Duties and Dreams are a man’s best friend until they are not best of friends

In Duties and Dreams, The Carpenter Siblings are having the time of their life in bustling year of 1918. Bill and Cassie now have two daughters, while Annie and Andy have a set of twins. Life is good for the family, and Paul is content with being the bachelor in the pad. In Hermosa Beach, California, trouble is brewing and all the Carpenter siblings know it, but not their spouses.

It is still a secret, because who can explain time traveling and make it make sense? While the siblings are descending to times of uncertainty and doubt with events that will occur soon. The Carpenters are living in significant times, and the author reiterates why those dates are important for non-history buffs (or young people?) . The book moves from 1944 to Shannon and Steven Taylor for a few chapters.

You remember them? Paul met Shannon in book 2. But if she does not sound, you can meet her at Annie’s Apple 

To Stay or To Go?
13 years since 1905 and decades since Bill, Paul and Annie jumped into a fountain in the year 2022 to arrive younger, but needing to start again. Their family is now torn when the American Defense Force needed soldiers for the war against the Germans. 

Leaving their families behind, Paul and Andy accepted a request to serve for their country once more. Now they are in the 91st Division, back as snipers. Worse news arrives for the family, with Bill and Cassie finding some devastating answers while Annie struggles to reconcile with Andy wanting to serve in the country.. Then the question starts again: should they ride out the conflict or start packing? As time travelers, location is not the only cherry they can pick.

And you know what happens after World War 1? Spanish Flu. With certain events that happened, the siblings face a tough decision. Do they uproot their family and leave, or stay and fight for their country? While Annie was all about leaving, Paul tried to convince her that serving the country was a calling that he could not ignore. 

The story moves between the Carpenters with a brief interlude of the Taylors. Because the author introduces a new character. Emilie Perot was an interesting character, not a time traveler, but was familiar with the concept. She was adopted by Shannon and Steven in Saint-Die in 1944, in a different timeline with Paul. Emilie is courageous and pragmatic, a fitting match for our hero of the hour. 

Verdict Duties Vs Dreams

Since this has some romance to it, and Paul is the only one who’s not married, I’m fairly certain fate had plans. Paul is a courageous soul with a strong sense of survival, and I am glad he got someone like Emilie. The two had the best adventures together, cementing their attraction with a good dose of trust and understanding.

In the end, it all worked out. It took little convincing for the additions to believe in Bill to make the jump. As the Carpenters are big on family, everyone wants to stay together. Duties and Dreams is the last book in the Second Chance series. If you haven’t checked it out, the first book is The Fountain (check out my review here).

For historical family drama and time travel buffs, definitely a read you will enjoy. It has romance, family drama and a heartwarming ending.

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