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Side Roads #1
Ransomed Dreams
Sheridan Montgomery leads a charmed life as the wife of Eliot, U.S. ambassador to Venezuela. But an attack on their lives cripples Eliot, and they retreat to a remote Mexican village. As Sheridan quietly cares for her husband, she sees her dreams slipping away. Luke Traynor shatters their reverie when he arrives to tell Sheridan of her father’s heart attack and the evidence implicating him in a conspiracy. Sheridan returns to Chicago to untangle the web of her father’s past and is forced to confront her feelings for Luke, a trail of deceit, and the truth about her marriage.
391 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Sally John
35 books100 followersSally John is the best-selling author of twenty novels, including the Side Roads series, the Safe Harbor series (coauthored with Gary Smalley), The Other Way Home series, The Beach House series, and In a Heartbeat series. A three-time finalist for the Christy Award, Sally writes contemporary stories that offer hope to readers in their own relational and faith journeys. She enjoys teaching writing workshops and spending time with her husband, adult children, and grandchildren. An Illinois native, Sally and her husband, Tim, live in southern California. Visit her Web site at www.sally-john.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
April 18, 2010
One shot shattered more than just bodies, it decimated lives and realities, crushing innocent illusions.
The story behind this novel was intriguing, and it interested me. The prologue gripped me, the drama intense and the emotions high, planting many question in my mind. But the novel really didn’t interest me until I was about 150 pages into it. As the drama was kicked up a notch and the emotions flowing, the story kept me interested. Two plot lines on different paths, but managing to intersect and wasn’t confusing in the process. I liked the setting, Mexico, and it was refreshing not to wade through much of the language of that region, you got the flavor without the Spanish.
But I struggled to enjoy this novel to its full potential, and I have a hard time saying why. I think it was because much of the novel, I was being filled in, instead of experiencing what was going on. It felt more distanced and at times it was too much to want to wade through.
This novel wasn’t my favorite, but the story beneath the “telling” was unique and the ending satisfying.
Thanks to Tyndale Publishers for my copy to review.
The story behind this novel was intriguing, and it interested me. The prologue gripped me, the drama intense and the emotions high, planting many question in my mind. But the novel really didn’t interest me until I was about 150 pages into it. As the drama was kicked up a notch and the emotions flowing, the story kept me interested. Two plot lines on different paths, but managing to intersect and wasn’t confusing in the process. I liked the setting, Mexico, and it was refreshing not to wade through much of the language of that region, you got the flavor without the Spanish.
But I struggled to enjoy this novel to its full potential, and I have a hard time saying why. I think it was because much of the novel, I was being filled in, instead of experiencing what was going on. It felt more distanced and at times it was too much to want to wade through.
This novel wasn’t my favorite, but the story beneath the “telling” was unique and the ending satisfying.
Thanks to Tyndale Publishers for my copy to review.
Read
July 27, 2011Sheridan Montgomery, the wife of Eliot Montgomery, former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela, has gone from her dream life to her worst nightmare after her husband was seriously wounded in a shooting. She felt she had lost everything - her husband, her career, her peace of mind, and nearly all contact with the outside world - in a matter of mere minutes. Choosing to retreat to a remote Mexican village to escape the trauma of the incident and to care for her disabled husband, she thought she had put distance between herself and her worst fears. But when her father's failing health and her sister's plea to return home forces her to leave her safety zone and her dependent husband, the realities of her strained family relationships, the disappointments of her marriage, discoveries about her parents' pasts, and the feelings she has developed for her savior Luke Traynor are just some of the realities she must face before she can find herself again.
For anyone who thinks that fiction is simply an indulgence to escape reality, this book will be a huge surprise. The story will resonate with anyone who has ever found himself in the midst of unexpected and disappointing life circumstances and asked, "How did I get here, and how can I escape?" As a person whose life has taken dramatic turns in the area of my health, I empathized with the struggles of both Sheridan's character, who feels forced to swallow the bitter pill of a life lost, and that of her husband Eliot, who is trapped by his body and paralyzed with fear that he will end up alone. But not until they reach the end of themselves and turn back to God, do they find peace to reconcile damaged relationships and rediscover their love for each other. The story is dramatic and action-packed, but it is also full of life-changing truths. This is surely one work of fiction that will be worth your time!
For anyone who thinks that fiction is simply an indulgence to escape reality, this book will be a huge surprise. The story will resonate with anyone who has ever found himself in the midst of unexpected and disappointing life circumstances and asked, "How did I get here, and how can I escape?" As a person whose life has taken dramatic turns in the area of my health, I empathized with the struggles of both Sheridan's character, who feels forced to swallow the bitter pill of a life lost, and that of her husband Eliot, who is trapped by his body and paralyzed with fear that he will end up alone. But not until they reach the end of themselves and turn back to God, do they find peace to reconcile damaged relationships and rediscover their love for each other. The story is dramatic and action-packed, but it is also full of life-changing truths. This is surely one work of fiction that will be worth your time!
June 8, 2010
Sheridan Montgomery had been living her dream as the wife of an ambassador and the director of a program to help underprivileged women. Until a vicious attack changed everything. As she cared for her disabled husband, she watched her dreams slip away.
In “Ransomed Dreams,” Sally John creates a story that touches readers. With the right balance of mystery, action, and emotion, she knows how to draw a reader in. At the heart of the story is the dream that Sheridan Montgomery gave up to care for her husband and hide in Mexico for protection. She’s restless and disappointed and struggling with how she feels about this loss. She’s desperate for happiness but unsure how to find it.
In a society where “for better or worse” doesn’t mean much, this book provides a refreshing example of a couple who works through some tough issues. From the exhaustion of a caregiver to the depression of a disabled spouse, to the temptation to leave with someone who meets emotional needs not met in the marriage, and the lack of support from family, Sally John has addressed real problems in a real way. That’s what makes this great fiction. It isn’t about a perfect couple with a fairytale relationship. She shows the reader through the good days and bad days in a marriage that’s in the “sickness” and the “worse” phase of the vows, the marriage that hasn’t seen “health” or “better” in a long time.
“Ransomed Dreams” is for anyone who has ever wanted to walk away from a difficult marriage, who has ever felt hopeless, or who has lost a dream. It’s an inspiring story of faith and emotional healing.
(Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.)
In “Ransomed Dreams,” Sally John creates a story that touches readers. With the right balance of mystery, action, and emotion, she knows how to draw a reader in. At the heart of the story is the dream that Sheridan Montgomery gave up to care for her husband and hide in Mexico for protection. She’s restless and disappointed and struggling with how she feels about this loss. She’s desperate for happiness but unsure how to find it.
In a society where “for better or worse” doesn’t mean much, this book provides a refreshing example of a couple who works through some tough issues. From the exhaustion of a caregiver to the depression of a disabled spouse, to the temptation to leave with someone who meets emotional needs not met in the marriage, and the lack of support from family, Sally John has addressed real problems in a real way. That’s what makes this great fiction. It isn’t about a perfect couple with a fairytale relationship. She shows the reader through the good days and bad days in a marriage that’s in the “sickness” and the “worse” phase of the vows, the marriage that hasn’t seen “health” or “better” in a long time.
“Ransomed Dreams” is for anyone who has ever wanted to walk away from a difficult marriage, who has ever felt hopeless, or who has lost a dream. It’s an inspiring story of faith and emotional healing.
(Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.)
March 31, 2011
The book was very slow moving and kind of boring. The characters were well-developed but there was very little activity...mundane...monotone.. I liked that God was important to Sheridan (main character), but her life was not very exciting. I could not identify with her or her sister Calissa. The main male characters Elliot and Luke were not the sort of people I could understand either. Overall this was not an enjoyable read.
September 26, 2016
Every time I read the main character's name, that's all I could think of.
Seriously, though, I enjoyed the book.
October 20, 2011
This book moved too slowly and was too long. A bad combination. Story was fine.
November 4, 2016
I am not a fan of this book. The writing was not clear and the story was convoluted. While the characters were ok, their spiritual transformations seemed contrived. Not worth reading. 1 star
January 14, 2020
This book was about a couple who an attempt was made to kill them. Actually kill her, but he took the bullet instead. Because they had been a prominent public couple at the time, they hid away in fear in a very, very remote village; he being an invalid and she being his nursemaid. She doesn’t know that it is him who had saved her from the bullet, but thinks that it was another man who comes in and out of the picture. She finds out towards the end that it was her husband who saved her. “Reflex caused him to save the one he loved.” It showed the struggle of grieving for lost dreams … lost job, lost life, etc. It showed what can happen if you keep God in it. Good dialogue with God throughout.
Good points were … be sure to communicate. Don’t keep things hidden with the thought that you don’t want to burden the other. The husband kept allowing the pain to take over, he would focus on the pain, when he had a flashback or the current conversation took a direction that he was very afraid to go.
I was pulled along continually, but left feeling very despairing at the end. I thought, “Life is not really like that.” It ended happily.
Good points were … be sure to communicate. Don’t keep things hidden with the thought that you don’t want to burden the other. The husband kept allowing the pain to take over, he would focus on the pain, when he had a flashback or the current conversation took a direction that he was very afraid to go.
I was pulled along continually, but left feeling very despairing at the end. I thought, “Life is not really like that.” It ended happily.
February 22, 2017
Sheridan was married to the U.S. ambassador to Venezuela. Her life was wonderful until some one attack her husband and now she's taking care of him . Now all her dream's are gone. This book was very slow and was every where first time I ever read this anything by is author
March 4, 2019
Not my favorite of Sally John’s books, but not terrible. 3.5 stars in reality. Good for a long wait in the airport to pass the time, but not revolutionary or ground breaking. Solid, slightly predictable Christian almost romance.
May 11, 2024
one day can change everything
This is the first book I have read by this author. I see the mixed reviews and everyone has their own likes and styles. I connected with Sheridan and understood her search for an identity other than being her husband’s caretaker. They both had wounds from the experience that changed their lives. We respond to trauma in many different ways. I enjoyed this book and how they turned to God to help them heal and grow together and begin a new life.
This is the first book I have read by this author. I see the mixed reviews and everyone has their own likes and styles. I connected with Sheridan and understood her search for an identity other than being her husband’s caretaker. They both had wounds from the experience that changed their lives. We respond to trauma in many different ways. I enjoyed this book and how they turned to God to help them heal and grow together and begin a new life.
December 8, 2020
Great book.
probably-won-t-read
January 24, 2025Poor reviews. Too long to waste my time on. Deleting.
May 26, 2025
Very well written, would recommend!
March 25, 2022
I am giving this book one star because I am forced to. Stupid, terrible, poorly written, unrealistic characters.
July 4, 2010
This review was first posted on my blog: http://jewelknits.blogspot.com/2010/0...
Sheridan and her husband Eliot have escaped to backwoods Topala, Mexico .. victims of PTSD after an attack that left Sheridan's friend Reina dead, herself injured, and her husband Eliot severely injured. Sheridan, who felt a calling to community service, helping impoverished women escape life on the streets by teaching them skills and a trade, is now nursemaid to a husband who no longer shares her bed. There is no phone, no Internet - nothing to connect them to the outside world, which is what they agreed on over a year ago when they decided to move there.
When not caring for Eliot, who has suffered permanent nerve damage, Sheridan mopes around by herself, thinking things like, "This is NOT what I signed up for," and generally feeling sorry for herself. One morning, as she is sitting on her patio, she sees Luke Traynor, the man who saved her life and stuck with her and with Eliot through the lengthy hospital stay after the attack, walking up the hill to her house. He brings a message from her sister, Lissa. Their father, a long-term U.S. congressman, has suffered a debilitating stroke and is not expected to live. Could she return stateside to visit and to help Lissa?
Sheridan does NOT want to go, but she is persuaded to do so. There are secrets that Lissa has found out that she needs to tell her - secrets that changed Lissa's perception of their father and that caused the confrontation that led to his attack.
I wanted to like this book. The cover is awesome and the premise is an interesting one. This book is supposed to be about faith, and how our faith can be tested by extreme circumstances. BUT, Sheridan, who is supposed to be the one with faith, never really demonstrates it. She goes through the motions of it, but she is a whiner. She has snits for no apparent reason. She dislikes her sister, again for no apparent reason other than that when their mother died, Lissa left college to come home and take care of her at 13 years old. She dislikes her father, who we find out later WAS a pretty bad guy, but her dislike is really undefined for most of this book. Sheridan, in short, is a character that I really didn't like. I don't like whiners ... I don't care for people who have this, "Woe is me; life is so unfair" attitude, especially when things could be so much worse.
Eliot starts coming into his own a bit once Sheridan leaves and the village padre convinces him to get out and about a bit. I liked Eliot. Even with all that he's gone through, he has an intense love for his wife and, once he's figured out that he CAN do some things, he's a pretty good guy; however, he has a secret as well - one that may be uncovered with the death of the congressman.
Sheridan must battle through her new fear of crowds and crowded places, her attraction to another man, her dislike of her sister, and her hatred of her father. She learns interesting facts about her father, her mother, and her husband that change her perception of her place in the world.
This book is OK - just that, though .. OK. I feel that it never delves deep enough into the characters and what really makes them tick. Even the faith that it is supposed to show seems to be surface faith, not true blue, deep in your heart faith. I started to get into the book in the last 15-20 pages, but I had to go through 350 or more pages to get there.
Quotes:
Welcome to my world, Luke. Casa de not what I signed up for.
The esteemed congressman from the state of Illinois had many assistants in Chicago and D.C.
But only one of them was his daughter, who had access to the attic in his house and who uncovered a history of deceit and who shouted it at his seventy-four-year-old face until it was time to call 911.
"I just leap. There is only a chasm in between, no connecting bridge." She forked a bite of salad. "The world is an unfair, unequal place. As I said, the utter despair undoes me. To combat that, I jump in and do what I can, reminding myself I can't begin to do it all."
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher to objectively review.
Sheridan and her husband Eliot have escaped to backwoods Topala, Mexico .. victims of PTSD after an attack that left Sheridan's friend Reina dead, herself injured, and her husband Eliot severely injured. Sheridan, who felt a calling to community service, helping impoverished women escape life on the streets by teaching them skills and a trade, is now nursemaid to a husband who no longer shares her bed. There is no phone, no Internet - nothing to connect them to the outside world, which is what they agreed on over a year ago when they decided to move there.
When not caring for Eliot, who has suffered permanent nerve damage, Sheridan mopes around by herself, thinking things like, "This is NOT what I signed up for," and generally feeling sorry for herself. One morning, as she is sitting on her patio, she sees Luke Traynor, the man who saved her life and stuck with her and with Eliot through the lengthy hospital stay after the attack, walking up the hill to her house. He brings a message from her sister, Lissa. Their father, a long-term U.S. congressman, has suffered a debilitating stroke and is not expected to live. Could she return stateside to visit and to help Lissa?
Sheridan does NOT want to go, but she is persuaded to do so. There are secrets that Lissa has found out that she needs to tell her - secrets that changed Lissa's perception of their father and that caused the confrontation that led to his attack.
I wanted to like this book. The cover is awesome and the premise is an interesting one. This book is supposed to be about faith, and how our faith can be tested by extreme circumstances. BUT, Sheridan, who is supposed to be the one with faith, never really demonstrates it. She goes through the motions of it, but she is a whiner. She has snits for no apparent reason. She dislikes her sister, again for no apparent reason other than that when their mother died, Lissa left college to come home and take care of her at 13 years old. She dislikes her father, who we find out later WAS a pretty bad guy, but her dislike is really undefined for most of this book. Sheridan, in short, is a character that I really didn't like. I don't like whiners ... I don't care for people who have this, "Woe is me; life is so unfair" attitude, especially when things could be so much worse.
Eliot starts coming into his own a bit once Sheridan leaves and the village padre convinces him to get out and about a bit. I liked Eliot. Even with all that he's gone through, he has an intense love for his wife and, once he's figured out that he CAN do some things, he's a pretty good guy; however, he has a secret as well - one that may be uncovered with the death of the congressman.
Sheridan must battle through her new fear of crowds and crowded places, her attraction to another man, her dislike of her sister, and her hatred of her father. She learns interesting facts about her father, her mother, and her husband that change her perception of her place in the world.
This book is OK - just that, though .. OK. I feel that it never delves deep enough into the characters and what really makes them tick. Even the faith that it is supposed to show seems to be surface faith, not true blue, deep in your heart faith. I started to get into the book in the last 15-20 pages, but I had to go through 350 or more pages to get there.
Quotes:
Welcome to my world, Luke. Casa de not what I signed up for.
The esteemed congressman from the state of Illinois had many assistants in Chicago and D.C.
But only one of them was his daughter, who had access to the attic in his house and who uncovered a history of deceit and who shouted it at his seventy-four-year-old face until it was time to call 911.
"I just leap. There is only a chasm in between, no connecting bridge." She forked a bite of salad. "The world is an unfair, unequal place. As I said, the utter despair undoes me. To combat that, I jump in and do what I can, reminding myself I can't begin to do it all."
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher to objectively review.
November 21, 2010
Sally John in her new book, "Ransomed Dreams" Book One in the Side Roads series published by Tyndale brings us to the world of politics and the people who live in that world.
Sheridan Montgomery is the wife of Eliot Montgomery, U.S. Ambassador to Caracas, Venezuela. An assassination attempt leaves Eliot crippled and Sheridan traumatized. The two abandon everything and escape to Topalaa small out-of-touch city in Mexico; no phone service, no paved roads, no Internet. Sheridan feels her life and marriage are over and she is only going through the motions as a companion/nursemaid to her husband who is in chronic pain and cannot bear to be touched.
Luke Traynor shows up with a message from her sister that their dying father would like to see her. Now she has to travel to Chicago and deal with seeing her estranged father, her domineering sister, her emotions for Luke and all sorts of information about her family that are just coming to light.
The dictionary defines ransom as "a consideration paid or demanded for the release of someone or something from captivity". Sheridan Montgomery has dreams that are taken in captivity and it takes God's grace, forgiveness and love to ransom those dreams back. Ms. John weaves a captivating story with wonderful characters that breathe. I was glad to spend the time with these characters and look forward to more from Ms. John in this exciting series.
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop Christian music please visit our internet radio station http://www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Sheridan Montgomery is the wife of Eliot Montgomery, U.S. Ambassador to Caracas, Venezuela. An assassination attempt leaves Eliot crippled and Sheridan traumatized. The two abandon everything and escape to Topalaa small out-of-touch city in Mexico; no phone service, no paved roads, no Internet. Sheridan feels her life and marriage are over and she is only going through the motions as a companion/nursemaid to her husband who is in chronic pain and cannot bear to be touched.
Luke Traynor shows up with a message from her sister that their dying father would like to see her. Now she has to travel to Chicago and deal with seeing her estranged father, her domineering sister, her emotions for Luke and all sorts of information about her family that are just coming to light.
The dictionary defines ransom as "a consideration paid or demanded for the release of someone or something from captivity". Sheridan Montgomery has dreams that are taken in captivity and it takes God's grace, forgiveness and love to ransom those dreams back. Ms. John weaves a captivating story with wonderful characters that breathe. I was glad to spend the time with these characters and look forward to more from Ms. John in this exciting series.
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop Christian music please visit our internet radio station http://www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
July 24, 2010
I'll start off by saying this is not what I usually read. It's not really a romance but a book featuring a middle aged married couple facing struggles physically and emotionally that are taking a toll on their marriage. I'm not married or in a relationship right now but I do realize that in any kind of relationship, even friendships, there are going to be rough spots so I thought this would be a good story to read for a change of pace.
Ransomed Dreams is the first novel I've ever read by Sally John, and even though it does focus on an older couple, not 20somethings like a lot of Christian fiction, I liked it. Sheridan and Eliot Montgomery are faced with a trial that I can't ever imagine dealing with in their lives as U.S. foreign diplomats in Venezuela. The author presented it in such a way that I was caught up from the first page, however as the story continued the writing seemed to get a bit choppy, it just didn't all flow together for me from chapter to chapter.
I did like the characters though and felt sympathetic towards Sheridan who had to not only deal with Eliot's disability and their strained relationship but issues with her sister and father as well. She was real. She thought about another man, she wondered about whether her husband would ever return to his old self, and she had bitterness towards her father. Sheridan was far from the perfect heroine that I'm so used to reading about which was a very refreshing change. I look forward to reading the next book in the Side Roads series to see if we get another glimpse at this family or some of the secondary characters like Luke and Mercedes.
***Special thanks to Vicky Lynch of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc for sending me a review copy.***
Ransomed Dreams is the first novel I've ever read by Sally John, and even though it does focus on an older couple, not 20somethings like a lot of Christian fiction, I liked it. Sheridan and Eliot Montgomery are faced with a trial that I can't ever imagine dealing with in their lives as U.S. foreign diplomats in Venezuela. The author presented it in such a way that I was caught up from the first page, however as the story continued the writing seemed to get a bit choppy, it just didn't all flow together for me from chapter to chapter.
I did like the characters though and felt sympathetic towards Sheridan who had to not only deal with Eliot's disability and their strained relationship but issues with her sister and father as well. She was real. She thought about another man, she wondered about whether her husband would ever return to his old self, and she had bitterness towards her father. Sheridan was far from the perfect heroine that I'm so used to reading about which was a very refreshing change. I look forward to reading the next book in the Side Roads series to see if we get another glimpse at this family or some of the secondary characters like Luke and Mercedes.
***Special thanks to Vicky Lynch of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc for sending me a review copy.***
July 23, 2010
"Ransomed Dreams" is a Christian general fiction novel set in Mexico and in Chicago in the USA. The story switched between the current story of overcoming fears and forgiving others and the story of the events leading up to the assassination attempt. They do connect together in important ways, and I thought it was handled well.
The world-building was very good. The tension in the story was created by the strain in the various relationships, and it had a slightly slower pacing. The characters were complex and dealt with realistic struggles. However, I never really bonded to the main characters because they weren't very likable, especially at the beginning. I was more interested in some of the secondary characters.
Sheridan and her husband were Catholics with an on-again-off-again relationship with God. The characters seemed to view God as real and active but...distant?...useful to ask help from, but usually irrelevant though nice to talk about? Well, something. Sheri would usually go sit in a (usually empty) church when she wanted to "connect" with God, and she found her greatest comfort in the familiar motions of taking the Eucharist. Since family and friends (including a priest) loved to give each other snippets of advice on handling fears and relationship troubles, some readers might view this novel as "preachy" (though it's good advice). I thought it was fine since the characters' acted like real people do in such situations.
The minor amount of bad language was in the "he cussed" style. There was no sex. Overall, this novel was well-written, clean reading.
I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
The world-building was very good. The tension in the story was created by the strain in the various relationships, and it had a slightly slower pacing. The characters were complex and dealt with realistic struggles. However, I never really bonded to the main characters because they weren't very likable, especially at the beginning. I was more interested in some of the secondary characters.
Sheridan and her husband were Catholics with an on-again-off-again relationship with God. The characters seemed to view God as real and active but...distant?...useful to ask help from, but usually irrelevant though nice to talk about? Well, something. Sheri would usually go sit in a (usually empty) church when she wanted to "connect" with God, and she found her greatest comfort in the familiar motions of taking the Eucharist. Since family and friends (including a priest) loved to give each other snippets of advice on handling fears and relationship troubles, some readers might view this novel as "preachy" (though it's good advice). I thought it was fine since the characters' acted like real people do in such situations.
The minor amount of bad language was in the "he cussed" style. There was no sex. Overall, this novel was well-written, clean reading.
I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
January 23, 2016
RANSOMED DREAMS by Sally John focus’ on the life of Sheridan Montgomery, wife to former U.S. Ambassador, Eliot Montgomery. After a near fatal shooting, the Montgomery’s go into hiding in a small out-of-touch city in Mexico. Sheridan, the daughter of a U.S. Congressman feels her life is over and she is only going through the motions as a companion/nursemaid to her now permanently disabled husband. When Luke Traynor, a man from her past, shows up on her doorstep, Sheridan’s life and emotions once again spin out of control. When Traynor escorts Sheridan back to her childhood home of Chicago to pay her last respects to her dying father - whom she has been estranged from since her teen years- she learns of her father’s secret business dealings. Devastated, and feeling as if her entire life has been a lie, Sheridan is faced with a choice – hatred or forgiveness.
RANSOMED DREAMS was a good read, but fell short of my expectations. The main characters were complex, but not necessarily lovable, and the pacing of the book was slower than I felt was necessary. At times, I found myself skimming through some of the scenes to get back to the meat of the story. The main theme of RANSOMED DREAMS was forgiveness, which I felt was portrayed well, in that forgiveness can be difficult even when you know it is the right thing to do. Religion was thrown in here and there, but I did not feel it made a strong enough showing to really consider this book to be Christian Fiction. Overall, an okay book, but not one of my better summer reads.
Book provided for review purposes.
RANSOMED DREAMS was a good read, but fell short of my expectations. The main characters were complex, but not necessarily lovable, and the pacing of the book was slower than I felt was necessary. At times, I found myself skimming through some of the scenes to get back to the meat of the story. The main theme of RANSOMED DREAMS was forgiveness, which I felt was portrayed well, in that forgiveness can be difficult even when you know it is the right thing to do. Religion was thrown in here and there, but I did not feel it made a strong enough showing to really consider this book to be Christian Fiction. Overall, an okay book, but not one of my better summer reads.
Book provided for review purposes.
July 24, 2010
Ransomed Dreams by Sally John is the first book in the Side Roads series. Sheridan Montgomery's life was shattered by an assassin's bullet that nearly killed her ambassador husband, Eliot, on their assignment in Caracas, Venezuela. Now they live in a remote village in Mexico trying to put back together the pieces of their lives. Eliot, who was a suave and eloquent gentleman is almost mute in his struggle with constant pain and the loss of independence. Sheridan gave up her charity work in fear that another bullet could come from any quarter. A year after the shooting, Luke Traynor arrives at their home to announce that Sheridan has been summoned home to Chicago by her sister Calissa because their father is dying. Luke cared for Sheridan in the days and weeks after the attack until she came to depend on him too much and asked him to never come back. John has rendered a world in which a life can be completely changed in a single moment and forces the reader to consider how their own life would survive. Sheridan, Eliot, and Calissa also seem to live with sunburned emotions; even the slightest touch causes flinching and pain. There's also a story of terrible family secrets, the lies we tell to conceal them, and how we move forward from our parents' history. Ultimately it's a story of hope and learning to thrive where God puts you. John's writing is multi-layered with fully fleshed characters and well worth the read.
July 30, 2010
I kept thinking of Don Henley's song "The End of the Innocence," while reading Ransomed Dreams. If I were to sum up the first part of the book in one thought it would be; "When happily ever after fails." Sheridan and Elliot's lives shattered in an instant on a Caracas street. Sheridan even goes as far to refer to things as "B.C.E." (Before the Caracas Event) and "A.C.E" (After the Caracas Event). They've built a new life for themselves in a sleepy Mexican village, but that peace is shattered when they are visited by Luke Traynor, who had been with the ambassador's entourage in Caracas. Luke's visit sends Sheridan on a journey with exposes both the past of her family and the past of her husband.
I liked the quiet introspection of Ransomed Dreams. It was not a flashy novel, but I found it to be very thought provoking, and for that reason I could not put it down. I liked the voices of the secondary characters and the voices of Sheridan and Elliot. I loved the little glimpses into the diplomatic world, and the interludes that showed Sheridan and Elliot prior to his injuries. They truly seemed to be a power couple. I also loved how the prologue and epilogue were bookends.
I checked Ransomed Dreams out from my local library. I almost never purchase a book that I borrow from the library. However, I am seriously considering purchasing Ransomed Dreams as it is a book I believe I would love to read again.
I liked the quiet introspection of Ransomed Dreams. It was not a flashy novel, but I found it to be very thought provoking, and for that reason I could not put it down. I liked the voices of the secondary characters and the voices of Sheridan and Elliot. I loved the little glimpses into the diplomatic world, and the interludes that showed Sheridan and Elliot prior to his injuries. They truly seemed to be a power couple. I also loved how the prologue and epilogue were bookends.
I checked Ransomed Dreams out from my local library. I almost never purchase a book that I borrow from the library. However, I am seriously considering purchasing Ransomed Dreams as it is a book I believe I would love to read again.
March 18, 2017
This was a thought-provoking story. It reminds us that healing isn't something that can be placed on someone else's timeline. It also reminds us of the good that can come when we remain faithful to God and to others because of God.
The plot was interesting, and the characters were well developed. It was all in past tense (which was difficult for me because I was editing another book at the time in present tense). The announcement of location at the beginning of every chapter was helpful. I also enjoyed the use of the different perspectives of the main characters.
I recommend this story.
The plot was interesting, and the characters were well developed. It was all in past tense (which was difficult for me because I was editing another book at the time in present tense). The announcement of location at the beginning of every chapter was helpful. I also enjoyed the use of the different perspectives of the main characters.
I recommend this story.
June 4, 2012
I received a free copy of this for my e-reader.
Sheridan is the wife of a politician. Her life is perfect, until Eliot is shot, turning their lives upside down. They flee to a small town in Mexico to recover. While the bullet didn't kill Eliot, it nearly crippled him. Now he lives with pain as a constant reminder, and has trouble walking without assistance. Some days are worse than others, but life has become a constant battle. One day, their hero/tormentor Luke Traynor shows up, even though he vowed to stay away. For some reason, Sheridan blames him for Eliot's condition, even as she battles unwanted feelings for Luke. Luke wants to pull Sheridan from her hidey-hole to face real life.
This almost read like the second book of a series. So many events happened before the story actually takes place that you're left trying to piece together what's going on. The story was really about the vows of marriage and one woman's struggle to come to terms with the past in order to have a future.
This book was okay. I thought the most likable character was Luke, even though he wasn't a main character. At times, the pacing was really slow, but the plot was interesting enough to keep me plodding along.
Sheridan is the wife of a politician. Her life is perfect, until Eliot is shot, turning their lives upside down. They flee to a small town in Mexico to recover. While the bullet didn't kill Eliot, it nearly crippled him. Now he lives with pain as a constant reminder, and has trouble walking without assistance. Some days are worse than others, but life has become a constant battle. One day, their hero/tormentor Luke Traynor shows up, even though he vowed to stay away. For some reason, Sheridan blames him for Eliot's condition, even as she battles unwanted feelings for Luke. Luke wants to pull Sheridan from her hidey-hole to face real life.
This almost read like the second book of a series. So many events happened before the story actually takes place that you're left trying to piece together what's going on. The story was really about the vows of marriage and one woman's struggle to come to terms with the past in order to have a future.
This book was okay. I thought the most likable character was Luke, even though he wasn't a main character. At times, the pacing was really slow, but the plot was interesting enough to keep me plodding along.
September 10, 2015
When a dream life turns horribly tragic, Sheridan and Eliot Montgomery whisk themselves off to a remote place in Mexico to escape further danger. A year and a half later, someone Sheridan thought she’d never see again, finds her and detours her quiet life into a whirlwind of the past—filled with deception, betrayal, and heartbreak.
I couldn’t put this book down. Ransomed Dreams pulls the reader through intrigue, misfortune, doubt, attraction, loneliness, revelation…and the list goes on! The main characters are flawed, relatable, and layered. The scenes are vivid, almost tangible. And the story filled me with a myriad of emotions, sometimes conflicting.
Sally John has a wonderful gift of tugging at readers’ heartstrings, jerking the rug from beneath them, and giving them a soft place to land. I L-O-V-E-D this book.
Cover: Like it
Title: Love it
Publisher: Tyndale Publishing
Pages: 391
Pace: Steady
First Line (prologue): At precisely twelve minutes, thirty-five seconds past ten o'clock in the morning Venezuelan time, Sheridan Montgomery's world ceased to exist.
I couldn’t put this book down. Ransomed Dreams pulls the reader through intrigue, misfortune, doubt, attraction, loneliness, revelation…and the list goes on! The main characters are flawed, relatable, and layered. The scenes are vivid, almost tangible. And the story filled me with a myriad of emotions, sometimes conflicting.
Sally John has a wonderful gift of tugging at readers’ heartstrings, jerking the rug from beneath them, and giving them a soft place to land. I L-O-V-E-D this book.
Cover: Like it
Title: Love it
Publisher: Tyndale Publishing
Pages: 391
Pace: Steady
First Line (prologue): At precisely twelve minutes, thirty-five seconds past ten o'clock in the morning Venezuelan time, Sheridan Montgomery's world ceased to exist.
May 25, 2016
“With the flash of a bullet, Sheridan Montgomery’s world ceased to exist.” And a Side Roads series novel demanded to be read! Each stand-alone story in this series tells of people whose lives get bumped off the main road, away from their intended path. In Ransomed Dreams, Sheridan Montgomery’s life is changed forever when her husband, Eliot—U.S. ambassador to Venezuela—is shot. He survives but struggles to recover, both physically and emotionally. Suffering from post-traumatic stress herself, Sheridan is content to exist quietly by his side, tending to his needs and hiding from the world, a too-dangerous place.
When her sister calls her home to say good-bye to her dying father and to learn unsettling truths about her family now coming to light, Sheridan’s life switches paths again. Hiding is no longer an option. Sheridan must step into the open and learn to live with people—to love, to commit, to forgive.
Ransomed Dreams is a beautiful story, revealing truth and grace. I recommend it gladly.
When her sister calls her home to say good-bye to her dying father and to learn unsettling truths about her family now coming to light, Sheridan’s life switches paths again. Hiding is no longer an option. Sheridan must step into the open and learn to live with people—to love, to commit, to forgive.
Ransomed Dreams is a beautiful story, revealing truth and grace. I recommend it gladly.
August 11, 2010
I hate it when reviews don't come easily. This is the first book I've read by Sally John and I don't think it will be my last. When their lives are devastated by an assassin's bullet, Eliot and Sheridan retreat to a remote town in Mexico to recover. Sheridan is terrified of the real world and angry at her situation and husband. Eliot is tortured with chronic pain and can't bear his wife's touch. Together they struggle to simply survive.
When Sheridan's estranged family reappears in her life with secrets and additional heartache, she is forced to face her fears.
This isn't a fast-paced story, but it is a moving one. Sally John perfectly captures the emotions and heartache of shattered hopes and dreams as well as the longing and desire for security and devotion. Sheridan and Eliot's story is a compelling story of love and forgiveness. An honest, thought-provoking book and one I can easily recommend.
When Sheridan's estranged family reappears in her life with secrets and additional heartache, she is forced to face her fears.
This isn't a fast-paced story, but it is a moving one. Sally John perfectly captures the emotions and heartache of shattered hopes and dreams as well as the longing and desire for security and devotion. Sheridan and Eliot's story is a compelling story of love and forgiveness. An honest, thought-provoking book and one I can easily recommend.
September 7, 2010
This book is about forgiveness, love and corruption. It starts with an tragic event in Caracus, Venezuela and then to a small rural town in Mexico, then to Chicago. At first you wonder why are Sheridan and Eliot in seclusion in Mexico? Family secrets are uncovered slowly and the characters have to adjust to the truth and begin the process of forgiveness. The good and bad points of the main characters laid out in the open. I only really felt close to one of the minor characters, Mercedes who was rather naive throughout the book.I would have preferred the teaching of the forgiveness was more subtle. The main characters are forced to grow up emotionally and I did like that. This book is rich in the details of the different locations and feelings that they provoke. I do think that some of the book could have been shorter. On the whole, this book is satisfying.
I won this book in a GoodReads contest.
I won this book in a GoodReads contest.
August 9, 2012
I really liked Sheridan. You can't help but sympathize with her situation and I think the author handled her frustrations and marital stress well. Her relationship with Luke was well done too, the temptation to cross the line into adultery and the struggle not to give in to it. All marriages go through rough patches, Sheridan's aittle more than most, so it was easy to relate and I was happy to see her and her husband ultimately star closer to God and each other as a result of their experience.
February 10, 2013
Loved this book! It's intriguing with mystery, murder, romance and lots of twists and turns. The setting is mostly in a small village in Mexico, but also some in Chicago. The main characters are sisters who haven't seen each other in several months, but due to their politician father having a stroke they see each other again and mend fenses from years of misunderstandings. Their mother had passed away and left a box of information about their dad hidden in the attic and a letter with her best friend to give to them 'at the right time.'
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