Teresa Mathews Reviews Forsaken Dreams by MaryLu Tyndall

Forsaken Dreams by MaryLu Tyndall
Barbour Publishing  

Reviewed by Teresa Mathews

5 Stars*****

Come Along to Paradise. 

Utopia, have you ever dreamed of such a place? A place where there is no war, no hatred, no prejudice, a place where you can leave your past behind and start your life anew. If so, then come along with MaryLu Tyndall in her latest series, Forsaken Dreams; Escape To Paradise; Book One. 

The year is 1866 and the United States is just beginning to rebuild after the horrific Civil War. The Yankees are still in full force in the South and there is vast devastation everywhere you look. Southerners are longing for the days of prosperity  and wealth that once defined them, so when Colonel Blake Wallace organizes an expedition to Brazil, a land of new beginnings, he has no trouble finding people eager to go with him looking to start their lives anew. People like Confederate army nurse Eliza Crawford, James Callaway, former army doctor turned Baptist minister along with a vast mixture of people from all walks of life, carpenters, farmers, plantation owners and even former slaves each and every one of them is seeking a new start in life.        

Colonel Blake Wallace is a man haunted by the specters of war, scenes too gruesome to dwell on but some days they come rushing back to him with a furor so intense he loses himself in their memories. Blake is hoping that he can forget it all and have a new life in the beautiful tropical country of Brazil. But can you really rebuild your life with so much unforgiveness in your heart? Will he be able to let go of it before he loses the one thing in his life he values the most…Eliza?

Eliza Crawford, former Army nurse, is a young beautiful widow forsaken by her family and carrying a horrible secret that has made her want to escape to Brazil. If the people on this expedition knew it the most would want to send her to a watery grave. Will Eliza find a friend or maybe more in the handsome Colonel Wallace? In order to have the peace she seeks will she finally fully surrender her will to God but will it come at a price too high…losing the love of Blake?

I love the excitement of being on the high seas once again with MaryLu at the helm, what an adventure it always is and this time it was more than just a great read, I learned something I never knew and I have lived in South Carolina all my life. I had never heard of the thousands of Southerners starting over in Brazil. So not only has MaryLu once again created a story so intriguing I found myself lost in its pages, I learned an important history lesson. There may not have been pirates (always my favorite) but there were quite a few breathtaking moments. I also found my emotions being tossed to and fro like the stormy seas upon which these pilgrims sailed. The characters are so real I found myself feeling as if they are family. I can’t wait for the next installment of this tale of new beginnings to see how well my family is doing in their new Utopian Paradise. 

You can purchase this and other MaryLu's books at Amazon, CBD,
BAM and other stores.

Thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this in exchange for my honest opinion.

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