Welcome to Friday Harbor

Lisa Kleypas is an author that I read a lot.  In fact, she'll appear later this month with a different book.  This time, I read a new book to me, Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor.  It's a little bit of a misnomer, because it doesn't actually have that much to do with Christmas.  I mean, the most mention of the holiday was in about the last twenty pages.  It has also been given a new title, Christmas with Holly, so don't worry.  They're the same book.

On a devastating night in March or so--inferred from a few things--Victoria Nolan dies in a car crash.  She leaves her six year old daughter Holly under the guardianship of her oldest brother, Mark.  Mark takes Holly home to Friday Harbor, where he moves in with his brother, Sam, and Rainshadow Vineyard.  However, by September, Holly hasn't said a word, and the Nolan men are understandably worried.  That all changes when straitlaced Mark takes Holly into Maggie's toy shop.  Maggie shows the six year old a little magic, and Holly discovers her voice.  Over the next few months, Maggie and Mark become friends, and Holly becomes a little chatterbox.

It would seem like an easy conclusion for the pair to just start dating, but there are more hangups than that.  Mark is seeing Shelby, who we only meet a few times.  Maggie is struggling to recover two years after losing her husband to cancer.  It's not an easy road for them, but they both know that something is there.  In a fine, upstanding fashion, Mark doesn't make a move on Maggie until it's clear that his relationship with Shelby is over (read to find out how that ends!), which makes me feel pretty good.  It was also definitely something I needed right now as I'm going through some rough stuff myself!  It takes Maggie a little longer to ease into things.

I liked this book, but that was unsurprising for me.  I haven't picked up a Kleypas book I don't like, and there are several I HIGHLY recommend.  I was left a little wanting, however.  I wanted a little more character development and a little longer of a story!  This book felt fast.  I mean, I finished it during an eight hour shift at work while doing a million other things.  I'd like my books to take a little longer than that!  I also didn't see as much growth in Mark and Maggie as characters as I do in some of Kleypas's other books.  This is and feels like a quick holiday read.  And that's not a bad thing.  I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the Friday Harbor series now that I've finished this one.  Maybe I'll see my character development there?

OH!  And my research tells me that Christmas with Holly is a Hallmark Hall of Fame Christmas movie!  I'll have to try and get my hands on it somehow so I can watch!  Although, after seeing the movie poster.... The actors look a little young.  I'm not so sure now.