The Dream Daughter was one of my most highly anticipated books of 2018 and it did not disappoint. I am a huge Diane Chamberlain fan and always look forward to her new releases. Although I would probably have not chosen a book about time travel otherwise, Chamberlain rarely lets me down. "Fantasy" kinds of books are not my thing but this was so much more than that. It was a true Diane Chamberlain book with family drama, amazing and relatable characters, all surrounding a story about moral issues. She was able to explore the mother-daughter bond, what makes a family and adoption issues in a new and amazing way.

It had me on the edge of my seat while also constantly making me think "what would I do in this situation?". You are able to see the story from multiple viewpoints because she does such a wonderful and in-depth presentation of the main characters. This was very different from a lot of her past books with the time traveling aspect but it stayed true to her roots with the general concept and flow of the book. It ended up being one of my favorites of hers and I have many! Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book grabs the reader’s attention right from the start. It begins in 1970 but moves to 2001 and beyond – through time travel. This book is not your typical time travel book. There are many twists and turns that keeps your attention. In typical Diane Chamberlain fashion, it is a book you can’t put down. When you do put it down, you don’t want to. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend this book.

I had the pleasure of reading a early copy from #Netgalley , A beautifully written story about a mothers love , faith and strength it takes to help her unborn baby , even if that means time travel..The author takes you through time , great research on the simple things a person would need to know if time travelled . was really good , I finished in two days

In the 70's, Caroline has lost her husband to the war and may also lose the child he's left in her because medicine still hasn't progressed enough to save her unborn daughter. That's when her brother in law Hunter shares a secret—he can travel in time, and he can send her to the 21st, where they could save her baby, but he can't go with her. It's a challenge she'll have to take on her own.

This isn't that much of a time travel novel. Here, we have a law a person won't go back from her fifth trip, so Caroline wouldn't be able to come and go as she wants. I did think it lacked the thrill this trope gives you, but that law added a danger we don't usually see in similar books. Caroline has to do it right and alone, because Hunter has already used up his quota. This was interesting, thrilling and frustrating all at the same time. But I also think that if there's such an important rule, the climax should have been about going against it. Unfortunately, even though we do see more about that, it was just in the background.

I liked the title because it called to me but I'm not sure how much it connects to the story either. It's not like she dreams of her daughter as if she's real or anything. I wonder if The Future Daughter was unavailable, lol.

But okay, the thing is that this was a very nice book to read. It was definitely not about the time travel, but the dilemmas here present were so heartbreaking! It was a book that really made me connect to the main character's problems. Also, we see her having to make a handful of difficult decisions. Even though I wouldn't have taken some, I think I understand them all. It's very rare for me to be on this level with a character's chosen path. Still, gosh, this is a cruel story. Imagine losing your husband and being about to lose his child, and of course stuff happens making it all even more complicated... How can this writer be so cruel!

I don't recommend to those who are simply interested in time travel stories. It's not the focus, you'll probably be disappointed. This is much more like a family drama, which happens to use time travel here and there. It's unusual to go to such lengths for a story but that's what happens in the book. As a drama book, this was great. I confess I wasn't glad with the end but it doesn't mean it was bad. How to put it without spoilers? I'm wondering if the author was trying to be even more cruel with the dilemmas she presents Caroline with or if she wanted to give her some prize after all she's been through. Either options, I felt a about the end was somewhat forced. But if you ignore it, it was a good ending.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

*5 star book!*

This was my first book by the author and it will not be my last! I enjoyed every page of this book, except the last because I did not want it to end!

What would you do for your child? How far would you go for them? That's the questions Caroline has to face many times throughout this story.

I don't want to give much away but this book will be loved my many people as it covers many genres. It kept me guessing, had me laughing, and even had me in tears at times. I am looking forward to reading more of Diane's books! This one did not disappoint.

*Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. "

The Dream Daughter is the first book of Diane Chamberlain's that I have read though she has been recommended to me often. I am so glad this book was put into my hands; I loved it!! Ms. Chamberlain tells this family-oriented story skillfully and with heart. All of the characters are richly described to the point they seem real, and they are very relatable as well. I got so caught up in the story, that I felt all of the emotions of the characters. That's what a good writer can do, make the reader feel as if they are in the story.

In 1970, Caroline (Carly) Sears is just getting over the death of her husband in Vietnam when she learns she is pregnant. However, tests show that the fetus has a condition that is always fatal; her baby will only live for a few hours or days. Her brother-in-law, Hunter, a physicist, tells her he knows a way to help the baby survive if she will trust him. Astounded by what he tells her, she refuses to believe that it's possible until events convince her to try what he suggests.

This book is a quite satisfying read about the lengths people will go to for those they love.

To all of those who recommended Diane Chamberlain to me, you were right! I've got some catching up to do!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Diane Chamberlain novel, so I really didn't know what to expect. First off, I think that the less you know about this story going into it, the more you will enjoy it. It is clear from the descriptions/blurbs that time travel is big part of the story -- but don't let that deter you -- just go with it! More than anything it is a heart-wrenching story about loss, love, and family. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I really loved this book - it grabbed my attention right from the start and held it! There were several surprises scattered throughout the story that I did NOT see coming. I thought the author did a fantastic job with the main character, Carly. I found Carly to be extremely likeable and relatable. My heart broke for all of the tragedy and hardships that she had to endure in her life - she lost her husband and then finds out her unborn daughter has a fatal heart defect - really can it get any worse?! When Hunter proposes a possible solution, she's skeptical at first, but is willing to try anything to save her baby. This was the first book that I have read by Diane Chamberlain - after my experience with this book I will definitely be seeking out other books that she has written. I highly recommend this book!

This was such a fantastic book! I love Diane Chamberlain's 'historical' novels, and this one is one of her best. The time travel aspect is a new avenue for her, but in this book it works (although when she was describing 'jumping and falling' I kept imagining scenes from Kate & Leopold). I let my mind go and dispelled my disbelief around the subject of time travel and am happy I did. My only comment is the title doesn't really reflect the story but given the storyline I am sure it's not easy to come up with a title that truly reflects the story and characters.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is actually my first Diane Chamberlain book which now that I've read The Dream Daughter  I'm pretty mad at myself for not paying closer attention to her previous books. Rather than go into lengthy plot details I want to just share with you what I loved about this book. To start...time travel...I love this element. I know some people read that and may immediately think no, not for me. The time travel in this book is essential to the story and it's subtle, a small piece of a much larger plot picture but without it, there's no story. With it, the story comes alive. But, there's no science fiction "out there-ness" to the time travel, it just is and I was on board with it from the beginning.

Another thing I loved - the characters! Carly, whose unborn daughter needs a life saving fetal surgery to survive, is one of my favorite characters in fiction this year. I connected with her immediately and I never stopped rooting for her and boy did the author throw some unexpected twists her way. The suspense of not knowing what would happen to Carly and her baby was so on point. Hunter, her brother in law and Myra his mom were other characters that felt like real people to me. Really, that sums up my overall feelings about this book. Distinctive, tension filled, realistic writing that caused me to stay up super late because I had to know what was going to happen next. There are so many surprises in this story and I'll finish by saying...have tissues ready when you pick this one up.

Another great read from Diane Chamberlain. I was skeptical at first, but through Chamberlains flawless ability to develop such rich, round character's I was hooked. When Caroline Sears receives the news that her unborn baby girl has a heart defect, she is devastated. Her brother-in-law, Hunter is telling her that something can be done about her baby's heart, but it will take a true leap of faith. Caroline struggles with the idea, but will go to any means necessary to give her daughter the best life. It is amazing what a mother will do for their child.
Highly recommended!

*I received an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain will be released on October 2nd, 2018 and can be purchased here :https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Daughter-Novel-Diane-Chamberlain/dp/1250087309/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537795875&sr=8-1&keywords=the+dream+daughter+diane+chamberlain


We begin this story in the 1965 in the south with a woman named Caroline (Carly) as a physical therapist helping a man named Hunter who broke his ankle falling off of a three story building. We are then taken on a roller coaster of a story. I am a mom, when my daughter and son were both born, I was in rare form and they whisked the baby away both times. I sent my husband off to follow that baby. I cannot imagine doing it all alone let alone in a different year that I am aware of, not knowing how things are in that year and it being my first baby. This book is filled with so many OMG moments and moments where you just want to pull Carly into a hug and just let her cry into your shoulder. This poor woman finds out she is pregnant with her husband's baby after just finding out her husband died in the Vietnam War. Not only does she find out she is pregnant, but that there is an issue with her baby. Hunter and Carly become family quickly after their PT sessions. Hunter helps Carly with her baby situation. Hunter sends Carly to a time where she can have fetal surgery on her fetus in 2001. I cannot imagine going from 1970 to 2001, get used to the modern accommodations and then have to go back to the past. We live in 2018, where cars practically drive themselves, I can watch TV on demand and can pretty much search for just about anything on the internet at the touch of my fingers. I cannot imagine going back to the 1990s where we had to rent movies and would spend hours in Blockbuster searching for the perfect movie to watch. This book was amazing and left me balling at the end.

I could not put this book down and read it in one day. What a unique story line and ending. I’m afraid any inkling of what the story is about will be a spoiler so I will leave you with this... read the book!!!

I have read several Diane Chamberlain books so I was looking forward to reading it. I'm a fan of time travel so it was a double whammy. I liked the book okay but just couldn't get with the characters. I don't think I would have acted like Carly at all so it was difficult to read. That being said, I enjoyed the story and the references to Nam.

This book was sooo good! I always enjoy Diane Chamberlain’s books, but this one was even better than I expected. It’s best if you don’t read reviews or big summaries about it, so with that being said, I’ll just say that I love when I have no clue what’s going to happen in a book and I can’t put it down and this one had all of that going for it.
**Slight spoiler**
Time travel is one of my favorite sub genres and this is one of the best I’ve read!

*4.5 stars rounded up. I am always a sucker for time-travel stories and at first, I thought this one was going to be a rather light-weight version, with the travel being accomplished by stepping off from great heights into portals taking you either forward or backward in time. But soon, I was sucked into Carly's desperate story.

We first meet Caroline as a young woman working as a PT in North Carolina in 1965. She is assigned to work with Hunter Poole, a rather strange patient with a broken ankle from falling off a roof. She introduces him to her sister Patti; they marry and have a son.

Five years later Carly's own husband Joe is killed in Vietnam just after she realizes she is pregnant with their first child. When she learns the fetus has a heart abnormality that will mean certain death for her infant, she is devastated.

Then Hunter comes to her with a stunning confession: he is a time traveller and can send her into the future where doctors could fix the heart problem in utero. It takes a lot to convince her that he isn't just crazy, but eventually she gives in, the plans are made, and Carly travels to 2001 to save the life of her baby.

Carly is a stupendously brave and likable character. It's fascinating to watch her navigate her way through the unknown with so much courage. I couldn't put this book down! I enjoyed all the twists and turns and tricky choices Carly has to make. She's a character I won't soon forget.

I received an arc of this new novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks!

Caroline "Carly" Sears has already suffered one massive blow in 1970 when she's informed that her husband was killed in Vietnam. Now, she's told that the baby she's carrying has a life-threatening heart condition and will not live more than a few days after being born. Fetal ultrasound is still in its infancy in 1970 and fetal surgery isn't something that's even being considered. There's nothing that medicine at that time can do to heal her unborn child. Fortunately, her brother-in-law has a possible solution to the problem. It's an off-the-wall bizarre, out-of-this-world, Twilight Zone-esque solution, but a solution nonetheless. The only question now is just how much Carly is willing to trust Hunter and how far she's willing to go to help her unborn child.

I found The Dream Daughter to be a fast-paced and enthralling read. I always enjoy reading stories by Diane Chamberlain and this one was quite unexpected in that it threw in a nice little twist, okay several unexpected twists. No, I won't tell you what those twists were, it is sufficient to say that this is not your typical Diane Chamberlain story but it really works, unexpected twists and all. For much of the story, Carly is like a fish out of water and trying to adapt to the best of her abilities and she has a steep learning curve (trust me, it'll all make sense when you read the book). Without giving away too many details, there are three separate timelines in this story and they all intersect with Carly as the common factor (again, it'll make sense when you read the book). I wish I could give you more details but if I did, I'd be giving away too much of the story and I really don't want to do that. I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, settings, and action in this story. I can also say that if you're a fan of stories involving time-travel or if you've read anything by Ms. Chamberlain in the past, you'll want to read The Dream Daughter. This story captured the essence of motherhood and just how far mothers are willing to go and what they're willing to do to protect their children. The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain is going on my list of recommended reads from 2018 (this has been an amazing reading year!).

5 Brilliant Stars!!!

This is my second book of the author and I loved it better than the first book!!
The story starts in 1965 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with Caroline Sears, a Physio Therapist getting allotted to Hunter Poole for Physio Therapy..
Five years later in 1970, Caroline Sears - a widow who lost her husband Joseph Sears in the Vietnam war is expecting her first child.. However, halfway through her pregnancy, its revealed that her baby carries a heart disease and wouldnt survive..
After her husband's loss, Caroline is devastated after the knowledge of her unborn baby's heart disease.. When she gives up all hope and wishing for a miracle, her brother in law Hunter Poole puts forth the idea of time travel.. Hunter gives her the option to time travel to 2001 so that she can undergo a fetal surgery and save her baby!! As much as the whole time travel is unbelievable, Caroline takes the plunge in order to save her baby!!
The courage and unconditional love of Caroline to time travel and face difficulties, stress and technology advancements of 2001 is amazing!!
I dont wanna give away anything more about the story.. It is a very complex, emotional roller coaster ride.. A very heart breaking story about trust, love, loss, family and unconditional love a mother holds for her child...
Am so glad that i got this ARC from netgalley in exchange for review!!

This is the first book I've read by Diane Chamberlain, and certainly won't be my last. I loved how this story was told from different points of view. This story is about Caroline (Carly) Grant, who is a physical therapist in North Carolina. At the facility, where she works, there is a man, Hunter Poole, that has kept to himself and uncooperative, until he see Carly. Reluctantly, she agrees to help him.

She ends up introducing Hunter to her sister, Patti, and they get married. Carly's husband, Joe, goes off to war and Carly is given news of Joe's death. The bad news keeps on coming, until Hunter feels a need to help Carly, but first he's got to share a secret that he hadn't even told his wife. Then, he'll have to convince Carly to put her trust in him. After that, he'll have to open up to Patti about his secret, which might destroy his marriage.

Amazing story, where I felt I was right there alongside Carly and could feel her emotions. As the story unfolds, Carly becomes strong and will have to make the biggest decision between two choices where a piece of her heart will be left behind no matter which choice she picks. Will it be the right choice?

I would like to thank NetGalley via St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I admit that I have difficulties enjoying books that feature time travel. I usually find it just too convoluted and predictable or too unrealistic to believe. Maybe this is why I didn't enjoy this book. However, even when I tried to suspend my disbelief and fall into the story, I found it too predictable and emotionally uninteresting. I never really caught on to the characters and actually didn't care what happened to them.

There were moments of brilliance and the manner in which historical events were woven into the story added some interest, but (again) I found it just too predictable. It's clear Chamberlain did her research about 1970 and those scenes rang true for the era, but otherwise....a rather forgettable novel.