the setup…
Eight years ago, Autumn Thatcher’s life changed in one tragic moment when her boyfriend Waylon Cartwright crashed the car carrying her and four of their friends. He didn’t survive and neither did her best friend, Jennifer whose boyfriend Charlie Barnes has never recovered from her loss, his dreams shattered, and he blames Autumn. See, Waylon was drunk, she knew it and didn’t do anything to stop him. She was shunned by the town and left two years later. Now she’s back after a six-year absence, home because her father is seriously ill and his business is in trouble.
the heart of the story…
The opening was ferociously powerful as the events of that fateful day were vividly presented. I felt the tragedy from both Autumn’s and Charlie’s perspectives. Both remained paralyzed from that day forward, him fueled by rage towards Autumn and she in despair for being the focus of everyone’s wrath or disappointment. Her return forces both of them to a reckoning that later transforms to something else.
the narration…
Gregory Salinas was wonderful as Charlie and I enjoyed his storytelling skills. I’m already a big fan of Savannah Peachwood and she was outstanding as usual. I’m glad I opted to do a read/listen.
the bottom line…
This packs an emotional punch that doesn’t ease for some time. The shift was quite abrupt, throwing me off balance, but later made sense after considering their emotional extremes. It’s a thoughtful story, too, bringing some serious steam. I will definitely continue the series.
Book Info
- Release Date: January 6, 2026 (originally published o]in 2024)
- Series: Dreams #1
- Narrators: Gregory Salinas & Savannah Peachwood
- Audio Length: 8 hours, 8 minutes
- Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
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Blue Mood Café 
Fab review, Jo, glad you it was a good start to a new series!
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Thank you, Nicki💜
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