From the Top by dani Collins, book two in the Blue Spruce Lodge series. A great addition to this heart warming story. I enjoyed reading the story between Ilke and Nate, the character development and the connection between these characters were perfect for the storyline. I look forward to reading what it next up in this series.

I got a sneak peek into this book from the first in the series. Nate and Ilke were introduced in the first book and their story blooms here. This also beings to the forefront how life changes for a few others around them as well. Ilke is stranded without a job and a fast emptying savings when she finds herself pregnant after a one night stand. Even if Nate is not open to be a father again, he becomes the rock for Ilke in her need of hour.
A story written beautifully capturing the struggles of Ilke and Nate. The story gives a rounded picture of a ski-resort construction.
Eagerly waiting for the next one in the series

I am really enjoying this series about two brothers who have been world-class skiing and snowboarding competitors and whose family own a winter sports equipment conglomerate working to restore a skiing resort. In the first book, the uptight older brother found romance with the daughter of their partner. In this one, Ilke, a gorgeous Swedish downhill skier arrives at the resort to tell their project manager, Nate, that their one-night stand over New Year’s has resulted in an unplanned pregnancy.

There are several plots swirling around here. Ilke is a very reserved and self-contained woman who has only ever cared about skiing since her family life has been so difficult. Everyone thinks she’s cold, but they don’t really understand her and her insecurities. Now she’s facing not being able to ski while she’s pregnant, not having a career or money, and a baby-daddy who is totally gobsmacked at the idea of becoming a father again. We met Nate in the first book in the series. He’s moved to this remote Montana location to help build the luxury ski resort that the family wants, but also to be near his son and former wife who came out of the closet and moved to this town to be with her lover. Got all that?

The characterizations are fully rounded. Ilke is more than a blonde bombshell who can ski. Nate is more than a quiet, hunky contractor. The people working to create this resort have different and interesting personalities. The resort doesn’t spring fully formed over the course of the novel, but we get to witness the problems they’re facing in realizing their dream. I have no idea what it takes to basically build a ski resort from scratch, but this feels real. These characters seem real and I found myself caring about them.

I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.

I was given a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I did not read book one in the series, but book two was a good read. I was a little hesitant at first, but really got into it the more I read. Ilke is a professional skier who has to make several decisions after her life gets complicated. Nate the single father and altogether great guy has to learn how to deal with things that are not perfect and are not always what you had planned. The way these two get together and learn about and respect one another is by going through a very difficult experience. What they faced and the emotions that you go through during and after a miscarriage are all over and I can relate to on a personal level. I thought the book was great, as well as other Dani Collins books I have read.

This was my first exposure to the work of Dani Collins; and I quite enjoyed her work. I jumped into book two without reading book one so it took awhile to get into the characters and understand the storyline fleshed out in book one. But I grew to enjoy the merry band of characters created by Dani and the ski lodge they are attempting to get up and running. I cheered for Ilke and the struggles she goes through trying to ge life back on track after crashing and burning at the olympics. A solid romance novel that I can easily recommend to library patrons and I look forward to book three.

This is Book Two in The Blue Spruce Lodge series by Dani Collins. Ilke, an Olympic skier, finds herself pregnant after a one-night stand with Nate. Her skiing suffers, and she has very disappointing results in the South Korean Olympics. She only discovers why her skiing is ‘off,’ after her disappointing Olympic finish.

Nate is a single dad who is recently divorced. He is the project manager for the lodge. His wife left him for another woman. This is all revealed in Book One of this series. When he finds out about the pregnancy, his reaction is less than ideal. Needless to say, Nate and Ilke finally reach a happier place, only to face a new challenge.

There are some delightful characters in this series, along with a few troublemakers. Nate’s son, Aiden, is precious. Trigg Johansson provides some worthwhile insights as well as some comic relief. Trigg’s mother, Vivien, is another interesting character. Normally, her personality type is very off-putting to me, but Vivien became a character that I enjoyed reading.

There are ups and downs in this book, and the lodge still has a way to go before it is complete, but the reader can see the lodge taking shape under the care of this remarkable team. Likewise, the relationship between Nate and Ilke is also a work in progress, but shows tremendous promise. I loved the way Ms. Collins ended this book. It was satisfying and unexpected.

I’m really looking forward to Book Three... I can’t wait to see what Trigg will face.

It was a little slow getting into this next in the Blue Spruce Lodge series mainly because I am not a fan of repetition. Once It got past the repetition of emotional elements, the story took off and many passionate encounters happen, twisting complicating circumstances for the characters of Ilke ands n Matt. Many questions needed to be addressed and answered with viable solutions found in order for Matt and Ilke to find their way together.  I did love the ending!

“From the Top”, the second story in the “Blue Spruce Lodge” series, is another delightful insight into characters we already knew and loved from the first book, featuring Nate, a wonderful bachelor father, and driven skier Ilke. Dani Collin’s writing is superb and her characters fascinating, I’ll always read her books.
I loved the glimpses we’d had of Nate with his son in “On the Edge”, so I was eagerly waiting for his story. His love for his little boy, Aiden, is written in a touching, sweet way in this story too.
I preferred the first half of the romantic plot, when the main characters are dealing with the unexpected pregnancy, but I also liked the developing of Ilke’s character, an heroine who bears emotional scars that match Nate’s wariness and fears.
As the story progressed, I found myself more interested in Vivien and Marvin’s story (it was just lovely through and through, but did I detect a somewhat condescending tone sometimes towards the older couple?) and catching up with Rolf’s barking, German speaking (depicting a character turning into his native language is something powerfully realistic, I adore it) and his German words of endearment to Glory.
There’s a lot of family drama and tension and by the end, I was also completely hooked by Trigg’s surprises, and I cannot wait for his story.

From the Top,  Dani Collins

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Romance, General Fiction( Adult)

I read the sample of book one and felt I enjoyed the authors writing style, so requested this. Really enjoyed it, might buy book one too when my TBR pile goes down.

It started well, and I thought I knew what was going to happen but...I was wrong. It took a different direction, and I really enjoyed being surprised. I loved Nate, such a great father to Aiden, but his reactions to Ilke's news wasn't great. Then again it was a shock, and Ilke's ideas about what to do were a bit different! I wasn't so sure I liked Ilke at first, she seemed very closed, very cold, but when I knew more about her upbringing my heart ached for her. What an awful thing for a child to have to deal with, and no-one to help her. Its not surprising she has the view that getting close to people hurts,m that you can't rely on anyone else.
Her and Nate are so opposite in so many ways and yet the chemistry between them sizzled, and slowly they were drawn together on a level about just the physical. Once more though the story held lots of surprises, plots took unexpected directions, things cropped up that I just didn't foresee. I love a story that does that, keeps me guessing what is coming next, keeps me reading to see if I'm right.
It wasn't quite a five star read, I'm not sure why, but it wasn't a can't-put-down read, more one that was interesting but still easy to pick up and put aside for later. Still an excellent story though, and the next one – if its Trigg's story – looks fantastic.

Stars: Four and a half, excellent read but not quite the magic five. Trigg next I hope ;-) as that looks to be really fun!
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers