Being somewhat of a dreamer myself, I was curious about the premise of Tarnished Dreams, and I was delighted to find it set in my own country of Australia. I am, admittedly, a patriotic sort.

Five years after she left her hometown in Tasmania, Sally Frank returns for the funeral of her stepfather only to be confronted by the man whom she has always loved--and by whom she believes she was betrayed.

When Mac Boswell went to mainland Australia to study veterinary science, his easy childhood camaraderie with Sally changed, but though he pushed her away she never stopped believing that one day she would marry him.

That is, until she saw him in his stables with a naked Clare Norris.

Mac had promised to wait for Sally until she finished school, but the scheming and determined Clare had set him up. Worst of all, Sally wouldn't hear his pleas of innocence, and refused to talk to him. Now, with her home, his feelings for her have risen to the surface again, and he is determined to make her see that he has never betrayed her.

Tricia McGill has produced a tender and emotive, if predictable, tale in Tarnished Dreams. I found it easy to empathise with Sally and her inner conflict between her love for Mac and her determination to believe the worst. After all, the character of Clare, coupled with an age gap significant when they were so young, rendered such betrayal believable, especially when Mac and Clare spent a lot of time together at school. I will admit, though, that I found her determination to disbelieve someone who has never lied to her before slightly irritating, and it undermined my sympathy for her a little.

I could also empathise with Mac; being so much older than Sally did put him in a difficult position, and I understood the need to push Sally away as a child. I felt his frustration at not being heard when he protested his innocence. However, from the snapshots provided throughout the story it seems as though he allowed Clare to believe that there was more between them than there really was, which undermined my sympathy for him as the hero.

Tricia McGill writes well, and her style is descriptive and fluid. My one complaint is that the back-story might have slotted into the main story more neatly if it had been broken up, instead of inserted in one large chunk. Additionally, some parts went over the line between romance and sappiness, which usually results in a dismissive reaction from me, but this is a matter of personal preference.

All in all, Tarnished Dreams is a satisfying tale of misunderstanding, trust and true love, with a subsidiary message on the importance of home, family, and finding where you belong.

Reviewed By Melinda Stanners
© January 2005