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    Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor: A Novel
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    Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor: A Novel
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    Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor: A Novel
    Ebook200 pages2 hours

    Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor: A Novel

    By Lisa Kleypas

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Now a Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie (CHRISTMAS WITH HOLLY), the first book in New York Times bestseller Lisa Kleypas's Friday Harbor series begins during the most magical time of year...

    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.

    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.

    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.

    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...in Lisa Kleypas's Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateOct 26, 2010
    ISBN9781429945424
    Author

    Lisa Kleypas

    New York Times Lisa Kleypas graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. Her historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction novels are published in forty different languages, and are bestsellers all over the world. Currently she lives in Southern California with her husband Gregory.

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    Reviews for Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor

    4/5

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    • 4/5
      Really cosy, nice characters, just perfekt for a rainy autumn day. look forward to reading the two next books of this series.
    • 5/5
      I LOVED it! This was such a warm holiday story and the romance was lovely. The dynamic between Maggie and Mark was wonderful. The dialogue in this book is just excellent.

      I should note that I am not generally a fan of children in the books I read. I tend to steer clear of them as a rule. Holly, Mark's 6-year-old niece plays a large role in this book... and I gave it five stars. THAT is how much I enjoyed it. I actually liked Holly and I felt like she was really important to the story and how the family came together.

      While this is listed by many as magical realism, I thought the magic was very light. I read Rainshadow Road before this one, so I was surprised that there wasn't more magic in it.

      If I had any complaint about the book, it would simply be that I wanted more of it. This is a short novel, at a little over two hundred pages, and I could've happily read a hundred more pages.
    • 4/5
      Fast, cute read. A new mom for niece a uncle is raising.
    • 5/5
      Set in a small community on San Juan Island in Washington, it’s a story about a little girl, Holly, who lost her mother in a car accident. Mark Nolan’s life changes forever when he discovers his late sister deemed him guardian of her daughter, Holly. Mark is a confirmed bachelor living in a one-bedroom condo and thinks some mistake has been made. Unwilling to let Holly go into foster care, Mark moves into the battered old Victorian his younger brother Sam owns. Mark and Sam slowly rehab the house in order to make it a nice place for Holly, who after the accident has been unable/unwilling to speak. Mark wants to surround Holly with family and love.Six months after the accident, they enter a new toy store in town and meet Maggie Collins. Maggie moved to Friday Harbor and opened up the store as a way to get over her husband’s death from cancer two years ago. Maggie finds a way to reach Holly and like magic, Holly is speaking once again. Mark is drawn to Maggie despite the fact that he is currently dating Shelby. After Holly writes a letter to Santa asking for a new mother, Mark starts thinking that Shelby might make a good mother for Holly. But it’s Maggie that Mark begins to recognize that would make them all a family – even though Maggie doesn’t want to take a chance on love again.I’m nuts about Christmas and tend to love books set around the season. This book was not an exception. Mark and his brother were hilarious as the single guys forced to “grow up” and provide a home for their niece. The scene when Mark returns early from visiting Shelby felt very real. Of course a young guy would call in help. The scene at Thanksgiving was funny. I could just picture the incident and the looks on Holly and Maggie’s faces. I even enjoyed the glimpse we saw of their other brother, Alex. (I hope we see future novels with Sam and Alex.) I enjoyed Maggie and could understand why she was hesitant to give her hand another try at love. She was so young to become a widow. And I liked that Kleypas didn’t make Shelby into a monster – she just wasn’t ready to share Mark with a child.My biggest complaint about this books was it’s length. At 211 pages the book was a quick read. I wanted more.I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick diversion from shopping, wrapping, decorating, etc. It’s like one of those holiday movies on the Hallmark or Family channel. It’s light but it leaves you with a warm feeling and a smile on your face. 4.5/5 stars.
    • 3/5
      "It tastes like Christmas!" One of my friends has a child that announced his discovery several years ago immediately after licking a restaurant window. Long story and even longer segue...I often think of the widow-licking episode when I stare at the holiday Kindle freebies / books in my TBR pile. Ill probably do a marathon Christmas book read this month. Because its the (tasty) thing to do.Ive read a few of Lisa Kleypas' stories in the past - this particular story reading much like her others: short, sweet, cute, and in this case Christmas-y along with all those other adjectives rolled into chick lit. I admit, stories that include loving Dads with their child(ren) just get me all discomboobleated...warm-stupid feels. Somewhat formulaic, no surprises but still enjoyable writing. Yay for tasting like Christmas!3.5/5 stars
    • 5/5
      Loved this book. Such a sweet romance. It was a light quick read but with such a nice story. Couldn't help but love the characters. Loved Renfield! book was worth reading just for him!!
    • 3/5
      This was a short, sweet contemporary romance set on San Juan Island off the coast of Washington. Mark, a long-time resident of the island, has received guardianship of his six year old niece after his sister died in a car accident. He moves in with his brother Sam who owns a vineyard on the island and is restoring an old home there. Together, the two uncles try to create a warm and supportive home for Holly. Maggie, on the other hand, is fairly new to the island, having moved there and opened up a toy shop after her husband died of cancer two years previously. So, basically, Mark and Maggie meet at her toy shop and a small spark is ignited which over time becomes friendship and then romance. There were some things that I like, such as the setting on San Juan Island, the ferry, and the ugly dog, but all in all, this book reminded me why I don't really care for romance books all that much. There just wasn't enough going to hold my interest
    • 3/5
      Mark Nolan's responsibility-free bachelor existence is changed forever when his sister is killed in a car accident and he's left the sole guardian of his niece, Holly. When he and Holly wander into Maggie Collins' new toy shop in Friday Harbor, Holly and Maggie quickly bond. As Mark contemplates just what his future will look like with Holly in his life, Maggie must overcome the tragedy in her past that leaves her skittish about letting anyone else in.This Christmas romance was pretty satisfying. The writing was well-done and all of the characters were believable and well-drawn. My only quibbles are 1) that for a book with Christmas in the title it wasn't quite as Christmassy as I had hoped for and 2) the ending felt very abrupt. I was expecting a little bit more character development or another layer of conflict but the novel just suddenly ended. That being said, I'll likely pick up another novel by Kleypas as I enjoyed her writing style.
    • 4/5
      Mark Nolan's life changes utterly when he is given custody of his niece Holly after his sister's accidental death. He moves back to the family vineyard with his brother and they work on making a life for Holly. She wishes for a Christmas Present of a mother and he decides that this is now imporant.His life changes when he meets widow Maggie, who has moved to the Island after her husband died of cancer. The two of them have to deal with this and try to work out if they can love each other enough.It's a short enough read, entertaining and heartwarming.
    • 4/5
      A sunset, rife with wild and vivid tones of magenta, purple and orange, setting on the horizon while the waves gently lap at the pebbly shore; a salty breeze caresses your cheek, as you savor a cup of rich, steamy coffee and anticipate the blustering chill of Christmas. After reading this book, such scenery floats at random moments into my mind, and I begin to fantasize living in Friday Harbor. As a matter of fact, this book makes me want to pack up everything I own, and drive out to Anacortes, get on that ferry and never look back. Eat lunch at Market Chef, take a stroll along the beach on Orcas island, and make a life as simple as the one Lisa Kleypas so vividly describes in this beautiful book. The truth is, this book accomplishes no literary feat, it does not have a very unique plot, and it's a fairly simple read. But in my eyes, its simplicity is its charm - that and the fact that the author is able to take the beautiful location, and pull it into the story, making it part of the plot. Its characters, although in complex situations at times, are simple people, just like the book they are featured in. And the vulnerability, strength, and humanity that these characters display is extremely endearing, and its qualities like these that make you want to read more about them. I am not a very big fan of romantic novels, especially those that may seem devoid of reality, but I liked this one especially because the characters seemed like real people, with real problems. I really enjoyed reading this book, it was like eating your favorite comfort food - you know it's not that great for you, but it warms your soul anyway! Not to mention, the absolutely beautiful and colorful cover makes me smile every time I pass my bookshelf now! :)
    • 5/5
      Enjoyable heart tugging story about Mark, guardian for six year old, and widowed Maggie. As others mention, I wish this book had been longer and I look forward to future stories about the brothers.
    • 4/5
      Read on December 12, 2012Listened for Fun (Audible)Overall Rating: 3.50Story Rating: 3.25Character Rating: 3.75Part of my 25 Books for the Holidays for 2012How Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor put me in the Holiday Spirit: Don’t stories that involve kids and rescue dogs always pull at your heartstrings? This one even started with a letter to Santa–how could you not be in the Holiday spirit after that?What I thought of the characters/story: Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor was a pretty short listen for an audio book (5 or so hours) and in places I thought the story was a little rushed. I felt the break-up with the current girlfriend to the “I Love You” was to quick. That being said, I loved the characters. I thought each of them were unique, fun, and in their own ways lovable. I am pretty sure that I will be continuing the series to find out what happens with the other two brothers. I loved Maggie and her relationship with Holly and Mark. I felt that the story from her side was very organic and wonderful. I loved that Holly and Reinfield (the ugly rescue dog) were important parts of the story too. Overall, for a short story it was very heartstrings pulling even though it was a little rushed.What I thought of the audio: Tanya Eby did the audio and she did a pretty decent job. I still have problems with her male voices but she is certainly growing on me.
    • 3/5
      When six-year-old Holly’s mother dies in a car accident, her Uncle Mark is named guardian. Holly is devastated and hasn’t spoke 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 that future installment 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!)
    • 4/5
      Sweet, SHORT novel (just over 200 pages, or four parts on audio when downloaded from OverDrive). It's nice to see a story about a young widow where the first marriage was a good one--a refreshing change from the "evil" first husband or marriage that was "missing something". I'm hoping Kleypas continues the series with Mark's two brothers--we see Sam more than Alex in this one, but both have real potential.

      (The Hallmark movie version--"Christmas with Holly"--was cute, but nowhere near as good as the book. They changed too many of the things that I really enjoyed about this story to satisfy me. After re-reading the story, the movie was even more disappointing...)
    • 3/5
      Cute read. Could have used a little more conflict, since the storyline focuses mostly on things that have already happened.
    • 4/5
      CHRISTMAS EVE AT FRIDAY HARBOR was a quick and easy read, but also a heartwarming story. Mark Nolan, the eldest of four, becomes the guardian of his niece when his sister dies in a car accident. He's very protective of Holly, and takes his new role as father seriously. As much as Holly loves Mark, he knows that she longs to have a mother again.Holly takes a liking to a young widow named Maggie who owns a toy store. Maggie is fairly new to Friday Harbor, moving to San Juan Island for a fresh start. Though her husband died two years ago, she's still burdened with grief over the loss. She guards her heart carefully, not wanting fall in love with someone else, only to lose him too.Through Holly, Maggie and Mark get closer, but their relationship develops slow and steady. Aside from Maggie's emotional baggage, Mark has an issue to deal with too - a serious girlfriend. Nothing is ever easy!This was a sweet romance with a touching story, cozy setting and likable characters. There were no big surprises in the plot, but for an uplifting holiday read, it was spot on. Renfield, the not-so-attractive but super lovable bulldog, was a hoot. You should read the book just to meet Renfield! Definitely looking forward to the rest of the series.
    • 3/5
      "Awesome! Great read - finished in two days, as could not put it down! Loved the same characters as is Rainshadow (read this one first, then Rainshoadow Road). Cannot wait until Dream Lake comes out - I look forward to reading some of her older books and future creations! "
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this story set in one of the islands off the coast of Washington. I felt the draw of a community that knows one another. The story revolves around two unmarried brothers rearing their niece. The six-year-old girl, Holly, has not spoken since the death of her mother. But magic enters in the form of Maggie, a young widow and owner of a toyshop. Kleypas presents a story of imagery with a vivid description of the islands and the two brothers. Both brothers cater to man's need of drink. One brother, Sam, owns a vineyard; while the other brother, Mark, owns a coffee-grinding house. The story deals with family, relationships, and unconditional love. The story of the bulldog, Renfield, shows that love is blind and that everyone deserves love. This is a compact, but emotional Christmas novella.
    • 3/5
      This was a short Christmas feel good book.
    • 5/5
      Losing her mother in a car accident left Holly to be raised by her Uncle Mark. Having no idea what to do with a 6 year old, Mark Nolan did the best he could with a young girl. Looking around a toy store they found the widow Maggie Conroy had a special way about her. With stories and possibilities, Maggie was able to help Holly find her voice again. Stunned that the belief in a fairy tale, a belief in magic was all the child needed, Mark was willing to give Maggie a closer look. Spoiling Holly was never anyone’s intention, but would she get what she really wanted most, a new mom for Christmas.Book 1 ….. A sweet and gentle story about family and learning to explore the possibilities of the holiday seasons. What an inspiration, full of fun (not including that Holly’s mother, Victoria died) and laughter. Recently found out this is a first book of a series, yeah, can only assume that the other characters of the family (Alex and Sam especially) will have a story. As I was reading it didn’t feel like a typical first book, all cluttered with information, but looking back it was a good introduction to the brothers and I will look for the rest of the series.
    • 4/5
      Uneven pacing (the middle of the book plodded along, while the end felt surprisingly abrupt), and some general suspension of disbelief issues (revolving around Holly's immediate acceptance of Maggie). Still enjoyable, and I'll definitely try out the next in the series
    • 2/5
      This story does not reflect Ms. Kleypas' writing talent. I was so surprised by the lack of creativity in the storyline, that I wondered if maybe it was an early work of the author's, in print for the first time. If that is so, a note from L.K. should be included. First time L.K. readers should try any of her other contemporary stories before judging her storytelling abilities.
    • 5/5
      Even though I read this one out of order (I read Sam's story which is book # 2 first and then Alex's story which is book #3 and now I've read Mark's story which is book # 1) I am still amazed this author's lyrical prose. She just has such a beautiful way with words...
    • 5/5
      Excellent. This was a quick story, but a cute romance. Mark Nolan ends up as the care taker/guardian to his sisters 6 year old daughter, Holly, after her untimely death. Saddled with the new responsibilities of parenthood, Mark discovers a whole new realm of love and caring for someone else.

      Maggie Collins is a young widow in her twenties who lost the husband she loved the cancer shortly after their marriage. She's afraid to take that kind of risk again and is happy running her toy shop and being a fun aunt for her siblings children. When Mark and his young niece enter the toy shop, Maggie helps the little girl to believe in magic again and regain her smile and her voice.

      Despite their resistance, the sparks between Maggie and Mark fly. Will Holly get her Christmas wish of having a new mom to love her? Will Maggie overcome her fears to let love in?

      A beautifully told and heartwarming short story.
    • 4/5
      I wish I knew why St. Martin's insisted on releasing these short hardbacks for so much money. While this was a sweet story, it isn't worth paying $16.99 for. Not by a long shot.

      I really liked both main characters. Both Mark and Maggie were struggling to deal with baggage from their pasts. Neither was willing to commit, but for different reasons. Maggie was afraid to give all of herself again (she's a widow) and Mark wasn't sure he had anything at all to give.

      Holly, Mark's niece, was at the center of the story. Her mother died in a car accident, making Mark her legal guardian. I liked how she was central to the story but didn't take over.

      I also liked Mark's brothers. I'm curious about both Sam and Alex, and hope LK has plans to write their stories.

      Overall a sweet novella, but not worth paying $17 for. And I'm saying this with all the love in my Kleypas-obsessed heart.
    • 4/5
      This was a Christmas gift from my mom. As I started reading it I realized it was familiar...yup...you guessed it...there is a Hallmark movie that I've watched a couple times. The movie, of course, is a little different but they are both good in their own way.
    • 4/5
      [Saturday, December 10, 2011] I bought this book yesterday, I postponed buying it for so long. I love Lisa's historical romances novels, but I struggled with Sugar Daddy [still am]. This is not the case here. I opened the book less than an hour ago and now I'm in chapter 3, I guess I will finish the book today. It's adorable and short. I love Lisa's style in writing. I loved Maggie and Mark's story... I can't wait to see Sam and Alex's stories as well!

      [Sunday, January 06, 2013] OMG!! I could actually cry! What have they done to the book! I just finished watching the movie based on this book and it made me very very very mad!! They destroyed it! Lisa Kleypas should sue!
    • 3/5
      This book is the first in the series Friday Harbor. I read the second book in the series before I read this book. lol I know but I had won the second book in the series with out realizing it was a series of book.

      Characters: Holly, Mark, Maggie, Sam, Alex, Shelby, Renfield

      Of course Holly is my favorite character in this book besides Renfield.

      Holly has lost her mother in an accident. She has not talked in over 6 months. Mark (one of holly's uncles and her legal guardian) is trying to take things slow like all the doctor's are telling him. But we all know how are something like that could be.

      Mark and Holly stop by a toy store and meet Maggie. She owns the toy store that is in Friday Harbor. Amazingly Maggie get's Holly to talk. But then sparks are already flying between Mark and Maggie. Unfortunately Shelby (at the time she is Mark's girlfriend) walks in and Maggie thinks it is okay because she is not ready for a relationship.

      Soon Mark and Shelby break up. Shelby does not understand why Mark needs to leave when Holly is sick. Any woman that does not understand why a man would want to be there for there child (should not matter if it is biological or not) when they are sick needs a dose of reality.

      While I will admit that I did not like this book as much as the second book it is a great starter to the series. I hope the third book is as great as the second book.

      The bunnies and I give this book 3-Carrots.
    • 4/5
      Lovely short story, just wished that it could have gone on longer. 
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this story. It was a feel good Christmas romance. The characters were very sweet. I can't wait for the next story!