Beyond All Dreams

GIVEAWAY

CAMDEN, ELIZABETH
BEYOND ALL DREAMS

Anna O'Brien leads a predictable and quiet life as a map librarian at the illustrious Library of Congress until she stumbles across the baffling mystery of a ship disappeared at sea. Thwarted in her attempts to uncover information, her determination outweighs her shyness and she turns to a dashing congressman for help.

Luke Callahan was one of the nation's most powerful congressmen before his promising career was shadowed in scandal. Eager to share in a new cause and intrigued by the winsome librarian, he joins forces with Anna to solve the mystery of the lost ship. Opposites in every way, Anna and Luke are unexpectedly drawn to each other despite the strict rules forbidding Anna from any romantic entanglements with members of Congress.

From the gilded halls of the Capitol where powerful men shape the future of the nation, to the scholarly archives of the nation's finest library, Anna and Luke are soon embroiled in secrets much bigger and more perilous than they ever imagined. Is bringing the truth to light worth risking all they've ever dreamed for their futures?

My Review:

I'm still in a tizzy of euphoria after reading Beyond All Dreams. To say I loved it would be a huge understatement. I adored it! Found it brilliantly funny and heart-stopping romantical. There's even a page-turning mystery to solve. Delicious from beginning to end.

First off, I went into a librarian's swoon over the setting -- the hallowed halls of the Library of Congress. Be still my heart! You might need to have studied library science in order to get the thrill of that but Camden captured my feelings perfectly when I got to see the library through Anna's devoted eyes. "Even after six years, there were times Anna loved to stand in the aisles, awed by the immensity of the books towering above her. It was magical and magnificent. Amazing and inspiring. (p.6) No need to explain why this librarian felt an immediate connection to this heroine. :-)

Anna might be a librarian and she might even think she is mild-mannered but there's something about Luke Callahan that sparks her temper. The dialogue between the two is hysterical. Luke is used to bending wills and getting his way but he hasn't run into anyone like Anna before. Prim. proper and exacting as she is, she won't give an inch when she feels passionately about something. It's like Luke is struck by a bolt of lightning when he first meets her and he never recovers (thankfully.) And oh, mercy, but is he a romantic! And he goes after Anna with as much bluster and tenacity as he does in politics.

And though there's plenty of humour in this engaging story, there's a sinister undercurrent that surrounds Anna's quest for historical truth. That made this a really compelling read for me. Add in a profound inspirational thread on forgiveness and this book ticks all the boxes. I can sum it up best by using Camden's own words (a little out of context.) Magical and magnificent.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Beyond All Dreams please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday March 1 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!