Customer Reviews

Holding the Dream (Dream Trilogy)

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Nora Roberts continues what she started in "Daring to Dream" in this wonderful second book of the trilogy.

Kate Powell, cousin to the Templeton children who was raised as one of their own after the death of her own parents when she was a child, has spent her whole life trying to be the best at everything she does so that she can "pay them back" for their generosity. Close to her goal of becoming partner in an accounting firm, her world is rocked by not one but two revelations -- the first, that her father had a cloud of scandal hanging over him at the time of his death, and the second, that she suddenly finds herself facing a similar scandal. In addition stress and worry make her ill, and she is forced to re-evaluate her life and her goals.

Kate is a wonderful heroine. She's strong, independent, smart, and far easier to relate to than the glamorous Margo of the first book. Her independent streak and desire to stand on her own take some getting used to for Byron De Witt, a southern gentleman through and through who is surprised to find himself falling in love with a woman so completely not his "type".

As wonderful as it is to watch Kate's relationship with Byron develop, the best part of this book (like the first) is the relationship between Kate, Margo, and Laura -- three women who grew up as sisters and whose bond is stronger than blood.

This is the best of the triology. Kate is truely an over achiever, and got exactly what over achievers get - sick with an ulcer! Her life is working for her, she is an accountant and working her way up the corporate ladder. Just when she thinks she has climbed the last rung, the ladder comes crashing down around her. After getting sick, facing federal criminal charges, and being forced to work full time in the shop her and her sisters started up, does she find her dream and she holds on tight to it at the end, and not only becomes happy and content in her business world, but of course in her love life also! This is truely the best of the triology, but you have to read them in order to truely appreciate the sisters and the family they came from.

"Holding the Dream" is book #2 in Nora Roberts' "Dream" trilogy, and if it's possible I think this book is even better than the first.
Kate Powell, Laura Templeton's cousin, was orphaned as a child and has been raised by the Templetons as one of their own. Now, as an adult, Kate is an obsessive over-achiever, determined to succeed in business to "pay back" the Templetons for their generosity towards her. Just as everything is looking up and she believes she's about to get promoted to partner, Kate's life falls apart. She gets ill with a stomach ulcer, discovers that her father died during the middle of a messy scandal, and suddenly finds herself caught in a scandal of her own. Someone has set Kate up to make it look like she's been stealing from her company, and Kate must prove her innocence.
Kate isn't alone in this, however, as Southern gentleman Byron DeWitt has come into her life and is quite taken with this determined woman. Byron's support and faith in Kate help her get through these tough times. Laura and Margo, Kate's two best friends, show her unwavering loyalty, and the friendship these three share is the foundation of this entire trilogy. Kate's romance with Byron is exciting and realistic.
Kate is a wonderfully strong and independent heroine, and the tale Nora Roberts weaves is completely absorbing. I enjoyed Kate's story immensely and I know you will too, so read this book today!

This is the book that introduced me to Nora Roberts, and I've been a big fan ever since. This is the second in the Dream series (and I recommend all of the titles -- it's my favorite series to date) and it's my favorite of the Dream series. Whenever Nora Roberts makes a series, the formula is typically one sibling who is very cautious, who has been hurt before, one sibling who is on the wild side with a voracious sexual appetite, and one is sensible and a tad shy. This one is about the sibling who is very cautious; smart in business, not so daft with her emotions. It's this sibling who I always like best.

In sum, read the series. But start with Margo ("Daring to Dream") so you don't go out of order.

This series of three books about three sisters was the first set of Nora Roberts books I ever read. I fell instantly in love with the characters, the setting and the story line. I was sad to see the end of this book and immediately began looking for more Nora Roberts books.

If you enjoy reading books about women who overcome their self doubts and many obstacles to become successful in their own way and content with their life, this book (and the others in the trilogy)is one you should read. It is also a romance novel full of the realistic ups and downs that many relationships suffer.

Nora reminds us success is not always monetary, that it is important to have love and many obstacles can be overcome.

Nora Roberts has won me over with her ability to romance her readers. Her characters become become part of your reading life, full of struggles and sucesses. Her trilogies grip you so that you the reader anxiously jump forward to the next saga.This trilogy regarding the lives of three beauiful women is complete entertainment. I highly recommend the reader starts with "Daring to Dream" , book one of the trilogy, then goes on to "Holding the Dream" and the concludes with "Finding the Dream" You'll be cheering these heroines on through out the trilogy,feeling their emotions, and the love they cherish between them

HOLDING THE DREAM is the second book in the Dream trilogy by Nora Roberts, which is about the lives of three women who grew up together and focuses on their lives as adults. The glimpse back at their childhood and teen years is accomplished with flashbacks, and is done with expertise so the story is smooth and not jerky as many flashbacks can sometimes appear.

HOLDING THE DREAM focuses on Kate Powell who was raised by the Templetons from the time she was a small child when her family was killed. Even though she was a cousin to Laura Templeton, she was raised as her sister, never any difference being shown between the girls.

Kate doesn't have the attractiveness of Margo or Laura's sophistication, but she has always been the top in her class academically and has excellent in all aspects of the business world. She has received promotion after promotion in a large accounting firm, but is set up by a shrewd co-worker and her world comes crashing down around her. With the help of her life long friends, Kate refocuses her efforts into the business the three of them have set up and realizes that something is missing from her life. Since this is a pure romance novel, you can guess that the "something missing" is love.

That last line isn't meant to be cynical because Nora Roberts pulls off an excellent story with vibrant characters and the beautiful background of Big Sur, California. At times I felt like I could actually hear those waves crashing on the cliffs! As typical, her story is great, but I felt it was a little flat and not up to her usual standard of greatness. She only grazes a couple of minor details brought out in the book and left me wanting to explore those elements. For example, I wanted to learn about more on the Templetons. This couple not only raised their daughter and son but saw to it that their extended family's child and their maid's child were given many of the same opportunities as their own children. This must truly be an exceptional couple, but we aren't allowed to know that fact because we are only given glimpses of them.

All in all, this is a good book, not one of her best, but far superior to many writers currently on the market. A safe bet for a few enjoyable hours.

This is the first dream trilogy that i've read. But i can't wait to read all of them. i love strong-willed and intelligent heroines. And Kate is the very type of heroine that i've always wanted to encounter in romance novels. She is indepedent, intelligent, and sweet. too independent to pass her own problems to Byron at first. But Byron is so much Southern gentleman that he never turn a blind eye on Kate's troubles. And i like the way that Byron fell in love with Kate who is not stunningly beautiful.

This is the first dream trilogy that i've read. But i can't wait to read all of them. i love strong-willed and intelligent heroines. And Kate is the very type of heroine that i've always wanted to encounter in romance novels. She is indepedent, intelligent, and sweet. too independent to pass her own problems to Byron at first. But Byron is so much Southern gentleman that he never turns a blind eye on Kate's troubles. And i like the way that Byron fell in love with Kate who is not stunningly beautiful.

What can I say, it's Nora Roberts! Just as good as the first book, and still maintains the characters. Each book has it's own story that ties to both the others seamlessly.