The Soft Whisper of Dreams

Shadows from the Past #3

by Christina Courtenay

Some dreams shouldn’t come true…

Maddie Browne thought she’d grown out of the recurring nightmare that plagued her as a child, but after a shocking family secret is revealed, it comes back to haunt her – the same swing in the same garden, the kind red-haired giant and the swarthy arms which grab her from behind and try to take her away.

In an attempt to forget her troubles, Maddie travels to Devon to spend time with her friends, Kayla and Wes. However, it becomes clear that relaxation will not be on the agenda after a disturbing encounter with a gypsy fortune teller. Not to mention the presence of Wes’s dangerously handsome brother, Alex.

And then there’s the fact that Maddie’s dream seems to be coming true...

Genres: Romance, Time Travel, Historical Fiction, Audiobook

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 12, 2014

About the author

Christina Courtenay writes historical romance, time slip and time travel stories, and lives in Herefordshire (near the Welsh border) in the UK. Although born in England, she has a Swedish mother and was brought up in Sweden – hence her abiding interest in the Vikings. Christina is a former chairman of the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association and has won several awards, including the RoNA for Best Historical Romantic Novel twice with Highland Storms (2012) and The Gilded Fan (2014) and the RNA Fantasy Romantic Novel of the year 2021 with Echoes of the Runes. Christina is a keen amateur genealogist and loves history and archaeology (the armchair variety).

Reviews

[Pepa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Un «ni fu ni fa»
Un pequeño drama familiar que no se profundiza con una historia de amor de fondo que no convence

Tenía muchaas ganas de leer a esta autora, ahora no recuerdo si ya lo he hecho, pero me dejaronesta novela y vi oportunidad
Es una novela corta, pese a que la editorial meta una letra enorme con grandes márgenes y páginas en blanco para llegar a las 261 páginas que tiene la novela. La parte buena es que se lee muy rápida, buena cuando no te está reportando nada, claro está.
Todo empieza de forma muy happy, porque a mí estas cosas que se hacen con el corazón pero no la mente, no me convencen, por ello. Lo que ella hace no me lo creo, lo siento!!!
Personajes desdibujados, los malos son malos porque lo han de ser para ser más drama? Porque hay cosas que no son nada necesarias.
El romance, resuelto en tres polvos- ¡qué suerte! y con un regusto moral que NO me ha gustado para los tiempos que corren. Sí, estamos en el siglo xxi. El sexo se puede practivar sin amor, no hay problema: ni la mujer es fácil ni el hombre ha de ser un capullo.
Pero para mí no ha sido una novela romántica, pese a ese final superfeliz ya que el centro de todo es ese pasado de ella y ese misterio desaborío
el hecho de que él sea un expresiadiario tampoco lo he terminado de entender, ¿otro «para qué»?
No sé...

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did know the characters from book 1 but I do say it works perfect as a stand alone.

It's about Maddie (who is friends with the heroine from book 1.) She goes to visit her friend after her parents died. Oh and she found out she was adopted, and her sister is a real piece of work.

What this book then has is a bit of a mystery. Who were her real parents? Why did they give her up for adoption? Why does she have this strange dream?

And then there is the suspense part. Some secrets are better left buried. You never know who will come for you.

But hey do not forget the romance part. Though this is not a romance book. There are looks, thoughts, but no real romantic action. She meets Alex, who has been in jail and wants to turn his life around. They slowly become friends, they slowly want more, but there is a lot going on. Love comes slowly, and makes it feel real. No rushing into things here.

What we instead get is a mystery suspense love story. The danger is constant, but there is a HEA on the horizon :)

I kind of hope a certain new character gets a book of her own...just saying. She deserves it :)

[Maria Jose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me gustó el primero, se perfeccionó en el segundo. Seguimos con ese toque de magia, ese pasado, en este caso más cercano, que acecha a ese presente que tiene que ser y tiene que ser porque para eso están las pitonisas. Final encantador. Esos guiños que hace el arte, no digo más

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited that this novel returned us to Marcombe Hall and had the bad brother Alex, from the first book redeem himself, but I did not like it as much as the first novel as it did not have the strong historical aspect.

Instead of a large dual timeline we were only transported about 25-30 years, and I found the villain a little over melodramatic. Maddie also found out about her mysterious childhood fairly quickly and the reader was able to connect things together at a similar far too fast speed.

The hero and heroine in the contemporary setting were good however. My only quibble is they didn't get enough page time together to really build on the attraction and while the ending was sweet it seemed vastly improbable.

I feel like it would be nice for Alex and Maddie to get something of a rematch. Maybe we could see young Nell interacting with past Jago sometime!

[Patry Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Publicado en español como "El suave susurro de los sueños"
Es una historia contemporánea donde hay romance, misterios y secretos del pasado por descubrir.
Segundo libro de la saga Marcombe Hall y definitivamente con sólo dos libros leídos de esta autora se va ditecta a mi lista de favoritos.

[Hayley Forrest · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, enjoyable read. I liked the story but the writing was odd. I felt like I was reading something one of my students had written... Things were just awkward and somewhat clumsy. In particular, the dialogue was very amusing. There were some very long conversations and sometimes just a long, weird statement by an individual character. More than once Maddie thanks a doctor and they reply to her "no problem" or "don't mention it" or whatever. It felt so unnecessary and stilted.

One of my favourite parts was when Maddie, mid-fight, mutters to herself that she knew kickboxing classes would come in handy.

I didn't like that Maddie thought another female character would be quite pretty if she just bothered to put some makeup on. Fuck you Maddie.

The relationship tension was fun but kind of lame... The drama seemed kind of childish and not very realistic. Why they were both so incapable of communicating was a bit beyond me.

Anyway, I enjoyed reading it. I would possibly read more by the author just because it was easy and low stress to read, with likeable good guys and a nice neat ending. No grit or shades of grey or anything. Most of the suffering was just easily resolved relationship angst.

[Lynda Watts · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing was awkward and stilted. It was a simple story where you could easily guess the ending, and the writing was basic and boring. I couldn’t care less about the will they, won’t they storyline. I lost the will to finish the book half way through but I persevered till the end - I wish I hadn’t!

[Erica Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.
This was the second book in a series, and if course, I started with this by mistake (again). It’s so typical of me, but it works amazing as a stand-alone, so that’s good.

This book was great. It had everything to keep me intrigued from start to end. There was love, mystique, suspense, laughs, sadness and the characters had depth.

The story was really good, you definitely had an idea about where it was going, but I didn’t feel like it was completely predictable, just enough to be pleasant.

Now, I need to go back and read book 1!

[Julie Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Should have been good but that promise ended about a quarter of the way through, sadly

Unfortunately the book started off promising enough but the plot was very silly and juvenile. It perhaps would have been more suited to teenagers.

[margaret mc auley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant Story

Brilliant story with a happy ever after ending. Perfect for Winter evenings fireside reading listening to the wind outside. Really love this Author's ability to link the past with the present in her stories.

[Vickie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't like this as much as the first one.

[Songül · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5

[June Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

O.K.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The central mystery was intriguing and fine and all, but I don't know... the villain seemed very cartoonish and the ending was very tropey. Overall, it was just fine.

[Kim Chalker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadows from the Past Book 3

I enjoyed this book as thoroughly as I did another book by this author also with a similar theme to this one

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful 😍.

[Deedee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars....

[Sue Storar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book

This book was very enjoyable it kept you in suspence until the end of the book with a lot of twists and turns inbetween .

[Barbara Remedios · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leer antes la primera parte.

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poorly written and predictable. Flat characters.

[Susan Brightman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Soft Whisper of Dreams

A lovely summer read with twists and turns of mystery to spice the romance. A nice sequel to the other Shadows from the Past novels.

[Tracy Fraley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Joisbania Cordoba · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 28,29 Octubre 2023 ST ⭐️4.9

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harlequin. Thriller light. Simple dream foreshadowing.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another book I could not put down by Christina Courtenay! The pace is fast, the plot is rich, and there is just enough mystery to keep me guessing!

I really enjoyed Maddie. She's had a lot thrown at her lately, and even as events unfold dramatically, I like the way she handles everything. I could understand her actions and reactions, her caution, and her drive to find out more. I kept hoping that what ever the outcome, it would be a happy one. Maddie has a fabulous connection that is very evident with her friend Kayla (who I first me in The Secret Kiss of Darkness). I liked the almost sisterly bond they had, and I was happy for Maddie that she had such a good friend.

Maddie's unexpected attraction to Alex, Maddie's brother in law, is one she is determined not to pursue. Alex has his own past he's trying to move on from, but he is drawn to Maddie in a way he didn't expect either. He'd love to know her better, but Maddie is pushing him away in every way she can. I really liked Alex too. He is a changed man after what he went through. I saw him in The Secret Kiss of Darkness also, and his character has grown and matured significantly! I liked how he was with Maddie, that he didn't push her, but he didn't let her push him away easily. A realistic relationship slowly builds between them, though there are a lot of bumps along the way...and it might not be a forever one. Alex is there for Maddie, and as situations escalate, he is drawn in also.

I liked the journey Christina took me on with Maddie to find her answers, to find herself, and to find her happiness. With some unanticipated plot twists, mystery, gypsies, dreams and hopes, The Soft Whisper of Dreams kept me glued to the pages. I love the setting of Devon also, I felt like I was there with Maddie and Alex. Christina's descriptions are vivid!

The Soft Whisper of Dreams can definitely be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend reading The Secret Kiss of Darkness because it is just as good!! I'd highly recommend The Soft Whisper of Dreams to any romance reader who likes a touch of the mysterious and some suspense.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our story begins on a sad note with the sudden death of Maddie’s parents. At the reading of their will, she discovers she has been adopted! Though she is devastated and disappointed that her adopted parents never revealed this information to her, over the past 27 years, it does explain the lack of sisterly love between her and her sister Olivia. Having walked away from any inheritance left her, Maddie leaves London and heads to the country to stay with her best friend Kayla and her family.

Meanwhile, Alex Marcombe is being released from prison after serving time for drug smuggling. His brother Wes and his wife have asked Alex to come live with them in order to help him get back on his feet. Alex is immediately taken with Maddie when he first meets her, but is somewhat apprehensive because of his past. Women never were an issue for Alex. His self assurance and dark, sultry looks made it easy. But his time in jail left him lacking confidence and he is unsure on how to approach the tall, red haired beauty.

Maddie tries to keep her feelings for Alex in control, though he is the most handsome man she has ever met. Must be the gypsy bloodline, she tells herself. After her last relationship she is in no hurry to get hurt again.

With many twists and turns, danger, adventure, discovery and a bit of romance, this story captures your attention from the start! The author’s style was very easy to read and the heartache of Maddie learning of her past is touching.

[Kirsty (Book - Love - Bug) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored The Secret Kiss of Darkness and (most of) the characters and I hadn't appreciated, until I started reading, that The Soft Whisper of Dreams revisits Marcombe Hall, Kayla and Wes. One of the things I hate most about finishing a book is the not knowing what happens after you turn the last page, and so I absolutely loved being able to jump forward in time and see how Kayla and Wes are getting on. (I should say that you absolutely don't need to have read The Secret Kiss of Darkness first - they are very much standalone books if you want them to be!)

Aside from that, the fresh and new storyline involving Maddie and Alex (who was familiar from the previous book) was equally as gripping. There is more danger for the characters in The Soft Whisper of Dreams and it was all consuming. Christina's writing draws you in, and has you living the danger, the sadness and the joy alongside the characters.

Once again, I loved the characters, I loved the story and I loved it!!

I cannot wait for more from Christina in the future!!

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read Christina Coutenay's novel New England Rocks which I highly recommend, And I have read book 2 The Secret Kiss of Darkness, which I highly recommend in the shadows series. The Soft Whisper of Dreams is part 3 of The Shadows series. Any of The Shadows part series can be read as a stand alone novel. I do think that The Soft Whisper of Dreams is another triumph for this author. With Christina Courtenay writing such briliant novels she certainly keeps her fans dedicated to want and read more of her novels. The Soft Whisper of Dreams is about Maddie Browne who has nightmares from when she was as a child. After Maddie Browne's parent's die Maddie has a shock to find out that she was adopted. This is a novel that has shocking family secrets. I recommend The Soft Whisper of Dreams to all fans of Christina Courtenay and to all readers that have never read one of Christina's books. I look forward to reading Christina Courtenay's next novel.

[Anne Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although described as a "follow-on", there's absolutely no need to have read the earlier book - but for those of us who have, it's a lovely opportunity to meet Kayla and Wes again. Maddie is a strong and spirited heroine, and Alex an initially unlikely but ultimately perfect romantic lead. The story tracks the twists and turns of their relationship, but also follows Maddie's quest to find out more about her family - a quest that puts her in serious danger, with some edge-of-your-seat moments and many real surprises. The characters are well drawn, the Cornish setting equally well described: the story is by turn exciting, mysterious and unashamedly romantic, a perfect novel into which to escape for a few hours. I loved it - and, particularly for anyone who read The Secret Kiss of Darkness, the ending is absolutely perfect.

[Rosemary Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Soft Whispers of Dreams by Christina Courtenay

Christina Courtenay’s novel The Soft Whispers of Dreams is a page turner, which I read into the small hours of the morning, although I yawned and should have turned off the light and gone to sleep.

After Maddie Browne’s parents die she receives an unwelcome surprise, and must deal with a recurring nightmare about a swing in a garden, a kind red-haired man and a swarthy arms which grabbed her from behind, events that seem to be linked to her childhood.

An encounter with a gypsy fortune-teller reveals that danger will precede happiness. The first part of the prediction is true as Maddie faces one terrifying event after another. The second part is doubtful. Does Alex her best friend’s brother-in-law lust after her or love her?

A well-written novel with unexpected twists and turns.