Where Dreams Begin

By Lisa Kleypas

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas delivers the unforgettable, sexy tale of a brash rogue who meets his equal in a woman who knows exactly what she wants . . .

Zachary Bronson has built an empire of wealth and power. Now he is seeking a wife to help secure his position in the ton . . . as well as warm his bed in private. But not just any woman will do for one of London's most notorious rakes. When he meets Lady Holly Taylor, he surrenders to the temptation to take her in his arms and kiss her. Yet he's pleasantly surprised to discover her fierce passions match his own.

Lady Holly Taylor is destined to spend her life playing by society's rules even when they go against her bolder instincts. But Zachary's kiss arouses her, and though his shocking offer doesn't include marriage, she is compelled to risk everything for the most forbidden passion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Mar 17, 2009
• ISBN: 9780061793639

Lisa Kleypas

New York Times Lisa Kleypas graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. Her historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction novels are published in forty different languages, and are bestsellers all over the world. Currently she lives in Southern California with her husband Gregory.

Reviews for Where Dreams Begin

[kathy89_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Quick read about a young widow with a 4 yr old daughter living with her in-laws. She bucks society and accepts a position with a self-made wealthy man who wants to learn how to behave with society who look down their noses at him. He wants Holly to teach him and his 19 yr old sister how to act. There's lots of miscommunication while falling in love with each other.

[narshkite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am not extremely anxious by nature, but we all have times when life is taxing. Perhaps we are trying to clear the desk so that our vacation can actually be a vacation. And of course we all feel how we feel when someone murders children for the hell of it and the Supreme Court decides women have no right to make our own medical decisions without permission from the state. When all that happens, I know I need a little Kleypas therapy.This was a sweeet story with wonderful central characters, and a truly unexpected last 75ish pages. It is, however, earlier Kleypas, and she was still writing some pretty darn purple prose. In a few places I shuddered in revulsion, but for the most part this was pretty great

[spinsterrevival · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have no idea how or why I only gave this four stars on my first read because this book is so much better. Zachary Bronson’s epic pining and doing anything to have Holly was perfect, and I also loved how she grew and became so fiercely in love as well.

[Vanessa Narwani · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book

[jorgeousjotts · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars rounded up. This has a lot to enjoy. I liked the main characters individually and together, and I think they each appreciated real things about the other, and they grew as people, which is nice. I actually felt my eyes start trying to water at one or two points, which isn't very common for me. I knew they were obviously going to work out, but I empathised with their feelings and was touched. I will likely read this again at some point.

2nd read- I enjoyed this a second time as well. Kleypas is very good at writing this type of self-made hero. The characters act daftly a couple times, but on the whole are quite likable. The dead husband seems harped on a little too much, even for such a dedicated widow, but there's a nice supporting cast to help make up for it.

[asthas33 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lisa Kleypas describes the one of the best romantic stories... The characters play their roles magnificiently ... I'm truly in love with this book... Seriously, LOVE has no limits...

[Shoregirl2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This one was okay, but I didn't love it, I had a hard time connecting with the Hero and Heroine, for me it didn't have the usual finesse that LK writes with, just seemed a little to drawn out as well.

[dukedukegoose · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Damn you, goodreads, WHEN WILL YOU IMPLEMENT HALF STARS?

This book, basically, for all intents and purposes ruined me. It would have EASILY been a 5 star review if not for the last 30-40 pages. It could've easily ended at their wedding night with an epilogue taking care of Ravenhill and Elizabeth/Somers or whatnot. Instead the novel took a really strange veer into near-death experiences and typhoid fever and who knows what else was going on.

It did knock off a half star for me, or since goodreads has a flawed system, a whole star. But Zachary and Holly have one of my favourite romances I've ever read. The first 9/10ths of the book is just so wonderful, so perfect. FEELINGS EXPLOSION.

[sammii507 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book, for the most part. I like books of self-made men who challenge the aristocracy, and while this is not as some I have read (Rose by Lauren Royal, for instance), it is an entertaining and well-crafted story. Zachary is an interesting character, gentle at the same time he is powerful and conniving, and Holly is the epitome of all that is expected of a grieving widow in early Victorian society. The story is strong and compelling - until the last fifty pages, which were almost completely unnecessary and even a little bit corny. The story would have been better if she'd left it off after the wedding and left out Holly's rather cheesy near-death-experience. Still, I enjoyed this book despite its flaws.

[nancynova · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

rabck from bluesneak; regency era novel. Zachary Bronson has clawed his way to the top, but he needs education and polish to become as close to a member of the ton as he can, for the sake of his mother and sister. So he hires widow Lady Holly to teach him the fine points of aristocracy. Lady Holly has been mourning her husband for three years, and the fortune that Bronson will pay will ensure that her daughter Rose will have the proper dowry to make an excellent marriage match. But neither she, nor Bronson, expect the employment to end in love and marriage.

[azacia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The chemistry between Zachary Bronson and Lady Holly Taylor is electric right from the start. The story is enjoyable, and while some pieces are predictable, there are a fair number of twists and surprises as well. Lady Holly Taylor is the icon of a dutiful widow who is conscious to always behave with propriety and to raise her young daughter in a safe and proper environment. All that changes after a mistaken stolen kiss...

Zachary Bronson is a commoner who has fought with fists and wit to climb his way out of the slums and provide for his mother and younger sister. An untamable business man and ladies man, Zachary is not adverse to bribing, intimidating or pushing his will onto others. Yet, despite his enormous wealth he feels unsettles and craves more. When his path crosses with the bright eyed virtuous Holly Taylor, Zachary realizes he may have found the one thing that his beyond his reach.

This story is beautifully told. The relationship between Zachary and Holly's young daughter rose is sweet and touching. Zachary's mother and sister play excellent roles as Kleypas expertly builds characters of depth that the reader can't help but feel connected too. The characters grow in the story and seem real and genuine in their struggles and strengths. I can't write too much without giving something away, so I will suffice to say this was a wonderful novel!

Hero: 5/5
Heroine: 5/5
Side Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Steaminess: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

[thelustyliterate-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Zachary is a very sexy and devilish male character. He's aggressive and successful with a secret tenderness and kindness. Only his closest family knows he's not the devil. He and a mystery woman share a secret and utterly unforgettable kiss in the dark one fateful night. That brief encounter changes him and gives him an obsessive focus. He must have her.Holly, widowed and heartbroken by her lost love is the object of Zach's desirous pursuit. She has also recently been awakened by a brief stolen experience with a tender nameless man. So, after three years of mourning, she seeks employment to secure the futures for herself and young daughter outside of the protection and walls of her dead husband's family.Zach proposes an irresistible situation that provides temporary distraction and a financially substantial and solid future. He's also the mystery man fueling her own forbidden fantasies.They both slowly and honestly grow towards each other. Zach softens and submits to love, Holly let's go and allows herself to love again. They find each other and fall madly and passionately in love. A great romance.

[ladywesley · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Aristocratic lady; lower-class hero. I liked him better than her. Not much drama. Hot.

[ktleyed · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Vintage Kleypas and surprisingly better than I thought it would be. Lady Holland Taylor (Holly) is a young widow that is caught off-guard by the fabulously wealthy self made Zachary (typical Kleypas hero) who kisses her in a conservatory at a ball, having mistaken her for someone else. From there, he can't forget her and she goes to work for him, teaching him etiquette and how to be accepted by polite society. Of course, they fall in love in the usual Kleypas way - passionate and stormy. Yet, despite the feelings she has for Zachary she is torn about the memory and promises she made to her dead husband George. I really enjoyed this book and wonder if she'll ever write a novel for Zachary's rival, the mysterious Vardon Ravenhill.

[theyodamom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Audiobook- 5 star narration
A young widow broken and still deeply in live with her husband must learn to live again after three years of mourning. She braves society's judgment to take a chance that will give her daughter a better future in life and may give her one as well.
A beautiful story of looking beyond what others expect of you-Taking a chance even if the outcome looks grim. What a roller-coaster ride.

[sesameg_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Zachary Bronson started as a bare-knuckle prize-fighter, investing his winnings and eventually building an immense fortune. He hires Holland Taylor, a member of the ton to teach him, his mother and his sister to fit in with the nobility. He uses his business negotiation skills to convince her, against her late husband's family's advice, to move into his ornate 'wedding cake' of a house with her young daughter Rose, who comes trailing a string of buttons.I love a story where a strong, aggressive man is baffled by something that only the heroine can help him with. I also love stories with an element of the Hades/Persephone myth. This has both - so definitely a keeper in my books!

[avernon1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Aren't we all secretly ( or maybe not secretly, as in my case) attracted to those bad boys? The ones your mother told you to stay away from, the ones who have that naughty glint in their eyes, the ones whose wickedness holds a certain charm, the ones who are just a bit rebellious and innately driven? Don't we believe, deep down, that maybe, just maybe, these bad boys could fall in love with us? Well, once again, I have fallen in love with a bad boy, and his name is Zachary Bronson.Zachary always gets what he wants, and what he wants is Lady Holly Taylor. As Holly is leaving a ball, the first real outing she has attempted after having been in mourning for three years since the death of her beloved husband, she is swept up in a kiss by Zachary Bronson. Neither knows the identity of the other on the darkened conservatory, but each feels the passion and the allure of the kiss. It is at this point that Zachary decides he is going to make Lady Holly his. It is too, at this point, that something is ignited deep within this young, beautiful widow.Zachary is a very wealthy, self-made man, something unheard of in the ton. Blue-blood is the only blood that matters, the only blood that makes you a true gentleman. Zachary is the first to admit that he is not a gentleman. It is this knowledge that he uses as a premise to lure Holly and her daughter onto his estate. Lessons. Lessons in manners, lessons in deportment, lessons in chivalry.....lessons in everything gentlemanly. Zachary is willing to pay Holly a huge sum of money, not only to turn him into a gentleman respected by the peerage, but also to give his beautiful sister, Lizzie, etiquette lessons as well so that she may make a productive match for herself. But once the prim and proper Lady Holly embarks on this mission, she is shocked to find herself falling for this brute of a man, a man, she discovers, who is more than the breadth of his shoulders and the fortune he amasses. But how could she fall for someone so different than her first love, George. George would never approve of her finding love with someone so beneath her status, someone so feral. But how can Holly resist Zachary when he is so vulnerable, yearning to be accepted and loved for who he truly is.I truly enjoyed this book. I loved the hero....striking, big and brawny, devoted, intelligent, loyal and passionate. Something about a man fighting his way out of poverty using his physicality and his intelligence is very attractive! I loved how he was able to admit to himself that he was falling in love with a woman. And I loved that he told her so, even at the risk of being rejected for the "commoner" he was. I was happy to see that Zachary wouldn't change for anyone. He knew his flaws, but wasn't willing to change for anyone....he stayed true to his self. The sexual chemistry between the hero and heroine is hot. I loved how Zachary ignited a passion in Holly that was beneath the surface of her lady-like composure. But I did get tired of her holding on to the ghost of her first husband for so long throughout the tale. Having read so many of Lisa Kleypas' novels, my expectations were high and I was not disappointed. Kleypas has once again created characters that come to life on the page, characters that make you yell in frustration...characters that make you laugh uncontrollably.....characters that make you weep with sorrow....characters that make you cry out in anguish. Rose, Holly's four year old daughter, is one such character that touches the reader with her innocent charm and childish honesty. Tears slipped down my cheeks as she was saying goodbye to Zachary, a scene that reveals his inner anguish. "Will I ever see you and Lizzie again?" Rose asked woefully. Zachary couldn't bring himself to lie to her. "Not very often, I'm afraid". "You'll miss me awfully," she said, heaving a sigh, and she began to fumble for something in the pocket of her pinafore. Something went wrong with Zachary's eyes, some odd blurring and stinging that he couldn't seem to blink away. "Every day princess." "Are you going to cry, Mr. Bronson?" the child asked in concern, coming to stand beside his knees, staring into his downturned face. He managed to smile at her. "Just a little on the inside," he said raspily. He felt her little hand on his cheek, and he held utterly still as she kissed him on the nose. "Good-bye, Mr. Bronson," she whispered, and she left with her button string trailing dolefully behind her.This book is a hidden gem that I think romance addicts will adore. It brings with it a wonderful message that is applicable throughout the ages. Even if we lose a love, the world can bring us another. Love comes in different forms.....it can be soft and romantic, tender and loyal, or passionately sensual and zealous. All are different, but the same.....the end result is happiness.

[memasmb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After literally fighting his way up from poverty, sexy and virile Zachary Bronson has assembled a vast fortune and at the same time provided for his mother and sister. Now, he needs one thing... he must become socially acceptable so that his sister can marry well. Into his life unexpectedly one night comes, the beautiful and correct Lady Holly Taylor, at her first party that she has attended since she became a widow. The sparks fly and the two share a very powerful attraction.Zachary finds a way to entice Holly to move into his home and to teach his family the ways of society and gain society’s approval. Against everyone’s better judgment, she agrees to tutor the Bronson’s. The story follows the antics of Holly’s daughter Rose and the very amusing situations that Holly and Zachary get into learning about each other and falling in love. The love story is compelling, humorous, and scrumptious and even though the ending is predictable it was a pleasure to read. I look forward to reading more of Lisa Kleypas’ stories.I recommend this book for its humorous treatment of two opposites attracting and falling in love.

[mom2lnb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lately, I've allowed myself to become distracted from some of my favorite authors, so it has been quite a while since I've read a Lisa Kleypas novel. Where Dreams Begin has been on my TBR pile for nearly two years, and I believe that was due in part to it rarely being mentioned as a fan favorite which led me to believe that it probably wasn't one of her stronger efforts. Now that I've finally read it, I'm kicking myself for not picking it up sooner. In my opinion, Where Dreams Begin is every bit as good if not better than Ms. Kleypas' other works (that I've read to date), and I found it to be a real pleasure to read. I thought it embodied her trademark style in both plot and characterizations, and although perhaps not quite as steamy as some of her later books, it was still plenty sensuous. There was also quite a bit of lightly humorous bantering between the hero and heroine that really livened things up, and lots of sweet, tender romance. Where Dreams Begin was an all-around wonderful story about a proper lady who is tasked with making a silk purse out of a sow's ear, only to find out that it's the roughness around the edges which make her hero so attractive to begin with.Zachary was yet another of Lisa Kleypas' heroes who begins as an ordinary low-born man, but uses his intelligence, diligence and determination to work his way into a hard-earned fortune. He is a real diamond in the rough with a heart of gold who has never forgotten his humble roots and is constantly working for the betterment of the lower classes much to the consternation of the upper classes. It is often said that one can tell the measure of a man by how he regards his mother, which to my way of thinking makes Zachary a virtual saint. He has a huge heart behind his enormous bank account and treats his mother like a queen and his sister like a princess, and can't help spoiling both Holly and her daughter, Rose, too, when they come to live with him. Zachary is more of a father-figure to Rose than her blood uncles were after her father died. He absolutely adores this little girl from the moment they meet and the feeling is mutual. Their scenes together positively melted my heart. Zachary may be as sweet as pie and take the utmost care of the women in his life, but he is a completely incorrigible, unrepentant rogue until his love for Holly literally brings him to his knees. In business, Zachary has a take-no-prisoners approach and a reputation for doing anything it takes to get the job done, and he also has a natural knack for bending others to his will to get what he wants without being overly arrogant. Described as an “ape” by a member of the nobility, this hulking man was not considered particularly attractive by the standards of the era, but he certainly was incredibly appealing to Holly, and I'm sure will be to most readers as well, myself included. It might have been nice to have a little deeper insight into the hardships that Zachary endured which made him the man he was in the story, but overall, he was yet another delectable hero to come from Lisa Kleypas' talented pen.Holly was no slouch herself. She was a strong and courageous woman who carried on with life after the death of her beloved husband even though she felt like rolling up in a ball and dying herself. Even though it has been three years, Holly is still grieving her husband's passing when she and Zachary meet and share an accidental but incredibly passionate kiss. I loved how she took a chance and followed the desires of her heart when Zachary offered her employment as a social etiquette tutor to him and his family. It took a lot of spunk to risk becoming a social pariah for living under the roof of a man who was looked down upon by the ton in order to better her daughter's future. Not to mention, the backbone it took to keep a rake like Zachary in line. Holly was incredibly prim and proper, having had an extremely loving marriage with her first husband, albeit a somewhat puritanical one. By comparison, Zachary's dark sexuality is almost overwhelming for her, but I liked that she was up to the challenge. He may have made Holly blush to her toes on occasion, but I admire her for never shying away from his hot-blooded nature and for embracing her own unexplored passions that were lurking beneath the surface right from the start. I also liked that Holly had a sense of humor and was often amused by Zachary's blunt comments rather than being offended by them. I did feel like shaking her a couple of times when I felt like she was taking a little too long to come to her senses and realize that Zachary was perfect for her, but at the same time, I understood her fears and reluctance. Ms. Kleypas did a good job of conveying Holly's continuing grief over the loss of her husband and her confusion over keeping promises that she had made to him on his death bed, but I did get a little impatient while waiting for her to come to terms with everything and accept that she could fall in love again.The secondary characters were great too. Little Rose was just as cute as a button, and in my opinion, rendered in a very age-appropriate way. She really added a lot to every scene she was in. Zachary's sister, Elizabeth was a vivacious young woman looking for a love of her own, but not feeling that she was good enough to land the kind of husband she wanted. Zachary's mother, Paula, also felt unworthy of the station to which she found herself elevated by her son's wealth. She was a very shy woman who found directing servants to be a difficult adjustment after having worked in jobs that were even lower than they were. Holly and her husband, George's best friend, Vardon, ended up being a wonderful man who deserved his own HEA. Ms. Kleypas mentions on her website that she might write a story for him someday if she can find the right one. There was even a surprise cameo by the handsome, young Dr. Jacob Linley who played a strong role in the Bow Street Runners series and has his own little story in Against the Odds, a novella from the Where's My Hero? anthology. All in all, I thought it was a very nice well-rounded cast.There were many memorable elements in Where Dreams Begin. Ms. Kleypas managed to seamlessly weave lots of information on social etiquette into the story which I found to be quite interesting. I really enjoyed the shrewd negotiations that took place between Zachary and Holly for her employment, as well as their bantering in general. Most of all, I loved how Zachary and Holly simply enjoy each others company, while slowly building a friendship, and how Zachary comes to the realization that he would rather spend a quiet evening with Holly than go out carousing in town. The only thing that could have made this better is if the reader had been made privy to more in-depth conversations between them which I thought would have added a more intimate feel to their relationship. The sexual tension was good with several “almost” moments to fill in the long stretch between their initial smoldering kiss in the first chapter and their next which didn't occur until about 2/3 of the way into the book. I'll admit I became somewhat impatient, but the author made up for it with plenty of sensuality in the last third of the story. I've never been a fan of anger turned to passion moments, so I have to commend Ms. Kleypas on her writing of a couple of these scenes. Even when Zachary and Holly had been arguing, their anger never spilled over into their lovemaking. Instead it was every bit as tender as if they had started from a calmer place, which I loved. I don't want to give away too much, but there were some wonderful moments in the final chapters that were both sweet and intense, which really conveyed the depth of love this couple shared. Other than the few minor complaints I've already voiced, Where Dreams Begin was a really lovely book that allowed me a few blissful hours of escape from reality. In my opinion, this is one of Lisa Kleypas' most undervalued works, and one that has certainly earned a place on my keeper shelf.

[ut0tecum0loquerer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There were two big things I liked about this book, and two little things I didn't. Good stuff first: Lady Holly was extremely likable while being believably prudish. That can be a difficult line to walk, but Kleypas did a great job here. Secondly, I actually like Zach from the beginning. Many romance writers have their heroes lusting after the heroine to the exclusion of all else in a sort of threatening way. Zach says 'Tell me all about her.' It seemed to me that from the beginning he was interested in Lady Holly in more ways than one.Annoying things: (SPOILER ALERT) Holly's near death experience was totally unnecessary. It felt trite and tacked on. Also, the orgasm-less widow is one of those romance novel cliches that always makes me roll my eyes a little bit. Oh well. Still quite good overall.

[anniik_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book, for the most part. I like books of self-made men who challenge the aristocracy, and while this is not as some I have read (Rose by Lauren Royal, for instance), it is an entertaining and well-crafted story. Zachary is an interesting character, gentle at the same time he is powerful and conniving, and Holly is the epitome of all that is expected of a grieving widow in early Victorian society. The story is strong and compelling - until the last fifty pages, which were almost completely unnecessary and even a little bit corny. The story would have been better if she'd left it off after the wedding and left out Holly's rather cheesy near-death-experience. Still, I enjoyed this book despite its flaws.

[jenson_aka_dl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lady Holly had been brought up to be the perfect debutant. She had a perfect childhood, married the perfect man and had a perfect daughter. But when typhoid fever stole away her young, loving husband Holly knew nothing would be perfect again. Three years later Holly still mourned her losses, with only her daughter to live for. So, when Holly attends her first ball after mourning and is stunned and titillated by a stranger's passionate embrace she finds herself re-thinking the person she had always thought herself to be. When the same man, the nefarious Zachary Bronson, offers her a position in his household employ for the purpose of teaching polite society manners to him, his mother and sister Holly amazes even herself in agreeing to lower herself before the members of the ton to do so. However, as her attraction to her employer grows will she be able to throw a perfectly proper upbringing aside to embrace not only he and his family, but her own hidden desires?When I first started reading the book I rather expected it to follow in much the same manner as the last Kleypas novel I read, Suddenly You, with the upper-class lady and the rule breaking social climbing scoundrel. However, I found that this story was indeed a tale all of its own and only bore a passing similarity to Suddenly You and was indeed a delightful novel all of its own. I really enjoyed Zachary, Holly, Lizzie and Rose with each character having their own personality and influence on the story. There were also a couple great moments, such as when Holly walked into Zachary's library and commented to the housekeeper how much he must love reading due its size, only to have the housekeeper reply, "Oh, no, my lady, the master hardly ever reads. But he is quite fond of books." I continue to find Lisa Kleypas' historical novels to be fun, quick reads (with a bit of steamy romance which doesn't hurt) and very much looking forward to reading more by her in the future.