This was a waste of time. Two stories alternate only coming together near the end, neither of which was very believable.
Story one: Family farm now run by elderly aunt, nephew and sometimes his sister. Nephew really wants to be a singer/songwriter, but how can he desert his aunt? He can't so he sacrifices his career and works the farm until the women on the farm make him take a 'vacation' consisting of playing his guitar at a Florida club for 3 weeks. Of course he meets a woman who is out of his league and they fall in love despite their futures having nothing in common.
Story two: Woman escapes from a bad marriage with her son, needing to stay totally off grid due to her hubby's job for Homeland Security. Her stress level seemed extreme, but then not having been in her situation, I went along with the idea until it became more than over the top and just skimmed the book during her story. It wasn't so much a story as it was a listing of everything in the house, in the cabinets, etc and was a waste of time to read, not to mention annoying.
The two stories merge and we are taught about issues that could make people act as they do.
Spoiler alert: I found the ending to be ridiculous. Farmer writes a song that rich girlfriend makes into a massive hit with no credit to him for writing it, yet saying she loves him? Seriously? Then she returns to him and all is well?
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Dreamland is classic Nicholas Sparks. Readers are treated to romance, some intrigue, and a happy ending.

Nicholas Sparks has been a household name in my family for as long as I can remember! I was elated to find myself approved for this book. He has a great way of pulling at your heartstrings, with this book being no exception!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

A bit of a mixed bag.

Oh, how I wanted to love this, and yet, Dreamland by Nicholas Sparks didn't quite work for me.

Believe it or not, Dreamland is the first book by Nicholas Sparks that I've ever read. I've seen all of his movies but had never read one of his books till now. I decided to read this one, simply because they've stopped making his books into movies.

This novel has two POVs/timelines. The first is Colby, the second is Beverly.

Colby is a farmer who used to be a musician when he was young. When he gets the chance to take a little time off, he heads to the Florida coast and plays a few gigs at a local bar. There, he meets Morgan, who is visiting from out of town for a week. The two instantly fall in love. I wish I could say that I bought into their romance, but I didn’t, nor did I care for either character.

Beverly’s story on the other hand, I found to be gripping, and very realistic. Beverly is an abused wife and mother. After getting up the courage, she escapes with her six-year-old son. Every moment of every day, Beverly is scared for her life and that of her son, and yet she works to try and build a life and move on. Unfortunately, she is always looking around every corner, deathly afraid. If the book had been all about Beverly, I would have loved every minute of it.

Throughout most of the novel, we have no idea how the characters of Colby and Beverly are connected, and then boom! Worlds collide. While I didn't love this novel, I enjoyed the writing and plan to read other Nicholas Sparks novels in the future.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley for the arc.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an ARC of Dreamland!

I have been reading Nicholas Sparks' books since middle school, and this book is exactly what I have come to expect from the author. Small town, North Carolina, East Coast romance with some mystery and plot twists along the way. I enjoyed the dual POVs and how the author brought them together in the end. It got a bit repetitive for me, and I do wish Colby had a bit more confidence throughout, but overall a satisfying love story and a great read for fans of Nicholas Sparks.

Who doesn’t love a good Nicolas sparks book? This one was definitely like what we have come to know and love from him as an author. I absolutely fell in love with the characters from early on and couldn’t wait to see where they took me on their journey. You don’t want to miss this one!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The book is split into two entirely different stories. One is from the perspective of Beverly - a woman on the run. This part of the book is a thriller and it had me in a chokehold the entire time.

The second perspective is Colby. A man on vacation who meets a pretty, intelligent, talented, kind, flawless girl who he naturally falls in love with and who surprisingly falls in love with him. This section is actually harder to swallow. It was so disjointed from the other perspective that it felt like whiplash reading it. Colby’s storyline just also felt less compelling.

The end was twisty and full of heart, but you needed to be more convinced by Colby’s storyline for it to ultimately work.

Dreamland is a lovely story told from two completely different storylines that eventually come together for an intriguing ending. This is a beautiful, heartfelt story that evokes emotions whether they be joy, sadness, love, sympathy or distress.

WOW. ‘Dreamland’ by Nicholas Sparks is a totally unique and captivating novel. I didn’t anticipate the “twist” until I was three quarters through the novel. Thank you again Mr. Sparks for yet again another “Must Read” novel.

That was a strange romance. I was particularly invested in Beverly's story. The couple's story was not all that interesting to me. I almost quit reading the book several times but persisted to the end. I think I am glad I did. I did like how the romance eventually reached a conclusion to my liking. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

I was provided a free advance copy of this book from @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Told in alternating storylines we meet three distinct characters. Colby and Morgan are both on vacation in Florida. Colby is working as a musician at a bar for a short stint away from his farm, and Morgan is celebrating college graduation with some friends before moving to Nashville to try to make it in the music industry! While they meet and are getting to know each other we are also introduced to Beverly, who has run away from her abusive husband with her son. As Colby and Morgan fall more in love, Beverly's situation gets more desperate. When these two narratives collide, all must decide what dreams are worth holding on to, and what dreams do we give up on or change for the ones we love.
I enjoyed reading this story. In true Sparks fashion this one dealt with some heavy topics in the midst of a romance. I struggled a bit with trying to connect the two stories and guessing how they would come together. Know that they do come together, but it's pretty late in the story, so just enjoy the ride.
I had some suspicions about their connection, but did not figure it out completely.
This book is set to be published 20 Sep, so put it on your TBR if you are a Sparks fan, like romance stories with some more depth/hard topics, or just like a good story!
#NetGalley #Dreamland

When you sit down with a Nicholas Sparks book you know you're settling in with an easy plot-driven read with a sense of romance and maybe heartbreak. Dreamland has all those elements as it tells the story of Colby and Beverly. I found myself enjoying the romantic story of Colby (and Morgan) while the story of Beverly felt like it belonged in a different book and I was distracted by wondering just where this was going. Of course in the final third Sparks brings all the pieces together in a way that makes sense but the AH HA wasn't worth it for me. So a mixed review for this one, I enjoyed Colby and his storyline. 3.5 for me rounding up to a 4. If you like Sparks you'll like this one well enough. If you don't currently read Sparks then I'd start with another title.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of Dreamland! I read Nicholas Sparks all through high school and this was a lovely book to get back into his writing. I really enjoyed the dual storylines that came together in the end. I enjoyed reading both Beverly and Colby’s story. Nicholas is always a top tier author in evoking emotions throughout his books. It was really fun and nostalgic for me to revisit his work with his newest book, Dreamland. Thank you again to NetGalley for this ARC of Dreamland!!

Colby is on vacation in St. Pete Beach, Florida from his family farm in North Carolina. He has given up on his musical dreams but is playing a gig in a beach bar, while getting a rare break from farming. When he meets Morgan, sparks fly, and their world is now each other.

Meanwhile, Beverly is fleeing with her son from an abusive husband. She is trying to start a new life with hardly any money and danger lurking around the corner.

When Colby gets an emergency call about his Aunt, he rushes back to North Carolina. Will his and Morgan's love be able to survive a long distance relationship?

This is a great story along with great characters. I really enjoyed it, especially having visited St. Pete Beach!

I've been a diehard Nicholas Sparks fan since the day I stumbled upon The Notebook many many years ago. I have read every word of every single book he has written since. I loved Dreamland! It felt a bit different than his past books and not at all in a bad way. There's a bit of mystery, and some suspense that'll keep you hooked until the very end. An easy 5 stars for me!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Dreamland has two different stories that finally merge together. Just as you are engrossed in one, it ends in a cliffhanger and the other starts up. There is so much love interwoven in this Nicholas Sparks novel. I would highly recommend it for a book club discussion group.

I have been a Nicholas Sparks’ fan for the past 25 years, since a friend recommended The Notebook to me in high school. I was so excited to preview Dreamland. This book felt unlike any other Sparks’ book. It felt like two completely different books and while I knew it would eventually come together, it wasn’t until about 75% of the way through that the two parts connected.
I also disliked Morgan for most of the book. At one point in the book she specifically said she only drinks green tea and a green juice for breakfast but then made a big show about eating whatever she wants. She seemed very self-centered at times, concerned about herself and their relationship in the middle of major crisis’ in Colby’s life.
Twice in the book, Colby notes that Morgan’s tote was Gucci. This feels like something Colby, as a farmer from a quiet town in NC, wouldn’t be able to identify easily, or care about enough to mention.
In the last 15% of the book, Colby faces not one but two horrific events upend his time away from the farm. It felt like a lot of drama in a short amount of time. The conclusion of the book felt a little rushed because of this.

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
Dreamland by Nicholas Sparks is a very emotional story of a farmer who enjoys music, an aspiring singer, and a woman escaping an abusive marriage with her young son. Nicholas Sparks writes very emotional books, and Dreamland was no exception.

Colby Mills is a farmer in North Carolina, who used to think he could have a career in music. He was raised by his aunt and uncle along with his sister after their parents died suddenly. When his uncle died suddenly of a heart attack, Colby knew he had to stay home and help his aunt run the family farm, and his music dreams were put aside. After many years of running the farm, he managed to make it much more profitable, and he decided to take a three-week break, singing in a bar at St. Pete beach in Florida.

In Florida, Colby meets Morgan Lee, and recent college graduate, spending time on the beach with her friends before they start their real life. Colby and Morgan fall in love really hard and really fast. But, Morgan wants to pursue a singing career in Nashville, and Colby has responsibilities back in North Carolina.

While Colby and Morgan are falling in love, Beverly is on the run with her six-year-old son, from an abusive marriage. Fearing for her life, and her son’s life, she makes sure she is able to escape without a trace. She wonders if she can ever completely escape the clutches of such a controlling man.

First, I loved Colby. He’s a decent man at heart, who only wants a simple life, and doesn’t believe he deserves the love of such a pretty young woman. Morgan is just what Colby needs. She supports and loves Colby just the way he is, and wants him by her side as she pursues a music career. She’s young, and her questions and some of her decisions are that of a younger character, but I thought that was a realistic portrayal.

Beverly’s story was so intense and I was on the edge of my seat when I was reading her parts. I was rooting for her and her son, so much. And that’s all I’m going to say about her story.

I highly recommend Dreamland to anyone who enjoys emotional stories. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book follows two different storylines. We first meet Colby, a young farmer and musician. While he is in Florida at a music gig, he meets Morgan and their romance quickly begins. Meanwhile we also follow Beverly and her son while they are on the run from her abusive husband.

Dreamland is definitely a slow burn that will all come together in the end. I really enjoyed reading about these characters and finding out how their stories intertwined. As with most Nicholas Sparks books, you will follow these characters through love, laughter, and heartbreak.

Unfortunately this was not one of my favorites by Nicholas Sparks, though I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I would give this one 3.75 stars. It was a very sweet love story. Some of his others are just my all time favorites and they will be hard to beat.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for an ARC of Dreamland in exchange for my honest review.

This book releases on September 20th, 2022!

Wow! Nicholas Sparks delivers another incredibly written story. Throughout the entire book I could not figure out how both character stories within the book could even intertwine. Such a lovely romance balanced with another story of complete anguish. Absolutely loved it!