Intricate story which moves back and forward through time. Characters are interesting and varied and the story flows well. A good read.

Yet another brilliant Barbara Erskine novel. It moves seamlessly between 8th century Wales, England and Western Europe, and the present day. Clearly well-researched, we're introduced to the little-known daughter of Offa (of the Dyke) and a possible history for her. There is an excellent sense of place, so much so that I'm tempted to explore the area myself! All the characters are believable, even if some are definitely not likeable.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves mysteries, historical fiction and a good read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC.

Despite owning 2 Barbara Erskine novels, I hadn't actually read any of her work before - and I'm gently kicking myself now. "The Dream Weavers" is a wonderfully atmospheric book. There are some thoroughly solid characters and a deeply engrossing plot. The smooth and accessible writing was the icing on the cake for me. A truly great read.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

*4.5 stars *

I loved Barbara Erskine’s novel The Ghost Tree, so when the publisher invited me to read The Dream Weavers, I took no persuading whatsoever!

At around 560 pages, (kindle edition) this wasn’t a short read, but somehow the pages just flew by, as if possessed by an invisible hand, gripped as I was by this gloriously engaging tale.

Simon Armstrong has rented a remote cottage at Offa’s dyke on the English/ Welsh borders, leaving his wife and teenage children back in London. He desperately needs the peace and solitude to enable him to finish his book about Anglo Saxon King, Offa, and where better to do it than the land that King Offa had ruled over. However, Simon’s peace is soon shattered when he hears cries in the dead of night, and persistent hammering at the door, only to discover no one there.

Simon calls upon local expert Bea, to help make sense of these unsettling events, but he quickly becomes embroiled in some ghostly presence that affects both himself and Bea, and when his daughter Emma and son Felix join him in the school holidays, he discovers to his horror that whatever this presence is, it seems particularly attracted to Emma, and Emma to it!

At the heart of these events is an ancient love story, between a Prince and a Princess, one of them Welsh, the other Anglo Saxon. What follows, culminates in some terrifying experiences for Emma and Bea, and to a lesser degree, Simon. Danger lurks around every corner, as characters from the past make their presences felt.

A truly compelling and engaging storyline that crosses genres to include historical fiction, a love story set In Ancient Mercia 775 AD, mysticism and timeslip. Yet another must read from accomplished author Barbara Erskine.

* Thank you to HarperCollins UK for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *

A new Barbara Erskine novel is always a winner in this reader's hand and The Dream Weavers doesn't disappoint.

Set across the border region between Wales and England, Offa's Dyke is the location of a story of love and loss where Saxon Mercia collides with the 21st Century. An atmospheric race against time to free the earth bound spirits of troubled souls from a distant past through the modern day dreams of those that have disturbed them and who in turn are threatened by forces that are spinning rapidly out of control.

Another time-shift gem for Erskine fans with evocative characters, well researched historical detail and a climatic finale.

Loved it.

Barbara Erskine is one of the most talented authors I have ever read and with each new book I worry that she will not manage to keep up such high standards, but she always does reach those standards and I have to read the book with a mad single-mindedness that all ways lasts to the last page. The two worlds of Eadburgh and Bea are bound together in a magical but believable way and each lady’s story is completely compelling. The historical knowledge is rich but not heavily drawn and the imagery used means that the reader can visualise everything so clearly as they get drawn deep into the plot and characters’ experiences. This book is a fantastic read and I will be recommending it to everyone that I know - as always with this author’s work.

Barbara has done it again! I was enthralled with this story. It’s been a while since I read a Barbara Erskine and now I’m wondering why I’ve left it so long
Once again woven between 2 timelines. Following the modern day in the form of Bea, as she tries to help Simon a historian who is renting a cottage situated near Offa’s dyke. When Simon hears a ghostly voice, Bea tries to resolve the situation and is pulled into the Story of Aglo Saxon Princess Eadburh and Elisedd.
Cleverly weaving the 2 women together to tell both their stories Barbara really pulls you in. I found it difficult at times to put the story down.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I haven't read a Barbara Erskine book for a while and now I'm wondering why. She is a great author and is able to weave a story across different timelines, creating suspense.
This was another unputdownable read!

Barbara Erskine is an author who paints such vivid pictures, bringing history and historical people to life. This book is set in Mercia in 788 AD and Hereford in present day. Simon, an author has come to a remote cottage to write about Offas’ dyke, the king and his family. He keeps hearing a woman’s voice calling for Elise. He searches but can’t find her so is put in touch with Bea, who has a gift, or curse depending on your view. She can see into the past, has helped lost souls move on, and she is married to Mark, a canon at Hereford Cathedral.

This is such an evocative book, with the whispers of the past intertwined with present day, feeling so real to the participants. This is such a perfect setting for this type of book, full of history and mysticism. Beas character is very strong, but with compassion which is needed when she tries to help Emma, Simons daughter. Supported, albeit a tad reluctantly by her husband, she also comes up against Sandra, a volunteer at the Cathedral who tries to interfere with Beas work, perhaps through jealousy, loneliness or even something deeper.

I loved this book, and would recommend it to anyone, I always learn more about our history from a book like this than all the years I spent at school. I couldn’t put it down I became so immersed in the story.

Thank to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I only downloaded this book yesterday and have already finished it! That late night was totally worth it. Time travel with Barbara is worth baggy eyes this morning as what a story! Kingdoms, churches in the middle of nowhere and some strange goings on across the English/Welsh border.

Magically drawn but with a serious political and royal background. Everything is just so believable. That's the skill of a great author. She makes you care about characters in the past and present day storyline. Clever, but that's Ms Erskine's trademark.

It was the way in which the story started that really gripped me. Someone staying in a remote cottage on the Eng/Welsh border starts to hear whispers across time. Brrr I was THERE!

A treat for all the senses although I do feel Ms Erskine would share her time travel secrets ... she must be doing it for real!

I was so excited to receive this book pre publication as it’s by one of my favourite authors. This historical and supernatural read is gripping. Set between the worlds of Mercia, 788 AD and Offa’s Dyke 2021 the timelines are seamlessly and intricately woven together.
Set in the Welsh borders, this book has been well researched and is full of atmosphere. At times I found myself holding my breath and could feel my heart pounding in my chest.
The story begins with Simon who has rented a cottage in the lonely Welsh hills where he is writing a book about the history of Offa’s Dyke. Disturbing the past he hears a voice and calls in Bea a local woman who can communicate with spirits. The voice he can hear is that of Eadburh calling for her lost lover Elisedd. The story line follows Eadburh, the king’s youngest daughter through her life from the palace of her childhood, her life as Queen in Wessex, her role in the killing of the king and her travels across Europe. She is always searching for her lost love Elise. It is when Simon’s family come to stay that the Anglo Saxon story becomes woven into the dreams of Simon’s daughter Emma and Bea. Building to a exciting end this has kept me up until the early hours as I just couldn’t put it down. It doesn’t disappoint. I loved it.

Barbara Erskine has been a favourite author of mine for years and this latest offering doesn't disappoint. The research that went into the book was obviously extensive. The attention to detail what you come to expect from her work.
With a dual time storyline the past and present interlink with ghostly voices ringing out in the night. And apparitions appearing on the misty welsh hillside .
The two female protagonists are both strong characters , separated by time but linked by gifts they both possess. Bea lives in present day Hereford and Eadburgh in eighth century mercia.
This is a very atmospheric read , you become so invested in the storyline , I read it in one sitting , not wanting to put it down once started.
We follow Eadburgh from the court of her Father , King Offa of Mercia to the kingdom's of Wessex and The court of The great Charlemagne. I didn't know much about this period so it was fascinating reading .
Bea can confer with spirits , she is called to a lonely cottage in The Welsh hills to help author Simon with a ghostly presence that is distracting him from his work researching the history of Offas Dyke.
As the story unfolds to a tumultuous ending , that leaves the reader with a sense of how it was meant to be, that ties up all the loose ends neatly.
I thoroughly recommend this book , i had been in a reading slump and this book was such addictive reading , I've 're discovered my love of reading again.

I would like to thank Harper Collins for giving me the opportunity to read this book pre release. I love Barbara Erskine and this does not disappoint it is a time slip set in the Welsh borders near Offas dyke. It passes seamlessly between the two time periods and is full of the usual people being possessed but this time there is no high body count which is a bit of a relief.
If you like her earlier books this one is a must read.

The Dream Weavers
I have read most of Barbara Erskines books and really enjoy the ones that are mainly set in Wales or Essex.
She managed to capture the very landscapes of the area she is writing about , and truly brings them to life even when she has time travelled back to times long gone.
I love it that the stories interweave true history and places with her imagined characters.
This title does not disappoint in bringing a part ghost , part romance, and part suspense story to life. A great read.
Much recommend !

Yet another fascinating journey in time from this prolific author. In this novel she returns to the Welsh Marches for the setting but the period is Anglo Saxon, when King Offa was constructing his dyke. The main character from this time is his youngest daughter, Eadburh, who mourns her lost love,, Elisedd, a Prince of Powys. In the present day, Simon, an historian author has rented a remote cottage to work on his latest book about the Anglo Saons and when his teenage children join him, past and present begin to merge. As always, the period is well researched and makes for compulsive reading. This author never disappoints!

Barbara Erskine has done it again! Woven between two timelines, the story follows a modern day mystic Bea as she tries to help a historian, Simon, staying at Bea’s friends holiday cottage, which is situated near Offas Dyke on the English/Welsh border, when he starts to hear ghostly voices. Simon is writing an Anglo Saxon history of the old land of Mercia.
The ghostly voice is that of Eadburh, King Offa’s youngest daughter, calling out to her Welsh lover Elisedd.
The book follows Eadburh throughout her life, from the palace where she grew up to Wessex, where she became Queen and had a hand in killing her King. She crosses the sea to Charlemagne and travels through parts of Europe, finally returning to England and then Wales, much later in life, always searching for her lover Elise.
The Anglo Saxon parts of woven into Bea’s dreams and then in time, Simon’s teenage daughter Emma’s dreams too.
There is History, myths, a love story and two timelines as well as a certain amount of mysticism bordering on witchcraft scattered throughout the pages. I loved it and the story will stay with me for some time. I would definitely recommend this book to those who love a dual timeline, and more than just a romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.

I initially chose to read this book because of the author, who is outstanding in her field. I was not disappointed. Barbara Erskine has outdone herself with this totally engrossing novel of love, loss, mystery and intrigue through the ages.

When Bea travels to the Welsh border to assist Simon with finding the source of mysterious sounds and cries that come from the garden of the cottage he is staying in, little does she realise the effect it will have on everyone involved. Including herself. Danger lurks in the shadows, danger that threatens to engulf them all. Danger that seems to originate at the court of AngloSaxon King Offa, king of ancient Mercia.

I honestly could not put this book down, and sat up into the small hours reading it.

I thoroughly recommend this book.