Official Review: Paradise Dreams by J. Hale Turner

[Catherine Hsu]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Paradise Dreams" by J. Hale Turner.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Paradise Dreams is a poignant story about two people who meet and fall in love in unlikely circumstances. Meet Melanie Harris, who is just returning to the US after recovering from a failed marriage. While at an ATM, she is robbed, but luckily, before things can become worse, Melanie is rescued by a stranger. Now meet Kendall Myers, a wealthy bachelor on a business trip to New York City. When he sees a robber forcing himself on a young woman, he jumps into action to save the day. But before he can ask for her name, she is lost in the rush of the crowd.

Melanie Harris can't get her handsome savior out of her head, and Kendall Myers wishes he could meet the woman he saved again. In a coincidental turn of events and with a little help from the universe, he just might.

I rated this book a 3 out of 4. What I love about this book is how realistically it depicts life. It was not a story about someone from a picture perfect family, or about a hero with a tragic backstory; the story felt real, and that is where it is most powerful and relatable. I thought that the story, in terms of plot, flowed very well, and it was easy to see how one event could lead to another. However, I do wish that we saw the relationship between Kendall and Melanie develop a little more before diving into the rising action. Despite how much I loved them as separate characters, I felt like I was unsatisfied with the understanding I had about the dynamic between Kendall and Melanie. Even after the story was over, I felt like I knew Melanie and Kendall as separate people, but not enough about how they were together.

Speaking of the characters, I think they were very three-dimensional and relatable as individuals. It was easy to feel what they were feeling and understand the way they acted. Both Kendall and Melanie were people who had been hurt before, but the way they developed really taught me about recovering from the past and loving family. Paradise Dreams contains all the people you would meet as if in real life, and even Kendall's ex-wife Alexis and Melanie's ex-husband Vincent were realistic and three-dimensional; despite being side characters, they perfectly exemplified the idea that there was good and bad in each and every individual, and how sometimes the hardest thing to do is the right one.

One very strong theme of the story is family, and one of my favorite characters is definitely Robyn-Olivia, Kendall's eleven-year-old daughter who was caught in the middle of his failed marriage. As someone who can relate to her situation, I very much admire her strong character. Although she was someone who was caught in the crossfire between her two parents, I especially loved how the author gave her her very own role in the story, rather than keeping her as a character who was simply there to show the side effects of a marriage gone wrong.

I thought that the writing style was very good and easy to follow, and I very much commend the author for addressing some of society's issues such as Eldercare. Paradise Dreams is more than a sweet romance; it reminds us that not everyone is able to be financially independent and take care of those who need emotional and physical support. The story also covers HIV and AIDS, a disease that is still very prevalent in modern society. And yet, it is an issue that is not addressed enough; I respect the author and her story very much for showing how it affects all people and how important it is to stay cautious and aware.

In terms of editing, I did find a little error here or there, like missing punctuations, but overall, I would say that this was a very successful read, and I recommend it not just for people who have been through similar situations, but for anyone who simply needs a reminder that things will turn out okay.

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Paradise Dreams
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Like psychopathycathy's review? Post a comment saying so!

[AA1495]

sounds good. Glad you enjoyed it overall. Thank you for the review.

[Espie]

Your initial sentences made me sniff a hint of the feel-good love stories I used to read in my earliest adult years. Knowing that everything will still turn out right, no matter how situations may initially seem, is a good indeed. Thank you for your honest review.

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

Speaking of the characters, I think they were very three-dimensional and relatable as individuals. It was easy to feel what they were feeling and understand the way they acted. Both Kendall and Melanie were people who had been hurt before, but the way they developed really taught me about recovering from the past and loving family. Paradise Dreams contains all the people you would meet as if in real life, and even Kendall's ex-wife Alexis and Melanie's ex-husband Vincent were realistic and three-dimensional; despite being side characters, they perfectly exemplified the idea that there was good and bad in each and every individual, and how sometimes the hardest thing to do is the right one.

This is so important for me to be able to relate to the characters and really care for them and get involved in the story. I just can't relate to one-dimensional characters. It seems like the author managed to create an uplifting story while still talking about important topics like family and HIV/AIDS. I'll definitely add it to my to-read shelf.
Thank you for your analytical and enthusiastic review!

[Kajori Sheryl Paul]

A realistic story with three dimensional characters seems like a good read.

Thank you for the great review.

[Alice Heritage]

Kendall sounds like an enjoyable hero. Even though he's a realistic and relatable character, I'm glad to hear he doesn't have a Dark Past (TM). That theme can get a bit old ...

[Beatus]

Yes, things will turn out okay. I believe this too. I have thus feeling that everything we do will eventually turn out to be a perfect decision even if it did some damage. Good review.

[Ria710]

Great review, the book sounds like a good romance read. I’m glad that you enjoyed reading it.

[Nisha Ward]

Aww. This sounds rather sweet and light despite dealing with issues like eldercare and HIV. It's a shame about Kendall and Melanie's lack of development as a couple, but I guess you can't win them all.