When a book reduces you to tears 2% into your journey you know you're in for a truly emotive ride and boy was I right. The emotional presence weaving its way throughout the narrative was both poignant and beautiful and I was in awe of this story from start to finish.


A keen sense of love and loss delicately threaded the heart and soul of this story together to produce an exceptional piece that moved me greatly. The narrative swept me away on the biggest emotional roller-coaster that had me reading with my heart in my mouth at the emotional gravity this story produced.


Each and every character had a challenging struggle to overcome and the main element pulling them all together was incredibly well thought out and truly mesmerising. I read the entire book with baited breath and couldn't bring myself to put it down even for a moment.


Some stories have the power to take your breath away and this is certainly one of them. This is my first Dani Atkins tale but it won't be my last in the slightest. A Million Dreams is a breathtaking masterpiece of love and loss in all its heartbreaking glory and I know it will stay with me for many years to come.

Dani has done it again.
A beautifully emotive book that tells the story of Beth and Izzy and the circumstances which bring them together in the most shocking way.
Although there were aspects of this book that I found a little predictable (could be because Dani is one of my favourite authors so her style has become familiar) I thoroughly enjoyed every page and couldn’t put it down.
Dani writes with such emotion that you can’t help but be drawn to her characters and I found myself once agin crying at parts of this book
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review

I really loved this story. It really is a fitting, heartwarmer for the season. The narrative style of having alternate chapters from both Beth and Izzy's points of view was very effecrive in getting to grips with how each of them processed and came of terms of discovering the true origins of their son and how they positioned themselves in his life.

One thing I did notice was how Beth's realisation of Noah – or how she ultimately stepped away from considering herself as his mother to be quite rushed. It would have been intersting to delve into her thought process here a little more and ultimately why she came to renounce all contact with Noah. At times her growing romance with Liam seemed to grow with very little conflict – aside from one such instance with his late wife's paintings and a pushy art dealer – which led me to have to suspend reality for a bit to really embrace the story. Not that this is a bad thing, as most of my experiences with romance novels have been exactly that.

The ending, at first instance, felt somewhat rushed, and I found the knock at the door to be a bit too obvious and that subtlty would have been far more emotive here.

Overall, this was a sweet story. While reading I couldn't help but imagine it as a mini series in the build up to Christmas and this would make a great easy read curled up on the sofa in the colder months.

Dani Atkins is a brilliant writer. She broke my heart into a million pieces and joined them together with hope. Every word written in this book was etched in my heart bringing with it emotions which had tears coursing down my cheeks and a smile trying to flutter through amidst them.

2 women stuck in a dilemma which had no solution at least nothing which could be called fair and just. Izzy and Pete, separated parents, had a son Noah. Beth was a widow who had lost her husband and longed to be a mother. Both their lives had intersected 8 years ago by fate and an accident, and the results affected them today. What was justice and would it be served by the same fate?

Having read a book by this author after a long time, I was pulled into the book from the first line, enjoying the scenes as they unfolded in front of me. They were lucid and clear and gave me powerful imagery via my emotions. I was pulled in different directions by both those women as I felt keenly for both. Dani’s writing was superfluous in etching them, carving them out of real life.

The love that was shown kept me anchored firmly into the story. I didn’t realize that time had moved on while I was reading it. Nothing could have ever stopped me from completing the book at one go.

I loved, loved, loved the book with the million pieces of my heart. Ah, a fabulous storyteller was this author who told me the million dreams a mother has for her child.

The call from the IVF clinic changed Beth's life forever. Having already had to deal with her husband's early death from cancer, she now discovers that their one and only viable embryo had been mistakenly implanted into another woman 6 years previously resulting in the birth of a son Noah. The storyline begins here between Izzy and Pete who have brought Noah up for his lifetime and Beth.

We also have the backdrop story of budding romance/friendship between Beth and Liam and the rekindling romance between separated Izzy and Pete.

Not my usual type of read but hugely enjoyable, emotional and well written narrative with true to life characters.

This would be a fantastic book club choice as i feel there would be some great debates around the topic.

Thanks to Head of Zeus, the author and NetGalley for the ARC.

Oh my days - what a concept to base a book around! And I can't even mention it here as it isn't mentioned in the blurb and I don't like spoilers. But, wow! So possible and so, well, devastating for all involved. In fact, the blurb is so teasingly short, I'm not sure there's much else I can mention about the story.
Beth and Izzy are thrown together when something is discovered. Something that rocks both their worlds. Something that happened 8 years ago but remained secret all that time. Something that, when explained how, could actually happen in real life.
It's all sorts of emotional. Shock and horror is up there, as are devastation and chest beating torment. But there's always this underlying feeling of hope bubbling under. And there's some humour and romance contained within the pages too so it's not all doom and gloom.
Characterisation is excellent which is just as well being as this is an incredibly character driven book. Beth and Izzy are extremely well crafted, especially considering what the author puts them through throughout the book. Other characters play their parts just as well, each as well drawn as the main ones even though their contributions may be far less.
Pacing is also good throughout and matches the narrative all the way through. There is quite a lot going on in this book but none of it feel dragged out for the sake of it. Everything just flows along as it should.
All in all, a cracking read that gripped me from the off, held me captive throughout, and left me satisfied at its conclusion. It's not the first book I have enjoyed by this author and it definitely won't be the last. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book

Having only been married for a short time, Tim and Beth find themselves facing the devasting news of Tim’s life-threatening illness. They undergo IVF treatment and attempt to have a child yet five years after Tim’s death, Beth decides to use the last embryo. The story also follows Izzy Vaugh and her husband, who despite separating, share the responsibility for raising Noah, their son born through IVF. The lives of Beth and Izzy will intersect, changing their lives and all those who they love, forever.
This was a powerful story with so many wonderful characters. Dani Atkins expands on each and every character with such detail, that it is difficult not to become attached to them. I found myself reflecting on their lives, long after I finished reading this book. This is a story that will resonate with you, for its ability to have you crying one moment and smiling, the next.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Beth Brandon and her husband Tim work hard to make Beth’s dream come true. They create a Florists shop which Beth loves so much. She has always loved the flowers and is an authority on what flowers mean when you give them to loved ones. When they decided to make a family together, they are both gutted with each failure to conceive. Eventually they take the path that is the only way to have a baby that is theirs: they start fertility treatment. They harvest three embryos at the clinic that they both hope will give them the chance of becoming adoring and loving parents. They fail on their first attempt, and then their second. They are devastated. It is then that fate steps in and Beth’s world changes forever.
Izzy Vaughan and her husband Pete are ecstatic when their baby comes along. They also had to rely on fertility treatment. Deeply in love, they raise their son Noah, sharing, caring and with wonder. He is a really lovely boy with many interests. He loves life in general and is full of joy. Izzy works at a nearby Veterinary Practice and her life feels complete. As Noah grows up their love for him increases, but unfortunately Izzy and Pete grow further apart than ever. Izzy is an anxious mother. Her dream is to be a perfect mother, but somehow Pete drops off her list of priorities. Eventually the distance between them is too wide so they decide to separate for a while, although they are still friendly for Noah’s sake.
Two ladies who have never met and it seems they never will, have one particular and important thing that they share. They both receive a simultaneous phone call. It breaks their hearts. It is the most terrible and shocking news. When their lives collide they are not sure whether they will ever be friends or even grow to like each other. But thrown together in desperation and heartbreak, this is their compelling and heart-wrenching story.
I loved this novel so much. At the very heart of the story is a moral dilemma. It wracks them both equally. This gripping story searches for the fairest and most honest solution. It is a literal game-changer for two strangers who will need all the strength they can muster up to do the right thing. Dani Atkin’s is a superb storyteller. That is why she became the holder of the Romantic Novelist of the Year award, after all. She has the ability to reach right into the hearts of her wonderful cast of characters. My favourite character was Beth. She was a truly lovely lady full of empathy and compassion. Her big hearted generosity was so touching because she had so much to lose. I loved the tender romance that grew from meeting a total stranger. I willed it to work out for them both. Noah was a top character too. I thought Pete was perfect gentleman, calm, supportive and patient. I loved his beautiful and close relationship with his son Noah and I wanted his life to work out so badly. He deserved to share his love once again. Another thing I really enjoyed was the pace of the story. It was steady but filled with interest and suspense throughout the entire novel. When the ending came I was really sad. I wanted more, but the ending was so clever that I thought it was a masterpiece of fiction.
I received this book through my membership of NetGalley and from publisher Head of Zeus in return for an honest review. Thank you for my copy. These are my own thoughts and I have read no other reviews before writing my own. Dani Atkins aced high with her latest novel. It was outstanding in so many ways. I highly recommend ‘A Million Dreams’ for you to read. It is a gorgeous story.

Thanks to netgalley for a chance to read this book.

Beth loses her husband Tim to cancer and five years later she decides to use the last embryo they had frozen prior to Tim’s cancer treatment to have a baby. However, she gets a call from the clinic where it is kept to say that eight years ago the embryo was implanted into another woman by mistake. Beth then finds out she and Tim have an eight year old boy.

What action will Beth take following this discovery and how will it all end.

Brilliant read.

I found this such a beautiful and emotional read. A real tug on the heartstrings which kept me riveted from the start to the very end. A difficult story which was well told with lots of moral issues that really made me think.
I loved this book which had such real , well described and interesting characters.
Another great book by Dani Atkins and I cannot wait for her next one.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book for an unbiased review.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. I found when I put the book down that I struggled to pick it back up again and eventually I didn't finish it as it couldn't hold my attention. Thank you for the opportunity to read it in exchange for an honest opinion.

was very excited when I saw a Dani Atkins book on Netgalley, and I thank NetGalley for the e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

The blurb of this book was fairly vague, but that didn't put me off, and maybe that's the problem.

The first half of the book was a four star read - pretty good, like Jodi Piccoult. Not Jodi Piccoult on her best day perhaps, but still. A couple of things bugged me like the vagueness of the location, and the fact that apparently the weather is always beautiful in Sydney (drought's over guys, it rains in winter), but these were minor niggles.

The 3rd quarter started to get melodramatic, and I dropped down to 3 stars, and there were aspects of it that seemed poorly researched and rubbed me quite the wrong way.

(view spoiler on Goodreads, I didn't want to include it here because I couldn't hide it.)

As one of the other reviewer pointed out, this ends up being a Christmas book. For her that was a good thing. I don't read or relate to Christmas books, so that didn't help.

The final quarter was cliqued, completely over the top and saccharine. I particularly hated the epilogue. Oh look, 20 years have passed, and this is where we are at. Why?

To start with thank you to Netgalley, Dani Atkins and Head of Zeus for allowing me to review this book.

Wow what an emotional roller coaster of a book - amazing writing skills that make you feel as you are right there with the characters as their lives Change! I was hooked from the beginning!

Beth the florist lost her husband to cancer 5 years ago - being so young at the time her and her husband decided to freeze embryo's so they could still have children - however Tim lost his battle to cancer and they still went without child.

Izzy - a mum to a beautiful boy Noah, thought she was keeping her family together but due to her insecurities and fears and miscommunication between her and her husband Pete their lives started to drift apart.

But one day a call from the IVF clinic changes both couples lives forever. Because of the clinic's mistake everyone's lives may change. Will they be able to settle without going to court and involving little Noah? Will they let it all break them? Will everyone involved be able to get what they want from the mistake made? Or will everything fall apart?

You'll just have to read on to find out!

Such an emotional book that pulls at your heart strings. The author is able to capture human emotions amazingly. Because of Dani's style of writing I was able to feel the emotions from all characters involved in the story and understand how everything was affecting them. It really gets you involved in the book from the get go! Thank you for such an amazing book.

Beth owns a florist, however she is nervous because she has some news to share with her husband. Izzy thought she and her husband Pete would be together forever, but their love faded somewhere along the way. They both find joy in their son Noah, but is he enough to keep them together?
Eight years ago, something happened to these women, something that is going to have a huge impact on each other’s lives and will bring them together in a way that no-one thought possible.

This is an amazing read once again by Dani Atkins. I have loved every book she has written so far and this one didn’t disappoint. The story line is good, I could see what was happening as I was reading but it didn’t spoil the book for me in any way. The characters were developed beautifully and as I read what they were going through I was there with them every step of the way. If you get a chance to read this book then please do so.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher Head of Zeus for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was unsure how this book would go as the blurb was enticing but vague however the storyline blew me away when it was revealed. Dani Atkins took a very emotional and contentious story and handled it with poignancy and delicacy and the decisions Beth and Izzy took throughout were well considered. This was well written from both women’s perspectives and it was easy to feel empathy for both. This is an incredible read, sensitively and thoughtfully written and I sincerely recommend it.

I have loved every one of Dani's books and while I don't think this is as good as her previous ones it is only because there was no shock surprise at the end. There are very few books that do that but her previous book Shattered had be gasping out loud! Back to this book I don't want to give too much away but basically it explores nature and nurture and just because you are the biological mother does that. mean you are the best?

Two great characters and a book that tugs at your heartstrings and makes you think what would I do?

Brilliant, Dani Atkins has done it again in my opinion, I have read all her books and she never disappoints. It was a roller coaster of a read, full of twists and turns and I was gripped from the very first page, just my type of book.

All the characters were so well described, all interesting in their own way, each with their own story to tell and I just loved the different chapters relating to Beth and Izzy

I cannot recommend this book highly enough, well done Dani and I look forward to your next masterpiece.

Thank you to Netgalley and Head of Zeus Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this fantastic book, 10+ stars from me.

I was lucky enough to receive an e book copy of this wonderful book from Net Galley in exchange for a honest review.

Danni Atkins is one of my favourite authors and I was beyond excited to read this book. I think it would be impossible for me not to enjoy a book by Danni Atkins because her writing is so beautiful and emotive it’s difficult not to find yourself emotionally invested in the characters and the storyline.

I enjoyed the story on the whole however I wasn’t crazy about the court battle aspect and I thought it was a bit of a cliche how Beth was needed to help Noah. That being said though there was so much more to the storyline, parts of it made me cry and I felt every single emotion that Beth and Izzy went through thanks to Danni’s unique and extraordinary way of story telling. This is one that I’d definitely recommend, along with every book that she’s ever written.

You need a love story that is full of emotions and made you root for the characters and share their feelings.
This is that kind of story, well written and poignant.
I love the well thought and realistic cast of characters and the plot.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

A enthralling and thought provoking book, which was powerful and gripping from page one to the end. This heart warming novel was beautifully written, it will have you weeping by the end as your heart soars with love through some very tough choices.

Well done Dani another wonderful novel.