By: Nicholas Sparks
ISBN: 978-0593449554
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: 09/20/2022
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wish comes a poignant love story about risking everything for a dream—and whether it’s possible to leave the past behind.
Colby Mills once felt destined for a musical career, until tragedy grounded his aspirations. Now the head of a small family farm in North Carolina, he spontaneously takes a gig playing at a bar in St. Pete’s Beach, Florida, seeking a rare break from his duties at home.
But when he meets Morgan Lee, his world is turned upside-down, making him wonder if the responsibilities he has shouldered need dictate his life forever. The daughter of affluent Chicago doctors, Morgan has graduated from a prestigious college music program with the ambition to move to Nashville and become a star. Romantically and musically, she and Colby complete each other in a way that neither has ever known.
While they are falling headlong in love, Beverly is on a heart-pounding journey of another kind. Fleeing an abusive husband with her six-year-old son, she is trying to piece together a life for them in a small town far off the beaten track. With money running out and danger seemingly around every corner, she makes a desperate decision that will rewrite everything she knows to be true.
In the course of a single unforgettable week, two young people will navigate the exhilarating heights and heartbreak of first love. Hundreds of miles away, Beverly will put her love for her young son to the test. And fate will draw all three people together in a web of life-altering connections . . . forcing each to wonder whether the dream of a better life can ever survive the weight of the past.
My Review
North Carolina storyteller Nicholas Sparks returns with a poignant love story about risking everything for a dream—and whether it’s possible to leave the past behind. DREAMLAND —is an emotional story of family, loss, and love.
North Carolina Colby Mills put his dreams on hold to run his family's dairy farm, giving up his musical career. When he gets the chance to play a gig at a bar in St. Pete Beach on the Gulf Coast of Florida for a few weeks, his family urges him to go.
He enjoys his laid-back time on the beach doing what he loves best - MUSIC and meets Morgan Lee from Chicago, whose life is the opposite of Colby's. She has everything at her fingertips, from talent, money, family, and education. Most of all, she is pursuing her dream of music.
Even though the two are opposites, they bond over their love of music. Colby is not jealous of her opportunities but encourages her. He writes music and is talented, and Morgan sees this in him. They fall in love. She wants him to go to Nashville with her.
However, Colby knows this romantic fling cannot last because he is called back to the farm with family obligations and an emergency. How will the two be able to develop an ongoing relationship from a distance? Can they make it work?
In another parallel story (the author does a sly flip twist here) A woman, Beverly on the run from her abusive husband with her son. Her money and time are running out, and she is desperate.
How do these storylines connect? Fate will bring them together in an unforgettable story.
You have to feel for Colby with the world's weight on his shoulders but still with a great attitude. I liked his character.
I have read all Nicholas Sparks novels and am a fan; however, this was not my favorite. I am not a fan of country music, but this novel reads like a country music song for some reason.
An NC native and have resided in Florida for over 20 years (east coast), I always enjoy the gulf coast and The Don Cesar, St. John's Pass, Indian Rock Beach, cycling, etc and nice to re-visit in a book.
Sure, NS fans will enjoy this one, but for me, I kept waiting for something else to happen. However, will continue to pick up his books in the future.
Thank you, #RandomHouse and #NetGalley, for an ARC to read, enjoy, and review.
@JudithDColins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Sept 20, 2022
My Rating: 4 Stars
About the Author
Nicholas Sparks is the author of twenty-three books, all of which have been New York Times bestsellers. His books have been published across more than fifty languages with over 150 million copies sold worldwide, and eleven have been adapted into films. He is also the founder of the Nicholas Sparks Foundation, a nonprofit committed to improving cultural and international understanding through global education experiences. He lives in North Carolina. WEBSITE
