I wanted to read the The Dreaming Beauty from the moment I saw the cover, it has one of the most beautiful book covers to be released this year! It perfectly captures the air of mystery and beauty in the story!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and only sickness this week kept me from reading it in one sitting. I'm a huge fan of fairytale and I really liked the unique twist on the classic tale. I love love love Tansy's aunts so much! I loved the haunting dreams, the double mystery was a welcome surprise and the story was just filled with so many perfect little moments that made it a delight to read. Funny moments: Iris and the rake. Romantic moments: The clay. Deep moments: the stargazing scene. #iykyk The storyline and mystery developed at a really nice pace until it reached the perfect ending.

I'm fast becoming a fan of slow and sweet romances that develop naturally but are undeniably romantic. And as big a fan as I am of real Alpha males, I love reading about the quiet steady ones who can still be just as much of a 'hero'. Marcus and Tansy were so adorably sweet together and talk about some romantic moments!

I loved this story and the magical element it held. Add a splash of mystery and this Regency Fairy Tale is a perfect escape. Tansy was a fascinating character who's dreams held more than usual. Marcus had a similar affliction. He was friends with The Masked Baron, so I appreciated that tie to the previous book though it wasn't enough someone couldn't read this one all on it's own.

Anneka Walker has an amazing way with words that adds a magical quality to the fairy tales that take place in a world that is not necessarily magic.

Tansy's aunts add that good fairy quality that we are all familiar with in Sleeping Beauty. The inclusion of Daisy who likely has what we would call a developmental disability and the way she was presented was very well done.

If you are looking for a Sleeping Beauty tale, and even if you are not, this story has great chemistry, great mystery, and is truly magic.

I received an early copy through the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest review.

This Sleeping Beauty retelling was a fun read. It was full of mystery, intrigue, and romance. These characters had so much to learn about themselves and each other that drove the story forward. Anneka Walker really kept me guessing throughout the whole story. This was a very poignant book. The idea of dreams being windows to the soul and a source for finding peace pulled the story forward. Some of the elements of the fairytale were obvious but Walker also made fun of them which made me smile. While this may not be my favorite fairytale retelling, it was very well done.

I've only read one other book by Anneka Walker--Bargaining for the Barrister--and I enjoyed it. She's not a novice author as far as I can tell since she has 14 published works (including anthologies). That being said, pieces of The Dreaming Beauty felt unpolished. I'll do my best to explain.

I wasn't sure, given the description and how certain pieces of this story are written, if this was intended to be fantasy in a historical fiction setting. I'll clear it up for you, it's not. But Tansy has dreams that sometimes seem prophetic. She dreams of Rose Cottage in vivid detail when she's never seen it before. And some other dreams appear to be prophetic, essentially warning her of something bad about to happen. Tansy's aunts all refer to a curse upon their family. The curse results in all the female aunts (sisters) being alone. One aunt's husband left her, although they claim he died. One aunt's husband did die. And one aunt is barely older than Tansy and has never married as far as I can tell. Tansy's mother died of an illness when she was very young. And there is an estranged aunt none of the family has heard from in many years.

Marcus has been plagued by dreams all his life. Nightmares. And he doesn't know how to explain them or how to get them to stop. He began to research dreams, but it was difficult to get a subject who had similarities to his own dreams until he meets Tansey. Marcus's dreams don't appear to be prophetic, but there's a mystery within them.

One of my biggest frustrations with mysteries is how side characters often have more information than the main characters. The main characters know the side characters know so much more than them, but the side characters refuse to enlighten the ones who really need the knowledge they hold. And so the story drags on. Either leaking snippets here or there or by the secondary characters holding it over their heads that one day the time will be right and all the information will be revealed. For me, this is just frustrating as a reader, and I would be quite frustrated were I the main character as well.

I found myself annoyed with Marcus and Simon. I don't understand why Marcus couldn't be open with Simon about his feelings for Tansy up front. He kept pursuing his own relationship with her even after finding out that Simon was interested in her. I don't know what his plan was. I mean he makes plans to go back to teaching in order to have a profession where he would be able to court Tansy. But he uses that as a method of escape instead. And then for Simon to say later that he knew Marcus was interested in Tansy, I don't understand pursuing someone that you know your sibling is interested in.

Favorite quotes:
-The key to learning motivation, and ultimately to uncovering truth, was to approach it as a friend, not as an inquisitor.

-The subtleties of tone, physical expression, and word choice were the manifestation of the soul.

-"I cannot resist a night's sky. Of all of God's creations, this is my favorite." Marcus let his head fall back again. "The stars are tranquil and comforting, aren't they? They see everything that happens, and while I am sure they hold the secrets of the world, they reflect only the light."

-...some lessons did not come without a degree of pain.

All in all, I was a little disappointed with The Dreaming Beauty. The mystery aspects were just frustrating. I didn't feel any excitement about discovering the secrets, I just felt annoyed that the characters that had more information weren't sharing it. I liked Marcus and Tansy's relationship, but Marcus was a bit of a dunderhead when it came to Simon's interest in Tansy. The Dreaming Beauty gets 3 Stars. Have you read The Dreaming Beauty? What did you think? Let me know!

Thank you NetGalley for a story of faeries and Rose Cottage with aunts who have raised Tansy. They now are staying in Rose Cottage where her mother spent her last years. Tansy's very close to aunts and meets Marcus Taylor who she admires because he is so good to the aunts. Marcus cannot marry until his brother is married. The brother who is the duke was also interested in Tansy. But there is a secret that the family of Westmorland and Tansy that the aunts and Marcus's mother has kept well hidden over the years and it will be exposed. This will allow Tansy and Marcus to find true love.

This book was very whimsical and sweet! I liked the fairytale vibes and the family dynamics for both Marcus and Tansy. I thought the romance was a touched rushed, but other than that I really really enjoyed it!

4.5 Stars. There is so much complexity to this story, I struggled a little with keeping the characters straight and who was whose mother, father and aunt. Even with that being said, I really did enjoy this story. Loosely based on the fairytale, sleeping beauty and set in the regency period. It is evident the author is very creative and did a lot of research, to hold the story together with all of it’s many twist and turns. Just when I think I have it figured out, I get another spin on it. It is full of mystery, intrigue, secrets, fairies and ghosts. Of course witty banter and sweet romance. It is the second book in the series, but can be read as a standalone. Although I loved the Masked Baron, so read it also!

Anneka Walker succeeded in creating a dreamy regency retelling of this Sleeping Beauty tale. I didn’t see some of the plot twists and was trying to figure some of the things out along the way (apparently I’m that person who likes to solve book mysteries 🤷‍♀️)

I think in every novel that Anneka Walker has written, her side characters are always my favorite (no shade on her main characters) she adds so much wit and fun to them that I fall in love and really care for them. They’re like the perfect side dish that compliments a filet mignon. They don’t distract or take away from the story, they add a perfect balance.
With that said, I love Daisy. You add a character that acts on the [autism] Spectrum and I’m going to fall in love with them. She has my heart. There’s a part in the book where they mention how their Sunday worship looks differently than most people’s, and I have to say there’s never been a small message in a story that has resonated more with me. I love it.

Super cute, fun mysteries, sweet romance, what more could I ask for in a regency romance? If you’re looking for a book that has the proper side of the regency time period, but also has character and slight whimsical elements, I think you should grab The Sleeping Beauty.

4-4.5 stars ⭐️

<i>Sleeping Beauty</i> was my favorite Disney movie when I was a kid, so this lovely retelling brought up a lot of fantastic nostalgia for me. 💙

<i>The Dreaming Beauty</i> by Anneka R. Walker is the perfect blend of historical and whimsical. The characters are fun and unique, and the twists in the story kept me interested and engaged in the plot.

Tansy and Marcus are each plagued by dreams and nightmares that keep them awake at night. When Tansy unexpectedly finds her way into Marcus's library and he finds her drenched, freezing, and unconscious, he wonders if she might be the answer to helping him understand his nighttime visions.

As the two slowly grow in trust and friendship—and feelings—they begin to discover that things are most definitely not what they seem.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the twists and turns the characters experienced. I felt immersed in the world and setting of Rose Cottage and immersed in the stories of Tansy, Marcus, and their families.

What I enjoyed most about this story were the fantastical overtones woven throughout the story. Even though we were always grounded in reality, there was a magical feeling to the entire story that made it all seem beautiful and ephemeral.

Throw in the perfect nods to the classic tale, and this book was a delightful read.

Thank you to the publisher for the complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love this author and loved the previous book that was fairytale inspired, The Masked Baron. This one was a bit of a struggle for me to get into. The fairytale part was almost too whimsical for the Regency setting and dabbled a little too close to unbelievable and that made it hard for me to really get rooted in the story. I kept bouncing back and forth between asking if this was fantasy or if it was truly Regency with nods to a fairytale. The author does a great job with descriptions and the plot was well crafted, I just wanted to connect with this story a bit more.

While growing up I loved reading fairytales, so when I heard this book was inspired by Sleeping Beauty I knew I had to read it. I love this author's books so that just made me more excited to get started reading this story.

I really liked the characters of Tansy and Marcus--they were both kind people who helped others, and they were so cute together. Tansy's aunts were fun, with their little idiosyncrasies. I loved how loyal they were to their family. Something felt off about Marcus' family and there were times I couldn't decide if his brother Simon was a good guy or if he had an ulterior motive for wanting to spend time with Tansy.

I've always loved mysteries and I was intrigued by Tansy and Marcus' recurring dreams--why did they have them, what did they mean? I had so many questions. I loved all the nods to the classic fairytale--the cottage, her 3 aunts, fairies, the curse, the evil stepmother, and of course the kiss. There were several big twists in this story I did not see coming but I loved how it all turned out in the end.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher Covenant Communications via NetGalley. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own.

I've never read anything like The Dreaming Beauty! One part fairy tale, one part Regency romance, this book is wholly unique. Told in dual point of view, TDB opens with Marcus Taylor (brother to the Duke of Westmorland), assisting his friend the (un)Masked Baron. It was a delight to see old characters, and the history buff in me loved this scene because of the subtle history lesson. Who knew Napolean attended one of King George's birthday celebrations?!

Marcus was a smart, kind, and thoughtful hero. I adored the meet-cute (who doesn't want to be reduced and cared for by a handsome hero, a la Jane Austen style?). The way he cared for Tansy, and her aunts, was heartwarming. As the story continues, readers learn that he is plagued by nightmares. And watching him unravel the mystery of his dreams was so satisfying.

Tansy White was a soft, caring heroine who is also searching for answers. And she believes the answers she seeks lie within Rose Cottage.

I loved watching Tansy and Marcus's friendship develop as they both sought answers. And when Marcus's brother Simon returns early . . . well, let's just say I couldn't put the book down from that point on! I recommend this book to readers who enjoy Regency romance, fairytale re-tellings, and companion novels!

What would you do if you found a sleeping beauty in the library? What if you were the sleeping beauty, and woke up somewhere you didn't remember? This Regency retelling of the familiar fairy tale is magical! I enjoyed the journey with the characters through the discovery and challenges when the past caught up with them. Anneka Walker is a favorite author of mine, I love her storytelling!

This book was an absolute delight. It had everything you could want in a book. Romance, intrigue, mystery, fantasy...Marcus and Tansy are everything. I loved their relationship. Marcus was willing to give up what he loved for his brother and to make Tansy's life easier. When things shift, he is able to have the love of his life. Tansy was a great heroine. Her growth and development was so fun to watch. Her dreams added a mystical feel to the book. We see characters from a previous book, which was so much fun. I loved the connection they had with Marcus.

The book all around was so well done!

LOVED IT!
This is a sweet twist of sleeping beauty.

Tansy and Marcus both deal with dreams/nightmares and try to figure out how they correlate with snippets of memories-they help each other and in turn discover some amazing insight into their lives.

I loved the different features included and the tender way one aunt was portrayed.

The author did an an amazing job retelling the fairytale and making it hers!

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

This was a lovely little story.

It did take me some time to get into it, and it was a bit difficult to follow at times (especially in the beginning while I was trying to figure out what was happened and at the end when there's a lot of new information), but this was a sweet and enjoyable read.

This was my first book by this author, but I'll definitely be checking out more of her books!

This book was very charming!!! I loved every minute reading it! The way the author tied in the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty was delightful!

There were some twists and turns, plenty of surprises, midnight walks and dreams, struggles, family, humor, delicious and sweet romance, mystery, a curse, fairies, friendship, sweet kisses, more dreams, nightmares, hope, unexpected connections and much, much more!!!

I loved both Tansy and Marcus' characters. They were good, caring, trustworthy, loving and easy to care for characters. Time and time again throughout the story, you witnessed their goodness in many little acts. And in some big acts.

Tansy's aunts were just so much fun! I loved the added depth to the story they brought, but also their fun loving humor. They loved each other fiercely and Tansy as well. I loved watching them protect her and care for her. And in return, she did the same for them. Such a great addition to the story.

Marcus' family had me on edge off and on. There were times I liked them and cheered for some of them. And times that I was hesitant in my thoughts of them. I won't tell you how my thoughts ended up because then that'd be spoiling it for you. But I'll tell you that you're going to be having mixed feelings throughout the whole book, just like me! Which I loved. I didn't want it all cut and dry who they were. I wanted to have those twists and turns and guesses and surprises.

The sweet romance between Tansy and Marcus was well written. I was turning the pages quickly because I wanted to know what was to come for them. Again, those twists and turns played beautifully into their story and kept me guessing and hoping and cheering and swooning throughout the whole book.

Definitely a book I would highly recommend!

Content: Clean. The romance is very sweet, some kisses but nothing further. There is talk of a curse, fairies, and death. But nothing graphic. All done very clean.

I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

4.5⭐️
This is the prequel to Windswept by Annabelle McCormack. Have you read Windswept? I did and gave it a 5 star review. It was an exciting historical romance that I’m still thinking about! So in this novella (150 pages) we get to see a deeper look to before. It had arranged marriages, the war coming with Germany and Ginny trying to have some control of her life.
It was compelling and gave me a close look at the prejudice before the war even before it invaded parts of Europe.
My jaw was clenched and I felt injustice at what was happening and I couldn’t put it down! Annabelle this was awesome and brought so many things to light.
I highly recommend this if you want a good, well written narrative. I hope you pick this up and get a glimpse of this authors talent.
Really excited about book 2❣️

I really liked this book!

This book is the perfect blend of regency historical romance and fairy tale. It was engrossing from the jump and the relationship between Tansy and Marcus was very sweet. I particularly loved the twists and turns in their romance.

I also loved the supporting cast - the aunts were perfection and even the brother Simon was entertaining.

If you’re looking for a sweet and chaste historical romance that is a fairy tale retelling, this is for you!

Read it for the:
-fairytale inspiration
-surprising twists
-mystery subplot
-happy ending

Final rating: 4/5
Content overview: no swear works, violence, or explicit scenes
Trigger warnings - past childhood trauma in the form of dreams
Heat level - clean, sweet romance. Kissing

Tansy is a beautiful young woman searching for the answer for her strange, vivid dreams. She gets the opportunity to explore her past and find those answers when her 3 aunts take her to visit her childhood home, Rose Cottage. The mystery of her familiar dreams deepens when she meets the handsome professor Marcus, who takes an interest in her dreams. Together the try to navigate their dreams and realities, all the while feelings between the two deepen.

I enjoyed this fairytale retelling of Sleeping beauty. I liked that I could recognize a few aspects of the fairytale, while the novel’s plot itself felt unique.

The relationship between Tansy and Marcus developed sweetly. Tansy was the typical kind beauty, but was protective of her family, however wild their personalities were. Marcus was the perfect regency hero. He was noble and charming. His own journey and character arc really made the story for me.

The plot itself was interesting as it brought many different elements of surprise. At times, it became somewhat difficult to keep track of all the characters and subplots happening at the same time as the main storyline. However, the romance between Tansy and Marcus was still at the front of the plot. In the end, all loose ties were explained and wrapped up to ensure a happily ever after feeling.

This was my first novel by Anneka R. Walker, and I would gladly read more from her.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read and review this wonderful book ahead of publication date. I received a complimentary copy of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.