Author Karen Hawkins' latest is a delightful, intriguing love story THE BOOKSHOP OF HIDDEN DREAMS.
Set in Dove Pond, a small town in Carolina, it is a story of the current generation of the town's oldest families uncovering the lives and secrets of their ancestors. Lives lived, secrets and treasures buried a century ago have been on the minds of Taylor Dove and the town at large.
Sarafina Dove and William Day were in love back in the day, around late 1890 to early 1903. To the town and world, their love story ends tragically with Sarafina leaving for New York to be a city journalist. Sarafina, from the well-to-do, founding family falls in love with William Day. William though from a nice family is left tarnished by his father's reputation and lost fortune.
A star-crossed couple who after hiding their love are separated heartbreakingly when they finally have the blessings of family and everyone around. A century later Sarafina is a legend, being a respected journalist, one of her kind. Her descendant Taylor Dove, a respected historian and researcher has always been fascinated by Sarafina. More about her life before fame hit her big time and a chance discovery of some old letters and trinkets is just the sign Taylor Dove was waiting for.
Taylor with the encouragement of her six sisters, friends and the town at large, forges ahead to solve the last mystery and secrets left by Sarafina and William. Since she is back in Dove Pond, a little sneaky planning by Day's descendants means she ends up working with Luke Day. They set up base in a bookshop which was a Day Family printing press back in the day and where Sarafina worked along with William's uncle.
What follows is a treasure hunt where Taylor and Luke comb through the archives of every available record they can get their hands on. They go through the recently found letters, the Day family's archives, town records and the clues left behind by Sarafina in a poem to her only child.
I loved that the centre of all research activities is the Day Family Bookshop, run by Rose Day, Luke's cranky grandmother. It is a place filled with history, Rose's dry humour and a setting for Tay and Luke's love story.
The Dove sisters, we met only four but it felt like we met all of them. They are all unique with their family gifts, sisterhood and loyalty. A touch of magic, some drama and loads of fun.
Friends and townspeople are such a fun addition to the story, they provide a wholesome touch to the whole mystery-solving process.
I loved the story, finding clues and solving family mysteries with cranky elders, cheering sisters and an encouraging town. It was all fantastic. There was also a calm, atmospheric love story as we follow back in time and get to know the century-old love story. Best of all, the twist at the end related to Sarafina and her husband David Tau.
Trust me you will not be disappointed, pick up a copy get lost in a love story and some good old mystery solving, the old school way.
When an antique tin of love letters is found hidden in her family home, noted historian Tay Dove rushes home to Dove Pond to investigate. Tay is still reeling from a romantic betrayal, so she’s relieved to refocus her energies on her latest project: a biography of her great-great-grandmother Sarafina, a star reporter who began her career in Dove Pond in the late 19th century before abruptly leaving town.
Tay believes the letters could be the key in solving what happened, but they only add to her questions—especially when they reveal a forbidden love affair with William Day, a wild youth who took part in a notorious train robbery. Some answers might be found in eighty-year-old Rose Day’s bookshop, which doubles as a town archive, but Rose is curiously resistant to give Tay access. Just when Tay thinks she’s reached a dead end, she finds an unlikely ally in Rose’s grandson, Luke, a fellow puzzle lover. Together, they set out to uncover what really happened all those years ago…and find the truth behind a love story that could be more precious than gold.
Perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman and Sarah Addison Allen, The Bookshop of Hidden Dreams proves that adventure is always waiting to be found, especially within the pages of a book.
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