An amazing, heartbreaking, but finally satisfying tale of the faith, sacrifice, and lengths a mother would go to to secure a healthy future for her child. Definitely engaging from the beginning to the end.

Imagine having to make the choice of leaving your life and family behind to travel into the future with hope but no certainty of saving your unborn child. That is exactly the decision that Carly Sears has to make when she discovers her unborn baby has a heart defect that is untreatable in 1970. After recently losing her soldier husband in Vietnam, learning she is pregnant with his child and then learning that it’s possible for her to travel ahead in time to 2001 where medical advances make it possible to save her child’s life, she must decide whether to take this leap of faith and how to navigate the future with the intent of bringing her and her healthy baby back to 1970.

This is definitely a heartbreaking story with which any parent will immediately empathize and appreciate. I absolutely love well written time travel books and the author pulls this aspect off successfully! The book has flavours of The Time Traveller’s Wife. It is easy to follow along yet has some “mind-blowing” impact that many sci fi minded readers will enjoy. And true to Diane Chamberlain style, she touches upon an interesting dilemma and subject that most people can relate to and will evoke strong feelings. I will admit there were tears and mixed emotions of anguish, heartache, regret and relief as I was swept away in the narrative..

Compelling and wonderfully written, this is a book that will resonate with me for a long time. Highly recommend The Dream Daughter to others. A gracious thank you to St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received this from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

The story time travels back and forth from the 1970's to present day. 1970, Carly is newly widowed and her unborn child won't live once it's born. Her brother-in-law Hunter offers a very unique way for Carly to save her unborn child's life.

The writing was okay but there is just something I can't latch onto about time travel stories.

3.25

Thank you to #netgalley #stmartinspress for my free review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What would you do to save your daughter?

If you’re looking for an engaging escapist read with a touch of histfic, the intrigue of time travel, a good measure of suspense, and a poignant mother/daughter theme, then I recommend The Dream Daughter! It does not disappoint!

Science fiction/time travel is not my usual genre, but I enjoyed this story. I can especially recommend it as a great selection for when you are traveling or vacationing or need a palate cleanser and are looking for a unique, light, engaging, fast paced read. For me, it was the perfect read in between heavier histfic reads.

Caroline Sears is a memorable character for her bravery, determination, problem solving ability, and commitment to family.

I spent time thinking about the meaning of the title. My current thinking is that Dream Daughter might refer to the fact that the majority of her relationship with her daughter is in the time travel dimension (like one might experience in a dream). If you've read this, what are your thoughts about the title?

This might be a delightful and enjoyable book club selection.

Possible triggers: difficult pregnancy, adoption

This is such a great book! I love the writing style of the author - it flows so well and is so easy to read. The characters are all amazing - my favorites were Hunter and Myra. The ending was great as well, closing all of the storylines. The time travel aspect is so interesting. Definitely 5 Stars!

Diane Chamberlain has been a favorite author of mine for a while. This brilliant book is a reminder of why that is true. Many authors write the same basic stories changing characters or circumstances slightly. But Diane reinvents herself with each new book. While I've never been a fan of time travel books, this one is so unique and well written, I really enjoyed it. Add it to your TBR list, you won't be disappointed.

The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain. The author has always been a favorite of mine her books never disappoint me. The Dream Daughter is not like her other books I read but I still enjoyed it. It had a little of everything family, sadness, mystery, happiness and even time travel. I enjoyed the storyline, characters and dialogue. A sure top rated book for me and a recommend to other's.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. How far would you go to save your unborn baby's life? Would you do something so unbelievable that you thought the person telling you about it had lost their mind? This book is a sensationally thrilling story about time travel and love. Excellently written, fantastic characters, well thought out plot. You will enjoy this fabulous book from the first page until the last! Enjoy!

Carly Sears lives in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. She married her childhood sweetheart and is 6 months pregnant with their baby girl when she receives the terrifying news that her unborn child may have a fatal heart defect. It is 1970 and the medicine of today does not exist. But Carly’s brother-in-law, Hunter, a physicist and one of the smartest people she has ever met, reveals his truth and everything she ever believed is turned upside down. Putting all her fears aside, Carly will do absolutely anything to save her daughter’s life. This novel by Diane Chamberlain is unputdownable. Filled with an incredible cast of characters, this touching story takes us on a unforgettable journey through time travel, testing the strength of sisters, motherhood and marriage. Tough decisions and difficult choices will have you dreaming of all the many possible outcomes for a rather surprising ending. Highly recommend The Dream Daughter and looking forward to more from this incredible author. Five Star Read!!!

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Diane Chamberlain for the opportunity to read and review her latest novel - a good one!

This is one of those books that the less said the better and I don't want to ruin the reading experience for anyone else. The premise of the book is that it is 1970 and Carly is newly widowed when her husband is killed in Vietnam. She then finds out she is pregnant and that the baby has a fatal heart defect. Her brother-in-law, Hunter, comes up with a way to save the baby but one that requires Carly to take a leap of faith, both literally and figuratively.

It comes down to what we would do to better the lives of those we love and what motherhood really means. This book also requires that leap of faith when reading but it is certainly worth it. A great read!

Tl;dr: Teeth-rottingly sweet, overly sentimental fluff. That I couldn't stop thinking about, and is a comforting read for those who need one.

The Dream Daughter. Ok.

The good: It's easy enough to read. It's not very long.

The bad: There are plot holes and inconsistencies you could drive eighteen trucks through. The main character was so perfect I wanted to staple her head to a wall. Or at least not be sooooo perfect and adaptable and beloved no matter what. I'm all for likeable heroines, but give me at least one flaw, otherwise there's just-- well, what The Dream Daughter is.

It's predictable but worse, it's safe. Nothing and no one is ever at risk, no stake has even the slightest risk of remote failure. Every problem isn't one, you know?

Having said all that, once I finished the book, I kept thinking about it!

Despite my qualms, the message of love here is strong and comforting and sometimes you need a book like that. I didn't know I did, but there you have it!

The Dream Daughter is dream like, but upon reflection, I think that's what makes it work. It's a hug in a book, and that's reassuring.

Three and a half stars rounded up to four because of two very adorable dogs, and I can handle canine perfection. And the idea of love, especially maternal, being so strong.

I had enjoyed the one prior novel I had read of Diane Chamberlain. So I jumped at the chance for an ARC of her soon to be published book without reading too much about it.

Well, let’s say I’m not a big fan of time travel books. It’s a genre I tend to struggle with accepting. The premise is that it’s 1970 and Carly is pregnant. Her husband died in the Vietnam War not even knowing she was pregnant. And now the baby has a heart defect. Her brother in law offers a solution. Cue the Twilight Zone music.

Chamberlain does a good job with fleshing out Carly’s reluctance to believe Hunter. For those of us who grew up during the 60s and 70s, Hunter’s comparison of the past vs. today is spot on. As is the flip side, as Carly tries to navigate all the changes she has to take in on the fly.

Chamberlain doesn’t really try to explain the whole portal travel thing in too much detail, which is a good thing.

The book does best when it concentrates on relationships. She shines when she deals with the various aspects of motherhood.

But overall, I found the whole premise hokey and could never get into it. This just wasn’t my cup of tea. I would definitely seek out more of Chamberlain’s books.

My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

I loved this unusual story about a young woman and her unborn daughter.

In 1970, Carly Sears is 26 years old and expecting her first child. The baby is extra precious to her because her husband was killed in Vietnam just a few months ago. However, Carly's world comes crashing down when she is told her baby has a fatal defect in her heart and will mostly die soon after birth. She would do anything to save her baby so when her close friend and brother in law tells her he knows of a way that might save her baby she places her trust in him and takes a leap of faith.

Expect the unexpected in this bitter sweet novel. It kept me reading into the night wondering where it was going to go next and I wasn't disappointed by the author's imagination. Be warned, it is a bit of a tear jerker!

I admit it. When I first realized this was a time travel novel from my trusted, beloved author Diane Chamberlain, I was... skeptical at best. I just wasn't sure I was going to be able to buy in. But then I started reading, and noticed comparisons to The Time Traveler's Wife, which I admittedly loved, and decided I was all in. And I'm so glad I was.
This story tore me up and broke my heart. Carly receives devastating news about her unborn child and believes she's about to lose her baby, which is all that she has left after her husband's death in Vietnam. But her brother-in-law Hunter has a solution for her- he can help her travel to the future, when medical advances will allow her baby to have a chance at life. What follows is heart-wrenching as Carly fights emotions and science for a chance at the best life possible for her child. There were surprises and challenges ahead, and the ending very possibly had me tearing up.
Don't ask me whether or not the science in this book is solid- I really have no idea. It's explained well enough for this layperson who has no real interest in science fiction, but I can't say definitively that this will hold up if you're not able to suspend any disbelief.

This book was amazing. One of my favorites this year. I don't want to give away too much - read it for yourself. It broke my heart a million times over, but was a beautiful story about a mother's life for her child. MUST READ.

Well now. This book and its topics are so far out of my usual reading zone that I'm a bit taken aback by how much I enjoyed it. Perhaps I was secretly in need of a "feel good" story instead of crime and thrills! I don't want to say too much because I think readers would enjoy the drama more if they open and dive right in without any preconceived notions.

Most of what I can say about the plot without spoilers is this -- a young woman receives the news that her husband, Joe, has been killed in Pleiku during the Vietnam War. The year is 1970. Caroline (Carly) Sears lives with her sister, brother-in-law and nephew in Nag's Head on The Outer Banks and soon discovers that she is pregnant. Unfortunately, the fetus has a heart defect that will result in death once the baby is born. The grief is unbearable for Carly, until her brother-in-law, Hunter, tells her a fantastical tale that may provide a way for this baby to survive. Does Carly have the courage to make a leap of faith in order to save her unborn child? You'll just have to read it to find out.

Note -- this will require a lot of suspension of disbelief and reads more like a fairy tale than contemporary fiction. Despite that, I enjoyed the trip down memory lane with all the details of time and setting. The writing made the characters come to life on the page and sure wrung out every emotion from tears (yes, I felt some prickling) to laughter. I would categorize it all as "uplifting".
I hope you enjoy this break as much as I did!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-book ARC to read and review. I've read most all of the books by this author, and will definitely be looking out for her next one.

I really enjoyed this novel by Diane Chamberlain but I will be honest and say at first I was a little hesitant due to the time travel aspect. I tent to stay away from books like that but I am a big fan of Chamberlain so I gave it a chance and I'm so glad that I did. Well written, this story took on the questions of how far a parent will go for their child. I loved the way she created believable characters with an extreme premise. As a mother I felt like she captured the emotion of the situation spot on and I found myself swept into the novel. This was a quick read and one that I found to be worth my time. I will continue to look for more books by this author.I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you netgalley for this opportunity.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What would you do to save the life of your unborn child? That's what this whole book is about--Carly's journey through time to do whatever it takes to get the fetal surgery she needs to save her baby. Through it all, we see Carly's strength and perseverance as she learns the way of the 2001 world from her 1970 life. It was enjoyable to see her learn about the Internet, cell phones and that her favorite soap opera was still on television.

This was an enjoyable read, though I was a little leery of the time travel included in the book. Luckily, Diane Chamberlain writes it so that you believe it! I highly recommend this book!

The bond between mother and child is build even before the child is born. Caroline feels this as she has to find a way to save her Childs life before it has fully begun. Hunter seems to have ideas of how this is possible. As Hunter comes into her life with big ideas of how they can save the child there they need the strength they never knew existed.

fullsizeoutput_35cdLINDAS BOOK OBSESSION REVIEW “THE DREAM DAUGHTER” BY DIANE CHAMBERLAIN. St. Martin’s Press Oct. 2, 2018
Kudos to Diane Chamberlain, Author of “The Dream Daughter ” for writing such a unique, captivating, intense, intriguing, riveting, unusual, time-changing, page turner. There are many layers in this novel. The Genres for “The Dream Daughter” are Fiction, Science-Fiction, Mystery and Suspense. The time-line for the events and characters is different and changing. Diane Chamberlain vividly describes the time-changing events and history and her colorful cast of characters. I loved everything about this book.
This story reminds me of “Back to the Future” and the “Time Machine.
I could visualize this being a screen play , movie or a series.
The author describes her characters as complex and complicated , possibly dictated by the events and circumstances in this story. We meet Caroline, a young physical therapist who is treating her first patient, Hunter, who appears quirky, full of secrets and surprises. Caroline is surprised to hear Hunter singing a new Beatles song that has never been heard before. Caroline introduces Hunter to her sister and they marry. A short while later Caroline marries, and is devastated when she is told her husband was killed in Vietnam. Caroline is pregnant, and Hunter and her sister accompany her to physicians to check on her baby, when other doctors feel something is wrong. These doctors confirm in the year 1970 that Caroline’s unborn baby has a severe heart defect and won’t make it.
Hunter takes Caroline aside and offers a strange and unbelievable way to possibly save the baby. It involves Caroline having strength and faith to make a decision that could be dangerous. What will a mother’s love allow Caroline to do?
There are twists and turns and ups and downs in this novel. This is a marriage of faith and science. Diane Chamberlain eloquently describes a mother’s love, emotional support, hope and faith. I would highly recommend this novel to readers who appreciate a story that makes you think and ponder after you read it. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.