What do you think?
Rate this book
Dreams #1
Distant Dreams
Cape Helm, Maine, 1999. Beautiful, charming Shaelyn Sumner has never had time for love. With few friends and no true home, her job as a reporter has sent her all over the country in search of a story. Now this search has led her to Cape Helm, Maine, as the historic town prepares for the new millennium. While dressing for the reenactment of an 1830s wedding, she discovers an old-fashioned emerald and diamond ring, which she slips onto her finger for safekeeping. But when she appears for the ceremony, things seem strangely different...
Cape Helm, Maine, 1830. Shaelyn had thought it was an act. But when she misses the town's familiar modern landmarks, she begins to realize that the ring has taken her back in time! Not only is it stack fast on her finger, trapping her in the past, but the very real ceremony she was just in has left her legally married to the handsome Alec Hawthorne, the very man who has mysteriously appeared in her dreams for as long as she can remember. Now, for the first time in her life, Shaelyn feels like she really belongs. But can the ring that brought them together keep her united with the man she loves for all time?
Cape Helm, Maine, 1830. Shaelyn had thought it was an act. But when she misses the town's familiar modern landmarks, she begins to realize that the ring has taken her back in time! Not only is it stack fast on her finger, trapping her in the past, but the very real ceremony she was just in has left her legally married to the handsome Alec Hawthorne, the very man who has mysteriously appeared in her dreams for as long as she can remember. Now, for the first time in her life, Shaelyn feels like she really belongs. But can the ring that brought them together keep her united with the man she loves for all time?
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1998
9 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 27, 2016
Distant Dreams was a bit different in terms of other time travel books I have read. Most of the time you see the character thrown through time due to some accident and once they realize what has happened they try to act accordingly to the time period. Shaelyn is a different, she finds herself thrown back in time and she doesn't even try to act the part at first. As a matter of fact she acts a little crazy to the standards of the 1830's!
This book was definitely a great romance and it was so funny from the start. It was very real, because I know I would probably act a little crazy if something like this happened to me!
This is the second book I have read from Jenny Lykins and I am very much liking her writing. This book was awesome, from start to finish!...Stormi
http://www.boundlessbookreviews.com
https://www.facebook.com/BBReviews
This book was definitely a great romance and it was so funny from the start. It was very real, because I know I would probably act a little crazy if something like this happened to me!
This is the second book I have read from Jenny Lykins and I am very much liking her writing. This book was awesome, from start to finish!...Stormi
http://www.boundlessbookreviews.com
https://www.facebook.com/BBReviews
February 15, 2014
Lovely! Of all the romances I've read in the last few years, this one takes the price for being the most romantic. The love between Alec and Shaelyn is so tender and true - very heartwarming! The time travel was intriguing and well executed which added to my enjoyment. Lovely all around.
January 4, 2024
This is a biased review. This was the first romance book I ever read and I think I was in like 8th grade or something. I borrowed it from my friend. I thought this was just the sweetest and romantic stories. Nostalgia made me seek it out again like 25 years later and I found an electronic version thankfully. It's still just as special to me today. It's not steamy but very sweet.
March 6, 2017
By far, this is my favorite book by Jenny!!! I loved it!!! Completely original, well thought out, nicely paced relationship building throughout the book. I will praise this book over and over to anyone who will listen. Shaelyn is my favorite heroine from this author. I loved her personality. She was honest, charismatic, and mature yet fiesty when she felt the need to defend herself. She was everything I love in a character.
Her and Alec were amazing together. It's frustrating as a reader to see a time travel play out when you know the heroine is telling the truth and the hero has trouble believing her. This one didn't make me wanna pull my hair out. One little event irked me.
Other than that the rest was great and the ending made me forgive that unfortunate event. The ending, was perfect and completely redeemed Alec when he refused to believe Shae that she was from the future and completely utterly adorable and heartwarming.
Many times in time travel books where the hero refuses to even consider the heroine could be telling truth, I wished that she would be sent back to her own time so he would see what he lost and kick himself in the head for not believing her when she's nowhere to be found. Jenny did this beautifully and I'm so glad I came across this book and her others as well.
Her and Alec were amazing together. It's frustrating as a reader to see a time travel play out when you know the heroine is telling the truth and the hero has trouble believing her. This one didn't make me wanna pull my hair out. One little event irked me.
Other than that the rest was great and the ending made me forgive that unfortunate event. The ending, was perfect and completely redeemed Alec when he refused to believe Shae that she was from the future and completely utterly adorable and heartwarming.
Many times in time travel books where the hero refuses to even consider the heroine could be telling truth, I wished that she would be sent back to her own time so he would see what he lost and kick himself in the head for not believing her when she's nowhere to be found. Jenny did this beautifully and I'm so glad I came across this book and her others as well.
June 30, 2016
Loved this book!!!
I would say I enjoyed this book by Lykins more than any other of hers that I have read. The characters came alive for me. Shaelyn is a vibrant modern woman and Alec is a
Heartthrob. Love how he choose to love her despite thinking she was a little crazy with the time travel talk. Hey, every girl has something, right? No reason not to fall for her! His sister Molly was a great supporting female character. Just the right mix of innocence and savvy.
As an avid time travel romance reader, what I loved most about this book is the ending. I totally didn't see it coming. Great twist and fit the story perfectly. Also loved how she wrapped up the loose details in the epilogue. Very satisfying.
As a long-ago sailing lover, I enjoyed all the scenes on board the ship. I could just feel myself sitting on the wood deck of a tall ship with it rocking to and fro and the breeze blowing through my hair.
Jenny Lykins is a wonderful writer and I thoroughly enjoy her work. I highly recommend this book. It is very well-written. Thank you, Jenny Lykins for the mini vacation as I followed these characters around.
I would say I enjoyed this book by Lykins more than any other of hers that I have read. The characters came alive for me. Shaelyn is a vibrant modern woman and Alec is a
Heartthrob. Love how he choose to love her despite thinking she was a little crazy with the time travel talk. Hey, every girl has something, right? No reason not to fall for her! His sister Molly was a great supporting female character. Just the right mix of innocence and savvy.
As an avid time travel romance reader, what I loved most about this book is the ending. I totally didn't see it coming. Great twist and fit the story perfectly. Also loved how she wrapped up the loose details in the epilogue. Very satisfying.
As a long-ago sailing lover, I enjoyed all the scenes on board the ship. I could just feel myself sitting on the wood deck of a tall ship with it rocking to and fro and the breeze blowing through my hair.
Jenny Lykins is a wonderful writer and I thoroughly enjoy her work. I highly recommend this book. It is very well-written. Thank you, Jenny Lykins for the mini vacation as I followed these characters around.
June 17, 2012
Well, I had read this story sometimes ago...
The thing I remember the most is the unique of the opening from the story, the meeting between the hero and the heroine.
It's cute.
Well, usually the one who got to the past don't realize that they back in time. It takes a long time (almost a quarter of the story). Here, it's not really long enough.
The story itself is good (I enjoy the back-forward-time-travel).
I love it...
The thing I remember the most is the unique of the opening from the story, the meeting between the hero and the heroine.
It's cute.
Well, usually the one who got to the past don't realize that they back in time. It takes a long time (almost a quarter of the story). Here, it's not really long enough.
The story itself is good (I enjoy the back-forward-time-travel).
I love it...
August 29, 2014
Surprisingly amusing, slightly erotic and altogether a pleasant read. Some niggling gaps and loose threads were left unaccounted, but they were so minor as to not really impede the flow of the story. Like a tale about the Titanic, you know how it's going to end; the real pleasure is in the journey of watching these two identifiable and thoroughly enjoyable characters come together, drift apart and finally meld into a whole.
April 22, 2015
Distant Dreams
Loved this book. I couldn't put it down. Haven't read a book in awhile that had me on the edge of my seat, not knowing what was going to happen. Wonderful story,with lots of twists, turns and lots of excitement. I recommend this book to everyone that like history and love.
Loved this book. I couldn't put it down. Haven't read a book in awhile that had me on the edge of my seat, not knowing what was going to happen. Wonderful story,with lots of twists, turns and lots of excitement. I recommend this book to everyone that like history and love.
March 2, 2015
3.75 A really fun time travel romance story! PG, Loved the characters and the humor and had such fun reading this that I stayed up until 2 AM trying to finish. I only finished it the next day because I was too tried to keep going and knew that I was already going to pay for the late night.
May 10, 2016
Yes, another time travel romance. I really enjoy her style of writing. Alas, I believe Jenny, the author, like LaVyrle Spencer, has retired, I haven't seen a book from her in 6 years.
September 18, 2014
just finished this book.... another great time travel romance by this author I have read all 5 of hers before, but recently found them in a tub and decided to read them again.
August 15, 2012
Adorable<3
July 9, 2016
2.5-2.75 stars. I love her plots but I feel like the endings are so rushed that they kinda ruin everything for me. I wasn't crazy about the whole Faith issue but I didn't completely hate it.
August 19, 2017
Not good. Even for lame was romances.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews