I really loved this book. It was a little slow at the beginning, but I was soon swept up in the events of the past and present-day timelines. Charlie Lovett is really a master of historical detail and weaving events together in a interesting story. As we follow Robert and his search to discover who were the Tremendous Trio and why they stopped writing books, we also hear the fascinating stories of Magda, Gene and Tom in the late 19th- and early 20th centuries. I also loved learning details about the children's series that I adored, and about NYC, one of my favorite cities. Reading this brought joy to the heart of this lifelong reader, who began in early childhood with the complete Nancy Drew series. Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advance digital copy.

I can still remember the day my mom took me to get my own library card and introduced me to Nancy Drew. The Bobbsey Twins, Trixie Belden, Sweet Valley High were all series I read and loved in my childhood. But Nancy Drew was my first true love and probably the reason I love suspense novels so much today.

Imagine my surprise (not sure when this revelation hit me), when I discovered that Carolyn Keene was actually a number of ghost writers who contributed to the series’ success among readers. Now take that premise and put it into a novel. The result? Escaping Dreamland by Charlie Lovett (thank you, MMD, Blackstone Publishing, and Net Galley for the e-ARC – this is an unbiased review).

Edward Stratemeyer may have been the real-life literary mastermind behind Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and many other popular series, but Lovett introduces us to the fictional Tremendous Trio, ghost writers who work for Pickering Brothers, Publishers in New York City. The three writers don their nom de plumes, and we get a glimpse into their lives, full of secrets. The novel alternates these characters with present-day Robert, who is searching for the mystery behind his favorite childhood series (The Tremendous Trio, of course). And then, the hunt is on. Robert’s research takes us back to the New York City of the early 1900s (and maybe my favorite character in the book!). The Dreamland of the title? A real place. As are many of the locations and events in the book.

Note: I was fortunate enough to see a Modern Mrs. Darcy interview with Charlie Lovett, which was fascinating! The amount of research that went into the creation of Escaping Dreamland is staggering. Now, I can’t wait to read more of his books.

Escaping Dreamland, available September 22, 2020, is truly a tribute to the transforming power of books.

Charlie Lovett knows how to find literary topics that I can't resist. From book collecting in The Bookman's Tale to Jane Austen in First Impressions to the Holy Grail in The Lost Book of the Grail (my favorite), this man has put a stranglehold on my imagination and my attention. In Escaping Dreamland, he's done it again.

Probably the best thing Lovett has done is to bring back many wonderful memories of the books I loved as a child. A favorite scene in the book is the one in which Parrish visits an elderly collector who tells him about saving his ten-cent allowance for five weeks so that his father would take him to Brentano's Bookstore on Fifth Avenue so he could buy the latest book in his favorite series. I learned so much fascinating history about children's serial fiction in Escaping Dreamland that I'm tempted to make time to read some again. Lovett weaves one memorable scene after another into his story: the San Francisco earthquake, John Singer Sargent painting a portrait, the General Slocum disaster, visiting Dreamland on Coney Island... He brings Gilded Age America (and in particular, New York City) to life, and if you're the type of reader who is concerned about the appearance of historical characters in a work of fiction, read Lovett's notes at the end of the book.

All the characters in the book except Parrish's girlfriend Rebecca have demons to fight. Only Robert's demon is left unspoken until the end, but it's rather easy to deduce. If there's one thing I don't particularly like about Escaping Dreamland, it is the "magic box" at the end, but at least the entirety of the lives of the three characters from the earlier timeline is not served up to Parrish on a silver platter. Readers know more than he does, and I like that.

I'm looking forward to Lovett's next book. It's not often that you find an author who knows how to get a grip on both your heart and your mind, and Charlie Lovett is one of those writers for me. If you're a fan, you've got a treat in store. If you've never heard of him before, I highly recommend this man's books. He knows how to tell a tale.

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley.)

Escaping Dreamland by Charlie Lovett
Publication Date: September 22, 2020
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Description from NetGalley...
“Robert Parrish’s childhood obsession with series books like the Hardy Boys and Tom Swift inspired him to become an author. Just as his debut novel becomes a bestseller, his relationship with his girlfriend, Rebecca, begins to fall apart. Robert realizes he must confront his secret demons by fulfilling a youthful promise to solve a mystery surrounding his favorite series—the Tremendous Trio.

Guided by twelve tattered books and an unidentified but tantalizing fragment of a story, Robert journeys into the history of the books that changed his life, hoping they can help him once again. His odyssey takes him to 1906 Manhattan, a time of steamboats, boot blacks, and Fifth Avenue mansions, but every discovery he makes only leads to more questions.”
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Thank you to @NetGalley @blackstonepublishing for the audiobook and digital ARCs in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
So, I initially requested for the audiobook of this historical fiction. Halfway through, I requested for the book. Why? Because it was so good! The narrator was okay at the beginning, he didn’t have the range of voices I’ve been used to listening. But, I was captivated by the story, that I just got used to the narrator’s story-telling and it got better. I also wanted to read the book to make sure I didn’t miss any details. This was how much I enjoyed it. The two timelines intertwined so well. I didn’t want the story of Magda, Gene and Tom to end. It was beautifully written about the power of books. I really want a copy in my hands.

If, as a child, you fell in love with series books about the Hardy boys, Nancy Drew, or Trixie Belden, don’t waste a minute finding a copy of Escaping Dreamland, Charlie Lovett’s latest novel. If you weren’t a series book lover, don’t let that missing part of your childhood deter you. You will still find much to love in this multifaceted tale of children growing into adulthood, each with a secret haunting his or her life and the need to come to terms with the past.

Although filled with historical events, Escaping Dreamland is more a psychological novel than an historical novel. It opens in New York City on May 8, 1945 (V. E. Day) as Magda prepares to close an old shoe box filled with what she considers happy memories before placing it on her closet shelf. However, as she realizes “that she had loved them both, but not been in love with either one of them,” readers realize, without yet knowing whom she is remembering, that some of her memories are more bittersweet than happy.

The story shifts to 2008, as Robert Parrish’s first short story has just been accepted by a respected literary magazine. He realizes that the day has been so perfect “that he had nearly told her.” From the first sentence, I found myself wanting to know what he was withholding. After sharing celebratory pastrami sandwiches and ice cream with his girlfriend Rebecca, she confesses that he would have hated her childhood literary tastes—Nancy Drew, the Dana Girls, Cherry Ames, “those horrid series books.” She assumes Robert had been reading Dickens or George Eliot. Feeling the opportunity has finally come for that conversation he has long been withholding, Robert admits to having loved the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, the Great Marvel, “and, yes, Nancy Drew.” I began to laugh, thinking this was the confession Robert had been struggling for months to make. Then I read on: “A brave man would have dived right in. A wise man would have known the moment had come at last. But, Robert though, he was neither of those things.” Like Magda, Robert had something more to hide.

Lovett next shifts further back in time to the late 1800s, the days of horses and hansom cabs. We meet Magda again, now age four, an immigrant, as her father brings the family to see the statue of Liberty Enlightening the World, newly dedicated in the New York harbor two days earlier. We meet Thomas De Peyster as he, his mother, and sisters arrive to have their portrait painted by John Singer Sargent just as the Vanderbilts depart from their sitting. Mrs. De Peyster dreams of her son’s perfect future match, Amelia Vanderbilt. We also meet Eugene Pinkney, a baker's son, who lives for quiet days when he can read a book. We will see much more of these characters as the book continues.

When readers return to Robert’s story a few pages later, four years have passed. It is 2010, and Robert has published a highly acclaimed debut novel. Despite his professional success, his growing inability to open up to Rebecca has damaged their relationship, and she walks out, leaving him determined to win her back by confronting his past. In part, he must solve some literary mysteries. For example, he must learn something about Dexter Cornwall, the book series writer whose answer to Robert’s once young grandfather is tucked inside one of the series books given to young Robbie after his grandfather’s death. Also, he must find the missing and unknown fourth volume of one of the adventure series—the volume beginning with the loose pages of a first chapter he found tucked into the back of another of the books.

If the time shifts sound confusing, they are not. Lovett identifies each section with place and time. However, the book is addictive. I immediately found myself caught up in Robert’s research adventures as if his life depended on it because, to a large extent, it does. Piece by piece, he must solve these mysteries to confront the demon that haunts him.

For everyone who likes to know where to draw the line between fiction and reality, Lovett addresses that point following the end of the book. I cannot resist mentioning one detail too small to include in his list. Shortly before the end, one of the characters daydreams about something that never happened—dancing in the Dreamland ballroom to its signature music, “The Dreamland Waltz.” Little would the author expect one of his early reviewers to be the composer’s great-granddaughter.

Thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Charlie Lovett for the advance reader copy.

I was completely caught up and transported to New York City in the late 1800s and early 1900s in this story of adventure, friendship, heartbreak, and mystery. You can clearly feel the amount of care that the author put into researching this book so that it felt authentic to the time period and surroundings.

I love that children's adventure book series were the driving force behind this story, the meaningful connection between a son and his father, and the source of the mysteries. Who wrote these books? Why did they stop? Why is the memory of those books and the connection to his father so painful that Robert will not admit to having loved them? Is he willing to sacrifice his relationship to keep his secrets?

You will learn the answers to those questions and many more on this enchanting journey. I highly recommend this book. Once I got into it, I didn't want to put it down!

Charlie Lovett is a master at research. There were events in this particular book that I was not aware of, so Thank you, Mr. Lovett for bringing more history to my attention.

The dual timelines of modern day with author Robert and early 1900's with the Tremendous Trio are woven together with great care and details. Their lives, relationships and struggles draw us in as we try to find out how they are all connected. While the characters are fictitious, Mr. Lovett weaves the real settings and events in so seamlessly that it is often difficult to distinguish between the real and the invented.

**Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley in exchange of an honest review.**

This one is a DNF for me. I must say that the cover is gorgeous and that is mainly why I wanted to read it. I found that their were too many characters at first to keep track of. The author does, however, write very well. I might pick this one up later and I'm sure others will enjoy it but I just couldn't get into it. Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.

I am sorry to say i dnfed this book. Not because IT was s bad story. But there were too many names to keep track of.

I don't do well keeping track of multiple characters and the time periods they belong in. Unfortunately I cannot give a good review since I wasn't able to finish this book.

This book make me think quite a bit. There were many aspects of this book that I didn't know anything about, so I learned several things. Charlie Lovett did an amazing job doing research and it really showed. I don't know much about New York City, so the descriptions of the city were great. I didn't know about the Slocum disaster, so that was something new I learned. I was hooked with the storyline. The book has a modern day story line and a story line in the past with 3 characters. By the end of the book, I was happy I had the opportunity to read it. I would like to read other books by Charlie Lovett.

Escaping Dreamland is a great book that grabs you from the first page and holds on to your until the very last w0rd. Without a doubt, a five star read!

I received this from Netgalley.com.

Following four people: 2010, Robert is a novelist. 1899, Magda works for a publisher. Thomas is a news reporter. Eugene writes scientific articles.

The story is very slowly told and it takes some time to see the connections between everyone.

2☆

I must start by saying that I “heart” Charlie Lovett. I “heart” Charlie Lovett for a number of reasons:

(1) His novels are impeccably researched and he is a master of historical setting. I always want to stop reading to look up places and things to see what they looked like. I don’t because…
(2) His stories are so “just one more page”. You want to know what happens.
(3) His literary tales are always about books and everything that surrounds them. This was his fourth novel and I was so thrilled when I heard that there was another on the horizon. His second book, The Bookman’s Tale, is what caused me to realize that I LOVE books about books.
(4) His novels feature diverging historical timelines. And I absolutely love diverging historical timelines.

In "Escaping Dreamland", Lovett’s is exploring trying to find one’s place in the world – the struggle to be who one is, in spite of what the world expects. It’s about dealing with your past so that it doesn’t negatively affect the future. Lovett does this brilliantly using the above techniques.

If you have a chance to listen to Charlie Lovett discussing this book, do it. It will enhance your reading experience and your life in meaningful ways.

An adventurous quest leads this dual-timeline story. In one timeline, the lead character revisits his favorite childhood stories as well as some darker elements of his own past. The second timeline tells the story of how his favorite childhood stories were written. I learned so much about NYC and various historical events. Mr. Lovett is one of my favorite authors, partly because he tells a good story. He doesn't disappoint in this adventure tale.

Read if you: Fondly remember reading children's series such as Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys and want a quirky, detail-rich read.

There is a certain sort of reader for this book. If you're a children's literature nerd, you'll probably enjoy this.

However-the modern story intertwined with the historical story line is just not that interesting or compelling.

Librarians/booksellers: Purchase if you can't get enough historical fiction stories set in 1900s New York.

Many thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lovely historical fiction about books. Beautifully written & I love the main characters.

3 out of 5 stars.

A great mystery book about books and authors. This is beautifully written and a must read for anyone who loves books.

Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an Advanced Reading Copy of this book, which releases on September 22nd.

Synopsis: Escaping Dreamland has two alternating narratives. One narrative, taking place in the early 1900s, tells the story of three young adults who are starting out their lives in the exciting New York City. They start their journeys as children’s authors together, while also beginning a friendship, even though they each have their own hidden secrets. The modern narrative, taking place in 2010, tells the story of author Robert Parrish, whose grief and guilt over the past keeps him from being honest in his relationship and from being real in his writing. After his partner leaves, Robert goes on an adventure that will answer questions about his beloved childhood book series and help him feel closer to his father at the same time.

After hearing Charlie Lovett speak at the Modern Mrs. Darcy virtual book retreat event, I have such a respect for the amount of time he puts into researching the historical people, places, and events that he includes in his stories. Down to the details, such as the inclusion of a historical baseball game that actually took place in the early 1900s, Charlie puts in the time to paint as accurate a backdrop as possible. I loved reading the book through this lens, looking for all the historical pieces mixed into the narrative. I always enjoy reading a book that teaches me something about history and humanity while also telling a good story, and this book definitely fits into that category.

This review will also be shared on my Instragram account at Instagram.com/the.reading.life.

ESCAPING DREAMLAND by Charlie Lovett explores friendship, grief, grappling with tragedy and overcoming it. In typical Charlie Lovett fashion, there is a historical timeline and a nearly present day timeline. The past timeline is NYC in the early 1900s and follows three characters who are unlikely friends. In the current day, Robert is a writer who is so bound to tragedy in his past that his life comes to a halt until he begins unraveling the past. The historical details were fascinating and incredible. The effect of tragedy as depicted here is realistic and comforting. The story for me was a little slow to get into it but well-written and one I could resonate with.