Daring to Dream

July 29, 1996
Roberts begins a smooth-talking trilogy about three friends who grew up together among the megawealthy Templeton family of hoteliers, on their beautiful estate in Big Sur: Laura Templeton, the sweet rich girl who is getting marrid as the story begins; Kate Powell, her down-to-earth orphaned cousin with a Harvard M.B.A.; and Margo Sullivan, the housekeeper's daughter and heroine of this first book. Margo (the Bella Donna Woman... "Beautiful, Confident. Dangerous.") returns to Big Sur after being swindled by her manager. She suffers a little, opens a boutique of her old designer clothes and tchotchkes, and marries gorgeous golden Josh, the Templeton scion who has always loved her and who plays a great game of tennis. Roberts who could seemingly write a formula romance in her sleep, adds brains, humor and sex, if not anything by way of plot innovations.