liked it so much.
bmg20's review
3.0
When six-year-old Holly’s mother dies in a car accident, her Uncle Mark is named her guardian. Holly is devastated and hasn’t spoken in the six months that she’s lived with him. To top it off, Mark just found Holly’s letter to Santa where she was asking for a new mommy. Wandering the local shops in town, the two go into a toy store where the store owner Maggie gets Holly to finally come out of the shell she’s created around herself which sets in motion an attraction between Mark and Maggie.
The story felt incredibly rushed with only 224 pages and extremely large font but it was nonetheless still a quick and entertaining Christmas read. I would have loved for the story to have more detail and back-story and I especially wanted more build-up as far as the romance went though. The connection between Mark and Maggie was instantaneous which wouldn’t have been as problematic if Mark wasn’t already involved in someone. I would have been able to enjoy this short and sweet tale if we weren’t dealing with the dramatic aspects of the love triangle. Having Mark be a single guy connecting with a very motherly character would have sufficed.
Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor reads much like a story that should be included in a Christmas anthology but it’s the start of Kleypas’ ‘Friday Harbor’ series. I enjoyed it enough to continue the series but hope those future installments are further fleshed out. Definitely, a worthy Christmas read for those looking for a sentimental albeit predictable story to get quickly absorbed in. (And there’s also a Lifetime movie adaptation of this to check out!)
The story felt incredibly rushed with only 224 pages and extremely large font but it was nonetheless still a quick and entertaining Christmas read. I would have loved for the story to have more detail and back-story and I especially wanted more build-up as far as the romance went though. The connection between Mark and Maggie was instantaneous which wouldn’t have been as problematic if Mark wasn’t already involved in someone. I would have been able to enjoy this short and sweet tale if we weren’t dealing with the dramatic aspects of the love triangle. Having Mark be a single guy connecting with a very motherly character would have sufficed.
Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor reads much like a story that should be included in a Christmas anthology but it’s the start of Kleypas’ ‘Friday Harbor’ series. I enjoyed it enough to continue the series but hope those future installments are further fleshed out. Definitely, a worthy Christmas read for those looking for a sentimental albeit predictable story to get quickly absorbed in. (And there’s also a Lifetime movie adaptation of this to check out!)
bookloverchelle's review
4.0
I was a little late coming to the newest series but I’ve adored Lisa Kleypas starting with her historical novels and then moving on to her contemporaries. The Friday Harbor series is a slight curve from her previous contemporaries, it has a hint of magic to the stories. Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor is the story that introduces us to the Nolan brothers, three sexy men who bring their niece in to their lives. Mark may be primary caregiver but each brother loves that little girl. As they adjust to living together as a family, Mark can’t help but fall for the sweet and beautiful toy shop owner on the island. But can he adjust to being a new father and build a meaningful relationship? I felt the story was a little short so I don’t know if I truly felt the love story build but because I read the other two stories first I know that continuing with the other books is very much worth it.
caraheard's review
4.0
This was sweet. A very sweet story. Quite enjoyable. And I am really looking forward to Sam's story.
blodeuedd's review
3.0
This book is short, short, short and utterly lovely. Longer than a novella but still only 200 pages. It does work, because it's a holiday story and things get to move fast then.
Mark is, well, quiet, I liked him. He takes good care of his niece. Sure he has some silly ideas, but he is good. Maggie , whom he meets is sweet, but has mourned her husband for 2 years. Things just click, and even if things do not happen then at once, there is just magic and love in the air. These two fit, and the would be excellent parents to Holly.'
It's a fast friendship turned into a fast romance. It's a cute book that I read in a day, in one sitting. It's light and lovely.
After having finished it I also wanted more, his brother Sam who works too much, and Alex who is getting a divorce. Yes I want them to find love too
Mark is, well, quiet, I liked him. He takes good care of his niece. Sure he has some silly ideas, but he is good. Maggie , whom he meets is sweet, but has mourned her husband for 2 years. Things just click, and even if things do not happen then at once, there is just magic and love in the air. These two fit, and the would be excellent parents to Holly.'
It's a fast friendship turned into a fast romance. It's a cute book that I read in a day, in one sitting. It's light and lovely.
After having finished it I also wanted more, his brother Sam who works too much, and Alex who is getting a divorce. Yes I want them to find love too
meowzik's review against another edition
4.0
It's been a while since I've read a nice, cutesy romance (i think) - I really enjoyed this one. The characters were fun, I didn't get bored and I'm looking forward to reading the others in the series. There were a few things I didn't like, but overall, it was an enjoyable read on a rainy afternoon.
miraphora's review against another edition
3.0
Corto, incorposo, estremamente leggero.
Non ha quasi niente della Kleypas da romanzo. Certo, non mi aspettavo nulla di diverso, ma la delusione rimane. E' decisamente ingiusto pensare che in così poche pagine si possa scrivere una storia che soddisfi come un vero romanzo, ma con il nome Kleypas in copertina le aspettative si alzano da sole.
Don't get me wrong, è una storia molto carina ma manca quel qualcosa, quel pizzico di sensualità tipico dell'autrice che ti catapulta dentro la storia.
In questo caso mi viene da dire che è tutto molto dolce e delicato, ma che non è abbastanza. Cioè, è abbastanza per un racconto breve. In ogni caso i personaggi sono sufficientemente ben delineati e interessanti, senza essere costretti stile sardine in lattina. Mark e Maggie non hanno bisogno di chissà quante pagine per venir descritti e la storia praticamente non esiste, perché si basa su poche scene ben fatte. Il collante, se così si può dire, è il concetto di famiglia e di amore - nel senso classico e generale del termine.
Si legge in un pomeriggio, tipica lettura da ombrellone.
Non ha quasi niente della Kleypas da romanzo. Certo, non mi aspettavo nulla di diverso, ma la delusione rimane. E' decisamente ingiusto pensare che in così poche pagine si possa scrivere una storia che soddisfi come un vero romanzo, ma con il nome Kleypas in copertina le aspettative si alzano da sole.
Don't get me wrong, è una storia molto carina ma manca quel qualcosa, quel pizzico di sensualità tipico dell'autrice che ti catapulta dentro la storia.
In questo caso mi viene da dire che è tutto molto dolce e delicato, ma che non è abbastanza. Cioè, è abbastanza per un racconto breve. In ogni caso i personaggi sono sufficientemente ben delineati e interessanti, senza essere costretti stile sardine in lattina. Mark e Maggie non hanno bisogno di chissà quante pagine per venir descritti e la storia praticamente non esiste, perché si basa su poche scene ben fatte. Il collante, se così si può dire, è il concetto di famiglia e di amore - nel senso classico e generale del termine.
Si legge in un pomeriggio, tipica lettura da ombrellone.
katreniah's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this story - the dialogue was snappy and witty, the story just long enough. The only thing that kept it from getting a 5 rating from me was the use of "Jesus" as a curse word. It wasn’t necessary. Obviously, this being America, the right to use it as such is important; however, I don't have to like it - especially when a good writer uses it for no benefit to the story. And I find Lisa Kleypas a very good writer, which is why it was even more disappointing.