“The beautiful, messy, funny, heartfelt world of Katy Kiss is back, as the universe puts her therapy and personal growth to the test. I loved reading this story filled with a heavy dose of snark, humor, and best friend - the truth teller, Jesse by her side.” –Kim Conrey, Georgia Author of the Year, author of Stealing Ares and Nicholas Eternal
In this follow-up to South of Happily, Katy Kiss has moved on from the trauma of a failed marriage and the worst year of her life—at least that’s what she’s telling herself. So why is she having nightmares about a mysterious stranger lurking in the darkness?
She’s agitated, her future is unsettled, and her relationship with Nickety-Nick is perplexing. They’re talking again, but does talking mean dating, or does it mean…well, she doesn’t know what it means.
She downplays her anxiety during therapy, but Dr. Jonas suspects something more serious is brewing. Katy is nodding off during their appointments. Peculiar, even for her.
What Katy won’t admit is that she’s afraid to fall asleep. The dreams are scaring her, and when she’s awake, the paranoia sets in, as does the urge to body slam anyone who startles her.
In Dream a Little Dream, the storm is rolling in. Katy’s umbrella is torn, her shoes are soggy, and she has no clue she’s in the eye of the most shocking Kiss family secret yet.
This emotional narrative weaves together the humor, heartache, and rich history of an immigrant family as Katy grapples with the consequences of well-intentioned deception.
G.A. Anderson is a first-generation Canadian, born in Montreal, Quebec, to immigrants fleeing their country during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Gaby, her brother, her parents, and their trusted Hungarian Vizsla, moved to the United States in 1966, relocated to Paris for several years, and finally returned to the U.S. where she has lived ever since.
She is married, has two amazing daughters, and many (many) animals from the local shelters.
She began writing when friends and family on the receiving end of her emails told her she was “weird but funny”. The feedback compelled her to write. Her goals are to entertain, to put a smile on her reader's faces, and to push everyone about 27% past their comfort zone.
Gaby graduated from the University of Denver where she studied law, accounting, and business. She's worked in the restaurant industry, commercial and group travel, private aviation, and pharmaceutical instrumentation. She currently works in behavioral health management.
Her husband calls her a Renaissance Woman with mad-skills. This means she can catch a softball with one hand while holding a giant turkey leg with the other
"Dream a Little Dream" is one of those surprising stories that sneaks up on you and delivers a far more meaningful message than expected. What starts out as a continuation of Katy Kiss's journey of emotional and cultural discovery takes on some surprising dark themes as we learn about events in Katy's past and those of her family. As an older man, I hardly fit the demographic that would be drawn to a novel about a young woman's self discovery, but I was fortunate enough to have been introduced to Katy Kiss in G.A. Anderson's "South of Happily", and found myself really connecting with the character's personality and her trials. As in the first book, the author brings Katy alive with a bubbling humor and sweet naivete that masks a deeper endearing thoughtfulness. "Dream a Little Dream" packages a poignant story of a family's flight from antisemitism in a sometimes charming, sometimes whimsical, always Kiss, tale of coping and growing.
This novel provides a deeper exploration of the family and friendships of these characters both new and old. Very skillful use of language, accents and banter. Wonderful moments of laughter. This story is much darker and more complex than the first. There is some delving into the intricate web of multi-generational trauma. The rest of the story provides a great counterbalance though so that it is not depressing at all but still heartbreaking. I look forward to the next in the series.
When a man Katy Kiss has been seeing texts, “I miss you,” her reaction is dismissive. “Nobody’s ever missed me,” she writes. “People are amused by me, curious, often irritated. But miss me? No, that’s not a thing.” It’s her doubting, self-effacing attitude, delivered with a wry chuckle, that puts us firmly in Katy’s camp, rooting for her and hoping she’ll find what she needs to be happy—or to be “happily”, as her older Hungarian relatives phrase it.
In this second installment of the Kiss Chronicles, dark secrets are revealed both about Katy’s ancestors and her own past, yet there’s still a lightness and optimism that buoys up the reader. My favorite books are those that alternately make me laugh out loud and tear up. How is it that author G.A. Anderson can do both with the same sentence? It’s a unique gift—one to savor with every page. I “happily” recommend this book!
Dream a Little Dream is a novel full of humor, hope and relationships. And, let’s not forget, Hungarian food. Restaurant owner Katy’s personality shines through on every page as she wrestles with her newfound heritage. She’s funny, irreverent, messy and the type of person anyone would love to be friends with. Novelist Anderson deftly tackles mental health issues with a balance of wit and insight that lands well on every page. Plenty of excellent, fast-paced dialogue and side characters like Cricket and Jesse are hilarious. On top of everything, there’s two handsome guys after Katy’s heart. I was privileged to receive an ARC for this novel and I’m happy to voluntarily leave this honest review.
I loved this book! The narrator’s voice is funny and snarky, the characters are unique and some are crazy funny while others are warm and fascinating. The story deals with serious themes such as Katy, the main character, trying to learn about her parents and grandparents surviving the Holocaust, while at the same time she’s going through therapy to figure out why she has increasingly terrifying dreams about a man lurking. Oh, and there is romance, and confusion about the guys in her life. This is the second novel in a series, but it works well as a stand-alone; I didn’t feel like I needed to have read the first to understand and enjoy this one. However, now I am curious and I have picked up the first one to read. It’s also a great book for discussing in a book club. I highly recommend it.
This is the second in her trilogy and a page turner! Her characters are vivid and deep. I enjoyed the main characters in the series and the new characters that were introduced in book two are unforgettable. Dream a Little Dream is hilarious and poignant. It points out the many paradoxes that exist in family life. It is a deep dive into the psychology of trauma and the world of grief and loss in living. You'll find yourself pulling for these characters and wanting more by the ending. Can't wait to order the third book!
f you haven’t read G. A. Anderson’s “South of Happily” get a copy today and read it. While it’s not required before you jump into “Dream a Little Dream,” I recommend it. You will come to love Katy and it sets the stage for what follows in this second book.
While Katy is still the funny and possibly slightly off-balance individual from the first book, “Dream a Little Dream” continues the laughter while mixing in some serious topics—her painful divorce, nightmares, and the impact of her family history on the present.
Katy Kiss wants to be happy. But between her obstinate mother, who believes keeping family secrets hidden is crucial for protection, a recurring dream, inexplicable blackouts, and two men she's indecisive about, her life is in disarray. Who’s her person? What isn't her mother revealing to her? The mysterious man in her dreams—who could he be?
Author Anderson skillfully blends domestic and emotional fiction with dramedy, thanks to the novel's growing mystery, vivid characters, and clever banter. And happily…a little romance too!
The Kiss Chronicles—Book Two Dream A Little Dream By G.A. Anderson
This was such a wonderfully written and enjoyable book to read. All the way through, I could feel Katy’s dilemmas as if they were my own: with a mother who has suddenly become a widow and is herself looking for a new way of life outside the business of running their family restaurant; a grandmother who, with her thick Hungarian accent tells, on video, her own story about surviving the Holocaust; and then Katy’s own questioning about her family’s history, who she is, and most of all, what she really wants for herself.
I don’t remember the last time I read a book where the main character was simultaneously as exasperating and charismatic as Katy Kiss. She continues to be a neurotic, self-doubting mess, and I almost gave up on her partway through the book. But once again her gritty determination to find her “happily”, and the people in her life who help her do that kept me hooked. I especially loved the realistic description of the slow, messy process of therapy. And we all need a grandmother like Katy’s.
What a great follow-up novel! Katy Kiss is back in all her brilliant, klutzy, funny, dramatic glory. I love this character and her snarky, well-meaning, best friend Jesse. Anderson has created another engaging novel that combines serious topics with humor, sharp dialogue, unending wit, and romance, with a protagonist that everyone can love and relate to. A hugely entertaining novel! Keep them coming.
Dream a Little Dream is a delightful, funny, sometimes painful, telling of one woman's journey towards independence and self-knowledge. Katy Kiss is a memorable character first introduced in G.A. Anderson's South of Happily. You'll cheer Katy on as she struggles to free herself from a life marred by lies and deception. Five stars!!