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kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
Fourth in the Friday Harbor paranormal romance series. The couple focus is on Justine Hoffman and Jason Black.
My Take
Another lovely, homey story with a touch of magic. I really didn't see how Kleypas would be able to pull this off, but she did it beautifully. Sure, it was an easy escape, but she did it well. She certainly had my heart in my mouth for parts of this story---yes, I cried. And not just for the worry. That mother of Justine's—! I can barely wait for Lightning Bay to find out how the coven deals with her!
I am amazed how easily Justine forgives the coven AND Jason. I'd be angry a lot longer with the coven. Jason, well, he is pretty amazing in bed...
I have enjoyed this series very much with its loving friends and the very comfy feel of the settings. I keep wanting to move to Washington!
The Story
It's a lucky combination for Jason Black: the land where he wants to build his retreat to give back to the world and the access it affords him to Justine Hoffman.
Between his lack, the witch's bane, and unpracticed witches...everything goes wrong.
The Characters
Justine Hoffman started the art-themed bed-and-breakfast, Artist's Point. She's also a hereditary witch who refuses to accept her Family Tradition heritage, and appears doomed to never find love. Marigold is her extremely selfish, self-absorbed witch of a mother who has started an Internet store. Liam Hoffman was her father, an orchardist.
Zoë Hoffman, a talented chef, is now partners with her cousin Justine in the B&B. She's with Alex Nolan (see Dream Lake, 3) whose land on San Juan Island is wanted by Jason for his learning institute. Annette and Nita help with the housekeeping.
Jason Black is the head of an in-house development team, Inari Gaming Enterprises. He's eschewed the typical career path---partly due to his life-shortening condition, partly due to his mother's death. Ray Black, his father, is a plumber, and a man Jason is likely to kill.
Priscilla Fiveash is Jason's executive assistant, tasked with ensuring that everything is perfect for the extremely fussy Black; she's also from a witch family, and she's offered to help Jason. Gil Summers is a college friend of Jason's who now runs the company's development shop; Mike Tierney is an accounting and acquisitions manager; Todd Winslow is the architect for the San Francisco Inari building; and, Lars Arendt is his lawyer.
Rosemary and Sage live in the lighthouse on Cauldron Island and are members of the coven. They're more family to Justine than Marigold. Violet and Ebony are fellow coveners.
Granny Fiveash and Great-Aunt Bean are Priscilla's witchy relatives in Toad Suck, Arkansas, who will help cast the spell.
Duane is Justine's now-ex biker boyfriend.
The Cover
The cover is shades of lavender: a seascape with a lighthouse on its island, a rising quarter moon, and Justine lost in thought where she leans up against a vine-laden cliff wall.
The title refers to both the name of the coven which Justine refuses to join, the Circle of Crystal Cove as well as a geographic location on Cauldron Island.
yodamom's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed it but had difficult time seeing how these two "fell" for each other. I didn't see the connection, never believed in them as a couple. Outside of the relationship I enjoyed the story and the other characters, one gets a worst mother award ! I haven't read any other books in this series, it easily stands alone.
writer595's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
Too much sex. Not enuf plot.
mamabears_fabulous_book_finds's review against another edition
5.0
Ive always liked Justine..through all the books. Finding out shes a witch, and a hereditary one, was a surprising twist. I enjoyed how she approached everything, and the twist of what her mother did to her..that was just wrong. definitely a suspenseful book toward the end, and the soul-sharing was a great way to fix the problem. Very much a great book.
earthboundcutie's review against another edition
1.0
Ranty rant ahead....
This book made me really angry. Up until about 70% of the way through it was fine. I could see what was coming and really was not looking forward to it, but I figured it would be written in a way I could stand. IT WAS NOT. I am absolutely so angry at Jason that I honestly thought about not finishing it. I was so disappointed. However, I soldiered on.
THEN, frickin' Justine gets like two minutes of grovelling and GIVES IN. THAT'S RIGHT. JUST GIVES IN. I was so mad.
And honestly, the whole backfire thing (cause there had to be one) didn't even make it worth it. Lisa Kleypas was not able to get me to like Jason OR Justine again. I didn't care about them anymore.
The rest of this series was just fine and dandy but this book really disappointed me. I'm honestly still angry about it. I don't like push-over give-in heroines and I love the hero grovel and none of the things I like were given to me. So no. No thanks. This didn't even feel like a HEA to me, it was definitely a HFN. I just couldn't believe the trust needed for a HEA was there.
This book made me really angry. Up until about 70% of the way through it was fine. I could see what was coming and really was not looking forward to it, but I figured it would be written in a way I could stand. IT WAS NOT. I am absolutely so angry at Jason that I honestly thought about not finishing it.
Spoiler
He absolutely completely broke her trust in a way that should have required hours, nay, days of grovelling.THEN, frickin' Justine gets like two minutes of grovelling and GIVES IN. THAT'S RIGHT. JUST GIVES IN.
Spoiler
"Love is too important to waste time" oh fuck off. He completely broke your trust, used you, and is TOTALLY unrepentant. ESPECIALLY after that intensely trusting sex scene. Like, how could Jason turn around after that and just become this horrible horrible person.And honestly, the whole backfire thing (cause there had to be one) didn't even make it worth it. Lisa Kleypas was not able to get me to like Jason OR Justine again. I didn't care about them anymore.
The rest of this series was just fine and dandy but this book really disappointed me. I'm honestly still angry about it. I don't like push-over give-in heroines and I love the hero grovel and none of the things I like were given to me. So no. No thanks. This didn't even feel like a HEA to me,
Spoiler
even with the whole sharing a soul thingjudithdcollins's review against another edition
2.0
I liked the other books in this series; however, was very disappointed with this book. It was all I could do to get through this one, as if had not purchased this Nook Book probably would have passed and stopped before half through. Basically about casting spells, and meeting the mysterious Jason Black. Loved the other characters in past books; however, this one was not my style and would not recommend. It would take a great book for me to go back to this author. Very boring!
jbarr5's review against another edition
3.0
Crystal Cove by Lisa Kleypas
My favorite parts: She runs the B&B and he's the only guest staying there, he bought the whole place to ensure his privacy.
Justine was on her way to visit her Wicca friends in her kayak because they live at the lighthouse but she capsizes.
Jason comes to her rescue and now he feels like he is in charge of protecting her/her life forever.
The ladies talk to her more about her powers and they can't understand why they are so powerful as she tells them about some episodes with other boyfriends.
They also explain why Jason has no soul...
Love this series and all the twists and turns and learning about new powers and how she uses them over time...
Locale is just perfect. Hot sex scenes are multiplied with her powers.
Love this series and can't wait for more
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
My favorite parts: She runs the B&B and he's the only guest staying there, he bought the whole place to ensure his privacy.
Justine was on her way to visit her Wicca friends in her kayak because they live at the lighthouse but she capsizes.
Jason comes to her rescue and now he feels like he is in charge of protecting her/her life forever.
The ladies talk to her more about her powers and they can't understand why they are so powerful as she tells them about some episodes with other boyfriends.
They also explain why Jason has no soul...
Love this series and all the twists and turns and learning about new powers and how she uses them over time...
Locale is just perfect. Hot sex scenes are multiplied with her powers.
Love this series and can't wait for more
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
pirra's review against another edition
3.0
Relectura 2020
Esta es la cuarta (y última) parte de la serie "Friday Harbor" de Lisa Kleypas, aunque en GoodReads aparece un quinto libro pero con una nota de la autora de que no está escrito ni en proceso.
1. Una noche mágica. Mark Nolan.
2. El camino del sol. Sam Nolan.
3. El lago de los sueños. Alex Nolan.
Este cuarto se sale de los hermanos Nolan y nos habla de Justine, la prima de Zoe (que protagoniza el tercer libro y es la pareja de Alex).
Me he pasado la mitad del libro sin saber si era una relectura o no porque no recordaba que el personaje de justine tuviera un libro propio pero luego según seguí leyendo todo me sonaba mogollón y cuando saltó la liebre del problema de Jason ya sabía cuál iba a ser la solución así que al final imagino que ha sido relectura.
Este libro tiene peores puntuaciones que los tres anteriores y yo creo que no es para tanto, tengo la sensación de que recibe más odio del que debería y no sé muy bien por qué.
Si es verdad que tenía un montón de detalles que podían haberse explotado para hacer de esta novela algo mejor, más interesante... pero al final Lisa se ha quedado bastante en la superficie. También en este libro nos mete un montón de rollos sobre videojuegos, mundo informático, budismo y temas filosóficos que es posible que espanten a los lectores que no están habituados a este tipo de... ¿infodumping? por su parte.
En el plano erótico se mete en la descripción de un tipo de relaciones sexuales que se salen un poco de la norma. Puede que eso también ahuyente a las lectoras. Personalmente creo que no es para tanto, habla de algo bastante light y creo que está descrito muy bonito.... (pero a mí me sobraba).
La saga va subiendo poco a poco el nivel de sobrenaturalidad y a mi eso me gusta bastante pero creo que ha patinado un poco. Es una saga bonita pero no la mejor de Lisa. La recomiendo si te gustan las historias románticas contemporáneas con algo de magia :)
Esta es la cuarta (y última) parte de la serie "Friday Harbor" de Lisa Kleypas, aunque en GoodReads aparece un quinto libro pero con una nota de la autora de que no está escrito ni en proceso.
1. Una noche mágica. Mark Nolan.
2. El camino del sol. Sam Nolan.
3. El lago de los sueños. Alex Nolan.
Este cuarto se sale de los hermanos Nolan y nos habla de Justine, la prima de Zoe (que protagoniza el tercer libro y es la pareja de Alex).
Me he pasado la mitad del libro sin saber si era una relectura o no porque no recordaba que el personaje de justine tuviera un libro propio pero luego según seguí leyendo todo me sonaba mogollón y cuando saltó la liebre del problema de Jason ya sabía cuál iba a ser la solución así que al final imagino que ha sido relectura.
Este libro tiene peores puntuaciones que los tres anteriores y yo creo que no es para tanto, tengo la sensación de que recibe más odio del que debería y no sé muy bien por qué.
Si es verdad que tenía un montón de detalles que podían haberse explotado para hacer de esta novela algo mejor, más interesante... pero al final Lisa se ha quedado bastante en la superficie. También en este libro nos mete un montón de rollos sobre videojuegos, mundo informático, budismo y temas filosóficos que es posible que espanten a los lectores que no están habituados a este tipo de... ¿infodumping? por su parte.
En el plano erótico se mete en la descripción de un tipo de relaciones sexuales que se salen un poco de la norma. Puede que eso también ahuyente a las lectoras. Personalmente creo que no es para tanto, habla de algo bastante light y creo que está descrito muy bonito.... (pero a mí me sobraba).
La saga va subiendo poco a poco el nivel de sobrenaturalidad y a mi eso me gusta bastante pero creo que ha patinado un poco. Es una saga bonita pero no la mejor de Lisa. La recomiendo si te gustan las historias románticas contemporáneas con algo de magia :)
bookloverchelle's review against another edition
4.0
I discovered and fell in love with Lisa Kleypas with her historical romance novels. I always get a little scared with an author tries a new genre but was amazed at how gripping and appealing her contemporary novels were as well. With her newest series, Friday Harbor, she changed it up even more by adding an element of magic. This story aspect has grown more and more for each story and in the latest, Crystal Cove, the reader has to open up and believe that our heroine, Justine, is a witch and can make things happen. I have a hard time saying this is a paranormal romance, so maybe I should call it contemporary with a paranormal-lite feel. Once you open up to the possibilities, it was wonderful to read how Justine tries to find love in her life. The hero, Jason, is a reclusive software billionaire with an agenda when he arrives at Justine’s Bed and Breakfast but will this agenda affect his feelings for Justine? I liked the connection between them. Justine, who’s just experiencing the first feeling of love, goes in to this whole hearted. I liked how open and eager she was in her relationship with Jason, even after she learns the consequences for a witch in love. There is some BDSM play in this story, no pain play but rope play. Very well done by Ms. Kleypas. I hope that we’ll get to continue with the Friday Harbor series but I’d also love to see a new historical, too.
caraheard's review against another edition
I have loved several of the other books in this series. This one left me disappointed. I didn't want to put it down so I could see how it was resolved but, it didn't affect me emotionally like the others. I missed the other characters from previous books and would have liked an update on them.