Take Me All the Way

Coral Cove #3

by Toni Blake

You can't go too far when you're fighting for love...

Tamra Day swore off men a long time ago. Her art, her friends, and her garden have always been enough . . . until now. Suddenly, Tamra is aching for a connection. Unfortunately, Coral Cove's most eligible bachelor is the troublemaker who's building the mini-golf course she's designing. Brusque and sarcastic, he's made a habit of annoying Tamra. But more infuriating is the fact that Tamra can't help noticing how sexy he is.

They call him a war hero, but Jeremy Sheridan knows better. Still haunted by painful memories from Afghanistan, he's just hoping for a fresh start. So far, the only problem is his new boss, Tamra, a control freak who's easy on the eyes—and way too fun to tease.

Despite their differences, Tamra and Jeremy aren't as alone as they think they are. And together, with a little Coral Cove magic, they'll discover how good it feels to embrace a bright new future.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Ebooks

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 24, 2015

About the author

Toni Blake's love of writing began when she won an essay contest in the fifth grade. Soon after, she penned her first novel, nineteen notebook-pages long, and announced to her mother over breakfast one day that she was going to be a writer when she grew up. Since then, Toni has become the author of more than a dozen contemporary romance novels. Her work has been excerpted in Cosmo, she's been a recipient of the Kentucky Women Writers Fellowship and a nominee for the prestigious Pushcart Prize, and she's also had more than forty short stories and articles published. Toni lives in the Midwest and enjoys traveling, genealogy, crafts, and snow skiing.

Toni has also written under the name Toni Blair.

Photo: Cassandra Stella

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story Rating ~ 4 Stars Contrary Stars
Hero Rating ~ 4 Stars
Heroine Rating ~ 4 Stars
Romance Rating ~ 5 Stars
Heat Level ~ 3.5 Stars
Ending ~ 5 Stars
Overall Rating ~ 4 Miracles Do Happen Stars!

Take Me All the Way is book 3 in Toni Blake’s Coral Cove series and it was a REALLY GOOD read for me. Every now and then it’s great to read a small town romance and Toni Blake is my go to author for reads such as this.

Tamra


In this installment we get Tamra’s story. She is a big part of the Coral Cove community and is great friends with all the past characters from this series. Tamra has been closed off to having any one romantic in her life. She has had a hard upbringing that makes her leery about getting involved and falling in love. After sitting around in the background watching her friends find that someone special, Tamra has been thinking that she too would like to have that someone special. The thing is, there seems to be no one around that even interests her. So she spends her time making her glass and clay art work to sell on the Coral Cove Pier. She loves spending time in her backyard garden that she has never shared with anyone. She has recently drew up plans for The Coral Cove Mini-Golf Course which building is just about to start.

Jeremy


Jeremy is an x marine and is suffering from PTSD. Since he came home from Afghanistan he has become a loner and has stopped taking care of his appearance. Jeremy pacts up all his things and moves to Coral Cove and ends up living at the Happy Crab. With no money to pay, Reece the owner is letting him stay there for free until Jeremy gets back on his feet again. Jeremy finally lands a job building the Coral Cove Mini Golf Course. All is going well until his rude behavior towards Tamra comes out front and center. I can definitely say that there was no attraction for these two right out of the gate.

It was wonderful reading how these two slowly became more. They both had past issues that stood in their way of true happiness. As their relationship grew they were able to help each other get over some of the past that had been holding them back. When they were finally ready to take the next step, OH MY-My-My, the sparks definitely started to fly. This all started in Tamra’s secret garden and the hammock sex was SCORCHING!



One of the best things about this series is that you get to catch up on all the other characters from in the previous books. Cami & Reece, Christy & Jack, Polly & Abner are just a few that added to my overall enjoyment. Then there was a secondary story line revolving around Fletcher. I was SO glad we got to learn more about him and by the end of the book I was so happy with the whole conclusion for him.

There was a new character added in that stole my heart, Captain a one eyed grey tomcat that wormed his way into Jeremy’s life. He would not take no for an answer and just kept coming back for more.

Captain


As with a lot of romances, something happens between the H&h that has them parted for a while. This was a very emotional part of the story for me. I’m so glad that Jeremy got his shit together because I was wanting to reach into the book and smack him around a bit.

In the end, we are treated to a fantastic epilogue that left me with a HUGE smile and had me thinking that this story could not have ended on a better note.

Personal message to friends : GRRR I had all sorts of photos picked out to place in this review but Photobucket is fucked up and not working for me. Please forgive me if I pull this review up again to add the photos when things are working better.


FINALLY photobucket was up and running!!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take Me All the Way is a beautiful small town romance.

Jeremy Sheridan is a war hero suffering from PTSD. Since returning from the war, he hasn’t started to live again.

Jeremy decides a fresh start in Coral Cove might help and the town people pretty much accept him with as one of their own.

Tamra has given up on love. When the difficult drifter, Jeremy, comes to town, she is given oversight over a new mini golf project and Jeremy.

A rocky start leaves lots of tension between Jeremy and Tamra but the magic of Coral Cove and a one eyed cat brings healing in the most unexpected ways.

Absolutely endearing and positively delightful, I couldn't help but become absorbed in the hometown feel of Coral Cove.

I received this ARC copy of Take Me All the Way from Avon in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication November 24, 2015.

My Rating: 5 Stars

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been of fan of Toni Blake’s ever since I read One Reckless Summer. She’s one of those authors that doesn’t get as much attention as I think she deserves so whenever I get the chance, I always tell friends to try out her books. Her Destiny series, and now her Coral Cove series, have become one of my top favorites in the genre because of Blake’s ability to create such touching, loving stories for her readers.

Blake’s story are always character focused but I feel that is the most true with this book. Tamra is a character we’ve followed through the series so far. She’s the artistic soul of the group who tends to stay where she is comfortable. While she’s kind and strong-spirited, she also has a lot of vulnerabilities, namely the ability to trust others. She doesn’t open up to many and often hides in her garden where she feels most comfortable. But at her age, she’s starting to miss things like romance and companionship. She yearns for sex but doesn’t see any possible candidates in Coral Cove who may fit this.

Jeremy Sheridan suffers from PTSD. Blake does a fantastic job of conveying this throughout the book. At first glance, Jeremy doesn’t seem like much of a catch. With the homeless vibe is he giving off, it deters Tamra away from him and when you add in his nasty attitude in the beginning, it’s clear that these two are going to butt heads.

But then Blake gets to the real heart of the matter and explores her character’s fears so deeply that you can’t help but get lost in them. This isn’t a particularly sad book but I found myself tearing up many times as I read this story. There are pages and pages of inspiring moments, moments that Blake has captured so beautifully that it almost feels like magic.

To see these two characters come together was a great thing to witness, not only because it was a well-done romance, but also because the both of them hard to overcome some real obstacles personally before they could ever make the jump in this relationship. I absolutely fell head over heels in love with Jeremy and Tamra and I think you will too if you gave it a chance.

Jeremy and Tamra’s romance was enough to get a 5 star rating from me but Blake surpasses that with Fletcher’s secondary story. She introduces a new character whom Fletcher, the more philosophical character of the group, finds enticing. Her presence causes him to step back and rethink his life and his decision to wait for his wife, Kim after four years of her disappearing. Some things happen that shake him, but I’m betting that the next book will be his and now more than ever, I am excited to see what will happen to him.
Blake’s books are more than just your typical romance. There’s so much fun and laughter to be had, but at the root of it, Blake grounds her novels with inspiring, touching moments. I have no doubt that this book will be one of my favorites of the year.

Favorite Quote:

The night we kissed you said you couldn’t see me,” he said. “So… Guess I wanted to let you. See me.”

[LaFleurBleue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Toni Blake who rather takes her time writing her books and therefore usually offers high quality romances. And she did deliver what she does best with this one.
Both lead characters had serious issues that they needed to address and learnt to tackle together. Their first encounters were nothing short of a failure, the possible physical attraction being strongly undermined by a deep inner conviction that the other one personality was flawed and unredeemable. A high-need demanding "princess" vs. a rude, neglected and hopeless lout. However both accepted to work together and slowly learnt about the real persona of the other and how to help him/her to uncover it. Their inner traumas were disclosed progressively and were not kept hidden for too long, even Jeremy's big secret which was unfolded rather late in the story. But when it was, I understood why it couldn't come earlier.
A beautiful story about reinventing a real and complete new life, after having had an unfulfilled years, restricted by personal unaddressed issues.
IMO, the secondary story about Fletcher almost took a little bit too much space. And I am not so sure what more I would learn about him, were there to be a book dedicated to him. I rather liked it, but felt disappointed it was only a side story, while there was the potential for prime time.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toni Blake's Destiny, Ohio series is one of my favourite small town contemporary series. Coral Cove the spin off has been a little patchy in places and Take Me All the Way falls into this category. Jeremy Sheridan (Tessa Sheridan's brother from Destiny,Ohio) is an ex-marine with PTSD and Tamra Day is a woman whose dysfunctional childhood stops her being able to form relationships. These personality problems mean a rocky start and the first part of the book seems a bit slow as these two damaged people have to really work on themselves as much as their relationship. Add to this the return of Fletcher McCloud's errant wife Kim which has been a subplot running through the series and is solved a tad too quickly. But Toni Blake knows how to bring a book home and the second part of the book is much more enjoyable satisfactorily tying up all the loose ends and giving us a glimpse of a Destiny reunion coming in the next book out later in 2016.

★★★☆ (3.5 stars)

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Both Jeremy and Tamra have had things happen to them that have caused them to put up walls to keep people out. But when their lives collide in little Coral Cove, they find those walls getting pretty shaky. Tamra is a familiar character from the previous books, All I Want is You and Love Me If You Dare. She is part of the artist community who sells her work on the boardwalk each day. She has her friends to hang out with, but she doesn't date. Jeremy was mentioned in a few of the Destiny, Ohio books, where he was known as being the local sports hero and heartthrob in high school. He joined the Marines and went to war, and came back a changed man. After spending time with his family in Destiny, he realized he needed a change and moved to Coral Cove.

Tamra has designed the town's new mini-golf course and has been put in charge of getting it built. After hiding out for a couple weeks, Jeremy realizes he needs to force himself out and about and finds himself hired to help build the course. In their first few encounters, Tamra and Jeremy butt heads frequently. She thinks he's rude and he thinks she's uptight. And though neither wants to admit it, they are really attracted to each other. It was great fun to see Jeremy purposely irritating Tamra, just to see how she'd react.

All that head butting also stirred up a lot of sparks between them. Their personal issues first had them trying to avoid each other, but they quickly realized that wasn't working. I loved the banter between them as they moved from cautious truce to friendship to something more. Thanks to her past, Tamra has trouble trusting men. Jeremy is suffering from PTSD, aggravated by his feelings of guilt over something that happened during the war. As their relationship develops, they slowly start to open up to each other. I loved the challenge that they gave each other because of it, and how the results of that challenge increased the sparks between them. When the heat finally took over, there were some incredible moments. It was plain to see that the feelings for each other were growing. But a moment of passion inspired honesty from Tamra sends Jeremy running. I ached for Tamra, who had finally opened herself up to trusting someone with her feelings. I loved how she handled it, and seeing her with her friends warmed my heart. At the same time I wanted to smack Jeremy upside the head for being so blind. It just took him a little longer to get past his issues, with the help of one of his Marine friends, and the unexpected input from Abner. I loved his honesty with Tamra at the end, showing that it wasn't an easy resolution but a work in progress.

There was also a secondary story with Tamra's friend Fletcher. He, too, has been present throughout the series. He is a tightrope walker who performs on the beach every evening. He took up residence in Coral Cove four years earlier, when his wife, Kim, took off, leaving only a note that everything would be ok. He has been insistent that she would come back, so he would wait for her in the last place they were together. His friends aren't so confident, and by the middle of the book he is starting to have doubts himself. A visitor to Coral Cove has him seriously thinking of moving on with his life, until Kim shows back up. It was interesting to see the differences that four years apart made. I ached for Fletcher and his confusion. I seriously wanted to give Kim several kicks in the tail for hurting him. I really wondered how their story was going to end up and if it would be the way I wanted it to.

Though I would love to see the series continue, my feeling from the epilogue is that this was it. I loved catching up with what everyone was doing, and seeing some of the changes that have come to Coral Cove.

[RachelW (BamaGal) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. I'm liking this series; maybe not quite as much as Blake's 'Destiny' series, but it's still good. Tammy and Jeremy's relationship building was a slow burn, but interesting. Both had secrets in their past; Jeremy's was particularly heartrending. It put his PTSD in a whole new light.

Good read; and Fletcher's issues with his long gone wife come to a head here.

[Bette Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

A fantastic story that takes us back to the quirky seaside town of Coral Cove. A place that opens its arms to those that are slightly different or just trying to hide in plain sight. A great book and one I recommend to everyone.

[Under the Covers Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been of fan of Toni Blake’s ever since I read One Reckless Summer. She’s one of those authors that doesn’t get as much attention as I think she deserves so whenever I get the chance, I always tell friends to try out her books. Her Destiny series, and now her Coral Cove series, have become one of my top favorites in the genre because of Blake’s ability to create such touching, loving stories for her readers.

Blake’s story are always character focused but I feel that is the most true with this book. Tamra is a character we’ve followed through the series so far. She’s the artistic soul of the group who tends to stay where she is comfortable. While she’s kind and strong-spirited, she also has a lot of vulnerabilities, namely the ability to trust others. She doesn’t open up to many and often hides in her garden where she feels most comfortable. But at her age, she’s starting to miss things like romance and companionship. She yearns for sex but doesn’t see any possible candidates in Coral Cove who may fit this.

Jeremy Sheridan suffers from PTSD. Blake does a fantastic job of conveying this throughout the book. At first glance, Jeremy doesn’t seem like much of a catch. With the homeless vibe is he giving off, it deters Tamra away from him and when you add in his nasty attitude in the beginning, it’s clear that these two are going to butt heads.

But then Blake gets to the real heart of the matter and explores her character’s fears so deeply that you can’t help but get lost in them. This isn’t a particularly sad book but I found myself tearing up many times as I read this story. There are pages and pages of inspiring moments, moments that Blake has captured so beautifully that it almost feels like magic.

To see these two characters come together was a great thing to witness, not only because it was a well-done romance, but also because the both of them hard to overcome some real obstacles personally before they could ever make the jump in this relationship. I absolutely fell head over heels in love with Jeremy and Tamra and I think you will too if you gave it a chance.

Jeremy and Tamra’s romance was enough to get a 5 star rating from me but Blake surpasses that with Fletcher’s secondary story. She introduces a new character whom Fletcher, the more philosophical character of the group, finds enticing. Her presence causes him to step back and rethink his life and his decision to wait for his wife, Kim after four years of her disappearing. Some things happen that shake him, but I’m betting that the next book will be his and now more than ever, I am excited to see what will happen to him. utc-top-pick

Blake’s books are more than just your typical romance. There’s so much fun and laughter to be had, but at the root of it, Blake grounds her novels with inspiring, touching moments. I have no doubt that this book will be one of my favorites of the year.

Favorite Quote:

The night we kissed you said you couldn't see me," he said. "So... Guess I wanted to let you. See me."


*ARC provided by publisher

Reviewed by Ann❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more this series continues the more I love it. Blake has a special talent in describing the scenery that makes you feel that you are in Coral Cove.


Tamra has given up on love but lately watching her friends fall in love she is feeling something and is missing sexy. At first i didn't really like Tamra. You could see she was holding herself back from herself and her friends. When she first meets Jeremy she acts like she is better then him and judges him a little to harshly in my opinion.


Jeremy moves back to Destiny from coming back from overseas but he is in need of change. He decides to go to Coral Cove. He is living out of a hotel room for free, doesn't have a job and looks homeless. Reece ends up bailing him out of jail and giving him a second chance. When he first meets Tamra things don't go well and they don't click but they do have an attraction.


I loved Jeremy from the beginning and you can tell he hasn't had it easy with guilt and ptsd but when he comes across Tamra he starts to enjoy her and thinks just maybe this could be a good thing for him. You can see the the chemistry with this two right away. Although neither of them really expect anything to come out of it but they both need a little helping hand to get over their past and move on to a future.


When these two finally start to open up I felt like I got their characters much more then I did at the beginning. I also enjoyed that Tamra didn't see how pretty she was because she wasn't a Barbie look alike but Jeremy made her feel so beautiful and she finally believed it herself. These two were great for one another's self esteem.

Jeremy cuts his hair and shaves because Tamra wants to see him and Tamra wear different clothes and changes her appearance a little. I thought it was sweet they could do that for one another.


"It moved him—and hell, turned him on—to know she’d made those alterations with him in mind. The same way he had for her."


This book and these characters had me hooked! I also loved we got more of fletcher! I was so happy her made some changes and a surprise from his past makes it back to Coral cove. I just couldn't believe it!


I loved how slow Jeremy and Tamras relationship went and how it progresses from them not getting along to them trying to be civil to them sharing kisses and pasts. Blake writes the perfect romance that keeps you entertained and swooning.


This was another hit in Blake's Coral Cove series. This was a great read and I truly loved the journey that Blake took these characters on with us.


For some reason at the end of the this book it felt like the last book in the series which I hope was not true.

[Joyfully Reviewed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tamra Day doesn’t need anything more in her life than what she has already. Yet as time wears on, Tamra begins to hunger for something…more. However, the pickings in Coral Cove aren’t exactly abundant for this garden designer, and the one that seems to pique her interest does so in more ways than one.

Jeremy Sheridan, a war hero, decides to make a new start in a completely new area. Not wanting to rely upon the kindness of friends and family, he takes his wounded self to Coral Cove and attempts to make something more of what’s left of his life. Signing on to help with the heavy lifting for the newly designed golf course, Jeremy finds that his new boss, Tamra, is way too controlling and fun to tease, but he just can’t help himself.

As these two learn to work together to get a job done for the town, they soon find that being together is more combustible than they ever dreamed. And discovering what makes the other tick just might be the answer to the piece that they were missing all along.

Take Me All the Way is a hot, sexy read about common everyday people that is relevant to today’s time. Jeremy with his baggage that he brought to Take Me All the Way endeared him to this reader, because underneath that pain was the real man waiting to be unearthed. He felt real and complete with his hero capabilities, softness in the right places, and hardness when it was justified in Take Me All the Way.

Tamra held herself aloft to most of her friends, but Jeremy quickly ascertained things about her that no one else seemed to pick up on in Take Me All The Way. She knew that she was finally getting to the proper place in her life to be open to something more, and Jeremy showed up as though he was an answer to a prayer in Take Me All the Way. However, it wouldn’t be an easy feat, as these two still had some growing to do in Take Me All the Way, but watching them grow and bind together was quite amusing and entertaining in Take Me All the Way.

Because of the sheer joy I found in reading Take Me All the Way, I Joyfully Recommend it for a frolicking good time lounging on the beach! However, be warned that it isn’t to be taken lightly, because if you look beyond the surface, you may just find hints of yourself in these two protagonists or perhaps of those you love.

Reviewed by Vanessa for Joyfully Reviewed
Link: http://bit.ly/2bWTxCo

[Darcy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like I should have liked this one better, but it was just meh for me. I didn't really care for either of the couple, not sure why, just didn't. I found myself more interesting with the talks between Abner and Jeremy, with what was going on with Fletcher, who I think made the right decision in the end.

[Britney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Closer to 3.5, but I have thoughts.

For the most part I enjoyed the story. The setting is a classic small, coastal town with endearing neighbors.

I guess I had three main issues:

1. I got soooo annoyed with how often Jeremy would call Tamra "Mary." The first time was funny, a reference to "Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?" BUT it really felt like he called her Mary more times than her own name.

2. Fletcher had a few chapters focusing on his POV, but that dropped off before the halfway point, and then at the end we'd missed some pretty big developments in his life. It was a good subplot, but I don't think it was balanced very well.

3. It didn't seem accurate to me how Jeremy's backstory was handled. I'm not well versed in military procedures but I'm pretty sure a situation of friendly fire would have been discovered. And then for Jeremy to admit to his suspicions to Tamra, and she just kind of told him to be kinder to himself? I don't know, something just felt lacking there.

Still, I do want to read the other two books in the series!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable continuation of the series. I really liked Jeremy even with all his insecurities. I liked Tamra, but didn’t connect with her as much. I thought at times she was too mean. I liked their journey and the side story of Fletcher and also Captain. I’m glad there wasn’t too much drama. I enjoyed seeing the characters for the rest of the series. I will continue to read this author. I listened to this on audio and the narrator did a good job.

[anita.thebookaddict · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, but not my favourite from Toni Blake

I love Toni Blake and special this series was very special to me, but this book was not her best. It was missing the emotional, sexy hot story she if so good at writing. To me it never gripped me, it was kinda boring and therefore took me forever to finish reading.
I do highly recommend the rest of her books ;)

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful way to complete this three book series. Tamra Day loved her friends in Coral Cove but always hid her real self until she met Jeremy Sheridan and who brought out the good and bad in her. This is a great story about choosing to be happy.

[Cherie Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book did take me away and back again. Loved it.

[Marika · Rating 1 out of 5]

⛔️(in notes)

[Donna Magruder · Rating 5 out of 5]

first time reading this series enjoyed it very much it was very intense.

[Lou Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one much better than the last one.

However, Robyn Carr is the top of my list for small town romance always some drama :-)

THIS SUMMARY/REVIEW WAS COPIED FROM OTHER SOURCES AND IS USED ONLY AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT FOR MY PERSONAL INTEREST. ANY PERSONAL NOTATIONS ARE FOR MY RECOLLECTION ONLY



Tamra has given up on love but lately watching her friends fall in love she is feeling something and is missing sexy. At first i didn't really like Tamra. You could see she was holding herself back from herself and her friends. When she first meets Jeremy she acts like she is better then him and judges him a little to harshly in my opinion.


Jeremy moves back to Destiny from coming back from overseas but he is in need of change. He decides to go to Coral Cove. He is living out of a hotel room for free, doesn't have a job and looks homeless. Reece ends up bailing him out of jail and giving him a second chance. When he first meets Tamra things don't go well and they don't click but they do have an attraction.


I loved Jeremy from the beginning and you can tell he hasn't had it easy with guilt and ptsd but when he comes across Tamra he starts to enjoy her and thinks just maybe this could be a good thing for him. You can see the the chemistry with this two right away. Although neither of them really expect anything to come out of it but they both need a little helping hand to get over their past and move on to a future.


When these two finally start to open up I felt like I got their characters much more then I did at the beginning. I also enjoyed that Tamra didn't see how pretty she was because she wasn't a Barbie look alike but Jeremy made her feel so beautiful and she finally believed it herself. These two were great for one another's self esteem.

Jeremy cuts his hair and shaves because Tamra wants to see him and Tamra wear different clothes and changes her appearance a little. I thought it was sweet they could do that for one another.


"It moved him—and hell, turned him on—to know she’d made those alterations with him in mind. The same way he had for her."


This book and these characters had me hooked! I also loved we got more of fletcher! I was so happy her made some changes and a surprise from his past makes it back to Coral cove. I just couldn't believe it!


I loved how slow Jeremy and Tamras relationship went and how it progresses from them not getting along to them trying to be civil to them sharing kisses and pasts. Blake writes the perfect romance that keeps you entertained and swooning.


This was another hit in Blake's Coral Cove series. This was a great read and I truly loved the journey that Blake took these characters on with us.

*************
Coral Cove the spin off has been a little patchy in places and Take Me All the Way falls into this category. Jeremy Sheridan (Tessa Sheridan's brother from Destiny,Ohio) is an ex-marine with PTSD and Tamra Day is a woman whose dysfunctional childhood stops her being able to form relationships. These personality problems mean a rocky start and the first part of the book seems a bit slow as these two damaged people have to really work on themselves as much as their relationship. Add to this the return of Fletcher McCloud's errant wife Kim which has been a subplot running through the series and is solved a tad too quickly. But Toni Blake knows how to bring a book home and the second part of the book is much more enjoyable satisfactorily tying up all the loose ends and giving us a glimpse of a Destiny reunion coming in the next book out later in 2016.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toni Blake is an author I’ve always wanted to read, but just haven’t had the chance to do so. When the opportunity came to participate in the blog tour for Take Me All the Way, I couldn’t say no. Take Me All the Way is the third book in her Coral Cave series. If you haven’t read the previous two books, it’s not necessary to do so in order to enjoy Take Me All the Way. Although I will warn you, there are some spoilers for the previous books, but not any that I consider huge spoilers.

We have good character development. Our heroine, Tamra Day is an artist / landscaper and she had a difficult childhood. She’s also very shy and takes the time to get to know a person before fully inviting them into her life. I liked her, but wished she was more confident with herself, but when she’s ready to give it her all, she really opens up. Then we have Jeremy Sheridan, a Veteran who just got back from a tour in Afghanistan. Jeremy is dealing with PTSD and trying to cope with the fact that he lost one of best friends to war and he’s living with survivors’ guilt. We have a handful of secondary characters that play a role including Tamra’s friends Christy, Cami, and Fletcher. I’ll be truthful here, Fletcher stole the show! I really liked him and his storyline.

I debated with the rating between a three and a four and in the end, decided on a three for two particular reasons. The first has to do with Fletcher and his story. I normally don’t mind secondary storylines, but when a secondary character’s story is far more interesting than the main, then there’s a problem. There was nothing wrong with the story itself, but Fletcher’s story really stole the show and I wanted more of it. Then there’s the whole love story between Tamra and Jeremy. We didn’t spend a lot of time with them in order for me to fully buy into the “I love you.” They spend the first half of the novel bickering and I wanted more of them together on dates and getting to know one another. Instead when they finally come to terms with their attraction, their moments together are for sexy time.

What I really liked about Take Me All the Way was that there wasn’t a huge misunderstanding as to why Tamra and Jeremy couldn’t be together. I really liked that both of them took the time to talk about their past and were open with one another when they were ready to talk. It’s rare to see a hero’s vulnerability and to experience his nightmares of war. I just really enjoyed their open communication once they were truthful about what they each wanted.

One little hang up was Jeremy’s homeless Veteran status and only because I work for a program that helps homeless Veterans get into housing. Personally, I wanted to refer him to agencies in Florida that assist. Overall, I liked Blake’s writing and I can’t wait to read the first two Coral Cave books. If you’re a fan of small town romances, I really think you’ll enjoy Toni Blake’s Take Me All the Way.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://ramblingsfromthischick.blogspo...
I wish I could give “Take Me All the Way” by Toni Blake a million stars. What a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful book! I’ve read Toni Blake before and after reading this story I now know that I need to read everything she writes. Even if she writes on a napkin, I want to read it. Needless to say I LOVED this book.

Where to start? First, any author that speaks about the effects on soldiers of war so eloquently and with such compassion has a gold start with me. Post-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSO) is very common in soldiers and Jeremy Sheridan is one of those soldiers. After having served in Afghanistan he still has a lot of guilt and remorse about not only the war but his actions and how they affected those around him. Jeremy is “shell shocked”, not to use the term loosely. He is drifting along and not really sure what to do with his life. He is homeless, jobless and aimless. When his close friend finally tells him he should find some stability he decides to travel to Coral Cove. When Jeremy arrives his life is pretty much the same until he meets Tamra Day.

Tamra was a fantastic heroine with a fantastic hero. Except, of course, they both hate each other, can’t figure each other out, are rude and sarcastic to each other, oh! And did I mention they work together. I absolutely loved their chemistry. They were so perfectly awful together and when they were around one another. Yet, they made perfect sense. Although Tamra isn’t a veteran she is also good at keep people at arm’s length and making sure she stays within her comfort zone. When Jeremy pushes her limits she does what she knows how to do best-she runs. Ironically, later on as the story progresses, Jeremy does some running of his own.

If I could physically place this book in everyone’s reader I would. Tamra and Jeremy are such sweet and wounded souls. They both recognize each other’s pain but can only heal when they are ready. Mixed with some beautiful chemistry, the secondary characters are a beautiful backdrop to previously told stories and the beautiful friendships that bind the characters together. It’s hard to pick one outstanding character, but I have a special place for Jeremy’s cat, especially since he is more of a dog person. Beautiful and heartwarming story! I will be reading more Toni Blake in my very near future!

[Kate Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Coral Cove novel, this story, focuses on Tamra Day, an escapee from a commune. She is an artist and has designed a mini-golf course for her adopted town of Coral Cove, Florida. She needs someone to take her designs on paper and make them real with wood and grass and landscaping. When Jeremy Sheridan, still battling PTSD from his time in Afghanistan and the death of his best friend, shows up, the owner of the local diner tells him about the opportunity for him to make some money.

All good, until he meets Tamra and her prickliness turns him off AFTER it turns him on. But he doesn't do relationships. Not anymore, that is, so what he feels for her has to be controlled, tamped down, killed. Right? Riigghht. See where this is going?

Tamra isn't innocent in this attraction gone wrong, either. She has good reason not to trust a man, but she also is just plain tired of not having any sex, so... one thing leads to another and she decides to give Jeremy a try, er, a ride, and it becomes the ride of her life--and his!

But when she utters words he's vowed he'll never say, the castles in the air she's been imagining crumble into the sea. How is Jeremy going to deal with how his new life? Everything seemed to finally be coming together despite the fact that a cat has adopted him and he's a dog man; at least as long as he was hanging with Tamra. But now he's not and he's miserable.

Read on see see the conclusion that might just work for both Tamra and Jeremy, and maybe some other characters, too.

[Kassiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars.

This review is also posted on Pretty Sassy Cool.

I have never read anything by Toni Blake before, but I really liked Take Me All the Way. Jeremy moved to Coral Cove after a harrowing tour in Afghanistan, where he meets and becomes employed (sort of) by Tamra. Neither of them are looking for any kind of relationship, but they can’t keep their minds off of each other. As their work continues to force them to spend time with each other, they can’t stop the sparks from flying. Will their pasts keep them from finding love?

I really liked Jeremy and his alpha male attitude. Tamra was okay. In a lot of ways, she was kind of condescending but I guess I understood it. I wish I had read the other books in the series because I enjoyed the other couples featured and wish that I knew them more. There’s some stuff that happens that I think has unnecessary drama, but I was happy with the way it was resolved, even if I wanted to yell at my kindle a few times. The pacing starts off pretty slow and the ending is a little bit rushed, but I think you’ll like this if you like stories where characters overcome their hurdles in life.

Take Me All the Way was a nice story with great characters, a sweet romance, and small town charm.

[Diane Sallans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book thru Goodreads First-Reads offer.
I really liked this book - I read the first two books in the series and this is my favorite.
It was nice to read Tamra's story (she appears a bit in the earlier books). Tamra is an artist who has had her own struggles as a child (this was a unique storyline - I appreciate that).
Then Jeremy Sheridan comes to the town of Coral Cove. He's an ex-Marine who fount in Afghanistan and has been struggling for a while with PTSD. He's looking for a place to start living again, but it takes him a while to find his way. Jeremy and Tamra have instant sparks which they both try to resist. I thought the description of Jeremy's struggle with his war experiences was very real and gives a glimpse of what it may be like.
I also enjoyed visiting with the characters from the earlier books and appreciated the additional storyline about Fletcher (who was in the earlier books) and what happens with him.

[Judy Flohr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take Me All The Way by Toni Blake is another emotional and sexy read in the Coral Cove series.

Tamra Day thought her world in Coral Cove was enough for her. Between her art, her friends and her special garden, she was content. Or so she thought until Jeremy Sheridan came to town. Jeremy gets under her skin and at first not in a good way. But they are forced to work on a town project together and this opens both of their eyes to the other.

Jeremy Sheridan is still dealing with some painful war memories. He moves to Coral Cove to get a fresh start. His new boss Tamra has to have everything her way and Jeremy is determined to lighten her up.

Will Tamra be able to help Jeremy overcome his many walls and fight for the love right in front of him?

The whole Coral Cove series is a delight and this one I think is my favorite. Besides Jeremy and Tamra’s wonderful romance, Fletcher McCloud finally finds some happiness. Toni Blake’s books are keepers for me.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet story about letting others get past the walls that have been erected to protect our hearts and about the power of love to help us overcome the trauma and pain of our pasts. Jeremy is living with a terrible secret that is eating him up inside and Tamra is a woman who has been soured on the thought of love based on her unconventional upbringing. Watching the two of them go from wanting to clobber each other to becoming lovers was a fun and sweet journey. It was fun to catch up a bit with the folks from Destiny Falls, OH as well. Lucky's book was my favorite of that series and he's a great guy for Jeremy to confide in. The side story about Fetcher felt a little unfinished to me. There was a lot of drama and then there wasn't and we didn't get to see the progression after the drama.

[Brandy Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I FEEL IN LOVE WITH JEREMY WHEN HE APPEARED IN THE DESTINY SERIES. I LOVE THAT HE GOT HIS OWN BOOK AND HIS HEA.
HE AND TAMRA BOTH TEND TO HIDE FROM OTHERS EMTIONALLY. BUT TOGETHER THEY KNOCK THISE WALLS DOWN. THIS BOOK SHOWS THAT EVEN WHEN WE ARE AFRAID OF LETTING PEOPLE IN THAT ITS BRAVER TO FACE THOSE FEARS AND HEAL THEN TO HIDE OURSELVES AWAY FROM THE WORLD AND POTENTIALLY MISSING OUT ON SOMETHING WONDERFUL.
ON A SIDE NOTE I AM SO HAPPY FLETCHER GOT TO HAVE A HEA EVER AFTER AS WELL AND WITH SOMEONE OTHER THAN HIS ABSENTEE WIFE. I LOVE HIS NEW LOVE INTEREST BETTER THEN I LIKED HIS WIFE.
BRAVO. NOT SURE IF THERE WILL BE ANYMORE CORAL COVE BOOKS BUT I HOPE TO READ SOME MORE ON THIS AWESOME TOWN AND ITS PEOPLE

[Traci Westling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic coral cove story that I couldn't get enough of! If not for Christmas prep & not feeling well I would have finished much sooner! This was a great story about Jeremy & Tamra meeting & then addressing issues and or fears that they both have . I loved their chemistry ! I found the story behind Jeremy's military experience to be interesting & was glad to see that subject matter addressed. As usual Toni's books are filled with so much passion & heat! It was great to see the direction Fletcher's story went as well since meeting him earlier in the series ! Thanks for another wonderful read Toni & what a wonderful epilogue to have read at this particular time of year!