CRYSTAL COVE – Lisa Kleypas
A Friday Harbor Novel , Book 4
St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN: 978-1-250-01175-6 (Trade Paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-250-02592-0 (eBook)
February 2013
Contemporary Romance w/ Magic

San Juan Island, Washington State, the Present

Justine Hoffman runs an inn called the Artist's Point B&B at Friday Harbor with her best friend and cousin, Zoë. Zoë is chef, and Justine concentrates on making the guests welcome. Hers is a contented life but for one thing, she cannot seem to fall in love or be loved. A couple more things you need to know about Justine to understand her story; she comes from a long line of hereditary witches, and when she was born, her mother, Marigold, placed a spell on her. The ostensible reason was to save her daughter from having her heart broken as hers was. Justine has some natural ability but refuses to join the local coven, even though she possesses an ancient book of spells—the family grimoire . Yet when she finally learns of the “curse” she's under, she turns to the book to remove it…but it's not that easy! Especially for someone untrained in her native magic.

Jason Black and his group come to the island and the inn to negotiate the building of a study center on the beach land he recently bought. Jason garnered fame and fortune building fantastic video game software and wants to use some of his gains for good. He also has a hidden motive that involves Justine. Between the two, power is set loose…the dangerous kind that can very easily backfire.

Whew! What a tale is told in CRYSTAL COVE! Exciting, compelling, riveting, romantic and sexy are just a few words that describe this novel. Ms. Kleypas has always created great characters and plot, and in this latest, she revs up the tension and the sensual quotient by marked degrees, and includes plenty of magic as well. Chapter eleven is an excellent example of the riveting kind, while the love scenes are of a kind and a length that will please those who enjoy the erotic.

The people of Friday Harbor, some from earlier books, add substantially to the whole as does Jason's assistant. Be prepared for a rich and thrilling, and often surprising, ride into great fiction.

Jane Bowers