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Dreams of Earth and Sky: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 1 Sep 26A ranchero’s daughter in 1845 California fights for her home in a sweeping historical romance of rebellious love, family loyalty, identity, and sacrifice.
California, 1845. Mexican rancheros reign, and while American ambitions threaten their future, the Ávila family’s rancho, El Sueño, is for now a safe haven.
It’s time for twenty-year-old Mariana Ávila, the strong-willed daughter of a wealthy ranchero, to accept tradition and marry. Though Ramón, her childhood sweetheart, is her best prospect, Mariana bristles against convention and aims to follow her own path. When foreign settlers and US forces encroach on the Californios, Mariana meets Irish immigrant Patrick Murphy and is suddenly caught between two admirers and two worlds about to collide. As everything Mariana knows collapses around her, she must navigate the twists of fate to come and the devastating price of American conquest that threatens more than her beloved El Sueño.
Set against the epic backdrop of a tumultuous moment in California’s history, this is, at its heart, the intimate story of a young woman’s fight to protect her family’s legacy and search for love across an impossible divide.
California, 1845. Mexican rancheros reign, and while American ambitions threaten their future, the Ávila family’s rancho, El Sueño, is for now a safe haven.
It’s time for twenty-year-old Mariana Ávila, the strong-willed daughter of a wealthy ranchero, to accept tradition and marry. Though Ramón, her childhood sweetheart, is her best prospect, Mariana bristles against convention and aims to follow her own path. When foreign settlers and US forces encroach on the Californios, Mariana meets Irish immigrant Patrick Murphy and is suddenly caught between two admirers and two worlds about to collide. As everything Mariana knows collapses around her, she must navigate the twists of fate to come and the devastating price of American conquest that threatens more than her beloved El Sueño.
Set against the epic backdrop of a tumultuous moment in California’s history, this is, at its heart, the intimate story of a young woman’s fight to protect her family’s legacy and search for love across an impossible divide.
363 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 6, 2026
What We Can Learn from the Past
Thank you to Amazon First Reads, a program for Kindle members that brings books pre-publication to us to select one or two once a month. Many thanks.
Dreams of Earth and Sky by Shirley Perez West will educate you, fascinate you and will break your heart. Starting out as a history of the great Mexican Rancheros in Californio, you get a personal look into the wealthy class of land owners in Mexican Californio.
I was struck by the similarities between early 1950 United States families and the 1880 Mexican Ranchero families. Both held values and family honor most important. Parents expected their children to marry well and pass on the family traditions. Why couldn't they see how much they had in common? Because GREED got in the way.
I grew up in Southern California and then Northern California, specifically the Bay area by San Francisco. I delighted in recognizing the origins of the names of the cities, streets and areas of Northern California.
However, it was so difficult for me to read a truthful account of the outright theft of the sumptuous lands of Mexican Californio by white men who thought they were entitled to the land by the superiority of their race. I confess to not knowing the origins of the place I hold so dear.
It's sickening to me to think about the Mexican immigrant farm workers who scrabble for a living in the United States, under fear of deportation. These people are the descendants of the rightful owners of the State of California. They deserve better than the treatment most are given.
Shirley Perez West accurately portrays the dismantling of the beautiful culture of Californio, describing the initial foray of people looking for land to the flood of American Soldiers assuming ownership of the Ranches and just turning out the families on the street.
Dreams of Earth and Sky is an important book. More books like this need to be written and then read. The only way we can avoid the thoughtless mistakes of the past, is to look with truthful eyes upon history. Thank you Shirley Perez West for a beautiful, painful and hopeful book.
Thank you to Amazon First Reads, a program for Kindle members that brings books pre-publication to us to select one or two once a month. Many thanks.
Dreams of Earth and Sky by Shirley Perez West will educate you, fascinate you and will break your heart. Starting out as a history of the great Mexican Rancheros in Californio, you get a personal look into the wealthy class of land owners in Mexican Californio.
I was struck by the similarities between early 1950 United States families and the 1880 Mexican Ranchero families. Both held values and family honor most important. Parents expected their children to marry well and pass on the family traditions. Why couldn't they see how much they had in common? Because GREED got in the way.
I grew up in Southern California and then Northern California, specifically the Bay area by San Francisco. I delighted in recognizing the origins of the names of the cities, streets and areas of Northern California.
However, it was so difficult for me to read a truthful account of the outright theft of the sumptuous lands of Mexican Californio by white men who thought they were entitled to the land by the superiority of their race. I confess to not knowing the origins of the place I hold so dear.
It's sickening to me to think about the Mexican immigrant farm workers who scrabble for a living in the United States, under fear of deportation. These people are the descendants of the rightful owners of the State of California. They deserve better than the treatment most are given.
Shirley Perez West accurately portrays the dismantling of the beautiful culture of Californio, describing the initial foray of people looking for land to the flood of American Soldiers assuming ownership of the Ranches and just turning out the families on the street.
Dreams of Earth and Sky is an important book. More books like this need to be written and then read. The only way we can avoid the thoughtless mistakes of the past, is to look with truthful eyes upon history. Thank you Shirley Perez West for a beautiful, painful and hopeful book.
August 1, 2026
What a stunning book! I knew nothing about the history of "the Californios" and the American takeover of what was once Mexican land before reading DREAMS OF EARTH AND SKY. West masterfully captures the courage of the Mexican ranchers and their families as they faced the invaders who came for their homes.
Mariana Avila and Patrick Murphy come from two different worlds, but their story is much more than that of star-crossed lovers. This is also a story about the love of family and its legacy -- and the losses that the American conquest engendered. And it is full of surprises. However, what carries this story forward is the brilliance of the writing. For example, West's descriptions of ancient redwoods: "their bark as shaggy as his winter coat, their shadows swallowing the moonlight" or fog sweeping "over the ridgeline, hazing the evening sky, muffling the birds" create such a vivid picture of the natural world that it's impossible not to find yourself immersed in this world so different from our own. Bravo!
Mariana Avila and Patrick Murphy come from two different worlds, but their story is much more than that of star-crossed lovers. This is also a story about the love of family and its legacy -- and the losses that the American conquest engendered. And it is full of surprises. However, what carries this story forward is the brilliance of the writing. For example, West's descriptions of ancient redwoods: "their bark as shaggy as his winter coat, their shadows swallowing the moonlight" or fog sweeping "over the ridgeline, hazing the evening sky, muffling the birds" create such a vivid picture of the natural world that it's impossible not to find yourself immersed in this world so different from our own. Bravo!
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dreams of Earth and Sky by Shirley Perez West was a wonderful read and an easy 5 stars for me. I loved how the author blended history, family, home, and romance into one compelling story. The historical backdrop was fascinating—I learned so much about a period of California history that I knew very little about and found myself stopping to look up people, places, and events along the way.
Mariana is a memorable heroine: spirited, independent, and unconventional, yet deeply connected to her family and culture. Following her journey as she comes of age and has two men who love her, and prepares for marriage during such a tumultuous time was both engaging and moving.
This is the kind of historical fiction I love—rich in detail, grounded in family and place, and filled with heart. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy historical fiction, strong female characters, and a beautifully told love story.
Dreams of Earth and Sky by Shirley Perez West was a wonderful read and an easy 5 stars for me. I loved how the author blended history, family, home, and romance into one compelling story. The historical backdrop was fascinating—I learned so much about a period of California history that I knew very little about and found myself stopping to look up people, places, and events along the way.
Mariana is a memorable heroine: spirited, independent, and unconventional, yet deeply connected to her family and culture. Following her journey as she comes of age and has two men who love her, and prepares for marriage during such a tumultuous time was both engaging and moving.
This is the kind of historical fiction I love—rich in detail, grounded in family and place, and filled with heart. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy historical fiction, strong female characters, and a beautifully told love story.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I had the extreme pleasure of being able to read an advance copy of Shirley's historical fiction Dreams of Earth and Sky. What a wonderful story! Aside from learning about life in the mid-1800's, it's a beautiful story that completely draws you into the lives of Mariana and Patrick. I highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In 1845, before the Gold Rush, California was inhabited by native tribal people, Spanish missionaries, and Californios, who were Mexican settlers living in a rancheria economy based on cattle ranching. San Jose was a rough pueblo, Yerba Buena was a quiet, herb-rich fishing village, and everyone was under pressure from American settlers who were pushing their way in.
Against this backdrop, Shirley Perez West has woven a rich love story and family saga in Dreams of Earth and Sky. A young woman, Mariana, works to save her family’s land and find independence and security for herself, navigating the control of the patriarchal system. She finds herself caught between two suitors, one the son of a nearby ranching family, and the other an entirely unsuitable Irish immigrant. This love triangle is only one thread in the story, though, as military struggles, including the Bear Flag Revolt and the subsequent U.S. military occupation, engulf the area and threaten Mariana’s family and the entire region’s way of life.
What could have been simple melodrama becomes something so much more in West’s confident hands– a nuanced tapestry of history and emotion, with believable characters, surprising yet inevitable story events, and landscapes that redrew the California Bay Area in my imagination. The research is impeccable, but the book never feels like dry historical exposition; quite the opposite, it feels like a window into a different world, the familiar seen from an intriguing new angle. I highly recommend this engaging work of the best kind of historical fiction.
Against this backdrop, Shirley Perez West has woven a rich love story and family saga in Dreams of Earth and Sky. A young woman, Mariana, works to save her family’s land and find independence and security for herself, navigating the control of the patriarchal system. She finds herself caught between two suitors, one the son of a nearby ranching family, and the other an entirely unsuitable Irish immigrant. This love triangle is only one thread in the story, though, as military struggles, including the Bear Flag Revolt and the subsequent U.S. military occupation, engulf the area and threaten Mariana’s family and the entire region’s way of life.
What could have been simple melodrama becomes something so much more in West’s confident hands– a nuanced tapestry of history and emotion, with believable characters, surprising yet inevitable story events, and landscapes that redrew the California Bay Area in my imagination. The research is impeccable, but the book never feels like dry historical exposition; quite the opposite, it feels like a window into a different world, the familiar seen from an intriguing new angle. I highly recommend this engaging work of the best kind of historical fiction.
Review of advance copy
Mariana the trials you have weathered!
I did not know any of the history of California, Mexico and the US. This was such a well crafted, emotional novel detailing these times that I think it was the perfect introduction to this bit of history.
To begin with Mariana is a clever headstrong daughter of respected family. She begins with the ails of her heart and wrestling with a future that is lain out for her. As the landscape shifts and rebels and Americans make their stakes to California her trials and challenges grow. She experiences more heartache, confusion and pain than seems bearable but through it all remains strong willed and caring.
Armanito and Mariana’s family (not just her direct family but the whole household and neighbours) loyalty, care and determination weaving through the story is what pushed it over to 5 stars for me.
There were times when I found Patrick’s sections a drag, they felt like distractions from Mariana’s story, but in time they fed back in to strengthen the whole story, and never dragged so much that I considered stopping reading.
The more books I read introducing me to new histories the more I think this is the perfect way to learn about these histories. An emotional, personal introduction to the time and events, before I further read into the facts and reports.
I did not know any of the history of California, Mexico and the US. This was such a well crafted, emotional novel detailing these times that I think it was the perfect introduction to this bit of history.
To begin with Mariana is a clever headstrong daughter of respected family. She begins with the ails of her heart and wrestling with a future that is lain out for her. As the landscape shifts and rebels and Americans make their stakes to California her trials and challenges grow. She experiences more heartache, confusion and pain than seems bearable but through it all remains strong willed and caring.
Armanito and Mariana’s family (not just her direct family but the whole household and neighbours) loyalty, care and determination weaving through the story is what pushed it over to 5 stars for me.
There were times when I found Patrick’s sections a drag, they felt like distractions from Mariana’s story, but in time they fed back in to strengthen the whole story, and never dragged so much that I considered stopping reading.
The more books I read introducing me to new histories the more I think this is the perfect way to learn about these histories. An emotional, personal introduction to the time and events, before I further read into the facts and reports.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I suspect most readers of historical fiction are drawn into the history through the story. With Dreams of Earth and Sky by Shirley Perez West, however, I came for the history and stayed for the story. I realized as I read the cover of this novel, that I knew next to nothing about the tumultuous history of California in the mid 1800s. So I picked up the book to educate myself and was immediately drawn into the drama.
Twenty-year-old Mariana Avila, the daughter of a wealthy ranchero, is determined to chart her own course and avoid an arranged marriage. She meets an Irish immigrant, Patrick Murphy, and they are drawn to eachother. The romance takes unexpected twists and turns against the backdrop of foreign settlers and US forces encroaching on the Californios, threatening Mariano’s beloved ranch, El Sueno.
Perez West clearly has a deep familiarity and love for this place, and conveys that love through fully drawn characters and an exciting plot. The sensory details are immersive and the cultural nuances and social norms accurate.
If you, too, would like to learn about life in the Californios in 1845 pick up Dreams of Earth and Sky and be swept away.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Dreams of Earth and Sky by Shirley Perez West is a beautifully written love story in the San Francisco area of the middle of the nineteenth century. In an era of rancheros and vaqueros, the setting and dialogue are richly described and the characters carefully developed. But it is the larger context that surrounds the story that is truly intriguing.
Mariana, the daughter of a wealthy rancher, falls for an Irishman and is caught between the expansive United States and Californian landowners seeking to protect their way of life. The two struggle through the tumultuous years of the American annexation of California.
As I read Dreams of Earth and Sky, I found myself looking at maps of the San Francisco area and reading about details of the Mexican American War I hadn’t heard of previously. The details of the war are so well embedded within the overarching story it was often hard to distinguish one from the other (as is the case in well done historical fiction). It is an intriguing read and noteworthy work for anyone interested in great fiction and American history.
Mariana, the daughter of a wealthy rancher, falls for an Irishman and is caught between the expansive United States and Californian landowners seeking to protect their way of life. The two struggle through the tumultuous years of the American annexation of California.
As I read Dreams of Earth and Sky, I found myself looking at maps of the San Francisco area and reading about details of the Mexican American War I hadn’t heard of previously. The details of the war are so well embedded within the overarching story it was often hard to distinguish one from the other (as is the case in well done historical fiction). It is an intriguing read and noteworthy work for anyone interested in great fiction and American history.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Dreams of Earth and Sky, by Shirley Perez West, is a gripping tale of Mexican ranchers and their families who settled Northern California long before the territory was seized by American soldiers during the course of one tumultuous year.
Set in 1845 in what is now the Bay Area, the story is told through the eyes of twenty-year-old Mariana Avila, the beautiful, independent-minded daughter of a wealthy Californio. When Marianna falls for an Irishman, she must wrestle with her own desires versus traditional expectations. Simultaneously, she must confront and shed misguided childhood assumptions about her family and her place within it to emerge as the strong, powerful woman she is. Marianna’s inner turmoil is reflected in her family's struggles to protect their land and way of life from American invaders.
Dreams of Earth and Sky is as informative as it is an enjoyable tale of love and the struggle to know the truth of one’s convictions.
Set in 1845 in what is now the Bay Area, the story is told through the eyes of twenty-year-old Mariana Avila, the beautiful, independent-minded daughter of a wealthy Californio. When Marianna falls for an Irishman, she must wrestle with her own desires versus traditional expectations. Simultaneously, she must confront and shed misguided childhood assumptions about her family and her place within it to emerge as the strong, powerful woman she is. Marianna’s inner turmoil is reflected in her family's struggles to protect their land and way of life from American invaders.
Dreams of Earth and Sky is as informative as it is an enjoyable tale of love and the struggle to know the truth of one’s convictions.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This new novel by Shirley Perez West met all my desires for historical fiction. I was drawn into the time and place in history leading up to the Mexican American war that was unknown to me. The writing displays both the author’s familiarity with locations where the story takes place and thorough research into historical events that are the context for the novel.
It is a love story centered on Mariana, the daughter of a wealthy ranchero, who is torn between the love of two men and loyalty to her family as she faces a critical period that changes all their lives. The writing made the characters come alive, with just the right level of detail that allows the reader to see and feel the daily life and events while keeping the plot engaging.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, a strong memorable heroine, and a plot that keep you reading.
It is a love story centered on Mariana, the daughter of a wealthy ranchero, who is torn between the love of two men and loyalty to her family as she faces a critical period that changes all their lives. The writing made the characters come alive, with just the right level of detail that allows the reader to see and feel the daily life and events while keeping the plot engaging.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, a strong memorable heroine, and a plot that keep you reading.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is a historical novel about Mariana Ávila, a young daughter of an established Mexican Californio family. As their large estate in the Mexican territory is facing aggression from US troops and immigrants. Over time, their estate is invaded by these outside forces that are intent on claiming their territory and possessions as their own. The whole of Baja Norte is under siege. Mariana finds some relief in her troubled world through her best friend, her horse Armanito.
As I continued reading Mariana’s story, I began to feel her anxieties and the history of this divided land. The words and thoughts seemed to come more alive and real to me as the story progressed.
Facing many losses...her horse, mother, homestead, husband included, Mariana displays her bravery, wisdom, perseverance and cleverness in pursuing her dreams.
As I continued reading Mariana’s story, I began to feel her anxieties and the history of this divided land. The words and thoughts seemed to come more alive and real to me as the story progressed.
Facing many losses...her horse, mother, homestead, husband included, Mariana displays her bravery, wisdom, perseverance and cleverness in pursuing her dreams.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Shirley Perez West considers her book, a love letter to an area of California she grew up in, along with paying honor to the history of the area. She brought me, as a reader to a time and place that I really didn't understand before. Her appreciation for history is ever present. Beyond the history also seems to be a love letter to these characters. She represents the complexity of cultures of this time, while also making the story very human and engaging. And I just kept thinking how challenging it would be to live in this time! I highly recommend this book when published and hope to hear Shirley Perez West actually do a reading sometime of the material. I think it will reflect, in her own voice, her insights of these characters and time.
August 9, 2026
I wasn't sure how I was going to like this novel when I started reading but found a strong woman who had to face so many obstacles in a year. The war between Mexico and the settlers arriving from the United States put even more pressure on this family and her in particular. She definitely rose to the challenges before her.
August 8, 2026
History Lesson
Beautiful long, lost history. And the story of people holding on to their homes. But sadly, as they took land from indigenous peoples, they, too, lost the land to the next wave of takers.
Beautiful long, lost history. And the story of people holding on to their homes. But sadly, as they took land from indigenous peoples, they, too, lost the land to the next wave of takers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Love story, anti-colonial history, Latina author--and incredible writing!
August 6, 2026
This is my first forey into California's history. I learned a little and hope to learn more in the future
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews