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There's Always a Catch: A hilarious and heartwarming family-drama set in paradise (Christmas Key Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Stephanie Taylor (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,938 ratings
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A hilarious tropical romp: When stagnation threatens the future of her beloved island, mayor Holly goes head-to-head with the community’s elderly retirees. With secrets swirling, family drama brewing, and an ex-boyfriend hanging around, can Holly find a way to save her slice of paradise?

With her beloved island's future on the line, Mayor Holly Baxter must choose between progress and the status quo, and she'll go up against a small army of golf cart driving retirees to do it. Throw in some major family drama, long-kept secrets, and the complication of a new romance that sparks under the watchful eye of her ex, the island's only cop, and Holly realizes that—in life, and in love—there's always a catch!
  • Small town
  • Clean and wholesome
  • Humorous
  • Quirky characters
“This book is such a joy to read. It is witty, quirky and well written. I challenge you to not fall in love with this island, the inhabitants, and the visitors. Heartwarming without being sappy, this story gives a well rounded plot to keep readers of many genres satisfied. Can't wait to see what happens next!” —Amazon Review

“I loved this book. I grew to love Holly Baxter and friends, and loved the vibe of Christmas Key. If there really were such a place, I'd be visiting for sure, and would probably never leave!” —Amazon Review

Download Book One today to start this long-running series...take a trip to Christmas Key, where it's the holidays all year long!
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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 9
    Christmas Key
  2. Print length
    268 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    March 28, 2016
  6. File size
    1700 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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From the Publisher

Christmas Key

A rom-com series to make you laugh, swoon, and dream about Christmas!

Leave your heart in the Gulf of Mexico!

Come to Christmas Key, an island that's decorated for the holidays all year long. With funny, eccentric neighbors, a small-town vibe, and more romance than you can imagine, Christmas Key is a place you'll want to visit again and again.

With 9 full-length novels and 3 novellas, you'll be on a non-stop trip to paradise!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Stephanie Taylor is a high school teacher from the Pacific Northwest. She loves coffee, orchids, and Depeche Mode.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01DMRA0B6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Stephanie Taylor (March 28, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 28, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1700 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 268 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,938 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Stephanie Taylor

Stephanie Taylor

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Stephanie Taylor writes a romantic comedy series about a fictional island called "Christmas Key," as well as several other standalone romance, YA, and middle grade titles.

You can check out her website at: www.redbirdsandrabbits.com

Sign up for news and info on her latest releases at: www.redbirdsandrabbits.com/subscribe/

Follow Stephanie on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/redbirdsandrabbits/

Join her on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/redbirdsrabbits

Say "hi" on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/StephanieTaylorBooks

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
1,938 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Claudete Takahashi
5.0 out of 5 stars Love at a struggling paradise....
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2020
Verified Purchase
An easy read that makes you also want to live in a beautiful island as the one described in the book where only a few really remain because they adapt and they become "family". It's the ideal scenery for a love story but it also shows the the main character as a woman who has a strong character and a force that not only she does not initially recognizes but also doubts she will be able to continue her grandad's legacy. The plot - besides romance - includes a stranged mother and her sudden intrusion in the island's life, an unexpected uncle, more friends than expected, a new love and an old one. The rest of the characters are funny and keep on gossiping and giving their unsolicited opinions in very loud and mischiveous ways. Entertaining!!!
3 people found this helpful
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Kat H
4.0 out of 5 stars the characters are often funny & unique
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2018
Verified Purchase
This book is really cute in many ways—the scene she creates is creative, the characters are often funny & unique, & the underlying plot is interesting. That said, some of it is a little thin: some characters are not very developed, & certain people’s personalities run together & are indistinguishable (or very close). The concept is really cute though, & it’s a fun read. I’d suggest a little more realism in the romantic plot (it’s too obvious & a little too soap opera/fairy tale-like to be believable). There are some interesting plot twists, but the author doesn’t explain why they happen, so that’s kind of odd. The characters are mostly lovable, especially the long-time residents/seniors. It’s a good concept & pemise, but it needs a little better character development & to be more realistic—it’s hard to believe the whole thing: a fantasy island with only Christmas themes, golf carts only, a woman who walks around in see-through clothes or toppers is in charge of everything (which the seniors have no problem with), a cop is so obsessed with her that he stalks her by writing tickets as an excuse to see her & plays poker to “win her,” a random stranger falls for her in just days, no one minds getting food poisoning, a huge tv station wants to do a whole show on them, etc. If the author can use the location & develop the characters’ personalities better (and less superficially), theI could be a really good series. A little disappointing that there are no people of color in the book or on the island. It’s just another poor little rich white girl with great breasts & blonde-red hair who has everything & decides which of the 2 amazing/gorgeous men (who of course are obsessed with only her) to be with. An interesting start and premise, but I’d like to see more diversity (not just a bunch of white people) & more realism with respect to the romantic & other plots.
2 people found this helpful
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SusieQ
5.0 out of 5 stars intriguing
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2023
Verified Purchase
I love a book that makes you feel like you are transported into the location and become intrigued by each of the characters. It holds your interest continuously. A great summer read to just relax and enjoy the journey.
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Jill4Bama
3.0 out of 5 stars cute story!
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2023
Verified Purchase
Lighthearted, island romance.
Christmas Key Island was purchased by Frank Baxter to move his family to after his teenage daughter becomes pregnant and has a little girl. The story is told by thirty year old Holly Baxter, who lived her entire life with her grandparents on Christmas Key Island.
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CA reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Meet me at Jack Frosty's
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2016
Verified Purchase
From the first pages, I could feel the humidity in the air and the sand under my feet. Christmas Key, the fictional island even farther from the Florida mainland Key West, will be familiar to readers who have spent time on the smaller keys or other tropical islands; golf carts instead of cars, unpaved roads, open air bars, tame parrots, and dependence on neighbors and the weekly boat run to the mainland. Holly Baxter grew up on the small island her grandfather bought and now she’s the 20-something mayor, determined to continue her grandfather’s legacy of making the island, with all of its 130 close-knit inhabitants, economically viable without losing its soul.

Holly needs the help of everyone on Christmas Key, where all the roads and businesses have holiday-themed names. They are mostly retirees and those who came to Christmas Key to escape their past. The assembly cast of expertly drawn characters includes Jake, the local lawman who is Holly’s ex largely because he doesn’t have the same commitment to the island she does.

When Holly manages to get a group of fishermen from Oregon to the island, everyone pitches in and despite bad shrimp and a tropical storm, they pull it off. River, a former baseball player, is part of the group and sparks fly, especially when River beats Jake at poker.

Holly feels the weight of her grandfather’s legacy at bit too much at times, but overall the book was too short! I was on Christmas Key with Holly and the whole colorful cast, I swear, the authenticity underscored with smooth prose, evocative descriptions and crisply real dialogue. Making a reader feel so immersed in an unusual setting can be hard but Taylor nails it with a classic “show, don’t tell” approach. Luckily, the next in the series promises to pick up right where this book left off. Let me know as soon as it’s out. I’ll be at Jack Frosty’s, beer in hand.
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Statistichick
4.0 out of 5 stars Takes you to paradise
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2022
Verified Purchase
Really fun series beginning. The story sucks you in, and the author's descriptions let you easily imagine being on Christmas Key with them. I'm hoping Jake finds love in a future book, because he seems like a nice guy, and I'd happily see Coco either have a "Come to Jesus" moment of get her comeuppance. It's a little mean to not give us the end of Holly's story, as she's the main character, and I'm not a fan of traditional cliffhangers, but the author actually handles the transition to book two well.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Goby
5.0 out of 5 stars beautifully written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 22, 2024
Verified Purchase
A tropical island where the neighbours are friendly, the romance is sweet, and the streets are decorated for Christmas all year-round
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Smita P
4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful story
Reviewed in India on November 25, 2017
Verified Purchase
Holly is lovely, the story is about her finding way in midst of 10 different challenge.
On a flip side life seems so ideal n sort of other worldly like. English is little still.. really a sort of growing up story.
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Janet Hood
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in Australia on August 20, 2018
Verified Purchase
Enjoyed Holly and the characters on Christmas Key immensely. I was transported to this beautiful tropical island and felt like Holly’s neighbours were my neighbors too! A great holiday read.
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Geraldine
3.0 out of 5 stars Just OK
Reviewed in Canada on November 13, 2017
Verified Purchase
I loved the setting for this book, Christmas Key.

Unfortunately, the story itself didn't hold my attention long enough to finish it. Not all that original or interesting, IMO. I also didn't connect with any of the characters.

May be an OK story if you're looking for a light beach-type read, but it wasn't for me.
2 people found this helpful
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maybookaholic
4.0 out of 5 stars Holiday island romance
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 23, 2018
Verified Purchase
Well not only a romance, but a well written story of life on a Florida Keys island . They say there's no Paradise on Earth and there's plenty of problems here to overcome. A good start for a saga!
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