The Museum of Lost Dreams

by Christine Nolfi

Returning to her fractured past, a woman is determined to end a cycle of heartbreaks in a moving novel about family, sacrifice, and redemption by the bestselling author of The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves.

When Bess Rollins’s parents die in a tragic accident, she is forced to abandon her dream job overseas. After three years away, she returns to her family’s estate in the Finger Lakes, a veritable monument to her brilliant late grandmother, and a reminder of the wreckage Bess left behind.

There’s the guilt over leaving her younger twin siblings, Casey and Caleb, and she struggles to rebuild a bond that may be irrevocably broken. Amid the grief, resentment still looms toward her reckless and self-indulgent mother and father. And then there’s Luke Monticelli, the devoted man Bess walked out on but never stopped loving.

Haunted by her regrets at every turn, Bess soon realizes that the past is far more complicated than she ever knew. With each secret that she uncovers about her family, Bess comes closer to healing their wounds, seizing a second chance at love, and fulfilling dreams that can lift them all—right here at home, where she belongs.

Genres: Fiction

315 pages, Paperback

Expected publication June 23, 2026

About the author

Christine Nolfi is the award-winning and bestselling author of seventeen novels. Look for her 2025 release, The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves.

Other works include her 2024 release A Heart Like Home; A Brighter Flame, selected by She Reads as a best book club pick and The Passing Storm, cited by Publishers Weekly as “Tautly plotted, expertly characterized, and genuinely riveting” and gold medal winner in general fiction, International Book Awards.

Earlier works include The Road She Left Behind, a top book club pick by Working Mother and Parade magazines; the award-winning Sweet Lake Series: Sweet Lake, The Comfort of Secrets, and The Season of Silver Linings; Second Chance Grill, highly recommended by The Midwest Book Review and Treasure Me, recognized by the Next Generation Indie Awards. The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge was cited by The Midwest Book Review as “Poignant and powerful, as much a saga of learning to survive, heal, and forgive as it is a chilling crime story, unforgettable to the very end.”

A native of Ohio, Christine now resides in South Carolina with her husband.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this multi- time line story , the main character Bess Rollins , a young twenty seven woman returns to her home in upstate New York after working several years in the Philippines, she returns home after the untimely, unexpected death of her self absorbed, self indulgent parents, to care for her 14 year old twin siblings. Thankfully, money is not an issue due to very large inheritance from her beloved grandmother. The story focuses on Bess, as she tries to navigate her new life, trying to mend broken relationships with her ex boyfriend, her twin siblings and trying to figure out what she wants to in a possible future career. The story also includes the background of her beloved grandmother, Valerie, her complicated relationship with her daughter Shayla ( Bess’s mother) and the choices she made and the ultimate outcome. Relationships are mended, changed, secrets are divulged, and new understandings are the result. This book was extremely well written, great character development, very emotional and heartwarming. Thank you to NetGalley.

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Museum of Lost Dreams


Relationships, guilt, family, secrets and trying to rebuild the past are what Bess is experiencing.

A chance to renew and discover more about her past makes this story moving in so many ways.

This author is an auto-buy for me. She writes beautiful and unique novels.

[Sara]

Musem of healing wound
my past come as another fight from life
home drage me from far sea
beuty around turn my grife nt guilt but more hunt wound cure
many pen was around to write gd line there as thee want
door of hope open wide
care to who lift make my candle shine
return to search old tears night
return to find love of dream
light enter my soul
i open that door of hope and dream
my earth home thirsty for new love
come back

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Museum of Lost Dreams is a beautifully moving story, steeped in memory, regret, and the quiet hope of starting again. When Bess Rollins returns to the Finger Lakes after her parents’ sudden death, she steps back into a world she abandoned—one shaped by her brilliant grandmother’s legacy and shadowed by the guilt she carries for leaving her younger twin siblings behind. The estate itself feels like a living archive of everything she’s lost and everything she’s afraid to face.

The novel unfolds with a gentle, aching honesty. Bess’s attempts to reconnect with Casey and Caleb are raw and believable, full of the awkwardness and tenderness that come with trying to mend something fragile. Her resentment toward her parents—reckless, self‑indulgent, and now gone—is handled with nuance, allowing space for anger, grief, and the uncomfortable truths that surface when the people who shaped you can no longer answer for themselves.

And then there’s Luke Monticelli, the man she once loved and walked away from. Their reunion is threaded with longing and unfinished conversations, but also with the possibility of something steadier, wiser, and more grounded than what they had before. The romance never overwhelms the story; instead, it becomes part of Bess’s larger journey toward forgiveness—of others, and of herself.

As Bess uncovers the secrets her family kept tucked away, the novel deepens into a meditation on legacy and the stories we inherit without realising it. Each revelation brings her closer to understanding the people she loved, the choices they made, and the dreams they left behind. The Finger Lakes setting adds a gorgeous sense of place—lush, reflective, and quietly restorative.

A heartfelt, emotionally rich novel about family wounds, second chances, and the courage it takes to return to the place that broke you. It lingers like a soft echo, reminding you that some dreams aren’t lost at all—they’re simply waiting for you to come home.

With thanks to Christine Nolfi, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Anne Wolters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christine Nolfi’s The Museum of Lost Dreams is a captivating, deeply felt story about family, forgiveness, and finding the courage to face the past.
Bess Rollins has spent years working overseas, avoiding the painful dynamics of her childhood home. When she learns of the sudden death of her self-indulgent parents, she returns to the sprawling family estate—known as the “Museum”—and discovers just how much awaits her. The estate, a tribute to her brilliant and beloved grandmother, was left to Bess when she was only ten. Now, at twenty-seven, she must confront the weight of that legacy while rebuilding trust with her two young siblings and mending the relationship with Luke, the boyfriend she left behind without explanation.
As the story unfolds, long-buried family secrets come to light, unexpected complications arise, and Bess is forced to reckon with truths she never imagined. Yet woven through the turmoil is a powerful sense of healing, hope, and the possibility of second chances.
Christine Nolfi is one of my favorite authors. This novel showcases everything I love about her work—uplifting themes, heartfelt emotion, and characters who linger long after the final page. I read this nearly straight through and was completely absorbed in Bess’s journey.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.

[Big Time Book Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed everything Christine Nolfi has written, but The Museum of Lost Dreams is on a completely different level. It is a masterpiece woven thoughtfully through various time periods in history - the 1920s through to the late 1980s - with strong women blazing a trail where there wasn't one, or if there was one, carving their own branch of that trail.

Reading The Museum is like opening one of those gifts that are in a huge box with a smaller box inside the huge box, another smaller box inside that one, and so on. We get the overall view of Bess's life in 1986 and then the author fills in the backstory, slowly, carefully, and with the perfect amount of finesse and detail to make the reader want to read faster and faster, yet slower, in order to savor the story.

There's so much more I could say and want to share, but I don't want to spoil the story. And this review sounds nothing like what I wanted to say, but the words I want just aren't coming as they should...so I will wind up with this. Read this book. You will be happy you did, you'll recommend it to everyone, and like me, will wish you could read it all over again for the first time, not as a re-read.

Thanks to the publisher and author for an ARC at my request. All thoughts, as always, are my own and happily shared.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bess's life has been full of discontent. Her parents were less than attentive, addicted to illicit substances, and self-absorbed. Her grandmother, Valerie, favored Bess over her own daughter, Shayla, which only enhanced the dislike. And when Valerie leaves almost the entirety of her lavish estate to Bess, dislike and disinterest became hatred. Bess was relegated to her younger twin siblings' caretaker. Tragedy drives her away...and tragedy eventually drags her back.

Christine Nolfi has a stunning way with words. This book follows three generations of women and the struggles they faced. It shows how one choice can ripple through an entire generational line, impacting everyone along the way. How good intentions can be seen as inconsiderate slights and favoritism.

But what this book does best, is show the power of family. Family doesn't forget, no matter how long has passed or hoe much distance separates. And love...true love...never stops. It will be waiting.

I laughed, I cried, I cringed. And I enjoyed every second of it.

[WeReadLikeLadies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book!! I didn't fully know what to expect, but it gave off "The Book of Lost Hours" and "The Lost Bookshop" vibes so I was intrigued. You go back and forth throughout the book to different time periods which I really enjoyed. I liked being able to see all the different characters perspectives and what they went through in their lives. The main story follows Bess as she navigates moving back to New York after the sudden loss of her parents and having to help take care of her siblings and figure out a new life and new normal. I loved her character and how she handled everything she was dealing with. On top of all of that, the love story was so cute! I LOVED Luke and was rooting for them the whole time! I loved how the secrets are uncovered which gives more insight and perspective to Bess about Shayla, her mom and Valerie, her grandmother. She is able to heal herself and her relationship with Luke and her siblings. This book was seriously so good and I truly hope everyone else enjoys it as well!

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC of this book and this is my honest review. I liked this book. Bess's family lived in the 'museum of dreams.' But there were many nightmares that also occurred. Bess's grandmother Valerie was a strong woman who paved the way for females. Along the way she falls in love and has a child. Unfortunately, the relationship doesn't pan out. She clashes with her daughter Shayla for many reasons. And, continuing to the next generation, Shayla clashes with her daughter Bess who was a big fan of Valerie's. After Shayla's death, Bess quits her job and returns home to raise her siblings. There is so much to this story -- dysfunctional families, rekindled love, death, disabilities, lost love, secrets, assumptions, teenage angst, family bonds, and more. Topics that most of us have dealt with or are dealing with. I was immediately drawn to the story and highly recommend it.

[Lori Corbett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bess Rollins is happy with her life and career abroad when she is called home to the Finger Lakes to deal with her parents’ death. At home, Bess must deal with the loss of her estranged parents, face the teenage siblings she has not seen in many years, and see the one who got away. As Bess begins to face her past, she learns that much of her family’s history is not quite what she thought. Was her childhood home truly “The Museum of Lost Dreams?”

This novel is written in multiple points of view. We hear from Bess and also learn about her grandmother’s past. Author, Christine Nolfi, does a fabulous job making the characters come alive. This book may be classified as women’s fiction, but it is also a mystery that I could not put down, because I needed to learn how it would end. I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to more books from this author!

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh!! What a lovely story!
I was glued to the pages from the first chapter, to learn how this family residing within the Finger Lakes, would begin to heal following the tragic death of both parents,
The eldest daughter, Bess, now working in the Philippines, returns home to care for her fourteen year old siblings who have many issues.
Anger, sadness, guilt, secrets and mystery are among the challenges that must be resolved to move forward and remain together as a family unit.
I truly found myself rooting for this clan as secrets were discovered along the way.
The alternating timelines are perfect to understand how and why some of the mysteries were created and carried to present days.

Thank you to Christine Nolfi for another fabulous novel and allowing me to read and provide my own review. Well done.

[Charlotte Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christine Nolfi is a must-read author. I am so excited about The Museum of Lost Dreams. This book had me not wanting to put my Kindle down. The dual timeline of Valerie, Bess’ grandmother, and Bess was so fun to read. I liked that I could know the history of Bess’ family, I could see a reason for why life was as it was for Bess.

The Museum of Lost Dreams is a story of family drama, lost and found again love, coming home, and rebuilding relationships. I was invested in not only Bess’s relationship with Luke but also with her family. I cared that she mended those relationships with her siblings. As she started to rebuild her life, she uncovered more secrets about her family that gave her explanations and understanding.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

[Susan Walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the shocking death of her parents, Bess Rollins is forced to return to her family’s Finger Lakes estate where guilt, grief, and and an unfinished love story are waiting. Estranged from her younger siblings and haunted by the man she left behind, Bess begins to uncover long-hidden family secrets that uproot everything she thought she knew. I absolutely inhaled this wildly original and moving story of sacrifice, redemption, and second chances.
Thank you to the author and Lake Union publishing for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from publisher.

This finely wrought novel spans three generations of women: Valerie, a pioneering mathematician; Shayla, her restless, unreliable daughter; and Bess, her sensitive, do-gooder granddaughter, who inherits not only her grandmother’s fortune but a tangled legacy of family drama. Bess’s voice is warm and compelling as she unravels long-buried secrets, and our understanding of her family is deepened and complicated by evocative flashbacks to her grandmother's life. I was swept up in this story of love, hope, and healing.

[Libby Reidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family dysfunction at its best! Bess, one of the two main characters, has returned home to care for her siblings after their parent's sudden death. Valerie, their grandmother, is the other main character. The reader learns about both women and how their choices shape the remaining family members and friends. Beautiful descriptions of the Finger Lakes in New York state. Looking forward to reading more from this author!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about the complicated relationship between mothers, daughters, and what happens when we keep secrets for generations. Bess is a selfless woman who is rewarded with the trust of her grandmother’s inheritance at age ten. Dual timelines are used to slowly uncover the secrets of her family’s past and how to find answers to move forward with her future. A heartfelt and satisfying ending make this a good book. Three and a half stars.

[Jan Crossen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a tale of ambition, family secrets, honor and dysfunction. It’s a story of broken relationships, bittersweet love, and creating hope as well as your own happy endings. I love how author, Christine Nolfi, stepped outside of the box to not only bring persons with disabilities into the narrative, but to offer positive strategies for helping them lead happy, fulfilling lives. BRAVA, this is another winner!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Museum of Lost Dreams is a read that I hated to end. I loved the dual timeline that gave the back story to the family working to heal past wounds. All the characters are so well written and totally relatable. I did not want to put this book down and I hope there will be a follow up! A great book of family, healing, and second chances.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. This is my honest review.

[Patricia Sands · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christine Nolfi delivers another page-turning triumph. Museum of Lost Dreams is a deeply moving, powerfully written family saga, rich with emotion and hope as secrets are uncovered. Compelling and brimming with feeling, this poignant novel beautifully captures the healing force of love and the courage to begin again.

This was an ARC I received from the author in return for an honest review.

[Sandra B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading The Museum of Lost Dreams by Christine Nolfi. The story is heartfelt and hopeful, and the characters feel very real. I found myself caring about what happened to them and rooting for them as they tried to rebuild their lives. It’s a touching reminder that even when life doesn’t go as planned, new dreams can still take shape.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Christine Nolfi’s writing style-so much heart and depth. She even includes Cebu, Philippines in the story, a place close to the author’s own heart.
The story revolves around Bess and the complicated past with her mother, Shayla. Bess now tries to build a future for her twin underage siblings.
Thank you, Christine, another great book of family and second chances.

[Jessica Vachon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly recommend this moving novel about family secrets, and how the choices we make - and those that are made for us - cause ripple effects through the generations. The characters are vivid and compelling, and the story keeps you wanting more as it unfolds. This is a must-read!

[Literary Redhead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Family dysfunction and secrets, tragedy that forces the MFC Bess away and then back to her Finger Lakes hometown make for an absorbing read. Recommended!

[Vivian]

RTC