As you are probably aware, I am an avid reader. One of my favorite authors is none other than romance goddess Nora Roberts. This woman, who has also written as J.D. Robb, absolutely amazes me with her writing prowess. The woman is a machine when it comes to publishing books, yet there is nothing mechanical about any of her stories. There are 210 entries on Epinions for Nora Roberts. Unreal.
The latest book I read by Roberts is Holding The Dream, book two of The Dream Trilogy. Unfortunately, when I purchased this book at Walden Books, I didn’t realize that it was a part of a trilogy. I just wanted a book to read on my flight to Minneapolis. Dionne grabbed this one and handed it to me. I thought it looked interesting, so I was happy. Hey– I haven’t been too let down by any Nora Roberts book…
THE PLOT
Kate Powell is an accountant at a large firm. All she wants to do is make her adoptive family proud by becoming partner. When she is accused of embezzling funds of $75,000 from the firm, her world comes crashing down around her. The person that catches her is none other than Byron DeWitt, a long time friend of the family who happens to have his eye on Kate. Together, they discover who framed her, as well as fall in love along the way.
Okay, so the plot seems a bit wishy-washy. It definitely isn’t Roberts’ bet, that’s for sure. But, it’s easy to identify with the different characters, as Roberts spans the personality spectrum for her male and female characters.
Which leads me to…
THE CHARACTERS
Katherine “Kate” Powell is the adopted daughter of the Templetons. She was adopted when she was just 8 years old, after her parents were killed in a car accident. Now, Kate is aspiring to become partner at the accounting firm where she works, Bittle & Associates. Kate is very determined, practical, stubborn, focused and nervous. She obviously has some sort of gastro-intestinal problem, which proves important later in the book. Roberts did a good job making Kate a “real” person. She is well rounded, and all of her actions and reactions are justified by her personality and history that is established in the book.
Byron DeWitt is the dashing hero in Holding the Dream. Handsome, successful, wealthy, and a bit egotistical, Roberts creates a suave character in perfect balance of our young heroine. He works within the Templeton hotel chain, as an executive of some sort. He wants to protect the reluctant Kate from any wrong-doings, and succeeds in capturing the heart of the reader. Believe me, I would LOVE a man like Byron DeWitt to swoop into my life! For this very reason, I was hooked on the interaction between Byron and Kate.
Margo Templeton is Kate’s sister-in-law. The beautiful former model runs the sisters’ second-hand boutique in Big Sur. (I’ll get to the third sister in a moment.) Classy, sophisticated, wry and a bit manipulative, Margo fills the role of the woman that “regular” women aspire to become. She’s married to Josh Templeton, Kate’s adoptive brother, and pregnant with their first child. Margo plays an intricate part in making Kate realize that she, too, can be beautiful.
Laura Templeton is the divorced sister and mother of two little girls. Fragile yet strong, Laura doesn’t want anyone to mess with her sisters. When Kate gets into trouble, big sis Laura jumps into the role of the mother, since their parents live in France. Laura is probably the weakest and least developed character in this book. Usually, I’d be interested in seeing what happens in the next book, but I know that it is going to be about Laura. There wasn’t enough about her in this one that made me interested enough in reading the third book.
Josh Templeton is, as I mentioned before, Kate’s adoptive brother and Margo’s husband. He’s the big brother I’ve always wanted. Thankfully, he’s a lawyer and leaps to Kate’s defense when things start going awry at work. Again, Roberts does a terrific job exploring this character. I’m sure there was a large part for this character in the first book, which I will read on my flight next week!
So, there you have it: The five main characters. Of course, there are others in the book, but they’re just not worth mentioning. They compliment the main characters and add to the plot, but none are really that well-rounded.
THE SETTING
This book is set in the northern/central part of the California Coast, known as Big Sur. I was fortunate enough to visit there last year when I went to Carmel for a weekend. Let me tell you, Roberts nails this place with the descriptions she provides. You can hear the waves crashing against the rocks and feel the bustle along the sidewalks outside all of the shops and boutiques. It is the perfect setting for a family that is in the hotel business. It is also an excellent setting for a reluctant love story.
I believe that all three of the Dream books take place in Big Sur. With the underlying plotline of Seraphina’s dowry (a legend about a woman who thew herself into the ocean, but tossed her gold among the cliffs before she did), the mystique of the book is complete.
IN CONCLUSION
This was a great book. Unfortunately, it can’t really stand on its own. I think, in order to wholly appreciate this book, you need to know the relationships that have already been established between the main characters. Holding the Dream dives right in, as though you already know what’s going on. I wish I had read the first one in the trilogy first. I plan to go back and fill in the empty spaces next week, so be prepared for that review!
