I was excited to read the second volume of the Emma Harte series, “Hold the Dream,” and without saying I was not disappointed. I loved it even more than the first book as Emma’s dynamic and talented granddaughter, Paula, takes centre stage here. She is a strong and indomitable character who in spite of being a rich heiress never took her inheritance and position for granted. Instead, she strives to take her grandmother’s company to further new heights with her hard work and determination. She is totally relatable to a woman of our times and an inspirational character. This book was ahead of its times as only recently could we see the entrepreneurship boom and startups surge in along with more and more women in business that this book portrayed. Emma grooms Paula to take over their vast business empire who in turn hero-worships her grandmother and follows her every word with complete reverence. Paula and her cousin Emily take the place as the women of substance and I love the way they balance both their business and personal lives. Surprisingly, Paula and Shane’s childhood friendship unfolds into an intense and passionate affair which culminates into a delightful love story altogether. Shane is drop dead gorgeous and a woman’s dream come true. But he had to go through a lot of heartaches before he wins the woman he loves. Paula too isn’t the clingy kind or blind even in love but a very strong woman who stands as the symbol of feminine strength and balance.
In fact, most of the women who feature in this book aren’t dainty damsels needing to be rescued but are brilliant businesswomen with supportive men in their lives. This book features a lot of beautiful relationships such as the bonds between cousins, friendships and so on. I loved the way Emma’s grandchildren especially Emily and Paula stuck to their grandma and tried to live her example all their lives. It made up for the heartache she faced with her children. The mentorship that Emma gave her grandchildren can be a lesson for each of us who are trying to create a mark in this world and become a woman of substance.
Moon Pearls 