I enjoyed this book a great deal. It is a sweet play on Sleeping Beauty, but not really. There is a lot of mystery and tangled webs to unravel throughout the book. Sweet Tansy, living with her 3 aunts, know there are secrets about who her father was and his death. The aunts are keeping secrets about her mother and Rose Cottage, where her mother died too. Tansy has dreams, both good and bad, that keep her from sleeping well. They are strange enough that she is afraid to tell anyone about them. Finally, her 20th birthday is approaching, and the aunts are finally taking her to Rose Cottage. The first night there, unable to sleep, Tansy goes for a walk.

Just up the road is the home of a Duke, who is out of the country traveling. His younger brother, Marcus, acting as a steward in his brother’s absence, comes across Tansy who is cold and asleep in the library. A friendship develops between the two people as they deal with many different situations.

The aunts are cute and have fun, different personalities that enliven the story so much. The setting at Rose Cottage brings a vision of beauty and simplicity to the story. I would definitely recommend this book for both adults and teenagers. It is a clean, sweet romance that is an easy, engaging story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are voluntary and unbiased and are completely my own opinion.

An absolutely charming and creative story, this book was excellent from start to finish. In fact, I really REALLY loved the ending, it made me smile and want to reread this story over and over again.
What I liked most about this book is that while it is a sort of Regency nod to the fairytale Sleeping Beauty, it's super original and has a plot and vibe all its own. Tansy and Marcus are multi-dimensional characters I couldn't help but cheer for. I loved the bits of mystery surrounding both of their backstories. The twists were fun to watch unfold and I love that those things weren't predictable.
I wish I was more eloquent in describing the vibe of this story, it's enchanting, romantic, funny at times, heartfelt, and has this air about it that transports you right into the time and lives of the characters. I loved the imagery with the stars and dreams. The scene with repairing the fairy houses and clay… yeah, swoony! Overall, a fantastic read.
I received an advance reader copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I will be purchasing a final print copy of this book. This is a clean romance.

This was a very unique retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Although it is quite different than the Disney version of Sleeping Beauty that we all are familiar with it was still enjoyable.

I loved the aunts and how sweet Tandy was to them, especially Daisy. The relationships between them were adorable.

I loved the twists and turns the story took as I tried to figure it how it was all going to end and what the big mystery (mysteries?!) was.

The romance part of the story was pretty meh. For those who enjoy squeaky clean romance this will probably be delightful. I need more interaction and chemistry between the H&h for the love to be realistic and I didn't feel like I got that in this story.

If you're here for the story and not the romance, enjoy historical era books, and like a little mystery and fantasy then this story will likely be perfect for you.

I'm rounding up from 3.5 stars.

This to know about content; squeaky clean

Thank you NetGalley and Covenant Communications for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Publishing: July 11, 2022
Series: Enchanted Regency Romance #2

“The Dreaming Beauty” by Anneka R. Walker is a clean and wholesome historical romance that takes on a somewhat retelling of Sleeping Beauty but in a regency setting with an air of mystery and suspense incorporated in the story.

Marcus Taylor has lived his life as a “steward” to his brother, the Duke of Westmorland for as long as he could remember. He has always been told by his stepmother that his brother’s responsibilities must come first before his. Marcus aspires to expand his knowledge of philosophy and how it relates to dreams. His gift to uncover lies in people has become an invaluable gift as a parttime spy…an occupation his family knows nothing about. He has had his share of unexplainable nightmares that is leaving him with unanswered results and leaving him wanting to give up until he meets Tansy who could somehow be the key.

Tansy White is a beautify and loving individual who is determined to not be left in spinsterhood as her three aunts who have raised her. She has not knowledge of who she is as she doesn’t remember her mother nor her father. What she does know is that her nightmares are more like dreams of premonition that no one truly understands. As she gets closer to her 20th birthday, her aunts have promised to return her to Rose Cottage, the home surrounding her memories of her mother and the questions needing answers so that she can move forward with her life.

Marcus and Tansy meet in unconventional circumstances. Not remembering her way back to Rose Cottage, Tansy is caught in a terrible storm and finds shelter at Ashbury Court. She is discovered by Marcus who helps get her nursed back to health. They become friends as they have a connection of wanting to uncover secrets long held dead. Their relationship gradually grows with every interaction that they find themselves in…whether it is building fairy houses or clandestine meetings with Tansy to help her with her dreams.

Not having liked “The Masked Baron” the first book in this series, I can say that this book was enjoyable that I wanted to get to the end to see what the dreams and secrets uncovered. The relationship between Tansy and Marcus was well-developed and for the most part they are very likeable characters. I loved Marcus willingness to give up his happiness so that Tansy could find love and happiness she has been seeking. They were such a lovely couple who needed to find closure and their own HEA. In this story, Ms. Walker adding the premise of fairies, magic, curses, and ghosts which made for the suspense, twists and uncovering the unknown secrets. This was an enjoyable surprise and good build up to a good ending to the story. My only drawback was that it started off a bit slow but the pace picked up about 50% into the story. In any case, I thought this was a delightful and entertaining story.

I was thinking this would be more fairy tale then it was, but it still had images of sleeping beauty.

Tansy was born into a family of flower names, being raised by 3 aunt's, one who loves fairies. But she knows nothing of her mother's life, and nothing of her father.

Marcus is the second son, a scholar,who fights with nightmares, and cares for the people around him.

The relationship between the two is sweet, Marcus is a really good guy with a wonderful heart.

The ending is unexpected and definitely worthy. All in all, a good read!

The Dreaming Beauty by Anneka R. Walker is a regency romance with fairytale vibes as it is a fairytale retelling. This made it very fun to read.

My favorite thing about this book was the tension and longing between Tansy and Marcus. These characters had great chemistry as well as great personalities.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a story that will stay with you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Covenant Communications, and Anneka R. Walker for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!

This sweet and whimsy retelling of Sleeping Beauty was a pleasant surprise.

It did start off a bit slow and took me awhile to get into the story, but I’m so glad I stuck it out because I really enjoyed it. I loved the development of Tansy and Marcus’ relationship. The fact that they started out as friends with a common goal and then feelings developed into something more made me swoon. I love romance novels where the relationship feels authentic and this definitely felt genuine.

The only negative about this book is trying to keep track of the different characters and subplots. I would HIGHLY recommend, especially if you're looking for a sweet romance story.

I received this title from NetGalley. I absolutely loved this book. A retelling of Sleeping Beauty set during the regency era, this book combines my favorite parts of historical romance with what I love about fairytales. If you love historical romances or fairytale retelling you will want to read this book!

4.5 stars
Wow! This book was just stunning and full of twists and turns! I am in awe. I have to admit that it took me a bit to get into the book but once I really got into it, I was hooked. The Dreaming Beauty is a sequel to Anneka R Walker’s book, The Masked Baron. The Dreaming Beauty is a regency book inspired by Sleeping Beauty
Tansy was an interesting character. I am honestly not quite sure how I feel about her. She was stubborn, but she was also looking for love. She was searching for the answers to her dreams and trying to find herself. Tansy grew a lot in this book. She learned to stand up for herself and also that happy endings could happen.
Marcus was lovely. I really liked him in this book and I enjoyed reading about him. He worked hard to be a good man and help his brother. I loved how Marcus cared for the people under him and around him. But Marcus was also still learning how to let people in and how to fight for what he believed in. There were also secrets of his pasts that would come back to haunt him.
Marcus and Tansy were cute together. They were able to help each other be the best. They each had their own issues to deal with, but it was sweet to read about them connecting. However, they had to fight for each other because there were a lot of obstacles and secrets standing in their way.
The plot was really interesting and engaging. It started off slower but as I kept on reading, I was soon drawn in. I was amazed by everything that was going on and on the edge of myseat to find out what was going to happen. I also really enjoyed Marcus’ brother, Simon. He was a fun addition to the story, I hope that he gets his own book.
The Dreaming Beauty was a really fun book! I would definitely recommend it! The Dreaming Beauty is a clean regency romance


I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

I throughly enjoyed this book and it is the perfect sequel to The Masked Baron. Anneka Walker has a way of giving the reader thrilling twist and turns and surprises that keeps you reading. This book is a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty and is a wonderful mystery/romance.

Tansy is a beautiful young woman, who fears turning into a splinter like her aunts, but feels like she has little prospects. She has many secrets, many of which she doesn't know the answers and wants to learn the answers. Marcus Taylor has his own secrets and is plagued with terribly vivid dreams. After finding Tansy one night in a storm, asleep and cold as death, he begins to believe that she may hold the answers to his dreams.

The Dreaming Beauty is a historical romance with magical mystery, suspense and romance that made for a fun read. I've read The Masked Baron by Anneka Walker as well and, while there are references to the characters from The Masked Baron, I don't think it was necessary to read it in order to understand and enjoy The Dreaming Beauty. That being said, I think I still compared The Dreaming Beauty to The Masked Baron and found The Dreaming Beauty to be slightly slower and had built up a greater anticipation for some of the action and answers that Tansy and Marcus were searching for. The last 25% of the book read a little bit faster for me as it really got deeper into so many good parts of the story and I didn't want to put it down.

Tansy and Marcus are both troubled by dreams and their pasts and are seeking answers to finally find some must sought after and well deserved peace and happiness. They are really well written characters, as are all of the cast of characters in the book. Tansy is super sweet, loyal and dedicated and Marcus is swoony, hard working and generous. They make a perfect couple and their happily ever after, while hard won, was much deserved. I can appreciate that Ms. Walker added the magic of the original fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty in without using any actual magic or curses but still making it magical in its own way. There were many delightful, but also sad, surprises in the book and was full of twists and turns that keeps you reading up till the very end.

This was such a delightful fairytale retelling. It was a little slow at the beginning, but the deeper I got into it the more intriguing it became.

Tansy and Marcus were very likable characters. The mysteries surrounding their early lives caused them confusion and stress that they desperately wanted to understand.

There were a few surprises that made the story just that much more understandable and satisfying. Anneka Walker is a very skilled author weaving together so many stories and experiences then wrapping up all the loose ends very nicely at the end.

This is a clean read with a wonderful love story. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

This is a great story, involving romance, misunderstandings, a touch of magic, secrets and lies. What more could you want from a historical romance. Here we meet Tansy who lives with her three aunts, all christened with names of flowers. They live in genteel poverty in Yorkshire. They travel to the former home of her mother, now dead. So far so good. Introducing Marcus, brother to an absent Duke where he fills the role of steward to the estate. There are many intriguing mysteries on both sides which are developed cleverly by the author, I was enthralled all the way through to find out their secrets. Suffice to say all is revealed in the telling very satisfactorily. This is my first book by this author but it will not be my last. There are some smattering of Americanisms here but they don't 'jar' the ear as some others. I will definitely read the previous book about the Masked Baron because he features in this book. Overall a highly enjoyable read, great characters and a cracking plot. Highly recommended. My thanks to Netgalley, Covenant and the author Anneka Walker for an advanced copy of The Dreaming Beauty.

Another charming tale by Walker! She has a way with story telling and this nod to Sleeping Beauty is no different.

This was a fantastic retelling of "Sleeping Beauty." The plot was well-paced and captivating from start to finish. The characters were well-developed; complex, and intriguing. I highly recommend this beautiful read. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

This charming Regency retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" features not one, but two main characters afflicted with troubling dreams. Sweet Tansy White, along with her equally flower-named aunts, are a delightful group of ladies one cannot help but like. Marcus Taylor is a wonderful hero.

There are surprising twists in this short novel. This reader's attempts to unravel the secrets of the past were only partially successful, and one in particular was entirely unexpected. This unique tale follows "The Masked Baron". While I thoroughly enjoyed that one as well, and the Masked Baron makes an appearance here, "The Dreaming Beauty" stands alone.

As always, Anneka Walker's prose is lovely. The characters are simply delightful. Good triumphs over evil, and the truth shall set you free.

Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for an ARC of this enchanting book.

I enjoyed this book. It definitely had a unique storyline with many multifaceted characters that always kept me guessing. The first part of the book was a little slower, but the last half/ third of the book really kept my interest as I tried to figure out the answers behind all the secrets.

A wonderful story with a fairy tale like feel.
This book is truly enchanting as it spins not just one but two tales of secrets, lies, and even betrayals that will keep you engaged to the end. Tansy was raised by her aunts after the tragic death of her mother at an early age. But the aunts refuse to tell Tansy much about her mother, their sister. Tansy’s memories are few but the dreams surrounding her mother are intense and realistic, leaving her with more questions about her early childhood. Now they are returning to Rose Cottage where Tansy had spent those early years and which she had seen in her dreams so vividly she had been able to paint an accurate picture of it. But Rose Cottage does not bring the peace Tansy had hoped for, instead the dreams continue bringing their restlessness. One night, after leaving the cottage to walk and try to find at least temporary peace, Tansy is caught in a violent storm and seeks shelter at Ashbury Court where a door had been left unlocked. There she was discovered by Marcus the brother of a duke. But Marcus also had secrets. He is also plagued by vivid dreams that seem to make no sense. Distressing dreams of early childhood that did not align with what he had been told by his twice widowed mother. Somewhere there had to be someone or some record that could explain what he was experiencing. A masterful book of lies, betrayals, and the search for truth. So very good. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.

#TheDreamingBeauty #NetGalley

A retelling of Sleeping Beauty. This book was a sequel to The Masked Baron, but can be read as a stand alone. This story felt a little strange at times, and it was so chopped up, between characters. I have to admit fantasy is not my favorite genre.

Fun sleeping beauty story with a twist. It's nice when a book explores philosophy of the era and how it changed with study and investigation. This has lots of interesting twists and turns.