Holly Lane (Destiny, Ohio Series #4)

Do you have to let go of the past before you can build a new future?

Sue Ann Simpkins is recovering from her husband's decision to walk away from their perfect marriage. She cannot believe that he could just leave her and her daughter after all these years. Sue Ann is going to rebuild she is just not sure how but if there is a way to shake the snow from her shoes it is going to happen.

Adam Becker has been down the path of relationship recovery and never thought he would be the go to man. However, Adam has always had more than friendship thoughts toward Sue Ann. So if he is there to help her resolve her issues, maybe at the same time he can convince her to trust her heart and give them a try.

Santa Claus is having trouble fulfilling everyone's wish list this year. Santa may have an easier time getting a reindeer in your backyard than Sue Ann to open her eyes to Adam's intentions. What Adam has to show Sue Ann besides love is that you do not have to be the perfect couple to have the perfect relationship and play some reindeer games.

This great addition to the Destiny series proves Toni Blake knows how to keep the characters fresh, and the storyline exciting. Ms. Blake weaves a new story in with the previous ones showing the reader the variety of romance available.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Sweet Holiday Read

Starting over is not as easy as people think, especially when you need to start over in the same town that your ex husband is living with his new wife.

Sue Ann is a Destiny child, born and raised in Destiny and then raising her daughter in the small town she loves.

But her husband decided the upset her perfect world by admitting that he no longer loves her and does love someone else. His betrayal is more than she can take. So a couple of days in the mountains, away from everyone is just what the doctor orders until the resort overbooks the cabin she is staying and in walks a man. But not just any man, her ex-husband's best friend, Adam Becker.

Throw in a snowstorm, lock her up in a romantic cabin with Adam, mix in a couple of drinks and uh oh, Adam is not only looking very sexy but then the kissing begins and then clothes start flying. But this is the Adam that is a steady part of her life, the godfather to her daughter, the voice of reason for her scattered life. Sue Ann is not of the trusting nature about men right now and Adam may be right guy but at the wrong time. His caring, trust and love overwhelm her but at the same time she desires him more than ever.

A phone call from her exhusband puts Adam in a no win situation but his feelings for Sue Ann complicate his relationship with his lifelong friend.

Sue Ann is a hardened woman who is out to protect her heart and her daughter but Adam is the perfect man who loves with his whole being. And he loves Sue Ann. Just what will it take for them to meet in the middle, make a memorable Christmas and a life together?

This is book four in the Destiny series and Toni Blake keeps it fresh and fun. Visitors from the previous books catch you up with the lives of Destiny's lovers and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the roads their lives have taken.

A good book and a good series that I highly recommend.
Originally posted at The Long and Short of It Romance Reviews

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

recommend

A great second-chance-at-love romance between Adam and Sue Ann though this is not my favorite of the Destiny series.
The story is a take on 'A Christmas Carol' and had a enjoyable look in to Adam's could have/should have past, present, and possible future.
We are blindsided by Sue Anne's husband leaving her for another woman and her subsequent divorce. The near perfect Sue Anne from the previous books is lost and trying to find her way through with providing as normal a life for her 7 year old daughter.
Sue Ann drove me crazy a bit with her push-pull relationship with Adam, I understand what drove her to be protective of herself but at times I wanted to scream in frustration, I didn't think Adam was all that bad of a guy. Adam had his own issues to deal with in regards to Sue Anne as she was his best friends now ex-wife. Adam harbored a secret crush on her back in their younger days but didn't act on it because of Jeff. Sue Anne was a fantasy to reality for Adam. Jeff made me so mad whit him showing up all over town with his new wife and his treatment of Sue Anne, it was nice to finally see Sue Anne grow a backbone and stand up to him towards the end of the story.

Great addition to Destiny OH

Toni Blake is one of my favorites, my only complaint is there's not enough books! Holly Lane is a great holiday story. I had this on pre-order for months, and I wasn't disappointed. I've read the other Destiny books, so I was familiar with the characters.

Another wonderful Destiny tale

Holly Lane by Toni Blake is a captivating story about love and second chances.

Sue Ann Simpkins is trying hard to get into the holiday spirit. A week in a remote cabin seems to be just the thing she needs. It was until her ex¿s best buddy Adam Becker shows up saying the cabin is his for the next week. Sue Ann always liked and admired Adam but wasn¿t prepared to realize how handsome this man is to her.

Adam Becker¿s holiday spirit has flown the coop. His ex¿s parents took his boys out of town for the whole month of December. In stead of subjecting his workers and friends to his bad mood he heads to the cabin he rents every year. Finding his best friends ex there is certainly a pleasant surprise. Adam always had a soft spot for Sue Ann. Being stranded in a snowstorm turns an attraction into one blazing hot night together.

Sue Ann is slow to trust any man after the way her ex husband Jeff left her for another woman. Adam has his own issues with relationships but is willing to do what it takes to make this thing with Sue Ann work. Adam will have a tough job on his hands getting through the wall Sue Ann has built around her heart.

Holly Lane is just the book to get you into the holiday mood. You can feel the snow in the air and the feeling that love is all around. Sue Ann and Adam are perfect for each other. Their past history as friends is a foundation to built a love worth fighting for. Its always a treat to visit Destiny Ohio.

love it

i love the book.

Could not stop reading this book!

Say You¿ll Be Mine is a romance novel with a fairly serious plot. Isabel is the head of her family owned winery and she is trying to decide what her future holds. She is divorced from Nick, who still works for the company and is working his way back from alcoholism, one of the factors in the divorce. He has started a new relationship and is engaged but emotionally he hasn¿t really committed to his fiancé. Isabel receives word that her cousin has died and she must go to Argentina and take custody of three minor children. Nick invites himself on the trip and after a bit of arguing, they go together. Isabel does not want to be responsible for the children and gets an out when Ramiro, the brother of the children¿s father, indicates he will fight for custody. Ramiro has a bad history with the Gallegos family and Isabel¿s relatives are adamantly against his involvement with the children. Isabel just wants out of the situation and makes a deal with Ramiro that she will return the children after a defined period of time. It seems as though all of the major players in this story are damaged somehow. Isabel has closed herself off to life and love and just wants to be free of all responsibility. She sees the children as just more trouble to hold her down. Nick has fought his way back to sobriety but he is not happy either. Together they have a shared tragedy that neither has really dealt with. Ramiro has a past to live down and seems to be the most content with his life. He sees the children as an opportunity to right some of the past wrongs and has an emotional attachment to them. The children are fragile emotionally and hostile to change. Taking in children and becoming a loving mother to them is a tried and true romance plot. In this book it is not so simple. Isabel changes in many ways but in the back of her mind she still wants her freedom. She and Nick work through a lot of issues between them, but old hurts die hard. Every step forward brings two going back. Right up to the end of the book, the reader is not sure how this story will end. I enjoyed this book a great deal. Once I started it, I couldn¿t stop until I was done. I thought that the plot was realistic and the cultural references to Argentina added a lot to the book.

I loved it was Hot and Romantic!

Love and the Magic of Christmas

WARNING READING HOLLY LANE:
will result in a strong urge to skip Halloween and head straight to the day after Thanksgiving, start playing Christmas tunes, put up your Christmas tree, break out the mistletoe and even wear a Christmas sweater...oh and get a fan and a bottle of water because Adam and Sue Ann know how to start a fire!!!

OMG!!! I FREAKIN' LOVE HOLLY LANE!!! All I can say is it is full of emotions, healing, adorable Holiday stuff and a Christmas morning scene that made me bawl like a baby. It is so full of Christmas feel good stuff I want to skip right through Halloween and put my tree up.

Sue Ann is still reeling, six months after her divorce. She is trying to get her head on straight to make sure her daughter Sophie has a great Christmas, in spite of the fact Sophie's world has drastically change, so she goes off for a weekend by herself in a secluded cabin. Adam is lonely and grumpy because his twin sons have gone off for the holidays with his ex in-laws, so he heads off to the secluded cabin he and his boys usually go to Thanksgiving weekend by himself to be alone.

Adam and Jenny get double booked in the same cabin and end up being snowed in. The chemistry that explodes between the two is HOT and uncontrollable for both parties. The next morning they agree it can only be a one time thing, because they have known each other since elementary school and the fact that Adam is Sue Ann's ex-husband's best friend.

Once they are back in Destiny they both realize their one night was more than sex. Sue Ann has big time trust issues because of her ex. Adam has a secret that NO ONE except his ex-wife knows about and that he knows will keep Sue Ann from wanting to even try a relationship. Even with these issues Adam and Sue Ann are drawn to each other. Adam is an amazing guy, with a HUGE heart, one who made a mistake and continues to punish him self for it. There were times when I wanted to shake both of them for things they did or said to each other, however their words and actions were realistic, given their back stories and the fact they were trying to protect their own hearts and do what they think is the right thing.

Sue Ann's daughter Sophie is adorable. The glimpses we get of Tessa, Amy, Jenny, Mick and Mike are great. Then there is the added drama going on between Jenny and Mick. I LOVE that TB is BRAVE enough to show that even though a H/h has had their HEA, there are still issues that come up in the relationship.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all the Holiday tidbits and the "Christmas Carol" spin TB put in Holly Lane, it was refreshing to see an old classic with modern people.

One of the reasons I enjoy Toni Blake's books so much is that she creates characters who are "real" they could be your next door neighbors. YES Adam's secret is bad, but I don't know ONE truly perfect person in this world. Holly Lane is a story about love, forgiveness, moving forward in life all brought together with the magic of Christmas.

Holly Lane can be read as a stand alone, but it will make you want to go back and read the first three of the series to learn more about each couple and the relationship of all the friends.

Right now at guiltypleasuresbookreviews dot com we have an interview with Toni Blake and a chance to win an autographed copy of ONE RECKLESS SUMMER, Destiny book 1. See Site for details, contest ends 10/31/11

sweet second chance romance

Following her husband dumping her for someone else, Sue Ann Simpkins decides to take a break from the custody issue involving their child Sophie and her lack of money. She leaves Destiny, Ohio for a getaway weekend.

Adam Becker feels lonely with his two sons spending the holidays with their mother. He heads to a cabin to wallow in drink by himself.

At the cabin, Adam and Sue Ann meet in surprise. They know each other as he is the godfather of her daughter and the best friend to her ex. A snow storm strands the pair who with the help of alcohol acts on their long time attraction. However, though they each realize they love one another, she distrusts males with her heart; even one kind to her Sophie.

The fourth Destiny contemporary romance (see One Reckless Summer, Sugar Creek and Whisper Falls) is a sweet second chance romance starring two divorce war wounded warriors falling in love. The lead couple is an intriguing pairing while the townsfolk provide a sense of coming home to readers. Filled with angst and inanity, fans will enjoy visiting Destiny as we will never think of reindeers in the same way.

Harriet Klausner

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