Dreams of Savannah by Roseanna M. White

Dreams of Savannah provides a thought-provoking tale with great characters worth rooting for.

Book Blurb

Cordelia Owens can weave a hopeful dream around anything and is well used to winning the hearts of everyone in Savannah with her whimsy. Even when she receives word that her sweetheart has been lost during a raid on a Yankee vessel, she clings to hope and comes up with many a romantic tale of his eventual homecoming to reassure his mother and sister.

But Phineas Dunn finds nothing redemptive in the first horrors of war. Struggling for months to make it home alive, he returns to Savannah injured and cynical, and all too sure that he is not the hero Cordelia seems determined to make him. Matters of black and white don’t seem so simple anymore to Phin, and despite her best efforts, Delia’s smiles can’t erase all the complications in his life. And when Fort Pulaski falls and the future wavers, they both must decide where the dreams of a new America will take them, and if they will go together.

My Thoughts

It took me a while to get into this book. I’m not 100% sure why. The dialect did pull me out of the story a bit, so maybe that was it. Or maybe it’s because I just read her Codebreakers series set in WWI London and was trying to transition to Civil War Georgia. Either way, once I got about 20% in and Luther was introduced, the book held my attention and kept it.

I loved the main characters. Cordelia does come across as naïve at the beginning of the novel, but I think her character arc was my favorite. Not only are her eyes opened to the reality of what’s around her, she also learns how to cope with it. Phin also has a great arc, and I loved his dynamic with Luther. The characters were definitely this novel’s strong point.

I have to say, though, Julius made me feel icky. This feeling went beyond his role as a villain. Maybe it was his constant presence in the novel or that I had a bad feeling about what was coming. I understand, though, his place in the plot.

Speaking of plots, I found myself enjoying the subplots more than the main plot. Salina and Luther endeared themselves to me early on. But I didn’t expect them to almost steal the show. I don’t say this as criticism of the main plot because this actually enriched the main plot. Salina and Luther both influence Cordelia and Phin, and that influence affected the main characters’ arcs in a positive way.

That gave me a lot to think about, how these characters who were considered a “lower” class at the time influenced two people from the planter class. This book doesn’t just explore slavery. It also explores how the slaves’ lives sometimes intertwined with those of their “masters” in a way that the “masters” often didn’t even notice. How “friendships” often were more of a power play. To me, this wasn’t just about race but also society in general. Because even among the planters, there seemed to be an idea of who was “good” enough. Cordelia’s family’s reaction to Phin versus Julius is evident of that.

And I think that comes out the most in the spiritual arcs, especially for Phin. Phin realizes his faith was superficial at best. And as it deepens, he realizes he is just as unworthy as everyone else of God’s grace. Luther plays a large role in this transformation because of the way he models his faith. And he and Salina both highlight for Phin and Cordelia what both races have in common. I think that’s why Luther and Salina almost stole the show. Their influence is so obvious, I found myself enjoying their storyline because I knew it would positively impact the main characters in some way.

I could go on and on, but I don’t want to risk any spoilers. Suffice it to say, I think this almost eclipsed the romance. In fact, Phin and Cordelia don’t spend a lot of time together on the page. They think of each other a lot, and they do have obstacles to overcome to be together. But while I enjoyed the romance, I enjoyed the food for thought a lot more.

Overall, Dreams of Savannah is a compelling Civil War drama historical romance fans will enjoy.

(Note: I received a complimentary copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.)

Further Information

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