The Dream Daughter is another example of why I look forward to each edition of Buzz Books. If I had only read the book description, I probably would not have given this more than a passing glance. I am not someone who gravitates towards books about time travel and that aspect was prominent in the book blurb I read. However, the excerpt(the Prologue and the 1st chapter from Part One) from the Fall/Winter 2018 edition of Buzz Books grabbed my attention and I put this book on my want to read list.
Carly Sears has received some very upsetting news. She is pregnant and learns her baby has a heart defect. The doctor tells her there is nothing that can be done medically and the baby has little or no chance of survival. Carly is devastated, as this baby means everything to her. When her brother in law Hunter presents her with a scenario that changes her daughter's fate, it sounds so ludicrous that she fears he is having a mental breakdown. With no other options available, Carly has to trust Hunter and she takes a leap of faith, sending her on an unimaginable journey(and what a journey it turns out to be).
I found the character development exceptional and I loved the fact that the time travel aspect, though crucial to the story was not the main driver of the plot. A very enjoyable story about a mother's love and for me, wow, what an introduction to Diane Chamberlain.
I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.

This book had my heart in a vice from page one. Every time I thought it was going to loosen its grip on me, Chamberlain amped up with another twist and curve in the road. Oh I ached for Carly. I loved Hunter. I wanted everything to work out, and yet in a book that deals with time travel, does anything ever work out?! The way Chamberlain wove time travel into a women's fiction, nonfantasy/sci-fi story was brilliant and believable. Each twist took me on the emotional journey with each and every character. Any holes in the story were well flushed out, which is difficult to say in a time traveling story and typically doesn't happen. But she made it all feel possible and real, like this could be me or my neighbor or my friend.
And what a fascinating way to deal with the events that happened with 9/11 and the Vietnam War. And the scene at the Vietnam Wall gave me goosebumps all over my body.
I've been desperate for a book that I could lose myself in and absolutely, whole-heartedly enjoy. This book was it. Much needed and so, so well-done.

The more I think about it, the more I appreciate this book. It is truly unique—a bit romance, a bit women's fiction and a touch of science fiction. Caroline was likable and believable, a mother motivated to protect the health of her unborn child above all else. So motivated that she chooses to travel through time so her baby can receive life saving fetal heart surgery. But when she is forced to go back in time without her newborn baby, the story really takes off. I won't reveal any more as the story is so fresh and unique you should experience for yourself.

I enjoyed it immensely and I found the ending to be satisfying and just right. I need to delve a bit into Chamberlain's backlist when I find the time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Diane Chamberlain has quickly become one of my favorite authors since receiving an arc copy previously. I was excited to see that she had a new release coming and to receive a copy again.
I feel like this book; was very different in her normal writing style. I am not a fan of the time travel storyline. I feel like the numerous times that Carly was told not to interfere with peoples lives and yet she still got involved. However, had she not interjected herself into those lives of Hunters mom and Joanna and her family - they would not have met up in the future. As heartbroken as I was that her trip back threw her to 2013 instead of 2001; things still had a way of working out. Had she gone to 2001 as intended and brought Joanna home; she would not have been able to have the surgery required a few years later; due to more heart complications.
The end felt rushed; from the moment where Carly finds out that her husband did not die; but rather was a POW and ended up coming home. At the same time I was glad to see that the 5th trip for Hunters mom was trip to 1970's to be with Hunter and his new family. As well as the fact that Joanna was able to finally come to Nags Head and see her birth mother. Even though took her years to do so.
Overall; I thought the book was very well written and flowed together; even going between the years with the time travel. I would still recommend the book to anyone and especially Diane Chamberlain fans. Just was not one of my favorites by this author.

Wow! What a change from the usual Diane Chamberlain book! I had not read the description of the book before opening it which was fun. It took me a bit to get into it, but when I realized it was about time travel - it grabbed me. I very much liked most of the characters in the book with the exception of the main character Carly's sister, Patti. She annoyed me with her selfishness. The book follows the story of Carly in 1970. She is widowed after her husband dies in Vietnam and finds she is pregnant with a baby with a heart defect that will cause the baby to die soon after birth. Lots of questions and opportunities arise as she heads out to save her baby - to keep part of her husband. There are a few twists and turns along the way, that caused me some anxiety as I read, but the story wraps up nicely - maybe a little too nicely, but there is closure. It's a worthwhile read!

That last line! Literally, the last line of the book.........I was skeptical at first, the concept of "time travel" is too corny for me to really be interested in but the premise of this book sounded like a real heartstring puller and it is. It's not hard to empathize with her and you can really feel the desperation she has about saving her child. I love the reconnection and the ending was a total win for me. I would have liked to see a little more of the physics in there but that's just my brain and it wasn't necessary. All-round a good book. Well written, clear timeline despite the jumping back and forth in time, easy to read characters.

My Review: 4.5 stars

The Dream Daughter is about family and just what one would do to save his or her child, while simultaneously believing in time travel. For those of you that I just scared away, come back. Fiction is all about suspended reality, so just go with it. You won’t be sorry. Diane Chamberlain has become one of my favorite authors as she continues to deliver novel after novel that are highly readable and completely different from one another. She’s got no formula, just good storytelling.

There’s a bit of suspense, faith, trust, courage, hope, romance, science and a lot of love. It pushes the boundaries for her loyal fan base as it crosses genres with sci-fi light. For a book I enjoyed so much, this is all you’re getting. It’s one of those novels where it’s too easy to give the plot away and the book blurb does that quite well.

One of my favorite authors has done it again! The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain was a story that I didn't know I needed, one I wasn't expecting, especially from this author, but I absolutely loved it, so much so that I was a little upset when it ended-I wanted to go on more of the journey with these characters. I seriously hope and pray that this book becomes a movie one day.

The story begins when Caroline is asked to help out a new patient at the hospital where she does physical therapy. This new patient seems depressed, one that no one else in the hospital really wants to deal with. When Caroline goes over to him, his entire demeanor changes, he's smiling and ready to do the work. He claims that Caroline is someone that he remembers from a while ago, but doesn't go into much more information than that.

Eventually this stranger turns into a family member when he marries Caroline, also known as Carly's, sister. Hunter, the down and out stranger, is a physicist working during the1970's, but there's just something about him that seems off, a little bit like he knows more than he should. 

When Carly becomes pregnant and finds out that her baby has a heart defect that could potentially end with the baby passing away, she would do anything to save her beloved daughter. That's when Hunter drops the bombshell. He was actually born in 1988, and is from the future. His mother was a scientist who figured out time travel, and the reason he remembered her that day in the hospital was because she showed up at his house when he was a teenager, pregnant and getting help with her baby's heart defect.

Of course, Carly doesn't believe him at first, though the more she thinks about it, the more it seems true, he knows things he shouldn't know, like Beatles songs that haven't even come out yet, and eventually Hunter proves it to her undoubtedly. Soon Carly realizes that maybe she should take a leap of faith, and get the help that her daughter needs. 

I won't go into all the detail about the time travel, it's too much to explain and I think it's kind of fun to learn about it through Diane rather than me. Carly shoots back and forth through time, and has to make some seriously deep and scary decisions for herself and her baby girl. 

I'm usually iffy about time travel books, because I'm a very logical person and find flaws in all types of situations that arise, but this book made it seem so simple, to the point where I wasn't questioning it, I was just along for the ride. I loved every single aspect of this story. The characters made me fall in love, the plot was intense and breathtaking. Like I said, I didn't want it to end. I truly think that everyone will love this book, even if you aren't a fan of Diane Chamberlain, because this isn't her typical novel. Read it and be spellbound! I give this book 5 out of 5 stars, my favorite of the year so far.

Wow!!! I've got to say, my emotions were all over the place with this book. I was thrilled to be allowed to read an advanced copy of this book because I've recently become such a Dianne Chamberlain fan. I've read book after book of hers and never been disappointed.. This one though, was a tiny bit hard to follow for my liking. It was going along well, then...Bam! A major link got thrown into the story and I actually stopped reading it for a couple of weeks. I decided to give it another go, and I'm so so glad I did. This might not be her best book. Warning: Have tissues ready. It is quite emotional at times.

The Dream Daughter was an enjoyable and unique read that asks how far is a mother willing to go to save her unborn child. Set initially in the 1970's, the main character Carly whose husband died in Vietnam, finds out that her unborn child has a heart defect that will likely result in death within days of birth. Yes, this book does deal with the idea of time travel which initially put me off a bit. Yet, I have to admit that the way the concept of time travel was woven into this novel was truly magical. Not only does this story draw you into Carly's quest to have a healthy child, but it also draws you into the details of everyday life that we don't really think about anymore. I loved seeing Carly's reactions to things like "Google" or when Carly saw a scene from a soap opera and realized that the same characters were still being played by the same actors. I've often wondered what my own grandparents would think of our current world if they could see it now. Life does seem simpler in the past. I loved how pieces of the story the reader would learn about at one point in time, look different in the story when viewed from a different vantage point. The only place that I think the book could use a bit more depth was in the carving out of the relationship between Carly and her husband Joe. I fell that we needed to see a bit more of their relationship to make her loss and subsequent decisions more palatable. Excellent story!

4.3 - I always get drawn into Chamberlain's novels, no matter how far-fetched; this one was a fantastically quick read, full of quirky twists and turns

BREATHTAKING!
An intense heartfelt head shaking amazing read with a non-stop bundle of page turning suspense! One heck of a grueling emotional read that holds you captive till the very end! A myriad of emotions, raw, gripping intense and page turning suspense filled twists! An intoxicating read that will take you on an adrenaline fueled ride and leave you breathless loving every heartpounding word of it!

Wow! Wow! Wow!!! This may be my fave book so far for 2018. I loved it from beginning to end! Just fabulous! I enjoyed this time travel book so much!! It was fun “going back in time to the 1970’s”. Definitely my fave book by Diane Chamberlain so far!!! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book for my honest review. Can’t wait for her next book!!!

I had never heard of Diane Chamberlain until a few months ago. I came across one of her novels at a secondhand bookshop and decided to give it a shot. After really enjoying it, I borrowed another one from the library. I ended up really enjoying that one too. When I saw The Dream Daughter was available to read on NetGalley I downloaded it thinking it would probably be good to read when I needed a break from YA. And I was right!! Diane Chamberlain has yet to disappoint and is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!

The Dream Daughter a little different from her past novels. This one is science fiction! It involves time travel. If you’re not a big fan of sci-fi, I still urge you to give this a shot. Chamberlain writes time travel in such a seamless way that it almost feels real. Like it really is a possibility.

I really loved the main character, Carly. She is an incredibly strong woman. Stronger than I would’ve been able to be in her situation. If you’ve read any of Chamberlain’s previous novels then you know that strong female characters is something she’s really good at writing and Carly is no exception.

I also love how this novel focuses on a mother’s love rather than romantic love. (Something else that is a running theme throughout Chamberlain’s novels.) We see Carly’s love for her child, as well as Myra’s love for Hunter. We also get to see a very healthy platonic love between Hunter and Carly, and I absolutely adore that. Very rarely are men and women allowed to be just friends. Hunter ends up married to Carly’s sister, most novels would have somehow ended up with Carly and Hunter together and I really appreciate that that wasn’t the case in this situation.

I don’t want to say too much more for fear of spoiling anything, so I’ll keep this review short and sweet.

The book, The Dream Daughter, tells the story of a mother in 1970 who finds out her unborn baby has a heart defect. The technology in 1970 is far from what it is in the 21st century, and there is nothing they can do for the baby. Carly, the mother, is devastated as she also just lost her husband in the war. However, her brother-in-law is familiar with time travel and offers to send her into the future to have surgery to save her baby's life. The story unfolds as Carly does go to the future, the baby's fight for life and then how to get back to 1970.

Without giving away anything, this is a book about the love of a mother for a child at heart. That love, that bind, is something that time and bounds cannot break, and anyone who has had a child can relate. The decisions Carly makes, the struggles she goes through - while the reader has to suspend reality because of the time-travel element - are all real. The emotion is real.

The story wraps up and ties up most of the loose ends (the ones that count, anyway). I loved the characters, and I loved the story. I loved the epilogue that gives the reader a glimpse to how things turned out. There were a few lingering questions, especially regarding time travel that I had left, but overall, I loved the book. It's not sci-fi; it's women's fiction that will tug at your heartstrings.

* Thank you to St. Martin's press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was an unusual and interesting read about time travel and a mother's determination to save her child through whatever means necessary. Diane Chamberlain never disappoints and I strongly recommend this book.

Diane Chamberlain is one of my favourite authors and I was excited to revive an ARC of her latest book the The Dream Daughter.
I absolutely loved this book it's was the best book I have read this year, it was just perfect. I can't wait for Diane's next book.
Caroline's husband has been killed while on duty in Vietnam in 1970 and she finds out she is pregnant. Unfortunately her unborn child has a very serious heart defect and there is little chance that she will survive. Caroline's brother in law has a plan to get medical help for the baby but is Caroline brave enough to through with his suggestion and can she believe him that this will work.
I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martins Press for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this time travel novel. A woman travels to the future to save her unborn baby and keeps track of her through future jumps. This is a very unusual story line and I liked Carolyn and her husband Joe's life story. I especially liked the final chapter of the book that ties the entire story together so well. You will smile and tear up as you enjoy their love story. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Diane Chamberlain is an talented writer and I often enjoy her books. Many of them deal with family drama and ethical situations. This one, however, was a departure from that and delved (gently) into the area of time travel. Normally I wouldn't be drawn to that kind of storyline but given that Chamberlain wrote it, I gave it a go. I'm not sorry that I did. I enjoyed the story and was curious to see how it would play out. I felt for Carly and the decisions she had to make throughout her journeys. It wasn't my favorite of hers but was a good read nonetheless.

3.5 stars, round up to 4.

This was a great book. The character development was fantastic, and I loved the ending ;) I will definitely be reading more of Diane Chamberlain in the future--you have a devoted fan!