Book Reviews

Book Review: Somewhere to Dream

Media Type: Ebook
Title: Somewhere to Dream
Author: Genevieve Graham
Publisher: Berkley Press
Pages: Paperback, 336 pages
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Source: Author
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Genre: Historical Romance

HDB Rating: 4 Keys to My Heart

Recommended to: Readers who love well-written romance set against sweeping historical backdrops.

Add it on: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / B&N

From Genevieve Graham, author of Sound of the Heart, comes the tale of two strangers living with the Cherokee—one with a warrior’s heart; the other with deadly dreams…

The Cherokee call her Shadow Girl. A white woman adopted by Indians, Adelaide is haunted by the dark dreams she hides—of her murdered family, of the men she fears, and most of all, of the ones that foretell the future. After her visions cause her to make a terrible mistake, she renounces her power and buries her dreams deep in her soul.

Until Jesse Black is captured by the tribe. His life is spared because the Cherokee believe his warrior spirit belongs to their fallen brother. Though he hates all Indians, Adelaide illuminates their way of life for him, just as he shines light into her shadowed heart. But when her dreams return, Jesse must help her face them…or die trying…

Since I never got around to reading Genevieve Graham’s first novel, Under the Same Sky, I went into this book unfamiliar with Adelaide and Maggie’s back story. They don’t appear in the second book, which I did read. It’s true that it didn’t matter after a while, but it did make reading the beginning of this a bit tougher. I was forced to simply accept the situation of these two women, and move on from there. Point being, if you are thinking about starting this series? Start at the beginning! It’s worth it.

Soon, however, an achingly beautiful story began to unfold on the pages in front of me. Adelaide’s story is full of tragedy. Adopted by the Cherokee, and alone after her sister is married off, Adelaide can’t seem to adapt. She has a gift that, although accepted by her new family, she sees as more of a curse. Adelaide can see the future in her dreams but it isn’t always clear. It’s that grey area, the part that’s unclear, that tends to cause her heartache. I’d love to be more specific, but really this is something you need to discover as you read.

Enter my favorite character, Jessie. Quite the man. Captured by the Indians, he’s a spitfire with a heart of gold. I couldn’t help but fall for him and I desperately hoped that Adelaide would too. As the story progressed, and these two learned more about one another, my heart was really lost to this book. Genevieve Graham has a knack for writing characters that feel so real, you’ll be utterly invested in them.

At the heart of this tale are themes of growth, love, and acceptance. Both Jessie and Adelaide grow so much throughout the course of the novel. By the time the ending arrived, I couldn’t help but sigh out loud. Somewhere to Dream shows that love can grow out of the toughest of circumstances, and has the power to change the hearts of the people it touches. If you haven’t already started this series, I highly recommend it! Genvieve Graham remains one of the only historical fiction authors I will read, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.


 

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.