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38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
SEP at her best!, June 24, 2001
Susan Elizabeth Phillips is one of the best writers of contemporary romance as is amply proven by "Dream a Little Dream" . This is the story of Rachel Stone, the widow of a TV evangelist whose greed and hypocrisy continue to haunt their former home, Salvation, North Carolina. Rachel and her son Edward are truly destitute, and she returns to Salvation in search of some of her husband's ill-gotten gains. In order to conduct her search, she must outwit the current occupant of her former home, the widower Gabe Bonner. Gabe is still in such deep mourning for his lost wife and son, that he has completely closed down emotionally. Circumstances bring Rachel and Gabe together, and much to their mutual surprise, their initial antipathy and wariness begins to awaken emotional feelings neither anticipated. Their sparing matches are hysterical and Phillips does a wonderful job building the sexual tension between the two. This is actually a two-for-one romance. In addition to Rachel and Gabe's story, the book includes the romance of Gabe's brother Ethan and his secretary Kristy. Ethan is a reformed sinner who became a pastor, the kind that sharply contrasts with Rachel's flamboyant dead husband. Kristy has been a part of his life forever and clearly always had a crush on Ethan. When Rachel comes to town, she inspires Kristy to make some changes in her life which completely throw Ethan's world into a tailspin, This novel has a unique plot, wonderfully developed characters, and extremely amusing dialouge. Even if you aren't a fan of contemporary romance, this is such a sweet and funny novel that you are bound to enjoy it.
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Keep a hankie handy, August 8, 2005
Gabe Bonner lost his family in a car accident 2 years earlier, and has been a shell of his former self. Rachel Stone is the widow of a greedy Salvation, North Carolina televangelist who absconded with most of the town's hard earned savings 3 years earlier, blaming his fall from grace on Rachel.
When her car breaks down in of all places, Salvation, a now destitute Rachel seeks employment from Gabe, the only person in town who does not know about her past. Soon it catches up to her and Gabe very reluctantly takes her under his wing, since she is the first woman he has felt a stirring for since his wife died.
With the town and Gabe's preacher brother Ethan against Rachel and her young son Edward (who likes to be called Chip), Rachel searches her former mansion (now Gabe's) for the missing money, only to be thwarted by Gabe. Soon, the two are in each other's arms acting on the chemistry that has been between them all along, much to both Gabe's brother's consternation. But Rachel cannot see herself with him long-term as he keeps Edward at arm's length, to the point that Edward fears him.
There is also a secondary romance involving Ethan and his secretary Kristy who has had the hots for Ethan for ages, and solicits Rachel's help in getting him to notice her. And boy does he.
This is the fourth of the Chicago Stars/Bonner Brothers stories. It is one of the best. The scenes between Gabe and Edward will keep you misty. He is a broken man that cannot seem to accept another young boy in his life, especially one he perceives as being as weak. Be sure to read "Nobody's Baby But Mine" to get background on the Bonner family clan.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My favorite contemporary I read in 1999!, January 1, 2000
By A Customer
This book absolutly had me hooked! I almost finished it in one day, but once again that sleep thing got in the way. Three years after leaving Salvation, NC after her televangalist husband is killed and found to have stolen money from the congregation, Rachel Stone is back to try to find the five million dollars that he stashed away. Unfortunately, things don't go well for Rachel. She has nine dollars in her pocket, a car that just broke down (which has also been her home for the past week), a five year old son and has to deal with Gabriel Bonner. Two years after Gabe's wife Cherry and their five year old son Jamie was killed by a drunk driver, Gabe is still greiving. He's a very unhappy man, especially when Rachel Stone shows up with her kid and wants a job. Reluctantly he gives her a job and the two eventually fall in love, although they wouldn't dare admit it. Since Rachel's husband swindled the town out of millions of dollars the entire town of Salvation, NC hates her. She can't go down the street without names being called or having her tires slashed. Gabe is time and again coming to her rescue. Something that I both liked and disliked about this book was Ethan and Kristy's relationship. I really found I enjoyed their story, but they should have had their own book. That is my only complaint. Overall, excellent read, highly recommended.
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