Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Publication
Books on Tape (2007), Edition: Unabridged Audiobook, Downloadable WMA/MP3 Audiofile, 11 hrs 32 mins
Description
Fiction. Literature. Romance. HTML:A desperate young mother. Rachel Stone's bad luck has taken a turn for the worse. With an empty wallet, a car's that's spilling smoke, and a five-year-old son to support, she's come home to a town that hates her. But this determined young widow with a scandalous past has learned how to be a fighter. And she'll do anything to keep her child safe -- even take on ... A man with no heart. Gabe Bonner wants to be left alone, especially by the beautiful outcast who's invaded his property. She has a ton of attitude, a talent for trouble, and a child who brings back bad memories. Yet Rachel's feisty spirit might just be heaven-sent to save a tough, stubborn man. Dare to dream. Welcome to Salvation, North Carolina -- where a man who's forgotten what tenderness means meets a woman with nothing to lose. here two endearing lovers will set off on a funny, touching journey of the heart ... to a place where dreams just might come true.… (more)
Media reviews
4 out of 5 stars!! This book was GREAT!!!!!! I LOVED Rachel & Gabe as a couple!! Plus, finding out what else happened for the Bonner family was icing on the cake! Then the cherry on top was the secondary story of Pastor Ethan (Gabe & Cal's younger brother) & Kristy. =0) If I gush any more then
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you'll know what will happen in the book so ... I just say .... GO READ IT!
Review By: From Me to You ... Video, Photography, & Book Reviews
Read more of this review and TWO TEASERS here: https://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2010/07/feasted-on-chicago-stars-series-book-4.html Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member Darla
I only got about 5 hours of sleep last night, and I hold SEP fully responsible. I was about halfway through Dream a Little Dream when I went to bed, and do you think she'd let up a little so I could go to sleep? No. She even... (and I really hate to admit this) made me cry. I haven't met the woman,
(yes, I'm silly this morning--I only got about 5 hours of sleep! Weren't you paying attention?)
Anyway. The book. I was tearing up in the first 50 pages. What kind of sadist writes a little kid saying "Now, mommy? Are we going to die now?" God. And of course she had to go and make the characters compelling and interesting people that I really cared about.
Rachel is the widow of a charlatan televangelist. She and her 5-year-old son are homeless, living in their car. She's made her way back to their hometown in search of the money her husband had left hidden, and finds that people there have long memories and are not inclined to forgive what's left of a man who betrayed them all.
The only job she can find is helping angry recluse Gabe rebuild a drive-in movie theater. Gabe had lost his wife and son to a drunk driver two years before, and he wants nothing to do with a woman and child who remind him of what he's lost. Yet he can't bring himself to turn her away, particularly not when even his brother, the town's pastor, refuses to show her any compassion.
It's an intense story of a man who's given up, and a woman who refuses to.
There's just so much right with this story, I don't know where to begin. I normally don't like children in romances--they're almost never realistic with regard to their ages, and they tend to conveniently disappear for chapters at a time. That doesn't happen here. Rachel's son is a five-year-old boy for whom the only permanent thing in his life is his mother.
Likewise, Rachel's desperation and determination, and Gabe's despair and buried anger are very real.
And it doesn't stop there. The townspeople, most of them bitter and angry, yet professing themselves to be good Christians. Again, very real. And, surprisingly, they're not written as a criticism of religion--they're just human. Fallible, understandable.
There's even a secondary romance, between Pastor Ethan and his long-time friend and secretary Kristy, and they both have to grow and change for it to work.
I'm used to SEP's books being a little lighter--in the same way as Jennifer Crusie's: laughter over pain. Dream a Little Dream isn't like that. But it just proves what I've thought for a long time. Good writing is good writing, and almost always, if I like how an author writes one kind of book, I'll like how she writes another.
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though I've heard stories HERE and HERE, and maybe I shouldn't have been surprised, but I didn't think she'd be the type to begrudge someone a few hours of sleep. Guess I was wrong.(yes, I'm silly this morning--I only got about 5 hours of sleep! Weren't you paying attention?)
Anyway. The book. I was tearing up in the first 50 pages. What kind of sadist writes a little kid saying "Now, mommy? Are we going to die now?" God. And of course she had to go and make the characters compelling and interesting people that I really cared about.
Rachel is the widow of a charlatan televangelist. She and her 5-year-old son are homeless, living in their car. She's made her way back to their hometown in search of the money her husband had left hidden, and finds that people there have long memories and are not inclined to forgive what's left of a man who betrayed them all.
The only job she can find is helping angry recluse Gabe rebuild a drive-in movie theater. Gabe had lost his wife and son to a drunk driver two years before, and he wants nothing to do with a woman and child who remind him of what he's lost. Yet he can't bring himself to turn her away, particularly not when even his brother, the town's pastor, refuses to show her any compassion.
It's an intense story of a man who's given up, and a woman who refuses to.
There's just so much right with this story, I don't know where to begin. I normally don't like children in romances--they're almost never realistic with regard to their ages, and they tend to conveniently disappear for chapters at a time. That doesn't happen here. Rachel's son is a five-year-old boy for whom the only permanent thing in his life is his mother.
Likewise, Rachel's desperation and determination, and Gabe's despair and buried anger are very real.
And it doesn't stop there. The townspeople, most of them bitter and angry, yet professing themselves to be good Christians. Again, very real. And, surprisingly, they're not written as a criticism of religion--they're just human. Fallible, understandable.
There's even a secondary romance, between Pastor Ethan and his long-time friend and secretary Kristy, and they both have to grow and change for it to work.
I'm used to SEP's books being a little lighter--in the same way as Jennifer Crusie's: laughter over pain. Dream a Little Dream isn't like that. But it just proves what I've thought for a long time. Good writing is good writing, and almost always, if I like how an author writes one kind of book, I'll like how she writes another.
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LibraryThing member dts1dbm
this was so good, i didnt want it to end. I hope she writes a continuation. I laughed, cried and smiled through out the book. Highly recommend
LibraryThing member risadabomb
I loved this book and I couldn't put it down. Rachel is a great leading lady and Gabe just made my heart soar. Well written and so entertaining.
LibraryThing member mschweer432
I enjoyed this book. I really liked Rachael. She used humor to help her get through some really rough situations. I felt like SEP did a good job expressing what Gabe was going through. It was very sad. I really did enjoy this book and the only reason I gave it 4 1/2 stars instead of 5 was because
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it was just a little bit too sad for me. I have a hard time reading about children who are sick or die and I'm not sure if it's a subject I care to approach when I pick up a romance. However, I did really enjoy the book overall. Show Less
LibraryThing member FlanneryAC
I did not like this one as much as This Heart of Mine, Natural Born Charmer, or It Had to be You. I found it lacking in funny dialogue (I suppose my expectations should be lower given the seriousness of some of the issues that run through this book but I've come to expect a certain amount of
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entertaining banter and didn't get it here) and I really disliked most of the characters. I think the only character really enjoyed was Kristy. Her side story with Ethan was actually more enjoyable for me than the main storyline. Show Less
LibraryThing member cranberrytarts
This is such an emotional read. Despite the dark subject matter it really grabs you and won't let go. SEP at her best.
LibraryThing member jbarr5
Dream A little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Her swindling husband dies in a crash and Rachel and her son go back to her home in Salvage, NC
Rachel Stone and her 5 yo son has a scandalous past and nothing much left to her name.
Gabe Barner wants to be left alone. He has lost his whole life and
Over time he tries to help her and her son out and gets a bit too close at times. He is still healing and can he move past it?
She has a hard life trying to convince others it was her husband cheating them all and not her. Some in town think she can be their miracle and cure them from their ailments.
Hot steamy sex scenes. She realizes that there is no treasure where she thought it was and maybe it was time to move on...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Her swindling husband dies in a crash and Rachel and her son go back to her home in Salvage, NC
Rachel Stone and her 5 yo son has a scandalous past and nothing much left to her name.
Gabe Barner wants to be left alone. He has lost his whole life and
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child and sees her as a nuisance.Over time he tries to help her and her son out and gets a bit too close at times. He is still healing and can he move past it?
She has a hard life trying to convince others it was her husband cheating them all and not her. Some in town think she can be their miracle and cure them from their ailments.
Hot steamy sex scenes. She realizes that there is no treasure where she thought it was and maybe it was time to move on...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
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LibraryThing member msralways
Incredible and so, so sad and heart wrenching! I think I cried the first time when I was only 15% into the story. Rachel and Gabe both had it so tough in their lives and then their misery just mashed together and they found the strengh in eachother to move on and live their lives. Chip was this
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amazing kid who was there for his mom and ended up being one of the reasons why I almost cried until the book ended. The author showed us another side of Ethan and Cal and how their obssessive protection of their brother could bring a lot more grief into Gabe's and Rachel's lives. Good to see that those two strong minded men had some space in their lives to make some pretty grueling mistakes. And another joy to the whole was Krystie's part in it and her own story too. Amazing! Show Less
LibraryThing member jendoyle2000
Damn, SEP. Decided at 10 p.m. to just read a chapter or two before going to sleep. FIVE HOURS (and many tears) LATER, I reached the last page. So good. Sad in a way I usually can't tolerate, but SEP is just so good that I couldn't help myself. Soooo worth it in the end.
Rachel's inability to keep
It would have been a 5 for me if not for the sadder parts. But SEP does it once again.
Rachel's inability to keep
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herself from mouthing off made me fall in love completely, and the I particularly enjoyed Jane's reaction to her. The scenes with her and Gabe's brothers were great, even if it was difficult to see them be so hard on her. (Her getting them back was worth the payoff, though.) And I did love not just how Gabe stood up to them on her behalf, but also how they all stuck it out because of how much they care about each other. Plus the epilogue was one of my favorites ever. It would have been a 5 for me if not for the sadder parts. But SEP does it once again.
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LibraryThing member AddictedToMorphemes
Dream a Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
"Chicago Stars" series #4
Excellent! This one goes on my short list for books I would read again.
Rachel Stone reluctantly returns to the town she had to leave in shame after her televangelist husband swindled millions of dollars from his innocent
Her car breaks down outside of Salvation on the property of a drive-in movie theater owned by Gabriel Bonner, one of the town's favorite sons. When she meets him, he is in deep despair after losing his wife and child in a car accident. He is incredibly surly and rude to both her and her son, Edward, and does whatever he can to get them off his property. Unfortunately, no one else in the town is willing to help her, including his brother who is the town pastor. Rachel is full of pride and dignity, but they have been living out of her car (which has now just been towed away) and she is fighting for her life and is desperate enough to now be willing to do anything just to provide food for her son.
They spar constantly, but she refuses to give up and talks him into hiring her to help fix up the drive-in before the summer season starts. She faces one uphill battle after another but never gives up. He cannot understand why she won't admit defeat and is determined to break her. It enrages him. It pains him. He is forced to face his own pain whenever he is around her or her son, who reminds him so much of who he lost. Their story is filled with real pain, sadness, regrets, shame, and desperation to hold onto a reason to go on.
For those who are new to this genre, this is a good example of one that is done right. It has a story and characters with depth, an interesting plot that that keeps you on your toes, additional stories of side characters which also draw your interest, heart-tugging angst (but not so much to be annoying or tiresome), and loads of good chemistry and sexual tension. The end resolution is also well done and doesn't feel rushed or contrived. Recommended.
"Chicago Stars" series #4
Excellent! This one goes on my short list for books I would read again.
Rachel Stone reluctantly returns to the town she had to leave in shame after her televangelist husband swindled millions of dollars from his innocent
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parishioners. Once he realized he was going to be caught, he made a point to blame his "Delilah" of a wife, saying she was the one who urged him to provide for her extravagant lifestyle, even though he forced her to dress the part of a teased/trampy wife. So now here she is broke, with her her 5yo son in tow, returning to face all the scorn which should have been directed toward her now deceased husband.Her car breaks down outside of Salvation on the property of a drive-in movie theater owned by Gabriel Bonner, one of the town's favorite sons. When she meets him, he is in deep despair after losing his wife and child in a car accident. He is incredibly surly and rude to both her and her son, Edward, and does whatever he can to get them off his property. Unfortunately, no one else in the town is willing to help her, including his brother who is the town pastor. Rachel is full of pride and dignity, but they have been living out of her car (which has now just been towed away) and she is fighting for her life and is desperate enough to now be willing to do anything just to provide food for her son.
They spar constantly, but she refuses to give up and talks him into hiring her to help fix up the drive-in before the summer season starts. She faces one uphill battle after another but never gives up. He cannot understand why she won't admit defeat and is determined to break her. It enrages him. It pains him. He is forced to face his own pain whenever he is around her or her son, who reminds him so much of who he lost. Their story is filled with real pain, sadness, regrets, shame, and desperation to hold onto a reason to go on.
For those who are new to this genre, this is a good example of one that is done right. It has a story and characters with depth, an interesting plot that that keeps you on your toes, additional stories of side characters which also draw your interest, heart-tugging angst (but not so much to be annoying or tiresome), and loads of good chemistry and sexual tension. The end resolution is also well done and doesn't feel rushed or contrived. Recommended.
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LibraryThing member PatsyMac
3rd times a charm
This was the very first book of this authors that I had ever read and it's likely the best. I haven't read it in over 10 years but was something good to read and thought why not? The quality of her books has declined (to me) over the years and the last one I didn't even purchase
This was the very first book of this authors that I had ever read and it's likely the best. I haven't read it in over 10 years but was something good to read and thought why not? The quality of her books has declined (to me) over the years and the last one I didn't even purchase
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but she certainly knows how to write a book that's hard to put down. Definitely worth the read!! Show Less
LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Dream a Little Dream
4 Stars
After the loss of his wife and child, Gabe Bonner is only going through the motions of living. That is until Rachel Stone returns to Salvation, North Carolina desperate for a job to support her young son. Despite their rocky start, Rachel and Gabe find themselves
Series note: While books 1-3 can be read as standalones, book #4 is a direct continuation of #3 and as such the two should be read in order.
Rachel is a wonderful heroine. Her strength and resilience in the face of the townsfolk's scorn and shunning are admirable as is her determination to do anything necessary to ensure that her son has everything he needs and deserves.
While Gabe has all the making of an excellent tortured hero, there is one aspect of his character that proves very problematic, i.e., his biased attitude and harsh treatment of little Edward. Yes, it is understandable that the sweet little boy reminds Gabe of his dead son, but there are moments when his thoughts and behavior are simply unforgivable.
Another problematic issue is the overt Christian themes. While I have nothing against inspirational romance, the focus on God and religion is incongruent with the secular contemporary tone of the series thus far.
Despite the abovementioned problems, Dream a Little Dream is a lovely romance with engaging characters who come to life on the page. Make sure to have a box of Kleenex at the ready though because this is one SAD book.
4 Stars
After the loss of his wife and child, Gabe Bonner is only going through the motions of living. That is until Rachel Stone returns to Salvation, North Carolina desperate for a job to support her young son. Despite their rocky start, Rachel and Gabe find themselves
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inextricably drawn to one another, but can they overcome the traumas of the past to have a future together?Series note: While books 1-3 can be read as standalones, book #4 is a direct continuation of #3 and as such the two should be read in order.
Rachel is a wonderful heroine. Her strength and resilience in the face of the townsfolk's scorn and shunning are admirable as is her determination to do anything necessary to ensure that her son has everything he needs and deserves.
While Gabe has all the making of an excellent tortured hero, there is one aspect of his character that proves very problematic, i.e., his biased attitude and harsh treatment of little Edward. Yes, it is understandable that the sweet little boy reminds Gabe of his dead son, but there are moments when his thoughts and behavior are simply unforgivable.
Another problematic issue is the overt Christian themes. While I have nothing against inspirational romance, the focus on God and religion is incongruent with the secular contemporary tone of the series thus far.
Despite the abovementioned problems, Dream a Little Dream is a lovely romance with engaging characters who come to life on the page. Make sure to have a box of Kleenex at the ready though because this is one SAD book.
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Subjects
Awards
RITA Award (Finalist — 1999)
AAR Annual Reader Poll (1999)
AAR Top 100 Romances (76 — [Previously 1998-12 / 2000-47 / 2004-52] Most Recent Rank - 2007)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1998-02-01
ISBN
0736642803 / 9780736642804
Local notes
Description
A Desperate Young Mother
Rachel Stone's bad luck has taken a turn for the worse. With an empty wallet, a car's that's spilling smoke, and a five-year-old son to support, she's come home to a town that hates her. But this determined young widow with a scandalous past has learned how to be a fighter. And she'll do anything to keep her child safe- even take on. . . A Man
With No Heart
Gabe Bonner wants to be left alone, especially by the beautiful outcast who's invaded his property. She has a ton of attitude, a talent for trouble, and a child who brings back bad memories. Yet Rachel's feisty spirit might just be heaven-sent to save a tough, stubborn man. Dare To Dream
Welcome to Salvation, North Carolina- where a man who's forgotten what tenderness means meets a woman with nothing to lose, here two endearing lovers will set off on a funny, touching journey of the heart. . .to a place where dreams just might come true.
A Desperate Young Mother
Rachel Stone's bad luck has taken a turn for the worse. With an empty wallet, a car's that's spilling smoke, and a five-year-old son to support, she's come home to a town that hates her. But this determined young widow with a scandalous past has learned how to be a fighter. And she'll do anything to keep her child safe- even take on. . . A Man
With No Heart
Gabe Bonner wants to be left alone, especially by the beautiful outcast who's invaded his property. She has a ton of attitude, a talent for trouble, and a child who brings back bad memories. Yet Rachel's feisty spirit might just be heaven-sent to save a tough, stubborn man. Dare To Dream
Welcome to Salvation, North Carolina- where a man who's forgotten what tenderness means meets a woman with nothing to lose, here two endearing lovers will set off on a funny, touching journey of the heart. . .to a place where dreams just might come true.