In Dream Angel, Angelique Aumont dreamed of being a tightrope walker and the first woman to perform a forward somersault in the French Cirque. Though she joined the circus and the manager, Sean, liked her, his stepsister did not and caused much trouble for Angelique. The stepsister went so far as to tell Angelique that Sean was her husband and he liked many other women. She offered Angelique money to leave the circus and go to her aunt in the United States. This she does, though Sean follows her and later wins her back. She then performs the untimely somersault.

I found that the clothing and transportation descriptions seemed to fit the 1850s, but I found some of the dialogue too close to the language of our own time. Because it took place in a foreign country, I know that most people would not have spoken that way.

The next to final scene, I found out of place and inappropriate for this book as there were no other scenes leading up to it. The graphic nature and explicit instructions surprised and saddened me. The rest of the story was well written and in good taste.

Reviewed By Julie Thomas-Zucker
© January 2005