Monday, February 25, 2013

Book Review: Crystal Cove

Crystal Cove (Friday Harbor, #4)Author: Lisa Kleypas
Publication Date: February 5, 2013
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Series: Friday Harbor # 4

In New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas's Crystal Cove, Justine Hoffman has made a comfortable life for herself on the island of Friday Harbor. She is the proprietor of a successful boutique hotel, and she has the safe, predictable life she has always wanted. Growing up with her flighty, nomadic mother, Marigold, has instilled in her a deep longing for stability. But in spite of everything Justine has achieved, there is still something missing. Love. And after years of waiting and dreaming, she is willing to do whatever it takes to change her destiny.

What Justine soon discovers is that someone cast a spell on her when she was born, with the result that she will never find her soul mate. Determined to change her fate, Justine finds a way to break the enchantment, never dreaming of the dangerous complications that will follow.

And when Justine meets the mysterious Jason Black, she accidentally unleashes a storm of desire and danger that threaten everything she holds dear . . . because Jason has secrets of his own, and he wants more from her than fate will ever allow.


“Although Justine had never experienced real love, she knew it when she saw it. When Zoe and Alex were together, they tried to be casual, but the emotion was still too new and raw for either of them to be easy with it. Their intense awareness of each other was emblazoned in the air no matter how discreet they were. Sometimes it was even in their voices, as if love had filled them until they had to remind themselves to breathe.” – Paperback Copy pg. 5

 
“Reflecting on those years of constant upheaval, Justine thought she understood why her mother could never stay in one place. If you held still long enough, love might find you, and catch you so tightly that you couldn’t slip free.” – Paperback Copy pg. 9

 
“After a childhood of constant wandering, the weight and feeling of home was deeply satisfying. Justine knew practically everyone on the island. Her life was filled with all kinds of love…she loved her friends, the inn, the islands, walking through forests thick with pine and sword fern and Oregon grape. She loved the way Friday Harbor sunsets seemed to melt into the ocean. With all that, she had no right to ask for anything more.” – Paperback Copy pg. 28

 
“Justine had fallen in love with the former hilltop mansion as soon as she’d seen it, and had bought it for a steal. As she had painted the rooms and decorated each one according to a different artist such as a van Gogh or da Vinci, she’d felt as if she were creating a world of her own. A quiet, welcoming place where people could relax, sleep well, eat well.” – Paperback Copy pg. 28

 
“Some men were so good-looking that they didn’t have to be sexy. Some men were so sexy they didn’t have to be good-looking. For this man to be both was proof that life was essentially unfair. He was one of nature’s randomly created genetic lottery winners.” – Paperback Copy pg. 94

Justine Hoffman needs a chance to fall in love, real love. Not the overnight kind. She is bound and determined to find her Mr. Right even if it takes a little witchcraft to help her find him. She is desperate and about the point of giving up forever when Mr. Everything-but-Right walks into her life. Could Justine’s true love be one that she doesn’t expect at all?

 
Friday Harbor is where I want to be, like right now! This love story had a perfect backdrop and I was completely entranced by this story and by the pieces of witchcraft and Justine’s potions, enchantments, and spells. What better place to be a witch that a quaint, cozy seaside town? The whole idea of Friday Harbor just seems so cozy and inviting and the hotel that Justine runs has just the right feminine touch. I love when authors make settings so realistic that I feel as if I can reach out and touch them. I mentioned Justine’s ability to cast spells and produce potions, traits passed down by her mother. I loved this added detail, even though I don’t believe in witchcraft, it is still fun to read about and see infused with the lives of the fictional characters we meet.

 
When Jason Black walked onto the scene in Friday Harbor I knew that things were about to heat up between him and Justine. He was everything that Justine wasn’t looking for, but everything that she needed to spice up her life. Did I mention that there was a curse? Justine has been cursed to never find true love. Can you imagine? Not only is the curse detrimental to Justine’s love life, but once broken can bring horrid consequences to whomever attempts to break it. This curse goes against everything that Justine is working so hard for. Justine’s determination to break the curse and the tension and frustration that fills the room every time Jason enters it is enough to keep readers invested in their relationship.

 
Lisa Kleypas once again draws readers in and leaves the longing more of Friday Harbor and its many colorful characters. I am hearing that there may be another installment in this series and I am not sure if I can wait for Fall to read it, but I will try my best!!

 
***A BIG thank you to the publishers at St. Martin’s Griffin for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review***






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