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14 March 2013

Noela Nancarrow Reviews Forsaken Dreams by MaryLu Tyndall

Barbour Publishing, 2013


Reviewed By Noela Nancarrow
~5 stars*****

Forsaken Dreams is yet another masterfully written and engaging story by MaryLu Tyndall that will sweep you off your feet and plunge you into an exciting sea-faring voyage full of danger, mystery, romance, and faith! Exceptionally written with such crisp and dramatic visualizations, you’ll need to get your passports in order!

A relatively small brig called the New Hope, is about to embark on a perilous and arduous journey to deliver its passengers to Brazil. It is the hope and anticipation of this group of people from the South that they may begin their lives afresh with the promise of wealth in a land of plenty, after the unspeakable horrors of the Civil war which had devastated their lives.

But will they reach their destination? Ferocious storms plague their journey causing churning waves to explode upon and pound the ship mercilessly, while the crew struggle for control and their very lives. Many of those travelling have terrible and burdensome secrets that are in danger of being exposed and creating even more turmoil upon this ill-fated ship. Additionally, the Captain’s instruments are either being broken or mysteriously disappearing. There is a foreboding evil that seems to shadow this ship and its voyage, but what or who is causing this darkness to pursue them?

Colonel Blake Wallace, a decorated war hero of the South, has organized this group of Southerners to sail with him to begin the new community. He loathes all things Northern for he lost his family, his home, his land, and continues to suffer from a war injury. Blake had inflicted much damage on the enemy and rose to the rank of Colonel within just a year, thereby ensuring the appearance of his name on the Union’s most-wanted list for war crimes.

Eliza Crawford grew up in the South but married a Yankee general. A war widow at 19, she is rejected and shunned by both the North and South. Keeping the particulars of her husband concealed, she desperately needs a new start where she can allow herself to have hope, and dreams, once more.

Will Blake, Eliza, and the various other intriguing passengers aboard the New Hope, find the peace, hope, and love, they long for? Or will their dreams be forever forsaken?

This phenomenal story will have your eyes flying over the pages with its fast-paced action and your pulse galloping as you hold your breath in anticipation. It will have you aching for the characters to have their dreams realized and will easily provoke you to dissolve in a flood of tears. But you will also rejoice in faith, soar in hope, and your heart completely captured with the intensity of love expressed in this dramatic and powerfully emotive tale!

I am eagerly waiting for Book Two in this series… and keeping the passport updated!

*An electronic copy of this book was given to me from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion.*

This book may be purchased through Amazon, CBD
, and your local bookstores.

Giveaway: A copy will be given away this week--leave a comment and email address. 



Question: What do you imagine your Utopia would be like? Apart from Heaven of course!


71 comments:

  1. NOELA wonderful review of an exciting book I can't wait until the next one is out! :)

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    1. I forgot to add what Utopia would be for me...anywhere QUIET where I could relax and read, read, read. A nice tropical island would be good, but I am a little spoiled to air-conditioning so I would want that too. lol

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    2. Or maybe a constant lovely cool tropical breeze, might as well go all natural if we're dreaming right? lol! I do like your idea of Utopia, might just have to join you!!

      Can hardly wait for the next one either TERESA!! :)

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    3. Thank you so much, Noela!! What a great review. I'm thrilled you enjoyed the story! I'm with you both.. a secluded beach with a nice tropical breeze...some turquoise water, waving palms, white sands... ah.. sounds like heaven!

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    4. It truly was such a fantastic story MARYLU!! And it'd be a perfect book to read on our secluded tropical island!! :)

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  2. Your review definitely makes me want to read the book even more!!! I have had it on my wish list for a while! I must admit that I hope I win!

    Hmmm my Utopia would be at the beach with a Christian bookstore that allowed me to get one free book every time I went in! :)

    sylvesternator@yahoo.com

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    1. LAURA Noela always does a fantastic job on her reviews. Good luck on winning.

      I like your idea of Utopia, wish I had thought of that one! lol

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    2. Thanks LAURA, I just love hearing that my reviews can help make people want to read these wonderful stories even more so!!! :)

      And like TERESA, I looove your Utopia idea LAURA, gotta have those free books if were going to spend so much time reading on the beach! :)

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  3. yes i have a goodreads account I think this is what you want

    http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1765146-abi

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  4. oops I left above comment on wrong post sorry.
    my utopia would be a nice sunny cottage on a beach in Hawaii

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    1. APPLE BLOSSOM thanks for sharing your Good Reads info. I love your idea of UTOPIA too, might even run into the gang of Hawaii Five O! ;)

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    2. LOVE your idea of Utopia too APPLE BLOSSUM and TERESA'S idea too of running into the Hawaii Five O gang!!

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  5. NOELA WILL BE ON IN A LITTLE WHILE IT'S STILL EARLY IN AUSTRALIA.

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  6. Here I am again.. just wanted to say thanks so much for taking the time to read and review my book! I had a ton of fun with all the quirky characters and personalities.. plus the fascinating true history! (I actually got some ideas from a journal of a man who traveled to Brazil on a ship at the time!) Also I love to torture my characters too.. as you can see... but love and God win in the end!
    Thanks so much again!!! Hugs and Blessings!

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    1. LOL MARYLU, yes I can see how you love to torture your characters haha (and your readers lol), but we know it will work out in the end, God and love are a winning combination!! ;)
      How fascinating that you were able to read a journal of a man who actually travelled to Brazil on a ship AT that time... that would be sooo interesting!!
      Love you and love your books!!

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  7. Noela. thanks for the review. I have no wish to go across the ocean, It would be too scary to me to be on the big wide ocean that long. I would be thinking of the Titanic, or the Cruise ships that have been stranded way from any land in the past few years. And, tho there are many places it would be interesting to see, I would just choose to stay right here in Texas. I did love the beauty of Colorado, Montana, and especially the area of Wyo. where I lived for 6 years, my place now is here with my family. I was some younger when living in Jackson, Wyo, and loved the beauty of the Wonderful TETONS and lakes, Also, that was my hunting seasons of my life I enjoyed it a lot, but the winters were really long. But, here the hot weather is way too long. That's just life. I wouldn't mind a place like the part of WY. where I lived in the summers. ( several days in the high 70s was a heat wave to the old timers. And I had just left this part of TX, where was in the 100s alot. I really want to win MaryLu's book, to read a part of my history that I was unaware of.
    Maxie mac262(at)me(dot)com

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    1. Thanks for sharing MAXIE, I sure hope you get to win this book or read it, it's just brilliant!

      You would probably want to travel overseas by ship even less after reading Forsaken Dreams, lol! From what I know Texas is a beautiful place so I'm sure you'd find a perfect spot right there, you might just need to have an aircon in your Utopia! :)

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  8. OH. MY. GOODNESS!! I JUST finished Forsaken Dreams not two minutes ago and am sooooo homesick for the book and the characters that I am tempted to read it again!!

    WOW!! This is HANDS-DOWN, MaryLu's BEST book ever, which is a HUGE compliment since I absolutely LOVED all the others!! Never have I seen an author pull off this man characters in a first novel in a series before and MaryLu MASTERS it with a story that steals your breath over and over and over again!!

    When MaryLu says she likes to "torture" her characters, the woman is speaking the God's truth, and in a small, wonderful way, she thereby tortures her readers too -- keeping them up late, late at night, obsessed over characters like I was last night. I had to take half a Wal-Mart sleep aid to get to sleep and my husband blamed MaryLU!! ;)

    Noela, you nailed it when you said, "This phenomenal story will have your eyes flying over the pages with its fast-paced action and your pulse galloping as you hold your breath in anticipation."

    I don't expect my pulse to slow down for a while now. :)

    FABULOUS BOOK, FABULOUS REVIEW!!

    Hugs,
    Julie

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    1. WOW, how good was the timing then for my review JULIE, lol!! :) Thanks SO much, and that was definitely writing from experience when I wrote about my eyes flying over the pages!!

      How funny to hear you say you want to read it again, because while thinking about this story this morning, I'm wanting to go grab it and read it again as well! AND my husband blames MARYLU also, not for the lack of sleep but for crying too much!! He reckons he's going to send her a bill for tissues, lol!

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    2. And oh, JULIE! According to MARYLU we have some real adventures awaiting us in Brazil...that will make this adventure on the ship seem like kid's play. Better stock up on the Wal-Mart sleep aids! lol

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    3. Good grief! I don't want to be responsible for an outbreak of insomnia!! LOL. Please tell your husbands it's not my fault!! But honestly, thank you all so much for your kind words!! Julie you always make me feel like I'm flying on the clouds with your praise!! Which means so much to me cause I simply adore your books.. hands down the best on the market!! Love you all.. I'm heading out to hang with hubby for the evening... Hugs..

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    4. JULIE now you know how we feel when we read one of your books!! lol I guess it's a good thing there is a little space between your new one and MaryLu's or I wouldn't get any sleep at all!! I would have to borrow one of your Wal-Mart sleep aids! lol

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    5. Rest assured MARYLU, our husbands only think good things about you... after all, you do make their wives really happy with your stories!!! Uhh that is except for those bits you torture us with! lol ;)

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  9. Love, love, love this review AND this book! My Utopia would easily be on a beach somewhere in the Caribbean, white sands and a perfect breeze...not too cool nor too hot. No work to do at all...just read and nap all day on the beach and go to exotic restaurants with hubby at night. And not being sick the whole time I'm there!

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    1. Thanks DIANA!! Love this book and your review the same! :) Oh I agree, there definitely couldn't be any sickness in your Utopia or it just wouldn't be the same! Sounds wonderful, including the exotic restaurants... all free food of course? And cooked by someone else, love it! ;)

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  10. I can't wait to get this book. Hope I win it.
    Shirley Culpepper bluebell5071@yahoo.com

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    1. Thanks for stopping by SHIRLEY! It's definitely a keeper of a book to have.

      We would love to hear your thoughts on your Utopia!! :)

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  11. Hmm, my utopia would have to include historical romance novels...many times my husband, our four children and myself will curl up in the living room with blankets, tea and books and enjoy togetherness in our own little quiet worlds. I enjoy those nights!
    Thank you for the opportunity to win MaryLu's latest release!
    karen@fallotfam.com

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    1. You're welcome KAREN, I wish you all the best in the draw!!

      That truly sounds like a wonderful idea Karen. Sometimes we're so busy these days, that those sort of times become such a treat! I'm loving your choice of historical romances, my favourite also, and tea! :)

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  12. My Utopia would be an island getaway, void of internet; cellphones; landlines and nosy neighbours! THEN.... a bookshelf, at least 10m wide by 2m high,because I am short, that just automatically fills up with all the new books from all the inspired authors. THEN ..... a really comfortable sofa, that has cushions on all the right spots and the cosiest duvet. THEN.... tasty, healthy snacks that arrive three times a day and enough REALLY good coffee and refreshing fruit teas to last throughout the pages. THEN....... a self replenishing tissue box. THEN ..... time and more time and even more time, to just laze and read and digest and allow the spirit filled words on each page, to restore and rectify and edify, exactly the way the Lord intended each novel to!!! Lots of lover, Donene

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    1. Whoops DONENE, your reply is just a little further down!

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  13. Right where I am ~*~ Having all my TBRs read!
    Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House
    lanehillhouse[at]centurylink[dot]net

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    1. Thanks for stopping by KATHLEEN! Sounds like your in a good place! :) Except for getting your TBR pile read. And that I can definitely relate to!! I would so love to get caught up too!!
      Is Forsaken Dreams in your TBR pile or have you read it already? Let us know what you think if you've read it!

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    2. Hi Noela, No, I would love a copy of Forsaken Dreams! Kathleen

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    3. Well here's hoping for a win for you! :) God bless!

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  14. LOL, DONENE, I love how you've specified the bookshelves for your height! But why not, it's your Utopia!! :) Some great ideas there too, esp the replenishing tissue boxes... that'd be definitely needed where MaryLu's books are concerned! Restore, rectify, and edify... I love that!! That's exactly what these amazing books can do!

    WE NEED YOUR EMAIL DONENE, TO ENTER YOU IN THE COMP!

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  15. Noela, Your review is a beaut!

    Hmmmm....Utopia, huh? Perhaps endless hours in a day to read and still get everything accomplished :) I'm pretty content with where the Lord has me, otherwise I wouldn't be who I am today.

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    1. Why thank you ANNE! :)

      I know what you mean about being content 'where you are' in life. Maybe I should word it to be an Utopian holiday?? Lol! That'd be pretty sweet wouldn't it... still get to do what we love, but to be able to enjoy a great time of refreshing in a perfect place as well?! With endless hours! ;)

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    2. Oh yeah! I'll go for the Utopian Holiday in a heartbeat. Some place tropical and warm and quiet! Must have quiet to read :-)

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  16. There's nothing like going on an voyage with MaryLu! And this is one I'd like to hop aboard. I fell in love with this book the first time I saw the blurb on her website! I'd LOVE to have my name in the hat. My email is lr. mullin at live. com.

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    1. As to my utopia... I wrote that up somewhere before. It's pretty much heaven. :)

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    2. It's a voyage and a half LINETTE, and one you'll remember forever!! Your name will be added to the proverbial hat. Thanks for stopping by OWG!

      Heaven's definitely the ultimate Utopia... and one we will actually get to see one day!! :)

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  17. Living in a log cabin on a mountain top overlooking the ocean!

    Thanks for the opportunity to win the book.

    bonnieroof60@yahoo.com



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    1. BONNIE now why didn't I think of that? I love the Beach and the Mountains, can I come visit you? lol Thanks for dropping. :)

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  18. Utopia would be a nice quiet place with MaryLu's books (and Julie L.'s) with a feel good day (no pain!
    Count me in the draw for MaryLu's book, please!!
    Thanks!
    jackie.smith[at]dishmail[dot]net

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    1. Will do JACKIE!!

      I agree, it's definitely Utopia where MaryLu and Julie's books are! Praying you find that quiet place, free of pain to enjoy MaryLu's new book! :)

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  19. Just waking up here in Northern California.. coffee (honey and cream added) in hand, And I wanted to say how fun it is to read everyone's idea of Utopia! Just from the descriptions,it seems we have a lot of tired women here who could really use a break!! LOL. Myself included. Maybe someday I'll join you all on that deserted island with every luxury imaginable. Wouldn't that be fun?
    Thanks so much for your interest in my books! Hugs... MaryLu

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    1. Thanks for stopping by again MARYLU with your morning coffee and reading about everyone's Utopia! There's going to have to be quite a few treasure chests of books on this island from what I hear everyone's saying!! :)
      Definitely would be fun for us all to get together MaryLu... lol, esp with every luxury imaginable!! :)

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    2. A deserted island with every unimaginable luxury, MARYLU? I'm afraid I'm going to have "Forsaken Dreams" wishing for that one! ;)

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  20. Great review! I am loving all of these comments. I do believe that MaryLu hit a home run with this book!
    Utopia for me would be a place where I no longer have to worry about my children making stupid mistakes....I guess that would be Heaven, eh? :)

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    1. DEBBIE, lol! That would be nice, wouldn't it? Not having to worry about ANYTHING would be nice! Always a pleasure seeing you here, DEBBIE. :)

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  21. My Utopia would be 2 weeks at a spa. After taking care of my mom who had Alzheimer's for 3 years I could use a break.
    Thanks for the giveaway.
    Janet E.
    von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. JANET, I'm terribly sorry about your mom and know how extremely difficult that must be for you. If anyone deserves 2 weeks at the spa you certainly do! I hope you do get a nice vacay soon and also a copy of MaryLu's great book! Blessings~

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  22. Wow can't wait to read this book! Would love to win!
    Lisa
    deiselbuffs@yahoo.ca

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    1. Hi, LISA! I hope you are able to get a copy in your hands ASAP! Do you have an answer to the question NOELA posed above in red? :)

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  23. So looking forward to reading this book after all of these great reviews!

    Utopia would be like spring time in the South weather wise of course. it could be 70 and sunnny all the time and I would be happy=)

    pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. You will so enjoy it PATTY!! Don't know that our reviews even do it justice! :)

      Patty you sound like an easy to please gal! There is something about Springtime though isn't there?!! :)

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  24. I'd love to live on the beach with temps always low '70s. I'd have my family near me and a job I love. I'm so excited to read this!shopgirl152nykiki(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Hi VERONICA, it's always exciting to read a book of MaryLu's, and this one is NO exception!! You'll love it!

      Thanks for sharing about your Utopia! I love how so many people would love a beach in their perfect world. I love the mountains also, so I'd want some mountains behind the beach as well! :)

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  25. Oh, I'm going to show a very unspiritual side of me and its mainly based on 6 weeks of gallon pinto.. My utopia would be to have a circle of girlfriends relaxing with their reading, surrounded by our favorite foods of PF Changs, Olive Garden soup and salad, Rocky Road candy and unsweet tea! Laughing, reading, eating, laughing, changing our panty pads...

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    1. LOL LOL, thanks for the laugh MELODY!! Strangely, that sounds fun! Can we all join ya?!!

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  26. I will keep this one sweet and simple--mine would be somewhere warm and tropical, with lots of my friends & lots of time to read all my tall toppling tower of TBR books! ;-)
    Vicki OWG
    vmarney(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. Hi VICKI! Yes wouldn't it be fantastic to have the time to catch up on our TBR piles... I always feel like there's so much good stuff I'm missing out on!! :) Sure you haven't seen the perfect location in your travels?? :)

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  27. Great review! I loved Teresa's review. I am in the middle if reading Forsaken Dreams and loving it. It is fighting to be my favorite over Veil of Pearls. Not sure which one will win : )

    My utopia would be having time to spend with family and friends relaxing and helping others...reading under a weeping Willow tree with a stream babbling over some rocks & my family & friends to be saved that I have been praying for!

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    1. Thank you JOHNETTE! It's a fabulous story isn't it?! And I agree, a hard pick out of those two. I think I cried more with Veil of Pearls, but I'm still not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing!! ;)

      That's a great picture you've painted with the vision of your Utopia. I think we'd all agree how wonderful that would be!

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  28. Opps forgot... My utopia is a sunny day on the beach with my kids! :)
    Lisa
    deiselbuffs@yahoo.ca

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  29. Great review! My utopia would be my Grandfather's house in Puerto Rico. Lovely view!

    Please enter me in the giveaway.

    aizess@christianbookreviewblog.com

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    1. I've heard PR is gorgeous, AIZESS! I have a friend who grew up there and he paints lovely pictures from his childhood memories.

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