Daring to Dream (Dream Trilogy, Book 1) (Paperback)

by Nora Roberts (Author) "When she was eighteen, Margo knew exactly what she wanted..." (more)
Key Phrases: Margo Sullivan, Templeton House, Miss Laura (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Set in Monterey, California, this first novel in the Dream trilogy features Margo Sullivan, the feisty and beautiful daughter of a wealthy family's housekeeper. She's been offered the same privileges as the Templeton children, but Margo resents handouts. She feels she has much to prove to herself, her surrogate family, and her mother. Margo dreams big--she wants wealth, fame, and success--but she doesn't want anyone else's help. Her plan is to go as far away from home as possible, so she starts with Hollywood and then moves on to Europe, where she finds fame as a supermodel. But when her world comes crashing down around her, Margo discovers that reaching out for help--especially to your family--can be just as challenging and rewarding as solving your problems on your own. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Publishers Weekly
Roberts begins a smooth-talking trilogy about three friends who grew up together among the megawealthy Templeton family of hoteliers, on their beautiful estate in Big Sur: Laura Templeton, the sweet rich girl who is getting marrid as the story begins; Kate Powell, her down-to-earth orphaned cousin with a Harvard M.B.A.; and Margo Sullivan, the housekeeper's daughter and heroine of this first book. Margo (the Bella Donna Woman... "Beautiful, Confident. Dangerous.") returns to Big Sur after being swindled by her manager. She suffers a little, opens a boutique of her old designer clothes and tchotchkes, and marries gorgeous golden Josh, the Templeton scion who has always loved her and who plays a great game of tennis. Roberts who could seemingly write a formula romance in her sleep, adds brains, humor and sex, if not anything by way of plot innovations.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Jove; Reprint edition (August 29, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515142905
• ISBN-13: 978-0515142907
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,623 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, January 10, 2001

By	Anne Cahill (Groton, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Daring to Dream: The Dream Trilogy #1 (Paperback)

I have to start by saying that I'm a big fan of most of Nora Roberts' trilogies and other groupings of books about families. That said, some are definitely better than others, and for me, this one was one of the best.

"Daring to Dream" is the first of this trilogy about "sisters of the heart" -- three women who grew up together in the same household. Margo Sullivan is the heroine of this tale, and she has spent most of her life trying to shed the "housekeeper's daughter" mantle that she wears with no small chip on her shoulder. She has made a name for herself in modeling and has traveled the world, but when her career falls apart she knows there's only one place she can go, and that's "home".

Many readers who didn't care for this book seem to have felt that Margo was selfish and self-centered. While I agree on the latter, I wouldn't say that she was selfish at all. It was very clear that while she's very "me" oriented, she would have dropped anything at any time to help her friends if they needed her. She's an extremely realistic character, and that means that she is, of course, flawed. Those closest to her are always quick to point out her flaws -- in fact, she often refers to them herself. But her best trait, they agree, is her loyalty, and this makes her the kind of person most people would want as a friend.

I also really enjoyed the love story in this book. Josh Templeton, the "heir apparent" to a hotel fortune and her best friend's brother to boot, isn't at all the spoiled jet-setting playboy that some have said. In fact, he works ultra-hard during the course of the book to prove his own worth, to show that he deserves his success and is not just a trust-fund baby. He was the perfect match for Margo and it was sweeter (and all the more realistic) that he has loved her all his life.

A wonderful beginning to the "Dream" trilogy.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Praised be!, December 29, 1999

By	"alessa9" (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Daring to Dream: The Dream Trilogy #1 (Paperback)

I love this book. From trilogy, this is my favorite. Ever since I bought it a couple of years ago, I've gone back to it again and again. I just can't get enough of it!

While it's true that Margo seems a bit too spoiled and selfish at the beginning, you also come to understand her motivation for using her body--which is her only asset--to create a world for herself. Margo is not all bad. She's caring about her friends, and in her own way, she does things for them. She gives them support, and is there when they need her.

I liked Josh from the beginning. He could easily have been a very snobbish, spoiled person, but he wasn't. He cared very much about his sister and nieces. The good relationship between him and his family was evident, and that clearly says something about him.

Although we don't see much interaction between Margo and Josh, the reader does believe that there is a caring, loving relationship developing between them. Although Josh is a bit too possessive, it's reasonable since he's had to do without Margo for a very long time. Personally, I like them and think that they would be great people to know.

If you like the DREAM series, you may also want to try the MacGregors, the BORN IN trilogy, the Stanislaskis, and the O'Hurleys.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book, July 17, 2005

By	Book Fan "Reads a lot" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Daring to Dream: The Dream Trilogy #1 (Paperback)

Daring to Dream is the first story in the Dream Trilogy. It focuses on Margo Sullivan, the daughter of the Templeton's housekeeper. Margo's best friends are her two "sisters" whose stories are told in the other books. Margo is beautiful and has always had plans to see the world and be famous.

Margo gets her wish, becoming a famous model in Europe, but a scandal involving her agent takes it all away. With nothing left, she returns home to Templeton House. Josh Templeton, the heir of the fortune, has had a crush on Margo since they were kids. He jokingly gives her the idea of opening a store, which of course, she takes seriously. With the help of her sisters, she finds a building near Fisherman's Wharf and opens Pretenses, a store that customers can purchase high-end second hand items. Margo sells a lot of her own things that are no longer needed to get things going.

Josh and Margo go the usual route in a romance relationship, but I enjoyed reading it tremendously. Josh is not the spoiled heir, he's a lawyer for the Templeton Hotel chain, and actually goes to work. He sees a new side of Margo when she starts her store, which draws him to her even more.

Intertwined in this story is the one of Seraphina, a young girl who killed herself when the love of her life died. She left behind a treasure buried somewhere in the cliffs by Templeton House, and the girls hope to someday find it.

This is also a great story of the love and friendship between Margo, Kate and Laura. They have completely different personalities, but together, they make a great team. They are there for each other no matter what, no questions asked. We should all be that lucky in our lives.

This was a great start to the series. I recommend it to anyone. If you've read Nora Roberts before, you know you won't be disappointed. If you've never read one of her books, this is a great one to start with.