The Dream Daughter, by Diane Chamberlain
On Mother’s Day this year, I “forced” my boys to wander the bookstore with me. I say forced because it is not their favorite thing to do because they know it’s going to take awhile. One of them always ends up looking at the stack of books I am holding and says, “Do you really need all of those books or do you just want them?”, to which my reply is always, “Both!” But, they are used to it growing up with a mom that loves to read.
So, there I was with my stack of books trying to figure out which one to read while on vacation. I posted the photo on Instagram and basically explained my dilemma. Yes, I tagged each author’s name, assuming that I would hear from the followers of each person. It is a rather nice selection and I am a fan of each author, which makes it even harder to decide which one I should start with.
Imagine my surprise when I did receive a reply. But, not from a follower, but from one of the actual author’s! Yes, you read that. The actual author of ‘The Dream Daughter’, Diane Chamberlain. Wow! To say that I was thrilled and shocked at the same time may not be a big enough description.
Having no clue what this book was about, I packed it for my vacation. Here’s the thing, I have read enough books and by particular authors that I don’t necessarily even read the description any longer. Sure, I open it just prior to reading to get a feel for it, but I know who I like and what I like.
When Carly Sears, a young woman widowed by the Vietnam war, receives the news that her unborn baby girl has a heart defect, she is devastated. It is 1970, and she is told that nothing can be done to help her child. But her brother-in-law, a physicist with a mysterious past, tells her that perhaps there is a way to save her baby. What he suggests is something that will shatter every preconceived notion that Carly has. Something that will require a kind of strength and courage she never knew existed. Something that will mean an unimaginable leap of faith on Carly’s part.“
via Amazon
I have not read this good of a book in a very long time. Had I been left alone, I would have had it knocked out in a day. But, when you are visiting friends, the whole point is to spend time with them, soooo…. I found time to read while sitting next to the pool or on the outskirts of a group of people. Make sure that your household chores are done because you won’t want to get anything done and your kids might starve. Without giving the plot away, I have to admit that I was addicted to this book and ready to see just what would happen next. It makes you think about life and what you would do in that situation ~ Do you do as you are expected or do you take that chance?
Thank you to Diane Chamberlain for suggesting I read her book first. The Dream Daughter was excellent and I simply fell in love with these characters!