Bethany House Review- The Brightest of Dreams by Susan Ann Mason

Happy Monday everyone! I read a book yesterday afternoon that was so good, I just have to tell you about it! Check out Susan Ann Mason's latest:

*Summary*

Quinten Aspinall is determined to fulfill a promise he made to his deceased father to keep his family together. To do so, he must travel to Canada to find his younger siblings, who were sent there as indentured workers while Quinn was away at war. He is also solicited by his employer to look for the man's niece who ran off with a Canadian soldier. If Quinn can bring Julia back, he will receive his own tenant farm, enabling him to provide a home for his ailing mother and siblings.

Julia Holloway's decision to come to Toronto has been met with disaster. When her uncle's employee rescues her from a bad situation, she fears she can never repay Quinn's kindness. So when he asks her to help find his sister, she agrees. Soon after, however, Julia receives some devastating news that changes everything.

Torn between reuniting his family and protecting Julia, will Quinn have to sacrifice his chance at happiness to finally keep his promise?

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                          *My Thoughts*

I am going to be honest, I did not expect this book to be so engaging, but from the first chapter I was hooked! I picked up this book on Sunday morning wanting something to read before church. I had to pry it out of my own hands for church and lunch, and by Sunday afternoon I had finished it. The Brightest of Dreams was that good!

   I love history books that give me something new. Something I never knew about or thought about before to expand what I know about the world. This plotline was so unique! I never knew children as indentured servants was such a huge issue in Canada during this time and Susan did a wonderful job covering the topic. You can just tell she put a lot of time into the research in this book.

I have been eagerly awaiting Quinn’s story since the first book in the Canadian Crossings series and it did not disappoint. Quinn is such a layered hero, both strong and fiercely protective of those he loves, loyal to a fault, and yet flawed in a way that makes him relatable. His very human way of reacting to situations, whether in indignation, fear, or rejection make you feel very connected to the story.

Julia throughout the story is trying to convince other people that things they blame themselves for are not their fault, while she at the same time, is doing the very same thing to herself. It adds to the thought process that sometimes the hardest person to forgive in situations is yourself. Her growth as each chapter ended was evident and brought out the human side of her. I loved the relationship between Julia and Quinn, slow and poignant, but you felt them growing together, each adding to the other’s story.

Mrs. C! I loved the side characters in this book. I normally don’t care for stories that have more than 2 povs, but Mrs. Chamberlain added so much dimension to the story, I looked forward to her pov as much as the main characters. The feelings that rose up in her when the situation got too personal for her were real and heartbreaking and brought the plotline to life.

All in all, The Brightest of Dreams tied a perfect bow on the Canadian Crossings series and I can’t wait to see what Susan has for us next! Beautiful, engaging, and intriguing, this one is a must keep for your bookshelf.

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    *My Rating*

  I give Brightest of Dreams by Susan Anne Mason...

                                       



                             5 stars! 
            

*I received this book free of charge from the author.


Happy Reading,

Nicki