What do you think?
Rate this book
Dream Country
It was just an argument, one of hundreds Daisy Tucker must have had with her teenage daughter, Sage, over the years. But this one had ended differently, with Sage gone from their Connecticut home the next morning, leaving behind only a brief “I have to go.” Daisy tried not to overreact, tried to remind herself this was different from what had happened thirteen years earlier to Sage’s twin brother, Jake. This was different from a three-year-old boy disappearing in the canyons of Wyoming, never to be found. Sage was sixteen and resourceful. She would be found.
Years ago Daisy had traveled to Wyoming’s Wind River Mountains in search of inspiration for her art and had found a man with the wilderness inside him. James Tucker was a rancher, bound to the wild land he loved, and together he and Daisy created a small paradise for their family—until the day their little boy vanished without a trace. Now, as their daughter makes a dangerous cross-country pilgrimage to the father she longs for, Daisy will return to the place that took everything she had....
Filled with a wild and unpredictable beauty, Dream Country is a novel you’ll never want to end—even as you can’t wait to finish it.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Years ago Daisy had traveled to Wyoming’s Wind River Mountains in search of inspiration for her art and had found a man with the wilderness inside him. James Tucker was a rancher, bound to the wild land he loved, and together he and Daisy created a small paradise for their family—until the day their little boy vanished without a trace. Now, as their daughter makes a dangerous cross-country pilgrimage to the father she longs for, Daisy will return to the place that took everything she had....
Filled with a wild and unpredictable beauty, Dream Country is a novel you’ll never want to end—even as you can’t wait to finish it.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
544 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 30, 2001
About the author
Luanne Rice
110 books3,013 followersLuanne Rice is the New York Times bestselling author of thirty-eight novels, translated into thirty languages. Rice often writes about love, family, nature, and the sea. Most recently she has written thrillers, including one based on a murder that affected her family. She received the 2014 Connecticut Governor’s Arts Award for excellence and lifetime achievement in the Literary Arts category.
Connecticut College awarded Rice an honorary degree and invited her to donate her papers to the College’s Special Collections Library. They are archived in the Luanne Rice Collection.
Rice has also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from St. Joseph University in West Hartford, Conn.
Several of Rice's novels have been adapted for television. Her monologue for the play Motherhood Out Loud premiered at Hartford Stage and has been performed Off-Broadway in NYC and at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.
Rice is a Creative Affiliate of the Safina Center. She lives in southeastern Connecticut.
Connecticut College awarded Rice an honorary degree and invited her to donate her papers to the College’s Special Collections Library. They are archived in the Luanne Rice Collection.
Rice has also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from St. Joseph University in West Hartford, Conn.
Several of Rice's novels have been adapted for television. Her monologue for the play Motherhood Out Loud premiered at Hartford Stage and has been performed Off-Broadway in NYC and at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.
Rice is a Creative Affiliate of the Safina Center. She lives in southeastern Connecticut.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
April 26, 2016
This was a tough book to read. I have many of Luanne Rice’s books and decided to read this one first, since I haven’t read any of her books before. The synopsis for Dream Country sounded like something I was in the mood to read, but the further I read, the more mixed feelings I had about the story.
What I enjoyed most were the Shoshone myths and Native American lore that gives the book that Western outback feel. Ms Rice also creates a clear picture of life on a cattle ranch. Her characters, although not always very likable, have flaws and are three-dimensional. The pacing is fluid and the breath taking setting, moving from one season to the next, is vividly described and gives depth to the story.
I had issues with some of the characters, though. I wasn’t fully on-board with the whole teenage pregnancy angle, but I could see how it was a necessary plot device for the author to bring the characters together in the end. Daisy was too much of a can’t-put-a-foot-wrong character, and I thought she and James could’ve done a lot more to find Sage while she was on her way to their ranch. The real kicker for me was how every character instinctively new what was going to happen next, or what another person was thinking/feeling. Daisy apparently has magic in her (although she only came across as someone who is a couple of marbles short), Sage has twin instinct, Hathaway knows things “because she’s the older sister”, etc.
Mostly the plot was predictable and apart from two twists near the end that caught me off-guard (well played, Ms Rice), I had a pretty good idea how the book was going to end.
Overall, this book had many good parts which I really enjoyed. There are several character timelines going here, each with their own heartbreak and woe-is-me tales. For the most part I enjoyed this story, and I’m looking forward to reading another of this author’s books.
What I enjoyed most were the Shoshone myths and Native American lore that gives the book that Western outback feel. Ms Rice also creates a clear picture of life on a cattle ranch. Her characters, although not always very likable, have flaws and are three-dimensional. The pacing is fluid and the breath taking setting, moving from one season to the next, is vividly described and gives depth to the story.
I had issues with some of the characters, though. I wasn’t fully on-board with the whole teenage pregnancy angle, but I could see how it was a necessary plot device for the author to bring the characters together in the end. Daisy was too much of a can’t-put-a-foot-wrong character, and I thought she and James could’ve done a lot more to find Sage while she was on her way to their ranch. The real kicker for me was how every character instinctively new what was going to happen next, or what another person was thinking/feeling. Daisy apparently has magic in her (although she only came across as someone who is a couple of marbles short), Sage has twin instinct, Hathaway knows things “because she’s the older sister”, etc.
Mostly the plot was predictable and apart from two twists near the end that caught me off-guard (well played, Ms Rice), I had a pretty good idea how the book was going to end.
Overall, this book had many good parts which I really enjoyed. There are several character timelines going here, each with their own heartbreak and woe-is-me tales. For the most part I enjoyed this story, and I’m looking forward to reading another of this author’s books.
October 19, 2020
Daisy had traveled to Wyoming from Connecticut for inspiration for her jewelry making.
She met a rancher, James Tucker, fell in love, married and started a family.
One day while working the cattle their three year old twin disappeared. Heartbroken Daisy took their daughter Sage, back to Connecticut with her.
Thirteen years later Sage left a note for her mother , It said" I have to leave" Sage traveled to Wyoming by rail, bicycle and hitchhiking. She was lucky a boy about her age picked her up and took her to her Dad's ranch.
What she didn't tell her mother, was that she was six months pregnant. The baby delivered just as the car turned into the ranch. A little boy was born too soon. At that moment a little one died and the missing son was found.
A heart warming story.
She met a rancher, James Tucker, fell in love, married and started a family.
One day while working the cattle their three year old twin disappeared. Heartbroken Daisy took their daughter Sage, back to Connecticut with her.
Thirteen years later Sage left a note for her mother , It said" I have to leave" Sage traveled to Wyoming by rail, bicycle and hitchhiking. She was lucky a boy about her age picked her up and took her to her Dad's ranch.
What she didn't tell her mother, was that she was six months pregnant. The baby delivered just as the car turned into the ranch. A little boy was born too soon. At that moment a little one died and the missing son was found.
A heart warming story.
January 13, 2011
This book was pleasant, story line was good. I could not deeply connect to this story, because there was just too much fantasy and not enough reality in it. Every twist and turn was contrived, and unbelievable.
It is supposed to be a story of second chances, and how even after a life-devastating tragedy, families can heal and reconnect. The problem for me was that the author was so in love with the background (western country life) that she focussed on that with very little research. Much of what she described was inaccurate, and after a while became annoying.
It is supposed to be a story of second chances, and how even after a life-devastating tragedy, families can heal and reconnect. The problem for me was that the author was so in love with the background (western country life) that she focussed on that with very little research. Much of what she described was inaccurate, and after a while became annoying.
June 23, 2014
Many years ago, having just gotten out of college, jewelry maker Daisy Tucker had traveled to the wilderness of the Wind River Mountains in Wyoming in search of inspiration to fuel her art. What she had found was rancher James Tucker, a man with the wilderness inside him. Their life together was as close to paradise as a family could get - until the day their three-year-old son Jake disappeared without a trace. Her heart broken, her marriage in tatters, Daisy returned to Connecticut with Jake's twin sister, Sage.
It was just a typical argument, one of hundreds that Daisy had had with her teenage daughter, Sage, over the years. However, this particular argument had ended differently, with Sage gone from their Connecticut home in the morning, leaving behind only a brief note: "I have to go." Daisy tried to stay calm; she tried not to overreact; tried to remind herself that this situation was completely different from what had happened thirteen years earlier to Jake. Yes, this was an entirely different situation from a little boy disappearing into the canyons of Wyoming, never to be found. Sage was sixteen years old and resourceful. She would be found.
As Daisy returns to the Tucker ranch to wait and pray for Sage's safe arrival, what she can't know is that Sage has undertaken a dangerous cross-country pilgrimage to find her father. Desperate to find her daughter, Daisy will return to Wyoming, to the place that once took everything she had. She will also learn that you can never close the door on the past, but sometimes, if you step through it, it can lead you home...
I found this book to be quite engrossing - filled with lots of intertwined story lines and endearing characters. At 504 pages, I would classify this book as a modern-day family saga; definite summer reading for anyone who likes to read books about families. I give Dream Country by Luanne Rice an A! and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
It was just a typical argument, one of hundreds that Daisy had had with her teenage daughter, Sage, over the years. However, this particular argument had ended differently, with Sage gone from their Connecticut home in the morning, leaving behind only a brief note: "I have to go." Daisy tried to stay calm; she tried not to overreact; tried to remind herself that this situation was completely different from what had happened thirteen years earlier to Jake. Yes, this was an entirely different situation from a little boy disappearing into the canyons of Wyoming, never to be found. Sage was sixteen years old and resourceful. She would be found.
As Daisy returns to the Tucker ranch to wait and pray for Sage's safe arrival, what she can't know is that Sage has undertaken a dangerous cross-country pilgrimage to find her father. Desperate to find her daughter, Daisy will return to Wyoming, to the place that once took everything she had. She will also learn that you can never close the door on the past, but sometimes, if you step through it, it can lead you home...
I found this book to be quite engrossing - filled with lots of intertwined story lines and endearing characters. At 504 pages, I would classify this book as a modern-day family saga; definite summer reading for anyone who likes to read books about families. I give Dream Country by Luanne Rice an A! and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
February 11, 2015
Luanne Rice is known for her explorations of family complexities and relationships in general, and this book is no exception. Thirteen years before this book opens, Daisy and James Tucker, a Wyoming ranch couple, are reeling under the sudden kidnapping of their three-year-old son, Jake. So horrific is the tragedy that the marriage ultimately falls apart, and Daisy, highly spiritual and extremely creative, insists that the couple’s remaining child, a daughter named Sage, would be safer if taken off the ranch.
Flash forward 13 years; Sage is now 16 and very pregnant. She convinces her teenage boyfriend to run away from home with her, thinking if she can get to Wyoming and to her dad’s ranch, she can find healing and solace in the arms of a dad she never really knew. This, then, is her trek—carried out mostly solitarily, since the boyfriend abandoned her not long after the journey began so he could return to the safety of his home.
This is James and Daisy’s journey, too. Daisy has come to Wyoming from the New England home she shared with Sage hoping her daughter will indeed make it there.
My biggest problem with this book was its predictability. I figured out how it would end within the first two hours or so, and I was right, sadly enough. I finished it, but it was extremely anticlimactic for me. The subplots were interesting enough, and the description of Alzheimer’s in the life of one of the characters seemed all too real. But this just isn’t a book that did much for me.
Flash forward 13 years; Sage is now 16 and very pregnant. She convinces her teenage boyfriend to run away from home with her, thinking if she can get to Wyoming and to her dad’s ranch, she can find healing and solace in the arms of a dad she never really knew. This, then, is her trek—carried out mostly solitarily, since the boyfriend abandoned her not long after the journey began so he could return to the safety of his home.
This is James and Daisy’s journey, too. Daisy has come to Wyoming from the New England home she shared with Sage hoping her daughter will indeed make it there.
My biggest problem with this book was its predictability. I figured out how it would end within the first two hours or so, and I was right, sadly enough. I finished it, but it was extremely anticlimactic for me. The subplots were interesting enough, and the description of Alzheimer’s in the life of one of the characters seemed all too real. But this just isn’t a book that did much for me.
May 2, 2018
a good but long read. In Dream Country, author Luanne Rice takes the reader on the journey of a family that is broken by tragedy. We go from Connecticut to Wyoming. From uptown to the wilderness and wild country. Sage and jake are twins, born to James and Daisy Tucker of the reknowned tuckers of the sprawling DR ranch. When the twins are 3, Jake disappears while out with his father. No body is found. he is presumed dead. but, James won't leave the ranch,and Daisy is born and bred in new England and no longer feels safe in the hills wehre her son went missing.
13 years later, after an argument with her mother, Sage is on a mission to go to her father. She feels the call to the wild. Daisy soon follows to welcome her lost daughter when she arrives home. Will this end in a happy reunion or more tragedy than any bargained for? Meanwhile, someone lurks in the hills and he wants them all...
13 years later, after an argument with her mother, Sage is on a mission to go to her father. She feels the call to the wild. Daisy soon follows to welcome her lost daughter when she arrives home. Will this end in a happy reunion or more tragedy than any bargained for? Meanwhile, someone lurks in the hills and he wants them all...
August 8, 2013
I could not put this book down! I think it's the fastest I have ever read a 500 page book! The story is so interesting and you can't wait to see what happens on the next page. The best Luann Rice book I have read so far!
July 27, 2021
I liked the premise of the story and enjoyed the read; it's only the execution that ticked it into the 3.5 star range. On the plus side, I had a pretty good idea of where the plot twist was going from the beginning and had it all figured out--until I didn't! That's my favorite kind of twist. I would have liked the scenes of life on a ranch to be a bit more detailed (and accurate) but enjoyed the picture she painted of Wyoming in winter. All that being said, as a fan of Luanne Rice, I found this book a bit more awkward than most. Maybe it's because it was an early book and she hadn't polished her style yet? Little things like constantly using "as if"--which I call author-splaining--instead of letting her story illustrate what she was trying to say, plus melodramatic characters and the insertion of magic without context made for jerky side-trips that stole from the primary storyline. Also, her accuracy was lacking here and there (I don't think in the history of beef cattle that there has ever been a "two-ton steer" as most beef steer weigh just around the half-ton mark, and a rancher dedicated to doing his job would never neglect a horse), which isn't the case with later books. It's the stretches in the story that ticked the review down a bit, but I still enjoyed the book.
January 24, 2019
Throughout much of the novel, James is a closed-off, almost cardboard cutout. Not a jerk, but didn't hold my interest. When he tries to reunite with Daisy, it was a surprise and often I didn't really buy it. But he forged on, showing us more and more bravery in letting his emotions come out, and he became my favorite character.
I appreciated that the reunion with Jake was slow and rocky. He had a lot of baggage to deal with and unload, but I loved the glimmers of progress and the fact that he stuck around, if on his terms.
I would have liked to see the character of Dalton tie better into the story and into the lives of the rest of his family. When he became the cheerleader of James' and Daisy's reunion, it didn't seem to fit with what he had been shown of his character.
The rescued animals in the story I definitely enjoyed. Their trust and ability to communicate, as well as teach us humans a thing or two about love made a nice thread through the novel.
I appreciated that the reunion with Jake was slow and rocky. He had a lot of baggage to deal with and unload, but I loved the glimmers of progress and the fact that he stuck around, if on his terms.
I would have liked to see the character of Dalton tie better into the story and into the lives of the rest of his family. When he became the cheerleader of James' and Daisy's reunion, it didn't seem to fit with what he had been shown of his character.
The rescued animals in the story I definitely enjoyed. Their trust and ability to communicate, as well as teach us humans a thing or two about love made a nice thread through the novel.
May 29, 2021
I enjoyed this read very much. Very well written, there was always so much going on and it really kept the story flowing. I also love how it jumps to different characters points of view so it was very easy to understand how everyone felt. At first I didn’t think there would be a happy ending, the Tucker family was doomed right out the gate. Everything was like a fairytale for Daisy and James until one day their three year old son disappears and is never seen again, Daisy moves across the country with their remaining child and divorces James. Daisy gets in a fight with her daughter Sage, then Sage runs away and Daisy learns of her daughters little secret. All things lead back to the ranch where it all started and where James still resides looking for their lost son. There are so many twists throughout that I didn’t expect, which kept me on edge the whole time! The ending was so beautiful it pulls at the heart strings.
Read
June 16, 2022just shook the tears from my eyes and gave this beautiful read of a novel a hug.
ive been meaning to read this off and on for years but for some reason or another ive never finished it
all I can say is wowza
the imagery of east and west melding together was absolutely gorgeous
the tale of half gone. but always feeling connected to each other twins absolutely. beautiful
what dazzled me was the Native American spirituality threaded throughout the prose that brought a lump to my throat those moments where spirt was the driving force of the prose
the idea of two kids young kids being. lost in the wild and only having each other to help each other was poignant and brought tears to my eyes
a wonderfully worthwhile read looking forward to curling up with another. lovely. novel by the incandescent Luanne Rice
ive been meaning to read this off and on for years but for some reason or another ive never finished it
all I can say is wowza
the imagery of east and west melding together was absolutely gorgeous
the tale of half gone. but always feeling connected to each other twins absolutely. beautiful
what dazzled me was the Native American spirituality threaded throughout the prose that brought a lump to my throat those moments where spirt was the driving force of the prose
the idea of two kids young kids being. lost in the wild and only having each other to help each other was poignant and brought tears to my eyes
a wonderfully worthwhile read looking forward to curling up with another. lovely. novel by the incandescent Luanne Rice
June 10, 2023
I read Dream Country with rapt attention. The characters were intriguing, especially Daisy with her mystical powers to craft jewelry with powers of love. Woven into the story was a thread of Native American beliefs, and powers that Daisy had acquired. As the story unfolds and moves across the continent a gripping strand of events leaves the heart palpitating and the reader flipping pages. There was a mystery that drove my curiosity to find a resolution, to solve the anguish of a family. The ending drew all the strands together much like a Native American blanket it was an intricate, and tightly woven tale.
July 15, 2021
Despite some lukewarm and downright ugly reviews, I just loved this book. Not a surprise, as I've loved most of Rice's writings. This one is 20 years old and MAYBE I had read it many years ago, but if so, I'm sure I loved it then as well. The story is charming/tragic and the characters are all interesting. Well, there may be a couple that are not all that much, but for the most part -- great. The descriptions of Alzheimer's are spot-on, and heartbreaking. Twists at the end are wonderful, and all in all, I read through a day and part of a night and loved it all.
April 12, 2020
I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book just because it's not the type of genre I typically read. But I have say it was a pretty good book and a wonderful family drama story. I may even check out some other books by this author.
The only thing I didn't like was reading about the puppy farms and all of the dog abuse. As a long time dog mama, I can't stand that kind of stuff and it just breaks my heart.
The only thing I didn't like was reading about the puppy farms and all of the dog abuse. As a long time dog mama, I can't stand that kind of stuff and it just breaks my heart.
November 19, 2018
Had to push myself to get through this one. It's a romance, but with a little extra angst thrown in to make it more interesting. It still moved too slow for me, though. It picked up toward the end, but I still didn't really enjoy it.
I have two more Luanne Rice books on my To Read Shelf, so I'll try one more and see how it goes.
I have two more Luanne Rice books on my To Read Shelf, so I'll try one more and see how it goes.
May 7, 2022
This book was and still is my all-time favorite book if I had to choose a favorite book. The like-ability of the story is what makes it such an intriguing story to hold onto. There is the lure of the wild west and the inspiration coming from it along with a heart-wrenching story about family that I just keep coming back to over and over again since the time I first read this book in high school.
May 17, 2022
I've read books by Luanne Rice before and enjoyed them. I couldn't get through this one. I was well over 3/4 the way through this book and I had to just skim the rest of it. It seemed like nothing was happening for long periods of time. I was disappointed. I won't stop reading books by this author, though.
July 18, 2022
Beautiful book! Found this at a thrift store and now one of my top 3 favorite books. You will be transported to Wyoming with Luanne's thorough descriptions of landscapes, people, and healing spirtual powers of out west. Great family story. If you like Where the Crawdads sing you may also like this book.
August 8, 2023
Wow, I loved this book and would highly recommend to anyone! This book kept me on my toes the entire time. Really brings in family love, heartbreak, drama, and hope. It's written beautifully and creates a picturesque scene. So many different points of view in the book which was really nice to see how it all connects and the relationships and connections built and lost throughout time.
Read
August 4, 2019This was good story and one I found that I read before......being 76 now one tends to forget things but I finished it. A good read without a doubt, the way Ms. Rice writes nothing is never dull about her stories.
October 26, 2020
Compelling
This was a great read. Animal lovers will appreciate the storyline especially, but it’s a sweet story will enough intrigue and character all Rice fans will be completely satisfied. It kept me coming back anxiously seeking the next line.
This was a great read. Animal lovers will appreciate the storyline especially, but it’s a sweet story will enough intrigue and character all Rice fans will be completely satisfied. It kept me coming back anxiously seeking the next line.
June 21, 2022
I like reading/ listening to Luanne Rice books....this was a really good story but seemed repetitive at times- therefore the 3 star rating. I listened to it on audio CD and really enjoy the performance by Laural Merlington.
September 6, 2022
Such a good book! Had everything from romance to mystery. Lots of love connections between husband and wife, parents and kids. Lots of trauma leading to special healing. Great characters, all around great book! Would read again!
July 16, 2024
Luanne Rice is one of my favorite authors. This book is a bit different from any of the others she has written. It was so good! There's some romance but there's a mystery happening too. I loved it!
July 23, 2017
Excellent book! Lots of chores were never done because I couldn't put this book down.
September 6, 2017
Like watching a Hallmark movie - you may not be any smarter when you are done, but you feel really good!
second time to read this one
second time to read this one
March 6, 2018
Luanne Rice is one of my favorites, this was such a great story, sad in parts but a good enfing.
June 19, 2018
Wow! What an adventure!
November 21, 2018
Great storyline!
Best book I've read in a long long time. It makes you believe that anything and everything is possible in life. I hope to read another by this author.
Best book I've read in a long long time. It makes you believe that anything and everything is possible in life. I hope to read another by this author.
December 12, 2018
This is a typical Rice novel exploring human relationships stressed by tragedy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews