The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott by Carolyn R. Parsons

The winter of 1933 is particularly harsh but twenty-something year old Betsy Elliott is a force to be reckoned with! Living in Elliott's Cove with her much older and previously widowed husband John, Betsy is feisty, hard working and determined to survive the merciless environment of outport life during the Commission of Government years in Newfoundland. It is a godsend when Newfoundland born-Harvard educated Edmund Hoffe Taylor returned home for the winter to finish writing about the political situation of the day. Stumbling into their lives at a time when extra help is needed and much appreciated,  Betsy initially cringed at having another mouth to feed and a boarder to contend with. Little did she know that this young, spiffy chap with his fancy way of speaking could do more than just the needed grunt work around the house but aroused within Betsy a longing and innate desire to experience a different life, perhaps one beyond Elliott's Cove. Her long gone father, afterall, had always told her to set her sights on something even bigger than she could imagine. Now was the time when the forbidden dreams of Betsy Elliott could be realized but not before a series of life altering events rock the Elliott household and the entire community.

The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott is a piece of historical fiction that is entertaining, intriguing, and 100% Newfoundland born and bred! From the beginning of the novel to the very last page, there is no doubt that author Carolyn R. Parsons draws from her own life experience as a daughter of a fishing family in the small community of Change Islands, Newfoundland. In her debut novel, Parsons creates a strong but likeable protagonist in the character Betsy Elliott. As readers, we sympathize with her plight, admire her determination and grit and in the end wish nothing but the best for this young mother of two. Likewise the supporting characters are dynamic and serve a very specific purpose in the development of the plot, which is both well paced and meticulously planned. As a reader, I found myself really enjoying the Newfoundland dialect that Parsons used for the dialogue of the characters. It was interesting, natural and not overdone to the point where you were left wondering what the characters were trying to say. The use of such prose also creates a timestamp for the reader, contributing to the creation of a believable place and time in history that Parsons has clearly researched and is familiar with. 

"Are you not afraid of going to hell, Betsy?"

"Hell? Hell is winter when you're stuck with an old lady and man took to his bed because it's too much trouble to get up. When spring comes and the cellar is low and the only thing to do is to take to the ice yourself to get a seal to eat, or perhaps a couple ducks. When you shuts the parlour down because the wood is low and nearly freezes all March month to make do. When you take your babies on a sled into the woods to cut enough to get through, and some man looks at you like you're a meal of seal yourself, and only the infant inside your coat stops him from havin' a go. When you piles up the sled and has to stop to give the baby milk because you had nobody to leave him with and you're worried your other baby will freeze before you gets home. Hell is when you goes into service at ten or when your mother puts your sisters on a steamer for the orphanage because your father died of the fever. I don't concern myself with hell. I figures I'm in it ...."

The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott is romantic, thrilling, and at times quite amusing! Simply put it is a must read book with a character who transcends time. Betsy embodies the fierce love found in all women who call themselves mothers and wives, not just the stoic, resilient, duty-bound women of the Great Depression. It reminds us of the importance to dream big and to follow our heart, even if it means having to make tough choices. Keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel to this novel! The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott is a Flanker Press publication.