by Lisa Kleypas
St. Martin's Press, Copyright 2010
211 Pages, ISBN 9780312605865
Rating: Recommended
Quote From Book: "I didn't know turkeys could fly."
Have you ever picked out a book because the setting is somewhere you've been to? That happened to me with Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor. This time I didn't have to buy the book, I won my copy on Lesa's Book Critiques.
If you haven't heard of Friday Harbor, it's located on the island of San Juan in Puget Sound. Anyone who grew up in Washington (like me) knows that San Juan Island's claim to fame is the Pig War. It was declared on the island back in 1859 between British and American troops. The only bloodshed was a pig which our side killed and was the reason war was declared.
While (fortunately) not part of Kleypas' book, her story does explore battles of the heart that her characters need to work through to find happiness. Along the way she drops in the atmosphere of coffee bars and island life in the Pacific Northwest. Not to mention potent men which caught this reader's attention.
Kleypas writes characters you want to get to know. And she adds humor to some of their situations. There's a Thanksgiving scene you won't want to miss. The book could have taken a more somber tone but Kleypas strikes a balance of believable emotions and situations.
So what's the story about? In a nutshell there's Mark who is raising his niece and involved with the wrong woman. Enter Maggie who runs a toy shop and is a widow with lots of past hurts. The two seem right for each other but too many obstacles may get in their way. You'll have to read the book to see if true love prevails.
When I was almost through reading I suddenly wondered what happened to Christmas. It's featured in the title. And the book cover shows sailboats lit for the holiday. As it turns out Christmas is only mentioned in the final fourteen pages. Which means you can enjoy Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor at any time of year.
Terrific review, Rob. Didn't you love the Thanksgiving scene? You're right it was a book you can read any time of year. I'd heard of the Pig War, but didn't know it happened there. Thanks for adding that!
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