Review: Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor

Summary: New York Timesbestselling 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 in his life. But he soon realizes that he will do everything he can to make her life whole again. His sister’s will gives him the instructions: There’s no other choice but you. Just start by loving her. The rest will follow.

SOMETIMES, IT TAKES A LITTLE MAGIC…
Maggie Collins doesn’t dare believe in love again, after losing her husband of one year. But she does believe in the magic of imagination. As the owner of a toy shop, she lives what she loves. And when she meets Holly Nolan, she sees a little girl in desperate need of a little magic.

…TO MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE
Three lonely people. Three lives at the crossroads. Three people who are about to discover that Christmas is the time of year when anything is possible, and when wishes have a way of finding the path home… -- St. Martin's Press

I definitely think CHRISTMAS EVE AT FRIDAY HARBOR by Lisa Kleypas counts as one of those books that I probably wouldn't pick up except that it's a Christmas themed novel. I don't read much romance and I'm not sure I even appreciate it all that much. However, I did read Ms. Kleypas' DEVIL IN WINTER for my on-line book club last year, and I thought it was pretty good. I figured I'd try CHRISTMAS EVE AT FRIDAY HARBOR, especially since it's a holiday book and has a pretty cover!

I have to say that I did enjoy CHRISTMAS EVE AT FRIDAY HARBOR. It's probably not one of those books that I will rave about, but it was a sweet story with likable characters. I did find it a tad bit predictable, but that's not a knock on the book because I think that's almost always the case with this genre. As I mentioned earlier, I probably enjoyed it more because it was a quick, escape read during this very hectic time of the year. (I actually read the entire book while waiting for work to be done on my car.)

One thing that did stand out to me was Ms. Kleypas' writing. I am far from an expert on romance books, but I do think she does a fantastic job with the characters and the story. Yes, it is a sweet story and not for every reader; however, I really liked all of the main characters and a few of the supporting ones. CHRISTMAS EVE AT FRIDAY HARBOR was a short book, but Ms. Kleypas managed to do a good job of developing the characters. I appreciated their background stories and I even found myself rooting for them to get together!

I think fans of romance novels and fans of Ms. Kleypas' will definitely appreciate CHRISTMAS EVE AT FRIDAY HARBOR! It's a heart-warming read that's perfect for this time of year.

Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of this novel.