Tina craves adventure, food, and her new client, restaurant owner Gerry.
At sixteen, Tina was full of energy, fearless, and desperate to get out of New Jersey. But her dreams shattered when her mother died tragically. She was thrust into the role of mothering her family while hiding the horrible truth of that day.
Now that Tina feels she’s paid her penance, she wants to rediscover the ambitious girl she used to be. With her new dream job and a move to Hoboken, it’s her time to spread her wings. Tina’s first client is a restaurant owner who tempts her—not only with food but with himself. She’d felt this kind of attraction only once before in college and is flooded with memories of an unforgettable kiss. One of her biggest regrets.
Gerry desires anonymity, a new life, and the beautiful website designer Tina.
Gerry fled Germany to escape the destruction of his reputation. After months of staying under the radar, he opens a restaurant in New York City. When he hires a website design firm, Gerry finds himself working closely with Tina—whom he had a taste of years ago and now finds a sweet indulgence.
Even as they admit their attraction to each other, an unexpected circumstance threatens to separate them again. Will their love be strong enough to give up their dreams? Or will someone be left behind?
Kristina Beck was born and raised in New Jersey, USA, and lived there for thirty years. She later moved to Germany and lives there with her German husband and three children. She is an avid reader of many genres, but romance always takes precedence. She loves coffee, dark chocolate, power naps, and eighties movies. Her hobbies include writing, reading, fitness, and forever trying to improve her German-language skills.
DREAMS COLLIDE is the second book in the Collide series. It is the story of Tina and Gerry and their story is filled with so many twists and turns I read it in one sitting! I loved the first book, Lives Collide but this one was even better. Kristina Beck took my feelings on one hell of an emotional roller coaster ride that I was out of breath when I was finished reading.
Tina has always put her family first. When she was 16 her mother and sister were in a tragic car accident. Her mom died and Tina always blamed herself for the accident. She nursed her sister back to health and tried to keep her dad from falling apart. Now her dad is remarried and happy and her sister is married as well. Tina finally feels as if it's her time. DREAMS COLLIDE has her meeting Gerry again only she doesn't realize that she met him once before many years ago when she was in college. Gerry recognizes her right away but doesn't tell her. He knows he should but keeps the secret from her until it is too late. Oh yeah, it's just that good!
DREAMS COLLIDE is an awesome story of second chance romance filled with so many funny moments. The banter between Gerry and Tina is hysterical and I was laughing out loud over and over again. So many times, that my husband kept giving me these weird looks! Then the next minute, I had huge tears in my eyes threatening to make me sob at any second. I love when an author can control my emotions so thoroughly. Kristina Beck did not disappoint. It was an added bonus to catch up with all of the characters from Lives Collide that it felt like being back among my old friends. Be prepared to have your heart strings pulled on over and over again.
Blurb: Tina craves adventure, food, and her new client, restaurant owner Gerry.
At sixteen, Tina was full of energy, fearless, and desperate to get out of New Jersey. But her dreams shattered when her mother died tragically. She was thrust into the role of mothering her family while hiding the horrible truth of that day.
Now that Tina feels she’s paid her penance, she wants to rediscover the ambitious girl she used to be. With her new dream job and a move to Hoboken, it’s her time to spread her wings. Tina’s first client is a restaurant owner who tempts her—not only with food but with himself. She’d felt this kind of attraction only once before in college and is flooded with memories of an unforgettable kiss. One of her biggest regrets.
Gerry desires anonymity, a new life, and the beautiful website designer Tina.
Gerry fled Germany to escape the destruction of his reputation. After months of staying under the radar, he opens a restaurant in New York City. When he hires a website design firm, Gerry finds himself working closely with Tina—whom he had a taste of years ago and now finds a sweet indulgence.
Even as they admit their attraction to each other, an unexpected circumstance threatens to separate them again. Will their love be strong enough to give up their dreams? Or will someone be left behind?
Received an ARC at no cost to author..We have a second chance love story, and it was sweet. I loved the bantering with Tina And Gerry they were funny. We go thru some twist and turns but eventually we get out HEA. I am going to recommend that you don't take my word for it, but that you grab a copy for yourself. Enjoy!
I read and loved the first book in this series, Lives Collide, and I have to say that this second in the series might just have topped the first! It was good to see some of the old characters again but, that being said, this could easily be read as a stand-alone story and you don't need to have read the first book before reading this one.
This is such a heartwarming book, full of comedy and romance, and I couldn't help but get sucked in to the story of Tina and Gerry. Once again, Kristina Beck's alternate chapter writing style flowed seamlessly and gradually built their blossoming relationship as the story progressed whilst explaining the 'back story' of what happened between them many years ago.
A real "feel-good" story, with some absolute laugh out loud moments. I look forward to the third in the series.
Dreams Collide starts off with a lot of humor and sarcasm. I laughed so much while reading this book, and that made me fall in love with it instantly.
I loved Tina and Gerry's conversations, their jokes and all the underlying tension that they were trying to hide while being 'just friends'.
I loved Tina for her selflessness when she needed to be selfless and yet doing what's best for her -even though it meant leaving Gerry- when the time was right.
I loved Gerry for being so passionate about his dreams and yet being ready to give them all up for the girl he loved, eveb though it meant letting her go.
I also loved all of the supporting characters, they were all really awesome in their own ways!
Dreams Collide made me laugh, made me cry and made me fall in love with it. And let me tell you, it wasn't a tough job.
I read the first book in the series, Lives Collide, and had high expectations for this book. Luckily, it didn't disappoint! Gerry and Tina's story of second chances, missed opportunities and falling in love is a fun read, with a few twists and turns along the way. You find yourself rooting for them all the way through, but as everyone knows, the path to love is never easy, and Gerry and Tina must overcome some obstacles before they can find their HEA. This is a great sequel, and I look forward to reading the next one!
I was given this book in turn for an honest review.
Tina has an undeniable attraction, to her new client Gerry, one she shouldn’t act upon. Gerry knew her in an instant, his past was back, and this time he wasn’t letting go. Will the past destroy their connection? Will their dreams collide and destroy it all?
Kristina Beck has written an exceptional heart-warming, comedy romance, one that had me captivated, and brought the beauty of Germany alive. I felt like I was in Germany along with the characters, tasting the delights, seeing the beauty, and living the travelling dream.
Tina from the moment you meet her, shows you the real her. Her constant chaotic life, the rapport she and her friends share, and the passion she has for her job, and following her dreams. Dreams she truly deserves, after giving so much of her life, to her family.
Gerry is charming, sweet, caring, he will do anything for his friends, and family, and his passion for cooking is inspirational. It was clear his past had dampened his dreams, and taken away a little of the desire, he had for cooking.
Together Tina and Gerry were perfect, they encouraged, and built each other up, to the point where they realised their future was uncertain. They had found each other at a time in life, when their futures, were so uncertain, where their current mission, was to make their dreams come true. I felt ever emotion, and turmoil, each character felt, I found myself internally begging for them to find a way to follow both their dreams.
Dreams collide is a perfect read for all comedy romance, readers. Although this is book #2 in the Collide Series, it can be read as a standalone, and it will likely have you wanting to read book #1 in the series, which is now on my TBR list.
We first met Tina in her sister Lisa's story, Lives Collide. After her mother dies in an automobile accident, Tina becomes “mom” to her younger sister and the glue that holds her family together. Gone is the carefree girl with the adventurous spirit who will try anything, and in her place is the girl who smiles to hide the pain and never lets anyone see her cry. She meets Gerry when her company is hired to design his restaurant's website, and there's immediate mutual attraction. Tina finds herself letting go, being a silly and laughing, and opening up to him in ways she never has before, not even with her family.
As with the last book, the advance copy I read of this one had me contemplating the hand of fate and the role serendipity plays in our lives. Do you ever find yourself thinking of someone who entered your life for a brief moment but was gone in the blink of an eye? A chance meeting or a brief encounter that years later, every now and then, has you thinking, as Whittier wrote, “It might have been?” This is the case with Gerry and Tina. After their all too brief but intense interlude, that shared experience becomes the benchmark for all future interactions and relationships with the opposite sex, and none measure up.
Providence affords Gerry and Tina a second chance, but in true Beck fashion, it’s not all hearts and flowers. First there's a secret they're both keeping, and then there’s the little matter of Gerry's dream of a cooking show in Germany that just may come to fruition and Tina's dream of moving to California, both of which make a lasting relationship challenging. Their road to happily ever after is certainly not boring, with plenty of ups and downs and twists and turns. Granted, I wanted to reach through the screen and knock some heads a few times, but they finally got there once they realized that, kind of like a wool sweater dried in the dryer, the old dreams were no longer a comfortable fit.
It was so much fun to catch up with these characters! They’re so carefully crafted, complex and realistic that it was like catching up with old friends, as well as meeting new ones, like Tyler. (Is there a story there? That boy is badly in need of some redemption!) Gerry was an amazing hero and won my heart immediately. Strong but sweet, a hunk with a huge heart, and so in love with Tina! Swoon. Tina had me laughing out loud, annoyed the carp out of me a few times and redeemed herself nicely in the end. If you want quality writing and editing with a fresh plot and compelling storyline, you’ll find that in Beck’s work. With larger than life, loveable characters and a story that tugs on the heartstrings, this second book in the Collide series definitely delivers!
A chance encounter at a college party that ended with a blindfolded kiss would leave a lasting impression on a young couple. The kiss was passionate, tender and unforgettable. Tina had spent many years taking care of her sister and father after her mother died in a car accident. Because of this, she was never able to travel and attend college away from home. Her father is now happily remarried and her sister has found the love of her life. It was finally her turn to move away and follow her dreams. She had just landed her dream job as a project manager doing advanced website and application design. Her first client is a German restaurant and she is confident that with her education and training , she will make a good impression. She walked briskly into the beautiful restaurant and spotted a very handsome guy across the room. He was wearing tight black jeans and a form fitting t-shirt that showed off his perfect body. Something about him was familiar and she felt a chill run down her spine. Tina certainly hoped that she could separate business from her personal interest in the sexy restaurant owner. Gerry loved running his own restaurant and was very proud of the beautiful and peaceful beer garden that he had created for his guests. He is looking forward to meeting his web designer because he definitely needed a way to bring in more business. He was a successful chef in Germany , but an unfortunate incident caused him to seek solace in the US where he could start over. The minute Tina took off her sunglasses he knew his life would change forever. She was the girl from his past that he never forgot. He remembers their kiss as if it was yesterday. Tina was brought to him for a reason and this time, he would never let her go. How will Tina react when she finds out that Gerry is the guy she kissed many years ago? Will she forgive him for hiding his identity from her? Can Gerry convince Tina that they are meant to be together? Or will she decide to forget about him and follow her dreams instead? "Dreams Collide" is the second book in The Collide Series by Kristina Beck and I absolutely loved it. Tina and Gerry never forgot their first kiss and fortunately for them, fate stepped in and brought them back together. Kristina realistically captures the feelings of her characters, which makes the reader become attached to them immediately. "Dreams Collide" is about love, trust and second chances. Kristina is a talented and refreshing new author and I know everyone will love this book as much as I did.
From the moment I started reading Dreams Collide, I was laughing, & never stopped. It starts out with Tina, who is finally getting a shot at realizing her dreams with a new client, restaurant owner Gerry. See, at 16, she was full of dreams & desperation to get out of New Jersey, but was derailed when her mother died tragically. Now she finally feels like she's rediscovering that ambitious girl she used to be. She just didn't count on the attraction to her new client, as she's not felt something that strong since college. Gerry has fled Germany to escape the destruction of his reputation. Now after months of flying under the radar, he finally opens a restaurant in NYC. He hires a website design firm, when he finds himself working closely with Tina, who he remembers instantly from college. But when another circumstance comes up to try to separate them again, will they be able to withstand it this time? Wow, when I started typing out this review, I didn't mean to describe all of that, but there is so much to this amazing story, that there wasn't anyway around it. Sometimes, it's just hard to review when a story is so great, because I want everyone to experience what I experienced without giving away spoilers. Tina is a relatable heroine, and I wish I could describe it but that would take away from it, and as I sit here laughing, I don't want to do that, but trust me, she's awesome. And Gerry is just plain yummy. Together, they sizzle in the same room, not to mention the second chance at love with a side of angst to round it out. And there's a colorful cast of secondaries that add some more humor that only made me laugh harder, so my sides hurt badly now. Kristina Beck has a talented writing style that not only entertained me, but also held my attention cover to cover. I'm excited to read more by her, and HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND that everyone read Dreams Collide!
I dove into this book without knowing what was coming for me and got quite surprised. Kristina Beck has a wonderful way with words and transporting emotions along.
The story of Dreams Collide is entertaining and somehow different with great characters. Tina is easy to love and relate to and her chemistry with Gerry is of the charts right from the beginning. Gerry is almost too good to be true. I'd love to meet such a great guy in real life someday. Good looking, even hot and with the heart at the right place. As entertaining as reading was in the beginning I got a little bored in the middle part and the happy ending came all too sudden. Nevertheless I can honestly say this was a great read!
The funny thing is, that I'm originally from Germany and I never read a book with a main character born and raised in Germany. Those references to certain cities, the German lifestyle, the German words was so funny to read. Specially if you know the area they were talking about. Sometimes I got a little irritated with the word "Süsse" because where I grew up nobody actually calls his girl "Süsse". But that's just a very small detail.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
"You're the dream I never new I had. You make everything sweeter, funnier, and more exciting. I want to sneak you off to all the places you want to go and experience them with you."
Wit, sarcasm, laughter and tears .... what a read!
This was my introduction to the writings of Kristina Bek, an I must say "she's good ... really good." Even though DREAMS COLLIDE is the second book in the series, it can definitely be read as a standalone. This is a "feel good" read, there is so much dry wit, friendly banter and sarcasm in it, that you can't help but have an eternal smile on your face.
This is Tina and Gerry's story. Two people who were willing to sacrifice their own hopes and dreams for the sake of others. Two people who share a kiss, without knowing who each other are. A chance meeting, after several years have passed, in another place and time, these two people are given a second chance. Gerry instantly knows who Tina is, but she has no idea they have previously shared a stolen kiss. Neither have forgotten the kiss, but will age and time change what could have been? Are they brave enough to take the opportunity to have a second chance at happiness?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Kristina certainly knows how to inject realism into her characters and her storylines. Most definitely and author and I book that I would recommend others to read.
Read and Reviewed for Reading Is Our Satisfaction.
A story that has it all, from laughs to heartbreak, Dreams Collide was a fun read. I loved the banter between the characters, from the first time we see them together its witty and fun.
The story itself is incredible. After putting off her life to help her family, Tina is finally breaking off on her own. Gerry owns a restaurant that Tina is working for as a web designer. The two have chemistry that is off the charts. Gerry was swoon worthy, and I loved each and every time he was on the page.
Overall, Dreams Collide was a fun read. I felt it was a bit jumpy, and the ending happened quickly after a lot of buildup. It was a bit hard to stay involved during certain parts, but I was sucked back in very quickly. The entire cast is fun to follow, and I hope to see more of them in the future!
*4.5 star review*
*Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads*
I started this book, not knowing well what was coming. I'm not such a fan of romance books, and this one certainly is. But it is so well written! So I couldn't stop.
I love the way she wrote this book, with going back and forth between Tina's and Gerry's point of view. It was an entertaining read, with quite some twists and turns with humor and drama, which makes this story and the main characters believable. I only regretted the end, where it was Tina that came around to see that her dreams were changed and wanted to follow Gerry.
But as I said, Kristina Beck is such a talented storyteller. Her pen made that I enjoyed this romance book and I surely want to recommend it. Her pen makes that I probably would like to read everything she writes because she is a hell of an author.
This was the first book I have read by this writer. It was enjoyable but I have to say that I had a sort of rough time getting through this. There was great character chemistry but to me it felt like there was a lot going on with these characters. Gerry first meets Tina at a frat party. Something happens between them and it stays with both of them until they meet up again. But this time isnt so simple for either one of them. Tina has an interesting character especially when it comes to Gerry since she is suppose to be working for him so to speak. Things heat up quickly between them and then come to a crashing halt.It made the storyline even better in my opinion. Very nicely written.
This is the first time I have read any of this authors’ work, and it will definitely not be the last. Tina has spent years looking after her family, and not it is time for her to move on and travel in order to follow her own dreams. When Tina’s first client is a German restaurant, she meets Gerry, and the attraction between them is steamy. Gerry recognises Tina as a girl he kissed years before, and he is determined to convince her to take a chance on having a relationship. This is a well written storyline, which flows seamlessly, and I was intrigued from the very beginning, and I look forward to reading more of this authors work.
Dreams Collide starts off with a lot of humor and sarcasm. I laughed so much while reading this book, and that made me fall in love with it instantly.
I loved Tina and Gerry's conversations, their jokes and all the underlying tension that they were trying to hide while being 'just friends'.
I loved Tina for her selflessness when she needed to be selfless and yet doing what's best for her -even though it meant leaving Gerry- when the time was right.
I loved Gerry for being so passionate about his dreams and yet being ready to give them all up for the girl he loved, eveb though it meant letting her go.
I also loved all of the supporting characters, they were all really awesome in their own ways!
Dreams Collide made me laugh, made me cry and made me fall in love with it. And let me tell you, it wasn't a tough job.
Dreams Collide is filled with sweetness and the perfect amount of heat. A story that has you both laughing and happy sighing it’s the perfect light read to spend a day curled up with. A feel-good read perfect for this time of the year. I was swept away by the romance, family, and friendships in this book.
I loved the slow build of friendship to lovers with Gerry and Tina. It made their relationship feel so much deeper. They were so adorable together! Between making sure they were “just friends” to falling head over heels in love these two were so perfect. Gerry was so incredibly sweet and thoughtful. The way he was with Tina is enough to make any woman swoon.
If you want a story with two people who are meant to be together but life keeps getting in the way and are given a second chance then this one is for you.
Tina had to become the mother in her family when her mother dies, and a brief kiss makes her heart flutter but years later she meets Gerry and the feelings are there but they both have different dreams that pulls them away but you know the old saying if you love someone let them go if they come back they are yours forever, I laughed, cried, wanted to knock them both in the head a time or two but loved this so much .
Dreams Collide is the second book in the Collide series. This book focuses on Tina's story. Tina has spent all of her time taking care of her sister and dad after her mother's death. Now that her dad and her sister are happy, it's time for Tina to start putting herself first. Gerry is a chef who has opened his own restaurant. The antics that happen between Tina and Gerry had me laughing out loud! I loved the dynamics and chemistry between these two. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down!
I received an ARC copy for an honest review. This is the second book in the Collide Series. I absolute fell in love with the characters. This story is so well written that once you start you will not be able to put it down. You will get mad, laugh and cry. Thank you Kristina Beck for this wonderful book. I absolutely recommend this author and book! Looking forward to Alexa's story.
Dreams Collide is a wonderful love story with heartache and regrets. Tina Schmitt and Gerry Maier have an instant connection but need to stay professional while they work together. I loved reading about a couple becoming closer just spending time together as friends and eventually the relationship gets deeper. Kristina Beck has written another great story
A sweet story with characters that I liked very much. I liked the fact that there was a story around which the romance progressed. Tina and Gerry have interests, careers and problems that contribute to their relationship and that created an interesting dynamic. Been a while since I read a book of this genre and I enjoyed it.
Rec'd an ARC from author. This is the second book from this newbie. Her writing is developing with more details and gripping story lines. Serendipity is the common bond. Can't wait to see what Krissy does with Alexa's story.
Again you amazed me with Tinas story and all the gut wrenching moments in the story and yes I will admit I cried and yelled and laughed and I love it! I love every aspect of this book and can't wait to read more!