With the week of their wedding finally upon them, Washington, D.C., Police Lieutenant Sam Holland and her fiancé, Senator Nick Cappuano, are at odds. In the aftermath of a tragic loss, they struggle to reconnect as the big day draws near, but their work keeps pulling them apart. When a new clue into a cold case surfaces, Nick asks Sam not to take any foolish chances before the wedding and to leave it alone for the time being.
Sam agrees, but she can't let it go entirely and winds up trapped in an explosive situation. Then an unwelcome visitor from her past threatens her future happiness... With trouble at every turn, will Sam survive long enough to walk down the aisle?
Marie Force is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary romance, romantic suspense and erotic romance. Her series include Gansett Island, Fatal, Treading Water, Butler Vermont and Quantum.
Her books have sold more than 12 million copies worldwide, have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have appeared on the New York Times bestseller more than 30 times. She is also a USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller, as well as a Speigel bestseller in Germany.
Her goals in life are simple—to finish raising two happy, healthy, productive young adults, to keep writing books for as long as she possibly can and to never be on a flight that makes the news.
Join Marie’s mailing list on her website at marieforce.com for news about new books and upcoming appearances in your area. Follow her on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MarieForceAuthor and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/marieforceauthor/. Contact Marie at marie@marieforce.com.
2024 Review the setup… Sam and Nick are focused on their wedding plans now that it’s a week away but of course she is also drawn into two cold cases that are pretty dangerous. And, both she and Nick are coping with a loss they hadn’t seen coming. Thankfully, the wedding planner Nick hired is turning out to be the Godsend they didn’t realize they needed.
the heart of the story… Nick is concerned about Sam’s state of mind and that she’ll take risks that might put her in harm’s way before the wedding. She’s concerned about disappointing him, continuing to keep things from him for his own emotional “protection.” Been there, done that but she is getting better. But “Tinker Bell’s” plans for the perfect wedding seem to be materializing despite these two extraordinarily difficult clients.
the narration… The first time I listened to this story it was with another narrator. I opted to get the updated version because she’s who I later identified with the series and characters. It was the right decision as her storytelling skills bring something different to the experience.
the bottom line… I enjoyed the story this second time around as much as I did the first time, possibly more. There are some continuing story arcs I’m strongly interesting in seeing resolved, especially the one involving Scotty Dunlap, the 12-year old boy from the state home with whom Nick has developed a strong bond. This almost felt like my first time!
2014 Review This novella was primarily focused on Sam and Nick's wedding but also used the opportunity to queue up a pretty interesting case. Sam is true to character, struggling with all the wedding planning but actually cooperating more than I would have given her credit.
Having the wedding covered in a novella worked for me. I'm looking forward to the next professional challenges for both Sam and Nick, along with how they will impact their relationship. I'm also looking forward to the outcome of the Gardner situation. Nicely done.
This was also the first book I listened to narrated by Felicity Munroe and can honestly say I couldn't tell the difference from the previous one. That's a great thing as I liked her narration.
Life has been tumultuous for Sam Holland and Nick Cappuano ever since they reconnected after being torn apart by misunderstandings and outright lies six years ago. Now they are days away from their wedding and they are again experiencing a lot of turmoil in their lives. I find that I am not a big fan of Sam. She is bullheaded and stubborn when she is determined to see something through to the end, to her own determent at times and certainly to Nick's peace of mind.
When Sam and her team uncover evidence that leads them to a suspect in the shooting of Sam's father, Sam can't wait to pursue it. But this is one really bad dude and Nick makes her promise to let it be for the time being. But Sam, being Sam, does an end run around the agreement and ends up regrating that. Of course, Nick forgives her. The wedding is fantastic, and they all lived happily ever after. At least until Sam catches another case.
The wedding of Lt. Samantha Holland and Senator Nick Cappuano is just around the corner, but the couple is having some problems. After a tragic loss, both are having some problems reconnecting and getting on with the lives. Now with wedding details to get through, Sam learns of a break in her father's shooting case. Pushing the wedding to the side, Sam jumps into the investigation with both feet.
This novella is a must-read for anyone who is reading the Fatal series. The story concerning the cold case shooting of Sam's father is advanced. But the biggest portion of the story was the wedding. Will it go off without a hitch? You have to read this novella to find out. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
2024 Re-read: I'm doing a re-read of the series with a Goodreads group. I enjoyed this novella just as much as the first time I read it. There is a lot going on with Sam trying to solve her father's shooting while the wedding is just around the corner. Shelby the wedding planner is a memorable character in this book. I hope she is included in future books. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
Lieutenant Samantha Holland and fiancé, Senator Nick Cappuano were in the final week before their wedding. Sam was having last minute dress fittings and cake discussions in the midst of trying to sort the finer details of a cold case. The night of the joint bridal shower, all their friends and family were at Nick and Sam’s house – except for Sam. Nick was worried as he’d felt her distance since they’d suffered a loss just weeks before, and he had no idea what to do about it.
When someone from their past was released from prison, the danger Nick felt intensified. But could he forbid Sam from getting involved just days before their wedding? And when Sam was threatened with a gun as she worked the case, she just knew Nick wouldn’t be happy…
Fatal Destiny by Marie Force is my first by this author – I chose it to fit into a challenge and it has been on my kindle for years! I thoroughly enjoyed it – a fast flowing pace, coupled with rippling tension made for an excellent read. I might just have to read more by Marie Force! Recommended.
Who doesn't love a great wedding? Sam and Nick's wedding was just about a perfect as one could get. And I loved every minute of it.
But getting to the alter was not without bumps, bruises, anger, tears and the return of one person from Sam's past that she'd rather never have to face again.
I'm looking forward to reading on and seeing where Marie takes Sam and Nick as well as all the wonderful secondary characters.
This was a wonderful installment in what has become one of my favorite romantic suspense series. I have loved each book and worried that the wedding novella wouldn't be long enough to do the series justice. I am happy to say that I was completely wrong, and this short novella was just as good as the full length books in the series. Sam Holland and Nick Cappuana are great characters who have completely captured my heart. Fatal Destiny had a good storyline with plenty of action and suspense. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
The wedding day of Nick Cappuano and Sam Holland is drawing near, and Nick is very worried about Sam after a miscarriage the previous month. Sam is very reserved around Nick and he is afraid that she is doubting their upcoming nuptials. He is also grieving their loss, and he feels cut off and lonely and worried about Sam's safety during the case she is investigating, which is personal to her. Nick and Sam must deal with the danger that the case poses and their feelings after their great personal loss while preparing for their wedding.
Fatal Destiny was a hit for me. It was a great romantic suspense novella, and it was so good that I didn't even notice how short it was. I loved reading about Sam and Nick and their families again, and was completely satisfied with everything about this novella.
Fatal Destiny is book 3.5 in the Fatal series and just a great story. Heartbreaking, heartwarming, romantic and sexy – this is everything a love story should be!
We’re one week away from the wedding that we, and all of Washington, D.C., have been waiting for! Lieutenant Samantha Holland and Senator Nick Cappuano are finally going to tie the knot, but along with the usual last minute wedding scrambles and things to do, Nick and Sam are still coming to terms with a tragic loss. Nick feels helpless, not knowing how to reach out to Sam, and Sam – well, she just feels lost, but the one thing that stays constant is their love for one another.
This is just a wonderful, beautiful wedding novella and I loved every minute of it!
Excellent novella - tied up some loose ends from Fatal Consequences, had a few twists and turns, some inner turmoils, jitters and an all around hot book. Of course the wedding was the highlight - well done.
Well written - so glad I'm re-reading this series - two thumbs up!
On the eve of their wedding, Detective Lieutenant Sam Holland and her fianće, Senator Nick Cappuanno, are struggling with a devastating loss and finding it difficult to reconnect. The situation isn't made any easier when a new lead in Sam's father's case proves to be more risky than expected, and a threat from Sam's past raises its ugly head. Will Sam and Nick even make it to the altar at all?
The problems with Sam's character emerge once again in this novella. She is selfish, dishonest and manipulative. This together with the fact that he consistently forgives her, puts a damper on their romance. Nick is a wonderful man and deserves a woman who trusts him and treats him with respect. Time will tell if Sam can become the true partner that he needs.
The dual threats in the plot lead to some intense and exciting moments, and the developments for a couple of secondary characters are entertaining and worth reading the novella for.
The wedding elements were sweet and Shelby, the wedding planner, has the patience of a saint.
In sum, this is a good story overall, but Sam needs to get her act together and soon!
“We’re going to the chapel and we’re gonna get married . . . .” But not without some obstacles along the way. Crime stops for no one and the bride-to-be, Lt. Samantha Holland, can’t turn her back on solving crimes. Peter Gibson, Sam’s ex won’t stay away either . . . no he presents himself the night before the wedding, along with gun in hand.
Get me to the church on time! And finally, the bride and groom meet at the altar and some very special wedding vows are shared. As always, there’s never a dull moment when Nick and Sam are involved. Expect some good and not-so-good surprises during the wedding and even more surprises at the reception.
Romance is in the air and Sam and Nick are quite willing to share the love. Some of our favorite secondary characters might be finding their own happily-ever-afters. Perhaps Tinker Bell (a/k/a Shelby), the wedding planner, will be staying around awhile longer.
The newlyweds depart for a honeymoon in a surprise location planned by the bride for her groom. And the “Happily Ever After” is about to begin – or is it?
A special and generous treat for readers from one of today’s brightest and most talented authors of contemporary romance.
Fatal Destiny was a cute, short novella that should not be skipped in the book order. Fatal Consequences left us with a huge case being solved but it also left Sam and Nick in a weird place because they both suffered a personal loss of their own. Sam has distanced herself from Nick a bit because she's trying to cope with having a fourth miscarriage. Nick is sad about her distance and ends up working almost as much as she does. They are getting married though in just under a week and new evidence comes to light regarding her dad's open cold case that leads her into potential danger.
Nick decides they can't go into their wedding like this and sits Sam down one night to talk with her. They come to some agreements about how they want to proceed because they really love each other and want nothing to ruin the wedding they've been waiting for more than 6 years. I really enjoyed this installment. The wedding was very beautiful and I hope Sam and Nick have a relaxing, electronic free honeymoon because that new evidence that came to light was definitely a foreshadow into bigger and more nefarious things I'm sure.
"Engraved? I have to engrave something? ... What did he put in mine?" ... Sam rested her hand on her weapon. "I could make you tell me."
I hate when I get all ready to have a big fight with you and then you say something that totally sucks the wind out of my sails.
My Review:
The novella of Fatal Destiny chronicles their wedding and started off with considerable tension and anxiety for the characters following a personal tragedy for them as a couple, but the story soon soared into an engaging and enjoyable story and ended with a deliciously steamy wedding night. Ms. Force's writing is expertly paced, engrossing, easy to follow, and highly addicting. She squeezes my heart in one paragraph, and has me smirking in the next, but always keeps me well entertained.
Ugh! I need to make a doctors appointment now. I'm sure even my pancreas can't release enough insulin to break down the amount of sugar racing through my veins after reading this tribute to every female fantasy of what their wedding would or could have been. I didn't think it was possible to develop Type 2 diabetes from a book! Too bad I didn't read the acknowledgements first to see the author did a poll with her fans of what they would want to see at Sam and Nick's wedding. :) But seriously, Fatal Destiny is a sweet tribute to a lovely couple. I'm sure Force's fans loved every minute and I did enjoy the tiny evil ex interlude. I will perservere, but I'm not sure my kidneys or retinas will be able to hold up if the series remains this saccharine.
There was a lot going on here, despite it's short length. Sam and Nick have an engagement party, Sam learns about someone who is a potential link to her dad's shooting, she gets involved in a situation with a nasty criminal who has managed to scare too many people, she is injured, deals with issue of fertility, she and Nick both deal with parent issues, Freddie is still carrying a torch for Elie, and there is a wedding. Whew! I'm sure I left some things out, but the pace really didn't let up for a moment.
This was a good addition to the series and I felt like its a must read, if you are someone like me who is following along with the series and reading in order.
We get to see how Sam is coping with the loss and she tends to shut everyone out including Nick, even if she is going through the motions of her day - including wedding planning. However, it does put a strain on their relationship and we see this throughout the book, as her actions from this loss make her make irrational choices, even when asked to step away and think about their wedding by Nick. I really enjoyed it because after the way this loss was handled at the end of Book 3, I was fully pissed off. And here, I'm glad to see that Sam has a normal human reaction to it and is trying to pull herself together and deal with it. So even if her choices weren't the best, I liked that we get to see this side because in marriage and in real life, things do not always go straight back to normal, and things aren't always happy and dandy right away.
As always, the secondary characters bring the book to life alongside Nick and Sam's relationship. We get to meet up with so many of the characters that I've come to actually love in SUCH a short time span! But I believe that behind the main case is always the secondary characters that help pull the story along!
An enjoyable read, although contains moments of annoyance at Sam (although understandable IMO) and sweeeet moments between her and Nick as they get ready for their wedding. We also read about their wedding day and I have to say it was just perfect how everything was! I loved it and was just smiling the whole time. It ended perfectly for a novella.
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This is the end of the review. Below, is an outline of the main events that occurred in this book for my use, as I do not own a copy of this book. PLEASE DO NOTTTT read if you do NOT want SPOILERS!
I hadn't read the previous books in the series. It's not 100% necessary that you read them in order, but I wish I had read the others before reading this one. This is a short story /novella. A good romantic suspense. This one was free in the kindle store.
I thought to read a chapter or 2 to see what the fuss is about but ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting! The first solid 4-star book in the series for me. It's definitely getting better!
Fatal Destiny is book 3.5 of the Fatal Series by Marie Force. It was a week away from Lieutenant Sam Holland marriage to Senator Nick Cappuano. Lieutenant Sam Holland got caught up in a cold case against the wishes of her finance Nick Cappuano. The readers of Fatal Destiny will follow Lieutenant Sam Holland and Senator Nick Cappuano to see what happens.
Fatal Destiny is a sweet cozy mystery that allows the readers to be part of the wedding of Lieutenant Sam Holland and Senator Nick Cappuano and I did enjoy reading it. Fatal Destiny was well written, and Marie Force does a great job in describing her setting and plot. I like Marie Force portrayal of Lieutenant Sam Holland and Senator Nick Cappuano and the way they interact with other characters in Fatal Destiny.
The readers of Fatal Destiny will learn about law enforcement procedures. Also, the readers of Fatal Destiny will start to understand the role and the importance of providing good foster care for children and young adults.
Though I have several of her novels in my TBR pike, this is the first book I've read by Marie Force. Many readers I trust enjoy her, so I don't really have an excuse for not trying her before this.
This is the third book in a series that centers around one couple, so naturally I felt a little lost at times, but not so much that I wanted to stop reading.
I really liked Nick, but I struggles some with Sam. I understand she was dealing with some emotional trauma. The way she went around Nick and closed herself off bothered me. It's one thing to need time to deal with heartbreak, but its another to completely step away from the one person you're supposed to rely on most.
The way she lied and/or went behind his back is what really got me, though. First her going on birth control without telling him. Then promising not to pursue a case, only to do it anyway...but not for the reason he asked her to drop it. Things like that bother me a great deal. I enjoyed much of this story and found myself fully immersed in it, but Sam's actions and overall attitude detracted from my enjoyment.
I'm on the fence about whether I'll go back and read the earlier novels, or if I'll follow as it moves forward.
Talk about a wonderful fairytale wedding. Reading the wedding part of this book actually made me cry. It was all so very sweet.
Loved all the gift exchanges too...from the grooms cake of Fenway Park, baseball tickets to Fenway Park to watch the sox play, the key to Nick's heart in the form of a necklace for Sam to Jon Bon Jovi in the flesh singing at the reception.
Wonderful Bible passages read by family members, the identical inscription written in the wedding bands, having the father of his best friend standing in as best man for Nick, the heart felt vows written by the bride & groom to the song played for Sam & her fathers dance at the reception....all these things helped make up the wedding of a lifetime for Sam & Nick.
This book was by far one of if not the best book I've ever read. Thank you Marie for making me smile!!
Fatal Destiny was all about Sam & Nick's glorious wedding!! It brought all of the the romance and personal relationships I love to the forefront, while the mediocre sleuthing / suspense took a backseat. As with any wedding there was plenty of drama surrounding the big day (my fave - Sam skillfully opening a can of verbal whoop ass on Nick's estranged mother who crashed the wedding), but in the end it was all about the love.
In the spirit of full disclosure I must admit that my wedding anniversary is tomorrow so I may have been feeling a wee bit nostalgic and a touch emotional while reading this………but it still was a great read ;)
Just got back from Sam and Nick's wedding and it was PERFECT! I loved Sam and Shelby aka Tinker Bell's interactions. I'm loving the growing relationship between Nick and Scotty. I don't want to give anything away, but there's never a dull moment with Sam and Nick, so it wasn't all smooth sailing getting to the church. Once under way the ceremony and reception were amazing, you could just feel the love. I especially loved Graham's best man speech...brought tears to my eyes. I can't wait for the next chapter in Sam and Nick's lives.
This book was so sweet and exactly what the followers of this series wanted to read. After all the problems and issues that Nick & Sam had to overcome it was lovely to finally see them married and so happy on their special day.
I loved it and can't wait to get on with the next in the series Fatal Flaw
I just love this series & couple. This novella was a great way to handle the story of the wedding planning & event. And yet, it was so much more. Nick continues to be almost too good to be true - and yet believable. Sam has some "bad judgment" moments but she's still one of my favorites. The two of them together makes for one awesome read! A Must Read!
Tastes differ...I won't bother writing a review. Marie Force is just not my cup of tea. She reminds me of authors/books I read about 20 years ago. Too lukewarm, cheesy, and boring. I can't help it...I feel this way and it's ok that a lot of people love this author. There are so many other good authors and books to discover yet.
I genuinely love this novella. That begins the week before Sam and Nick's wedding and includes the build up to the wedding and the wedding itself. And it's one I've read numerous times since it was first released in 2012, and quite frankly I love it more each time. So for me, it's definitely a MUST read for anyone who is a fan of the series. :)
Fatal Destiny is perfect! Love love loved the romance of the wedding and all that preceded it and of course, the hot hot hot night that came after! Sam and Nick are the perfect couple and the perfect couple deserve 5 stars!