dtrumps's review
4.0
Loved the characters in this one. Divorced mom falls for ex-husband’s best friend. Throw in Christmas and a little girl who just wants a reindeer or for her parents to get back together from Santa. Scrooge-ish storyline (love that one)… 4.5/5
deamer26's review
3.0
A smooth sexy sweet & fear Scrooge salty romance (Scrooge doesn't need to be described much :p) ^_^
ccgwalt's review
3.0
3 stars = I liked it.
Unlike the rest of the Destiny series by Toni Blake, Holly Lane feels more like chick-lit with hot sex. ;-) The prologue and first chapter are depressing, with Sue Ann finding out her supposedly loving husband is in love with someone else. As someone who went through a divorce with a cheating spouse when I was younger, and who has a family member going through divorce right now, the emotions in the book felt real, too real perhaps. (Kudos to Blake for not lessening the impact of emotional adultery. Just because no sex has happened doesn't mean a spouse isn't cheating.)
What makes the book feel like chick-lit is the emphasis on the emotional impact of the divorce and the interactions of the group of female friends. While I felt Adam's connection to Sue Ann, I didn't feel her connection to him as much. Her relationships with her friends felt more real.
While I generally don't care for books where kids play a significant role, Sophie, Sue Ann's daughter, was a believable 8 yr old. The secondary story involving her Christmas wish was a bit too corny for my tastes, but her character was well done.
There was another secondary story involving Jenny and Mick that was resolved a little too quickly. If Blake is planning more Destiny novels, she could have kept that sub-plot going for a while and made it more believable.
Lastly, a nick-pick brought on by my animal-loving tendencies: at one point a horse and sleigh were left out on a snowy, cold night for a while. It bugged me that there was no mention of making the horse comfortable, or throwing a blanket over her to keep her from getting chilled.
Unlike the rest of the Destiny series by Toni Blake, Holly Lane feels more like chick-lit with hot sex. ;-) The prologue and first chapter are depressing, with Sue Ann finding out her supposedly loving husband is in love with someone else. As someone who went through a divorce with a cheating spouse when I was younger, and who has a family member going through divorce right now, the emotions in the book felt real, too real perhaps. (Kudos to Blake for not lessening the impact of emotional adultery. Just because no sex has happened doesn't mean a spouse isn't cheating.)
What makes the book feel like chick-lit is the emphasis on the emotional impact of the divorce and the interactions of the group of female friends. While I felt Adam's connection to Sue Ann, I didn't feel her connection to him as much. Her relationships with her friends felt more real.
While I generally don't care for books where kids play a significant role, Sophie, Sue Ann's daughter, was a believable 8 yr old. The secondary story involving her Christmas wish was a bit too corny for my tastes, but her character was well done.
There was another secondary story involving Jenny and Mick that was resolved a little too quickly. If Blake is planning more Destiny novels, she could have kept that sub-plot going for a while and made it more believable.
Lastly, a nick-pick brought on by my animal-loving tendencies: at one point a horse and sleigh were left out on a snowy, cold night for a while. It bugged me that there was no mention of making the horse comfortable, or throwing a blanket over her to keep her from getting chilled.
turophile's review
3.0
When it’s December and the temperature is double digits below zero, I just want to curl up with Christmas/holiday books. And since I’m determined to knock down the TBR list before buying any new – I’m going with what I had, leading me to read Holly Lane, part of a longer series by Ms. Blake.
The book was enjoyable but drove me crazy at times. It’s a friends to lover tale, with a slight twist. Both hero, Adam, and heroine, Sue Ann, are divorced with kids, and had been friends before they were married. In fact, they shared their first kiss oh-so- many years ago. It’s refreshing to read a tale about two people who’ve been in love with others, yet still find love later in life.
What drove me crazy, however, was a legal misconception that drove a major aspect of the plot line. Sue Ann’s husband left her for another woman and has now decided to remarry and have children. He wants to revamp the alimony agreement. Sue Ann goes into a headspin when her lawyer calls her and explain the ex, Jeff, is contesting alimony so that he can have kids with the new woman and not pay Sue Ann. She might even have to give up her half-time custody of her daughter, Sophie, as a result. And, Jeff has asked Adam to testify as a character witness in this trial, which could cause Sue Ann such heartache.
At about that point, I’m sure most attorneys like me reading this book are having head explosions. I know that family law and spousal maintenance rules differ by state, and women often get a raw deal, but this is crazy. The fact that the ex-spouse wants to have children with someone new doesn’t diminish their responsibility to support their other child. And character witnesses have nothing to do with it – it’s an examination of financial capacity. ARGH. Bang head on desk.
Unfortunately, this misconception is an integral aspect of the plot – so if you’re an attorney, you might just start going crazy trying to read this.
Apart from the plot flaws, most characters were a bit too two-dimensional at times. Both Adam and Sue Ann seemed to over react to things that came up too quickly.
On the plus side, I liked the relationships that developed between Adam and Sue Ann’s daughter. And the winter aspects of sleigh rides and snow cats and hot chocolate warms you up. It’s not a horrible book, it’s just not that good. 3/5 on the holiday book scale.
bandherbooks's review
2.0
Recently divorced woman finds new love with her ex-husband's best friend, who never noticed her sexiness until they end up literally shacking up in a cabin over the holidays due to a double-booking error. I finished the story, but I didn't find the characters super riveting nor the action very thrilling.
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