People sometimes make bad choices, but this does not make them bad people who can’t atone for their mistakes and become productive members of society. This is the main message of “Any Dream Will Do.” Written by Debbie Macomber, who is known for her uplifting and sometimes spiritual books, this story is true to her style.

Having lost her mother at a young age, and a father who was often drunk and violent before his death, Shay Benson is more like a parent than a sister to her little brother Caden. Though she tries her best to steer him away from trouble and make a better life for herself, he makes some bad decisions that not only affect his own life, but Shay’s as well. Trying to save him from disaster and possible death lands her behind bars for three years. She is released after serving her time, only to find that her struggles are only just beginning.

As a convicted felon with little money and no place to call home, she is without hope and despairs of ever pulling herself out of the hole she has dug herself into. Luckily for Shay, she meets people who believe in her and show her the way to real freedom, where she is self-sufficient, confident and loved. In time, she obtains a job and her own apartment and also begins a healthy relationship. But when her past conspires against her, everything she has worked so hard for is threatened by the people who once brought her nothing but misery and destruction. Will Shay be able to survive and thrive, or will she lose herself and the life she has built all over again?

“Any Dream Will Do,” published in 2017, shows the importance of perseverance against all odds and how someone’s life can be turned around with a little help and a lot of luck. It illustrates the importance of giving people second chances while having faith that they will eventually make the right choices.

Debbie Macomber, a New York Times bestselling author multiple times over, has more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. Besides stand-alone books, she has written multiple series that usually take place in her home state of Washington in the U.S.A. Find out more about her and her books at https://debbiemacomber.com/.

Written for The Woodbridge Magazine (UK)