Beautiful Dreamer by Melissa Brayden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’d go 4.5 on this one but rounding up because I couldn’t stop smiling at the end.
I’ve been hit and miss with Ms. Brayden’s books but have figured out that I’m a sucker for her stand-alones but not so much of a fan of the ensemble series books. I’ve always had a tough time with reading any series so it’s not a big shock for me.
Beautiful Dreamer was perfect for me in many ways: lots of humor, great chemistry, family issues that aren’t completely resolved (because that’s how family works), and a happy ending that didn’t just happen but took some time. I also seem to be a fan of the “woman returns to small town home after being away for many years, only to discover love and happiness in the place she ran from” trope. While reading Beautiful Dreamer, I had a burning desire to reread Behind the Pine Curtain and caught myself thinking of other favorites that have the same premise. Didn’t Strawberry Summer have the “woman returns” thing happening too? Just checked and it did. I loved that book. Yep, it’s official. I’m a second chance/come-on-home romance sort of woman.
Now I’ll patiently wait for the next stand-alone from one of the best sweet romance writers around.
Thanks to NetGalley and BSB for the ARC!