Book Nook: Anne’s House of Dreams – L.M. Montgomery

I took a longer detour than normal after reading book 4 of the Anne of Green Gables series, but we made it back after 14 other books.

I’ll still be reading other books in between books 6-8, but I promise to not make those breaks quite as long.

Anne’s House of Dreams is book 5 of the series, and we’re finally able to see Anne and Gilbert together as a married couple. They get to begin their lives together, start a family, and meet new people in this cute coastal town.

I’ve been wanting more Gilbert since book 1, but, even though we do get more Gilbert in this one, it feels too late. He’s an established character that we’re somehow supposed to be connected to, but I don’t feel like I know him the way I want to. Other characters keep getting introduced who get much more time and development, and yet they only last one book.

I mean, I understand the books aren’t the Gilbert of Green Gables books – partly because that’d be too many G’s in a row – but I feel like he deserves more.

Also, in this installment Anne experiences tragedy for probably the first time since a certain event near the end of the first book. So that’s a relatively new experience for her.

Anyway, are there star-crossed lovers that Anne gets to set up in this one? Of course!

Would it really be an Anne book if there weren’t?

Overall, Anne’s House of Dreams took me a while to get into. I had to read 60-70 pages before I felt there was anything to really hold onto.

Once things started happening, though, I found it pretty easy to continue on. Not as good as 1 or 3, but definitely better than 2 and 4.