This. Book. Was. INCREDIBLE.

When I first started reading, I wasn't sure I was really reading Diane Chamberlain. The writing was similar of course, but the subject? I had to re-read the blurb to make sure I was reading the right book. Then I realized how slyly the blurb was written. Okay, I thought. I'll keep reading. And I am SO GLAD I did..

I'm honestly not sure how to explain this book without spoiling anything, so I won't try. All I can say is READ THIS BOOK. You'll have zero regrets.

I liked this book a lot. It is very compelling reading, and obviously this book was a labor of love by the author. The characters are very well written and I didn't think anyone was a stereotype. The motivations of the characters are very clear throughout the novel.

There are several leaps of faith that you have to take in order to enjoy this novel, and I was definitely ok with that, Chamberlain is a great storyteller so I was happy to go along.

The only criticism I have of this book is that I found the first half much better written than the second. Not a huge deal, I was already super invested in the story, but it is just worth noting.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

I love science and I love fiction bu I don’t usually like them together. Diane Chamberlain did a stellar job of blending the two so seamlessly that I couldn’t help but love this book. It was full of history, romance, heartache (but not the kind of heartache you would expect). She showed us how deep a mother’s love is and what length a mother would go to for her child. I’m not sure I would have the courage to do what Carly did in this book. I’m glad those aren’t decisions I need to make. And I’m really glad I read this book. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it too.

This compelling novel is a genre-bender and I could not put it down! The story is told by Carly and Hunter. They become family in 1965, but were really born decades apart. With his knowledge from the future, Hunter helps Carly to time-travel for medical intervention not available in 1970. This first trip makes others necessary and Carly's experiences tear at your heartstrings and keep you on the edge of your seat. Would make a wonderful book group selection with its compelling plot and many issues to discuss.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of this outstanding new October release.

I got the SIlent Sister from the Library and really enjoyed it, so when I saw that the author had a new book out I was really excited to read it. And it made sense..... for a few pages. I read a lot. And this has got to be the strangest book I have ever read. I'm not quite sure what to say! I had to stop reading it after she had given birth, because it was just so odd. I don't hate the idea of time travel in a book, but this was just weird. Not being able to say anything to the people in the year she's there and not being able to do anything different. I just couldn't wrap my mind around it.

How much can one woman take? Carly lost her husband five months ago to the Vietnam War. She is now being told she'll lose her unborn baby as well. It is 1970 and little can be done to fix the heart defect. But her brother-in-law offers hope: he can send her to the year 2001 where medical and scientific advancements are available.

I am not a mother but damn if I wasn't emotionally invested into this book. The Dream Daughter had me on the edge of my reading chair hoping all worked out for the best. Fingers crossed that time travel and an experimental medical procedure really worked to the benefit of a baby's health. The author chose simple dialogue and a glimpse into the mind and uncertainty of a first-time mother thanks to first person narrative. Chamberlain pushed the envelopes of faith and science.

When I know I have a couple free days—as in no work, no plans—I try to pick a book that I can get lost in. A book with a deep enough plot to keep me turning the pages. A book that is worth spending hours reading nonstop. Diane Chamberlain is notorious for writing long stories that touch the heart. But this? This was different from her previous 25 books. She took her time and suspended belief for this one. The Dream Daughter was clearly a well-researched idea and very enjoyable to read. My holiday was by no means wasted!

The Dream Daughter will stick with me long after I've turned the last page. A beautiful reminder that a woman will do anything to save her child, even believing in the unbelievable. Throw misconceived notions out the window and read this new novel.

Happy Early Pub Day, Diane Chamberlain. The Dream Daughter will be available Tuesday, October 2.

LiteraryMarie

I’m a sucker for a time travel story and this one grabbed me straight away. Evidently this author, Diane Chamberlain, doesn’t typically write this style book. I give her an A+ for this delivery.

Carly Sears has had a lot of heartache in a short period of time. Her parents were killed in an accident when she was a teenager and so her only family is her sister Patti. That is established early on so you know what a tight relationship they have. The book starts off in the 1970’s in North Carolina. Carley had recently been told her husband Joe was killed in Vietnam. Unbeknownst to Joe and Carly, she had conceived and was pregnant when he shipped out. Now Carly is a pregnant young widow and to top off that pain she learns her baby has a heart condition that is fatal to the newborn, at least it is in 1970.

We start out with Carly as a young physical therapist doing an internship of sorts. She is the only therapist to connect with a depressed patient named Hunter Poole and this is where her life takes a dramatic turn. Hunter is from the future but no one knows this yet. He never wanted anyone to know. Hunter marries Carly’s sister Patti and establishes his life there in North Carolina. It’s before the cell phones, computers, microwaves and all the modern conveniences we have today. It’s also a lot less stressful for him. O

Once it’s determined through the early development of ultrasound that Carly’s baby will die, he makes the decision to tell her about himself. He knows if he can get his sister-in-law to the future an operation can be performed on the fetus, thus saving her baby. Carly would do a time jump from 1970 into New York City in 2001, get the advanced medical help she needs for her unborn child Joanna then slide on back to her home in 1970 North Carolina. Easy peasy, right?

Obviously she thinks he has a screw loose as this is an unbelievable story. To convince Carly he isn’t crazy he tells her about the Kent State shooting which will happen in a few days.

A quote from Hunter: “There were days I missed the comforts of 2018. I missed my laptop computer and cell phone and the Internet more than anything. I missed being able to easily communicate with my friends, I missed being able to look up information in seconds. But 1970 came with a sort of peace I’d never known before………I traded my laptop and cell phone for a hammock and a book.”

Foodie references are not frequent. Fried chicken , ham hocks and butter beans and homemade biscuits. Homemade food, all the time! But Carly in 2001 will experience Taco bell for the first time. Takeaway food, Google searches, iPads, cell phones and more. Wouldn’t that just blow you away? It would for me but I can say, there are times I would trade all this for a Norman Rockwell lifestyle that I had growing up in the 50’s and 60’s.

The characters are all likeable and that’s a refreshing change from some of the books I have abandoned lately. There is so much more to the story but I can’t give away any spoilers because this was a fun read. I hope if you like the time travel element yu will check this out. It’s not all smooth and problem-solved, there are a couple of twists I wasn’t expecting. My only negative comment is that I think the resolution with Hunter’s mother wasn’t necessary. Too neatly tied up and frankly didn’t suit her personality. Yes, you’d have to read it to get a grip on Myra Poole’s character and why I feel this way.

Thanks very much to NetGalley for providing me with this prelease copy of the Dream Daughter. I very much enjoyed it. Opinions are mine and I was not compensated for this review.

I can only say Wow! Just Wow! Once in a while there's a book that comes along that will stay with you for a long time, this is one of them for me.
The plot is superb, the writing is stellar and the characters are front and center in the pages. Neatly woven and I'm going to blather about how great this book is.. so forgive me. I'll say straight up that this story does involve time travel but please don't be put off by that, it's a vehicle for the plot.
Oh how I loved Hunter and his brilliance. Caroline/Carly and her character and how brave she was.
How much she went through and how the plot, that begins during the Vietnam war resonated with me. It's the 60's. There are no cell phones, computers or technology as we know it today. The anti-war sentiment is strong and the protests are only increasing across the country, along with racial unrest. Hunter is Caroline's brother in law, he runs a tech business in the triangle (North Carolina). She lives with her sister and brother in law in their family home, newly married her husband Tom is in Vietnam. He didn't come home. She never got the chance to tell him she's pregnant. When she finds out her unborn child has a fatal heart defect, Hunter gives her an option. One that not even his wife knows. Carly is too frightened at first but then decides to take any chance she can to save her child. And so the story begins.
I don't want to reveal too much more of the book because I feel like it's one that needs to be read with relish. So well done and deserves more than 5 stars. You'll never want it to end.

arc from NetGalley and Publisher for an honest review

Amazing. Incredibly clever and unique. A riveting story that is equally exciting and heartwarming. This is one of the most creative time-travel books I've ever read - it's not sci-fi, it's not fantasy, it just seems SO REAL. It makes you believe crossing time is a possibility in the future. Or maybe it already is :) Hands down - a new favorite for 2018!

Carly Sears is struggling with incredible heartbreak. She's just found out her baby has a very serious heart condition and will not live. Fresh from the the loss of her husband in the Vietnam war, this baby is all she has left of Joe. She refuses to believe this baby won't survive. It's the only piece of Joe she has left.

Her brother-in-law Hunter, a physicist, believes there is something she can do to save her baby. It's ludicrous - a ridiculous suggestion that is downright insane! And definitely NOT even possible. Or is it? Does Carly have the courage to go through with this crazy idea that Hunter has? Will she do anything to save her unborn child, even if it defies everything she knows and believes in?

I'm in awe of this novel. I adored every single character. The spanning of decades seamlessly jumps from one to another, with a bit of wonder and novelty at the heart of the story, it's fascinating and so fun to watch unfold. And you root for Carly the entire time, and desperately hope she can save her child. I was entranced from the very beginning and in tears by the last page - this story is incredible and I loved every minute of it! Do not pass this one by. A must read.

The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain was provided to me by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in return for an honest review. Thank you to both of them.

As a lover of the Outlander series, I do enjoy a good time travel story and this one tugs on the heartstrings. When Caroline learns that her unborn child will have an inoperable heart condition and won't survive, her brother-in-law has some remarkable news...he came from the future to 1970 and in 2001 they CAN perform the surgery to keep her baby alive. Caroline will do anything to save her child and willingly makes plans to go to the future, have the surgery and immediately return to 1970 to give birth and raise her child.

Of course, nothing goes as planned, especially when traveling to the future! Caroline's life is completely changed once she travels to the future and nothing can ever be the same again. The Dream Daughter is a heartbreaking look at the lengths we will go to have healthy children...even when all looks to be lost. An inspiring novel by an eloquent author.

This book started slow for me. I'm not sure if it was the character development was slow or that I just didn't have the patience to wait it out. However, I am happy that I picked it back up. My 15 year old daughter needed a book to read for study hall and I suggested this book. She came home on the second day and said how far are you? I said it's slow, she said NO it's amazing. I started reading hard that night. I loved Hunter!! The time travel was a little crazy but it was not over the top so I didn't find myself annoyed by it. Carly had to make some extremely hard choices, ones I am not sure I would make or would be strong enough to make. I loved Joanna's family, loved them. I think that Diane Chamberlain had another keeper with this one. She hasn't disappointed me yet.

I love time travel books and this one ranks right up with my favorites like The Time Traveler’s Wife and How to Stop Time. It’s difficult to write a good time travel book that pulls at your heart strings and still feels believable. The Dream Daughter excels at that as well as imagining how a person from one time period would feel about events in another time period. This book is particularly poignant with the plot of a mother trying to save her unborn baby’s life. All of the characters were rich and well-developed and the settings of New York City and the Outer Banks were vivid. An easy five stars.
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author Diane Chamberlain for an advanced electronic reading copy.

This book is an absolute 5 star read. I absolutely love everything I have read by Diane Chamberlain but was slghtly afraid I might not enjoy this book because of the time travel element of it - but I was sooooo wrong. When you pick this book up be sure you have plenty of reading time because you simply will not want to put it down. The first evening I started reading I stayed up way too late into the night reading and then I woke up a couple of more times in the night just to read a little bit more! This book is one of my favorites I've read this year!

I'll preface my review with sharing that time travel is not really my cup of tea... Diane Chamberlain, however, IS my cup of tea and I am now convinced that this is the perfect combination.

Beginning in 1970, Caroline finds herself pregnant with a daughter that has a fatal heart condition if unaltered. The caveat? She will have to travel through time in order to have the surgery- in New York City in 2001. Assisted by her physicist brother-in-law, Caroline takes the ultimate leap of faith in order to do what is best for her unborn daughter.

I loved the juxtaposition of the Vietnam War with the months leading up to 9/11, as well as everywhere in between. I found myself rooting for all of the characters on every single page, just like in every single Diane Chamberlain book I've read. Diane Chamberlain is the master of developing complex characters and emotional storylines.

I received an advanced copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley.

The hits keep coming for Carly Sears. Her husband Joe was killed in Vietnam, and the joy she felt at discovering she was pregnant turned to devastation when she learns her unborn baby has a fatal heart defect. Her brother-in-law tells her a way her baby can survive and it sounds insane to Carly... but she's willing to do whatever it takes to save her baby girl.

This isn't your typical Diane Chamberlain novel. The blurb calls it "mind-bending" and it's an apt description. I think it's safe to say that it's known at this point that there is a time travel aspect to this story. Time travel is a common aspect in many science fiction novels, but this story—despite the time travel—doesn't read like science fiction in the slightest. If this was a concern for you, trust me when I say that it only enhances a fantastic story.

Carly's willingness to do anything to save her child is something I could easily identify with. Her anguish at hearing of her daughter's fatal heart defect, and the surge of hope she felt when her brother-in-law offered to help was so well written—the emotions Carly experienced mirrored what I felt as I read about it. Each step of the way, as new conflicts and problems came about, I knew how Carly would feel before reading it, because I felt a deep connection with this character.

When it comes to stories with a time travel element, certain rules have to be established in order for the reader to be able to suspend disbelief. (In the Outlander series, for example, the ability to time travel is made possible by a group of standing stones, specific times of the year, and the use of gemstones... but only specific people have the ability to time travel.) The Dream Daughter also follows a set of rules that make time travel possible.

As a reader of numerous time travel novels, I have to say I was impressed with the set of rules Chamberlain devised for this novel. Things that factored into the calculation of traveling to a certain date—as well as issues that could throw the calculations off—made a lot of sense to me. The rules were elegant in their simplicity, and easy for any reader to understand. I also appreciated the fact that there were limitations to the ability to time travel, because that sparked an intriguing sub-plot that was enjoyable to read, as well as creating a sense of urgency to the main story.

I could go on and on about all the things I loved about this book. The characters introduced throughout were well written, and even the most minor character was enjoyable to read about. There are many choices that result in (or arise from) conflicts of some nature; each choice was a hard one that had meaningful impact later on.

I do hope you'll give this beautiful book a chance... it's definitely a book worth reading.

I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of St. Martin's Press.

I honestly didnt care one bit for this book and I'm in the vast minority here. Just didn't do it for me. I could have abandoned this book almost from the start. 2.5 and not rounding up although tempted to say 3 stars because the writing was okay. Though sometimes just a bit too sappy. "My shoulders were heaving with my tears." "I covered my face with my hands and sobbed my grief into them." "Oh, Joanna, I love you so much!"

Time traveling. Love. Question:--what would you do for your [unborn] child?

In 1965, Carly, a physical therapist, meets Hunter [a time-travelling physicist] at the hospital where she works. She introduces him to her sister, Patti, because she believes they will be a great match. [They marry and have a son, John Paul]. Carly is married to Joe who is in service in Vietnam. Widowed before Joe knew they were to have a child, Carly finds out in 1970 that her unborn child has a heart defect which can be repaired in 2001--according Hunter. Hunter does his calculations to send Carly to the future [to his mother--also a physicist] to find a medical solution to fix her baby's heart defect.

And though [no spoiler from me], I didnt guess the ending, I did see precursors of what did happen other times in the storyline --that went back and forth through the various times Carly and Hunter appeared [1965, 1970, 2001, 2017]. If not for what I correctly guessed to be new complications in the 2001 story; the book would have ended much earlier and be even less interesting [to me].

Some of the things that were interesting--had to do with the time travelling. What didn't exist in 1965, and 1970 that were in 2001--especially, and in 2017. For example, cell phones, microwaves, the Apple world, etc. Just not enough to change my opinion.

So many readers loved this book. I did not. See for yourself.

When Carly Sears, a young woman widowed by the Vietnam War, receives the news that her unborn baby girl has a heart defect, she is devastated. It is 1970, and she is told that nothing can be done to help her child. But her brother-in-law, a physicist with a mysterious past, tells her that perhaps there is a way to save her baby. What he suggests is something that will shatter every preconceived notion that Carly has. Something that will require a kind of strength and courage she never knew existed. Something that will mean an unimaginable leap of faith on Carly’s part.

And all for the love of her unborn child.

The Dream Daughter is a rich, genre-spanning, breathtaking novel about one mother’s quest to save her child, unite her family, and believe in the unbelievable. Diane Chamberlain pushes the boundaries of faith and science to deliver a novel that you will never forget.



My Thoughts: While I have not read many books involving time travel, Diane Chamberlain’s books always capture me, so The Dream Daughter was definitely one for me.

Having lived in the 1970s, during and after the Vietnam War, I could relate to Carly and her issues, especially her concern about her brother-in-law Hunter’s idea to “send her” to 2001.

In 2001, the surgery for her child was a success, but several setbacks afterwards made it impossible for Carly to travel back to 1970 with her daughter. So she went alone.

From this point on, everything fell apart and turned out completely wrong for Carly. Searching for her daughter and trying to make up for the errors that followed kept me intrigued until the very end.

Some strange and unexpected events transpired, and for those who find the idea of time travel impossible to wrap their heads around, everything might seem unlikely. How did the September 11, 2001 date complicate events for Carly and her daughter? Would she find a way to fill in the years that eluded her?

By this point, I was held captive by each page, wondering how or if Carly and her dream daughter would connect again. An intense story that will keep me pondering the events. 5 stars.***My e-ARC came from the publisher via NetGalley.

What would you do to save the life of your unborn child? This question is the central issue in Diane Chamberlain's book, The Dream Daughter.
Carly Sears is a young woman, pregnant with her first child. Sadly, her soldier husband had just been killed in Vietnam. Carly had not even had time to inform him that he would soon be a father.
While dealing with this tragic loss, Carly learns that her unborn child has a heart defect and cannot survive. No hope at all exists is what is offered by the medical field. She has already lost her husband, now the child, her only link to him, will be lost too.
What can she do? How far is she willing to go to save this child? What risks will she take? Who will she trust?
A solution is offered by her brother in law., Hunter, husband of her beloved sister, Patti. He will send her 30 years into the future where in vitro fetal heart surgery can be performed. The baby can survive. Is Hunter sane? Over the next few days Carly comes to believe in Hunter's time travel narrative.
With much planning and discussion for what lies ahead, Hunter sends Carly off to the future.
Landing in 2001, Carly begins her quest to save her child. But even in the future, you can plan, but life has its own plans. The do not always coincide. The bumps in the road that Carly travels range from stressful personal interactions to major life altering issues for herself and others around her.
The author, Diane Chamberlain, takes the reader thru the life Carly must lead as she travels back and forth thru time and interacts with people who do not know or understand the role she is playing in their own lives.
This is a lonely tale that seems to indicate that sheer determination will get you to your goal. As a result, the story becomes more wish than real. You may like a neat and tidy solution but really neat and tidy rarely occurs.
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley. #Netgalley #TheDreamDaughter

ThIs book was fantastic!! Usually I'm not a fan of time travel book, but this one sucked me right in. I read it straight through. It's a mind Bender and a nail biting clencher. So many times I sucked in my breath because there was such a critical pivot in the story. 9-11, Vietnam, the fifth trip. I won't describe the stages of the story because readers will have to experience the thrill, despair, and a lot of anxiety for these characters themselves. I haven't read Chamberlin before, but she is a genius. How she kept the different time frames separate and then the dialogue pertinent to each zone would have given me a migraine. Read this book!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book.
I have read a lot of books by Diane Chamberlain and she is one of my favorite authors. I liked this story, but it was not one of my favorites. I think because I am not a fan of time travel. I don't think it is anything to do with the author. I just think it wasn't for me. It was a good story and I will continue to follow this author and read her books.