The Dawn Of A Dream by Ann Shorey ~ review

From the Back Cover:


Her dream is within her grasp--but can she leave her past behind?
Luellen O'Connell is stunned when her husband of just one month tells her he is leaving--and his reason devastates her. Deeply wounded by his betrayal, Luellen decides to follow her dream to become a teacher, a desire she had set aside when she married. But can she truly hide her past? Or will it destroy her ambitions forever?
A moving story of tenacity and perseverance, The Dawn of a Dream will inspire you to discover and follow your own dreams.

My take on this book

"The Dawn Of A Dream" takes place in Beldon Grove Illinois in 1857.Luellen O'Connell had always dreamed of becoming a teacher and had already been accepted to Allenwood Normal School for the fall term, when instead she ran off and eloped with Brendan, someone whom she had known for a short time. On their one month anniversary in August Brendan informs her that he is returning to Chicago, and that she can't come with him, because he already has a wife waiting for him there. Turns out the only reason he married Luellen was so that he could have someone to share a bed with while he worked in her area. Knowing that she doesn't want to return to her parents home, she decides to file for a divorce and pursue her dream of teaching. With many obstacles in her way, will she be able to achieve her dream?

While this is the third book in the Beldon Grove series it can easily be read as a stand alone work, I hadn't read the first two books in the series but had no problems jumping right into this story. Luellen was a character that was very easy to relate to, she seemed very realistic, she even wore eyeglasses When Brendan so easily tells her of his betrayal my heart broke for her. Deciding to divorce and get on with her life by going on to school, showed just how strong she really was. I enjoyed learning about college during that time period.
I love reading historical fiction and this one certainly didn't disappoint, with a few interesting topics that we don't normally see during this time period. There are a few plot twists that kept me interested. There is an inspirational message woven into the story, but the story doesn't come off as preachy, instead I felt like it was inspiring. Because I enjoyed this story so well, I intend to go back and read the first two books in the series.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Available April 2011 from your favorite seller of Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.