Book Review: To Dream in Daylight, by Candace J. Thomas

It’s always a treat when a friend puts out a new book, and this is no exception. Candie and I first met at my very first event where I attended as an actual author. My short story “Breath”, which is now the freebie I give to those joining my newsletter list, had been picked up by a small press for a fantasy anthology and I was ridiculously proud of it.

Candie, on the other hand, already had two books out at the time, making her a superstar in my eyes. She was everything I wanted to be, friendly, confident, and knowledgeable about the publishing world. We instantly became friends and co-conspirators.

Which makes me even more excited to share her book with my readers.

The Story

Adrianna, or Adri for short, is a classic introvert. She loves curling up with books, writing, and only spending time with people in short meaningful bursts. Ever since she was little, she’d had a recurring dream with the same boy, Simon. They’ve essentially grown up together, neither knowing that the other was a real, living, breathing person – that is until Simon spots Adri in a random video online.

Completely dumbstruck by learning that his dream girl is real, Simon is compelled to meet her in person. One problem, he doesn’t know where she is.

My Review

This story is told from both Simon’s and Adri’s point of view in alternating chapters, with dream chapters nestled in-between. We see their lives unfold piece at a time and how this unusual dream the two of them share influences their decisions. Because of this unique construction, the story is definitely a slow burn. Different connections and realizations are carefully orchestrated to keep the reader wanting to see what’s next.

What I loved most is how the dream sequences were painted. As dreamers, they have control over the setting of the dream, meaning that these dreams occur in all the places an introvert would ever wish to go including Middle Earth, a space station, and different beautiful natural settings. Not only does this reveal several of the different interests of the dreamers, but it gives the reader a fascinating question to answer – where would you visit in your dream?

My biggest challenge with reading this book is that because it’s written in first person, it often took reading a few paragraphs of the new chapter before I as a reader was able to settle into the right character’s mindset. The chapter headers do tell the reader where the chapter occurs, which is a huge clue to who’s head you’re in, but I personally needed a minute or two for it to click.

Thomas does a wonderful job creating compelling characters with great emotional depth and dreams of their own. I was eager to see if Simon succeeded in his quest to find Adri and was very happy with the ending.

My Recommendations

This book is perfect for those who love an interesting romantic comedy. It’s got all the feel good connections, the threats to happiness, and two people that are perfect for each other, should they ever meet. There is that touch of magic with the dream elements, but not enough to deter anyone who isn’t fond of the fantasy genre.

As for age recommendations, there are several instances of alcohol consumption as well as appropriate romantic leanings that don’t stray into anything more than kissing. For that, I’d recommend this book for high school aged readers and older.

I give To Dream in Daylight 4/5 for being a cute romantic read that’s perfect for curling up with after a long day.


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1 thought on “Book Review: To Dream in Daylight, by Candace J. Thomas

  1. Pingback: 2020 Year in Review | Jodi L. Milner, Author

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