Shay Benson adored her younger brother, Caden, and that got her into trouble. When he owed money, Shay realized she would do anything to help him avoid the men who were threatening him, and she crossed lines she never should have crossed. Now, determined to start fresh, she finds herself in search of a place to stay and wanders into a church to escape from the cold.

Pastor Drew Douglas adored his wife. But when he lost her, it was all he could do to focus on his two beautiful kids, and his flock came in a distant third. Now, as he too is thinking about a fresh start, he walks through his sanctuary and finds Shay sitting in a pew.

The pair strike up a friendship—Drew helps Shay get back on her feet, and she reignites his sense of purpose—that, over time, turns into something deeper, something soulful, spiritual, and possibly romantic. Even Drew’s two children are taken with this woman who has brought light back into their lives. Perhaps most important, Shay learns to trust again as she, in turn, proves herself trustworthy to her adopted community.

But Caden’s return to town and a disastrous secret threaten to undo the life Shay has tried so hard to rebuild. It will take the utmost courage and faith if she and Drew hope to find healing and open their hearts to a brighter future.

Stand Alone Title

Title:  Any Dream Will Do
Series:
Author:  Debbie Macomber
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  August 8, 2017
Publisher:  Random House Publishing – Ballantine Books
My Rating:  4.5 stars

There are times in life when you have no other choice but to make a fresh new start.  Only problem is that Shay has no clue where or even how to get that new life started.  She’d done something stupid.  Well, helping your brother out of trouble shouldn’t be stupid, only doing the wrong thing that put her behind prison walls would certainly qualify.  Now she’s faced with rebuilding a life, with a record.  The church seemed like a good place to sit and think, maybe even send up a small prayer.  She couldn’t have known that she was in exactly the right place at the right time to start something new… perhaps far more than she could have dreamed possible for her.

Drew has been in mourning over his wife’s lost battle to cancer for years now.  As a pastor he knows that she is in God’s hands now, only as a man who loved his wife he really wants her at his side, raising their kids together.  Illogical he knows, especially for a man of faith but the heart feels what it wants, and he wants his wife.  His family, his congregation are suffering as a result of his continued grief.  It’s time to make a life decision.  He couldn’t have known that part of his healing was sitting in his church pews right now doing her own soul searching.  By reaching out to help a stranger Drew has set his feet upon a path to his future.  But nothing always runs smoothly.  In time he and Shay will have to face some difficult times.  Will what they begin here in this quiet church pew stand the tests to come?

Any Dream Will Do is such a lovely second chance at life story.  You can’t help but feel for both Shay and Drew.  We’ve all made stupid mistakes and paid for them, most of us have lost a loved one to death and question why for a very long time.  This couple isn’t all that different from the average person walking down the street in your own home town… only the circumstances might be slightly different.  Drew and Shay begin with a tentative friendship which grows slowly, steadily over time.  It feels real, it feels natural and it just feels right for them.  When trouble comes calling they will have choices to make.  I liked this couple very much.  I believe you would as well.

If you’re looking for a realistic, natural moving romance with believable characters then I’d highly recommend Any Dream Will Do.  Debbie Macomber once again delivers a touching story with faith, hope and love deeply involved.  She is one of my favorite, go to authors and if you haven’t discovered her yet then this story would be a lovely place to start.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

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