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tayparks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
leannecoppola's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to this and I loved it. I didn't want it to end. I loved the characters. I loved the twists that I was not expecting. I love how it ended. It was by far my favorite book in a long time.
katthoward's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
thephdivabooks's review against another edition
5.0
Uplifting, heartfelt, and addictive—Diane Chamberlain’s newest book The Dream Daughter is one that I won’t soon forget! This is truly the story of the immense amount of love that one woman has to give, and how that love can transform and transport through time and across boundaries to bring her together with those she loves most. I can’t wait for readers to experience the beauty of this story for themselves!
See my full review and some more goodies on my blog PhDiva.blog
About the Book
In 1965 Hunter shows up in a physical therapy clinic with a broken ankle. Caroline Sears is in her first day working as a PT since graduating and Hunter is her first patient. Despite his mysterious past, he and Caroline (Carly) form a connection that day. Carly gets through to him in a way that the other workers could not. She reminds him of someone he once knew, he said.
Five years later, Hunter is married to Carly’s sister Patti and Carly finds herself widowed and pregnant. The news of her daughter’s heart defect crushes Carly. She just lost her husband, how will she survive losing their child as well? But Hunter may have a secret. He knows of a time in the future where the medical advancements are enough to help her unborn child. You see, Hunter isn’t from this time and he may have the key to helping Carly save her child.
But it will take incredible bravery for Carly to take the steps necessary to help her baby. Alone in a new world, Carly moves ahead with the courage that comes from the love of a mother for her unborn child. Carly will do whatever it takes to make her dream daughter a reality.
Reflection
Wow! What a stunningly beautiful story this is. Do not let the time travel put you off. This is very much not a book of science fiction, but rather, a book about the love of a mother for her child. The sort of love that can truly cross time, space, and our notion of reality in order to save a child that does not yet exist.
The premise of this book might make you think this is a sad story to read, but I found it to be anything but that. Carly has so much strength, despite her fears. She never falters when it comes to her daughter. She never questions what she would do to have even just a single moment with her. I found this to be entirely uplifting to read. I found this to be a book filled with joy, despite all of the challenges. The power of love sang through this novel.
There are a few mothers in this book that I enjoyed. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t be too specific here. But I do think that this book explored the idea that there is no perfect way to be a mother. Mothers come from all different backgrounds and have different ways of showing love. But all of the mothers in this book love their children so deeply, even though they may not be traditional parent-child relationships.
Hunter himself is fascinating. We get to see a few sides of Hunter—as a husband, a son, a brother-in-law, a musician, a scientist, and a friend. Hunter is a truly fantastic character. He is so necessary to the story, though he appears in very few scenes. His love for Patti and their son is another uplifting note to this story. Even in the tough times, Hunter is a charming, loveable character.
I wish I could say more. I wish I could go in depth about what I felt at each moment in this book. But then, I’d be taking the discovery away from the next readers, and I’d never want to do that. There’s a theme in this book of allowing yourself the luxury of not knowing something in advance that through the nature of time travel could be known. It preserves the joy in life sometimes, the not knowing. It allows the characters to act with their hearts. To hope, even when things are tough. To go blindly into the unknown and gain all of the benefits of living instead of simply knowing. That is how I recommend you read this book, my fellow book lovers. I hope you go into it with an open heart and mind, and I hope you find your own connection to this beautiful story.
See my full review and some more goodies on my blog PhDiva.blog
About the Book
In 1965 Hunter shows up in a physical therapy clinic with a broken ankle. Caroline Sears is in her first day working as a PT since graduating and Hunter is her first patient. Despite his mysterious past, he and Caroline (Carly) form a connection that day. Carly gets through to him in a way that the other workers could not. She reminds him of someone he once knew, he said.
Five years later, Hunter is married to Carly’s sister Patti and Carly finds herself widowed and pregnant. The news of her daughter’s heart defect crushes Carly. She just lost her husband, how will she survive losing their child as well? But Hunter may have a secret. He knows of a time in the future where the medical advancements are enough to help her unborn child. You see, Hunter isn’t from this time and he may have the key to helping Carly save her child.
But it will take incredible bravery for Carly to take the steps necessary to help her baby. Alone in a new world, Carly moves ahead with the courage that comes from the love of a mother for her unborn child. Carly will do whatever it takes to make her dream daughter a reality.
Reflection
Wow! What a stunningly beautiful story this is. Do not let the time travel put you off. This is very much not a book of science fiction, but rather, a book about the love of a mother for her child. The sort of love that can truly cross time, space, and our notion of reality in order to save a child that does not yet exist.
The premise of this book might make you think this is a sad story to read, but I found it to be anything but that. Carly has so much strength, despite her fears. She never falters when it comes to her daughter. She never questions what she would do to have even just a single moment with her. I found this to be entirely uplifting to read. I found this to be a book filled with joy, despite all of the challenges. The power of love sang through this novel.
There are a few mothers in this book that I enjoyed. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t be too specific here. But I do think that this book explored the idea that there is no perfect way to be a mother. Mothers come from all different backgrounds and have different ways of showing love. But all of the mothers in this book love their children so deeply, even though they may not be traditional parent-child relationships.
Hunter himself is fascinating. We get to see a few sides of Hunter—as a husband, a son, a brother-in-law, a musician, a scientist, and a friend. Hunter is a truly fantastic character. He is so necessary to the story, though he appears in very few scenes. His love for Patti and their son is another uplifting note to this story. Even in the tough times, Hunter is a charming, loveable character.
I wish I could say more. I wish I could go in depth about what I felt at each moment in this book. But then, I’d be taking the discovery away from the next readers, and I’d never want to do that. There’s a theme in this book of allowing yourself the luxury of not knowing something in advance that through the nature of time travel could be known. It preserves the joy in life sometimes, the not knowing. It allows the characters to act with their hearts. To hope, even when things are tough. To go blindly into the unknown and gain all of the benefits of living instead of simply knowing. That is how I recommend you read this book, my fellow book lovers. I hope you go into it with an open heart and mind, and I hope you find your own connection to this beautiful story.
pam2375's review against another edition
4.0
Well, well, well! This was sure a pleasant surprise read. Women's fiction is not my usual genre, but it has time travel, so how could I go wrong?!
This is an excellent story about a 1970's soon to be mother to a child that has a heart issue. This story must be read to be understood and I am afraid to say anymore for fear of giving too much away.
My thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for this advanced readers copy.
This is an excellent story about a 1970's soon to be mother to a child that has a heart issue. This story must be read to be understood and I am afraid to say anymore for fear of giving too much away.
My thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for this advanced readers copy.
ashs_bookshelf1's review against another edition
5.0
This was an emotional roller coaster. Probably more enjoyable for mothers who can relate to what the MC must be feeling. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a fantastic job. Her voice was soothing and on point with the story. Highly recommend.
hobbleit's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
secre's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I initially read Big Lies In a Small Town by this author and loved it so much that I went to find another of her titles almost immediately. I was less enamoured with The Dream Daughter and I'm not sure if that's because I didn't get what I expected, or if it just wasn't as engaging. From the author's other work and the description of this, I was expecting a straight forward but powerful historical drama surrounding medical technology in the 1970's. Instead, I got a historical time travel novel and it... just didn't quite click with me.
Don't get me wrong, it's well written and an interesting premise. But it's not what I was expecting or particularly wanting. What the novel did very well was depict the stress and grief of Carly's impending motherhood, particularly when she is told that her unborn child has a fatal heart defect that means it will not survive past being born. It also painted the picture of 1970's USA with the political backdrop of the Vietnam War exceptionally well - that didn't surprise me, as the author has already demonstrated the ability to bring a period of history to life wonderfully.
Chamberlain is very fluffy about the science of her time travel and that's probably a good thing, however it meant that I never truly invested in it. So whilst the historical elements of the novel really worked for me, the time travel and immersion into modern life didn't. And the last third annoyed me more than it engaged me. And maybe it's just the fact that I generally struggle to engage with time travel in fiction. There are a few notable exceptions - I loved The Time Traveller's Wife for instance - but by and large, it doesn't work for me. I know this and generally avoid it. But absolutely got caught out here when the medical period drama I was expecting took that turn.
It certainly won't put me off Chamberlain's novels, but this one didn't quite work for me.
Don't get me wrong, it's well written and an interesting premise. But it's not what I was expecting or particularly wanting. What the novel did very well was depict the stress and grief of Carly's impending motherhood, particularly when she is told that her unborn child has a fatal heart defect that means it will not survive past being born. It also painted the picture of 1970's USA with the political backdrop of the Vietnam War exceptionally well - that didn't surprise me, as the author has already demonstrated the ability to bring a period of history to life wonderfully.
Chamberlain is very fluffy about the science of her time travel and that's probably a good thing, however it meant that I never truly invested in it. So whilst the historical elements of the novel really worked for me, the time travel and immersion into modern life didn't. And the last third annoyed me more than it engaged me. And maybe it's just the fact that I generally struggle to engage with time travel in fiction. There are a few notable exceptions - I loved The Time Traveller's Wife for instance - but by and large, it doesn't work for me. I know this and generally avoid it. But absolutely got caught out here when the medical period drama I was expecting took that turn.
It certainly won't put me off Chamberlain's novels, but this one didn't quite work for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Grief, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness
Minor: War and Death
mbkarapcik's review against another edition
3.0
Caroline finds out she’s expecting in 1970, but her unborn child has a heart defect. Her mysterious brother-in-law says that he can help her resolve the medical problem, which involves time-traveling into the future. Will her child be saved and what consequences may result from it all?
Touching but almost too maudlin for me in places. The premise is amazingly well-thought out, and there were many twists I never expected. The time travel sequences and the unexpected circumstances work out well, and it is a good read. I cannot give away too much, but some circumstances seemed somewhat strange and uncomfortable. Incidentally, I grew up right near the town of Summit that is one of the settings.
Touching but almost too maudlin for me in places. The premise is amazingly well-thought out, and there were many twists I never expected. The time travel sequences and the unexpected circumstances work out well, and it is a good read. I cannot give away too much, but some circumstances seemed somewhat strange and uncomfortable. Incidentally, I grew up right near the town of Summit that is one of the settings.