Colonel Blake Wallace has seen enough
death to last a lifetime. Weary and disillusioned, he slumps beneath the weight
of defeat and loss. With his entire family murdered by the North and his name
appearing on a list of officers wanted for war crimes, Blake organizes a
shipload of southerners who, like him, long to escape the horrors of war and
start a new life in a verdant land called Brazil.
Eliza Crawford can barely remember the
days of her youth spent in opulence and comfort at her Georgian home. She can’t
help but wonder how different her life would be had she not met her late
husband, Stanton Watts, a general in the Northern army. Now a war widow, Eliza
is rejected by both North and South. Desperate to keep her marriage a secret
and escape her past and pain, she hopes to start over again in Brazil.
But once the voyage begins, troubles
abound. Dangers at sea and enemies from within threaten to keep Blake and Eliza
from the new life—and love—they long for.
I'm
not a fan of high-seas adventures nor South America as a setting, so it is a
tribute to MaryLu's characterization, storytelling, and enthusiasm that I
enjoyed Forsaken Dreams so much. The series is based on historical events of
Southerners who moved to Brazil after the Civil War, who had nothing left for
them at home and hoped to start fresh in a paradise-like environment. . . . As
Eliza says to Blake, a place where you can "work hard, reap the fruit of
your labors, raise children, and live in peace. Peace from others lording it
over you, peace from oppression and hatred."
One
of this book's strengths is its rich characterization, a colorful ensemble cast
of people with a past they'd like to forget. Blake and Eliza are a good,
self-sacrificing couple and make endearing lead characters. Fascinating secondary characters add much
depth to this story - a doctor who can't stand the sight of blood, a con man
who is almost likeable, a freed slave who is shunned by many of the passengers,
and a spoiled southern belle who somewhat redeems herself. I am eager to see
how MaryLu develops these characters and others as their pasts and motives are
slowly revealed.
Spiritual
themes are well developed in this story. After all he had experienced in the
war, Blake "decided that either God did not exist or He simply didn't care
about the affairs of men." Eliza has grown a lot since her years of
youthful rebellion, but she struggles as she faces its consequences and lasting
effects. I enjoyed seeing Eliza's sacrificial care of passengers who hated her,
and the prayer meeting in the hold of the ship was a highlight.
Since
I love cats, I can't fail to mention how much I liked the presence of the
little stowaway cat, appropriately named "Stowy."
Forsaken Dreams reaches a satisfying conclusion, but
many storylines will be continued in the next book, Elusive Hope, which releases November 2013.
From
characterization and plot, to setting and adventure, this is an enjoyable read
and I am eager for the next book to be released. Recommended to all fans of
inspirational fiction.
MaryLu Tyndall
MaryLu gives some insight about this series on her website . . .
Q: What inspired the storyline for your new
series?
A: History. Nearly three million Southerners
migrated from the devastation of the South following the Civil War. Close to twenty
thousand of them went to Brazil where the Emperor welcomed them with open arms,
the farm land was plentiful, and the temperate climate mimicked their own
weather back home. Though most ended up returning home, several thousand
remained, and their descendants still live there today.
A: Escape to Paradise is like nothing I’ve ever
written before. The six main characters, the hero and heroine in each book,
have a huge presence in each of the three books, so by the end of the series,
the reader will know them all really well, as well as several of the secondary
characters. Secondly, and more importantly, this series contains a lot of
supernatural elements—curses, angels, visions, demonic battles—which I have not
put in any of my other books.
A: An exotic locale, powerful secrets held by
each character, a strong spiritual theme that runs through all three books,
cannibals, evil temples, visions, angels, demons, prophecies, and a
supernatural battle. Doesn’t sound like romance novels, does it? Yet, readers
can still expect to find all the adventure and romance they normally enjoy from
one of my books.
*
* * * * * * * * * * * *
To
learn more about MaryLu and her books, visit her website at marylutyndall.com.
Another enjoyable resource is her blog, crossandcutlass.blogspot.com.
This book was
provided by MaryLu Tyndall and BookFun.org in exchange for my honest review.
I have read several of MaryLu's books and I've enjoyed them all. Unlike you, Carole, I do enjoy a ship voyage theme as well as a South American theme. That she is including the darker side of that continent is going to be something quite different from other books of this ilk. It will definitely be on my wish list. Kim
ReplyDeleteKim, I think I can enjoy almost any theme and setting as long as the characterization and plot is strong, which is the case here. I suspect you will enjoy it very much. As always, I appreciate the way you support my reviews!
ReplyDeleteWhen I got this book I was hoping the storyline would be as good as the cover. I was delighted to find that I loved both!!
ReplyDeleteCindi, I think that sometimes a book's cover promises more than is delivered, but that certainly wasn't the case with MaryLu's book. I broke my rule of not starting a book until the whole series is released, so I can't wait to continue with these characters. Thanks for commenting, Cindi.
ReplyDelete