An Uncertain Dream

It’s okay. Lost interest

This one was a slow read for me - I kept expecting it to get better where I couldn't put it down like I had at moments in the first two, but it never really got to that point. I preferred the first and second books in the series to this book. I felt like there was too much time spent on what other people were saying about the union strike and I found those parts boring and repetitive. I wanted more of Olivia and Fred's relationship as well as Matthew and Charlotte, and it didn't even tie up Charlotte and Matthew's stories at all. It just abruptly ended after a conversation Olivia and Fred had about their future. I would have also liked to have seen more of Ellen and her life outside of her father's firm. There was a missed opportunity there. It sounded like she led a pretty interesting life from the second book, but we never really got to see what happened when her father's services were no longer needed. She and her father just kind of disappeared after Matthew met Charlotte (or a short discussion in a restaurant, I can't remember which happened last), despite sharing a friendship with all of the main characters. It was a little disappointing to me all the way around.

I could not put these books down. I love books in this time period. Now I want to go visit Pullman. Judith Miller's books keep your attention. I just wish she had come out with book 4 because I wanted more of Sophie and Fred. I enjoyed all of the characters. I enjoyed my discussions with my husband about the big strike in Pullman. Judith Miller has great storylines, great history and great characters and I am now passing these 3 books to my cousin. I will continue to read what Judith Miller writes.

Olivia Mott is torn between her job and the love of her life. The town of Pullman has been split in two as workers are holding a strike as they protest their wages being lowered even while everything else has stayed the same price. Olivia is trying to maintain her job as a chef for Pullman while her fiance Fred has joined the strike. The two must try to keep the politics out of their relationship if they are going to be able tosucceed at being together. Meanwhile Olivia's former employer Lady Charlotte Spencer has returned from England with her son, determined to make a new life for herself. With a new attitude in tow, she sets out to make a fresh start for herself and her son. However when Matthew Clayborn, an investigative reporter starts showing interest in her, will she turn back to her old ways? I really like this series because it takes a period in American history that isn't normally studied in class and brings it to life. The story about the town of Pullman is absolutely fascinating and the lives of the people are fleshed out into real characters. I really like in this story how Charlotte comes full circle from the snobby, bratty and immature girl from the first book. She's grown up and has learned to take responsibility for her actions. She is a completely different person from the girl at the beginning of the series and it shows throughout the book in her relationships with her friends, her customers and the men she meets. Olivia's story is always the heart of this series and I love reading about her job as a chef. Her relationship with Fred drives me nuts at times because Fred is overly jealous. Sometimes I wish to smack him on the head because he cannot believe that Olivia doesn't like anyone else but him. Still though it was very interesting to see how he handled being involved with the strike and maintaining his relationship with Olivia at the same time. I also enjoyed the storyline with Fred's mother and Olivia's boss. Very cute and I was glad to see Mrs. Devault hold her own against her son. I really like the setting of these books in the town of Pullman. This a time period where the majority of people don't know that much about its history. It's actually quite interesting because I'm learning about this era in my history classes and we discussed Pullman. Judith Miller has done excellent research into recreating the town and the strike that happened was very well portrayed. My only complaint is that the story ends rather abruptly. If this is the end of the series, it doesn't really leave me satisfied. I would have liked at least one more book to tie up all the story lines. Yes people end up together or hint at getting together, but there's talk about starting the characters going in new directions so I would have liked to see more of this getting accomplished. All in all though, this is a wonderful historical novel, introducing readers to a time period that should be talked about more often.

An Uncertain Dream takes one back to challenging times for laborers in early U.S. where the dichotomy between wealthy capitalists and the working working class was a stark reality. Historical information creates a pool of knowledge for the reader, well written and ends leaving the reader anxious for more.

An Uncertain Dream brings back the well-loved cast from Judith Miller's Postcards From Pullman. The Pullman Car employees have walked out in their first strike.Fred Devault, the man Oliva Mott loves, has been an instigator in the strike. All the employees are asking for are a higher wager and lower rents. Not an unreasonable request, but the Pullman executives are playing tough. Oliva who works as a chef, has job security, but she is torn between her loyalty to the company and her love for Fred. In the meantime, Lady Charlotte Spencer and her small son, Morgan, have gone home to England, but circumstances there have forced her to return to Chicago. She regains her old job at Marshall Field, and is again staying at Priddle House. Matthew Clayborn, a reporter, seems to be interested in her, or is he just using her to get information. This is book three in the series, and it's a winner. Well worth waiting for. Recommended.

I always look forward to reading books by Ms. Miller and this one was no exception. I hadn't read the second book in the series in a while (because of the long gaps in the release dates), but that wasn't a hinderance. The book was written well enough that you don't have to read the other two in order to understand this one, although you'd enjoy this book more if you read the others. For those who may be leery of reading Christian fiction, Ms. Miller does not try to "pound you over the head" with religion. It's clear, however, that you're reading a book written by someone who believes in God. I was surprised by the ending. I won't say what I expected because it may spoil the surprise. As usual, it's a well written book. I look forward to the second book in the most recent series.