Book Review: THE DREAM DAUGHTER by Diane Chamberlain

Title: THE DREAM DAUGHTER

Author: Diane Chamberlain
Read: October 2019

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 all the stars!

Book Description:

When Caroline Sears receives the news that her unborn baby girl has a heart defect, she is devastated. It is 1970 and there seems to be little that can be done. But her brother-in-law, a physicist, tells her that perhaps there is. Hunter appeared in their lives just a few years before—and his appearance was as mysterious as his past. With no family, no friends, and a background shrouded in secrets, Hunter embraced the Sears family and never looked back.

Now, Hunter is telling her that something can be done about her baby's heart. Something that will shatter every preconceived notion that Caroline has. Something that will require a kind of strength and courage that Caroline never knew existed. Something that will mean a mind-bending leap of faith on Caroline's part.

And all for the love of her unborn child.

A rich, genre-spanning, breathtaking novel about one mother's quest to save her child, unite her family, and believe in the unbelievable. Diane Chamberlain pushes the boundaries of faith and science to deliver a novel that you will never forget.

My musings:

What was the last book that managed to steal past all your defences and shoot an arrow straight through your heart? THE DREAM DAUGHTER was that type of book for me. As soon as I turned the last page, I felt an intense sense of loss for the story and the characters – it’s always the sign of a very special read when the characters seem like friends or family and finishing the book leaves behind an almost physical longing to continue being part of their journey. Rarely has a story touched my heart like THE DREAM DAUGHTER. I felt 100% invested. I laughed, I cried, I dug my nails into my hands until they left deep indents. I gripped my teeth as things didn’t go as expected. Such a rollercoaster ride of emotions!

I cannot discuss this book without a very small spoiler, so if you haven’t read it yet, please stop now – it’s definitely worth going into this one blindly!

How far would you go to save your child? Would you move to another city? Another country? Another time? When Carly Sears receives the devastating news that her unborn daughter has an unsurvivable  heart defect, she is – as you would expect – devastated. She has recently lost her husband Joe to the Vietnam war, and this baby is the only thing that has kept her battling through her grief. In 1970, there is nothing that can be done for her baby. However, 30 years later there will be medical advances that could save her daughter. If time travel was possible, would you take that chance?

I think if you are a parent, you will know this is a no-brainer. Of course you would! Yes, Carly has her sister and her home to tie her to the 70’s, but her husband is dead and this is her first baby – the only baby she will ever have with Joe. Of course she will do anything to save her. And so starts an unusual journey – one young mother’s quest to save her child at all costs.

If you have read my reviews or know me at all, you will also know that I struggle with suspension of disbelief. Really? I hear you say, you read a story about time travel and actually enjoyed it? That, my friends, I did. I more than enjoyed it – I loved it! It stole my heart. Rarely has a story affected me as much as this one, and I am awed how the author could tackle such a difficult and tricky subject with such skill. It was just perfect in every way! Keeping me at the edge of my seat as Carly embarks on her journey. There was drama, and suspense, and an ending that tied everything together in a way that was wholly satisfying in every aspect. Furthermore, the author managed the tricky balance of making something we think of as impossible plausible, without trying to over-explain or complicate matters. Each piece slotted into place seamlessly to create a story that just WORKED.

Apart from Carly’s quest, I also wholly enjoyed the nostalgic travel back in time, and it made for a lot of reflection. Yes, we have made a lot of medical advances. There is so much technology today that was unheard of in the 70’s. And yet, life was so much simpler then. What would you prefer? I loved the way Carly reflects on all the differences between her time and the future / present, and the good and bad aspects of each. It certainly made me think! I wish I had read this with a group to be able to discuss the many things that came up for me.

Summary:

All in all, some books manage to touch your heart very deeply, and THE DREAM DAUGHTER was that sort of book for me. It easily made it onto my all-time-favourites list and my friends and family have heard ALL about it. It’s a beautiful story about the sacrifices you make to save your child, with a special twist that will have you reflect on the past, present and future and everything you take for granted. Definitely one of the best books I have read this year, brought to life by Chamberlain’s beautiful writing. Very highly recommended!