Noela Nancarrow Reviews Forsaken Dreams by MaryLu Tyndall

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!