Customer Reviews

Dream a Little Dream

5 star:		(85)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Susan Elizabeth Phillips is one of the best writers of contemporary romance as is amply proven by "Dream a Little Dream" . This is the story of Rachel Stone, the widow of a TV evangelist whose greed and hypocrisy continue to haunt their former home, Salvation, North Carolina. Rachel and her son Edward are truly destitute, and she returns to Salvation in search of some of her husband's ill-gotten gains. In order to conduct her search, she must outwit the current occupant of her former home, the widower Gabe Bonner. Gabe is still in such deep mourning for his lost wife and son, that he has completely closed down emotionally. Circumstances bring Rachel and Gabe together, and much to their mutual surprise, their initial antipathy and wariness begins to awaken emotional feelings neither anticipated. Their sparing matches are hysterical and Phillips does a wonderful job building the sexual tension between the two.

This is actually a two-for-one romance. In addition to Rachel and Gabe's story, the book includes the romance of Gabe's brother Ethan and his secretary Kristy. Ethan is a reformed sinner who became a pastor, the kind that sharply contrasts with Rachel's flamboyant dead husband. Kristy has been a part of his life forever and clearly always had a crush on Ethan. When Rachel comes to town, she inspires Kristy to make some changes in her life which completely throw Ethan's world into a tailspin,

This novel has a unique plot, wonderfully developed characters, and extremely amusing dialouge. Even if you aren't a fan of contemporary romance, this is such a sweet and funny novel that you are bound to enjoy it.

Gabe Bonner lost his family in a car accident 2 years earlier, and has been a shell of his former self. Rachel Stone is the widow of a greedy Salvation, North Carolina televangelist who absconded with most of the town's hard earned savings 3 years earlier, blaming his fall from grace on Rachel.

When her car breaks down in of all places, Salvation, a now destitute Rachel seeks employment from Gabe, the only person in town who does not know about her past. Soon it catches up to her and Gabe very reluctantly takes her under his wing, since she is the first woman he has felt a stirring for since his wife died.

With the town and Gabe's preacher brother Ethan against Rachel and her young son Edward (who likes to be called Chip), Rachel searches her former mansion (now Gabe's) for the missing money, only to be thwarted by Gabe. Soon, the two are in each other's arms acting on the chemistry that has been between them all along, much to both Gabe's brother's consternation. But Rachel cannot see herself with him long-term as he keeps Edward at arm's length, to the point that Edward fears him.

There is also a secondary romance involving Ethan and his secretary Kristy who has had the hots for Ethan for ages, and solicits Rachel's help in getting him to notice her. And boy does he.

This is the fourth of the Chicago Stars/Bonner Brothers stories. It is one of the best. The scenes between Gabe and Edward will keep you misty. He is a broken man that cannot seem to accept another young boy in his life, especially one he perceives as being as weak. Be sure to read "Nobody's Baby But Mine" to get background on the Bonner family clan.

This book absolutly had me hooked! I almost finished it in one day, but once again that sleep thing got in the way.

Three years after leaving Salvation, NC after her televangalist husband is killed and found to have stolen money from the congregation, Rachel Stone is back to try to find the five million dollars that he stashed away. Unfortunately, things don't go well for Rachel. She has nine dollars in her pocket, a car that just broke down (which has also been her home for the past week), a five year old son and has to deal with Gabriel Bonner.

Two years after Gabe's wife Cherry and their five year old son Jamie was killed by a drunk driver, Gabe is still greiving. He's a very unhappy man, especially when Rachel Stone shows up with her kid and wants a job. Reluctantly he gives her a job and the two eventually fall in love, although they wouldn't dare admit it.

Since Rachel's husband swindled the town out of millions of dollars the entire town of Salvation, NC hates her. She can't go down the street without names being called or having her tires slashed. Gabe is time and again coming to her rescue.

Something that I both liked and disliked about this book was Ethan and Kristy's relationship. I really found I enjoyed their story, but they should have had their own book. That is my only complaint.

Overall, excellent read, highly recommended.

...which is really saying something! This was one of the most touching, humorous books I've ever read. It was a completely satisfying read, and I can't wait for The President's Lady to come out. Highly recommended!

A very enjoyable read. The heroine(s) in this book take different paths but eventually reach their goals of self-discovery and fulfillment. Rachel must battle her past relationship with a corrupted pastor and a town's inability to offer forgiveness. Kirsty wages a war within herself to find the love of her life...by first loving herself. I loved the complex nature of the dialogs. Romance wasn't a melodramatic moment that left the reader wondering if that much syrupy conversation was safe to digest in one setting. Instead the romance between the males and females in the book took on a different level of caring and sensitivity. Themes that were handled with care, grace and humor: overlooking the beauty that is right beneath your nose, grieving the lost of a family, holding on to your faith, etc. It would seem with the many complexities and varied themes, this book would be a jumble of cliches. Instead it is a well written love story that I will keep in my list of treasured books. Although SEP has not been one of my favorite authors, this is definitely one of my favorite stories. Great job.

I think this is a wonderful book!. This is almost like the conclusion to "Nobody's Baby But Mine", because "Dream A Little Dream" involves the second Bonner brother, Gabe Bonner.

Rachel Stone was the widower of a very evil and greedy man that made Rachel take the blame of his greediness. After her husband died, everyong hated her because they believed that she was the reason, her husband became so corrupt. But Rachel don't care what the others think because she got a son to take care of, Edward who perfers to be called Chip. (Go Figure)

Rachel was stuck in Salvation, North Carolina because her car broke down, right in front of the property that belongs to Gabe Bonner.

Gabe Bonner was a man who was cold and empty of all emotions because of the devastating loss of his wife and son, due to a car accident. Gabe hired Rachel to help with his drive-in and they work together, side by side. When Gabe starts to living as as an almost human being again, the animosity the town causes a few problems for both of them. The problems might force Rachel out of the town but Gabe isn't going to let Rachel and her son go without a fight. And Rachel is no puhover either.

I love this book! Susan Elizabeth Phillips is a genius with words. I can never think to write such outrageous things, if I was to write a book but Philliips pull it off and with a big sucess. "Dream A Little Dream" is like a must read and whoever doesn't is in a great loss. I'm glad I read this book, but it was kinda hard with all the late nights I spent with this book.

= o )

This book absolutly had me hooked! I almost finished it in one day, but once again that sleep thing got in the way.

Three years after leaving Salvation, NC after her televangalist husband is killed and found to have stolen money from the congregation, Rachel Stone is back to try to find the five million dollars that he stashed away. Unfortunately, things don't go well for Rachel. She has nine dollars in her pocket, a car that just broke down (which has also been her home for the past week), a five year old son and has to deal with Gabriel Bonner.

Two years after Gabe's wife Cherry and their five year old son Jamie was killed by a drunk driver, Gabe is still greiving. He's a very unhappy man, especially when Rachel Stone shows up with her kid and wants a job. Reluctantly he gives her a job and the two eventually fall in love, although they wouldn't dare admit it.

Since Rachel's husband swindled the town out of millions of dollars the entire town of Salvation, NC hates her. She can't go down the street without names being called or having her tires slashed. Gabe is time and again coming to her rescue.

Something that I both liked and disliked about this book was Ethan and Kristy's relationship. I really found I enjoyed their story, but they should have had their own book. That is my only complaint.

The book club I belonged to before my Amazon days accidentally sent me this book instead of the Nora Roberts book I ordered. I stayed up all night reading and the next day bought every one of Phillips' titles. Susan Elizabeth Phillips is a master of the craft! Dream a Little Dream is a bit different from most of her others. You'll need Kleenex, but by the end of the book you'll understand the redeeming power of love.

This book challenges the romance genre. Here, we have a heroine that dresses in old lady housegowns and oxford shoes. SEP takes a clear departure from the cliche scenario: strong wilful but beautiful heroine with beautiful clothes. While this book is clearly a romance, SEP focuses on developing an interesting and moving story.

Rachel Stone comes back to Salvation, North Carolina. This town hates her because her now deceased husband was a phony televangelist who took Salvation on a wild but ultimately disappointing ride. Rachel, however, is in survival mode. She needs to find the link to the missing 5 million dollars that her husband took with him to the grave. She has something like $5 to her name and a broken down vehicle, but most important she has a 5 year old son to take care of. Where this child is concerned, she has no pride. As such, Rachel demands a job from Gabe Bonner, a man with a sad past, having lost his wife and son to a car accident. Rachel and Gabe may seem like an unlikely pair, but they come together and through the course of their story, we see how they really belong with each other. This book unlike other SEP books is full of sad moments, but a page turner nevertheless.

I actually read "Nobody's Baby but Mine First", liked it, and looked for other of her books. I found out there was a sequel, about the second Bonner brother, Gabe, so I went ahead and bought "Dream a Little Dream", and let me tell you, I haven't laughed and cried so much reading a book before,and all at the same time! I read other reviews and people raved about Heaven, Texas, but this is sooo much better.
Rachel Stone was married to a corrupt televangelist who died in a plane crash. She lost everything and left town with her son, Edward (otherwise known as Chip). Years later she suddenly finds herself stuck in Salvation, a town that hates her,as a last resort because she is determined to find some money she knows her husband left behind, money that will help her feed and keep her son because they have $10 dollars left and are living in their car (which dies a noisy death at the entrance of town, leaving them definitely stranded). Enter Gabe Bonner, a vet whose son and wife had been killed in a car accident and who has lost the will to live. He reluctantly ends up hiring her to help him put up a business and gets much more than he ever bargained for. She constantly challenges him, taunts him,insults him, and even desperately offers her body to him the day they meet, and through it all manages to keep her composure, strength and dignity, her spunk, her sense of humor and her desire to go on despite unimaginable hardship. She makes him feel again, even if it's mostly anger,and slowly brings him back to feeling somewhat human again.Unfortunately there's still another hurdle to overcome: Gabe can't stand her son because he compares him to his dead son and finds him so weak, scared, and lacking, that he can't understand why his son is dead while this scrawny kid is alive, and Chip can't stand his guts either. Then there's the people from town, who aren't happy to have Rachel back and give her a really hard time.With Gabe's help she tries to look for the money and fights against some enemies she unwittingly made along the way. But all's well that ends well, with a few surprises to boot! The eldest Bonner, Cal, and his wife appear too, and as in Nobody's Baby, there is a parallel love story, about the third Bonner brother, Ethan, who's a pastor in the community. I highly recommend this book, I found it was almost impossible to put it down, and was sorry to see it end. The second time I read it, I laughed and cried just as hard, and I'm sure I'll do it again some day.