Customer Reviews

Sugar Creek: A Destiny Novel

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Despite a challenging, successful job in Chicago, Rachel Farris wastes no time in returning to Destiny, Ohio to help her ailing grandmother at the family apple orchard. The first person she runs into is Destiny police officer Mike Romo - as in the generations-long Farris vs. Romo family feud Romos. Clocked and ticketed by Officer Romo for speeding on her way into town isn't quite how Rachel anticipated being welcomed back and the two quickly and repeatedly begin to butt heads until there's the smallest hint of a spark. When the speeding tickets begin piling up, those embers begin to increase in intensity.

Rachel has financially assisted her family for a long time and while she's starting to feel slight tugs of settling down in Destiny to take over the orchard, she worries that it won't provide the income necessary to keep everyone's heads above water. Frustrated that her grandmother will only share the story of her long ago romance with Giovanni Romo in small increments, she begins to realize that her grandmother had experienced the very same weakness when it came to a Romo male. Rachel further realizes that her grandmother suffered a broken heart as a result and she's determined not to let her heart become involved.

Mike is a small town boy with a heavy guilt hanging over him, keeping him from finding any sort of true happiness. Rachel is a city girl who thrives on the congestion, shopping and general busy-ness of Chicago. Mike and Rachel both have heady sexual appetites and while Rachel is unashamed about her experience, Toni Blake has successfully written that forwardness without making Rachel seem slutty or promiscuous. Watching these two lose themselves in each other, while insisting that nothing is going to change in the long run, is especially fun. Rachel and Mike have an undeniable love-hate relationship and no one is more shocked over the "love" portion of the relationship than their families and friends. Neither understands what is happening between them and likewise, neither is in any hurry to see their "sex only" fling come to an end. There is backstory explaining the Farris-Romo feud that is a sort of story within the story, a bonus of sorts, that will cause a tight pull in your chest and a lump in your throat. Secondary characters are as familiar, charming and aggravating as your own family and friends and lend a touch of reality. Also interesting is Toni's trademark pet name for the heroine is reversed in SUGAR CREEK; the hero gets the nickname this time - so fun! This has long been one of my favorite things about picking up one of Toni's books - the anticipation of what that pet name will be!

I adore small town stories and returning to Destiny with Toni Blake is a wonderfully enjoyable visit. I was slightly disappointed that Jenny and Mick from ONE RECKLESS SUMMER, the first in the "Destiny" series, weren't more visible in SUGAR CREEK, but other secondary characters were colorful and intriguing enough to curb that disappointment and make me curious as to whose story will be next.
I give SUGAR CREEK a very strong recommendation for all readers who appreciate well-written contemporary romance that's full of emotion, intricate attention to detail, and passion that is positively molten.

A feud between the Farris and Romo families is the catalyst that ignites the sparks between Rachel Farris and Officer Mike Romo. Toni Blake's second DESTINY installment, SUGAR CREEK, is a hot one. Don't miss it!

Rachel Farris has not returned to her hometown in fifteen years. The only reason she is returning now is because her advertising career has run into a snag and her grandmother needs her help on the family's apple orchard. Rachel's first few minutes in town set the tone for her return in the form of police officer Mike Romo. Not only does Officer "Romeo" give her a stern lecture and an expensive speeding ticket, he also gives Rachel enough eye candy to keep her awake at night. It's really too bad that the Farris and Romo families have been feuding for as long as Rachel can remember because if she is honest, she will admit that Mike Romo makes her sweat. And that is something that Rachel will never do.

Talk about oil and water! Mike Romo is sex on a stick but very much aware of his job as a police officer. At first he refuses to even admit his attraction to Rachel - she is a "Farris" after all. Speaking of Rachel, I found her to be a typical career woman until I read further and realized just how original she is. Rachel loves her family and falls in love with her own Romeo. From the advertising room to the bedroom, Rachel Farris gives her all - and Mike Romo is putty in her hands. Or is she the putty in Mike's hands?

The feud dividing these two families is the true matchmaker of Toni Blake's SUGAR CREEK. The fireworks between Rachel and Mike shined on every page. If you like a well-written, sensual, and often delightfully funny romance then SUGAR CREEK is the book for you. I most definitely will read this one again and again.

Natalie S.

Only for her grandma Edna would Rachel Farris return to Destiny, Ohio. However, when her granny tells her she is lonely needing help with apple harvest, Rachel runs home.

As soon as reaches town, Rachel has an incident with police officer Mike Romo. Since their families are feuding as they have for years over Edna's apple farm, the pair ignores their attraction. However, Rachel learns Mike has offered to purchase the Farris Family Apple Orchard which angers her further. Still as Mike and Rachel fall in love, will their feelings for one another supersede the animosity between their families. It will take courage to do so.

This is an amusing entertaining contemporary Buckeye version of Romeo and Juliet that pays "homage" to the Bard as even the cat is named after him. Sugar Creek stars two interesting opposites as he is small town and she is big city to keep them even further apart beyond the chasm caused by the family feud. Neither trusts their heart or the other as love returns to Destiny, Ohio (see One Reckless Summer).

Harriet Klausner

Toni Blake takes us back to Destiny, Ohio in her latest novel Sugar Creek.

Rachel Farris returns home to help her beloved Grandma Edna with the families apple orchard. She had planned on a just staying long enough to get Edna through the harvest and then head back to her job in Chicago. But Rachel barely hits Destiny's city limits when she runs afoul of the law. Its only Cop Mike Romo whose family has been feuding with Rachel's as long as any one can remember. Seems the Romo's believe the Farris's stole the land the apple orchard now sits. Rachel upon learning Mike has offered to buy the orchard will do everything in her power to not let that happen.

Cop Mike Romo takes his job as the law in Destiny very seriously. He has no usage for speeders no matter how sexy they may be. Mike feels that the orchard should be back in his family and he offers a fair price for it. He can't seem to get Rachel Farris on his side. They seem to goat each other every time they see each other. That is until they give in to their attraction one night when they get locked in together.

Rachel and Mike both go into this affair with both their eyes wide open. Rachel is only in town for a short spell and Mike is no big city guy. But once the initial barbs fade away they both realize that they may have something worth fighting for in Destiny. Their newfound love will be put to the test when Rachel's long await promotion back in Chicago finally comes though. Can they come to some understanding and back this love work?

Sugar Creek is a sexy, funny read. Mike and Rachel's banter is snappy and delightful. You find yourself laughing right along with them. Their sexual chemistry is smoking hot and tantalizing. Toni Blake makes small town living fun and exciting. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

This is where I bring out the old clichés. One bad apple don't spoil the whole bunch girl...sing it Donny Osmond! And of course this one is a given: Romeo, Romeo, where for art thou Romeo?

Welcome to Destiny Ohio where if you speed, you better be prepared to pay the consequences! Too bad that wasn't the welcoming sign on the way into town. Rachel Farris could have used the warning...on more than one occasion.

Family Feud is alive and well in Sugar Creek. Forget the Hatfield's and the McCoy's. It's the Farris's vs. the Romo's with a side of Romeo and Juliet thrown in (only with a much happier ending). The Farris and Romo families have been feuding for years..over the Farris Family Apple Orchard.

With Rachel Farris's advertising career in a state of flux, she decides to answer her dear old Aunt Edna's plea for help during apple harvesting season, packs up her bags and her life in Chicago and hits the road to Destiny...a place she couldn't wait to leave in her dust as soon as possible when she was younger.

From the moment local, hometown hottie Officer Mike Romeo.... err Romo pulls over Rachel in her sporty, little BMW her first day back in town for doing well in excess of the posted speed limit, they snipe and snip and sling verbal slurs against each others family. Rachel calls Mike "Romeo" (as well as Deputy Dawg and Barney Fife) so many times just to piss him off that every time she did I got such a kick out of it..I just had to do it too. Really could you resist?

Small town boy and big city girl differences aside, Mike and Rachel seem to be able to shelve the family feud long enough to agree on one thing...sex is A-Ok. No strings, no commitments...just some serious smoking up the pages and hot sexual chemistry going on that neither one can deny (although they both try to repeatedly). Who knew that being locked in a concession stand at the local high school, falling out of an apple tree or driving in a convertible with the top down could end with such satisfying and arousing results?

Finally I've got to give some props to Aunt Edna. From her fabulous baked apple pies, her love for Brett Michaels and The Rock of Love, to her suspect aching knees and the telling of the Farris/Romo love/feud story through flashbacks she's a real character who wants nothing but the best for her niece and the family business.

Meet your destiny in Destiny. This small town once again brings together two people who eventually realize everything they've ever wanted and needed is right under their noses. Thank goodness true love does conquer all.

Take a trip this summer and visit Destiny Ohio, you won't be disappointed. Just make sure you don't speed!

I read the first in this series, ONE RECKLESS SUMMER, and loved it so much I joined Toni's yahoo group :) However, I blushingly had to confess to her that I LOVED this story a little better. It is a love/hate relationship, which is one of my favorite kinds of romances, and as usual, it's filled with small town characters and a mystery to boot! Toni is a great character writer, and as usual there are more than one storylines going on in the book, so there is plenty there to keep you going. Plus, the romance is great, as usual. There is pathos, charm, small-town good feelings, and a very funny, very hot relationship building between a Farris and a Romo--oh no! I can't wait for the next in the Destiny books. If they each keep getting better, we're in for a great ride.

This is the second book I've read of Toni Blake's (the first being One Reckless Summer), and I love the little town of Destiny and the inhabitants!. I didn't like Mike and Rachel's story quite as much as I liked Jenny and Mick's, and I found myself skim reading through Aunt Edna's back story, but it was still a great read and I look forward to reading the next book in the series, and finding out more about Tessa and Lucky.

4 and 1/2 stars


As much as I enjoyed reading One Reckless Summer, I enjoyed Sugar Creek even more.

I love how the history of the Farris/Romo family feud tied into Rachel's relationship with Mike. I enjoyed reading Edna's (Rachel's grandmother) story as much as I did Rachel's. The author did an excellent job of interweaving Edna's story into the main story.

Cute small-town setting romance with steamy love scenes. I can't wait to read Whisper Falls, the third book in the Destiny series. I also want Logan's story and Alex's story!

Rachel returns to Destiny to help her grandmother Edna with the family apple orchard. While there, she becomes involved with Mike Romo, a member of her family's rival family.

From first meeting each other they did nothing but argue. With the life-long rivalry between their families it was to be expected. The back and forth banter with Rachel and Officer "Romeo" provided for some great entertainment.

Things started to shift between them while they were stuck together working the concession stand at the local high school. The two of them end up having sex on the concession stand floor! HOT!!

As their relationship progressed it became more than just sex, even though that is all Rachel would admit to it being. As the reader, you could see Mike falling for her, and Rachel being a little more hesitant. Rachel felt that her success and achievement came from leaving Destiny, and she was unsure about giving that up to return there. Even for Mike. I enjoyed Mike trying to provide her with the romance she asked for. Especially when he played "Fade Into You" while they made love. I had to get my ipod and listen to it myself while I read that scene.
I loved Rachel's smart-assed comments and the relationship she had with her grandmother. Edna also had a story within a story, about her past and how the feud between the two families came about. From the start of her story, I felt sorry for her and her lost love. But then at the end of her story, I was just pissed for Edna.

Overall it was a great book that kept me laughing along the way. I look forward to reading more of the Destiny novels.

I loved the first book in this series One Reckless Summer. One of my main criteria that "makes or breaks" a book for me are the characters. Do I like them? Are they interesting? Do I care about what happens to them?

In Sugar Creek, all my answers to those questions was a resounding.....NO!

Mike Romo is a police officer in the town of Destiny. Rachel Farris is coming home to Destiny to help with her grandmother's apple orchard. They both grew up in Destiny, but have no real history. They knew "of " each other, but that is it. Mike Romo just did not do it for me....at all. He was arrogant and very full of himself and his occupation. Rachel stands up to him, which is the only real part of this book that impressed me. Mike is not romantic....he is not kind.....he is not even nice. Why Rachel was so attracted to him I'll never know.

There is another story happening in this book featuring Rachel's grandma and Mike's grandpa. They also had a relationship when they were younger that (thank God) didn't work out. Mike Romo's grandpa was also a jerk.....something that maybe runs in the family?

Overall.....not impressed. I need to find something attractive about the heroes in my romance novels.....Mike just didn't do anything for me.