Love a series and this one is the summer of 2012 for sure. I did have a series sob near the end when death affects the family, but it had to be when people are in their 80's in a book that is over 600 pages. So many characters...it's a good thing there was a family tree because I did have to refer occasionally. A bit soap opera in moments but heck the book was written in 1985 and soaps were still in. A good escape, I love Emma and the old fashioned love story...divorces...death...children...travel...all making good fiction.

Read the paperback edition years ago. Decided to download the ebook for a rereading. This is a personal favorite of the Emma Harte series.

My favourite book

Good, but as usual with Barbara Taylor Bradford, it takes forever for anything to happen. And enough with the description of the clothes.

Твърде много повтаряне на "телефонирам" и келтското наследство ...
Отново много излишно детайлни описания, но все пак приличен сюжет, предвидим на места.
Като цяло, доста драматични моменти. Някои от драмите си бяха абсолютно излишни, но си давам сметка, че съществуват и в живота. Както човек може сам да се скърши душевно, никой не може да му го причини насила...
За пореден път ме изумява алчността човешка.
Защо никога не ти стига това, което имаш, че искаш и още - власт, пари, имоти, бизнес, влияние .... ?
Колко още? Защо? Кому е нужно? Нали ковчег джоб няма? Каквото и да си натрупал, като си отидеш чакалите рано или късно може да го пръснат, няма гаранция, че ще уважат усилията ти и трупаното с кръв и пот.. Ако не са чакалите, може наследниците да не са такива корифеи и пак да се стигне до същото...
Най-важните неща са все безплатни, но пак искат същите кръв и пот понякога - семейство, приятели, дом, любов.... Всеки преситен от земните "блага" рано или късно се връща именно до тези заключения.

Just as wonderful as the first time I read it! I cried.

Many years ago I read "A Woman of Substance" and always wondered how Emma was doing, if there was and end to her story.
And when I foudn this book in one of the book boxes Moem sent to me, I was SO happy... Look forward to read it!

Hold the Dream was such a delightful read !
This book was so wonderful, intriguing and such a pleasure reading inside the life of the Harte family.
It was such a page turner, you forget the length of the book.

I will be honest the first few chapters was all very confusing because there are so many characters to remember, especially remembering how they are all related and who they were.
But the characters all become very strong in the storyline that each character got highlighted in their way.

As this was the continuing story of ‘ A Woman of Substance ‘ l thought l was going to be disappointed, knowing Woman of Substance had such a strong storyline, and such a brilliant book, Barbara Taylor Bradford gave this sequel its own brilliance also, making Paula McGill Fairley a mordern version of Emma Harte, and learning about the extended family and how true feelings come out, when one shines each other.

The love story of Paula and Shane was so passionate and gripping.

Emma and Blackie there were no words

Just like the first book, fabulous and exciting story. Couldn't hardly put it down. I cried 3 times throughout this book. Really got to the heart. Starting "To be the best", super excited to get into it.

The continuation of the Harte Saga continues where Emma Harte's favourite granddaughter Paula has taken center stage. We get to follow her in this book and the plot thickens. I can highly recommend this book too. The tv adaptation starred yet again Jenny Seagrove and Deborah Kerr, but this time Jenny plays Emma's granddaughter Paula. As Emma's longlife friend Blackie O'Neill we see Liam Neeson and as his grandson Shane we see 7th Heaven's Stephen Collins.

I tried. DNF. I made it to nearly 200 pages before I had a bad feeling and skipped ahead just to see what happened to Blackie and Emma. I thumbed through and saw enough- enough to know I don’t care to read any more. A Woman of Substance will always be a stand-alone to me. I care nothing about any of Emma’s 2 dimensional progeny. I cared only about her and Blackie and now I am bereft.

2nd in the Harte saga. Emma Harte died in this one and the story centered around Paula for the most part and how Shane and her finally decided to be together. It was very sad when Emma died and I thought this was as good as the first in this series.