Then She Dreamed (Islander Romance Book 3)

Anastasia Stride has made it her mission to speak on behalf of those suffering due to their indigenous backgrounds. Unfortunately, while her career has blossomed, the burden on her heart threatens to consume her. Returning home, she seeks to heal and regroup but having spent so much time in solitude, the last thing she expects are new friends or a man to occupy her mind. As Ana investigates an old tale of two women from a previous time, her interactions with a local café owner and his loveable twin daughters bring unexpected light into her life. Unfortunately, the horrors she’s dedicated her life to exposing have a way of coming back to haunt her, and when she’s called back to work, she must decide what her future will be and who it will include.

A contemporary tale with glimpses of the past, “Then She Dreamed” is a story with many emotions and threads. While it is the third book in its series, it can be read as a stand-alone, but the sub-story involving a great grandmother’s journal which connects the books makes an appearance then leaves the reader hanging.  The main story itself is divided between Ana’s writing subjects and the romance, with a hint of indigenous culture mixed in. The romance itself is insta-love light and seems almost out of place amid the dark and often disjointed scenes that focus on Ana’s writing. Regardless, this tale is all emotional impact, and readers will find themselves near to tears at parts and smiling in amusement at others making it well worth the read!

Sarah E Bradley