Dreaming in Color

I read this book in two days. It was well-written with execellent character development. I highly recommend it, but don't start it unless you have plenty of time to read, you won't want to put it down!

There's nothing superficial about the female characters in this book. Starting with the little girl, Penny, and moving to the eldest woman in the story, each unique character is described with increasing depth and detail. The same cannot be said for the depth of the male characters, but at least the good guys outnumber the bad. Be prepared for some VERY realistic perspectives on domestic abuse from every possible angle: the victims, the abuser, the children, and the friends.

I really enjoyed reading this book from the first page to the last. Not only did it capture my attention immediately,but I connected with the characters as though they were my friends. I couldn't put it down! I'm really tired of reading trivia. I don't feel justified in taking the time to read a book if I don't learn something. Charlotte Vale Allen set the stage in "Dreaming in Color" so we could identify the atrocities of abuse from the perspective of each character (including the child, Penny). Kudos to the author. Not only did I learn something, but I will be more understanding of abused women in the future.

Bobby,a battered wife,along with her six year old daughter,Penny,flees after a final beating. She arrives in Connecticut,fearful and desperate to start anew. She is hired as a live-in practical nurse for Alma,a retired headmistress who has suffered a disabling stroke. Alma's niece,Eva,a famous author, hires her against her better judgment.Penny instantly ingratiates herself with Alma, soon followed by Bobby. The three of them form a sort of triumvirate which Eva is helpless to change. She soon realizes that this woman and her child are changing the tenor of the household for the better, reluctantly accepting them,although she cannot totally accept Bobby until much later. The other characters are:Charlie,Eva's lover;Dennis,Alma's physical therapist;Melissa,Eva's charming daughter,and,of course,Joe,Bobby's psychopath husband.Charlotte Vale Allen has,as always, given all of these characters such dimension that you know them well. You almost feel like you are living in this interesting household,sharing experiences with all of them. This story progresses so smoothly along,with side-trips of memory for each of the three women,which adds,not detracts, to the whole.The violent climax will hold you breathless with suspense until the end. This is a wonderful book,with wonderful characters, that will be hard to forget,as you become one with them during your reading.

Although Charlotte Vale Allen's books all seem to be marketed as romance novels, I find them to be deeper and more thought provoking than that. Her characters are interesting, and once she gives you a sense of who her characters are, they remain consistent throughout. That doesn't make them predictable; that makes them genuinely interesting people. The details of the plot have already been discussed, and I have nothing to add to what's been said. I do, however, want to applaud Charlotte Vale Allen for consistently providing credible stories with diverse and interesting characters. I particularly liked DREAMING IN COLOR because of its focus on women who are very different people but who come to care very much for each other. Allen's unrelated women form a family that serves to bond them together in a special way.