Finding love later in life is possible! That is what I liked most about Hidden Dreams. You take a 70 year old woman and pair with a woman in her early 60s and they realize that they can have a life together. It does take some time for them to figure this out. Hidden Dreams takes place in Cambodia at the beginning of the pandemic. Barbara Allan is from Texas and is in Cambodia for a few weeks trying to figure out her mother's past. Dara is Barbara's tour guide. She is also the person who helped Barbara after she contracted Covid. Once Barbara has recovered she decides to take a more in-depth trip through Cambodia with Dara as her guide.

Again, the theme of finding love later in life was what I liked most. It was also nice to see that Barbara wanted to learn more about where her mother came from and to come to terms with who she really is. Her dad did a number on her and this trip is where she can "find" herself. Yes it's never too late. I did find Hidden Dreams to be slow which made it seem long to me. Again, I appreciated reading something about people that are older, it just became a bit boring. The end was a little surprising, but It worked.

3.5 Stars

This arc was provided by netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.

Barbara travels to Cambodia to learn more of her mother past. After a while she decides to have a relax at tropical island before she decides go back home.

Barbara gets sick and tour guide she met Dana nurse her back to health. She now determined to find out more of her mother past as she and Dana travel through Cambodia their attraction for each other grows. All characters were so relatable. The story flows well. Cambodia is now on my list of countries to visit.

This was a slow moving story. It was an interesting book, but I feel like I learned more about Cambodia than anything else with it. I enjoyed the story itself but I do not enjoy the back and forth point of view format. It was very much a slow burn romance which can be very enjoyable but the story kind of just fizzled out at the end.

Sorry - rate fir me but DNF

The story started ok but I almost felt like I was reading one of the stories to my class that explains a historical event through a story. I read to escape the world and whilst I understand COVID19 is everywhere I just didn’t enjoy the constant references.

Really good book. The way the author described the scenery of beauty and poverty in Cambodia was breathtaking, I actually could see myself there meeting the people and going the marketplace smelling the foods cooked there and actually sampling and buying the wares from there. I could understand why the main character Barbara wanted to visit and get to know the culture there. This was a very entertaining story and so well written, I can't say enough good things about this book, and can't wait for what this author writes next.

Barbara is a rich socialite from Dallas who went to Cambodia on vacation. There she meets Dara a tour guide with whom she shared a room with for at least a week.
During her stay she becomes ill and is nurse back to health by Dara. She gets a dream from her mother telling her not to leave so she decides to stay in Cambodia and learn about her roots. Did I forget to mention she half Cambodian but doesn't know much about her mothers homeland because her dad was quite dominant and refused to let her mom interact with her about her Cambodia or teach her the language. She later hires Dara has her personal tour guide.
This was an okay read and I enjoyed Barbs journey getting in know her roots. The author captured the scenery perfectly. The characters were also likeable. I would recommend.


Thank you Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Barbara Allan is 70 and wealthy, traveling in Cambodia. After a two week eco-friendly tour she takes a rest at a resort on the coast. There she comes down with the virus sweeping the world. An acquaintance of Barbara's at the resort contacts Dara, the tour guide, and she comes and stays till she is well enough to leave. Instead of returning home to Texas she hires Dara to take her back into the countryside. Barbara looks fully American but her mother was Cambodian and she is trying to connect to the side that of her that her father always denied.

This is a story of someone trying to find her learn about her roots but with very little information to go from. Her mother was part of her life but always in the background of her stronger, dominant, proud Texan father. Along the journey you get some of the history of Cambodia including genocide under the Khmer Rouge. But there is beauty and tradition too. Visiting dolphins, giant turtles and even learning about silk weaving all bring Barbara to want to help in her way. There is also a romance with Dara but that isn't the main focus of the book. I think it says more about Dara that she would come and take care of Barbara when she was sick than their eventual relationship. This is my first book where someone has Covid and I'm sure more will appear about this time period.

To me the book is very interesting and it moved Cambodia up a few notches on my countries to visit list but I didn't always connect to the story. I enjoyed the history and scenery but had a harder timer understanding how Barbara never learned more about her mother in all her years. Also Barbara's insecurities at the crisis moment felt over the top considering how open and honest Dara and she were with each other. I am glad to have read the story. Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books, Inc. for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.


Barbara travels to Cambodia to learn more of her mother past. After a while she decides to have a relax at tropical island before she decides go back home.

Barbara gets sick and tour guide she met Dana nurse her back to health. She now determined to find out more of her mother past as she and Dana travel through Cambodia their attraction for each other grows.

This was ok read. I like that Barbara learning about her mother gave her peace and Dana helping her long the way.