Book Review: Londonderry Dreaming by Christine Lindsay

Americans Naomi Boyd and Keith Wilson met several years ago in Ireland and fell in love. But Naomi’s Irish grandfather’s feud with Keith’s grandparents tore them apart. Now they’re both back in Ireland—Keith to clean out his recently deceased grandmother’s home, and Naomi to retrieve a mysterious item at the request of the grandmother, but she arrives too late to learn what it is.

Londonderry Dreaming is one of the first releases in Pelican Book Group’s new Passport to Romance line. These novellas are set in different cities around the world. This one takes place in Londonderry in Northern Ireland. From the hints of brogue to the pub atmosphere, readers get a sense of visiting without feeling they’re on a guided tour.

Until he died, Naomi’s personal life and painting career was controlled by her grandfather, an artist himself. That control led her to break off her relationship with Keith. When she arrives at his grandmother’s house in Londonderry, Naomi doesn’t expect to find the woman has died, Keith is present, and her love is rekindled.

Keith could have been a musician in a band. Instead, he’s a music therapist, helping children with emotional problems. From the moment he sees her again, he’s torn between recalling the emotional impact of her betrayal and his continued love.

Together, they clean out his grandmother’s house and look for the item Naomi had been promised. The discovery of a painting leads to opening old hurts and the possibility of a new future.

As usual, Ms. Lindsay’s writing makes this sweet romance stand out. It’s a story of young love, old secrets, and the healing of emotional wounds. I don’t want to give anything away, but there’s a twist related to the the feud that I didn’t expect based on the way the author painted her characters.

So, if you need one of those “Ahh…” moments, consider taking a trip with Keith and Naomi and read Londonderry Dreaming.

Is there a fictional setting you’ve never read, but would like to–someplace you want to go or learn more about?

Disclosure of Material Connection: This book came to me free from the publisher, Pelican Book Group and the author, with the hope that I would mention it on this blog. There was no requirement for me to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.