2/14/2020 DREAMLAND BY NANCY BILYEAU

Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau

Publication Date: January 16, 2020

Endeavor Quill

eBook & Paperback; 386 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

The year is 1911 when twenty-year-old heiress Peggy Batternberg is invited to spend the summer in America’s Playground.



But the invitation to Coney Island is unwelcome. Despite hailing from one of America’s richest families, Peggy would much rather spend the summer at the Moonrise Bookstore where she works voluntarily, than keeping up appearances with Brooklyn socialites and her snobbish, controlling family.



But soon it transpires that the hedonism of Coney Island affords Peggy more of the freedom she has been longing for. For one, she finds herself in love with a troubled pier-side artist of humble means, whom the Batternberg patriarchs would surely disapprove of.



Disapprove they may, but hidden behind their pomposity lurks a web of deceit, betrayal and deadly secrets. And as bodies begin to mount up amidst the sweltering clamour of Coney Island, it seems the powerful Batternbergs can get away with anything…even murder.s



It is up to Peggy to overcome the oppression of her family and clear the name of her vulnerable lover, before she or her beloved sister become the next victims of Dreamland.



Extravagant, intoxicating and thumping with suspense, bestselling Nancy Bilyeau’s magnificent Dreamland is a story of corruption, class and dangerous obsession.


THOUGHTS/REVIEW:


Dreamland is an amazing Historical Fiction novel set in New York. Peggy is a twenty-year-old heiress from one of the richest families in America – the Batternbergs. It is the summer of 1911 and Peggy was ordered by her family to vacation in the luxurious beach front Oriental Hotel for a few weeks to accompany her mother and sister. Peggy would much rather work at the Moonrise Bookstore, but as an heiress, a woman of her stature would not even think of working for a living. That was quickly put to end by her controlling family to keep up with appearances among the city’s socialites. Peggy finds more than what she bargained for and gets mixed up with a young migrant, family secrets, and murders.

I loved Bilyeau’s well researched historical fiction writing that transported me right to that amazing time and place. I find it so fascinating on how people vacationed in those days where a hotel stay lasted for a few weeks or the entire summer. I loved how the details of that time were highlighted along with the race, social and class divides, discrimination, and power. This was a delight to read with wonderful characters that I loved and loved to hate. The suspenseful murder mystery component made this read a real page turner for me.

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Praise for Dreamland

'Achingly believable' - Publishers Weekly



"This fast-paced, engrossing novel from Bilyeau (“Joanna Stafford” mysteries) gives readers an up-close and personal view of New York’s Gilded Age, from the flash and glamour of the decadently wealthy to the hardscrabble conditions of newly arrived immigrants." - Library Journal



'Beautifully written and impeccably researched, Dreamland is a rollicking ride.' - Fiona Davis, bestselling author of The Chelsea Girls



'A marvelous book!' - Ellen Marie Wiseman, bestselling author of What she Left Behind and The Life she was Given



'Bilyeau’s thrilling novel plunges deep into Dreamland’s maze of pleasure and menace' - Marlowe Benn, bestselling author of Relative Fortunes



'Nancy Bilyeau's passion for history infuses her books' – Alison Weir

About the Author

"Dreamland" is Nancy Bilyeau's fifth novel of historical suspense. She is the author of the best-selling historical thriller “The Blue” and the Tudor mystery series “The Crown,” “The Chalice,” and “The Tapestry,” on sale in nine countries.



Nancy is a magazine editor who has lived in the United States and Canada. She studied History and English Literature at the University of Michigan. After moving to New York City, she worked on the staffs of “InStyle,” “Good Housekeeping,” and “Rolling Stone.” She is currently the deputy editor of the Center on Media, Crime and Justice at the Research Foundation of CUNY and a regular contributing writer to “Town & Country" and "Mystery Scene Magazine."



Nancy’s mind is always in past centuries but she currently lives with her husband and two children in Forest Hills in the borough of Queens. "Dreamland" is her first novel set in her adopted hometown of New York City.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, February 10

Review at Reading the Past



Tuesday, February 11

Review at A Bookish Affair

Review at Passages to the Past



Wednesday, February 12

Review at The Lit Bitch

Review at Gwendalyn's Books



Thursday, February 13

Review at 100 Pages a Day



Friday, February 14

Review at Nursebookie

Review at Amy's Booket List



Saturday, February 15

Review at Reading is My Remedy



Sunday, February 16

Review at Historical Graffiti

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a paperback copy of Dreamland! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.



Giveaway Rules



– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on February 16th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

– Paperback giveaway is open to US only.

– Only one entry per household.

– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.



Dreamland