A Life Once Dreamed

Title: A Life Once Dreamed

Author: Rachel Fordham

Publisher: Revell

Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Romance,

Source: Own

My Review:

I was immediately drawn into the story of Agnes leaving her home behind because of a secret she discovered.

I kept reading, thinking it would be revealed quickly because I wanted to understand. It was about halfway into the story before any hints were revealed! While it was infuriating, it kept me reading, LOL! 

Agnes once dreamed of marriage and family but left those dreams behind when she moved to the Dakota Territory to pursue teaching. 

James answers an ad to be a doctor in the Dakota Territory, and his path once again intersects with Agnes. He wants to know why she left their dreams behind, yet she refuses to discuss why she left. 

An unexpected event upends both their lives and the lives of their community. 

Agnes and James are both likable characters. A Life Once Dreamed is a novel about second chances, letting go of preconceived ideas, and learning to trust beyond what you can see. The town of Penance has wonderful characters you can't help but love and root for. I would love to see more stories written with these characters.

★★★★/5

Synopsis (Goodreads): 

Six years ago, a shocking secret sent Agnes Pratt running in search of a new start. She found it in Penance, a rugged town of miners and lumberjacks in the Dakota Territory, where she became Miss Aggie, respected schoolteacher and confirmed old maid. But the past has a way of catching up with people.

When childhood friend and former sweetheart James Harris accepts a position as the town doctor, Aggie's pleasantly predictable days suddenly become anything but. James wants to know why Agnes left behind the life they had dreamed of creating for themselves--but he is the one person who can never know.

In the shadows of the Black Hills, can a healing light be shed on the past? Or will the secret Agnes can't seem to outrun destroy her chance at happiness?

Fan-favorite Rachel Fordham brings to life the dusty streets of an 1880s frontier town in this story that affirms where you come from matters far less than where you're going.