1880, Buffalo
Agnes Pratt lives with her parents, a good life.
Suddenly she decided to leave and accept a teacher job in the West, Penance, DAkota Territory.
She didn't say goodbye to her best friend and wealthy neighboor, james Harry, that loves her deaply.
In Penance, life is hard, about all because she is a woman alone, that she has no relatives nearby, nor a husband or brother,
she must support herself.
Adventure, curios, lovely story, set in the West, with minery, loggers, harworking and simple people. love it!

I really enjoyed this story, which dealt with a topic that most people today don't give a second thought to -- illegitimate children. I think many times we forget that there was a time in history when this "status" was held against the child. I think reader's of Christian historical fiction, especially stories that take place out west, will really enjoy this book!

I enjoyed this book!

I like the writer's style, I loved the frontier setting, and the storyline. Agnes is a wonderful protagonist, with flaws and issues, and a past. She is a sweet person who truly loves her work, and the people in the town she's come to call home. Though her ignorance of the way her choices affected others (James, Sam, her father to name a few) started to wear on my nerves, she was still an interesting character. And where's the drama if all of that doesn't happen, right?

James and Sam are also likeable characters who add to the storyline. I was rooting for Sam there for a while, until James came back into the picture. I think the author used a clever plot twist to bring to light an issue of prejudice that people may not realize was a huge issue in the past.

I thought the plot mostly believable, and really enjoyed the reacquaintance between Agnes and James. Though how she thought they could stay in the same town and no one would find out they used to be engaged is beyond me. Small towns are notorious for people knowing each others' business.

I wouldn't mind reading a follow up story that focused on Sam. He seemed a very decent person, and has an interesting story to tell too. I would definitely read another book by this author. Her debut novel was a great read and I really enjoyed it.

A Life Once Dreamed by Rachel Fordham was a beautiful story about searching for acceptance and learning a pure, Christ-like, love.
I absolutely adored this story and could hardly put the book down. Between the witty banter between Aggie and James to the unending, socially awkward questions of little Tommy, I fell in love with Penance and all it's residents.
Aggie and James's love story is beautiful, rich, and bittersweet. I loved their history together, and their automatic familiarity--the ease of their company and comfort of their conversations. The way their love matured through the years with them made their story full of warm fuzzy moments.
Aggie is a town favorite for a reason. Her big heart and easy smile make it easy to love her. I had a great respect for her courage to share her secret with others, knowing the risks.
James. Sigh. A charmer from the get go, I loved how he unashamedly pursued Aggie. He was a bit ornery in his teasing, but his antics had me laughing repeatedly. And you just can't help love a man with so much compassion for helping others. Get ready to add his name to your favorite heroes list!
I would highly recommend this book. Any fan of Christian historical fiction will love this book!
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions.

#netgalley #alifeoncedreamed

This was a good book with good characters. I liked the storyline and the main characters. Rachel Fordham has a way of writing a great story!

Agnes was thrilled when James, her friend since childhood, proposed - but within hours she'd been told a secret that forced her to break the engagement without any explanation and sent her fleeing to Dakota Territory. Six years later, she's happily settled in Penance as spinster schoolmistress, when the new town doctor arrives and turns out to be James. And James wants answers - answers that she is reluctant to give. But events arise that call into question all that each has ever believed. When Agnes' secret is finally revealed, will it be the end of everything, or the start of the life she once dreamed?

An enjoyable clean read, with interesting characters and a storyline that wasn't too predictable. The gradual unfolding of Agnes' history is well done, and I enjoyed the occasional scene in her school. I particularly enjoyed the honesty of Sam - which felt unusual but good. In fact, I'd really love to hear Sam's story next... This was the first book I've read by this author, but I hope it won't be the last. Recommended.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

They have a love that has spanned time and distance, but after being reconnected can it span the truth and society views? A wonderful book with so my heart written into it. This is a gem worth uncovering.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. These options are my own.

At first glance I thought this story was going to be your typical romance story, boy was I wrong. I liked what the author says, “…I watched the old film Blossoms in the Dust that gives an account of Edna Gladney, her work, and advocacy with illegitimate children. I was blown away by the cruel stigma society gave such children and knew I wanted to weave this real-life struggle into a novel. That idea became the catalyst for A Life Once Dreamed. The stigma today is not what it was before, but I believe we can all learn from that past discrimination…. I foster kids and have heard hurtful things said about them because of where they came from. I hope we can learn, like James did, that it’s where we are going that matters most.”

Agnes Pratt and James Harris were childhood sweethearts both expecting to marry one day. Until a family secret is revealed, and Agnes runs to a small town tucked far away in the Dakota Territory mining town of Penance. She accepts the position to become their schoolteacher. Anges liked the fact the town was so small no one from Buffalo, N.Y. would ever find it or her.

In the beginning I could not understand why Agnes ran from the man she grew up with, the only man she had ever loved. What was she hiding from? Why was she afraid to share the news? But as the book went on the author does a great job of shining the light on how society treated women who found themselves in an unacceptable social situations iin the 1860s. The story started to change for me when I grasped that and looked at Agnes with fresh eyes.



James is patient, kind and has a big heart. He is a smart, hardworking man who slowly comes around to see the important things in life. The authentic, loving, persistent towns people of Penance show him the way. The good Dr. begins to see how society ran the show back home, all wasn’t has loving and happy as it appeared. He had a chance to be who God meant him to be not what society and/or his parents wanted.

Dr. James Harris was in pursuit of answers as to why the woman he gave his heart to and hoped to give his life to ran away without so much as a goodbye. What happened?

I enjoyed the author’s use of James diary. It gave readers a peek into James and Agnes life growing up. It encouraged him and me as readers got to experience, the love and fun that James and Agnes had with one another. I enjoyed these sweet tender moments sprinkled throughout this novel.

“Sept 18, 1869”
“The boys dared me to walk through Forest Lawn Cemetery today…. Once inside, I started thinking about dying and began wishing I hadn’t gone in…..I told the boys it was not scary, but it was. I left them and ran next door to see if girls were afraid of dying too. Aggie said she wasn’t afraid of dying, just of not living. I don’t know what she meant, but I was glad she didn’t tease me.”

“Now I’m sitting here wondering what things I want to do with my life. I’ve never thought much about it. I figured I’d grow up and do the same things as Father does. Maybe I don’t though. Maybe I’ll do something different.”

Angee and James join forces to help baby Freddie recover from a sickness, for the first time they realize what unconditional love requires. The scarlet fever epidemic has them working together to help the disease not to spread.

I enjoyed the rich characterization and how the author explored themes of friendship, family, motherhood, identity and community interwoven with a natural spiritual thread. I also liked how the main characters and towns people matured throughout the story.

This is a sweet, enjoyable story I won’t soon forget. It’s one that will work well for your next book club meeting. The author includes ten discussion questions to help create a lively discussion. This story is thought-provoking, will tug at your heartstrings and make you smile, especially when you meet adorable, inquisitive little Tommy. This is the first novel I’ve read by this author it won’t be the last.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

A Life Once Dreamed is my first novel by Rachel Fordham. I’m sold on her. For a long novel, it held my interest and the storyline followed through. Yes, it was a little predictable, but it kept you intrigued as to what the next incident would be.
Agnes Pratt was a frontier schoolteacher who grew up in Buffalo, NY. When her hand was asked for, her parents told her a secret that meant that she declined the engagement and traveled west to the frontier to escape. In the meantime, James Harris, that would be groom, went to medical school and became a doctor.
Miss Aggie, as she became known to her students and the town of Penance in the Dakota Territory, was managing just fine until the new doctor answered the newspaper ad and came to town. It was a complete surprise for her to see James Harris fulfilling that role. Their childhood friendship was able to continue but she just could not tell him why she escaped Buffalo and had been in Penance for six years.
We see the hardships that face the frontier life through the perils the author offers in her script and it keeps us turning the pages to see the outcomes. I would like to see a second novel about Sam and his life after he left Penance as he was such an intriguing character.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and recommend it to readers. I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley for review. My opinions and review are my own. #NetGalley #AlifeOnceDreamed #Revell

Agnes starts over in the Dakota Territories, taking a teaching position, away from the Boston society that she grew up in. She blossoms away from the bright lights of the city, but when a face from the past resurfaces, Agnes finds herself at a crossroads. Will the past taint the life she’s made for herself, or be the key to the happiness that’s always been out of reach?

Agnes has learned a lot since leaving her life of privilege behind, making many new friends who come to love and respect her. I loved her empathy, and passion for the children. She grows and is stretched by the new experiences that she faces in Dakota, I loved how she comes into her own, taking pride in the person that she has become.

I admired Sam’s honesty, and how he is willing to lend a hand when needed. James is a skilled doctor, and I loved seeing him find his calling and see the difference that he made in the community. Hannah is a wonderful friend, welcoming Agnes from the very beginning.


An engaging prairie romance of second chances, with compelling characters, and a well-developed small town community. I loved the friendships, relationship dynamics, and character interactions. Heartwarming, with a convincing plotline, I loved how all the pieces came together and how Agnes fell in love with her new home in the Dakotas. This author just keeps getting better and better, this one is my favorite so far, full of heart, great characters, and second chances. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed the fast pace of the story, but the angsty secret keeping is not my favorite plot.

Agnes Pratt has run from her past, a past where her dearest wish of marrying her best friend was about to come true. When she learns something about her own identity, she questions whether her fiance's family and the society they move in can ever accept her, and so she runs. She goes to Penance, a small town in the Dakota Territory, to be the schoolteacher. Years pass. She builds a life for herself.

Then James Harris shows up in town. He's the new doctor; he's also her former fiance. Agnes is determined to keep him at arm's length. He's determined to find out why she ran away. This tension ratchets up when Agnes makes a life-changing decision that will impact her career and make her life in Penance a bit more precarious. Throw in a raging epidemic and you've got a lot of dramatic elements to the story.

There's plenty to like here, but I did grow impatient with Agnes' blindness to the impact she was having on various people. However, if you're interested in a well-paced story about second chances with a interesting flavor of the old west, you'll probably enjoy this story.

A Life Once Dreamed. I have been seeing this book on Facebook book groups and Instagram. I wished with all my heart that I could get a copy and when the opportunity came through Revell Reads Blogger Program, it was an answer to my prayer. Thanks, Revell.

“I suppose we’re all beautiful in our own way”.
” Sometimes the hardest things are the very best things”. I love these quotes.

Sweet Agnes. Her personality wrapped me into the book. She always have the proper words to say to her school children. I am a trained teacher and I must confess, I learnt a lot from Agnes’s teaching methods. That’s the beauty of reading books, you get to learn new things.


I noticed some chapters had time of the year opening it. It felt cool stepping into history even if it is fictional.


I like the little town, Penance.


James, dear James. I already liked him before I met him at a certain chapter in the plot.


This is the first book by Rachel Fordham I am reading and I love her writing style.


I like the character ” Sam“. His story touched my heart.

The people of Penance are such a tight knitted community I wanted to feel like a member.

There are lots of themes to glean from in this novel.


Rachel Fordham writes amazingly well.


This is a sweet book that got me emotional. I am giving it 5 stars.


I received a complimentary Copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are mine.

A Life Once Dreamed by Rachel Fordham is a heartwarming Christian story. I thought this tale was well-written with developed characters. We get to travel back to 1880 where Agnes Pratt works as the schoolteacher in Penance, Dakota Territory. After learning a secret, Agnes made plans to give up her comfortable life in Buffalo, New York. Agnes answered the ad for a teacher in Penance and discovered she had a knack for teaching. Agnes and James had been friends’ all their lives and had planned to wed. When Agnes departed without a word to James, he is left with unanswered questions. James arrival in Penance upheaves Agnes’ life. She has never stopped loving James, but it is best if they do not marry. Sam Landon is a logger and carpenter. Agnes hired Sam to make repairs to the schoolhouse over the summer. Sam is ready to settle down and he believes Agnes might be the right woman for him. Sam is a kind, good man. I admit that I was rooting for Sam, and I hope the author provides his story in another book. A Life Once Dreamed is a lovely story. I thought the author captured the time-period with the language, clothing, and attitudes of people. Values and attitudes were different then. There are some great secondary characters which include Minnie who loves to play matchmaker, Mayor Paul Clint, Tommy, Ruby, and Hannah. There is humor in the story from Tommy with his endless and sometimes embarrassing questions as well as Minnie who loves romance. There are great people in the town of Penance. The author captured the rugged setting of Dakota Territory with the loggers, miners, saloons, and the mountains. The life is not easy, but the people are friendly and help each other out. There are some heartbreaking scenes as well as action and tense moments. I had no trouble figuring out Agnes’ secret and the story played out in an expected manner. However, that did not diminish my enjoyment of this heartfelt story, and I look forward to Rachel Fordham next novel. A Life Once Dreamed is a charming historical novel with matchmaking Minnie, the committed mayor, a fatal fire, a severe sickness, immeasurable inquiries, and a startling secret.

I absolutely loved this book, so uplifting and such a feel good read. This book will make you happy reading it. A second chance at a romance, will the main characters take it?
Thinking she's doing the right thing to protect him, Agnes moves away from the one she loves and tries to forget him as she starts over in a new town and becomes a teacher.
Well she gets the shock of her life when her past catches up with her and she has some tough decisions to make.
Agnes and James are both very likable characters, both have some issues to work through . These issues bring depth to the story as they were forced to be together at first but this time together they spend it gracefully and calmly taking about their past. Their personal struggles get resolved through understanding,grace and forgiveness.
When a life changing secret is revealed will Agnes run away from the information she now has or will she use this time to change not only herself but others around her for the better?
I can tell the author really put her heart and soul into this book , it's such an encouraging book. I believe it's her best book yet!

Published August 4th 2020 by Fleming H. Revell Company.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

In “A Life Once Dreamed” by Rachel Fordham, we read about a young woman, Aggie Pratt, who runs from the man she loves because she feels that a secret will cause him harm if he marries her. She accepts a position as a teacher in Penance, Dakota Territory. She builds a new life with new friends who are all trying to make a match for her. She has vowed never to marry because she can only ever love one man.

A few years later, a new doctor comes to town, Dr. James Harris. He is the man from Baltimore whom she ran away from after his proposal. They had been childhood friends and seemed destined to marry all their lives. He has come to this town because he knew she would be there and wanted to rekindle their romance. Although Aggi still loves him, she refuses to continue as they had been. The secret shame that she carries just will not allow her to marry him.

Although I liked the book, I was very frustrated that the hint of a serious secret that kept these two apart continued on and on throughout the book. Every time she was ready to “spill the beans” some catastrophe or tragedy stalled everything. I did enjoy many of the characters that we read about in the book and that gave a little more life to the novel.

A Life Once Dreamed by Rachel Fordham is a charming Christian historical novel set in 1880.
This is a time of exploration and putting down roots. The reader sees this physically and spiritually. The town of Penance is a pioneering settlement. The town grows both physically and its members grow spiritually.
It is also a time when disease is rife. Diseases we can cure today claimed lives. The town is balanced on a knife edge as new practices work side by side with the traditional.
We all have roots. Where we come from does not have to dictate where we are going. Our past is gone. We can all have a different future.
There is the theme of illegitimacy. It is a stigma that follows a child through life but it does not have to be. Every child is a gift from God, no matter what the circumstances of their conception. Hearts and minds need to be educated to see the potential of new lives and not tainted by their parent’s choices.
There is a wonderful community atmosphere throughout the novel. Where there are needs, they are met. It is small town living at its finest.
I absolutely loved A Life Once Dreamed. I could not put it down. It has left me with a wonderful feeling of love and hope.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

A Life Once Dreamed by Rachel Fordham is a highly-engaging historical romance I thoroughly enjoyed. I was hooked into the storyline from page one and hated when I had to put the book down. To me, it’s quite a captivating read. I adored the townsfolk of Penance. They’re so unique and lively, and I love how they always have each other’s back no matter what. It’s so refreshing to fictionally engage with a town filled with people who genuinely care about one another. I wish our world was a little more like Penance! Of the many secondary characters, I especially loved Sam. He is fantastic and I hope Fordham will one day write Sam’s love story. As far as Agnes and James are concerned, I wholeheartedly enjoyed their characters. There’s a sense of the Biblical Hosea story to their story that I felt played out beautifully. Their relationship is a great mix of true friendship plus deep romantic tension. And, if this is not enough, A Life Once Dreamed tackles some very relevant and timeless themes that get the reader thinking. All in all, A Life Once Dreamed is a great must-read story!

What I enjoyed the most is the attention to setting and historical detail. As a woman in 2020, I often found it frustrating to experience the social strictures of the 1880s that Agnes constantly runs up against. I found myself physically squirming against these rules — rules like a woman had to quit her job to take care of a family member or if she got married, or the atrocious legal directives and social stigma against illegitimate children. To my modern sensibilities, I hated these social rules and ideologies because they seem so illogical, heartless, and harsh. I hated that 1880s society brushed over everyone with such a broad stroke with very little wiggle room or exceptions. Yes, I see the irony in my sentiments with today’s cancel culture society raging wild. We may as well be back in the 1880s for all the illogical, heartless, and harsh rules society is literally forcing on us today. But I digress! While I struggled emotionally with all of this, I actually rather enjoyed that I struggled because it allowed me to be a part of the story. This book is so well written and so engaging I felt like I was living in Penance in 1880 experiencing these regulations and social constructs right alongside Aggie. Feeling like I was a part of the story made the story more alive to me. I adore when a novel allows the reader to partake in the story!

A Life Once Dreamed is an excellent historical romance that I highly recommend. This is a must-read novel you do not want to miss. I am so glad I got to experience this story.

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Revell, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A Life Once Dreamed
by Rachel Fordham
Revell
You Like Them
Christian | Historical Fiction
Pub Date 04 Aug 2020 | Archive Date 05 Sep 2020

I was disappointed by this book. I had much better hopes with this book. Thanks to NetGalley and REvell for the ARC of this book.
3 star

This was a fine book with good characters. I liked the background story more than the main characters storyline. The author had a great way with the background.

1 star
I had such high hopes for A Life Once Dreamed which were soundly dashed. It's about as predictable of a book as they come. I am so frustrated of favorite authors losing there way and writing this drivel.