Review: Christmas Eve At Friday Harbor

Title: Christmas Eve At Friday Harbor
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Publisher: York Evening Press (UK),St. Martin's Press (US)
Pages: 211 (UK)

Plot: Bachelor Mark Nolan is given stody to his niece Holly, who's mom and Mark's sister died in a car accident. He decides to return to Rainshadow Vineyeard, the family business and take care of Holly. But then he finds a letter Holly has written to Santa with having one wish only: a mew mom. Mark wants to make her wish true and decides to find a woman to marry and to raise Holly with.

One day Mark and Holly meet Maggie Flynn, who owns an unconventional toy shop and is just that. There is an instant attraction between Mark and Maggie, but Maggie isn't what Mark had in mind as a future wife and after being heart-broken, Maggie decided to stay alone.

But then, this wouldn't be Christmas without some magic...

I think... I liked this book a lot. It is the first in Lisa Kleypas new series and maybe that's why the US version is a bit high-prized. I bought the UK version, which was much cheaper here in Germany and IMO has the nicer cover. I liked the story and the characters and I think there is huge potential for the upcoming books, which will be dealing with Mark's brothers. I tought, this one was pretty entertaining, but would have made a great full-length novel. In contrast to Lisa Kleypas' other contemporaty novels, this one is not a first person narration, which I like much better.

It was a good read in my opinion, but I already heard different voices. If you like Lisa Kleypas, you will like this. It' not her best, but I think it was fun getting to know the characters and the setting at San Juan Island.

Happy Reading!

Review: A Christmas Promise

Warning! This review is high praise on this book and praise only. Keep on reading if you don't mind. *g*

Title: A Christmas Promise

Author: Mary Balogh

Publisher: Dell Books

Pages: 272

Genre: Historical

Plot: Randolph Pierce, Earl of Falloden, and Eleanor Transome are being married for the wrong reasons. Randolph needs Ellie's money, whereas Ellie wants to keep a promise she gave her late father. But when Christmas arrives and with it a whole bunch of Ellie's family, the season's magic lets Randolph and Ellie forget about money and duty and leaves them as a man and a woman, who are just right for each other.

I think ... I am deeply in love. So far, I have read about fifteen Christmas romances and reviewed about nine of them. None was a good as this one. First of all, it is a full-length novel. Not novella or short story or whatever. The author has enough time to develop characters and storyline. No rushing here, which is very refreshing after reading all these fast and shallow romances these last weeks. I immediately had the feeling, that I was reading a Christmas story of an experienced writer. Mary Balogh has a huge talent and specials skills to make her characters come alive and believable.

The storyline is great. I like how the characters get together, see each other in the beginning and then get closer, although there are so many obstacles in their way. There are some wonderful, wonderful scenes in this book, which made me feel the butterflies dancing in my tummy, because I was so involved in the story. I like that in a book. When you lay the book aside and need some moments to come back into reality. Totally what happened with me here.  The Christmas theme is present on every page and it was fun to see how the Earl develops a feeling for the season, which wasn't there before.

Honestly, please read this. I am not really a fan of historicals. I read them, but usually prefer contemporary romance. But this one is special. Now, go to your local bookstore or shop here. Curl up with a cup of coffee or tea, make sure you got cookies around and start reading. I'll see you after page 272. Let me know, how you liked it. I am deeply in love. (Oh, I already said that)

Happy Reading!

Review: The Christmas Clock

Title: The Christmas Clock
Author: Kat Martin
Publisher: Vanguard Press
Pages: 185

Plot: (Because of bad time management I used this one. Sorry.) Teddy Winters was eight years old that Christmas, too young to understand all the undercurrents swirling around him in the tiny Michigan town of Dreyerville. He wasn't able to value that Christmas for the miracle it truly was. Teddy only knew he wanted to buy the beautiful Victorian clock in the window of Tremont Antiques as a gift for his grandmother, Lottie Sparks, a woman desperate to find him a home before her rapidly progressing Alzheimers left him an orphan. Teddy didn't know that in trying to buy the clock he would meet Sylvia Winters and Joe Dixon, a couple, once in love, desperate to overcome the past. He didnt know he would form a friendship with his neighbors, Floyd and Doris Culver, two people struggling to revive their long-dead marriage. He didnt know that these people would fill his Christmas with magic and hope; that the love of his friends would change his world, and that he would forever change theirs.

I think... This is a keeper.  Really. A book to rest in your shelf all year and to be picked up again and again at Christmas time. I loved it. It has the child-needs-parents theme, but is so different from all the others, that I totally believed in the story. The characters are well-built and loveable, especially Teddy and his granny. I had no problems to buy the love story and understand how it developed or what went wrong back then. Only once, I had the feeling it was a bit rushed, but it was no problem at all as the book as a whole is a lovely Christmas story with depth and it will definitely warm your heart.

And - oh! - check out the cover! This wonderful, wonderful Christmassy cover in bright red. It has to make you feel the spirit of Christmas. Please say it does!

Run and grab yourself a copy and then buy some more and stuff them into the stockings of beloved ones.

Happy Reading!

Review: Home For The Holidays

Title: Home For The Holidays
Author: Sarah Mayberry
Publisher: Harlequin SuperRomance
Pages: 245

Plot: Single father (*sigh*) Joe Lawson has to raise his kids alone after the sudden death of his wife two years ago. Moving into a new home, he meets his neighbour, Hannah Napier, who he shouldn't fall in love with, but just cannot stop it. Hannah feels the same, but has plans, that make her leave Melbourne. Although Joe can hardly let her go, he doesn't wanna stand between her and her dreams and so the holidays won't be as merry without Hannah.

I think... I had a rough start with this one. I started reading and then put it aside. I think I was kind of fed up with the single parent theme. (Why the hell does it occur so much within Christmas stories??) However, when I picked it up again, because it was on the schedule for the challenge, I really liked it. The characters are sympathetic and the storyline is fine. This is not great writing, such as Susan Elizabeth Phillips or Nora Roberts do it, but it was okay. I kind of missed the depth of some parts of the story, but it was a nice read. It's okay for the money and I liked the setting being in Australia. I don't wanna post spoilers, but in the end there will be a major BANG! so be prepared for that.

Happy Reading!

Slowly...

...very slowly, I can feel the mood coming. Although I am reading Christmas novels for a whole month now, I did not feel the spirit so far. Today, I felt like checking the Christmas decoration boxes for the first time this year. I am thinking about baking and crafting and presents (yikes!). What about you? Are you iin the middle of preparations or didn't even start? What presents do you give to beloved ones and how do you decorate your home? I would love to know.

BTW, everybody can leave comments. Anonymous comments are working, so you just have to dothe word verification to avoid spam. Leave comments, everybody!

Plus, make sure to check out the recommendations page, because there have been lots of updates from readers.

I have another great something coming during Christmas week, and I am more than happy with what a great job our writers have been done so far. Three lovely women are writing our very own Christmas novella and what I have read so far is amazing! Cannot wait to publish and have you read it. So far, folks.

Happy Reading!

Review: Hot For The Holidays

Title: Hot For The Holidays
Authors: Lora Leigh, Angela Knight, Anya Bast, Allyson James
Publisher: Jove / Penguin
Pages: 344

Ah, the cover! I usually NEVER EVER buy books, because of a nice cover. But when I saw this one, I was lost. Tight abs plus candy cane ... a winner. I thought. I was wrong. Totally wrong. Not. My. Kind. Of. Book.

*sigh* What can I say? I read the first two stories and then stopped. I thought, they were okay, but that's about it. I guess, there are a lot of readers out there, who might like this book, but I am a bit fussy, when it comes to romantic suspense. I can handle vampires. Apart from these superpowers and drinking blood, they are pretty human, so I am okay with that. I cannot handle any other kind of mysterious creature. Skinwalkers. Honestly? Nope, not for me.

This might be a book for you, when you like suspense and are open-minded enough. Unfortunately, I am not. Maybe someone can tell me and the other what you thought about it, in case you read it? Let us know!

Happy Reading!

Family & Friends Discount

I am having a family&friends discount on my regular online shop, so I thought I'd have you play as well and I am offering book covers with a 33% discount now for USD 10,-!! Available during November only! Go this way for book covers and this way for my DaWanda Shop. Happy Shopping!