I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
When the Forest Dreams: A Novel
by Andrea Ezerins
Published by She Writes Press on May 26, 2026
Setting: New York
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 344
Format: ARC, Kindle, Paperback
Source: the Publisher
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon
What if the life you were meant to live was waiting just outside your door?
New York City, 2013. Emma Jablonski’s life is as dry as the day-old bread at her family’s bakery. Living with her parents and grandmother, she clings to the only escape she knows: a recurring dream that feels more real than her waking world. But when Emma’s eyes are open, she’s reminded of what’s out of reach—Jake, the enigmatic boy-next-door.
After a life-changing diagnosis forces her to face her fears, Emma decides it’s time to truly live—before it’s too late. With Jake and his vibrant friend Vee, she dives into a whirlwind of experiences: a fake engagement, dazzling parties, and an obsession with the elusive ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird that may not even exist.
But as her daring adventure is coming to an end, Emma begins to embrace a future she never thought possible. Dreams and reality aren’t supposed to mix . . . are they?
A modern retelling of L.M. Montgomery’s The Blue Castle, this gentle story of love, resilience, and the beauty of the unknown reminds us to seek joy in the most unexpected places.
When the Forest Dreams by Andrea Ezerins shows how a young Polish-American woman steps out of her comfort zone.
Can Emma live the life she wanted just for a few months?
Emma
The story is told from Emma’s point of view. Emma has been living her life in a scared way until she thinks that a life-changing diagnosis is finally happening for her. She has so many beliefs running through her head from what her father tells her that she doesn’t think she can ever truly leave her parents alone. What I like about Emma is that she loves her family, her God, and feeding people, whether it be through cooking or baking. Another thing that I like about Emma is that once she starts going after something, she won’t stop. Emma is an awesome character.
Jake
What we see of Jake is through Emma’s eyes. Despite that, Jake does seem like a great person. One that Emma may have put on a pedestal until she started to get to know him. Jake’s family is wealthy, and he seems to have an excellent life compared to Emma’s, but in reality, not everything is what it seems. I like how Jake lets Emma see everything about himself and how he tries to be a better person for Emma.
The Romance
Emma didn’t set out to start a romance with Jake; it just happened. Sure, Emma has always had a crush on Jake, but she knew that she couldn’t act on it. I like these two as a couple, even though they don’t seem to have much in common, but they really do once you get past a lot of things.
Four Stars
My rating for When the Forest Dreams by Andrea Ezerins is four stars. I do recommend this book for the adult readers of my blog. Ms. Ezerins is a great author, and I liked seeing a couple from two different paths come together. I also learned about bird watching in New York City.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of When the Forest Dreams by Andrea Ezerins.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
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About Andrea Ezerins
Andrea Ezerins grew up in the small town of Columbia, Connecticut, and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Connecticut. After spending three decades in the insurance industry, she traded risk assessments for plot twists, publishing her debut novel, Again and Again Back to You, in 2024, which placed third in Fiction-Literary-Love story & Romance category of the BookFest awards in 2025. She followed it up with her second novel, When the Forest Dreams proving that an empty nest (and a spoiled German shepherd) is the perfect recipe for creativity. Andrea lives in southeastern Connecticut with her husband and is the proud mom of two daughters and identical twin sons. When she’s not writing, she’s raising bluebirds and monarch butterflies, running, or flowing through yoga—probably while plotting her next book.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2026 Goodreads RC
- 2026 Romance Book Reading Challenge
- 2026 Traveling the World
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