Giving me all the feels, if you're looking for a historical romance laser-focused on the journey of a romantic relationship, Where Dreams Begin really knocks it out of the park with its two dimensional heroine/hero, endearing side characters, and the thoroughly emotional/sensual writing. Even though the overarching plot is stereotypical and predictable, there are enough bespoke moments that feel unique and handcrafted for the story (the constant compare/contrast between the hero/late husband, the daughter's button collecting habit, etc.).

Reason why this is not getting a full 5-stars is really down to personal preference: the absence of a secondary plot beyond the romance—it's missing that additional external conflict to make this a truly well-rounded story (imagine if there's a plot about the hero's business being challenged). It is the reason why a lot of the genre favorites haven't worked for me in the past (such as Nobody's Dukeby Scarlett Scott, and anything by Lorraine Heath); but as a whole Where Dreams Begin might be the best iteration of this specific style of storytelling I've read so far.

***Historical Hellions Book Club | July 2024 Selection***