Interesting and fun read. Definitely a niche reader but a complex and engaging story nonetheless. Centered around a mystery it creates a perfect mix of discovery and history.

Escaping Dreamland is an engrossing story set in two time periods, 2010 and the early 20th century.

In 2010, Robert's first novel has become a bestseller, but he's struggling to write a second book and his relationship with his girlfriend Rebecca is falling apart. When Rebecca walks out, Robert tries to deal with his past trauma by investigating a forgotten series of childrens' books that he and his father read together. Robert and his father read all the typical old kids' series books like the Hardy Boys and Tom Swift, but it's The Tremendous Trio that they loved the most. Robert begins to search for more information about the books and it takes him on an emotional journey.

In 1906, we meet Magda, Gene, and Tom, three young people who become unlikely friends. Madga is an immigrant, Gene is gay in a time when it was both scandalous and illegal, and Tom comes from one of New York's richest familes, but the three form a bond and end up writing a series of books together. Their story is contrasted with Robert's search for the authors of the Tremendous Trio books.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm a big fan of old series books (Nancy Drew and Beverly Gray are my favorites), and I loved reading about Robert's research. The Tremendous Trio would have been a great series, and I wish it actually existed. I found myself more interested in the past parts of the book. Magda, Gene, and Tom were great characters and I loved reading about their lives in Gilded Age New York. I found Robert's story to be less compelling. Although the eventual resolution made sense, it felt a bit over the top. (To be fair, there are lots of over the top things in the historical part, but it worked better in that context.)

I listened to the audiobook, and it was really well done.

Really interesting book about a lifelong love for books and a historical adventure.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback.

I was a little confused by the jumping back and forth from one era to another. Although from the introduction, I knew this was happening, it took me awhile to sort out. I never did get all of the names and aliases sorted out. I would suggest that one take
notes paying particular attention to dates , names, an aliases from the start (I do wish I had done that). Even with this in mind, I thoroughly enjoyed the stories. They were sometimes fanciful but still believable. Very historically researched. When I find the time, I want to read this book again (something I seldom say about a novel; however this one intrigues me).

I received this audiobook from NetGalley but this is my unbiased review.

The narration of the story elevated what might be a very normal book to an interesting engaging story. I enjoyed the characters and would recommend this book or audiobook.

Lovett simply shines with this one. I have read the other books written by the author previously, but ESCAPING DREAMLAND is something different. The author seems to level-up with this story.

Sorry, I thought I would not be able to listen and review this title, but t still appears on my bookshelf on my NG app, It may be due to me sampling the start of the narrator. I will update my review once I finish listening to it (over my holiday break).

thank you

This time of year, all I want to do is cozy up with a book that’s going to suck me in and keep me distracted from the cold. And there’s nothing cozier in my opinion than a literary mystery. Any time a book or an author takes centerstage in a plot, I’m excited. That excitement often leaves me disappointed, as I tend to expect too much of these books for some reason. But sometimes I get my hands on a book that delivers. Escaping Dreamland is one such book. This is the first Charlie Lovett novel I’ve read, but it certainly won’t be my last.

I loved the dual timeline here. In 2010, we are slowly learning the story of an author, and what a lost children’s adventure series from the 1900s meant to him, his father, and his grandfather. In the early 1900s, we meet the three authors behind this series and see how their lives became intertwined. While the 2010 timeline was plenty interesting, and is where the mystery element of the novel came in, the historical portions of the book were what kept drawing me back to the story.

The historical half of Escaping Dreamland was transportive and believable and captivating. The level of legwork and research that goes into a story like this is astounding, and it was evident that Lovett cut no corners in this regard. From what I gather, this degree of meticulous research is present in every single one of his novels, which is both respectable and very exciting. I loved learning about the publishing world of the early 1900s, especially as it dealt with children’s fiction. Learning more about how these famous series came to be was fascinating, though I must confess that the fictional series at the center of Lovett’s novel sound much more multifaceted and unique than Nancy Drew or The Hardy Boys.

While Escaping Dreamland was very interesting, I can’t say it was exactly enthralling. Even when important things were happening, I felt very little tension from the story. This is in large part why I’m not giving it a full five star rating. I think this is in large part due to Lovett’s style, which has a gentle quality to it, though I can’t say that for sure without having ever read any of his other work. While I was never on the edge of my seat, I was always deeply invested. And when you’re on the hunt for something comforting, that’s not necessarily a bad reading experience to have.

I very much enjoyed my time in Escaping Dreamland. There were certain sections that dragged, and others that felt rushed. But, for the most part, this was a fun, entertaining reading experience with the added bonus of introducing me to a new author whose backlog I’m excited to explore. If you’re an audio reader, Mike Lenz does a great job narrating the audiobook. And if you’re a fan of books about books, historical fiction, and mysteries, I think you’re going to love this story.

Escaping Dreamland by Charlie Lovett had me very intrigued by the description. However, it was a DNF for me. I had a hard time figuring out points of view, connecting with characters, and could not get interested in the overall story the way I was expecting to.

There were parts of Mike Lenz’s performance I was able to understand and get through. In other parts I found everything very monotone which made it hard for me to follow.

While this was a DNF for me, I think if this is a story that sounds interesting give it a try. I know many have enjoyed it, but it was not for me. This might also be a book I would prefer in print.

I received an advanced audiobook copy from Blackstone Publishing through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.

I love a book that spans different decades/eras/vibes! It makes it so engaging to read because you really get the sense and the imagery of all of these different settings. It is really fun to read books about books, somehow not done enough, a very unique way to tell a story. Thank you Charlie Lovett for the wonderful journey that is this book! Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for a copy of this book for an honest review.

This is a poignant and heartfelt tale of a boy and his adventure books, young readers, the authors who wrote them, and the author who rediscovered them. Alternating chapters are set in different times, from 1906 to 2010, helping to build the two parts of the story to a single point in the middle, all while the reader gets to experience the mystery of the authors to the modern-day writer as well as witnessing the trajectory of the lives of the authors from the early 1900's.
What an interesting story about stories! One of my favorite kinds of books.

I have mixed feelings about this novel. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the dual nature of the story and the interesting characters we spent time with in each era. On the other hand, the emotional growth and epiphanies of the characters felt forced and a little ham handed form the author; every time there was a pivotal conversation, a character has an immediate deep emotional understanding of the consequences of their actions. If felt like their emotional processing was very sped up and that the author was forcing the themes and insights down my throat rather than letting me discover it myself. On the third hand, the city of New York and the way it changed from the early 20th to the early 21st century was fun to read about. But at times this novel felt like Ragtime-light, with every famous historical figure and event having a bearing on the plot. One the fifth hand, it was great learning about the early history of kids adventure series books (like Tom Swift and the Hardy boys, both of which are still on my shelves). So on the whole an enjoyable, mixed bag.

Gripping Dual-Timeline Story

Audiobook & eBook Review:
I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into with this book, but I am always drawn to novels about books and writing. What a fascinating listen and read. The author and narrator pulled me right into the story, and I found myself captivated by the dual timeline story. I typically listen to audiobooks while I do other things, and I found the narrator easy and pleasant to listen to, even if he pronounced a few words strangely, like Rembrandt and celebratory. As an avid reader myself whose love of reading started when I was a child (including Nancy Drews!), I loved the literary aspects of this book, both in the past timeline with three young people who wrote adventurous children's novels that were so popular back in the day (like Nancy, the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, et al.) and in the present with the hero being a celebrated literary fiction writer whose love of those children's books—shared across the generations with his grandfather and father—inspired his own love of words and writing. Mysteries are a part of the book on several fronts. While we, the readers, watch the world of those early 20th Century writers unfold, the present-day main character doesn’t have such knowledge. He has to delve into the mystery about them for reasons we don't fully understand until much later in the book. Somehow, his present difficulties hinge on this mystery.

I loved the complicated but believable and relatable characters in this book, particularly the ones in the past timeline. They all had rich backstories that the author reveals gradually. When they all finally meet and start their children's book writing careers, the group dynamic between them becomes gripping and tenuous at times. Tom comes from a wealthy family, and he defied them by going into journalism instead of banking, the family business. Magda/Mary is a German immigrant who lost all her family in tragic ways, including one horrifying scene the author shares. Gene is a cross-dressing homosexual at a time when gender fluidity wasn’t a concept, and heterosexuality was the only acceptable romantic preference.

The author did a good job describing New York and San Francisco around the turn of the previous century, during the last gasp of the Gilded Age. I felt like I was walking the streets with them and could visualize it all, especially Dreamland. As a former San Francisco Bay Area resident, I particularly liked his description of the journalist-author’s experience of the 1906 earthquake. Two of the past characters had to deal with some pretty horrific historical events. The author must have done a lot of research, first to create such a believable past and then to show the horror of historical events through the characters’ eyes. A fantastic book, whether you read or listen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for my copy of Escaping Dreamland by Charlie Lovett in exchange for an honest review. It published September 22, 2020.
I found the premise of this book to be really interesting, and the writing to be well-done. However, I found the sexual content to be more "open-door" than I am comfortable with, however, I understand why it was important to the story.
If you are a book lover who loves books about stories/books, looking for a sweeping story, following lots of main characters, over different time periods, set in NYC, look no further!
Mike Lenz did a fabulous job narrating this! I highly appreciate that he didn't attempt to make his voice cloyingly high-pitched for women characters.

Wowwww is all I have to say. I haven't read a 5-star book in what feels like forever and this really exceeded my expectations. This is a wonderful historical fiction novel. I loved learning about America during the early 20th Century through the eyes of three young authors. The writing really kept me hooked. I was constantly curious about how everything would be connected in the end and watching Robbie unfold the mystery of the Tremendous Trio. Highly recommend!

I absolutely loved the back stories of Gene, Tom, and Magda but found our modern day author Robert lacking. I just didn’t buy into his relationship troubles as the motivation for his research. I think his story could have been accomplished without estranging his girlfriend. Could they not have made the discoveries together?

We learn the coming-of-age stories of Gene, Tom, and Magda, all taking place during the turn of the 20th century in New York City. All heartbreaking, unconventional for the times, and intertwined with one another, the reader can’t help but be intrigued.

I listened to an audio version of this book which was well done. I did, at one point, wonder about how differently the story may have sounded with a female narrator, at least for the historical part since most of that was from Magda’s point of view.

A delightful historical fiction story well worth the read.

As a lover of books and books about books, I always look forward to a new release by this author. I quite enjoyed ESCAPING DREAMLAND and think author Charlie Lovett did a good job balancing a modern-day literary investigation with the challenges of being a writer in Gilded Age NYC (particularly when not wealthy, straight, nor a man).

I really enjoyed listening to this story. The narrator was perfect for this story. In my opinion the story started out a little slow and I was confused about the different characters. I feel it took a little longer than I would have liked to have the story become clear how it was all connected. But I was intrigued by the story line and why Robert had issues and the pace did pick up. I loved the fact that it was a book about books and reading. My favorite was the references to "The Princess Bride:. I am a history lover so I enjoyed the history of Dreamland and just the way of life in the 1920s. I learned new information. I think the characters were well developed and that you truly got to know them. I also loved the mystery of the Tremendous Trio. I couldn't wait for Robert to find out what happened. I' listened on my way to and from work and would drive slower so I could listen longer. I felt like I was in NYC with the characters. He truly brought the story to life for me. Definitely a movie in my head book!
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for a free audio book (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

This work of metafiction charts a contemporary author’s search for the history behind a beloved series of childhood action stories (think Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew) from one hundred years ago. In alternating chapters Robert wrestles with his personal challenges as a writer as we are introduced to the lives of emerging authors Magda, Tom and Gene .
I kept reading the audiobook version of this book because I was far more interested in the intertwined stories about the "Terrific Trio" who lived through disasters such as the sinking of the General Slocum steamboat in New York and the San Francisco Fire. However, I was far less invested in contemporary Robert’s relationship with his girlfriend and hints of some deep seated problem from his past. Lovett writes lovingly about many landmarks in New York. He includes beautiful descriptions of Dreamland, the Coney Island amusement park that was unrivaled as an attraction for New Yorkers at the turn of the last century. Drawing on his extensive background in the book business, Lovett paints a fascinating picture of the publishing industry that cranked out hundreds of fast paced children's adventure stories. In audio format it was much harder to sort out stories from alternating decades and difficult to keep track of each individual's journey. Perhaps the print version would have been easier to follow where one could see chapter distinctions more easily.

Overall while the audio narrator was a good interpreter of the story, there were a number of times he mispronounced words such as "Bon Mots" and he used an affected "German " accent to mispronounce "Meine Liebste". He kept mispronouncing the disputed French/German territory of Alsace where Robert's grandfather had served during World War I. When narrators do not know how to correctly pronounce foreign words in the text or are unfamiliar with less common words in English, it grates on the ear . The audio publisher has missed an opportunity to broaden the reader's spoken vocabulary.

I love books about books and writing and Escaping Dreamland is a great addition to the genre.

Told via dual timelines - New York City in 2010 and in the early 1900s - the story revolves around a series of children's books featuring the Tremendous Trio. Robert Parrish, a newly successful writer, grew up loving these books after being introduced to them by his father and grandfather and finds himself drawn to find out what happened to one of the unfinished stories. Madga, Eugene and Tom are three very different people living in New York in 1906 who eventually come together and overcome their own personal demons to write the Tremendous Trio books under pen names. As Robert continues to research the genesis of the books, we follow the authors' lives at the turn of the century as they intertwine and unfold.

It took me about a third of the book to get invested in the story and characters but once I did, I was all in. Listening to this story reminded me how few books I read with male protagonists and I enjoyed having a different POV. I wish the narrator had a bit more range but overall, he did a good job and I really enjoyed this audiobook.

Thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and the author for an advanced listening copy to review.