Heather’s Bookshelf: Duties and Dreams
Author: John A. Heldt
Released: 11/18/23
Genre: Historical Romance/Time Travel
“‘Well, I, for one, wish they would. I just want to forgo all of my duties and get on with living. I want to reclaim my dreams.’
‘I wish you could, but I’m afraid you won’t be able to reclaim anything until the war ends. That’s the thing with duties and dreams. We usually have to fulfill the former before we can realize the latter.’”
“Duties and Dreams is the third story in the second chance trilogy that begins with “The Fountain”, the review for which can be found here. The second book in the trilogy is “Annie’s Apple”, the review for which can be found here. Don’t read ahead if you plan to read the first two installments in this series!
This story picks up a short time after the end of the second story. It’s 1918 and the Carpenter and Lee family are living in California. Bill and Cassie are working stable jobs and doting on their children, Andy and Annie are doing very much the same with twins of their own, and Paul (now a bachelor) is content in his new line of business and determined to be the best uncle one can be. But as it tends to happen, the world has it’s own ideas of what life should look like. WWI is in full effect, Andy and Paul are soon drafted and one of Cassie and Bill’s daughters, Bea, is acting strangely…
In 1944, WWII has now consumed the world. Shannon and Steve Taylor (another couple who traveled through time using the fountain and whose lives intertwined with Paul’s) find themselves and a dear friend, Emilie, caught behind enemy lines. They hope to escape as they did before, but can they make it through occupation and to the fountain in France?
How do these two timelines intertwine? How will the Carpenter and Lee families make it out of the latest predicament? Or will this be the end of the line for these time travelers?
Trigger Warning: violence, war (including reference to Nazi-ism), attempted rape, assault
Overall, I enjoyed this third installment of the second chance trilogy. The characters are well-developed within the book and follow through with characterization from the first two as well. As a standalone, this book focuses most on the development of Paul. He’s encountered his share of tragedy throughout his life and it has left him a bit more cautious and hardened than in his younger years, but it has not stripped his bravery or his desire to do what’s right. These qualities make it close to impossible to not want the best for him and his family. The POV of the book does change between several different characters and includes two main timelines- the first during WWI and the second during WWII. While it is clear the author did research into the time periods, more specific events or incidents may have had more impact. There are references in this book to those types of events that stood out in the first two (Titanic, earthquake, fire) and it was missed in this story. However, the author does well in giving each POV a different voice and pushing the pacing of the story forward. There’s also a good mix of action, family interactions and character development. The ending wrapped everything up for both the book and the series in a great way. It felt complete and satisfying.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
The third installment in a time travel trilogy set during both WWI and WWII. Well-developed characters highlight a tale focused on family, love, and overcoming obstacles no matter the odds.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with John A. Heldt
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here
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