"Dreams of Savannah" by Roseanna M. White

Cordelia's fanciful imagination delights those around her. But with the War Between the States looming, she fears saying goodbye to Phineas Dunn, the man who has captured her heart. Will he return home safely? Do her ominous dreams hold any meaning in the real world?

Phin feels confident as he takes to the seas. Surely God will bless them as they protect their homes, their families. But hidden danger lurks, and aid may be found in a source he least expects.

I had a hard time getting into this novel. The characters are so blithe and naive at the beginning. However, both Cordelia and Phin go through challenges and grow tremendously as people, and the other point of view characters—Cordelia's slave Salina and a free black man named Luther—really helped draw me into the story.

The author tackles a lot of difficult subjects within these pages, slavery being the biggest one. I learned a lot about slave laws in Georgia which I had not known before. I think there is merit in having these discussions today, and I applaud White's willingness to tackle it. Although I personally found the moral discussions, about slavery or otherwise, a bit simplistic, I recognize that within the confines of a historical romance novel there is only so much room for deep conversation on such matters. This is a great starting point.

Overall, if you are interested in such discussions, or if you enjoy fiction set in the Civil War, you won't want to miss this newest release from a trusted author.

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts in this review are my own.