The Courage to Dream

By Margaret Daley

Book Overview

Rachel Peters and Michael Hunter were high school sweethearts in the town of Magnolia Blossom. Rachel left to pursue her dream of being a famous chef in Paris. When a family crisis brings her back home--and back to Michael--feelings are soon rekindled. Original.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373872127
• ISBN13: 9780373872121
• Release Date: April 2003
• Publisher: Steeple Hill
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Great character, great plot, great book!

I LOVED this book! The characters fought and argued at the beginning, but each had a reason to do so. Rachel had a life of abandonment by her parents and wanted to do what she thought she needed to when her beloved relative who raised her died, leaving her brother and sister in her care. She also had to face Michael, an old boyfriend she had left years ago. Both Michael and Rachel have to figure out how to let go of the past and forgive. They also have to make sacrifices to have the life that God has planned for them. This book was refreshing and great. A must read!

Rough weather ahead!

Rachel Peters was an up-and-coming chef who was about to open her own restaurant in New York City when she heard of her Aunt Flora's death. She hurries back to her hometown of Magnolia Blossom to take care of her younger sister and brother, planning to move her siblings to New York with her once she gets the okay from her parents, who were busy researching things in the jungle and never had time for their three children. Her plans quickly fall to pieces, though, when she discovers that her younger sister absolutely refuses to leave Magnolia Blossom, and her younger brother barely knows Rachel. Worse yet, Rachel ran into her high school sweetheart, Michael Hunter, and the confusing feelings that she still feels for him don't help the situation, either.Michael Hunter had moved on with his life. He had married, had a son, and divorced since he saw Rachel last, but that didn't mean that he had forgotten about her. He was bitter towards her, though, because she had left Magnolia Blossom and him far behind her ten years ago. He didn't want to be around her any more than he had to, but his son was friends with her younger brother, and Rachel desperately needed his help to win her siblings' loyalty. As he spent time with Rachel, though, he couldn't help but feel the love he once had for her. Can that love grow again?This book was pretty good, with fairly realistic characters and situations. I could completely understand why Rachel had fled Magnolia Blossom ten years ago, but what I couldn't understand is why Michael was so mean to her. He was almost downright cruel to her a few times, and he didn't lessen up even though she was grieving her aunt's death and was stressed about her siblings, although at other times he was disarmingly nice to her. I know that she had hurt him when she left, but there's really no excuse for that kind of behavior. I felt really sorry for Rachel because not only was Michael treating her shabbily, but so was her sister Amy. Other than that, I enjoyed the book, especially the character of Rachel. I really identified with her, and the author did a great job of explaining her reasoning for wanting to roam the world instead of staying in Magnolia Blossom. I would love to read more from this author.

another great novel!

I've been reading the Love Inspired series for a short time now and they've become my favorite books to read. Not all of them are great, but a lot of them are and this one turned out to be a gem. Rachel Peters is a famous chef who's always on the move and is called to the small town of Magnolia Blossom after her aunt's death. Its up to Rachel now to take care of her siblings, brother Shaun and her sister Amy. But its not as easy as Rachel thought it would be, her siblings resent her, especially Amy, who won't listen to anything Rachel says. On top of all that, she must face her high school sweetheart Michael Hunter who's also a single parent. Michael offers to help Rachel with Shaun and Amy, and in the process the two begin to fall in love. It's predictable but I loved it.