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Cover of Holding the Dream

Holding the Dream

532 pages

A warm, coastal breeze of a romance about ambition, sisterhood, and learning to let your guard down.

What it feels like

Reading this book feels like wrapping yourself in a luxurious cashmere blanket while listening to the crash of the Pacific Ocean. It is a deeply comforting, character-driven romance that balances the sharp edges of corporate ambition with the soft, enduring warmth of found family. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging pace, sweeping the reader into a sun-drenched California world where fierce female friendships are just as central as the swoon-worthy love story. The prose is accessible and emotionally direct, grounding the reader in the sensory details of a grand coastal estate and the intimate, late-night confessions of three lifelong friends. It is the perfect escape for anyone who loves watching a highly competent, guarded woman slowly realize she is worthy of both professional success and unconditional love.

Mood
  • cozy
  • sweeping
  • sun-drenched
  • comforting
Tone
  • earnest
  • warm
  • romantic
  • empowering
Pace
brisk
Themes
found family and sisterhood · balancing ambition and love · overcoming self-doubt · healing from betrayal · the comfort of home
The writing
Accessible, descriptive, and emotionally direct, with a strong emphasis on sensory details of the California coast and cozy domesticity.
The arc
Moves from rigid ambition and sudden vulnerability to a warm, grounded acceptance of love and self-worth.
Who it's for
Readers who crave comforting, character-driven contemporary romance centered on fierce female friendships and competent women finding their softer side.
Content notes
  • workplace sexism
  • false accusations
  • mild sexual content

About the book

Nora Roberts presents the second novel in a dramatic new trilogy. Margo, Kate, and Laura were brought up like sisters amidst the peerless grandeur of Templeton House. But it was Kate who soon discovered that her past was haunted by the darkest of secrets...

Surrounded by the sweeping cliffs and beauty of Big Sur, Kate Powell treasured her life at Templeton House... and the family who raised her like one of their own. Although Kate Lacked Margo's beauty and Laura's elegance, she knew she had something they would never possess--a shrewd head for business. Driven by ambition, Kate measured her life's success with each soaring promotion. But now faced with professional impropriety, Kate is forced to look deep within herself--only to find something missing in her life... and in her heart.

Description from Open Library.

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