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Dreamer's Daughter: Surviving My Childhood and Raising My Father
A daughter’s inspiring memoir of a childhood short on money, but rich in all the rest, and her eccentric and misguided father who fails spectacularly at everything—except being a loving parent.
In a mining town where hope is as tapped out as the gold, a mother abandons her two children, leaving them in the custody of their free-spirited father. Colorful and larger-than-life, Dacker Thicke is a dreamer whose schemes and small businesses never quite pan out. But he’s always chasing the next big thing.
When they lose everything in a house fire, Dacker considers this the ultimate freedom and leads his children on a cross-country road trip that will force them to rely on his wits and dubious judgment. Amid the chaos, Lori must raise herself and her younger brother—and, on occasion, her father. When she strives for independence, she discovers that it’s hard to leave home when home has wheels and keeps following you around.
A coming-of-age memoir, Dreamer’s Daughter is a life-affirming story about forgiving our parents—and ourselves. It’s a celebration of the love we find in even the most unconventional families, and how sometimes we need to leave home to find our way back.
In a mining town where hope is as tapped out as the gold, a mother abandons her two children, leaving them in the custody of their free-spirited father. Colorful and larger-than-life, Dacker Thicke is a dreamer whose schemes and small businesses never quite pan out. But he’s always chasing the next big thing.
When they lose everything in a house fire, Dacker considers this the ultimate freedom and leads his children on a cross-country road trip that will force them to rely on his wits and dubious judgment. Amid the chaos, Lori must raise herself and her younger brother—and, on occasion, her father. When she strives for independence, she discovers that it’s hard to leave home when home has wheels and keeps following you around.
A coming-of-age memoir, Dreamer’s Daughter is a life-affirming story about forgiving our parents—and ourselves. It’s a celebration of the love we find in even the most unconventional families, and how sometimes we need to leave home to find our way back.
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Published April 9, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 11, 2025
The Dreamer's Daughter is the best memoir I've read this year! With each page turned, I laughed and cried and nodded along. This story is not just Lori Thicke's life, it is the story of women in Canada and the world, women who develop the resilience to survive tough childhoods and the courage to follow their dreams. This book brims with hope and heart.
May 2, 2026
If you are a fan of memoirs that explore the messy, unhinged, and deeply complex bonds between parents and children - specifically those in the vein of The Glass Castle or Educated - then Dreamer’s Daughter is an absolute must-read.
Lori Thicke delivers a captivating account of her childhood, centered around a father who is as much a source of inspiration as he is a weight to carry. The narrative beautifully captures the duality of her upbringing: he is the buoy that keeps her spirit afloat with dreams and the anchor that pulls her into the depths of his own instability. Watching Thicke muddle through this unconventional life is both heartbreaking and profoundly inspiring.
One of the standout features of this memoir is its rich sense of place. Moving from the familiar landscapes of Ontario to the breathtaking, rugged beauty of British Columbia, the setting serves as more than just a background; it reflects the shifting emotional terrain of the story. For Canadian readers, there is a special resonance in seeing these locations rendered with such care and authenticity.
While the subject matter deals with the heavy lifting of raising a parent, the tone of the book is surprisingly buoyant. I found myself laughing far more than I expected, even as the unhinged reality of her situation unfolded. Thicke has a gift for finding the humour in the absurd, making the moments that bring you to tears feel all the more earned.
Dreamer’s Daughter is a triumphant, heartwarming, and ultimately hopeful story. It manages to be incredible without being overly sentimental, providing a raw look at resilience. It is a five-star journey through the wild landscapes of Canada and the even wilder landscapes of family.
Highly recommended for anyone who loves stories of survival, growth, and the complicated love that defines us.
Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster for my advanced copy!
Lori Thicke delivers a captivating account of her childhood, centered around a father who is as much a source of inspiration as he is a weight to carry. The narrative beautifully captures the duality of her upbringing: he is the buoy that keeps her spirit afloat with dreams and the anchor that pulls her into the depths of his own instability. Watching Thicke muddle through this unconventional life is both heartbreaking and profoundly inspiring.
One of the standout features of this memoir is its rich sense of place. Moving from the familiar landscapes of Ontario to the breathtaking, rugged beauty of British Columbia, the setting serves as more than just a background; it reflects the shifting emotional terrain of the story. For Canadian readers, there is a special resonance in seeing these locations rendered with such care and authenticity.
While the subject matter deals with the heavy lifting of raising a parent, the tone of the book is surprisingly buoyant. I found myself laughing far more than I expected, even as the unhinged reality of her situation unfolded. Thicke has a gift for finding the humour in the absurd, making the moments that bring you to tears feel all the more earned.
Dreamer’s Daughter is a triumphant, heartwarming, and ultimately hopeful story. It manages to be incredible without being overly sentimental, providing a raw look at resilience. It is a five-star journey through the wild landscapes of Canada and the even wilder landscapes of family.
Highly recommended for anyone who loves stories of survival, growth, and the complicated love that defines us.
Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster for my advanced copy!
April 29, 2026
A lively and thoughtful book about a fascinating family. Lori Thicke tells a rollicking story of an often forlorn daughter and flamboyant father in conflict but bound by obvious affection and respect. A worthwhile read for anyone who has a parent or thinks they might want to be one.
February 16, 2026
Fantastic memoir!
I’ve read MANY memoirs and this one will stick with me because this is such a short but interesting story of growing up all over Ontario and BC in the 1970s and 80s
The author does a great job of setting the scene and describing some chaotic experiences in her life. From a house for horses, joining the “Jesus freaks”, many entrepreneurial pursuits, and a clear lack of parental supervision, there’s always something going on.
Her dad is definitely a character! I really respected her portrayal of him since I expected it to be more negative considering the chaos her childhood was. Her love for her dad tho really came through though in the book.
The book seems like a way for her to look back at her life with new perspective. As she says “At the time, none of this felt remarkable trying to seduce my teacher, crashing his car and giving him mine in return. Lacking a frame of reference for how people usually behaved, I found all of it perfectly normal.”
I was never bored reading this book since something new was always happening.
If you like Canadian memoirs, resilient woman, and reading about unique upbringings I recommend this book!
Notes:
I love you more than a herd of Shetland Ponies 🫡😭
Alan Thicke is her Cousin
Brampton, Milton, Kirkland Lake, London,
The year of Dacker
Thank you Simon and Schuster for the book in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve read MANY memoirs and this one will stick with me because this is such a short but interesting story of growing up all over Ontario and BC in the 1970s and 80s
The author does a great job of setting the scene and describing some chaotic experiences in her life. From a house for horses, joining the “Jesus freaks”, many entrepreneurial pursuits, and a clear lack of parental supervision, there’s always something going on.
Her dad is definitely a character! I really respected her portrayal of him since I expected it to be more negative considering the chaos her childhood was. Her love for her dad tho really came through though in the book.
The book seems like a way for her to look back at her life with new perspective. As she says “At the time, none of this felt remarkable trying to seduce my teacher, crashing his car and giving him mine in return. Lacking a frame of reference for how people usually behaved, I found all of it perfectly normal.”
I was never bored reading this book since something new was always happening.
If you like Canadian memoirs, resilient woman, and reading about unique upbringings I recommend this book!
Notes:
I love you more than a herd of Shetland Ponies 🫡😭
Alan Thicke is her Cousin
Brampton, Milton, Kirkland Lake, London,
The year of Dacker
Thank you Simon and Schuster for the book in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2026
Wonderful story of hardship and victory, full of laugher and tears. Couldn’t put it down, definitely worth the read.
April 19, 2026
I could have read this much quicker and while a small part of my not doing so is because I’m currently sick and having to rest a lot, it was more because I wanted to savour it. It’s well written and flows so easily. I found it to be quite relatable being part of a dysfunctional family myself, and an oldest child who often takes responsibility that really isn’t mine. It’s an interesting read that held my attention and took me on a memorable and emotional journey that I was absolutely invested in. It’s a great debut for this Canadian author and I am truly looking forward to future books (more please, Lori!) Do check this one out, it’s an easy favourite for me in the memoir genre and one of my top picks for 2026.
April 22, 2026
Omg I just don't have the words to say how much I enjoyed this book! I don't know if I cried more or laughed more. At times I had to pause reading because I couldn't see the words through my heartfelt tears. I am full of admiration for the author and absolutely cannot wait for her next book. Definitely will be looking for it because Dreamers Daughter was 100 percent a delight☺️
May 6, 2026
A moving and at times shocking memoir from Canadian writer Lori Thicke recounting her youth growing up with a grifter father and roaming the country trying to make ends meat. Lori's story is sure to blow your mind at all the schemes her father got up to and roped her and her brother into while taking them along cross country journeys in the family van. Good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Glass Castle or Educated.
April 29, 2026
From the very first page, it drew me into the intense relationship between a girl and her father—full of both love and frustration. After a traumatic event sends them drifting across Canada in search of a new stability, one thing never wavers: their devotion to each other. I cried over their losses, laughed at their misadventures, and found myself wondering how many deserving parents never get a tribute like this. Highly recommended!
April 23, 2026
4.5 ⭐️, rounded up.
April 30, 2026
Very enjoyable read! Being an ex-Kirkland Laker myself, I connected with Lori’s experiences in the old town. It was amazing to read about the resilience of this small family and their incredible life experiences in Toronto, KL, BC and beyond!
April 25, 2026
This book is a compelling story about the complicated childhood and early adulthood of the author in Northern Ontario and the West Coast. It is an honest account of the author’s struggle to both define herself independently of her dysfunctional family as well as her struggle to pull the family together. Thicke doesn’t shy away from the hard moments of her life. But the book is not dark. Thicke writes of the love in her family and the humour that got them through difficult times.
A central figure in the book is Dacker Thicke, the author’s father. He is unlike the fathers in many gritty coming-of-age memoirs. Dacker was a dreamer (hence the title). In his own telling, he was always one great idea away from success. And although success never comes, the ideas never cease and, as we come to know Dacker, it seems equally possible to love him or hate him. Love him or hate him, life was never dull around Dacker.
Book clubs could argue whether the author was a casualty of her father’s incompetence or a beneficiary of his unorthodox joie de vivre. In my read, the book is the author’s ode to a colourful and strangely endearing father.
Saying this book is a great summer read does not give it the credit it deserves. However, that said, it is a great summer read.
A central figure in the book is Dacker Thicke, the author’s father. He is unlike the fathers in many gritty coming-of-age memoirs. Dacker was a dreamer (hence the title). In his own telling, he was always one great idea away from success. And although success never comes, the ideas never cease and, as we come to know Dacker, it seems equally possible to love him or hate him. Love him or hate him, life was never dull around Dacker.
Book clubs could argue whether the author was a casualty of her father’s incompetence or a beneficiary of his unorthodox joie de vivre. In my read, the book is the author’s ode to a colourful and strangely endearing father.
Saying this book is a great summer read does not give it the credit it deserves. However, that said, it is a great summer read.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This is a review of the advanced copy I received in a goodreads giveaway from Simon & Schuster.
I thought the memoir was excellently written and was engaging from the first chapter. The author detailed her struggles growing up and living in a chaotic home. Given the chaos she lived through and sometimes poor choices she made as a kid in response to the chaos, it's amazing how she got herself to where she is now.
I think one of the big takeaways from this book was also how life doesn't work out perfectly but you can still live the life you want. There were some things that seemed unresolved (i.e. her relationship with her mother), which maybe it won't ever get resolved, but the author seems to have still built the life she strived for as a child. I think that it is relatable for a lot of people, and a reminder that there are lots of complexities and not so perfect aspects of our lives.
I would have liked to see a bit more detail in her life after her big move, but perhaps she is saving that for another book?!
Overall, I'm really happy I finally won a giveaway and it was this gem!
I thought the memoir was excellently written and was engaging from the first chapter. The author detailed her struggles growing up and living in a chaotic home. Given the chaos she lived through and sometimes poor choices she made as a kid in response to the chaos, it's amazing how she got herself to where she is now.
I think one of the big takeaways from this book was also how life doesn't work out perfectly but you can still live the life you want. There were some things that seemed unresolved (i.e. her relationship with her mother), which maybe it won't ever get resolved, but the author seems to have still built the life she strived for as a child. I think that it is relatable for a lot of people, and a reminder that there are lots of complexities and not so perfect aspects of our lives.
I would have liked to see a bit more detail in her life after her big move, but perhaps she is saving that for another book?!
Overall, I'm really happy I finally won a giveaway and it was this gem!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Dreamers Daughter: Surviving My Childhood and Raising My Father by Lori Thicke
This is a fascinating memoir describing a childhood scarred by the abandonment of her mother and a chaotic, unpredictable life with her father.
Dacker, her father, is a dreamer, always scheming for his next get rich business venture rather than steady work. He scrapes by on the generosity of extended family and a silvery tongue, but calamity and misfortune are never far behind. Although loving and quick to see the wonder in his children, he is disorganized and poor at setting limits resulting in frequent moves, lost homes and financial strain.
Thicke depicts a complicated parental relationship: she adores her father’s his free spirit and warmth, yet resents the instability his unreliability creates. Feeling responsible for him and the family’s wellbeing, she becomes parentified at a young age and even attempts at independence are repeatedly undermined by his needs. Her father is at once frustrating and loveable.
Overall, a poignant, affecting memoir about love, responsibility, and the messy bonds between parent and child.
This is a fascinating memoir describing a childhood scarred by the abandonment of her mother and a chaotic, unpredictable life with her father.
Dacker, her father, is a dreamer, always scheming for his next get rich business venture rather than steady work. He scrapes by on the generosity of extended family and a silvery tongue, but calamity and misfortune are never far behind. Although loving and quick to see the wonder in his children, he is disorganized and poor at setting limits resulting in frequent moves, lost homes and financial strain.
Thicke depicts a complicated parental relationship: she adores her father’s his free spirit and warmth, yet resents the instability his unreliability creates. Feeling responsible for him and the family’s wellbeing, she becomes parentified at a young age and even attempts at independence are repeatedly undermined by his needs. Her father is at once frustrating and loveable.
Overall, a poignant, affecting memoir about love, responsibility, and the messy bonds between parent and child.
May 6, 2026
I’ve known Lori all my life. It was my father’s horses that provided Dacker with his liquid gold! Her descriptions of Dacker’s business adventures certainly captured the zaniness of it all. And there were even more than those in the book. For me, the power and beauty of this book was how she was able to give public voice to her (and Brad’s) younger selves. This is not something they had the luxury of doing as children. The only thing greater than the economic precariousness that they experienced was their father’s love. And that was a bloody good thing!
As young adults we used to joke about Lori doing the Canadian thing and going to Paris and writing a book. I always thought it would be a novel of fiction that would vie for position on the shelves alongside the likes of Margaret Atwood or Mordecai Richler.rather than a memoir.But in the end, it was the memoir that was meant to be. And, having recently finished Ms. Atwood’s Book of Lives memoir, I can say with certainty that “A Dreamers Daughter” belongs on the shelf beside the “Book of Lives”!
As young adults we used to joke about Lori doing the Canadian thing and going to Paris and writing a book. I always thought it would be a novel of fiction that would vie for position on the shelves alongside the likes of Margaret Atwood or Mordecai Richler.rather than a memoir.But in the end, it was the memoir that was meant to be. And, having recently finished Ms. Atwood’s Book of Lives memoir, I can say with certainty that “A Dreamers Daughter” belongs on the shelf beside the “Book of Lives”!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I loved this memoir for many reasons. Among a crop of stories about growing up in dysfunctional families (e.g. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, and Educated, by Tara Westover), this one is exceptional because the author looked at her life through an unclouded lens and saw both the negative and the positive. It was almost painful to read in parts, especially when the author wrote about missing her absent mother. On the other hand, she was so unconditionally loved by the father who raised her that it was also deeply heartwarming. Above all, the memoir is written in a light and humorous style. Her Dreamer Dad, who failed at everything but never gave up, was a character in every sense of the word. His exploits were hilarious — I actually laughed out loud several times, and I’m not usually a LOL reader. Book clubs, take note: this memoir would make for a great group discussion.
My thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for an Advance Review Copy.
My thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for an Advance Review Copy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received an advance copy of Dreamer's Daughter from Simon & Schuster.
Lori Thicke writes with honesty about growing up with a father who was brilliant but chaotic. This isn’t a score-settling memoir. It’s a clear-eyed attempt to make sense of love, loyalty, and the complicated inheritance of being the child of an unconventional parent.
In the darker times we’re living through right now, it’s refreshing to encounter a story that offers a reprieve from the constant focus on trauma. Thicke doesn’t ignore hardship, but she also shows the more hopeful side of complicated family relationships and the possibility of growth and resilience.
A thoughtful, engaging memoir about family, identity, and the strange ways we become ourselves. And, frankly, a reminder that even messy families can produce something surprisingly hopeful.
Lori Thicke writes with honesty about growing up with a father who was brilliant but chaotic. This isn’t a score-settling memoir. It’s a clear-eyed attempt to make sense of love, loyalty, and the complicated inheritance of being the child of an unconventional parent.
In the darker times we’re living through right now, it’s refreshing to encounter a story that offers a reprieve from the constant focus on trauma. Thicke doesn’t ignore hardship, but she also shows the more hopeful side of complicated family relationships and the possibility of growth and resilience.
A thoughtful, engaging memoir about family, identity, and the strange ways we become ourselves. And, frankly, a reminder that even messy families can produce something surprisingly hopeful.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I am beyond words with this memoir. This book is going in my favorite section. I felt like I was reading a story, it is so well written, and the timeline is so smooth it read like a normal story, it could be a normal story. It was very easy to picture her story as I read.
so many things stand out for me in this book:
- her mother leaving;
- her dads financial unstability but unwavering love and dedication;
- when she met her "famous bad friend" I'll call her that to not spoil too much. LITTERALLY I WAS IN MY HEAD GOING: OMFG, SAY WHAT. i could NOT STOP at that point, she had me hooked (iykyk)
- when she returned her father famous "... shetland ponies" I almost cried !!
there's too many GREATS in this book. thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for this giveaway book. ps it was my first won as a Giveaway and boy did it not disappoint!!
so many things stand out for me in this book:
- her mother leaving;
- her dads financial unstability but unwavering love and dedication;
- when she met her "famous bad friend" I'll call her that to not spoil too much. LITTERALLY I WAS IN MY HEAD GOING: OMFG, SAY WHAT. i could NOT STOP at that point, she had me hooked (iykyk)
- when she returned her father famous "... shetland ponies" I almost cried !!
there's too many GREATS in this book. thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for this giveaway book. ps it was my first won as a Giveaway and boy did it not disappoint!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2026
Being a fellow Canadian, it was fun reading about all the places she lived, as I too could relate to them all.
A heartfelt story of the old adage "love surpasses all" and it truly does in her life story. Living a nomadic lifestyle, with an unconventional father where his love runs deep, he is dependable and at the same time unstable. Lori took the best from her father, found herself and who she is meant to be and grew to be the woman she is today. Bravo!
A heartfelt story of the old adage "love surpasses all" and it truly does in her life story. Living a nomadic lifestyle, with an unconventional father where his love runs deep, he is dependable and at the same time unstable. Lori took the best from her father, found herself and who she is meant to be and grew to be the woman she is today. Bravo!
April 24, 2026
Dreamer's Daughter is the kind of memoir that sneaks up on you! Lori Thicke's father, Dacker, is one of the most unforgettable characters I've encountered in recent reading. He's a man whose love is huge and whose judgment is spectacularly, hilariously unreliable. What makes this book so moving is how Lori refuses easy answers: there's no villain here, just a family doing its imperfect best. Funny, tender, and completely honest. I finished it wanting to call people I love.
May 5, 2026
The Unsinkable Lori Thicke!
I loved this book. Finely written with not a spare word, i felt like a fly on the wall listening to and watching this small family come to terms and rise above each disaster. A father's love and a daughter's determination becomes the glue that lifts the family along in spite of everything. Hilarious and heartbreaking, it is written with love. Read this book!
I loved this book. Finely written with not a spare word, i felt like a fly on the wall listening to and watching this small family come to terms and rise above each disaster. A father's love and a daughter's determination becomes the glue that lifts the family along in spite of everything. Hilarious and heartbreaking, it is written with love. Read this book!
May 5, 2026
This was a harrowing tale of a mother's desertion and a father full of wild unprofitable schemes. With her father constantly in debt and the family moving from one place to next, Lori, finds herself struggling to be the reliable 'parent'. Eventually, I grew frustrated with the dad. Despite him being a loving parent, his lack of control over financial matters became exhausting to read.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I absolutely loved this memoir by Lori Thicke. She told it honestly and with such emotion that I'd find myself laughing, teary eyed, and identifying with her situation often.
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for my Advanced Reader Copy!
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for my Advanced Reader Copy!
May 6, 2026
A book that's hard to put down. Thicke's combination of self-awareness, humour, and love make this memoire a compelling and heart-breaking read.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews