Books › The Dream Within
The Dream Within
First published 1972 · 530 pages
A breathless, glittering romp through high society where innocence and true love inevitably conquer all obstacles.
What it feels like
Reading this vintage romance is like stepping into a pastel-hued daydream of early twentieth-century London high society. The pace is brisk and delightfully breathless, sweeping you along on a tide of rustling silk gowns, glittering ballrooms, and earnest declarations of love. It feels wonderfully nostalgic and cozy, wrapping the reader in a world where innocence is always rewarded and misunderstandings are merely temporary hurdles on the path to a guaranteed happily-ever-after. The prose is famously flowery, lingering on exquisite fashions and the misty loveliness of its heroines. It is the perfect, comforting escape for readers who crave sweet, traditional historical romances filled with sisterly devotion, glamorous settings, and the triumphant certainty of true love.
- Mood
- glamorous
- swoony
- nostalgic
- cozy
- Tone
- earnest
- romantic
- melodramatic
- innocent
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- rags to riches · sisterly devotion · innocence rewarded · high society navigation · the pursuit of true love
- The writing
- Breathless and flowery, lingering affectionately on exquisite fashions, glittering settings, and idealized beauty.
- The arc
- Moves from the precarious anxiety of sudden poverty to the breathless, triumphant security of romantic fulfillment.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave sweet, vintage historical romances filled with glamorous escapism and guaranteed happy endings.
Content notes
- off-page parental death
- mild classism
About the book
When their father died, he left a wealth of respect and affection behind him, but very little money. So the enchanting sisters left Cornwall to look for work in London.
Exquisite golden-haired Anne dreamed of marrying a distinguished Duke... Marigold--whose red-gold curls danced about her pretty face--longed for a life of wealth and glamour... generous Sally, with her misty loveliness, dreamed of marrying a man she loved.
Would each find their heart's desire, or would misunderstandings keep them from love?
Description from Open Library.
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