Misty Dreams

By: Josephine Strand

Narrated by: Brian T. Schultz

Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

As a child, she filled his void. As a woman, she completed him.

Clare has lived on St. Isabel Island all her life, except for a few months she can’t recall. A traumatic childhood experience has left a blank spot in her memory and a lingering feeling of having lost more than just a small, painful piece of her past. When the enigmatic Dr. Richard Kelly arrives on her island, she’s found that missing part. Yet she’s certain the man is a stranger to her, until she discovers he’s been hiding something from her, a secret that reawakens her childhood fears and threatens to upset her life again.

Richard Kelly’s hard-earned career as a world-renowned neurosurgeon has been derailed by his ex-wife’s unspeakable betrayal. His entire life is on a downward spiral. In a desperate attempt to outrun his demons, he sets off to a remote island in the South to trace the origins of an anonymous painting. He doesn’t expect to come face-to-face with a girl he once knew as Misty, and he’s instantly captivated by her genuine charm. But if the charismatic kindergarten teacher of the secret lagoon is the Misty of his past, why doesn’t she remember him?

Misty Dreams is a heartwarming love story about second chances and the healing power of new beginnings.

©2021 Josephine Strand (P)2021 Josephine Strand

Amazing Story you won’t be disappointed

Amazing Story received free audiobook to listen and review.
Was slow to start but so worth it. Once I got past the first few chapters I couldn’t stop listening to it. The characters development is amazing the flow between present day and the flashbacks are done so well. The narrator makes the story that much more enjoyable he brought the characters to life and brought out each characters personalities. The story line keep you engaged till the end and wow the ending was amazing and I didn’t except it. It kept me guessing what happened right to the end. The details in the story make it seem like you are there watching it all.

A nice change of pace

The story was a little slower than my normal reads, but it really picked up in part two. Part one is only from Richard‘s point of view and deals mostly with the past. I think this could’ve been shorter to get to the good stuff faster. In part two we finally get to see Claire/Misty’s point of view. For me, this is where the story finally started to pull me in.

There were times when I got very frustrated with the characters and their reasoning for not coming out and telling the truth. The book could’ve been a lot shorter if people had just talk to each other. Claire’s sister, Courtney, really annoyed me. Having said all of that, I enjoyed the journey the characters went on to discover the mysteries of the past and finally admit their love for each other. The final twist at the end was nice. It was believable, and fitting for the story.

I also appreciated the cleanliness of the romance parts. I give the book and recording 4 stars and a PG rating.

1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Movie Ratings in relation to my review:
Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no intimacy on or off "screen"
PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, intimacy is all closed door
PG-13--some language (swear words not related to intimacy), more talk about intimacy, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but intimacy is closed door.
PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen intimacy
R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” intimacy, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the intimacy and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always

Enjoyed the journey!

This audiobook was provided freely with no expectation of a review. From the beginning I was taken along in this captivating story. Each character spoke to me and invited me to learn more about them and their challenges. I found myself feeling a part of their lives which evoked smiles, laughter and a touch of sadness. All vital emotions as we unraveled the mystery. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of it!

Love love loved!!

I read the book, but needed to listen to the audio as well. Such a great novel, leaving you smiling and feeling warm and happy!

Captivating Romantic Mystery

I so enjoyed this listen! I was pulled in immediately by the author's vivid descriptions and the wonderfully colorful, dynamic and interesting characters, which the narrator handled skillfully and seamlessly.

It is such an unexpected, suspenseful plot line that kept me guessing till the very end but the ending was a huge surprise! I really felt connected to the characters and was very invested in their journeys. The author did such a great job at building their conflicts and inner turmoils and I was deeply drawn to the connection between Richard and Misty.

I read and listen to a lot of mystery and suspense and I also love romance but this book combined the two in a way I have not experienced before, I really enjoyed it and the narrator. This is the author's debut novel and I can't wait to read what she does next!!

Classy Love Story

A romance story with elements of mystery. The story is told from the perspectives of the two main characters, blending flashbacks with events of current day. The style reminds me of part “This is Us” part Nicholas Sparks novel. It was very engaging and I didn’t want the story to end. Looking forward to more works from Strand and Schultz!