DREAMer

Emily Gallo

Apr 2021 · Emily Gallo

About this ebook

Kate and Lawrence drive through the desert on their way home from vacation and find a young girl sitting by the side of the road. Who is she? Where is she from and where is she going? Why is she there? When and how did she get there? What can they do to help? The girl won't speak, but that doesn't deter them from embarking on a journey through central and southern California to find the answers.

Ratings and reviews

Kate and Lawrence are driving back from their couples’ vacation when they spot a young girl sitting on a rock all by herself on a deserted highway. Fearing that something is amiss, they stop to investigate and end up picking up the mysterious girl. Armed with nothing more than a few postcards with postmarks from obscure U.S towns and some photographs found on the child, Kate and Lawrence embark on a mission to solve the mystery behind the girl’s identity and reunite her with a family they aren’t even sure she has. DREAMer delivers a touching snapshot of the reality of undocumented immigrants through the story of a fictional main character. Author Emily Gallo cleverly plays with the acronym DREAM. This U.S. act offers undocumented immigrants who entered the United States as minors temporary residency and permission to attend school and work. This act is used as the basis to depict her main character’s fate under the law and her quest as a dreamer. The book is a wholesome tale of sacrifice and compassion and a needed reminder of the good humans are capable of. Gallo gives her characters very well-defined personalities allowing readers to get to know them quickly as the story opens. She also executes the story well by centering on just three characters, allowing her to wrap up the storyline quickly, making this an easy read. There’s no doubt that Gallo did her research as she effectively highlights seemingly obscure locations in the United States that host minority communities and are quick stops for immigrants. As a result, readers will enjoy learning about the dynamics of immigration. In addition, the book reads like an adventure story because the characters are on the road for most of the story, so their road trips give readers something to look forward to aside from the unraveling plot. DREAMer is a through-provoking book that readers of historical fiction will find captivating. In this well-crafted novel, you have a story that’s educating, deeply thoughtful, and entertaining.

"DREAMer" by Emily Gallo is a multifaceted read that highlights relevant social issues while celebrating benevolence. From page one, Emily reals you with the beautiful landscapes of Southern and Central California. Lawrence Ellison and Kate McCoy are a biracial couple who are adventurous and full of empathy, purpose, and determination. Emily realistically presents multiple perspectives of pertinent incidents in today's society. Lawrence and Kate's relationship is so realistic, and it is refreshing to see how they navigate their fears, frustrations and handle conflict. As I turned the pages, I found myself becoming more educated on the plight of undocumented immigrants in the United States. There were certain areas in the book where the tears flowed because of the insurmountable challenges for Marisol's quest to find her family. In addition to this, the waterfall continues upon reading Emily's kind words, the sheer beauty when human beings listen to their heart and intuition and are empathetic when trying to listen and understand another person's story. The ending was satisfactory, and I know this book has left a deep indent in my heart. A 5 star read! I cannot wait to read more of Emily's work. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout, and this honest review is left voluntarily.

About the author

I View My Life In 3 Acts

Emily Kaufman was the girl growing up in Manhattan in the fifties and sixties. In the sixties and seventies, I attended Clark University and lived in San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and Seattle doing the hippie/peace/love/protest thing.

In the eighties and nineties, Emily Saur lived in Northampton, MA and Davis, CA and was the more conventional wife, mother of two, and elementary school teacher.

In 2006, I retired from teaching and became Emily Gallo when I married David, a professor of economics, and moved to Chico, CA to continue our journey. I started writing screenplays and television and moved into novels. David, Gracie (our Schillerhound), Savali (our cat) and I now divide our time between two and a half acres of gardens, orchards in Chico and a 750 square foot condo on the beach in Carpinteria, CA.