What a wonderful start to a new trilogy. And if I may say so, I count this trilogy as one of the best Nora Roberts has ever written. The depth, the strength, and the fantastic, created plot and figures show once again, that the author knows how to develop a story.
Daring To Dream
by Nora RobertsTempleton Trilogy #1
Publisher Berkley on August 7, 2012
Genre Novel
Pages 370
Format Paperback
Source Blanvalet
Goodreads
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Margo, Kate, and Laura were brought up like sisters amidst the peerless grandeur of Templeton House. But it was Margo whose dreams first took her far away . . .Margo Sullivan had everything a young woman could ask for. But while growing up along the rocky cliffs of Monterey, she couldn’t help but dream of bigger things. The daughter of the Templeton’s stern Irish housekeeper, Margo had been treated like a member of the family. Deep down, she knew that money could not buy the thing she craved most - her mother’s acceptance. Maybe things would be different if she could be sweet like Laura - or had Kate’s shrewd head for business. But all Margo knew how to do was be Margo, and that meant doing things her own way - no matter what the consequences . . .
Story
Margo, daughter of the Irish house manager, grows up in Templeton House with Laura, Josh, and Kate. Along with her friends, she enjoys a basically carefree childhood and teenage years. Only her mother absolutely cannot understand her daughter´s urge for wealth, success, and fame. The troubled mother-daughter relationship is soured even further when Margo decides not to go to college as planned, instead of leaving Templeton House literally overnight. Years later, she returns, betrayed by her lover, bankrupt, and with a nasty drug scandal in the media.
Style
The first volume of the Templeton trilogy is written with a mischievous undertone, lots of humor, and wonderful dialogues and offers its readers a somewhat different insight into the life of a rich family. Although this is provided with all privileges, it basically does not claim them particularly. Sure, the Templeton’s live in a large and luxuriously furnished house, but it´s a house full of warmth, security, and love.
The story of Margo is basically told through two storylines, which cross again and again. It may be that Margo is standing right in the middle of a mountain of clothes in the present and then pans back to her past and the reader learns how she got these noble pieces. For me as a reader, the novel was so wonderfully varied, full of surprises and unexpected twists.
Characters
The cohesion of a loving family unfolds its full scope in this story, even if one or the other family member does not want to make use of it or is still looking. An enormous range of depth, character weaknesses and strengths, differences of opinion, recognizing yourself and trusting yourself and the world, as well as the fact that wealth and happiness are not only found in money, fame, and appointments, also gives the reader some insight and recognition in oneself. Weakness can be the greatest strength if one is willing to allow it.
The contrasts in the respective characters could not have been more successful than in this novel. Boyish and highly intelligent Kate, Laura, and Josh´s cousin meet shapely and extremely ambitious Margo and gracefully fragile, very controlled Laura. All grew up under the same roof from birth, enjoyed the same upbringing, and yet couldn´t be more different in their views, actions, and thoughts.
Conclusion
An extremely successful start to a promising trilogy from the famous pen of Nora Roberts. Ideal for relaxed and enjoyable reading hours.
Happy reading
Nora Roberts
Nora Roberts, born in Silver Spring, Maryland, is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels. During the now-famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981. Having spent her life surrounded by men, Ms. Roberts has a fairly good view of the workings of the male mind, which is a constant delight to her readers. It was, she’s been quoted as saying, a choice between figuring men out or running away screaming. Nora is a member of several writer’s groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the publishing industry. Recently The New Yorker called her “America’s favorite novelist.” She is also the author of the bestselling futuristic suspense series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
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