Dolly's Dream (The Rockwood Chronicles #6) by Dilly Court
Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas, Romance, Victoria era
Read: 9th January 2024
Published: 2nd February 2023
★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)
DESCRIPTION:
Dolly’s dreams could lead her astray . . .
Dolly Blanchard dreams of a bigger life. She wants to make a mark on the world, not simply wait for a husband to come along. So when an impoverished actress offers her a lifeline, Dolly flees to London, determined to make it on the stage and prove to her family – and herself – that she can strike out alone.
But the dark city streets are full of danger. With her dreams fading to dust, Dolly soon finds herself in peril. And with the family’s future under threat at Rockwood Castle, and secrets tumbling out of the shadows, she faces a difficult choice.
Will her heart call her home?
Book Six of The Rockwood Chronicles
MY THOUGHTS:
The sixth and final installment of the Rockwood Chronicles focuses on the eldest of Rosalind Blanchard's children, Dolly. The first of the series began with Rosalind so it only seems fitting that it should end with her child. But of course, it doesn't really end there as we meet up with many of the Rockwood family in the standalone "A Thimble for Christmas" as Todd, Gus, Dolly, Rosalind and ALex all put in an appearance along with the eternal bachelor Freddie.
But in this tale we are back in Rockwood where Felicia de Marney's dream of opening and running her own theatre has come to fruition, having been built on the site of the former Greystone Park after it was razed to the ground.
After witnessing her grandmama's harsh words towards a young girl who has auditioned for her, Dolly decides that she could follow a career on the stage as well. It seems the young girl, Liza Day, had relinquished her role in London to return home to care for her ailing grandmother and take on a smaller role in Felicia's theatre. Not one to refuse a challenge, Dolly decides to go to London and take on Liza's role until she is able to continue to do so and begs Gus Baker, a young soldier who began life at Rockwood as one of Nancy's street urchins she saved from the gutter, to acconpany her to London.
Of course a young woman of barely twenty travelling to London accompanied by a gentleman who is not related to her could threaten to ruin her reputation. But Dolly has bigger dreams than that of tittle tattle. And Gus only has eyes for Dolly.
Dolly is determined to prove to herself - and her family - that she can strike out and make a name for herself on the stage. But Dolly isn't prepared for the life that awaits her away from the safety of her family shroud and soon she discovers that the streets are fraught with danger. Dolly soon finds herself in peril and can think of only one lifeline she can call upon in the big city - Freddie at Dorrington House.
But then with her dreams in tatters and her family's fortune under threat back in Devonshire, Dolly must make the decision to return home lest secrets destroy everything she knows.
A most enjoyable final read and a fitting end, as being the sixth book I feel the series has run its course, particularly with the awful Felicia de Marney who I wished would have taken a stage dive long ago. The woman is selfish and thinks only of her own ends. Claims to be Lady Carey but was born in the gutter and then left her family to pursue her own ends on the stage.
I enjoyed this final outing and though I read "A Thimble for Christmas" before this one, it was good to revisit with those chraracters post-Rockwood.
Another delightful read.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Dilly Court grew up in North-east London and began her career in television, writing scripts for commercials. She is married with two grown-up children and four grandchildren, and now lives in Dorset on the beautiful Jurassic Coast with her husband. She is the author of eighteen novels and also writes under the name of Lily Baxter.
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