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zozopaumelle's review
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, Abandonment, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
nikky's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
At first the story was kind of boring but got really interesting fast and didn't turn out as I expectet at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Domestic abuse
linakats20's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I’ve seen many movies based on Nicholas Sparks books, but this was my first time actually reading one. I enjoyed the storyline between Colby & Morgan, however, at times I was bored by the repetitive content of Beverly’s sections. I realized about mid-way through the book that Beverley was going to be Paige, but I enjoyed that I wasn’t completely certain how Gary and Tommie fit into the reality of things. Additionally, I found it heartbreaking when Colby and Morgan walked through the house, viewing the disarray and mess from their perspective - while as the reader, I understood how Beverly/Paige had gotten to that point. Overall, I enjoyed this as my vacation read and would recommend it to anyone who likes a quick romance book (a vibe very typical for Nicholas Sparks or Sarah Dessen!).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Suicide
Moderate: Grief, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, and Child abuse
beccarwolf's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, and Mental illness
backpackingbookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Nicholas Sparks is my go-to comfort author so, of course, I couldn't wait to dive straight into Dreamland the moment it arrived on my NetGalley shelf. I absolutely devoured it while on holiday (the perfect time and place to get lost in a Sparks book) and it didn't disappoint.
The book follows musician-turned-farmer, Colby, as he plays some one-off shows in Florida - his first vacation in years away from his small-town North Carolina farm. While there, he meets Morgan, a passionate singer-songwriter and social media dance sensation alongside her girlfriends. Having a short stop-off in Florida before she flies out to Nashville to launch her music career, the two fall head over heels and are left unsure what the future holds for their relationship. Switching narratives, the book also follows Beverley and her heart-pounding journey as she tries to escape her abusive husband with her young son. Convinced he will have eyes looking out for her everywhere, she seeks refuge in a quiet town and does everything in her power to keep her son safe.
As someone who avoids romance, I don't know what it is about NS books but I'm always here for the love story. Maybe it's the realism, the writing, or the low-level steam, but he somehow creates characters and moments that thaw my cold heart. Although I wasn't Morgan's biggest fan (she was just too young for me to able to connect with/relate to her), I enjoyed the blossoming romance between her and Colby during their Florida vacation. Though they fell in love quickly, it didn't feel unrealistic thanks to Sparks and his beautiful word-building and storytelling.
I had an inkling where the book was going but couldn’t guess the ‘why’ so was still caught off guard when the two stories collided. Though I found some of the themes a bit too try-hard (the social media influencers for example), the overall storytelling was beautiful as always. The secondary storyline was so engaging and not something I’ve really read in a Sparks novel before which I appreciated.
Would definitely recommend this one for fans of country music, closed-door romances, and family dramas. Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for sending me a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating breakdown
The book follows musician-turned-farmer, Colby, as he plays some one-off shows in Florida - his first vacation in years away from his small-town North Carolina farm. While there, he meets Morgan, a passionate singer-songwriter and social media dance sensation alongside her girlfriends. Having a short stop-off in Florida before she flies out to Nashville to launch her music career, the two fall head over heels and are left unsure what the future holds for their relationship. Switching narratives, the book also follows Beverley and her heart-pounding journey as she tries to escape her abusive husband with her young son. Convinced he will have eyes looking out for her everywhere, she seeks refuge in a quiet town and does everything in her power to keep her son safe.
As someone who avoids romance, I don't know what it is about NS books but I'm always here for the love story. Maybe it's the realism, the writing, or the low-level steam, but he somehow creates characters and moments that thaw my cold heart. Although I wasn't Morgan's biggest fan (she was just too young for me to able to connect with/relate to her), I enjoyed the blossoming romance between her and Colby during their Florida vacation. Though they fell in love quickly, it didn't feel unrealistic thanks to Sparks and his beautiful word-building and storytelling.
I had an inkling where the book was going but couldn’t guess the ‘why’ so was still caught off guard when the two stories collided. Though I found some of the themes a bit too try-hard (the social media influencers for example), the overall storytelling was beautiful as always. The secondary storyline was so engaging and not something I’ve really read in a Sparks novel before which I appreciated.
Would definitely recommend this one for fans of country music, closed-door romances, and family dramas. Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for sending me a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating breakdown
- Plot/narrative - 4.2
- Writing style/readability - 4.3
- Characters - 4
- Diverse themes -4.2
- Ending - 4.1
Overall - 4.2
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Minor: Blood
cassiereadsbooks_'s review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death
meliroo's review
mysterious
2.0
Alright, I've given myself some time to process this one. Gotta start by saying I can't remember the last time I read a Sparks book, so I honestly can't recall if this is just how he writes, or if this particular story was just a dud (for me at least).
I can say that I have very little enthusiasm for the insta-love trope, so that had me cranky from the get-go. I genuinely did not pick up on any of the chemistry between the two leads, and with the timeline being so condensed, everything felt rushed and flat. This vacation love story felt like the side plot, with the compelling part of the book coming from the seemingly unrelated and totally disconnected "mom-on-the-run" POV. Seriously, it felt like two very different novels were forced to cohabitate.
Unfortunately, despite being the more interesting part of the story, Beverly's half wasn't without its own problems-and the twist wasn't exactly a shocker.
I also need to point out that using darker foundation as a disguise tactic rubbed me the wrong way.
Overall, this didn't do much for me. 2/5⭐
I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review
I can say that I have very little enthusiasm for the insta-love trope, so that had me cranky from the get-go. I genuinely did not pick up on any of the chemistry between the two leads, and with the timeline being so condensed, everything felt rushed and flat. This vacation love story felt like the side plot, with the compelling part of the book coming from the seemingly unrelated and totally disconnected "mom-on-the-run" POV. Seriously, it felt like two very different novels were forced to cohabitate.
Unfortunately, despite being the more interesting part of the story, Beverly's half wasn't without its own problems-and the twist wasn't exactly a shocker.
I also need to point out that using darker foundation as a disguise tactic rubbed me the wrong way.
Overall, this didn't do much for me. 2/5⭐
I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Child death, Death, and Grief
mhinnen's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Dreamland follows two storylines, each from a different point of view. It's got all the feels - one story has lots of suspense. The other is a classic story about young love. When the stories eventually come together in the last quarter of the book, buckle in for a roller coaster of emotion.
Colby is a farmer, caring for his family farm in NC. He also is a singer/songwriter and gladly takes a week's vacation to play a gig in Florida. Of course, while he's there he meets the gorgeous and talented Morgan and their chemistry sparks making beautiful music together. (I didn't care for the emphasis on Morgan's eating habits and slender weight . . . it seemed irrelevant). I loved the process of how they encouraged each other and worked together to write songs - their creative energy was exciting. And the love story is what it is - Sparks has the ability to move with you a little at a time until all at once they fall in love.
Meanwhile, poor Beverly is escaping an abusive husband who works for the government and has the power to track her. She saves up and comes up with a plan to get her son away without her husband finding them. They end up settling in a house but she doesn't eat a lot so that her son can have a varied diet but she does her best to create a home for them. She is terrified of being found and her fear keeps her from fully settling into their new place. There are some weird holes in her storyline that make sense later in the book.
The back and forth between stories offers natural breaks, though I read this in pretty much one sitting. It would be great for an airplane ride or day at the beach or curled up on a snowday.
#Dreamland #NetGalley
Colby is a farmer, caring for his family farm in NC. He also is a singer/songwriter and gladly takes a week's vacation to play a gig in Florida. Of course, while he's there he meets the gorgeous and talented Morgan and their chemistry sparks making beautiful music together. (I didn't care for the emphasis on Morgan's eating habits and slender weight . . . it seemed irrelevant). I loved the process of how they encouraged each other and worked together to write songs - their creative energy was exciting. And the love story is what it is - Sparks has the ability to move with you a little at a time until all at once they fall in love.
Meanwhile, poor Beverly is escaping an abusive husband who works for the government and has the power to track her. She saves up and comes up with a plan to get her son away without her husband finding them. They end up settling in a house but she doesn't eat a lot so that her son can have a varied diet but she does her best to create a home for them. She is terrified of being found and her fear keeps her from fully settling into their new place. There are some weird holes in her storyline that make sense later in the book.
The back and forth between stories offers natural breaks, though I read this in pretty much one sitting. It would be great for an airplane ride or day at the beach or curled up on a snowday.
#Dreamland #NetGalley
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
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