Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery
"Anne's House of Dreams" by L. M. Montgomery is the continuing story of Anne Shirley Blythe who lived in Green Gables. This book is the fifth in the "Anne of Green Gables" series. In this episode, Anne is twenty-five years old and is preparing for her wedding. She will marry the young Gilbert Blythe, a promising doctor. They will be moving from Green Gables to Four Winds, a sleepy seaside community in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia. Anne, tall, slim, and with flaming hair, has been a teacher for three years at a school called Summerside. Gilbert Blythe has been after Anne for years and will finally make her his.
After a small ceremony with family and close friends, the couple takes off from Green Gables to become their new life together. Anne can't wait to get to the house where they will start. Gilbert doesn't want her to expect too much. The house is old and small and they will only rent it. But Anne is not dissuaded from believing that the house will be her dream home especially when Gilbert tells her about the grounds around the house. It has many large old trees and a stream running through the property. And there are gardens that the previous owners cultivated. Anne gave up on a honeymoon. For her, the best honeymoon she can think of is being with Gilbert in their new residence.
Anne is not disappointed with her house. She enthusiastically decorates the interior and works diligently on the flower gardens outside. She loves to walk in the gardens and to the beach on the harbor. The region is more beautiful than she had imagined. Anne gets to know some of the locals and forms strong and lasting friendships with them. There is Captain Jim who manages the lighthouse. He's an old tar who entertains everyone with tales of his adventures on the sea. Jim is a sensitive and caring older man and feels an immediate affinity for Anne.
To say that Miss Cornelia Bryant is an opinionated woman would be a conservative statement. She's a proud Presbyterian who hates Methodists and doesn't hesitate to tell anyone within earshot. She is also a Conservative Conservative and despises the Liberals. And she feels that men will be the downfall of civilization. There is only a handful of men she can tolerate. Cornelia has two favorite forms of recreation: sewing and reading obituaries. But despite all her bluster, Cornelia has a good heart and really wants the best for people.
Leslie Moore becomes Anne's best friend at Four Winds. Leslie is the most beautiful girl Anne has ever seen. In fact, she is the most beautiful girl most people have ever seen. She is in an unusual and loveless marriage, but cannot escape it. She has a history of tragedy in her life and sees no hope for the future. Anne supports Leslie and tries to cheer up whenever possible. However, in a surprising twist of the story, a whole new world finally opens up for Leslie. It's a world filled with promises of hope, love, and romance.
Anne associates good and bad memories with her dream house. Despite everything, she loves her little house and never wants to leave again. But just when things are perfect, this is where they change. After having a son, Gilbert hears about a large house for sale and wants to buy it. Anne is resistant to change and goes through a lot of pain, finally coming to the conclusion that it is time to move on. But Anne will never let go of the memories she created in her dream home and she will always have a special place in her heart.
