Dreamland by Nicholas Sparks

• Title: Dreamland
• Author: Nicholas Sparks
• Genre: Romance
• Takes Place: Florida & North Carolina
• Main Character: Colby & Beverly
• Other Characters: Morgan, Tommie, Page
• Stars: 4

Review:

Two Journey’s, two hearts, two different stories to tell with an ending that I didn’t see coming. And since it is Nicholas Sparks I wasn’t surprised that there were tears at the end.

I have read all of Nicholas Sparks books and this one was different than any of his others. It follows two different stories throughout the book.

First there is Colby, a wanna be musician who was raised by his Aunt & Uncle and his sister, who is 6 years older than him. His mom died when he was 5 so he and his sister went to live with his aunt and uncle, who didn’t have kids and really wasn’t sure how to deal with kids. Most of his raising was done by his sister so they were very close. His sister got married young and moved away. Then Colby’s world was turned upside down when his uncle died. He found out his aunt and uncle’s farm was going under and they were deeply in debt. He helped his aunt turn that around and stayed to help her run her farm. Through circumstances out of her control, his sister also moves back to the farm.

Colby seriuosly needed a break from the farm and his aunt and sister convinced him he should go to Florida for a few weeks and take a short term job playing and singing at a bar. Then he meets Morgan. Morgan is 21 and has dreams of moving to Nashville to become another Taylor Swift. She just finished college so this Florida trip is a celebration of sorts before she moves to Nashville to hopefully make her dreams come true. Colby and Morgan have music in common so they bond and there is a story there to be told.

Now Colby has a big decision to make and he struggles with this until a tragedy happens and his world is rocked upside down once again.

Then there is Beverly’s story. She is mom of a 6 year old boy who is running from her abusive husband. She takes several buses and rides from people until she decides to settle in a town far away where hopefully her husband won’t find her. She sees danger around every corner and will do anything to protect her child.

All through the book, I felt like I was reading two books instead of one and I kept wondering how these stories could be related in any way. I actually had a hard time finishing and was hoping it would end soon so it all made sense.

It all came together in a way that I didn’t expect. It took me on a roller coaster ride till the end and it all made sense.

This wasn’t my favorite book by this author but I did like it and I am very glad a read it. I gave it 4 stars because I found the first of it a bit slow and wondered if I should just quit reading but I am so glad I didn’t give up.

Don’t give up. Read it to the end, you will be glad you did. Have your tissues ready for the ending.

“Hold on to Dreamland
Forever, not just today
Someday Dreamland will be ours
Hold fast, don’t fall away”