Friday, March 13, 2015

Truth Within Dreams by Elizabeth Boyce




When Henry De Vere wakes up naked in bed with his longtime friend Claudia Baxter, it is his fondest dream and his worst nightmare come true. Could he truly have compromised one of his dearest friends without even the benefit of remembering it? Plagued by somnambulism his whole life, Henry fears his baser nature has asserted itself, and insists on doing the honorable thing to marry Claudia.

Claudia’s plan to stage her own ruination and escape marriage to the churlish and elderly Sir Saint had seemed foolproof. She was sure the kindly Henry wouldn’t mind helping her out . . . but somehow she hadn’t counted on him actually proposing.

Their illicit encounter awakens feelings long buried for each. Will this preposterous scheme result in a happier ending than either could have hoped for?

Sensuality Level: Sensual


Published & Release Date: Crimson Romance, January 19, 2015

Time and setting: Regency England

Genre: Historical Romance

Length: 132 pages

Heat Level: 2 Scorching Flames

Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns

Vikki’s Musings

I won Truth Within Dreams in a Rafflecopter drawing for a book tour for Elizabeth Boyce’s recent release, and I am so glad I did. Thank you Elizabeth Boyce! What a sweet little gem of a story this is. It is always so nice to discover new authors. Don’t you agree? I caught myself giggling out loud from the very beginning, and I kept a smile on my face until the end.

Claudia Baxter has a huge dilemma on her hands. After several failed seasons in London, her aging parents accept an offer of marriage for her to Sir Saint Tuggle, a gentleman old enough to be her father. In a tizzy over what to do to avoid this horrendous marriage. She comes up with “The Plan”.

Miss Baxter sneaks into her childhood friend’s bed and dumps a vial of pig’s blood onto the sheets. Only there is a problem. Either deflowering is much more alarming than she had thought, or she used too much. But her course is set, so she curls up beside Henry and goes to sleep. She is awakened the following morning with the very naked Henry kissing her in a most astonishing way.

Pandemonium breaks out when she is discovered in Henry’s bed. Of course her parents and twin brother are horrified and assume the worst. Henry is horrified as well. How could he have done this to his dear friend? He can’t imagine ever assaulting a young innocent woman. Being an honorable man, he immediately offers marriage, even though he cannot remember doing the deed.

Henry De Vere believes a problem that plagued him in his youth has returned. He suffered from a severe case of sleepwalking throughout his formative years. It was so bad, his friends had to lock him in his room, or he would wake up in odd places, at times putting him in embarrassing situations. The somnambulism must explain how this happened. What he cannot accept is that he has violated her and so violently, not when he has harbored feeling for Claudia for years.

This scene starts the madcap adventures of this delightfully witty tale. I always enjoy humor in a story, and this book is filled with plenty of chuckle out loud moments. Here is an example of one of those moments:

When her brother finds them, he starts yelling at Henry, and Claudia says:

“Stop shouting, Claude. (Yes, her twin brother is named Claude.) You’re giving me a headache.” She scratched the side of her nose and plopped back into the pillows.

“Claude, get out of that bed,” her brother demanded. (Yep, her brother calls her Claude.)

“Go awaaay,” Claudia moaned. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”

Henry dropped his face into his hands. “Not helping, Claudia.”

The rest of the scene is nothing short of hilarious. This is a very light-hearted read and just what I needed after reading the last two books, which were filled with anguish and heart-breaking moments, although excellent books. Truth Within Dreams is a refreshing change, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

There are no deep, dark moments, but it works for this humorous tale. The pacing is excellent, keeping the story moving along at a brisk clip. The dialogue is crisp and witty. I love the back and forth dialogue between Claudia and Henry.  


If you are looking for a story that will brighten your day and keep a smile on your face, then you will definitely want to read this sweet little tale. Oh, and by the way, the sensual scenes are hot, hot, hot! I highly recommend you give Truth Within Dreams a read. You will not regret it. Happy reading!

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