Nashville Dreams

by Pamela M. Kelley

A woman's fiction saga set in Charleston and Nashville.  Laura Scott planned to marry her best friend, Cole Dawson someday, after they both graduated from college. She's excited to support his country music ambitions.  But their worlds couldn't be more different - Laura lives in a Charleston trailer park, and Cole resides in a mansion with his father, Dalton—an important and wealthy man with his eyes on the governor's seat.When an unexpected pregnancy accelerates their timeline, Dalton sees Laura as a threat to his family's image and to Cole's future in law, not music. A fateful night, a tragic decision by Dalton, changes everything.   In the wake of this, Laura's life is unrecognizable. Now, she must navigate this new reality, where what she thought she wanted is no longer available and a new talent emerges. But does she dare to chase after that dream?  Where will it lead her?

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 19, 2018

About the author

Pamela M. Kelley is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of women's fiction, family sagas, and suspense. Readers often describe her books as feel-good reads with people you'd want as friends.

She lives in a historic seaside town near Cape Cod and just south of Boston. She has always been an avid reader of women's fiction, romance, mysteries, thrillers and cook books. There's also a good chance you might get hungry when you read her books as she is a foodie, and occasionally shares a recipe or two. :)

Reviews

[Anne OK · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this one -- from the blurb I was pulled right in and I was more than ready for a trip to Nashville. This couple met as kids and then they were split apart for years by the meddlesome deceit of family members. I was just fine until I wasn't -- never becoming fully involved in the story. Too many plot holes and not enough depth to the main characters or their story. It wasn't bad -- it just wasn't warm or genuine. Everything felt mechanical and without spontaneity -- unfulfilled. Just felt like everything that happened did so in a from point A to point B to point C without emotions attached thereto.

This is a first time author for me. Her product was clean and had lots of potential -- although the trope was not one I hadn't seen many times before.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I really love this author's work. However, this one didn't cut it for me. There were just too many implausible situations that could easily have been verified. No one in the story even thought to check any facts. I was still happy with the HEA.

[Coco.V]

💝FREE on Amazon today (7/12/2018)!💝

Blurb:
True love torn apart by amnesia and a scheming billionaire with political ambitions.

Laura Scott lives in a trailer park in Charleston, SC, with her mother. She is madly in love with her best friend and soul mate Cole Dawson and is excited to go off to college together and to start a family. His father is Dalton Dawson, a real estate billionaire with ambitions to be Governor.

He is powerful, driven, and does not approve of Laura, or Cole’s country music ambitions. He wants him to follow in his footsteps and go to law school. He most certainly does not approve of Cole marrying Laura, especially at such a young age. Her pregnancy will not reflect well on his candidacy as a conservative Republican.

When tragedy strikes, Cole's father seizes the opportunity to rewrite the narrative, sending Laura away and lying to Cole.

But an action like this has consequences and fate takes people in different directions with new people and talents. The rest of the story follows Laura and Cole’s journeys. Can true soul-mates be kept apart?

[January · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nashville Dreams by Pamela Kelley [Pamela M. Kelley] (2018)
6h 4m narrated by Stefanie Kay, 306 pages

Genre: Western Romance, Contemporary Romance, Clean

Featuring: High School Sweethearts, Teen Pregnancy, Charleston, South Carolina; College, Rich vs Poor Trope, Nashville, Tennessee; Sex - Insinuated/Off-Camera, Aspiring Musician, Politics, Tragedy, Amnesia Trope, Second Chance Trope, Bozeman, Montana; Country Music Industry, Multiple POVs, Sabotage, Stupidity, Time Jumps

Rating as a movie: PG/PG-13 for suggestive themes and adult situations

Songs for the soundtrack: "Lightning Bolt" by Pearl Jam, "Out Among The Stars" by Johnny Cash, "Neon Light" by Blake Shelton, "Save It For A Rainy Day" by Kenny Chesney, "Cry Pretty" by Carrie Underwood, "Every Time I Hear That Song" by Blake Shelton, "Use My Heart" by Miranda Lambert, "Young Love" by Laura Scott, "Magic" by Laura Scott

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½🎸👢🎤

My thoughts: 📱39% 2:22:40 Chapter 14 - This is okay, there are some plotholes, and it's not my favorite foundation; but at least we know the ending is happy.
📱79% 4:47:15 Chapter 28 - I'm gonna let it go and enjoy the rest of the story, but 2 pushovers, really?

This was cute but frustrating, especially since it could have been resolved much earlier if a certain person would have followed through with their plans In college I guess you could say they were sidetracked by events but to me, it felt like a minor plot hole. Overall the story was good I just didn't agree with the choices the high school sweethearts made outside of each other.

Recommend to others?: Sure, this is sweet enough although not one of her top stories.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book, I liked the pace, the emotions and the dynamics between characters, that's why I gave it four stars despite the huge plot holes the story had. There were many things that I liked about the book, the pace, the story, the characters, but as usual there were some things that didn't make sense that bothered me a lot.

So Cody's father didn't want Rachel to be with his son, so when she suffered from amnesia, he sent her away to a place where he could make sure she would be in the worst situation to recover her memory. She never questioned her past, just kept going and accepted everything that had happened, but once she found out, she just forgave everyone and returned with her love.

The things that I felt like were just not right:

- I kept thinking about social media, and how she never got in contact with anyone from her former life and how she never questioned photos or anything.

- She should have her school records for college, and never noticed her high school wasn't in Montana?

- When she got her memory back, she never questioned what had happened to her mother's body, or ashes, where she was buried or anything, she just cried for her loss.

- Cody kept forgiving his father, he kept screwing him over and over again, and he just threw little tantrums and went right back with him, I just didn't get that, he literally kidnapped the love of his life, dismissed his dreams and tried to force him to be someone he wasn't.

- I don't get why the aunt didn't tell her the truth once her son died, if he was the reason for everything and she was so sorry for what she had done, the least she could have done was repair the damage.

- I really don't get how she could have not only forgiven the man who kidnapped her and took her away from her mother and her dreams, but allow him to be in contact with her children? What kind of irresponsible mother would allow such a monster near them?

- Not to mention, they keep saying his new wife was good for him and helped him be a better person, but she never said anything about her husband screwing his son over and kidnapping and innocent girl?

[Pamela Kelley]

Hi everyone! I'm excited to let you know that Nashville Dreams is coming very soon. It should be out within a week, by Monday, February 5.

ARC opportunity for Nashville Dreams!

I don't usually send many review copies out, but I am going to send a few out for Nashville Dreams as it's a little different from my usual sweet contemporary and western romances. It's set in Montana and Nashville, and it's a bigger story, more of a Danielle Steel style saga. If you think you might be interested in reading and reviewing, please click the link for more information.

https://mailchi.mp/876a3f74422d/nashv...

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this book. I really liked the story. The characters of Laura and Cole were very likable and I loved the way that they acted toward each other, whether they were together at the time or not. I few of the other characters were real stinkers and definitely added some spice to the story.
Circumstances and people drive Laura and Cole apart and keep them separated after their romance in high school. The story line is pretty unique. It keeps it interesting and kept me flipping those pages. I'll have to admit that my favorite part was the Epilogue. I loved how it all turned out!
The narrator was really good when she was just narrating, but things got a little sketchy when she was doing the voices.
I was given a complimentary copy of this audio book via BookFunnel. All thoughts are my own.

[Doni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Nashville Dreams!!
I have loved everything I've read by
Pamela Kelley, but this book is fantastic!!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!
It is a touching, & emotional story.
Laura & Cole, are in love. They want
to get married. Cole's father strongly objects. He feels their too young.
When an unforseen tragedy occurs,
the life Laura & Cole knew, changes in
a blink of the eye. As the story unfolds,
you'll follow Laura & Cole, on their
journey in life, & where it takes them.
The story will draw you in, from the very beginning, & keep you reading till the end.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND FOR EVERYONE!!!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well thought out story. It's really hard to believe and yet it's still pretty interesting.
I liked following their music careers and loved reading about the places the story was set in. Good read.

[f p · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok. I feel like it had potential. It could have been a great mystery romance with danger and suspense. Like a lifetime movie. Instead it was a netflix hallmark movie. Not even a normal hallmark movie. The characters didn’t really seems to have deep emotions. Maybe it was a audiobook narrator.


Laura wakes up not remembering anything and she is told that this random lady is her only family. She doesn’t question anything. What was her life before? Did she not have any friends? And when she finds out what happened her reaction was so mid. And when cole found out that his dad paid Laura off.. again no reaction. Not a good enough one anyway. He goes to see her and doesn’t talk to her because he sees her with another guy. But he went there to confront her?

Also cole is a bad husband. Don’t get me wrong I hate his wife but I can’t say he was innocent. He is a pushover and has no back bone. He would be like I am furious with my father for doing this or that.. then he would say but they convinced me to go to brunch with him at the club a month later…Laura deserves better even though I don’t like her that much either. Also clearly your wife is cheating on you dude. ( I’m not done with the book yet as I write but at least emotionally) And he’s not concerned or jealous at all. He cheated on his wife emotionally too. Like if my husband did the things cole did with another girl ESPECIALLY his ex girlfriend I would not be ok with it.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Nashville Dreams," by Pamela Kelley, was novel of lost love that would never die. Laura and Cole were deeply in love, but very young and newly pregnant, at the start of the novel. They knew they wanted to be together forever, and were planning a quick wedding. Cole's father was a southern conservative, running for political office and did not want his son's girlfriend's pregnancy to be the topic of conversation when he was a family values kind of guy (hypocrite). He told his son that Laura's home life would not be a good look for the Dawson family, since Laura was being raised by a single mother in a trailer park. Cole assured his father that Laura lived in a very nice mobile home, and that she had a loving mother who was widowed, but Mr. Dawson, who was the epitome of a pompous ass, was hell bent on separating the young ones. Both were accepted to Clemson, (GO Tigers...sorry--- I am the mother of a 2019 Clemson) but there was a school in Montana that had also accepted Laura. Mr. Dawson told Cole the two should separate during the college years, and that he would pay for Laura's education if she would abort the baby (where were those family values right then in this "pro-life" politician? Oh, I see, women's health care is ok for them, but not for anyone else). Laura would have to agree to move to Montana for college. That was not what the young couple wanted. They planned to get married, have the baby, and go to Clemson, even if Laura could only go part time, at the start. A tragic accident occurred en route to see a doctor, and their lives changed forever.
Laura suffered from a severe case of amnesia after the accident, and found herself in Montana living with a woman she did not recognize, but who claimed to be her aunt. Cole was told by his father that when Laura woke up in the hospital, he offered her money to leave the south, to move to Montana, and he would fund her education. He told Cole that Laura took the deal and agreed to not see Cole ever again. All Laura knew was that someone was paying for her to go to school. She did not remember having a mother, nor a boyfriend, let alone a fiance' with whom she had conceived a baby. Years went by. She was not an unhappy girl, as she had no memory of her past. She had always been talented with music, excelled at writing songs (and had helped Cole who also wanted a musical career, but none of that was in her memory). She taught music at an elementary school after college and started performing at clubs which had open mike nights. She found herself in Nashville and achieving accolades and offers. Laura started dating an older man in the business as her musical career was taking off, though he was moving too quickly for her, wanting to marry her, and pushing her when she did not feel ready to commit. Otherwise, her life was really good. Meanwhile, Cole went to law school, as his father had urged, but never gave up his dreams of a musical career. A chance to try out for a television competition similar to The Voice made it possible for him to head to Nashville, too. He had never forgotten Laura, but did not know what his father had done. His assumption, understandably, was that Laura did not love him enough, or she would not have taken his father's money and left town.
Nashville can be a big small town, and it is not difficult to predict what happens next, but the author was good with drawing things out, throwing a number of obstacles in the way of true love, thereby tugging at our heartstrings. While the book was predictable, it was also good entertainment (while I descaled a Keurig and an electric kettle---which takes hours) and did other domestic chores. Cole and Laura were with me and made the hours pass by quickly. This book was more of a romance than the author's ensemble cast novels, and I liked that, but it was a bit more trite than some others she has written.
The narrator of the audiobook sounded like an overly excited AI voice we often hear online in advertisements. She was really over the top. I will never understand why some of these narrators are chosen, as they can really take a book down a notch (but rarely make it better). This one did not help. She mispronounced words in an annoying way. Clemson is quite well known, and is pronounced exactly as it is spelled. Why did she call it "Clem-zon?" Once would have been annoying, but she did it over and over again. Why are audiobooks not edited for pitch, inflection, and pronunciation, the way written prose is edited for spelling, punctuation, etc? It is a major pet peeve of mine. Look up a word if you are unsure. I know I do! It does nothing favorable for an author to have their books read by people who butcher the oral reading of a good story.
3.5 stars. It was a good book, one that was addictive, at times, but had some flaws.

[Mya Elizabeth Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this 3.5 ⭐️
This started off SO STRONG
I was MAD
I WANTED TO JUMP OFF A CLIFF
PUNCH PEOPLE
but the ending….
rushed
Cliche
Lacking emotion
Cheesy, like I’m becoming lactose intolerant from the amount of cheese I’m being fed here
Like the idea was PHENOMENAL
It started off great but then the fire fizzed out reaaaal quick
I was giving major idc faces
There was like 10 million 46 time jumps and I feel like realistically this whole memory loss thing would have been addressed waaaay earlier
Like Laura should have had more questions
She just accepted everything like HMM OKAY THIS IS MY LIFE! Bummer I can’t remember everything but I’ll survive and move forward no questions asked! 🤩
no.
It took almost half the book for her to cross paths with Cole after they basically time jumped to 2099
And prior to that it was just summarizing her new life like LA LA LAAAAA IM A SINGER! IM MAKING IT! I don’t wanna date because I feel a strange void but ima sing about it and carry on like nothings wrong!
and Cole’s miserable life with a new woman who he doesn’t even love but tolerated enough to marry
That got me mad to because if your hearts not in it do NOT waste her time or yours .
But alas he did all because, what, he wanted to be married just to say he was and hoped the feeling of love would eventually come?
That’s not how marriage works my friend..I’m a single 20 year old for 20 years and even I know that ain’t it .
Like I was WORKED UP GUYS
So mad!
But I feel like I WAS MORE UPSET ABOUT THE SITUATION THAN THEY WERE! Like what Cole’s dad did was more than screwed up, it was evil and vile. But we wanna act like all he did was run a yellow light!?
NAH
I was so disappointed in the end
I felt like the author was tired if writing and wanted to wrap it up like *sigh* “I’m tired of this grandpa”
And the bit with Dylan at the end!?
I wish yall woulda seen my face
She’s just throwing ANYTHING in there now acting like it’s nothing crazy
GIRL A GUN!?
It’s okay we’ll call the cops go to the hospital all in a few hours because that’s SO realistic!! Love it!!!
….
I also didn’t connect with Cole and Laura
They were together and ‘MADLY’ in line from page one and so I didn’t connect with them because I don’t know anything about how they got to where they were as a couple.
Give me build up!
Make me work for it!
She handed it to me on a silver platter…
This review is me kindly giving the silver platter back 😂
I’m sorry if this is not the nicest review I’m just disappointed because I thought this was found to be a five star review
Tis not…

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh good Lord what did I just read?!?!

Essentially Laura's KIDNAPPED and lied to her entire adult life. But when she finds out she doesn't do ANYTHING about it?!?! We really don't even get to see any emotion from her about this. She pretty much just glosses over the fact that she lost a baby. Even years later this would have had an impact on her and she would have had major feelings on it. (Also, like a hospital is REALLY going to release a minor into the custody of her boyfriend's dad without checking and doing their due diligence to see if she truly has any family remaining. Lawsuit.)

Then we have Cole, who is accused of cheating on his wife and denies it. But then he agrees to have that be the official reason for divorce just so they can get it over with faster. Okayyyyy

OH! And let's not forget Dylan showing up in THE LAST 10 MIN with a FREAKING GUN wanting to go crazy and shot Cole.

So much crazy happening and no real character development or portrayals going on. This is the 3rd book from this author that I have read and unfortunately I just think she isn't for me.

[Susan Hamann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young lovers were separated when a car accident leaves her without memory and without family. He has always loved her and knows that she was the only one for him.

Quite by accident she learns to play guitar and has a natural talent for music, although it was always his dream.

Years go by and their paths intersect, but they are both involved in other relationships.

This is a sweet story of young lovers who find each other again when they are still young. It's a well written story and although you know what the ending will be, you enjoy the journey that the author has created for you. I recommend this book for romance readers of any age.

I listened to the audio version and the narrator does a great job. Either the written or audio version will be a fun experience.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The library called this brand new, but it looks like it was published in 2018 originally. Also the version I read had typos and misprints in it. A couple of sentences that made no sense in the context. Not sure what was going on there. Overall was not bad for the type of book it was. I appreciated the quick pacing and the story taking place over many years. Nothing got too deep though. The ending with Dylan and the gun was so awkwardly thrown in there, it felt like the author was trying to wrap it up too quickly. A lot of lead up to a very quick conclusion. Enjoyed reading about the Nashville singer/songwriter vibes though.

[Anne Wolters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartfelt!

This is the first book of Pamela Kelly's that I've read and definitely will not be the last. It's a heartfelt story of Laura and Cole, young and in love. They plan to both attend college together and get married. Their story is unique as unfortunate circumstances keep them a part for many years. Too many details will spoil the story but I will say I nearly read this book straight through, always wanting to know what happened next. It is a beautifully written story that will touch your heart.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pamela Kelley's Nashville Dreams will surely pull at your heartstrings. Can a young love that was torn part be put back together? Can a father who is bent on doing what he thinks 'is in his son's best interest" ever find peace after what he did? Laura and Cole were childhood sweethearts. They knew they would get married someday soon. Then they were involved in a tragic accident and their lives were forever changed. I loved every minute of this emotional second chance love story and hated for it to end.

[Lois Chilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nashville Dreams

Good characters. Cole & Laura truly were soul mates. Music has a way of seeking out the lost, the lonely the sad. Laura had the talent in her, it was the perfect way to carry her through all the heartbreak in her life.

Greed for money & power were apparent throughout this story & has been through many lives. This story could be the story of many. Truth or fiction, it's lived out every day in the lives of many. Unfortunately the "happily ever after" is not necessarily the norm.

A lot of "stuff" built into this book. Read & enjoy.

[Fran Gerardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pam Kelly writes feel good books that can be read in one day if you choose. Her main characters are usually good people who champion their challenges. In this book two young lovers are separated by greed. Their story is one of love. We are taken on their journey after they are separated to Nashville. The story is one of separation and connection.

Pam Kelly's books are simple and predictable. If you are looking for something deep and thought provoking this is not the author for you, but if you want a break from reality and want to read something wholesome, this is it!

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is actually pretty decent. I think the thing that just irritated me is the complete lack of research about instruments and musicians. And because it’s so early in the book when that information is presented it just put a bad taste in my mouth. The story ends up being OK and I appreciate that it’s relatively decent and not having unhealthy relationships be successful. But I couldn’t get over the lack of research.

[Terri Mastraieni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heading to Nashville

This is the second book I have read from Ms. Kelley and I am looking forward to reading more. This is the story of a young couple, very much in love who are torn apart by an automobile accident. When Lara, the young woman in the car crash wakes up , has no memory of who she is or where she lives. After several years Lara finally learns who she is, and who she loves. I really loved this story and look forward to reading more by Ms.Kelley.

[Janet Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Love in Nashville
This is a clean romance revolving around the country music scene. The plot is sure to bring out all of the reader's emotions. I can see this story being made into a movie. I am going to be reading more of this author's work. I received this book for free and voluntarily chose to post my honest review.

[Tracy Lundy-Munn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nashville Dreams is a stand-alone novel by Pamela Kelley. This was the first book by this author for me and I was pleasantly surprised by this read. The storyline was solid and well thought out. The characters were well developed with depth, chemistry and lots of history. All in all a pretty solid book that I would recommend.

[Karyl M. Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, the road to romance has big bumps!

I didn't give it five stars because I found some things improbable. Growing up with "Aunt Helen" seems highly improbable as she would have known her if she had really been her aunt! I thought his wife got off easy! nyway, all's right that ends right!

[Janet McMillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

A love story of Cole and Laura, high school sweethearts. Laura was pregnant and they were going to be married soon and head to college. Unfortunately Cole's Dad did not approve. Can their love survive a meddling father? Pamela Kelly's books are always good. By the end of the first chapter, the reader is hooked. Great character development and story.

[Jean E. Corbin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A "First Love" story, that doesn't disappoint!

For anyone who remembers their first true love, this can bring tears. And, for anyone who loves the Country Music Genre this will hit home. I have read all of Pamela Kelly's books, and would rank this one right up their with The Fifth Avenue Apartment!

[⋆. 𐙚 ˚Delilah (Saved by Jesus) ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nashville Dreams is the first book I’ve ever read that has an amnesia trope. I was excited to be expirementing with new tropes, but this book was such a letdown! There were grammatical and spellling errors every COUPLE PAGES. Yeah, that bad. Not only did these errors make this book hard to read, but the amateur writing did aswell! This book had a great plot, but was executed very, very poorly.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read

I rated this book as five star because although the story is a easy read there is a good amount of suspense as to how the story will pan out. I would recommend this book to reader of romance who enjoy a solid back story.

[Kerry Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very enjoyable story. I loved the characters and how they eventually met again. I think they were both too forgiving of Dalton and Helen though but maybe that's just me. I'd definitely read this author again.

[Angie McCaslan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!

This is by far the best yet from Pamela Kelley. It's very different from the other books I've read by her, but I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. More like this please.