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Date with Destiny
Was it fate, or a labor of love? Find out as Grace Preston comes face-to-face once again with teenage crush Cameron Jakowski in author Helen Lacey's fourth book for Harlequin Special Edition, Date with Destiny
Financier Grace Preston did fourteen-hour days in New York City. She didn't do small towns in Australia. Not since she'd fled almost twenty years ago. But when a personal trauma sent her home, with a secret she couldn't reveal the last person she needed was her first love.
Local cop Cameron Jakowski had loved Grace for most of his life. But he wanted marriage and family and she didn't. He was small town, while she was big city and lived half a world away. But for now she was right here walking, talking temptation. One he managed to avoid until he made one mistake. He kissed her. And reawakened the passion that could change their lives forever.
Financier Grace Preston did fourteen-hour days in New York City. She didn't do small towns in Australia. Not since she'd fled almost twenty years ago. But when a personal trauma sent her home, with a secret she couldn't reveal the last person she needed was her first love.
Local cop Cameron Jakowski had loved Grace for most of his life. But he wanted marriage and family and she didn't. He was small town, while she was big city and lived half a world away. But for now she was right here walking, talking temptation. One he managed to avoid until he made one mistake. He kissed her. And reawakened the passion that could change their lives forever.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
5 people are currently reading
444 people want to read
About the author
Helen Lacey
168 books149 followersAbout Helen
Helen Lacey grew up reading Black Beauty, Anne of Green Gables and Little House on The Prairie. These childhood classics inspired her to write her first book when she was seven years old, a story about a girl and her horse. Although, it wasn’t until the age of eleven when she read her first Mills & Boon, that she knew wanted to write romances. Her parents’ love of travel meant she saw much of the world in those early years and she feels fortunate to have had a diverse and interesting education over several continents.
She continued to write into her teens and twenties with the dream of one day being a published author. A few years and careers later, including motel operator, florist, strapper, dog washer, and retail manager, she got the call from Harlequin Special Edition. She loves writing about tortured heroes, both cowboys and CEO’s, and heroines who finally get the love of the man of their dreams.
From Welsh parents and a large family, she lives on the east coast of Australia in a small seaside town at the southern most point of The Great Barrier Reef, with her wonderfully supportive husband, many horses, two cats and three spoiled dogs.
Helen Lacey grew up reading Black Beauty, Anne of Green Gables and Little House on The Prairie. These childhood classics inspired her to write her first book when she was seven years old, a story about a girl and her horse. Although, it wasn’t until the age of eleven when she read her first Mills & Boon, that she knew wanted to write romances. Her parents’ love of travel meant she saw much of the world in those early years and she feels fortunate to have had a diverse and interesting education over several continents.
She continued to write into her teens and twenties with the dream of one day being a published author. A few years and careers later, including motel operator, florist, strapper, dog washer, and retail manager, she got the call from Harlequin Special Edition. She loves writing about tortured heroes, both cowboys and CEO’s, and heroines who finally get the love of the man of their dreams.
From Welsh parents and a large family, she lives on the east coast of Australia in a small seaside town at the southern most point of The Great Barrier Reef, with her wonderfully supportive husband, many horses, two cats and three spoiled dogs.
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July 12, 2013
DATE WITH DESTINY is a Harlequin Special Edition release for August 2013 by author Helen Lacey.
Grace Preston is a top-shot financier in New York city. She left small town Crystal Point behind when she left for New York. She had also left small town cop Cameron Jakowski behind as well. Now she was back.
She didn’t really came back to stay though. She was just here to regroup and go back to her job after her life threatening accident.
But would Cameron let her go now that she was here? What would happen when Cam finds out about her accident? Would Grace ignore the feelings brewing between them? Can she walk away from Cameron and all she feels for him the second time?
DATE WITH DESTINY has a unique mixture of emotional and sensual tension. It will enthrall readers. The tight plotting and storytelling will captivate them. Author Helen Lacey delivered an emotionally compelling story that would keep readers engrossed from the very first page.
Grace Preston is a top-shot financier in New York city. She left small town Crystal Point behind when she left for New York. She had also left small town cop Cameron Jakowski behind as well. Now she was back.
She didn’t really came back to stay though. She was just here to regroup and go back to her job after her life threatening accident.
But would Cameron let her go now that she was here? What would happen when Cam finds out about her accident? Would Grace ignore the feelings brewing between them? Can she walk away from Cameron and all she feels for him the second time?
DATE WITH DESTINY has a unique mixture of emotional and sensual tension. It will enthrall readers. The tight plotting and storytelling will captivate them. Author Helen Lacey delivered an emotionally compelling story that would keep readers engrossed from the very first page.
July 29, 2013
We have all been there, a life changing event pushes us to push harder in order to hide our feelings of despair, hurt and anger. We either drown ourselves in work or for some they go for alcohol or drugs, some even hit the gym as a form of punishment anything to keep your mind from thinking and you feeling that you should not be the one to find happiness, you deserve hurt and you will take it all.
We all also know that this is not the way to handle it , finding an outlet for the stress and worry yes is always a good thing but pushing past the problem by pushing yourself too hard will only result in a breakdown and sometimes on such a huge scale that we might not be able to get back up and face life.
In the new Helen Lacey read this is the case for Grace, holding it together as best she can by pushing fourteen hour days in New York after a accident killed a collogue. But she hits rock bottom when she breaks and in front of a client of all people. She is order by her boss to take a break and return back home to Crystal Point and a life she left behind years ago.
She hits even more of a low when she walks straight into her past in the form of local cop Cameron. Cameron has loved Grace from the first moment he saw her and this time he is not going to back down till he gets her into his life on a permanent basis no matter the cost, for love is worth fighting for.
Both the main characters of Grace and Cameron were written by the author with such strong and intense emotions but the author that it truly felt as if I was connected to them both in some manner, like I wanted to be apart of their lives just to be able to feel and touch the strong and very vivid emotions they both encounter.
The dialogue and backdrop settings were as in all other books from the fabulous author, strongly described in vivid details, powerful and so emotionally moving it brought me to tears and I simply found myself yet again bawling my eyes out as this author always manages to make me do.
The story behind Grace's trauma was one that yes has been told before but the author did such a remarkable job at it all that I felt sure she had done her research before taking on this project which to me as reader is very important as it proves she wants to tell the story with a level of truth in order for the reader to still be able to find the story realistic and as true to real life as can be.
I highly recommend this read for all Helen Lacey fans that as I have fallen in love with Crystal Point and the characters that show us the road to happiness. A sweet, sensual and emotional read.
4.5 star review
" The past conjures up a destiny so sweet your heart will melt"
I received an ARC of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review.
We all also know that this is not the way to handle it , finding an outlet for the stress and worry yes is always a good thing but pushing past the problem by pushing yourself too hard will only result in a breakdown and sometimes on such a huge scale that we might not be able to get back up and face life.
In the new Helen Lacey read this is the case for Grace, holding it together as best she can by pushing fourteen hour days in New York after a accident killed a collogue. But she hits rock bottom when she breaks and in front of a client of all people. She is order by her boss to take a break and return back home to Crystal Point and a life she left behind years ago.
She hits even more of a low when she walks straight into her past in the form of local cop Cameron. Cameron has loved Grace from the first moment he saw her and this time he is not going to back down till he gets her into his life on a permanent basis no matter the cost, for love is worth fighting for.
Both the main characters of Grace and Cameron were written by the author with such strong and intense emotions but the author that it truly felt as if I was connected to them both in some manner, like I wanted to be apart of their lives just to be able to feel and touch the strong and very vivid emotions they both encounter.
The dialogue and backdrop settings were as in all other books from the fabulous author, strongly described in vivid details, powerful and so emotionally moving it brought me to tears and I simply found myself yet again bawling my eyes out as this author always manages to make me do.
The story behind Grace's trauma was one that yes has been told before but the author did such a remarkable job at it all that I felt sure she had done her research before taking on this project which to me as reader is very important as it proves she wants to tell the story with a level of truth in order for the reader to still be able to find the story realistic and as true to real life as can be.
I highly recommend this read for all Helen Lacey fans that as I have fallen in love with Crystal Point and the characters that show us the road to happiness. A sweet, sensual and emotional read.
4.5 star review
" The past conjures up a destiny so sweet your heart will melt"
I received an ARC of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2015
Another Crystal Point Book With a Messed Up Woman That Was Very Repetitive
Grace Preston, perfectly beautiful with a sky high IQ headed home to Crystal Point for her sister's wedding. She also carries with her a life altering secret that she refuses to share with anyone...and no, she is not dying. At her sister's wedding she is paired with Cameron, the only man she has ever loved but ran away from because of unrealistic fears and expectations. Grace feels she doesn't fit in or belong anywhere. When she was a young teen she was sent to a boarding school while her three other siblings remained at home in their tight-knit little family unit as they continued to be very close and Grace felt horribly left out and unwanted. She was extremely gifted so her parents decided that for her to be challenged they would need to send her away to school. It came very close to destroying her life. She had skipped a grade and was bullied because she was young and naive. Her parents didn't hold back on what they expected of her and there was no question she was absolutely expected her to follow the path they had set out for her, including what kind of career she would have and where she would live. She had her own dreams but didn't dare follow them and did exactly what her parents wanted. She was too frightened not to. What parent in their right mind would send a young teen away to boarding school while they kept their three other children at home? They reside in Australia so what were they thinking went they sent their eighteen-year-old to New York City alone to live and take more schooling then begin her career in the field they had chosen for her. Excuse me, but what the heck?? Are they nuts? Talk about isolation.
Of course Grace was laden with major emotional problems that kept her from really living life. She merely worked constantly and existed. So very sad. This is the second book I've read in the Preston Family from Crystal Point Series. The First one was 'The CEO's Baby Surprise.' There were lots of similarities in these two books. Both Grace and MJ were messed up emotionally. They had the same kind of negative thought patterns and they hardly ever thought before they spoke, not caring how rude and nasty they sounded. It also didn't seem to bother them that their words hurt people they loved. They were, simply put, shallow, self-serving, and selfish beyond what is believable and realistic. If these two sisters behavior is so much alike in a blatantly negative way then we can assume that there is only one place to look...the parents. It is obvious they were both affected by their upbringing since their insecurities and poor emotional health were in the pits it is only logical that our fingers would point to the parents. Or possibly the author followed the same formula for the sisters which made them appear to be so alike. Not sure.
Again, like in 'The CEO's Baby Surprise' the repetitiveness of thoughts, words, phrases and complete conversations was beyond all reason and annoyingly did not encourage me to move forward but I did finish the book. The ending was sweet but the book became tiresome.
Now I must mention Cameron (not my son Cameron but the book hottie Cameron--good name BTW.) I believe he was a good guy and did many things to help others and the community. I also believe he truly loved Grace. He teased her unmercifully, ruthlessly with snide comments, addressing her with condescending names and said purposely hurtful things even when he realized she was hurting and something was wrong with her. I did not appreciate that part of his character and even with the HEA it still bothered me at the end of the book.
So, I think I'm done with this series. The two books I have read are just barely okay, in my opinion. But you should certainly try them for yourself. Obviously my opinion is quite different from the majority.
Grace Preston, perfectly beautiful with a sky high IQ headed home to Crystal Point for her sister's wedding. She also carries with her a life altering secret that she refuses to share with anyone...and no, she is not dying. At her sister's wedding she is paired with Cameron, the only man she has ever loved but ran away from because of unrealistic fears and expectations. Grace feels she doesn't fit in or belong anywhere. When she was a young teen she was sent to a boarding school while her three other siblings remained at home in their tight-knit little family unit as they continued to be very close and Grace felt horribly left out and unwanted. She was extremely gifted so her parents decided that for her to be challenged they would need to send her away to school. It came very close to destroying her life. She had skipped a grade and was bullied because she was young and naive. Her parents didn't hold back on what they expected of her and there was no question she was absolutely expected her to follow the path they had set out for her, including what kind of career she would have and where she would live. She had her own dreams but didn't dare follow them and did exactly what her parents wanted. She was too frightened not to. What parent in their right mind would send a young teen away to boarding school while they kept their three other children at home? They reside in Australia so what were they thinking went they sent their eighteen-year-old to New York City alone to live and take more schooling then begin her career in the field they had chosen for her. Excuse me, but what the heck?? Are they nuts? Talk about isolation.
Of course Grace was laden with major emotional problems that kept her from really living life. She merely worked constantly and existed. So very sad. This is the second book I've read in the Preston Family from Crystal Point Series. The First one was 'The CEO's Baby Surprise.' There were lots of similarities in these two books. Both Grace and MJ were messed up emotionally. They had the same kind of negative thought patterns and they hardly ever thought before they spoke, not caring how rude and nasty they sounded. It also didn't seem to bother them that their words hurt people they loved. They were, simply put, shallow, self-serving, and selfish beyond what is believable and realistic. If these two sisters behavior is so much alike in a blatantly negative way then we can assume that there is only one place to look...the parents. It is obvious they were both affected by their upbringing since their insecurities and poor emotional health were in the pits it is only logical that our fingers would point to the parents. Or possibly the author followed the same formula for the sisters which made them appear to be so alike. Not sure.
Again, like in 'The CEO's Baby Surprise' the repetitiveness of thoughts, words, phrases and complete conversations was beyond all reason and annoyingly did not encourage me to move forward but I did finish the book. The ending was sweet but the book became tiresome.
Now I must mention Cameron (not my son Cameron but the book hottie Cameron--good name BTW.) I believe he was a good guy and did many things to help others and the community. I also believe he truly loved Grace. He teased her unmercifully, ruthlessly with snide comments, addressing her with condescending names and said purposely hurtful things even when he realized she was hurting and something was wrong with her. I did not appreciate that part of his character and even with the HEA it still bothered me at the end of the book.
So, I think I'm done with this series. The two books I have read are just barely okay, in my opinion. But you should certainly try them for yourself. Obviously my opinion is quite different from the majority.
August 14, 2013
Helen Lacey's Crystal Point Series in Harlequin Special Editions is a series of well written novels, set in a small town in rural Australia, with a romantic central story surrounded by community, family, kids and pets. The series is almost a saga now, with various members of the Crystal Point community taking the centre stage each time a new story appears.
As much as I enjoy the series, I frankly admit that this story got off to a slow start for me. Grace Preston's visit home to attend her sister's wedding actually has a much deeper purpose. The author doesn't reveal the purpose too soon, but when she did, the story started to make beautiful sense. From then on, I was riveted. The ice maiden, prickly character of Grace suddenly became more attractive. Suddenly, you could see what has made her that way.
As a child, Grace had been sent away to study. With her high IQ and ability to attain excellent grades, it was obvious to all from an early age that her destiny was somewhere other than a small town community, much to the disappointment of Cameron, the young man who loved her. Grace left him to pursue a high powered career in the bright lights of New York City. But when Grace, now considerably older, returns to the heart of the community she left long ago, she realizes that what she really needs just might be right here.
Cameron is what you might call a beta hero. Sympathetic, kind and caring, he isn't too proud to tell the haughty Grace how he feels about her, but he has a self respect that is obvious. He's a community minded individual who really cares about people. Will Grace understand how special and wonderful he is before it's too late?
A story about finding out who you really are - and how it's not late to change your mind even if it is nearly two decades later.
As much as I enjoy the series, I frankly admit that this story got off to a slow start for me. Grace Preston's visit home to attend her sister's wedding actually has a much deeper purpose. The author doesn't reveal the purpose too soon, but when she did, the story started to make beautiful sense. From then on, I was riveted. The ice maiden, prickly character of Grace suddenly became more attractive. Suddenly, you could see what has made her that way.
As a child, Grace had been sent away to study. With her high IQ and ability to attain excellent grades, it was obvious to all from an early age that her destiny was somewhere other than a small town community, much to the disappointment of Cameron, the young man who loved her. Grace left him to pursue a high powered career in the bright lights of New York City. But when Grace, now considerably older, returns to the heart of the community she left long ago, she realizes that what she really needs just might be right here.
Cameron is what you might call a beta hero. Sympathetic, kind and caring, he isn't too proud to tell the haughty Grace how he feels about her, but he has a self respect that is obvious. He's a community minded individual who really cares about people. Will Grace understand how special and wonderful he is before it's too late?
A story about finding out who you really are - and how it's not late to change your mind even if it is nearly two decades later.
July 30, 2013
Date with Destiny (Harlequin Special Edition) by Helen Lacey
Grace Preston thought she was holding it together after an accident which took the life of a colleague. But when she falls apart in front of a client she is ordered by her boss and therapist to take a much needed break and return to her family and friends in Crystal Point. She agrees to take care of Dunn Inn for Evie while she is on her Honeymoon. But Grace has never felt like she fit in with her family. A brilliant mind as a child she was sent away for gifted children. Where life was not easy for a young girl who excelled even at her gifted school.
Cameron Jakowski is a police officer for Crystal Point and he has been in love with Grace since she was 16. Now that she is back for a while he wants to try to make it permanent. He has always wanted a family and children and he has wanted those things with Grace.
When the author describes what Grace went through during the accident, I felt as though I was in the car also. I think Helen Lacey also did a really good job of explaining why Grace was like she was, not only after suffering from PTSD. But her having a brilliant mind, it also explained why she was so awkward around others.
I was so very happy that these two got there HEA, but it was not an easy road to travel. It took almost 20 years. I Also loved that close friends and family members did not even realize that these two had been involved. While the story was not quite the emotional roller coaster as the last book in the series, this is still a great story.
5/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review.
Books in the series:
Made for Marriage
Marriage Under The Mistletoe
His-And-Hers Family
Date With Destiny
Grace Preston thought she was holding it together after an accident which took the life of a colleague. But when she falls apart in front of a client she is ordered by her boss and therapist to take a much needed break and return to her family and friends in Crystal Point. She agrees to take care of Dunn Inn for Evie while she is on her Honeymoon. But Grace has never felt like she fit in with her family. A brilliant mind as a child she was sent away for gifted children. Where life was not easy for a young girl who excelled even at her gifted school.
Cameron Jakowski is a police officer for Crystal Point and he has been in love with Grace since she was 16. Now that she is back for a while he wants to try to make it permanent. He has always wanted a family and children and he has wanted those things with Grace.
When the author describes what Grace went through during the accident, I felt as though I was in the car also. I think Helen Lacey also did a really good job of explaining why Grace was like she was, not only after suffering from PTSD. But her having a brilliant mind, it also explained why she was so awkward around others.
I was so very happy that these two got there HEA, but it was not an easy road to travel. It took almost 20 years. I Also loved that close friends and family members did not even realize that these two had been involved. While the story was not quite the emotional roller coaster as the last book in the series, this is still a great story.
5/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review.
Books in the series:
Made for Marriage
Marriage Under The Mistletoe
His-And-Hers Family
Date With Destiny
August 9, 2013
This was a very emotional book. Grace has come to Crystal Point for an extended stay. She has spent the last sixteen years living and working in New York, with only short visits home. As a child she had a very high IQ and her parents sent her to a boarding school for gifted kids so that she could make the most of it. Because she was smarter even there she never felt like she fit in with the other students and when she was home on holidays she didn't feel right there either. When she graduated she had a brief relationship with Cameron, but left him to go to New York, claiming that she could never be satisfied with small town life. When she was involved in a serious accident it created a personal trauma for her and she was having trouble coping. Her boss and therapist sent her home to try to recover. She runs into Cameron almost immediately. They have had a snippy relationship over all these years as neither wants to admit that there is still something between them. Forced into closer contact with each other Grace realizes she still has feelings for Cameron, but refuses to consider any kind of future with him. She believes that she is not suited for the home and family routine, that there is no way to have her career also. She has always been a person who keeps rigid control over her emotions but things are changing and she doesn't know how to cope. I felt so bad for Grace. Her feelings of not fitting in made it really hard for her to connect to her own family, and they never seemed to notice. When she came home they were glad she was there for longer, but it was Cameron who realized that there was something really wrong. I loved the way that he made her help with things that were outside her comfort zone. It really helped her to see that there was more to her than she thought, even though she fought it all the way. My heart broke for her as she left Cameron again, still thinking that there was no way for her to have it all. But when she finally accepted the truth she did it in a big way - I loved the ending.
Cameron had loved Grace for years. During that brief time they were together when they were younger he had high hopes for a future for them. When she rejected his feelings and left for New York, he was devastated. In the years since, he has made a good life for himself in Crystal Point, working as a policeman. He's involved in the community, especially with children. He's never really moved on from his feelings for Grace and when she comes back those feelings return with a vengeance. He's horrified when he finds out about the accident that she was in and that she never told her family about it. He still wants Grace in his life and decides to do whatever he can to get her back. I loved his methods of getting his way and how he obviously believes that she has the ability to care a lot more than she thinks she does. He tries to show her that she can belong in Crystal Point but she's a lot more stubborn than he realizes. I loved the way that, as well as he can see into Grace and her issues, he is surprised when she seems to know him just as well. I loved the way that she made him look at his place in his family in a new way. He had his own issues with feelings of rejection that played into his relationship with Grace. He very nearly lost her again before he realized that he had to overcome those feelings and fight for her. I loved his astonishment at the end.
Cameron had loved Grace for years. During that brief time they were together when they were younger he had high hopes for a future for them. When she rejected his feelings and left for New York, he was devastated. In the years since, he has made a good life for himself in Crystal Point, working as a policeman. He's involved in the community, especially with children. He's never really moved on from his feelings for Grace and when she comes back those feelings return with a vengeance. He's horrified when he finds out about the accident that she was in and that she never told her family about it. He still wants Grace in his life and decides to do whatever he can to get her back. I loved his methods of getting his way and how he obviously believes that she has the ability to care a lot more than she thinks she does. He tries to show her that she can belong in Crystal Point but she's a lot more stubborn than he realizes. I loved the way that, as well as he can see into Grace and her issues, he is surprised when she seems to know him just as well. I loved the way that she made him look at his place in his family in a new way. He had his own issues with feelings of rejection that played into his relationship with Grace. He very nearly lost her again before he realized that he had to overcome those feelings and fight for her. I loved his astonishment at the end.
July 24, 2017
I loved it! Romantic story.
September 21, 2013
Life is like a tapestry woven on a giant loom. On the one side, there is an intricate picture slowly appearing from the interlocking threads. On the other side, there are thread ends: sometimes loose, sometimes knotted and sometimes just tangled. The interconnecting lives of Grace and Cameron through their families, their jobs and their choices was one such tapestry. Could they unravel some of these threads, the loose, the knotted, or the tangled and change the emerging picture or were the bindings on the threads too hard to break?
Twenty years ago, Grace Preston made a heart wrenching decision and left for New York to carve a successful career in finance to repay her family for all the sacrifices they had made for her schooling, placing the budding love she felt for Cameron in a locked box in her mind. Treating him with a polite, but cool demeanor when she visited, she has been able to keep the memories contained. Now, at her boss's and her therapist's insistence, she has been ordered to go home to heal from recent tragic events. But being around Cameron on a consistent basis has made her begin to question the choices she made in the past. A kiss...a simple kiss...and the lock has popped off that box in her mind, and memories are now surging forth, but will he want her now with the baggage she carries? Should she try to heal and return to her life in New York or should she stay and rework the picture emerging of her life?
A member of the police force in Crystal Point, Cameron Jakowski strives to improve his small seaside town. He upholds the law, supports the community activities, and helps those less fortunate. Only one thing would make his life more perfect: Grace...his first love, his only love. He has managed during all her visits home to conceal with playful banter and subdued friendship how he felt about the choice she made so long ago, but a kiss...a simple kiss...has unlocked the tight control he held over his passion for her. Can he influence her to choose him this time, or will he lose her forever?
An outstanding book of love surviving the test of time. Well written characters traversed a well formed plot to bring the rekindling romance, difficult choices, and ultimate decision to life on the pages. Helen Lacey has brought another compelling book to print in this fourth installment of the Crystal Point series. Although Grace and Cameron waited twenty years for their happily ever after, it cemented the saying. "True love always wins".
I would highly recommend this book to all romance readers. Engrossing, emotional and thought provoking, it was a real page turner.
I received a copy from the author for an honest review.
5/5 stars "True love may sometimes sleep, but it never dies."
Twenty years ago, Grace Preston made a heart wrenching decision and left for New York to carve a successful career in finance to repay her family for all the sacrifices they had made for her schooling, placing the budding love she felt for Cameron in a locked box in her mind. Treating him with a polite, but cool demeanor when she visited, she has been able to keep the memories contained. Now, at her boss's and her therapist's insistence, she has been ordered to go home to heal from recent tragic events. But being around Cameron on a consistent basis has made her begin to question the choices she made in the past. A kiss...a simple kiss...and the lock has popped off that box in her mind, and memories are now surging forth, but will he want her now with the baggage she carries? Should she try to heal and return to her life in New York or should she stay and rework the picture emerging of her life?
A member of the police force in Crystal Point, Cameron Jakowski strives to improve his small seaside town. He upholds the law, supports the community activities, and helps those less fortunate. Only one thing would make his life more perfect: Grace...his first love, his only love. He has managed during all her visits home to conceal with playful banter and subdued friendship how he felt about the choice she made so long ago, but a kiss...a simple kiss...has unlocked the tight control he held over his passion for her. Can he influence her to choose him this time, or will he lose her forever?
An outstanding book of love surviving the test of time. Well written characters traversed a well formed plot to bring the rekindling romance, difficult choices, and ultimate decision to life on the pages. Helen Lacey has brought another compelling book to print in this fourth installment of the Crystal Point series. Although Grace and Cameron waited twenty years for their happily ever after, it cemented the saying. "True love always wins".
I would highly recommend this book to all romance readers. Engrossing, emotional and thought provoking, it was a real page turner.
I received a copy from the author for an honest review.
5/5 stars "True love may sometimes sleep, but it never dies."
August 4, 2013
Sometimes I feel that I cant find the words to do a story justice and I'm like that with Helen Lacey's gorgeous story Date with Destiny so I'm going to describe how it makes me feel and the picture it evokes in my mind. The feeling you get when you're all snuggled up in the middle of winter in front of a roaring fire. The wind and rain may howl outside but you're oblivious to everything because you've got your nose in a darn good book. That's the feeling I feel when I read Date with Destiny.
I first have to acknowledge Crystal Point, a beautiful little town in the heart of Australia somewhere. Helen has written some beautiful and emotional stories about its town folk. To help you understand a bit more about Crystal Point read this entry by Helen over at my fave blog LoveCats Down Under and here.
Grace flys home to Crystal Point from America where she's been all her adult years working herself to the bone. She's home for her sisters wedding, or so everyone thinks. Within the couple of pages she runs into Cameron, town policeman and her first love. And so begins an emotional and fully capturing story of Grace and Cameron and their second chance at love.
Grace is hiding the real reason she's home from her family. She's been involved in a car accident and had a breakdown as a result of it. She's pretty much been ordered home by her boss and her therapist. Rest and relaxation is on the menu but things don't pan out like that really. She looks after her sister's B&B while she's on her honeymoon and is soon caught up in the lives of the townsfolk and and kids Emily and Dylan who need help with their maths.
Cameron has never forgotten Grace and now that she's home he launches right in to try and convince her what she's missing. Poor guy takes one step forward and two back when dealing with Grace and slowly he begins to unravel why she's really home and what's really gone on in her life that led her to America and why she wont stay in Crystal Point.
Date with Destiny is a magnificent love story with two characters that are so believable it's like I'm standing next to them. Cameron wants nothing but the best for Grace. Grace is an amazing person written with such originality. The descriptive words of Helen Lacey's writing and the way the story was weaved had me oblivious to the world as I read it.
I love meeting the towns people of Crystal Point and I hope to meet more in the future :)
I first have to acknowledge Crystal Point, a beautiful little town in the heart of Australia somewhere. Helen has written some beautiful and emotional stories about its town folk. To help you understand a bit more about Crystal Point read this entry by Helen over at my fave blog LoveCats Down Under and here.
Grace flys home to Crystal Point from America where she's been all her adult years working herself to the bone. She's home for her sisters wedding, or so everyone thinks. Within the couple of pages she runs into Cameron, town policeman and her first love. And so begins an emotional and fully capturing story of Grace and Cameron and their second chance at love.
Grace is hiding the real reason she's home from her family. She's been involved in a car accident and had a breakdown as a result of it. She's pretty much been ordered home by her boss and her therapist. Rest and relaxation is on the menu but things don't pan out like that really. She looks after her sister's B&B while she's on her honeymoon and is soon caught up in the lives of the townsfolk and and kids Emily and Dylan who need help with their maths.
Cameron has never forgotten Grace and now that she's home he launches right in to try and convince her what she's missing. Poor guy takes one step forward and two back when dealing with Grace and slowly he begins to unravel why she's really home and what's really gone on in her life that led her to America and why she wont stay in Crystal Point.
Date with Destiny is a magnificent love story with two characters that are so believable it's like I'm standing next to them. Cameron wants nothing but the best for Grace. Grace is an amazing person written with such originality. The descriptive words of Helen Lacey's writing and the way the story was weaved had me oblivious to the world as I read it.
I love meeting the towns people of Crystal Point and I hope to meet more in the future :)
September 5, 2014
I have work in the morning, but couldn't put the book down! I'll get maybe four hours sleep, but it was worth it. Helen Lacey writes characters who are flawed but deep, engaging, passionate, loving! You want them together!
Grace is super smart and was sent to boarding school for a better education, but it distanced her from her family. She felt she didn't fit in, so she isolated herself more. Until something horrible happened and she went home to Crystal Point to heal.
Cameron is strong, confident, generous with his time. He's a deputy, volunteers for Big Brothers, and helps a teen mom and her family to find a better life. He's been in love with Grace most of his life, but she wrapped herself in ice to protect herself from hurting, being weak, vulnerable. Cameron works his magic with Grace. The emotions both experienced draw you in and don't let go. READ "Date with Destiny".
Grace is super smart and was sent to boarding school for a better education, but it distanced her from her family. She felt she didn't fit in, so she isolated herself more. Until something horrible happened and she went home to Crystal Point to heal.
Cameron is strong, confident, generous with his time. He's a deputy, volunteers for Big Brothers, and helps a teen mom and her family to find a better life. He's been in love with Grace most of his life, but she wrapped herself in ice to protect herself from hurting, being weak, vulnerable. Cameron works his magic with Grace. The emotions both experienced draw you in and don't let go. READ "Date with Destiny".
September 21, 2013
Loved it! The warmth and tenderness of the character portrayal was super!
did-not-finish
November 1, 2019Yeah, no. The way to handle a traumatized, emotionally vulnerable person is NOT to emotionally blackmail them into actions they'd never take on their own over threat of you spilling their secrets to their family before they are ready for that news to be shared. That, plus the rampant "no-means-yes" that happens in the first couple of chapters, AND Grace giving up her life completely for her man in the year of our Lord 2K13 is a big fat pile of no thanks for me. Hard pass, and this one's going in the donation bin.
July 30, 2018
This is the 1st book I read by Helen Lacey. I liked the hot & steamy scenes. I liked the banter between Grace & Cameron. I wish this story had an introduction of Cameron & Grace, if this story had that I would have been more into this story.
September 28, 2018
Decent romance book with a happy ending. My fav!
July 8, 2020
Loved this romantic read about a small town girl who goes back to heal and gets her first love and hearts desire in the process a wonderful romantic read.
August 15, 2013
Wow, this Crystal Point series just gets better and better! I'd been dying to read Grace's romance, she's such a repressed princess, and I wasn't disappointed. Cameron is perfect for her (and such a gorgeous man) that you can't help hoping he'll win her over despite her valid reasons for keeping her heart under wraps. There were surprises, tender moments, I cried twice! This book really moved me, and the ending was SO satisfying. I just loved it, and can't wait for more in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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December 29, 2014"Lacey's downunder, second-chance romance is an emotional journey worth taking. Her couple's road back to love is a bumpy ride but one that's worth every heartwrenching moment, and the love scenes are a sensual delight." RT Book Reviews, rated 4 1/2 stars
August 13, 2013
Loved this story. Looking forward to more from Helen Lacey set in Crystal Points.
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August 10, 2013I really enjoyed this story of Grace and Cameron. Loved the twists the author takes along the way and watching the characters cope with the plot and each other. A terrific read!
August 25, 2013
Definitely my favorite in this series. Surprising depth and relevant issues.
July 7, 2014
Kinda sappy, but a nice read.
February 6, 2016
A life changing event pushes us to push harder in order to hide our feelings of despair, hurt and anger.
Awsum book which reflects feelings & emotions!!!
Awsum book which reflects feelings & emotions!!!
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