Welcome to my eight-part blog series about the main themes in An Undercover Dream. You may have read my previous blog series on the themes of Atlantic Split and At Liberty To Live, so now it’s the turn of book 3 in the series. You can find the links to the previous blogs at the bottom of this blog post. There will be some crossover between the three books. Last week, I went through theme 1: Independence. The second theme I will be discussing is central to An Undercover Dream, so much so that it’s part of the title. It’s dreams.

Yesterday was World Dream Day and having dreams is such an important part of life. It’s what makes us feel human, gives us goals and distinguishes what we have to do from what we really want to be doing. For me, that dream is being a published and successful author and it’s a huge theme in this book.

Warning: This blog contains spoilers.

Out of the three words that make up the title, the word dream is the one that fits the best because it has so many connotations with the book. First of all, California is the state of dreams and that’s where the book is set, but there are also plenty of deeper meanings in the book related to that word.

Other than reuniting the UK and the USA, and living in a world where he’s free to see both his family and friends, Luke’s other dream is to be an actor. It’s something he’s always wanted from childhood, but his father wouldn’t let him pursue it. That was something that Luke always resented, and he never really wanted that police job. However, he gave up the chance of being an actor when he joined the force, and he certainly thought that dream was impossible to follow when he went on the run. But, it’s one that’s more in reach because Luke gets a fantastic and unbelievable opportunity in An Undercover Dream, and it is literally a dream come true.

Another connotation of the word dream is to do with Martin Luther King Junior. Now, there’s a very powerful scene near the beginning of the book related to MLK, and his name also makes a presence later in the book, reminding Luke of how important the ‘I have a dream’ speech was in changing the world. A shared dream between two people who believe they can change the world is pretty powerful, but will Luke’s first dream get in the way of his second? Because it’s not just him that has that dream. There’s plenty of other people who share it too.

Finally, another meaning of the word dream is a state which isn’t exactly real. And it’s true, dreams aren’t always meant to be real and they can be very idealistic. For Luke, he can afford to create and live in a world where his dream can become real, because he’s got his second chance at life. However, the thing about dreams is that you have to wake up some time and it isn’t always the nicest feeling. Hiding in a dream world may seem like the best way to live life, but in fact, all it is a distraction from reality. I know, I’ve tried to shape my world to cut out the bad bits, but in the end, you have to accept who you are. Even if you don’t like it. And for Luke, his wake up call, is very, very harsh.

I end this blog with a quote from An Undercover Dream about dreams. About Luke’s dream to be an actor. This is a quote from where he finally finds the place he wants to live. It’s not only a beautiful place to call home– it’s somewhere that feels like it already. 

“Something about it just…felt right, it moved me inside. This was what I wanted to do. I had to do it. I had to be here.”  Luke Bright – An Undercover Dream

Thank you for reading this blog, and next Thursday I’ll be back with the third theme of An Undercover Dream which plays a massive part in the book: love.

Atlantic Split Theme Blog Series Links:

1. Prejudice
2. Growing Up
3. Optimism
4. Courage
5. Friendship
6. Family
7. Bullying
8. Morality

At Liberty To Live Theme Blog Series Links:

1. New Beginnings
2.  Inner Strength
3. Following Your Passion
4. Rushing in too quickly
5. Feminism
6. Self Discovery
7. Making a Difference
8. Previous Themes

Atlantic Split, At Liberty To Live and An Undercover Dream, the first three books in The Luke Bright Series are available to purchase NOW! The final book of the series is to be revealed.

Please follow me on my blog and social media links below, and use the links on my website to purchase a copy of each if you have not done so. Don’t forget to leave a review! Thank you once again for taking the time to read this blog post.

N.A.K.