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Destiny #3
Whisper Falls
Welcome to Destiny, Ohio—where coming home means finding your true heart and maybe even your true love.
Tessa Sheridan came crawling back home to Destiny after her big city interior design career crumbled. Now not only must she struggle to make ends meet, she has to contend with a biker next door and the roar of Harleys shattering the serenity of her cabin in the woods. Worse still, her sexy bad boy neighbor makes her feel breathless and weak—and shy, petite Tessa knows what a major mistake it would be to get involved with someone so…dangerous.
They say that former teen rebel Lucky Romo has a dark, secret past—that he’s trouble with a capital “T.” Still, Tessa feels all tingly when she sees how well he fills out a pair of tight jeans. And when Lucky invites her into his world, she knows the intense heat sparking between them could lead her somewhere wild and wonderful…and, yes, dangerous!
Tessa Sheridan came crawling back home to Destiny after her big city interior design career crumbled. Now not only must she struggle to make ends meet, she has to contend with a biker next door and the roar of Harleys shattering the serenity of her cabin in the woods. Worse still, her sexy bad boy neighbor makes her feel breathless and weak—and shy, petite Tessa knows what a major mistake it would be to get involved with someone so…dangerous.
They say that former teen rebel Lucky Romo has a dark, secret past—that he’s trouble with a capital “T.” Still, Tessa feels all tingly when she sees how well he fills out a pair of tight jeans. And when Lucky invites her into his world, she knows the intense heat sparking between them could lead her somewhere wild and wonderful…and, yes, dangerous!
373 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 28, 2010
About the author
Toni Blake
42 books1,161 followersToni Blake's love of writing began when she won an essay contest in the fifth grade. Soon after, she penned her first novel, nineteen notebook-pages long, and announced to her mother over breakfast one day that she was going to be a writer when she grew up. Since then, Toni has become the author of more than a dozen contemporary romance novels. Her work has been excerpted in Cosmo, she's been a recipient of the Kentucky Women Writers Fellowship and a nominee for the prestigious Pushcart Prize, and she's also had more than forty short stories and articles published. Toni lives in the Midwest and enjoys traveling, genealogy, crafts, and snow skiing.
Toni has also written under the name Toni Blair.
Photo: Cassandra Stella
Toni has also written under the name Toni Blair.
Photo: Cassandra Stella
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 241 reviews
December 23, 2010
5 stars – Contemporary Romance
Reading Toni Blake's Destiny series is like coming home and visiting with dear friends, and Whisper Falls is my favorite book in the series so far, which is really saying something considering how much I enjoyed the first two books. There seems to be a noticeable trend lately in contemporary romance of characters returning to their small hometowns, but this has more depth than most, making it one of the better series. There are several attributes about the Destiny series that I love, including its perfect balance of charm, humor, drama, and steamy romance. But one of the strongest elements is its genuine characters with realistic flaws, and Lucky and Tessa are by far my favorite hero and heroine and romantic couple of the series.
Tessa Sheridan is back in her hometown of Destiny, Ohio seeking a serene fresh start to recuperate from a debilitating illness that caused her thriving big city interior design career to disintegrate. She just wants peace and privacy living in her remote cabin in the woods, and the last thing she expected was to have a hot, tall, muscled, long-haired, tattooed, and possibly dangerous biker for her new neighbor. Tessa's surprised to discover that he's Lucky Romo, Destiny's long lost, notorious bad boy, but even more shocking is the powerful, yet unwanted sexual attraction she feels toward him.
Lucky Romo left Destiny years ago without a word to anyone, and his whereabouts since have been a subject of shady speculation. Now he's back in the hometown that caused him so much grief as a teen and that he once swore he'd never return to, for mysterious reasons. Lucky hires Tessa to redecorate his house, and as they spend time together, a friendship develops and the explosive attraction between them ignites. Lucky has a dark, painful past that he'd like to forget and keep private, but can Tessa ever truly trust him without knowing his secrets? And is it too late for Lucky to reconcile with his family, especially his angry older brother Mike, who also happens to be a dedicated local cop?
Tessa and Lucky have combustible chemistry, but they also complement each other in so many ways. They're both surprised to find themselves attracted to someone so different than their usual type, but their emotional connection reinforces the strong physical desire they feel for each other. Tessa admires Lucky's artistic talent and the way he's found success doing what he loves with his custom bike painting business. She's determined to live life to the fullest and not let her disease control her or dictate who she is, and her emotional strength, positivity, and zest for experiencing all of life's pleasures is inspiring to Lucky. Tessa grows more liberated and daring because of her relationship with Lucky, and he becomes less guarded and more open with his feelings.
The romance between Tessa and Lucky was sexy, touching, fun, sweet, and steamy, and the relationship conflict was realistic, especially when Lucky's dark past endangers the trust and sanctuary they've found in each other. There were so many tender, heartfelt, and romantic moments between them. I loved when he insisted on taking care of her, the sweet scene in the park, and the sexy way he called her “hot stuff”. And it has one of the most sigh-worthy, romantic, and touching endings that I've read.
Tessa's cheerful attitude despite her health adversity was admirable, and I loved how she found encouragement from watching Ellen's TV show and optimistic life quotes. I definitely agree that laughter and dancing are powerful therapies and two of life's greatest pleasures.
Whisper Falls is another wonderful, entertaining story with great characters from talented author Toni Blake, and I highly recommend it for fans of hot, emotional contemporary romance, especially those who love sexy, sweet bad boy heroes.
This was an ARC, received courtesy of NetGalley.com. And I’d like to give a special appreciation to Lindsey Faber, Toni Blake’s personal assistant, for her perseverance in getting me a copy. Thanks Lindsey!
Reading Toni Blake's Destiny series is like coming home and visiting with dear friends, and Whisper Falls is my favorite book in the series so far, which is really saying something considering how much I enjoyed the first two books. There seems to be a noticeable trend lately in contemporary romance of characters returning to their small hometowns, but this has more depth than most, making it one of the better series. There are several attributes about the Destiny series that I love, including its perfect balance of charm, humor, drama, and steamy romance. But one of the strongest elements is its genuine characters with realistic flaws, and Lucky and Tessa are by far my favorite hero and heroine and romantic couple of the series.
Tessa Sheridan is back in her hometown of Destiny, Ohio seeking a serene fresh start to recuperate from a debilitating illness that caused her thriving big city interior design career to disintegrate. She just wants peace and privacy living in her remote cabin in the woods, and the last thing she expected was to have a hot, tall, muscled, long-haired, tattooed, and possibly dangerous biker for her new neighbor. Tessa's surprised to discover that he's Lucky Romo, Destiny's long lost, notorious bad boy, but even more shocking is the powerful, yet unwanted sexual attraction she feels toward him.
Lucky Romo left Destiny years ago without a word to anyone, and his whereabouts since have been a subject of shady speculation. Now he's back in the hometown that caused him so much grief as a teen and that he once swore he'd never return to, for mysterious reasons. Lucky hires Tessa to redecorate his house, and as they spend time together, a friendship develops and the explosive attraction between them ignites. Lucky has a dark, painful past that he'd like to forget and keep private, but can Tessa ever truly trust him without knowing his secrets? And is it too late for Lucky to reconcile with his family, especially his angry older brother Mike, who also happens to be a dedicated local cop?
Tessa and Lucky have combustible chemistry, but they also complement each other in so many ways. They're both surprised to find themselves attracted to someone so different than their usual type, but their emotional connection reinforces the strong physical desire they feel for each other. Tessa admires Lucky's artistic talent and the way he's found success doing what he loves with his custom bike painting business. She's determined to live life to the fullest and not let her disease control her or dictate who she is, and her emotional strength, positivity, and zest for experiencing all of life's pleasures is inspiring to Lucky. Tessa grows more liberated and daring because of her relationship with Lucky, and he becomes less guarded and more open with his feelings.
The romance between Tessa and Lucky was sexy, touching, fun, sweet, and steamy, and the relationship conflict was realistic, especially when Lucky's dark past endangers the trust and sanctuary they've found in each other. There were so many tender, heartfelt, and romantic moments between them. I loved when he insisted on taking care of her, the sweet scene in the park, and the sexy way he called her “hot stuff”. And it has one of the most sigh-worthy, romantic, and touching endings that I've read.
Tessa's cheerful attitude despite her health adversity was admirable, and I loved how she found encouragement from watching Ellen's TV show and optimistic life quotes. I definitely agree that laughter and dancing are powerful therapies and two of life's greatest pleasures.
Whisper Falls is another wonderful, entertaining story with great characters from talented author Toni Blake, and I highly recommend it for fans of hot, emotional contemporary romance, especially those who love sexy, sweet bad boy heroes.
This was an ARC, received courtesy of NetGalley.com. And I’d like to give a special appreciation to Lindsey Faber, Toni Blake’s personal assistant, for her perseverance in getting me a copy. Thanks Lindsey!
November 20, 2015
I never sit down and write reviews immediately after finishing a book, but this time, I just couldn’t help it! Whisper Falls is an amazing story about forgiving, moving forward, and not judging people without giving them a chance! Throughout the book the theme is about never giving up. It’s an inspiring story that had me laughing out loud, sighing, crying tears of both joy and sorrow, and most definitely fanning myself.
Lucky Romo is the ultimate bad guy and this story could have been so very dark, but despite all he’d been through in his life, Tessa gave him a sense of worth, and a place he belonged. She brought light into his dark world and without even knowing what was happening to him, she worked her way into his heart and freed the man he’d kept locked away. I sobbed, literally sobbed until my chest hurt, learning about this man and the boy he was who had never felt loved. He is most definitely worthy of a place on my Top Heroes self.
In the previous two books I never really felt much connection to Tessa Sheridan. I didn’t find her compelling and couldn’t imagine that she’d make a great heroine. Wow, did I ever miss the mark with her! In fact, I connected with her in a big way because I also have health problems that land me in bed for days at a time. But despite her own illness, she’s caring, nurturing, determined and easily my favorite woman out of the three books. She has her weaknesses, but refuses to be vulnerable and I found her attitude and her indomitable spirit so encouraging.
Some of my favorite things about this story are the quotes Tessa keeps written down in her little notebook. They’re sayings that she finds here and there, and all uplifting. Whenever she starts feeling down, she reads them and remembers how much she has to be thankful for. Those quotes made me realize how much I have in my life, and to be thankful for even the smallest things.
These are some of them -
-Think of all the beauty that’s still left in and around you and be happy. – Anne Frank
-If God sends us on strong paths, we are provided strong shoes. – Corrie ten Boom
-Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you. – Walt Whitman
-Laugh. Dance. Ellen.
And my very favorite -
-Just keep swimming. – Dory, Finding Nemo
Thanks, for making it so simple, Tessa. I can do that.
January 18, 2011
Another winner from Toni Blake! Somehow her contemporaries always have me thinking about them long after I've finished reading them, and this one was no exception. I went over this one in my mind for some time, thinking about some of the scenes and how they could have played out differently.
Whisper Falls is the third story in the Destiny (a small Ohio town) series, and it's not essential that you read the two books preceding it, but trust me, you'll want to read One Reckless Summer and Sugar Creek first.
This is Lucky Romo and Tessa Sheridan's story. Lucky is the long-lost younger brother of Destiny cop Mike Romo (Sugar Creek)and Tessa is Rachel's (Mike's fiancee) best friend. If you've read "Sugar Creek" you know that there was a tragic event in the Romo's past that shaped Mike's future, and this event also shaped Lucky's future, but in a far different way. Lucky became a bad boy, getting into trouble as a teen. By the time he turned 18 he left home, never to be heard from again--in fact, his family thought that he might be dead. Turns out Lucky headed out to California and joined an outlaw biker gang. This gang did plenty of illegal things, and Lucky was involved for five years...until one day things went too far and Lucky (and his friend Duke) found themselves running for their lives. Now it's over 10 years later, and Lucky finds himself back in Destiny, with his family having no clue that he's back in town after 16 long years. He's big (6'3"), muscular, tattooed, with long dark hair and a scary look about him, but he's got warm, pretty eyes that make you realize that he may not be as threatening as he appears. Lucky operates a custom bike painting business out of his house in a remote area of Destiny, is determined to walk the straight-and-narrow, and has recently discovered ********SPOILER***** that he has a 9-year-old son.************** He has one neighbor who lives over the hill--Tessa Sheridan--and she will bring an added dimension to his life that he never thought possible.
He meets petite, 32 year-old Tessa in kind of a cute way--she's cat-sitting for her friend Amy, and the cat escapes to Lucky's yard. Of course Tessa is at first scared by Lucky's appearance, but after talking to him and looking into his eyes, she's put more at ease. And she can't believe it, but she's attracted to this big, tough looking guy! Due to a debilitating illness that knocked her for a loop and changed her life and interfered with her career as in interior designer, Tessa hasn't been with a man for almost 4 years. She recently moved back to Destiny and is trying to get her career and life back on track, and looking at sexy, dangerous Lucky has her thinking of possibilities...Tessa is ready to grab the bull by the horns and live life to the fullest...maybe Lucky would be interested?
Lucky and Tessa develop a good friendship that starts when he asks her to decorate some rooms in his house and it eventually turns sexual, but it's not without roadblocks. Lucky has to deal with problems with his brother Mike, opening up to his parents and explaining where he was for 16 years, and why he made the choices he did. He has to resist the urge to run when things get tough, especially when someone from his long ago past arrives in town and threatens everything he's worked for.
Tessa has her own set of problems--her illness is still a part of her life, and she has to decide if she wants to let Lucky see her when she's her most vulnerable. Although she knows a lot about Lucky's past, she doesn't know everything, and the relationship can't progress until all is out on the table. Lucky claims he's not the man he once was...but has he really changed?
Lucky...
Wow. Toni Blake always tells a good story--her stories are multi-layered and she always makes you think. I don't always agree with the decisions her characters make, but that's what makes them seem so real. I loved and admired Tessa and Lucky--they seemed like an odd couple at first but they had some smokin' hot chemistry and they really clicked. I was definitely rooting for this relationship to work out. But when Lucky chose to deal with a problem that came up in a certain way...I had to wonder where his brains were! And I couldn't really blame Tessa for her actions. Of course I teared up...but I also was a bit disappointed that Lucky seemed to give up and didn't fight for Tessa immediately like I wanted him to. Ahh, but that just made the inevitable reunion that much sweeter--and it was sweet and very, very satisfying.:)
Hmmm...writing about it is making me relive it, and I'm thinking about how much I enjoyed it. So what if Lucky made some boneheaded decisions...I think I'll tack on another half star! 4 1/2 stars
*I received this as an ARC from NetGalley--thank you Lindsey.:)
Whisper Falls is the third story in the Destiny (a small Ohio town) series, and it's not essential that you read the two books preceding it, but trust me, you'll want to read One Reckless Summer and Sugar Creek first.
This is Lucky Romo and Tessa Sheridan's story. Lucky is the long-lost younger brother of Destiny cop Mike Romo (Sugar Creek)and Tessa is Rachel's (Mike's fiancee) best friend. If you've read "Sugar Creek" you know that there was a tragic event in the Romo's past that shaped Mike's future, and this event also shaped Lucky's future, but in a far different way. Lucky became a bad boy, getting into trouble as a teen. By the time he turned 18 he left home, never to be heard from again--in fact, his family thought that he might be dead. Turns out Lucky headed out to California and joined an outlaw biker gang. This gang did plenty of illegal things, and Lucky was involved for five years...until one day things went too far and Lucky (and his friend Duke) found themselves running for their lives. Now it's over 10 years later, and Lucky finds himself back in Destiny, with his family having no clue that he's back in town after 16 long years. He's big (6'3"), muscular, tattooed, with long dark hair and a scary look about him, but he's got warm, pretty eyes that make you realize that he may not be as threatening as he appears. Lucky operates a custom bike painting business out of his house in a remote area of Destiny, is determined to walk the straight-and-narrow, and has recently discovered ********SPOILER***** that he has a 9-year-old son.************** He has one neighbor who lives over the hill--Tessa Sheridan--and she will bring an added dimension to his life that he never thought possible.
He meets petite, 32 year-old Tessa in kind of a cute way--she's cat-sitting for her friend Amy, and the cat escapes to Lucky's yard. Of course Tessa is at first scared by Lucky's appearance, but after talking to him and looking into his eyes, she's put more at ease. And she can't believe it, but she's attracted to this big, tough looking guy! Due to a debilitating illness that knocked her for a loop and changed her life and interfered with her career as in interior designer, Tessa hasn't been with a man for almost 4 years. She recently moved back to Destiny and is trying to get her career and life back on track, and looking at sexy, dangerous Lucky has her thinking of possibilities...Tessa is ready to grab the bull by the horns and live life to the fullest...maybe Lucky would be interested?
Lucky and Tessa develop a good friendship that starts when he asks her to decorate some rooms in his house and it eventually turns sexual, but it's not without roadblocks. Lucky has to deal with problems with his brother Mike, opening up to his parents and explaining where he was for 16 years, and why he made the choices he did. He has to resist the urge to run when things get tough, especially when someone from his long ago past arrives in town and threatens everything he's worked for.
Tessa has her own set of problems--her illness is still a part of her life, and she has to decide if she wants to let Lucky see her when she's her most vulnerable. Although she knows a lot about Lucky's past, she doesn't know everything, and the relationship can't progress until all is out on the table. Lucky claims he's not the man he once was...but has he really changed?
Lucky...
Wow. Toni Blake always tells a good story--her stories are multi-layered and she always makes you think. I don't always agree with the decisions her characters make, but that's what makes them seem so real. I loved and admired Tessa and Lucky--they seemed like an odd couple at first but they had some smokin' hot chemistry and they really clicked. I was definitely rooting for this relationship to work out. But when Lucky chose to deal with a problem that came up in a certain way...I had to wonder where his brains were! And I couldn't really blame Tessa for her actions. Of course I teared up...but I also was a bit disappointed that Lucky seemed to give up and didn't fight for Tessa immediately like I wanted him to. Ahh, but that just made the inevitable reunion that much sweeter--and it was sweet and very, very satisfying.:)
Hmmm...writing about it is making me relive it, and I'm thinking about how much I enjoyed it. So what if Lucky made some boneheaded decisions...I think I'll tack on another half star! 4 1/2 stars
*I received this as an ARC from NetGalley--thank you Lindsey.:)
December 5, 2010
4.5 stars. Whisper Falls is another great sizzling hot and steamy contemporary romance by Toni Blake. Really good!
In this story we meet Lucky Romo, Mike Romo’s little brother who has been missing for 16 years. The rumors say he joined a motorcycle club and delved in illegal activities, and many wondered if he was even still alive. For reasons the book will reveal, Lucky has no choice but to return to his old hometown and face the life he left behind. He buys a small house where he set up his custom motorcycle painting business, which happens to be next door to the very desirable – and all around good person – Tess Sheridan.
Lucky is a large biker guy with long hair and tattoos who instantly intimidates anyone he meets. He hasn’t been involved in the motorcycle club for many years now, but you can’t tell that by looking at him. When he encounters Tess, he finds himself oddly attracted to her despite her being so different from the biker chicks he usually meets. Their neighborly friendship builds until you can cut the sexual tension with a knife, but Lucky’s past life still haunts him so he needs to play it safe for Tess’s sake.
The story centers on Lucky’s mysterious dark past, the issues that caused him to leave home at 18, and the reason he must now return. Lucky has a heavy and dark back-story, but there were also plenty of lighter moments between Lucky and Tess that keep it balanced and entertaining. We also find out that Tess is dealing with the chronic inflammation illness Crohns disease, and I loved how Lucky wanted to take care of her when the disease flared. His nickname for her was ‘hot stuff’, and it just melted me whenever he used it.
My only issue with the story comes late in the book, and has to do with how quickly Lucky is able to overcome such a dark and sorted past, as well as deal with his current issues of reconnecting with his family. There were just too many issues for him to resolve, and too many people for him to (re)build relationships. As a result, some of the resolutions felt rushed and sugar coated. Fortunately, most of the story focused on Lucky and Tess’s relationship, which was amazing and HOT! But I may have preferred his back-story be less dramatic so the ending would feel more real, especially his reunion with his family. It did not always resonate as believable.
Overall, the story was an emotional roller coaster ride with sizzling chemistry between Lucky and Tess! I especially enjoyed how their different lifestyles ended up complimenting each others own personality. The real magic for this book is the romance story between Lucky and Tess, and for that I was a total believer and highly recommend it to fans of hot contemporary romances.
In this story we meet Lucky Romo, Mike Romo’s little brother who has been missing for 16 years. The rumors say he joined a motorcycle club and delved in illegal activities, and many wondered if he was even still alive. For reasons the book will reveal, Lucky has no choice but to return to his old hometown and face the life he left behind. He buys a small house where he set up his custom motorcycle painting business, which happens to be next door to the very desirable – and all around good person – Tess Sheridan.
Lucky is a large biker guy with long hair and tattoos who instantly intimidates anyone he meets. He hasn’t been involved in the motorcycle club for many years now, but you can’t tell that by looking at him. When he encounters Tess, he finds himself oddly attracted to her despite her being so different from the biker chicks he usually meets. Their neighborly friendship builds until you can cut the sexual tension with a knife, but Lucky’s past life still haunts him so he needs to play it safe for Tess’s sake.
The story centers on Lucky’s mysterious dark past, the issues that caused him to leave home at 18, and the reason he must now return. Lucky has a heavy and dark back-story, but there were also plenty of lighter moments between Lucky and Tess that keep it balanced and entertaining. We also find out that Tess is dealing with the chronic inflammation illness Crohns disease, and I loved how Lucky wanted to take care of her when the disease flared. His nickname for her was ‘hot stuff’, and it just melted me whenever he used it.
My only issue with the story comes late in the book, and has to do with how quickly Lucky is able to overcome such a dark and sorted past, as well as deal with his current issues of reconnecting with his family. There were just too many issues for him to resolve, and too many people for him to (re)build relationships. As a result, some of the resolutions felt rushed and sugar coated. Fortunately, most of the story focused on Lucky and Tess’s relationship, which was amazing and HOT! But I may have preferred his back-story be less dramatic so the ending would feel more real, especially his reunion with his family. It did not always resonate as believable.
Overall, the story was an emotional roller coaster ride with sizzling chemistry between Lucky and Tess! I especially enjoyed how their different lifestyles ended up complimenting each others own personality. The real magic for this book is the romance story between Lucky and Tess, and for that I was a total believer and highly recommend it to fans of hot contemporary romances.
March 24, 2011
Title "Whisper Falls," setting a small town called Destiny -- I confess, I went in expecting this to be pretty derivative and generic. It was a great surprise when it developed into a real page-turner.
In the last small town book I read with a bike-riding, tattooed hero, he turned out to be the mayor or something. Here we have Lucky, a man with a genuinely dangerous past, who is genuinely scary-looking and out of the norm and knows it. Lucky is reluctant to get involved with his neighbor Tessa, because of the class differences between them, and out of fear his past might come back to haunt her; the relationship between them unfolds plausibly, because Tessa, who is trying to live life fully despite having Crohn’s disease, reaches out of her comfort zone to him.
Lucky is tough and seemingly uncomplicated, but he has an irresistible vulnerability and takes responsibility for his past. Here he confesses the worst of it to Tessa and made me love him:
“‘Listen to me,’ she said. ‘You didn’t have a choice.’
‘But I had a lot of choices before that. And if I hadn’t made all the wrong ones, I never would have ended up there.” He shook his head, the shame oozing like a freshly reopened wound inside him. ‘When I think of all the shit I did in those days -- from stealing cars to what happened with Hammer... damn, babe. The world can be pretty fucking ugly sometimes. And I just hate that I added more.’”
Tessa is also well drawn, especially her feelings about her illness. And their relationship develops realistically, including some believable commitment anxiety on Lucky’s part:
“It’s that damn love thing. It felt like a chain in a way, and not the daisy kind. More like a big, heavy, steel contraption that pressed on him, and pulled on him, and took away the freedom inside him, in his head -- which was maybe the last freedom he’d retain after coming back here.
And yet... it wasn’t fair to describe it that way -- because it wasn’t an ugly thing. It wasn’t something he would give up if he could. It felt like something holding him tight in its grasp -- but also like something warm, good.”
I have a few criticisms: I thought the story occasionally pulls its punches and I was a bit disappointed in the ending, which was a little too convenient and fairy-talish for a story that otherwise seemed so well grounded in reality. There were also some stylistic issues that annoyed me -- I know this is a... pot-kettle... situation, but Blake way overuses... ellipses. On the positive side, there's quite a bit of steam, but not too much IMO, and the small suspense element didn't unbalance the book as I feared it might. Best of all, almost every time I thought something about the situation, that thought was addressed in the book -- how often does that happen with romance?! But mainly I gave this a high rating because I was really invested in Lucky and Tessa and eager to find out what became of them.
In the last small town book I read with a bike-riding, tattooed hero, he turned out to be the mayor or something. Here we have Lucky, a man with a genuinely dangerous past, who is genuinely scary-looking and out of the norm and knows it. Lucky is reluctant to get involved with his neighbor Tessa, because of the class differences between them, and out of fear his past might come back to haunt her; the relationship between them unfolds plausibly, because Tessa, who is trying to live life fully despite having Crohn’s disease, reaches out of her comfort zone to him.
Lucky is tough and seemingly uncomplicated, but he has an irresistible vulnerability and takes responsibility for his past. Here he confesses the worst of it to Tessa and made me love him:
“‘Listen to me,’ she said. ‘You didn’t have a choice.’
‘But I had a lot of choices before that. And if I hadn’t made all the wrong ones, I never would have ended up there.” He shook his head, the shame oozing like a freshly reopened wound inside him. ‘When I think of all the shit I did in those days -- from stealing cars to what happened with Hammer... damn, babe. The world can be pretty fucking ugly sometimes. And I just hate that I added more.’”
Tessa is also well drawn, especially her feelings about her illness. And their relationship develops realistically, including some believable commitment anxiety on Lucky’s part:
“It’s that damn love thing. It felt like a chain in a way, and not the daisy kind. More like a big, heavy, steel contraption that pressed on him, and pulled on him, and took away the freedom inside him, in his head -- which was maybe the last freedom he’d retain after coming back here.
And yet... it wasn’t fair to describe it that way -- because it wasn’t an ugly thing. It wasn’t something he would give up if he could. It felt like something holding him tight in its grasp -- but also like something warm, good.”
I have a few criticisms: I thought the story occasionally pulls its punches and I was a bit disappointed in the ending, which was a little too convenient and fairy-talish for a story that otherwise seemed so well grounded in reality. There were also some stylistic issues that annoyed me -- I know this is a... pot-kettle... situation, but Blake way overuses... ellipses. On the positive side, there's quite a bit of steam, but not too much IMO, and the small suspense element didn't unbalance the book as I feared it might. Best of all, almost every time I thought something about the situation, that thought was addressed in the book -- how often does that happen with romance?! But mainly I gave this a high rating because I was really invested in Lucky and Tessa and eager to find out what became of them.
April 2, 2012
Dinner was not cooked, children were ignored, the sick husband was not checked on (ok, I did bring him some soup). All because Norma was having a love affair with Lucky Romo. :)
This was by far the best of the Destiny series, and from what I've read of Toni Blake so far, certainly her best book.
**Re-read 3/31/12. Still LOVE me some Lucky Romo. I also loved Tessa more this time around. Maybe I was burning with too much jealousy first time around. She's a great character. I love that these characters remain true to themselves throughout the book. They want to be more for each other, but essentially they stay who they are--imperfect. This is my favorite book by Toni Blake by far.
There are a lot of great reviews already out there, so I won't go into too much. But I will say that Lucky is wonderful. You can't help but love him. And Tessa is totally deserving of this love (although I still feel strongly that he should ditch her and find me).
One great thing about this book is that Lucky's looks and biker-dude status is addressed. On paper, a lot of us love a tatooed biker dude. But in real life if we met a 6 foot 3 guy with long hair and tatoos all over him, we might be taken aback just a bit. Add in the fact that you've heard rumors of him being part of an outlaw gang and now you're nervous. This is addressed and I love it. Tessa can see he's obviously handsome, but she's not all hot and bothered by his bad-ass looks. She's a bit nervous. He knows that and tries to reassure her. When we find out his reason for returning home (which is obvious from the beginning), he's concerned about his appearance and wants his house to be normal and homey (this is a funny exchange in the story). Tessa is also concerned about what her parents will think when they see him. Nobody really judges him based on his appearance but I love that Ms. Blake doesn't just assume that a big biker guy is a part of everyone's life. However I must add again though, I certainly would like this one to be part of mine. :)
I can't recommend this book enough. Wonderful story. And now I'm officially cut off from buying any more books. :) Good thing the sick husband forgave me because and I quote, "You've had a silly grin on your face all day so I figure this book was worth whatever you paid."
March 11, 2011
Loved it!! Ms. Blake is one of my favorite romance writers, and she did not disappoint me with Whisper Falls. I really enjoy the loner heroes that she writes: Rob from Letters to a Secret Lover, Mick in One Reckless Summer, and now Lucky in Whisper Falls. They are brooding and mysterious, and sexy.
I’ve been anticipating Lucky Romo’s story, since we learned a little about him in Sugar Creek. Lucky and Tessa both return to their hometown of Destiny after long absences. He’s a tattooed biker; she is a somewhat conservative girl that hasn’t had many relationships due to a chronic illness.
Although I loved the development of Lucky and Tessa’s romance, I really liked how she handled the strained relationship Lucky has with his brother Mike. Mike, the cop hero from Sugar Creek, is a stubborn man, and had a rough time accepting Lucky coming back into their lives after they all assumed he may be dead.
I know this review is a little distracted, and it has been about one week since I read this book, so a bit has faded from my conscious. I highly recommend this series, and can’t wait for book four, Holly Lane!
Oh--and one final random thought is that Ms. Blake must be a fan of Sons of Anarchy...which is awesome!!!
I’ve been anticipating Lucky Romo’s story, since we learned a little about him in Sugar Creek. Lucky and Tessa both return to their hometown of Destiny after long absences. He’s a tattooed biker; she is a somewhat conservative girl that hasn’t had many relationships due to a chronic illness.
Although I loved the development of Lucky and Tessa’s romance, I really liked how she handled the strained relationship Lucky has with his brother Mike. Mike, the cop hero from Sugar Creek, is a stubborn man, and had a rough time accepting Lucky coming back into their lives after they all assumed he may be dead.
I know this review is a little distracted, and it has been about one week since I read this book, so a bit has faded from my conscious. I highly recommend this series, and can’t wait for book four, Holly Lane!
Oh--and one final random thought is that Ms. Blake must be a fan of Sons of Anarchy...which is awesome!!!
December 7, 2017
Thanks to Chumchum_88 for the great recommendation!
For some reason I kept thinking of this as a super gentle Kristen Ashley but with hero who can speak in full coherent sentences.
Super sweetheart hero who has painful past and left a biker gang. Writing and characters were some of the most natural I've ever read. Heroine had Crohn's disease which not often pops up in CR and was incorporated into her daily life. Hero and heroine had a sweet romance with some heat. I'll definitely be checking out other books in this series.
For some reason I kept thinking of this as a super gentle Kristen Ashley but with hero who can speak in full coherent sentences.
Super sweetheart hero who has painful past and left a biker gang. Writing and characters were some of the most natural I've ever read. Heroine had Crohn's disease which not often pops up in CR and was incorporated into her daily life. Hero and heroine had a sweet romance with some heat. I'll definitely be checking out other books in this series.
November 23, 2010
It's not often that a book touches me personally like WHISPER FALLS did. As someone who has dealt with health problems, Tessa's battle to keep an upbeat attitude in the face of her Crohn's disease struck really close to home. Especially when it came to not wanting her disease to take over her life or change the way her friends and acquaintances thought about her. Even though her illness is for the most part under control, she's afraid that she's let herself get too timid and retiring in the process, and she's looking for a way to take some healthy risks. Enter her sexy new neighbor, Lucky Romo, who left town shortly after high school and never came back and never told his family where he was. Lucky has come back to Destiny for a spoilerific reason, and when he meets Tessa, he's still hoping to keep his return to town on the down low. While he was away he did a lot of bad things, most of them as part of a dangerous motorcycle gang. Still, despite the long hair and Grim Reaper tatoo, he's got his own business custom painting motorcycles, and he's trying to become an upright citizen. With a romance that starts with some flirtation from their respective back decks, Tessa and Lucky soon start a sizzling romance that is a wonderful combination of sexy and sweet. Seeing a tough guy like Lucky learn to feel again is heartmelting. And watching cautious Tessa learn to let her hair down is both amusing and so satisfying--especially knowing her reasons for letting go. I'm an unabashed Toni Blake fangirl, but this one was just out of the park for me. Not just a goodread, a great read!
August 16, 2016
Meh. I'm still on Chapter 1 and the heroine can't stop thinking about the hero already. I've got 10+ unread chapters left and I know this won't be a good read.
January 3, 2011
I would say this is the best book I've read all year, but truthfully it's the only book I've read so far this year. But I'm pretty sure by the end of 2011 this will still be ranked high on my list.
I loved Lucky & Tessa. I thought they were great together. I loved the book as a whole.
I'm such a Toni Blake fangirl. So thank you Ms. Blake for indulging me with your stories! Can't wait for the next one.
5++++++ Stars!
I loved Lucky & Tessa. I thought they were great together. I loved the book as a whole.
I'm such a Toni Blake fangirl. So thank you Ms. Blake for indulging me with your stories! Can't wait for the next one.
5++++++ Stars!
December 21, 2010
I agree with everyone who say's this was their favorite book of this series to date. I thought it was FANTASTIC!
Lucky and Tessa where so different from each other and yet because of that they were perfect for each other. I loved them both to pieces.
There were so many heart warming moments in this book and I can't even pick a favorite because they were all great.
I can't even write a review worthy of this book so just go and read Shawna's and KarlynP's reviews because I felt the exact same way they did :)
Lucky and Tessa where so different from each other and yet because of that they were perfect for each other. I loved them both to pieces.
There were so many heart warming moments in this book and I can't even pick a favorite because they were all great.
I can't even write a review worthy of this book so just go and read Shawna's and KarlynP's reviews because I felt the exact same way they did :)
October 24, 2013
Opening Line: "Meow,"Tessa Sheridan frowned at the grey-and-white cat perched next to her on the sofa."
A lot of people really liked this book, and it’s received a ton of 5 star ratings, which is of course why I bought it, unfortunately though I struggled through it. I mean this was a real effort to finish, plodding through long drawn out repetitive scenes and way too many introspective conversations that added nothing to the overall story. Even with a hunky outlaw biker hero to drool over, sizzling love scenes, and several LOL moments I still came away kind of meh about the whole thing.
That’s not to say I hated it, because I didn’t, in fact there were several things that I really enjoyed, Toni Blake’s writing style for example and the way she incorporated random ideas into her characters and story; like dancing with Ellen and the numerous classic rock songs mentioned. I also liked the issue of our heroine dealing with Chron’s disease; this was a unique affliction and dealt with very well.
I think one of my favourite things though would have to be that Lucky as a “bad boy” biker actually speaks like a biker, he swears a lot and listens to AC/DC and Metallica. He has armloads of tattoos and a realistic past considering his gang ties. It was also obvious that Blake put some research into Harley motorcycles, specialized paint jobs and the MC language and lifestyle in general. But overall at almost 400 pages this felt like a VERY long drawn out Harlequin and would have held my interest a whole lot more and benefited with about 100 less pages.
In this 3rd instalment from the “Destiny” series Tessa Sheridan has returned to her quaint hometown of Destiny (lots of that going on in romancelandia these days) She’s had to leave her career in the big city because of a chronic illness and now all she wants to do is recover, spend time with family, and embrace life. Tessa wants to be a bit wild and experience things the old Tessa would never dream of, like skydiving, and having commitment free sex with her delicious biker dude neighbour.
However Lucky Roma may be a little more then the shy, sweet Tessa can handle, he not only looks the biker part but comes complete with a gang past and more skeletons in the closet then any woman should have to deal with. Still, Lucky has a way of making Tessa feel alive again and she just can‘t resist; he’s dangerous, sexy and exactly what she needs. What starts out as a fling soon becomes much more until Lucky’s past finally catches up with him and Tessa learns that this bad boy is in fact dangerous too and she may not know him at all
A lot of people really liked this book, and it’s received a ton of 5 star ratings, which is of course why I bought it, unfortunately though I struggled through it. I mean this was a real effort to finish, plodding through long drawn out repetitive scenes and way too many introspective conversations that added nothing to the overall story. Even with a hunky outlaw biker hero to drool over, sizzling love scenes, and several LOL moments I still came away kind of meh about the whole thing.
That’s not to say I hated it, because I didn’t, in fact there were several things that I really enjoyed, Toni Blake’s writing style for example and the way she incorporated random ideas into her characters and story; like dancing with Ellen and the numerous classic rock songs mentioned. I also liked the issue of our heroine dealing with Chron’s disease; this was a unique affliction and dealt with very well.
I think one of my favourite things though would have to be that Lucky as a “bad boy” biker actually speaks like a biker, he swears a lot and listens to AC/DC and Metallica. He has armloads of tattoos and a realistic past considering his gang ties. It was also obvious that Blake put some research into Harley motorcycles, specialized paint jobs and the MC language and lifestyle in general. But overall at almost 400 pages this felt like a VERY long drawn out Harlequin and would have held my interest a whole lot more and benefited with about 100 less pages.
In this 3rd instalment from the “Destiny” series Tessa Sheridan has returned to her quaint hometown of Destiny (lots of that going on in romancelandia these days) She’s had to leave her career in the big city because of a chronic illness and now all she wants to do is recover, spend time with family, and embrace life. Tessa wants to be a bit wild and experience things the old Tessa would never dream of, like skydiving, and having commitment free sex with her delicious biker dude neighbour.
However Lucky Roma may be a little more then the shy, sweet Tessa can handle, he not only looks the biker part but comes complete with a gang past and more skeletons in the closet then any woman should have to deal with. Still, Lucky has a way of making Tessa feel alive again and she just can‘t resist; he’s dangerous, sexy and exactly what she needs. What starts out as a fling soon becomes much more until Lucky’s past finally catches up with him and Tessa learns that this bad boy is in fact dangerous too and she may not know him at all
July 31, 2011
“I have little left in myself – I must have you. My very soul demands you”….
Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre
This is the 3rd installment in Toni Blake's Destiny Series and it tells the story of Tessa Sheridan and bad boy biker Lucky Romo. The story picks up six months after the 2nd book, Sugar Creek, with beautiful springtime and all its renewal of life just beginning in the quaint small town of Destiny, Ohio. And like the seasons, often we find human souls who have suffered tremendous pain in the bitter, cold winter of their lives and hope and renewal are reborn with forgiveness and acceptance much like the coming of spring.
Whisper Falls is so much more than a hot, sexy love story. It also is one of forgiveness. Not just forgiveness from others, but forgiving yourself thereby allowing you to feel worthy again. It is new beginnings and a renewal of life.
I have been looking forward to reading Lucky Romo’s story. There was a mystery surrounding this younger brother of Mike Romo, hero from book two. And there were so many unanswered questions surrounding the Romo family and I just knew there had to be more to this hot, sexy, dangerous biker with a body full of tattoos! Lucky is definitely *swoon* worthy and without a doubt my favorite in this series!
Having left home at age eighteen, Lucky now finds himself back fifteen years later filled with secrets, guilt, shame and even fear. Destiny was a place of nightmares for him due to a tragedy that “shook his family right off their foundations.” He never expected to end up back here making a life for himself. There are rumors about his past of possible criminal activity and membership with an outlaw motorcycle gang. Tall, extremely muscular with his upper body full of grim tattoos, many find this biker a little scary and intimidating. Tessa Sheridan also experienced a small amount of fear when first meeting her neighbor. But that soon changes as her fear turns into desire! Tall, hot, and handsome, Tessa can feel the heat as he undresses her with his eyes. But mystery surrounds this complex stranger and should she risk an affair with someone who is so different from her world?
Tessa is working part-time in her friend Amy’s book store while trying to build her Interior Design Business. Due to a debilitating illness that shattered her career in Cincinnati, she now finds herself back home in the small town of Destiny facing not only financial hardship but also a life long chronic illness. She is determined not to let it define who she is and I admired her positive attitude and strength as she fights her feelings of failure. With her illness now more under control, this shy young woman is ready for some adventure and excitement in her life. She needed to feel vibrant and alive again! What she didn’t expect was to have her desires centered on her dangerous biker neighbor, Lucky Romo…..
Ahhhh…Lucky Romo! He is all hot, sexy male! As his story unfolds I found so many sides to his character. He pulled on my heart strings and while Tessa’s initial description of him as a “hunka hunka burnin’ biker” fits……there is so much more! Lucky has lived most of his life as a loner, running, not allowing himself to love and with deep rooted feelings of unworthiness, and a dangerous past, can he commit and open his heart? Can he be the man Tessa needs him to be?
In the beginning this book moved a little slow for me, but as the layers were peeled away and more of Lucky is revealed, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Many of my questions were answered and I found not only is Lucky a hot, sexy biker but a man who is also vulnerable with a tortured soul. He is carrying so much baggage from tragedies and bad choices that he feels unworthy of love and acceptance. There are so many sides to this man and I fell more in love with this hero and I wanted it all to end good for him!
There were a few things I wished were different. Tessa is an easy heroine to love; a little shy - a good girl living her life and blending well with all the other citizens of Destiny. I’m really not sure and can’t put my finger on the problem only to say at times I didn’t feel that intense sizzle factor from her.
Overall, Whisper Falls is another winner in Toni Blake’s Destiny Series. A poignant, hot smokin’ love story filled with twist and turns and emotion and a hero that became my favorite in this series.
A little glimpse into Lucky’s heart:
Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre
This is the 3rd installment in Toni Blake's Destiny Series and it tells the story of Tessa Sheridan and bad boy biker Lucky Romo. The story picks up six months after the 2nd book, Sugar Creek, with beautiful springtime and all its renewal of life just beginning in the quaint small town of Destiny, Ohio. And like the seasons, often we find human souls who have suffered tremendous pain in the bitter, cold winter of their lives and hope and renewal are reborn with forgiveness and acceptance much like the coming of spring.
Whisper Falls is so much more than a hot, sexy love story. It also is one of forgiveness. Not just forgiveness from others, but forgiving yourself thereby allowing you to feel worthy again. It is new beginnings and a renewal of life.
I have been looking forward to reading Lucky Romo’s story. There was a mystery surrounding this younger brother of Mike Romo, hero from book two. And there were so many unanswered questions surrounding the Romo family and I just knew there had to be more to this hot, sexy, dangerous biker with a body full of tattoos! Lucky is definitely *swoon* worthy and without a doubt my favorite in this series!
Having left home at age eighteen, Lucky now finds himself back fifteen years later filled with secrets, guilt, shame and even fear. Destiny was a place of nightmares for him due to a tragedy that “shook his family right off their foundations.” He never expected to end up back here making a life for himself. There are rumors about his past of possible criminal activity and membership with an outlaw motorcycle gang. Tall, extremely muscular with his upper body full of grim tattoos, many find this biker a little scary and intimidating. Tessa Sheridan also experienced a small amount of fear when first meeting her neighbor. But that soon changes as her fear turns into desire! Tall, hot, and handsome, Tessa can feel the heat as he undresses her with his eyes. But mystery surrounds this complex stranger and should she risk an affair with someone who is so different from her world?
Tessa is working part-time in her friend Amy’s book store while trying to build her Interior Design Business. Due to a debilitating illness that shattered her career in Cincinnati, she now finds herself back home in the small town of Destiny facing not only financial hardship but also a life long chronic illness. She is determined not to let it define who she is and I admired her positive attitude and strength as she fights her feelings of failure. With her illness now more under control, this shy young woman is ready for some adventure and excitement in her life. She needed to feel vibrant and alive again! What she didn’t expect was to have her desires centered on her dangerous biker neighbor, Lucky Romo…..
Ahhhh…Lucky Romo! He is all hot, sexy male! As his story unfolds I found so many sides to his character. He pulled on my heart strings and while Tessa’s initial description of him as a “hunka hunka burnin’ biker” fits……there is so much more! Lucky has lived most of his life as a loner, running, not allowing himself to love and with deep rooted feelings of unworthiness, and a dangerous past, can he commit and open his heart? Can he be the man Tessa needs him to be?
In the beginning this book moved a little slow for me, but as the layers were peeled away and more of Lucky is revealed, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Many of my questions were answered and I found not only is Lucky a hot, sexy biker but a man who is also vulnerable with a tortured soul. He is carrying so much baggage from tragedies and bad choices that he feels unworthy of love and acceptance. There are so many sides to this man and I fell more in love with this hero and I wanted it all to end good for him!
There were a few things I wished were different. Tessa is an easy heroine to love; a little shy - a good girl living her life and blending well with all the other citizens of Destiny. I’m really not sure and can’t put my finger on the problem only to say at times I didn’t feel that intense sizzle factor from her.
Overall, Whisper Falls is another winner in Toni Blake’s Destiny Series. A poignant, hot smokin’ love story filled with twist and turns and emotion and a hero that became my favorite in this series.
A little glimpse into Lucky’s heart:
March 12, 2011
I'll have to post my mini-rant over this book later as I'm off to work now. But let's just say there are lines that I can't have either of my heroes cross and still like them.
*Spoiler alert - and I mean it. Reading this will most likely reduce your enjoyment of the book if you have not read it.*
OK. I loved the first two books in the series. Then I got to the third. Our heroine is a sweet little thing that suffers from a chronic gastrointestinal disorder known as Crohn's disease. She loses her dream job and moves to the woods for the solitude and communing with nature.
Little miss sunshine has a new neighbor! Oh look at him. He's huge and muscular with long hair, earrings, and more tattoos than she's ever seen in one place. And he drives a VERY VERY LOUD motorcycle. Not only does he look really scary but she's pretty sure he is the 'bad kid' who she heard became a criminal of some sort. Her friends warn her against being near him. His brother tells her that said biker is dangerous and to stay away from him. Sounds like love at first sight to me!
So she gets to know him a little better because she's just not that smart. He's rude and leads her on only to leave her hanging. He is derogatory towards women in general and her specifically. Then he pointedly spurns her romantic advance. She even goes out and gets a tattoo to prove to herself that she is wild enough for him. Yep, true love if ever I saw it.
Little miss sunshine has a flare up of her disease and biker boy suddenly realizes that he's all about taking care of women and does a 180 from his former personality. Now he cooks, cleans, and is just the perfect little homemaker. Not buying it, but what do you want, its fiction.
Lucky (our biker hero) decides to confess his past so they can move on in the relationship. "Yeah, I used to steal cars, run drugs, run guns, I almost got a woman beaten to death when I couldn't keep my dick in my pants, and oh yeah, I killed a guy in a fight once."
Little miss sunshine thinks about it for two seconds, "That's OK sweetie, I'm sure you didn't mean it."
WTF?!
So they go on for a bit with a sexual relationship where he 'treats her real good.' An example of how much he respects her can be found in a particularly moving scene where he sees her out watering the flowers, strips her shorts, bends her over, and happily screws her senseless. 'Oh shit Lucky, we forgot to use a condom.' 'We didn't forget, I just wanted to be closer to you and leave a little of myself inside of you.' 'Um, didn't you think we should talk about that first?' 'Nope.' Do you feel the love and respect?
Finally, someone from his past knows where he is and sets fire to his garage. Lucky decides he has to kill this man to protect everyone else he knows. 'Honey, don't get upset, but I'm going to go murder a man.' 'I love you Lucky, but please don't do this. If you walk out that door, I will never respect you again. I will never talk to you again. I will no longer love you.' 'You'll get over it.' Lucky leaves, gets into a fight with the person and the man ends up dead. 'Gee that didn't quite go as I planned.'
A couple of weeks go by where they don't talk or see each other.
'Hey there sick lady. I'm really sorry that I didn't listen to you, respect your wishes, care about you begging and pleading for me to not go. I know I've said it before, but this time I really mean it - I'm a victim of circumstances. Really it wasn't my fault. And by the way, will you marry me?' 'Just like I always dreamed it.'
Maybe it's just me, but the whole murderous intent kind of kills a relationship.
Anyway, I was just a bit disappointed in this one. Never felt realistic. But most importantly I never liked Lucky at all.
*Spoiler alert - and I mean it. Reading this will most likely reduce your enjoyment of the book if you have not read it.*
OK. I loved the first two books in the series. Then I got to the third. Our heroine is a sweet little thing that suffers from a chronic gastrointestinal disorder known as Crohn's disease. She loses her dream job and moves to the woods for the solitude and communing with nature.
Little miss sunshine has a new neighbor! Oh look at him. He's huge and muscular with long hair, earrings, and more tattoos than she's ever seen in one place. And he drives a VERY VERY LOUD motorcycle. Not only does he look really scary but she's pretty sure he is the 'bad kid' who she heard became a criminal of some sort. Her friends warn her against being near him. His brother tells her that said biker is dangerous and to stay away from him. Sounds like love at first sight to me!
So she gets to know him a little better because she's just not that smart. He's rude and leads her on only to leave her hanging. He is derogatory towards women in general and her specifically. Then he pointedly spurns her romantic advance. She even goes out and gets a tattoo to prove to herself that she is wild enough for him. Yep, true love if ever I saw it.
Little miss sunshine has a flare up of her disease and biker boy suddenly realizes that he's all about taking care of women and does a 180 from his former personality. Now he cooks, cleans, and is just the perfect little homemaker. Not buying it, but what do you want, its fiction.
Lucky (our biker hero) decides to confess his past so they can move on in the relationship. "Yeah, I used to steal cars, run drugs, run guns, I almost got a woman beaten to death when I couldn't keep my dick in my pants, and oh yeah, I killed a guy in a fight once."
Little miss sunshine thinks about it for two seconds, "That's OK sweetie, I'm sure you didn't mean it."
WTF?!
So they go on for a bit with a sexual relationship where he 'treats her real good.' An example of how much he respects her can be found in a particularly moving scene where he sees her out watering the flowers, strips her shorts, bends her over, and happily screws her senseless. 'Oh shit Lucky, we forgot to use a condom.' 'We didn't forget, I just wanted to be closer to you and leave a little of myself inside of you.' 'Um, didn't you think we should talk about that first?' 'Nope.' Do you feel the love and respect?
Finally, someone from his past knows where he is and sets fire to his garage. Lucky decides he has to kill this man to protect everyone else he knows. 'Honey, don't get upset, but I'm going to go murder a man.' 'I love you Lucky, but please don't do this. If you walk out that door, I will never respect you again. I will never talk to you again. I will no longer love you.' 'You'll get over it.' Lucky leaves, gets into a fight with the person and the man ends up dead. 'Gee that didn't quite go as I planned.'
A couple of weeks go by where they don't talk or see each other.
'Hey there sick lady. I'm really sorry that I didn't listen to you, respect your wishes, care about you begging and pleading for me to not go. I know I've said it before, but this time I really mean it - I'm a victim of circumstances. Really it wasn't my fault. And by the way, will you marry me?' 'Just like I always dreamed it.'
Maybe it's just me, but the whole murderous intent kind of kills a relationship.
Anyway, I was just a bit disappointed in this one. Never felt realistic. But most importantly I never liked Lucky at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2010
Toni Blake does it again! Blake’s latest installation of the Destiny series is a beautiful redemption story that shows the healing power of love.
Honestly, this series get better with each book. I’m so excited to have read this gem of a book. It is my absolute favorite in the series so far. The characters are great and the plot is believable.
Tessa Sheridan is back home in Destiny, Ohio after learning that she is suffering from an incurable illness. Leaving her career hasn’t been easy and returning to a town that really has no place for her craft is even more heart breaking. Seeking her peace and solitude, she is disturbed by her loud biker neighbor. One day Tessa has a run in with him and discovers he is Lucky Romo, the runaway son from the Romo family (Sugar Creek).
Years ago, Lucky Romo left Destiny. He got involved in some bad things and now he is back in Destiny trying to turn a new leaf. He decides to hide out in his house on Whisper Falls Road until he can figure it out but his sexy and sweet neighbor is making it so hard to stay hidden. Lucky has to come to past with his family and all of the drama he has left behind.
I will just admit it right now, the reason that I love this book is because of Lucky. He is a great male character. Strong, big, tattooed-up and bad. Yeah, I have a thing for the bad boys. The great thing about Lucky is that he not only a bad boy but a big teddy at the same time. He tries to help Tessa through her illness when it flares up. He really does sweet things to get her mind off of the pain and bring joy back to her life.
Lucky reclines next to her again, and they silently peered back up at the sky. And though she’d already forgotten about the iPod, Lucky then gently inserted one earbud in her ear and the other in his, so they could both hear. Then she listened as the notes from a gently plucked guitar began Jack Johnson’s “Constellations,” a song about… the sky. She just looked at Lucky. How could he know? How could he know, even better than she did, what she’d needed right now? It was one of the most perfect moments of her life.
The thing that I really love about Lucky is that he shows more than tell. He steps up time and time throughout the book to show Tessa that he loves her.
And when the song came to its sweet, peaceful conclusion, she continued peering up at the sky even as she leaned her head to rest it on Lucky’s shoulder. And she whispered, “You love me.”
He kept gazing upward, too, his answer coming softly. “Yeah. I do.”
And it sounded…like it wasn’t a surprise to him at all.
The new knowledge made Tessa’s skin tingle even as her body filled with warmth. And she pulled back just slightly to peer up at him, this man who loved her. He hadn’t put it into so much words, but he hadn’t needed to―because he’d shown her, in so many sweet ways.
Tessa and Lucky’s relationship starts off a bit slow because it is mostly from her point of view. There is a lot of internal dialogue and that did frustrate me a bit. They are cautious around each other in the beginning, which after learning about their past, you can understand. However, their friendship turned into so much more. She stands by him when he deals with his family and their emotional baggage and tries to help him deal with his past when he is confronted with it. I got so caught up in the story that I, along with Tessa, wanted Lucky to make the right decision. The ending was so sweet and for a long time after I finished the last line, the characters and story stayed in my thoughts.
Fans of the Destiny series will not be disappointed with this story. I can’t wait for the next book.
Honestly, this series get better with each book. I’m so excited to have read this gem of a book. It is my absolute favorite in the series so far. The characters are great and the plot is believable.
Tessa Sheridan is back home in Destiny, Ohio after learning that she is suffering from an incurable illness. Leaving her career hasn’t been easy and returning to a town that really has no place for her craft is even more heart breaking. Seeking her peace and solitude, she is disturbed by her loud biker neighbor. One day Tessa has a run in with him and discovers he is Lucky Romo, the runaway son from the Romo family (Sugar Creek).
Years ago, Lucky Romo left Destiny. He got involved in some bad things and now he is back in Destiny trying to turn a new leaf. He decides to hide out in his house on Whisper Falls Road until he can figure it out but his sexy and sweet neighbor is making it so hard to stay hidden. Lucky has to come to past with his family and all of the drama he has left behind.
I will just admit it right now, the reason that I love this book is because of Lucky. He is a great male character. Strong, big, tattooed-up and bad. Yeah, I have a thing for the bad boys. The great thing about Lucky is that he not only a bad boy but a big teddy at the same time. He tries to help Tessa through her illness when it flares up. He really does sweet things to get her mind off of the pain and bring joy back to her life.
Lucky reclines next to her again, and they silently peered back up at the sky. And though she’d already forgotten about the iPod, Lucky then gently inserted one earbud in her ear and the other in his, so they could both hear. Then she listened as the notes from a gently plucked guitar began Jack Johnson’s “Constellations,” a song about… the sky. She just looked at Lucky. How could he know? How could he know, even better than she did, what she’d needed right now? It was one of the most perfect moments of her life.
The thing that I really love about Lucky is that he shows more than tell. He steps up time and time throughout the book to show Tessa that he loves her.
And when the song came to its sweet, peaceful conclusion, she continued peering up at the sky even as she leaned her head to rest it on Lucky’s shoulder. And she whispered, “You love me.”
He kept gazing upward, too, his answer coming softly. “Yeah. I do.”
And it sounded…like it wasn’t a surprise to him at all.
The new knowledge made Tessa’s skin tingle even as her body filled with warmth. And she pulled back just slightly to peer up at him, this man who loved her. He hadn’t put it into so much words, but he hadn’t needed to―because he’d shown her, in so many sweet ways.
Tessa and Lucky’s relationship starts off a bit slow because it is mostly from her point of view. There is a lot of internal dialogue and that did frustrate me a bit. They are cautious around each other in the beginning, which after learning about their past, you can understand. However, their friendship turned into so much more. She stands by him when he deals with his family and their emotional baggage and tries to help him deal with his past when he is confronted with it. I got so caught up in the story that I, along with Tessa, wanted Lucky to make the right decision. The ending was so sweet and for a long time after I finished the last line, the characters and story stayed in my thoughts.
Fans of the Destiny series will not be disappointed with this story. I can’t wait for the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2011
3 1/2 stars rating, which to me is a slight disappointment because I felt the first two books in the series were 5 star keepers. Whisper Falls had some wonderful parts, #1 Lucky!!- his heart (and bad boy looks), his journey back to his family, and #2 Lucky and Tessa's developing relationship, very sensual as Lucky breaks Tessa out of her mold and they grow together, #3 their uninhibited sex life, Toni Blake has a way of writing some scorchers without crudeness and #4 the story gives tender choke up moments as Lucky renuites with his family and learns to forgive and love.
Lost soul and Destiny's really bad boy, Lucky Romo, returns to Destiny after a 15 year absence. He was into some seriously bad stuff and ran with a corrupt biker gang for his first 5 years away. He has been in hiding after a falling out with the gang leader and runs for his life. Thinking that after 10 years he should be safe he comes home because he finds out he has 9 yr old son as a result from a one night stand. He wants to be a part of his life and be a good, visible father to his son Johnny since Lucky felt invisible in his own family- one reason he ran away and turned bad. His neighbor is good girl Tessa who also has returned home after being a successful interior decorator because she developed a chronic illness while away. Destiny still has the small town charm as in the previous books and many previous characters reoccur in this story. The love story was beautiful and very sexy, Lucky and Tessa grew well together.
Why I gave a 3 1/2 star rating: The beginning was too slow and uninteresting. Tessa was boring for too long I felt Lucky and her tiptoed around each other for too long. Also, I have nothing against cats, but I didn't connect with them even though they had cool names. By page 150 I was recommitted. Once Tessa made the leap and threw herself into Lucky's world at the biker bar I couldn't stop reading, total 5 stars. I also wished the ending was better, I wanted fireworks with the Biker Gang leader and his threats not a dud like Red. So it was a little up and down, but some fantastic reading in between.
November 28, 2012
I seriously need to create a "heroine ruined the entire book" shelf for next year.
Loved Johnny "Lucky" Romo. LOVED HIM. Yeah, he was a little scary (in a good way) and had done some bad shit, but in the long version of this story, he was a young man who didn't have the support or grief counseling he needed after the loss of his sister and in turning inward, became a man he wasn't proud of. I cried for that young man AND the now 34 year old man who has never felt loved, never felt "enough". I hated his brother Mike for most of the book. HATED him for the way he treated his brother and made him feel. I'm glad he manned up and realized what a dick he was being, cause you know, IT'S NOT ALWAYS ALL ABOUT MIKE.
I liked Tessa at first, even though I thought she was a bit of a self important prude at times. When she finally hooked up with Lucky, finally got the "life I always wanted but never knew it", what does she do? She screws it up and made me want to choke her until her eyes bugged out. God in heaven - I so wanted Lucky to tell her to shove it where the sun doesn't shine. The way she did a 180 on him, the way she broke up with him - I can't forgive that. It was cruel and deep down she knew it but did it anyway. She was determined to turn Lucky into the man SHE wanted instead of loving he man he was. He's a big, bad, scary, tatted up mess at the start of the book, but he's working it out on his own. By the end of the book, he's nearly reciting poetry and painting her toenails for her - because "it makes her happy". Sorry but a relationship is about TWO PEOPLE, not one half-whiny flower child who pouts when she doesn't get her way.
I'm giving this a 3 for two reasons: one being Lucky, who completely saved the book for me. In my head, I picture him a bit like the Rhev from the BDB - a big ass scary man who would die for you. Secondly, props to the author, because you did write a good book and you made me hate the heroine. That's good writing, even if it pissed me off.
Loved Johnny "Lucky" Romo. LOVED HIM. Yeah, he was a little scary (in a good way) and had done some bad shit, but in the long version of this story, he was a young man who didn't have the support or grief counseling he needed after the loss of his sister and in turning inward, became a man he wasn't proud of. I cried for that young man AND the now 34 year old man who has never felt loved, never felt "enough". I hated his brother Mike for most of the book. HATED him for the way he treated his brother and made him feel. I'm glad he manned up and realized what a dick he was being, cause you know, IT'S NOT ALWAYS ALL ABOUT MIKE.
I liked Tessa at first, even though I thought she was a bit of a self important prude at times. When she finally hooked up with Lucky, finally got the "life I always wanted but never knew it", what does she do? She screws it up and made me want to choke her until her eyes bugged out. God in heaven - I so wanted Lucky to tell her to shove it where the sun doesn't shine. The way she did a 180 on him, the way she broke up with him - I can't forgive that. It was cruel and deep down she knew it but did it anyway. She was determined to turn Lucky into the man SHE wanted instead of loving he man he was. He's a big, bad, scary, tatted up mess at the start of the book, but he's working it out on his own. By the end of the book, he's nearly reciting poetry and painting her toenails for her - because "it makes her happy". Sorry but a relationship is about TWO PEOPLE, not one half-whiny flower child who pouts when she doesn't get her way.
I'm giving this a 3 for two reasons: one being Lucky, who completely saved the book for me. In my head, I picture him a bit like the Rhev from the BDB - a big ass scary man who would die for you. Secondly, props to the author, because you did write a good book and you made me hate the heroine. That's good writing, even if it pissed me off.
January 13, 2011
This was an "okay" read for me at best. I am a huge fan of the first book in this series, but unfortunately, both the Romo brother's books have left me a bit disappointed and underwhelmed.
I loved the premise of this book because the "biker hero" is such an intriguing type of hero. The idea of a heroine who suffers from a chronic illness was also very intriguing and I felt that with this combo....this book couldn't go wrong. How I wish this were the case.
I certainly felt chemistry between the leads in this one, and there are plenty of nice and steamy love scenes, but I felt bored quite a bit while reading this story. I didn't feel like there was a lot of interesting dialogue and the so called biker gang plot just didn't work for me. Mike Romo from Sugar Creek plays a prominent role, and this book reminds me why I never liked him in the first place. The Chron's disease that Tessa suffers had the potential to really shape this story, but instead it felt contrived and unrealistic.
This was a big let-down for me. One Reckless Summer went on my keeper shelf while Sugar Creek and Whisper Falls went straight to PBS. I guess for the next book in the series, I'll first check it out from the library!
I loved the premise of this book because the "biker hero" is such an intriguing type of hero. The idea of a heroine who suffers from a chronic illness was also very intriguing and I felt that with this combo....this book couldn't go wrong. How I wish this were the case.
I certainly felt chemistry between the leads in this one, and there are plenty of nice and steamy love scenes, but I felt bored quite a bit while reading this story. I didn't feel like there was a lot of interesting dialogue and the so called biker gang plot just didn't work for me. Mike Romo from Sugar Creek plays a prominent role, and this book reminds me why I never liked him in the first place. The Chron's disease that Tessa suffers had the potential to really shape this story, but instead it felt contrived and unrealistic.
This was a big let-down for me. One Reckless Summer went on my keeper shelf while Sugar Creek and Whisper Falls went straight to PBS. I guess for the next book in the series, I'll first check it out from the library!
May 17, 2012
I grabbed this one thinking it was the 2nd in the series but found out after I started reading it that it was the 3rd. No biggie. I didn't really need to read #2 to enjoy this one, though I do wonder if it might have answered a few questions about "Annie". I loved Lucky. I'm not in to the tattoos and all but I was able to overlook them on Lucky. I found Tessa to be a likable person too. Sweet and sometimes kinda heart wrenching read.
April 3, 2011
Like most of my other GR friends, I loved this book. It was such an engaging read that gives you a little bit of everything you want. I just wanted to keep coming back and reading more and got annoyed when I had to put the book down.
Series Note:
Third book in Blake's "Destiny" series about a quaint Ohio town and the people who live there. I think you could probably read this as a standalone without too much trouble.
Summary:
Tessa Sheridan had a promising career in a big city as an interior designer but then she was struck down by Crohn's disease, a persistent digestive disorder. She moved back to her hometown of Destiny, Ohio to improve her health and be around family and friends and bought a little cabin in the woods. Things are quiet until someone moves into the house closest to hers. Then suddenly motorcycles are driving by and there's a badass biker within eyesight. Tessa is even more shocked to find out the badass biker is Lucky Romo, the long-missing son of a local family.
For Lucky, coming back to Destiny, a place that left him few good memories and many bad ones, was not an easy choice. But after he receives some life-changing information, he doesn't has much choice. So he moves his custom bike painting business and settles into his new home. He never counted on the sexy woman who lived right next store. She's so far out of his league but he can't seem to stay away from her, even when he knows getting close might put her in danger.
The two polar opposites can't stay apart and find themselves falling in love. But nothing is easy for these two as Lucky must battle with his less than stellar past before he can move on to a future. Hopefully with Tessa.
Review:
What an excellent book this was. I've like this series and enjoyed all the books, but it's not one I anxiously await the next book for. So I was a bit late in reading this latest addition. But boy, was it a winner!
The first thing that I loved about this book was that you had two atypical lead characters. Lucky is a bad ass biker with scary tattoos and a very unsavory past. And Tessa is a woman dealing with a chronic, incurable illness (Crohn's disease) which you get to see how badly it affects her life. Both characters give the book some variety and separate it from what else is out there. Bad ass bikers aren't all that uncommon, but Lucky's past makes him standout from all the others out there. But Tessa is a real rarity in romance heroines. You hardly ever come across a heroine dealing with a chronic illness. Yeah, it's a bit depressing, but it's also very real. And I just loved that we got two characters in this book who aren't cookie-cutter perfect.
That's nothing to say of chemistry these two had together. It was absolutely wonderful. They are total opposites who find peace with each other. Being around Tessa brings out the best in Lucky, makes him be the man never knew he could be, and for Tessa, being around Lucky makes her want to get out and live life. They just fit so well together and I really enjoyed getting to know these two characters and seeing them fall in love with each other. Oh, and the sex scenes were great, too ;)
Those two things alone made this a wonderful story, but there was so much more. Lucky has to deal with reuniting with his family and the bitterness his brother feels over Lucky's disappearance. On top of that, a piece of Lucky's unsavory past comes back to haunt him, which drops a smidge of suspense into the story and a lot of emotional angst over how it affects Lucky, Tessa and the two as a couple.
Plus, you get to catch up with past characters/couples in the series. Both H/Hs from the first two books play small-medium roles. And you get a bit of Amy, the prudish book store owner. Which fleshes out the book and makes it more well-rounded.
Really, I don't think there was anything about the book I didn't like. It gives you a bit of everything - emotional development, a fabulous romance, character depth, a hint of suspense. It just hit on all cylinders and I really enjoyed reading this book. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series...and very curious to see what Blake plans to do with prudish Amy.
Series Note:
Third book in Blake's "Destiny" series about a quaint Ohio town and the people who live there. I think you could probably read this as a standalone without too much trouble.
Summary:
Tessa Sheridan had a promising career in a big city as an interior designer but then she was struck down by Crohn's disease, a persistent digestive disorder. She moved back to her hometown of Destiny, Ohio to improve her health and be around family and friends and bought a little cabin in the woods. Things are quiet until someone moves into the house closest to hers. Then suddenly motorcycles are driving by and there's a badass biker within eyesight. Tessa is even more shocked to find out the badass biker is Lucky Romo, the long-missing son of a local family.
For Lucky, coming back to Destiny, a place that left him few good memories and many bad ones, was not an easy choice. But after he receives some life-changing information, he doesn't has much choice. So he moves his custom bike painting business and settles into his new home. He never counted on the sexy woman who lived right next store. She's so far out of his league but he can't seem to stay away from her, even when he knows getting close might put her in danger.
The two polar opposites can't stay apart and find themselves falling in love. But nothing is easy for these two as Lucky must battle with his less than stellar past before he can move on to a future. Hopefully with Tessa.
Review:
What an excellent book this was. I've like this series and enjoyed all the books, but it's not one I anxiously await the next book for. So I was a bit late in reading this latest addition. But boy, was it a winner!
The first thing that I loved about this book was that you had two atypical lead characters. Lucky is a bad ass biker with scary tattoos and a very unsavory past. And Tessa is a woman dealing with a chronic, incurable illness (Crohn's disease) which you get to see how badly it affects her life. Both characters give the book some variety and separate it from what else is out there. Bad ass bikers aren't all that uncommon, but Lucky's past makes him standout from all the others out there. But Tessa is a real rarity in romance heroines. You hardly ever come across a heroine dealing with a chronic illness. Yeah, it's a bit depressing, but it's also very real. And I just loved that we got two characters in this book who aren't cookie-cutter perfect.
That's nothing to say of chemistry these two had together. It was absolutely wonderful. They are total opposites who find peace with each other. Being around Tessa brings out the best in Lucky, makes him be the man never knew he could be, and for Tessa, being around Lucky makes her want to get out and live life. They just fit so well together and I really enjoyed getting to know these two characters and seeing them fall in love with each other. Oh, and the sex scenes were great, too ;)
Those two things alone made this a wonderful story, but there was so much more. Lucky has to deal with reuniting with his family and the bitterness his brother feels over Lucky's disappearance. On top of that, a piece of Lucky's unsavory past comes back to haunt him, which drops a smidge of suspense into the story and a lot of emotional angst over how it affects Lucky, Tessa and the two as a couple.
Plus, you get to catch up with past characters/couples in the series. Both H/Hs from the first two books play small-medium roles. And you get a bit of Amy, the prudish book store owner. Which fleshes out the book and makes it more well-rounded.
Really, I don't think there was anything about the book I didn't like. It gives you a bit of everything - emotional development, a fabulous romance, character depth, a hint of suspense. It just hit on all cylinders and I really enjoyed reading this book. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series...and very curious to see what Blake plans to do with prudish Amy.
July 23, 2011
I was really looking forward to this third installment in the Destiny Series and maybe because of my high expectations it ended up falling short for me. I give it 3 1/2 stars.
When I found out that Tessa, the heroine, suffers from Crohn's Disease I was very anxious to get to her book. One of my sisters has Ulcerative Colitis, which is very similar to Crohn's, and I was very interested to see how someone would deal with the disease while dating, especially knowing what all my sister has gone through because of her condition. And knowing what I know, I don't feel like Tessa's condition was accurately portrayed in this book. Without going into detail, let's just say that the symptoms of the disease are not pretty. It is not something I would want to be experiencing with just anyone... and even someone I had just started dating. I guess I'm just disappointed because it didn't come together the way I thought it would.
And then there's the hero, Lucky. Whom I liked, but didn't love. I liked that he had the bad boy appearance- tattoo's, motorcycles, scars, etc..., but for me it took him a little long to man-up, to own up and answer for everything he had done in his past. (I'm cringing as I write this because I know there will be so many who disagree with me!) And, I felt like he was only making changes because Tessa was pushing him in that direction. (Until the very end, which I did feel like he finally was making changes for himself.) Change has to come from within yourself, you cannot change somebody else just because you want that change for them.
Also, I found myself getting bored with all the mysteriousness around Lucky for the first half of the book. I don't really like it when an author holds out so much information for so long.. it loses my interest quickly. But, I will add, that once we knew everything there was to know about Lucky, I found myself reading very quickly, wanting to find out how it would all come together.
I have really enjoyed this series and cannot wait to find out who's story is next! I'm hoping it's Amy's turn... I can't wait to see who's going to knock the socks off of this quiet girl.. she needs a bad boy for sure!!
When I found out that Tessa, the heroine, suffers from Crohn's Disease I was very anxious to get to her book. One of my sisters has Ulcerative Colitis, which is very similar to Crohn's, and I was very interested to see how someone would deal with the disease while dating, especially knowing what all my sister has gone through because of her condition. And knowing what I know, I don't feel like Tessa's condition was accurately portrayed in this book. Without going into detail, let's just say that the symptoms of the disease are not pretty. It is not something I would want to be experiencing with just anyone... and even someone I had just started dating. I guess I'm just disappointed because it didn't come together the way I thought it would.
And then there's the hero, Lucky. Whom I liked, but didn't love. I liked that he had the bad boy appearance- tattoo's, motorcycles, scars, etc..., but for me it took him a little long to man-up, to own up and answer for everything he had done in his past. (I'm cringing as I write this because I know there will be so many who disagree with me!) And, I felt like he was only making changes because Tessa was pushing him in that direction. (Until the very end, which I did feel like he finally was making changes for himself.) Change has to come from within yourself, you cannot change somebody else just because you want that change for them.
Also, I found myself getting bored with all the mysteriousness around Lucky for the first half of the book. I don't really like it when an author holds out so much information for so long.. it loses my interest quickly. But, I will add, that once we knew everything there was to know about Lucky, I found myself reading very quickly, wanting to find out how it would all come together.
I have really enjoyed this series and cannot wait to find out who's story is next! I'm hoping it's Amy's turn... I can't wait to see who's going to knock the socks off of this quiet girl.. she needs a bad boy for sure!!
January 8, 2011
A very enjoyable addition to the Destiny Series by Toni Blake. I have to admit my favorite is still One Reckless Summer, but this was almost as good, and probably better in some ways. My one major caveat was the repetition in the first part of the book (maybe the first third). The reader would read through a scene between Tessa and Lucky, often getting a look at the situation from both perspectives. Then, a few pages later, we get a rehash when Tessa thinks about what happen, and then again when we read Lucky's take on the encounter. Since, after the first encounter, the characters don't add anything new to their observations about each other, these pondering only acted to slow down the story. However, I'm happy to report that Blake seemed to abandoned that habit once the two got together and the story really took off for me.
What is really special about this book are the characters. Blake skillfully portrays Tessa as a fully realized person, someone working to deal with a major setback in life. For me, Tessa comes off as a very real, very believable woman. She's kind without being cloying, she's strong without being stupidly independent, and talented without being too perfect. Tessa felt like someone who could live down the street.
Lucky was a great character, too, and I enjoyed his development through the book. It felt honest and real.
Of course, this is a romance and a few things always seem a little too convenient, but overall there was less of that in this book than most, and I appreciated the author's skill in writing characters with more depth than the two-dimensional page they're written on.
Toni Blake will continue to be an auto-buy for me.
What is really special about this book are the characters. Blake skillfully portrays Tessa as a fully realized person, someone working to deal with a major setback in life. For me, Tessa comes off as a very real, very believable woman. She's kind without being cloying, she's strong without being stupidly independent, and talented without being too perfect. Tessa felt like someone who could live down the street.
Lucky was a great character, too, and I enjoyed his development through the book. It felt honest and real.
Of course, this is a romance and a few things always seem a little too convenient, but overall there was less of that in this book than most, and I appreciated the author's skill in writing characters with more depth than the two-dimensional page they're written on.
Toni Blake will continue to be an auto-buy for me.
August 26, 2016
I Loved this book.I gave it 5 star for 5 reasons mentioned bellow
* The characters (ALL:MAIN AND SIDE)
* The writing
* An Extra point to the all quotes used in books
* One point to me for picking up this amazing book
* One point to all the cats in the book
***
My Reaction after reading the book :
"If God sends us on strong paths, we are provided strong shoes. – Corrie ten Boom"
* The characters (ALL:MAIN AND SIDE)
* The writing
* An Extra point to the all quotes used in books
* One point to me for picking up this amazing book
* One point to all the cats in the book
***
My Reaction after reading the book :
"If God sends us on strong paths, we are provided strong shoes. – Corrie ten Boom"
March 16, 2011
This is another great book by Toni Blake.
Lucky (long lost younger brother of Mike Romo) finally comes back home after years of being gone. He left town without telling anyone where he was going…..never kept in contact…..ended up in a biker gang….and has some bad history he is trying to put behind him.
He moves in next door to Tessa……a sweet young woman that has had a successful career in the big city….suffered from some serious medical issues….and is now trying to restart her business/life in her old home town.
They are such opposites and yet their attraction for one another feels as if they are soul mates…..it’s sexual, possessive, loving and tender…They bring out the best in each other.
They are a good match and I enjoyed watching them struggle to overcome their personal demons and get their hea.
I liked their story very much…..not quite as good as her previous books…..but still one of the better books I’ve ever read.....It ranks a solid 4.5, IMO
Lucky (long lost younger brother of Mike Romo) finally comes back home after years of being gone. He left town without telling anyone where he was going…..never kept in contact…..ended up in a biker gang….and has some bad history he is trying to put behind him.
He moves in next door to Tessa……a sweet young woman that has had a successful career in the big city….suffered from some serious medical issues….and is now trying to restart her business/life in her old home town.
They are such opposites and yet their attraction for one another feels as if they are soul mates…..it’s sexual, possessive, loving and tender…They bring out the best in each other.
They are a good match and I enjoyed watching them struggle to overcome their personal demons and get their hea.
I liked their story very much…..not quite as good as her previous books…..but still one of the better books I’ve ever read.....It ranks a solid 4.5, IMO
August 11, 2011
4.5 stars
Absolutely LOVED this book. So, so, SO fantastic! If you take one thing away from this review, be it this: Lucky Romo is one of the best contemporary heroes I have ever read!! Wonderful, amazing, delicious, sweet, sexy, cute, rough around the edges, tough, the bad tattooed biker boy, loyal, sensitive, caring, on and on and on. Despite all these great attributes, before he had a period of definite bad-dom which included lots of illegal activity, yet Blake does a fantastic job in making you believe both - that Lucky did get to the point where he was involved with an outlaw motorcycle gang and was doing all those things, as well as that he realized where his life was heading, decided to change, and has been working to be a better man ever since.
The only complaint I have about that is when at the end he attributes so much of his most recent changes to Tessa. The saying that you can't change a man is true - you can't change anyone, they have to want to change as well. That she pushed him to reconnect with his family, that he wanted to change in certain ways because of her and because he wanted to feel worthy of her - sure, that's believable. But in the end, he changed because he wanted to. I'm a huge romance junkie, and I'm like most other addicts that I love those stories about the reformed bad boys, and like most women in the world, the idea of changing a man and him changing for you is very seductive ... but this is an instance when I think reality should not be avoided. The story only becomes that more powerful if the hero is the one who consciously and actively changes himself because of his feelings for the heroine.
Tessa is a good heroine, but in the shadow of Lucky's amazingness it's hard for her to compete. I liked her and thought she was well-written, but for some reason she didn't do anything for me. It's interesting, because while the book starts as Tessa's story - which I think is often the case, with romances being a little more weighted towards the heroine's POV - it definitely shifted as one read. The middle section felt pretty even and the last third really felt more like Lucky's story. I wish we could have seen more of Tommy.
{ Note Re: Lucky (of course) }
What that man does at the end as a surprise for Tessa *huge sigh* ... That whole scene is unbelievable and one of the best I've read. I want a Lucky Romo of my own!
{ Destiny Series }
Book 1 - One Reckless Summer , Jenny and Mick (4.5 stars)
Book 2 - Sugar Creek , Rachel and Mike
Book 3 - Whisper Falls, Tessa and Lucky (4.5 stars)
Book 4 - Holly Lane , Sue Ann and Adam
I read #1 in the series, but skipped #2, which is heavily tied together in that Lucky's brother, Mike, is the hero of that book and their relationship is a big focus in this one. Nonetheless, I had no problem following anything and don't think it's necessary to read them together.
One Reckless Summer is fantastic and I recommend reading it; in some ways, that book has more sizzle than this one because there are definitely more sex scenes. Jenny and Mick are great and I loved how their relationship developed. I was disappointed not to see more of them in this book; they only come in towards the end. I'm hoping Amy gets her own book, since she would make a very interesting romantic heroine.
{ Favorite Quotes }
Based on plot or character similarities:
* Wanting What You Get by Kathy Love (5 stars)
* Hearts in Darkness by Laura Kaye (4.5 stars)
* Negligee Behavior by Shelli Stevens (4.5 stars)
* One Reckless Summer by Toni Blake (4.5 stars)
* Getting What You Want by Kathy Love (4.5 stars)
* Lead Me On by Julie Ortolon (4 stars)
(Written August 11, 2011)
Absolutely LOVED this book. So, so, SO fantastic! If you take one thing away from this review, be it this: Lucky Romo is one of the best contemporary heroes I have ever read!! Wonderful, amazing, delicious, sweet, sexy, cute, rough around the edges, tough, the bad tattooed biker boy, loyal, sensitive, caring, on and on and on. Despite all these great attributes, before he had a period of definite bad-dom which included lots of illegal activity, yet Blake does a fantastic job in making you believe both - that Lucky did get to the point where he was involved with an outlaw motorcycle gang and was doing all those things, as well as that he realized where his life was heading, decided to change, and has been working to be a better man ever since.
The only complaint I have about that is when at the end he attributes so much of his most recent changes to Tessa. The saying that you can't change a man is true - you can't change anyone, they have to want to change as well. That she pushed him to reconnect with his family, that he wanted to change in certain ways because of her and because he wanted to feel worthy of her - sure, that's believable. But in the end, he changed because he wanted to. I'm a huge romance junkie, and I'm like most other addicts that I love those stories about the reformed bad boys, and like most women in the world, the idea of changing a man and him changing for you is very seductive ... but this is an instance when I think reality should not be avoided. The story only becomes that more powerful if the hero is the one who consciously and actively changes himself because of his feelings for the heroine.
Tessa is a good heroine, but in the shadow of Lucky's amazingness it's hard for her to compete. I liked her and thought she was well-written, but for some reason she didn't do anything for me. It's interesting, because while the book starts as Tessa's story - which I think is often the case, with romances being a little more weighted towards the heroine's POV - it definitely shifted as one read. The middle section felt pretty even and the last third really felt more like Lucky's story. I wish we could have seen more of Tommy.
{ Note Re: Lucky (of course) }
What that man does at the end as a surprise for Tessa *huge sigh* ... That whole scene is unbelievable and one of the best I've read. I want a Lucky Romo of my own!
{ Destiny Series }
Book 1 - One Reckless Summer , Jenny and Mick (4.5 stars)
Book 2 - Sugar Creek , Rachel and Mike
Book 3 - Whisper Falls, Tessa and Lucky (4.5 stars)
Book 4 - Holly Lane , Sue Ann and Adam
I read #1 in the series, but skipped #2, which is heavily tied together in that Lucky's brother, Mike, is the hero of that book and their relationship is a big focus in this one. Nonetheless, I had no problem following anything and don't think it's necessary to read them together.
One Reckless Summer is fantastic and I recommend reading it; in some ways, that book has more sizzle than this one because there are definitely more sex scenes. Jenny and Mick are great and I loved how their relationship developed. I was disappointed not to see more of them in this book; they only come in towards the end. I'm hoping Amy gets her own book, since she would make a very interesting romantic heroine.
{ Favorite Quotes }
She let the relaxing song waft over and through her as she lost herself in everything around her: the millions of stars glittering above, the soft quilt beneath her, the man whose hand slipped warmly into hers. And she began to understand something she hadn't only a few short minutes before; she began to feel a certain, undeniable truth seeping into her skin, her muscles, her very bones.{ Recommendations }
And when the song came to its sweet, peaceful conclusion, she continued peering up at the sky even as she leaned her head over to rest it on Lucky's shoulder. And she whispered, "You love me."
He kept gazing upward, too, his answer coming softly. "Yeah, I do."
And it sounded ... like it wasn't a surprise to him at all.
The new knowledge made Tessa's skin tingle even as her body filled with warmth. And she pulled back just slightly to peer over at him, this man who loved her. He hadn't put it into words, but he hadn't needed to---because he'd shown her, in so many sweet ways.
(p.261)
And she understood more than ever before that this big, strong man with the tattoos running up and down his arms perhaps hadn't felt loved by very many people before.
[...]
They fell into each other's arms and she basked in his warmth, his strength, the hardness of his body against hers. He ran his hands through her hair and spoke low in her ear. "I don't know the right way to say this stuff, Tessa, but ... you're the best thing that's happened to me. I've never felt like this before, I've never ... been happy like this."
(p.287)
Based on plot or character similarities:
* Wanting What You Get by Kathy Love (5 stars)
* Hearts in Darkness by Laura Kaye (4.5 stars)
* Negligee Behavior by Shelli Stevens (4.5 stars)
* One Reckless Summer by Toni Blake (4.5 stars)
* Getting What You Want by Kathy Love (4.5 stars)
* Lead Me On by Julie Ortolon (4 stars)
(Written August 11, 2011)
June 4, 2010
This is the third book in Toni Blakes Destiny series and a wonderful addition to an already wonderful series. This time around we meet Lucky, the long lost bad ass brother of Mike (Sugar Creek) who took off right after high school without looking back or telling anyone where he was going. He has returned to Destiny for a reason, a spoiler so I don't want to reveal it, and is trying to turn his life around after being in a bad motorcycle gang and leaving that and residing in Milwaukee (love when WI pops up in a book!) trying to blend in and escape. He now has a respectable custom motorcycle shop doing painting and meets his neighbor, Tessa one night as she is looking for her friends lost cat outside. She is a bit startled by his appearance--long hair, grim reapers tattoos but is surprised when he gets a bowl of milk to coax out the kitty. She recognizes him for who he is and tells her best friends Amy and Rachel, who happens to be Mikes fiancee.
Lucky and Tessa start up a flirtation via their back decks and Lucky hires Tessa, an interior decorator, to make his home more "normal". If you have read the previous books, this book starts off much slower in the romance department than those ones but as Tessa and Luckys continue their flirtation, Lucky always pulls away for fear of his past coming back to haunt him. Tessa decides to take matters into her own hands and the results are smokin as Toni Blake does so superbly!
Ah, the emotion in this book is off the charts for me. When Lucky and Mike and later Lucky and his parents reconnect....wow, it will make you hope, cry, smile and even cringe a bit (Mike has quite a few issues with Lucky leaving like he did). And the love between Tessa and Lucky, while a bit slow starting up, is beautiful. When Lucky tells Tessa he loves her, so sweet and tender. I love the back story on why their little area they live in is called Whisper Falls and the words they whisper to each other are perfect. This whole book is perfect in fact. I can not wait to buy it and read it again and add it to my keeper shelf. Big big 5 stars!
I received this ebook via netgallery.com. (Thank you!)
Side note: Ms Blake has mentioned that this series can be read as a stand alones and while it can, I recommend reading at least the previous book, Sugar Creek to get a bit of Mikes backstory and if you can read One Reckless Summer to meet Jenny and Mick, who pop up as well you should. They are both wonderfully, emotional 5 star reads.
Lucky and Tessa start up a flirtation via their back decks and Lucky hires Tessa, an interior decorator, to make his home more "normal". If you have read the previous books, this book starts off much slower in the romance department than those ones but as Tessa and Luckys continue their flirtation, Lucky always pulls away for fear of his past coming back to haunt him. Tessa decides to take matters into her own hands and the results are smokin as Toni Blake does so superbly!
Ah, the emotion in this book is off the charts for me. When Lucky and Mike and later Lucky and his parents reconnect....wow, it will make you hope, cry, smile and even cringe a bit (Mike has quite a few issues with Lucky leaving like he did). And the love between Tessa and Lucky, while a bit slow starting up, is beautiful. When Lucky tells Tessa he loves her, so sweet and tender. I love the back story on why their little area they live in is called Whisper Falls and the words they whisper to each other are perfect. This whole book is perfect in fact. I can not wait to buy it and read it again and add it to my keeper shelf. Big big 5 stars!
I received this ebook via netgallery.com. (Thank you!)
Side note: Ms Blake has mentioned that this series can be read as a stand alones and while it can, I recommend reading at least the previous book, Sugar Creek to get a bit of Mikes backstory and if you can read One Reckless Summer to meet Jenny and Mick, who pop up as well you should. They are both wonderfully, emotional 5 star reads.
November 15, 2018
Very enjoyable. Believable characters and good tension between the H/h. There was a different and I think more realistic take on the motorcycle romance that is so popular right now.
November 1, 2011
I loved the first two books. It’s really tough to locate a good contemporary romance series these days. This was the third one of the series and I had few issues with it which I didn’t like. I found the book really unrealistic for my senses.
Tessa Sheridan is a former big-shot interior designer who is forced to leave her job and settle in her small home town since she is suffering from Crohn’s disease. She has a more or less boring life until her latest neighbor and our hero Lucky Romo shows up! Lucky is the genuine bad boy with long hair and strong muscles with loads of tattoos and piercings to finish the look. To make things perfect he drives a big bad motorcycle. That is all we know about him for a first huge part of the book. So does Tessa. She knows lucky is a bad boy and is involved in criminal matters. Her friends warned her about him. He is impolite and insensitive to her and often dismisses her in his characteristic belittling way which we get to identify as his usual manner of dealing with females. She tries to make her move on him, which he dismisses almost transparently. Yet it was worship at first sight for her! Lol, I don’t know I couldn’t see her point and as a result found it unreal.
Then there is Lucky, who is supposed to be a scary bad guy. Though it is all talk and less action, we finally come to know his shocking past with women and the fact that he killed a man. But before that, after his rather high-handed derogative behavior towards Tessa, she proves to be very ‘courageous’ and gets a tattoo to end up in a biker bar in order to throw herself on Lucky. Seriously? There was barely any connection between them and suddenly she transforms from a poor little Miss Muffet to a hard-edged biker chick in an hour? May be it was possible to digest if I felt a good connection between the protagonists before this.
Anyways, after murdering her self-respect and sacking her pride, Tessa almost threw herself at Lucky and finally ended up with him in the bed. Meanwhile Lucky learned about her disease and then bam! He transforms too! He decides to call upon his side in which he becomes a pro in taking care of women, cooking for them, doing dishes and everything and be the ultimate sensitive lover boy he always wasn’t. Again, I didn’t find that level of connection between them for such a measure.
Then Lucky decides to come clean about his past and admits the woman debacle and that he killed a man. Tessa tells him that it was ok and that shit happens! I am not surprised; I mean this is the very same small town heroine who takes off her bra when she ensures that a dangerous criminal was watching her :(
Few love making scenes pops up in which Lucky is said to be loving and respectful towards Tessa, which didn’t make sense in reality (refer to the part when Lucky decides to go without a condom to ‘feel the love’ without asking Tessa). Forgive me, I didn’t find it to be caring and respectful much :S
At last a guy from Lucky’s ‘dangerous’ past shows up burning down his garage and threatening other’s safety. Lucky decides like a rocket scientist that he must kill him. Softened Miss Muffet that Tessa is, she asks him to stop and that if he doesn’t she will not see him ever again. Lucky assures her, desperate and hopeless that Tessa in reality was, she will get over it and forgive him eventually and goes anyway. Tessa is upset.
Time passes, and Lucky talks with Tessa, telling her that he was sorry and that he wants to get married. Tessa is happy and thinks SCORE!
End of story. :(
I loved the previous two books. But I couldn’t connect to this one. I understand there must be fiction, but this one was so fake and invented that I was thoroughly disappointed. The heroine was ill, but instead of feeling compassionate about her I found her thoroughly annoying and intolerantly desperate. She had no pride or any trace of personality. Lucky was all about words. There was nothing deep about his character which wasn't clearly the intent of the writer. Lucky is the first biker/tattooed/gamma hero I didn’t like. And the story was too long for my patience.
I adore Tony Blake’s writing and find them very enjoyable and creative. But this one was an exception for me. I will be crossing my fingers for the next book of this series definitely though.
Tessa Sheridan is a former big-shot interior designer who is forced to leave her job and settle in her small home town since she is suffering from Crohn’s disease. She has a more or less boring life until her latest neighbor and our hero Lucky Romo shows up! Lucky is the genuine bad boy with long hair and strong muscles with loads of tattoos and piercings to finish the look. To make things perfect he drives a big bad motorcycle. That is all we know about him for a first huge part of the book. So does Tessa. She knows lucky is a bad boy and is involved in criminal matters. Her friends warned her about him. He is impolite and insensitive to her and often dismisses her in his characteristic belittling way which we get to identify as his usual manner of dealing with females. She tries to make her move on him, which he dismisses almost transparently. Yet it was worship at first sight for her! Lol, I don’t know I couldn’t see her point and as a result found it unreal.
Then there is Lucky, who is supposed to be a scary bad guy. Though it is all talk and less action, we finally come to know his shocking past with women and the fact that he killed a man. But before that, after his rather high-handed derogative behavior towards Tessa, she proves to be very ‘courageous’ and gets a tattoo to end up in a biker bar in order to throw herself on Lucky. Seriously? There was barely any connection between them and suddenly she transforms from a poor little Miss Muffet to a hard-edged biker chick in an hour? May be it was possible to digest if I felt a good connection between the protagonists before this.
Anyways, after murdering her self-respect and sacking her pride, Tessa almost threw herself at Lucky and finally ended up with him in the bed. Meanwhile Lucky learned about her disease and then bam! He transforms too! He decides to call upon his side in which he becomes a pro in taking care of women, cooking for them, doing dishes and everything and be the ultimate sensitive lover boy he always wasn’t. Again, I didn’t find that level of connection between them for such a measure.
Then Lucky decides to come clean about his past and admits the woman debacle and that he killed a man. Tessa tells him that it was ok and that shit happens! I am not surprised; I mean this is the very same small town heroine who takes off her bra when she ensures that a dangerous criminal was watching her :(
Few love making scenes pops up in which Lucky is said to be loving and respectful towards Tessa, which didn’t make sense in reality (refer to the part when Lucky decides to go without a condom to ‘feel the love’ without asking Tessa). Forgive me, I didn’t find it to be caring and respectful much :S
At last a guy from Lucky’s ‘dangerous’ past shows up burning down his garage and threatening other’s safety. Lucky decides like a rocket scientist that he must kill him. Softened Miss Muffet that Tessa is, she asks him to stop and that if he doesn’t she will not see him ever again. Lucky assures her, desperate and hopeless that Tessa in reality was, she will get over it and forgive him eventually and goes anyway. Tessa is upset.
Time passes, and Lucky talks with Tessa, telling her that he was sorry and that he wants to get married. Tessa is happy and thinks SCORE!
End of story. :(
I loved the previous two books. But I couldn’t connect to this one. I understand there must be fiction, but this one was so fake and invented that I was thoroughly disappointed. The heroine was ill, but instead of feeling compassionate about her I found her thoroughly annoying and intolerantly desperate. She had no pride or any trace of personality. Lucky was all about words. There was nothing deep about his character which wasn't clearly the intent of the writer. Lucky is the first biker/tattooed/gamma hero I didn’t like. And the story was too long for my patience.
I adore Tony Blake’s writing and find them very enjoyable and creative. But this one was an exception for me. I will be crossing my fingers for the next book of this series definitely though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2011
I'm not entirely sure what happened with this one, but I couldn't wait to read it and started plowing through it, but once I got to a certain point very close to the end I just sort of lost interest. Probably because I knew that everything would work out in the end and at that point eh biggest conflicts/barriers where resolved and I was not long curious about how it ended.
I really liked Lucky. What a great alternative-type character. I wish we would have seen a little more of his kid or something. I felt like that wasn't given enough attention.
And Tessa was interesting with her intense love for 'inspiration' and the Ellen show. She was also quite interesting in how she dealt with her illness, the fact that there was some shame involved with the illness and that it impacted how she related to others sometimes. I also liked that she was coming out of a bad point in her life, and that we were able to contrast her bad point with Lucky's intensely bad point.
The one thing that I thought went down perfectly was Lucky and Mike's reunion. Oh man. It was perfect in how it played out, so perfect with how I know Mike and how we knew Lucky and my own experiences with siblings.
I'm probably one of the few who will say this wasn't my favourite Toni Blake book and that I prefered Sugar Creek to this book.
I am excited to see if the girl at the book store gets her own book. I think she will with her being so quite and all. I don't think Blake has ever written a quiet and withdrawn character as her heroine. Also, I wouldn't mind seeing Buck again as a secondary love story or something (I don't think he could hold his own in a book, and if he could wouldn't 2 ex-biker stories be one too many?)
I really liked Lucky. What a great alternative-type character. I wish we would have seen a little more of his kid or something. I felt like that wasn't given enough attention.
And Tessa was interesting with her intense love for 'inspiration' and the Ellen show. She was also quite interesting in how she dealt with her illness, the fact that there was some shame involved with the illness and that it impacted how she related to others sometimes. I also liked that she was coming out of a bad point in her life, and that we were able to contrast her bad point with Lucky's intensely bad point.
The one thing that I thought went down perfectly was Lucky and Mike's reunion. Oh man. It was perfect in how it played out, so perfect with how I know Mike and how we knew Lucky and my own experiences with siblings.
I'm probably one of the few who will say this wasn't my favourite Toni Blake book and that I prefered Sugar Creek to this book.
I am excited to see if the girl at the book store gets her own book. I think she will with her being so quite and all. I don't think Blake has ever written a quiet and withdrawn character as her heroine. Also, I wouldn't mind seeing Buck again as a secondary love story or something (I don't think he could hold his own in a book, and if he could wouldn't 2 ex-biker stories be one too many?)
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