It was fun being thrust back in to the Rock Chick world and catching up with everyone. This new series is and is going to be everything! It’s exciting and full of the same shenanigans the girls got up to before. Mags and Evie were the perfect start to the series. I cannot fathom how her family treated her (except her sister). She was so sweet and utterly adorable. Mag was the perfect man to have on her side. He was her champion throughout the whole book. We are rewarded with a whole lot of alphaness, action and great friendships. These books just show, no matter where you come from that there are people out there that will love you like their own.

Arc provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

So it has been years since I've read anything new from KA. I thought what the hell, this one sounds good, let me give it a shot.

Oh lordy, I wish I hadn't bothered. I see nothing has changed from 2008 to now. Same ole' song and dance. Just different character names.

I can't even be bothered to list my criticism. If you've read any KA you'll know exactly what I'm talking about when I say same ole' song and dance. The whole copy, paste, repeat formula is old and tiring.

Anyway, I said it before and now I'm sticking with it. I don't care how much the synopsis pulls me in or I get nostalgic for my old friends. I am done reading books by Kristen Ashley.

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First is a brand new spin off series including characters from the Dream Man and Rock chick series. You don't have to read those series to read this book but it wouldn't hurt and they are both great series. Daniel Magnusson is Mag to pretty much everyone but when he meets Even aka Evie she can't seem to go with the flow and calls him Danny. He keeps trying to correct her but after a while he decides he likes her calling him that. He used to be a Danny but his life in the military eventually made him just Mag. Evie is this wonderful nerdy smart sexy chick. Most of her family has been questionable in their support of her and when her brother drags her into some of his not so good shenanigans Danny is there to help. Truths get told and Evie finds out she has a new family some blood family and others who make her family. This book is a mix of the Rock Chick/Dream Man series in how the story flows. I listened to this is audiobook form the same time i read it and i love my audiobooks but this felt much better in ebook form to me. A good read for me from start to finish. Looking forward to the next book in the series.



Find out more about Kristen Ashley and this series here www.kristenashley.net

I am fairly new to KA (like, last 3 years? maybe?) so I am not a old school hardcore fan that was disappointed by her newest. I was disappointed by a few of her newest, but maybe because my love/obsession started later, it was easier to brush those off? That being said, I went into this one with medium-ish expectations and I feel like it delivered. It was VERY KA, I mean, duh, but also, like, come on, change a few things? But, even though I rolled my eyes a few times, it was comfortable and predictable and I liked it. I liked the characters, I liked the story. I could have done with less babe/baby/honey and 'stop being cute' etc but honestly, something about it worked for me. I really really really really related to Evie - not so much being a stripper lol, but with her family though mine aren't as bad, it's simply hard to say no to people you love, though again mine aren't as bad or mean to me. I liked Danny, and I liked them together. I really liked all the other characters and I'm excited to continue the series. It was fun seeing all the rock chicks again though to be honest my memory is pretty horrible and I didn't remember how everyone was connected lol.
Anyway, this one did work for me. It wasn't perfect, it wasn't Lady Luck, but it was good. Yeah. it was a tried and true formula but I actually felt like it worked in this one compared to her other recent ones. It's probably more like 3.5 stars but rounding up.

Evan "Evie" Gardiner has spent her entire life helping her ungrateful family to the detriment of her own success. Working hard to finish school and finally move forward in life, she has a computer tech job by day and is a stripper by night.

Daniel "Mag" Magnusson is among one of the Denver ranks of delicious alpha commandoes. Agreeing to a blind date with Evan was never his first choice of meeting someone.... until he laid eyes on her.

But when their date is interrupted by trouble in the form of her deadbeat brother, for Evan it just solidifies why a relationship between them seems completely impossible... but she might just be underestimating the protective nature of Danny... and all of her very new close-knit acquantices... 

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Dream Maker was a dramatic, entertaining, and of course, classic KA alpha male read! Evan and Danny were perfectly matched and supremely attracted to each other immediately upon meeting. But when the chaos of their lives comes barreling in, the reality of their baggage may prove too much to handle... if not for the always understanding friends they bring along with them...

Evie is brilliant and has the potential to become something great, if only her life would allow for it. Struggling to help her family, who always seem to need something, she is on the slow track to finishing school and working as a stripper to make ends meet. Meeting Danny, she longs for the kind of life where she could pursue a man like him.

Danny is former military, and a current commando working for the infamous Hawk (Dream Man series). Still recovering from a relationship with an ex-girlfriend who shattered his heart, he isn't looking to jump into another relationship, at all. But even though he and Evie may have their differences at the very beginning, Danny immediately recognizes just how special she is. And he realizes that he would be an idiot to ever let her get away, or face trouble on her own. 

This was a really good read! Evie and Danny have a super cute relationship, and they fit so well together. With an easy camaraderie, nothing between them feels forced or too fabricated. I would have enjoyed more insight into the things that were only hinted about that seemed to affect Danny so deeply. Nothing was really delved into too deeply with both Evan and Danny's glossed over personality traits and hangups.

This book was such a fun hybrid of both the Dream Man and Rock Chick series. Previously loved characters make all sorts of appearances, and this book shows a small glimpse into the promise of what the Dream Team series will have in store for all of it's devoted readers!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

3.5 stars

The "Rock Chick" and "Dream Man" worlds collide in Kristen Ashley's new spin-off series, Dream Team, where the lovely ladies from Smithie's club are perfectly matched with Hawk Delgado's super-hot and macho commandos. The fun begins with the love story of Evie and Danny in "Dream Maker" ~ a cute, sweet and sexy opposites attract romance.

Evan "Evie" Gardiner was a down on her luck stripper juggling two jobs, struggling to make ends meet while working on her college degree and dealing with a dead-beat family. Somewhat of a loner, Evie was klutzy yet incredibly gifted. A self-proclaimed nerd, she was calm and easy-going for the most part but could be feisty when pushed to her limits, and tended to rant on when it came to feminist and environmental issues. Constantly feeling stressed, being set up with Mag was the last thing Evie wanted. However, it turned out to change her for the better, especially when her lousy brother inadvertently put her life in danger.

I liked Evie's character ~ smart, hardworking, and quirky, she was beyond kindhearted to those in her life, yet reserved in many ways. Seeing how poorly the family treated and took advantage of her, Evie had my sympathies for most of this read. I couldn't wait for the moment she finally stood up for herself. It was all thanks to Danny. With his guidance, Evie discovered her self-worth, formed life-long friendships, changed the course of her life and opened her heart to love.

Daniel "Mag" Magnusson was the quintessential KA Alpha. An ex-marine turned commando, Danny was dealing with PTSD issues and tended to be edgy, hot-headed, and overly dramatic at times. With his instant and intense attraction towards Evie, Danny showed his softer and loving side as well as his obsessive need to keep her safe when faced with precarious circumstances. Overall, Mag was a likable hero, but I would have liked to have had the opportunity to explore his past further, dig deeper into his character, to understand his constant battle with controlling his anger. I felt there was so much more of him to discover.

Regardless of their bumpy beginnings, this couple's journey towards love was sweet. A romance packed with action, moments of laughter and a cast of dynamic secondary characters. Fans of Ashley will be happy to see several cameos and mention of the "Rock Chick" and "Dream Man" cast. For me, I was glad to see some old friends but felt too much of the story-line was dedicated to them rather than focusing on this couple’s relationship and their experiences. All in all, "Dream Maker" was a good read that set the stage for future books within this series.

3.5 Stars

ARC received courtesy of Forever Publishers via Net Galley

Whew, this was a chunky book and I’m proud of myself for finishing it. I’ve read a few Kristen Ashley books before so I was excited to get to this one. While it wasn’t a favorite, it did remind me why I reach for her books. Action and super steamy romance.

Character-wise, I liked Evie and Danny. It was a classic KA couple but that didn’t bother me. There’s something in the way that she writes her alpha male heroes that get me every time. I couldn’t get enough of the macho moments from Danny.

I think my biggest downfall with Dream Maker was that I haven’t read The Rock Chick series. If I had read that series I would have been able to grasp more of the people and the past experiences that they were talking about. So many times I wanted to draw a chart about who was with who and who the rock chicks were. Speaking of them, I found it weird that the Rock Chick books are a thing in this book. Like our main character, Evie was reading them about people she was getting to know. Is that weird to anyone else?

I also felt like the ending was so anti-climatic. As much build up as we had over 500 pages I expected something better. Something that also felt like an ending after all of the drama and kidnappings.

All in all, I’m pretty sure ya’ll can see how I’m in the middle on this book. I enjoyed parts of it but I didn’t enjoy it as a whole. I do plan on continuing with the next book when it releases. I just hope I can understand and recognize more people.

I've read several Kristen Ashley books but not all of them and it's been awhile since I picked one up. I always like her story development and her characters. With this story I enjoyed the idea behind the story. How they met, their attraction, and how it played out but at time it lost my attention. I haven't read the Rock Chick series but I am familiar with it and there were a lot of cross characters and trying to figure out who was who got to be too much at times. While there were parts I enjoyed to the story I couldn't 100% enjoy it all.

I love Kristen Ashley’s Rock Chick’s series and this is definitely in the same category. We even see some of the rock chicks pop in and do their regular hi-jinx. Evie is so sweet but life has dealt her a hard hand. When her brother gets her into a BIG situation, only one person has her back, and it’s not who she expected. Get ready for big, alpha sized commando romance and a lot of sassy heroines.

3.5 A Bit Of Déjà vu Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
This book harkens back to the flavor of OG Kristen Ashley's books. There is a hint of what once was and bringing past characters into the current story will help fans to remember and buy in more than the recent books that did not sit well.

I enjoyed it, it became chaotic but it had that heart and romance of the dominant alpha man and the woman who was just trying to get through life. The romance was there as well as the usual suspense.

There are going to be more and as a sucker for KA, I will be looking to see when.

***2 Stars***

I tried. I wanted it to work out, but I must state that this author and I are just not meant to be. It does sadden me since I do respect all that she has done as an author and for the Indie community and also because I have quite a few reading friends who do enjoy many of her books and I really, REALLY wanted to finally join the ranks, I just can’t and must admit defeat and move on. (And, yes, I know, this is an extremely annoying run on sentence, but I’m leaving it and I apologize to all you grammar peeps for it)

There is a part of me that wants to delve into the whys and all that, but I’m not going to. No one wants to read a dissertation, so I am going to keep it short. I didn’t hate the book. There were some entertaining moments, and while I didn’t fall in love with Danny and Evan ~ they did things that had my eyes hurting from rolling them so much ~, I did find them to be good people who truly cared about those they called their own, even if those people didn’t deserve it.

I really wanted to like this book. I did. And I know there will be many who will love it and more power to them, but this baby just wasn’t my cup-o- tea, even though it had all the elements I tend to enjoy in a romance with alpha AF males. So, I’m just gonna put it on the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ shelf and move on to the next read.

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

Yet another amazing story by Kristen Ashley that has her readers in a trans till the last page. Dream Maker is a spinoff of the Rock Chick and Mystery Man series (which I LOVED), the good thing is if you haven't read those series, you can read Dream Maker as a standalone but if you have read the Rock Chick and Mystery Man series then you will be a happy camper with the continuation of their characters! That said, I have to say that I am so happy that Kristen Ashley has decided to keep on bring us more of the hot and loving strong alpha male characters with the sassy and defiant overpowering female characters. I cannot say enough about the way of writing by this author, her writing is different than many other, her writing is witty and matter of factly, possessive and overpowering but yet gentle and soothing. To say that I am a huge fan is an understatement. Thank you for sharing your gift with millions of people around the world. Cant wait for the second book in this series. Go Dream Team!!!!!!!
*I was given an advanced readers copy of Dream Maker by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.*

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Baby, you are about to learn that you should expect more from the people in your life than remembering you need a toothbrush. A lot more. And I’m all kinds of down with that.”
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If you enjoy:
🥞Contemporary Romance
🥞Series Spin Offs
🥞Commando Hero’s
🥞Geeky Heriones
🥞Dual POV
Then this may be the book for you!
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This book was like coming home. I felt like I was back in the Rock Chick, Dream Man, and even Choas world and I did not want it to end.
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I adore Kristen Ashley. It’s no secret I will read her books without even reading a blurb. Her writing sucks me in and leaves me smiling with a new book boyfriend everytime. And this book was no exception.
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Evie and Mag are set up on a blind date. Neither really wanting to commit to it. When they follow through they end up having an instant attraction, despite a clumsy moment and some unique danger. Mag is determined to keep her safe, and Evie is determined to handle it on her own. Watching them work their way through this was fantastic!
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I truly loved everything about this book. I loved Evie and how she worked hard despite her family bringing her down. She has goals. Shes super geeky and a klutz. But strong with a vulnerability. Mag. He is a badass alpha. But so sweet. So attentive and intune with Evie. They both had there own issues but they understood each other, and just fit perfectly.
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I love how a touch of feminism is inserted into this book. Yes Mag wants to do for her, protect her and provide for her. But she is so strong willed and very much a ‘stand on her own two feet’ type of woman. And he doesn’t try to mess with that. Accepting her as she is.
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This book is not exactly a realistic romance. The plot is pure Kristen Ashley- heroine in danger and hero’s there to save the day. But still unique in its own way. The relationship moved quickly and gets steamy. But it is a fantastic escape. It has a good blend of drama, action and romance.
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Your reunited with Rock Chick, Chaos and Dream Man characters, which may have very well been my favourite part. I mean more of Tex- sign me up. You don’t need to have read any of those series to read this one- but it makes it so much better if you have! I laughed, I smiled, and teared up at times. This book is fun, heartfelt, and has some fabulous steamy moments. It also has a strong cast of characters that I can’t wait to read more from!
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I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"Jesus Christ, did you not hear me" Hawk bit off. "This crew is not taking on the next generation of Rock Chicks."

Oh how wrong he was...LOL This is definitely the next generation of Rock Chicks and I LOVED THEM! This is Kristen Ashley at her finest, writing about kick-ass heroines and the alpha males that move heaven and earth for them.

First one up to get her HEA is Evan, Evie is one of Smithies girls. Lottie has taken it upon herself to play matchmaker and pair up each of Smithies girls with a Commando that works with Mo, which no one is happy about....I found it kinda comical the way they're all fighting it.

Evan and Mag have both been putting off their blind date until they each finally give in and decide to go out just to get Lottie off their backs, but as you can imagine things do not go as they had anticipated.

Danny aka Mag, has entered Evie's life just when she needed him the most and although things started off rocky for them, in true KA fashion she had Danny and Evan fighting not only their feelings for one another but also the bad guys.

I really enjoyed this spin off to both the ROCK CHICK SERIES and the DREAM MAN SERIES, and it was great seeing all of the old crew again along with some of the guys from the CHAOS MC SERIES.

If you enjoy Romantic Suspense with a lot of heat that involve a nerdy klutz of a girl that everyone loves...even the bad guy and an alpha male that only has eyes for the nerdy klutzy girl this is the book for you!

Happy Reading!!!

3 1/2 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the complementary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Dream Maker by Kristen Ashley is a book that will make Kristen Ashley fans squee with glee. As a spin off to the Rock Chicks and Dream Man series, and the first book of the new Dream Team series, the book has all the components of a classic Kristen Ashley:

- protective, super hot, alpha male
- spunky, likable heroine surrounded by people who have gotten her into a disastrous situation
- zany supporting characters you can't help but love
- instalove with the heroine moving in with the hero within the first few days
- kidnappings (is it possible for there to be a Rock Chick or Dream Man book without a kidnapping?)

In the book you'll also see characters from The Rock Chicks, Dream Man, and Chaos series (including Tex, Elvira and Shirleen, my favorites!)

I will admit that this is one part of the story I could have done with less of. I wish Ashley had spent more time developing the characters of this series, The Dream Team, than parading through everyone in the old series. I've read and loved all of these previous series but it just felt like too much to me.

So this is the first book in a new series. Would this stand alone? I think it probably could but there are a lot of side characters in this book that make cameos that might begin to feel a little tedious if you didn't already know their stories. My recommendation? Start with either The Rock Chicks or the Dream Man series first.

Dream Maker by Kristen Ashley is book One in the Dream Team Series. This is the story of Evan 'Evie' and Danny 'Mag'. Evie is a very smart women who has to work as a stripper to earn money to meet her dreams of being more. Evie's friend Lottie has been playing match maker which now is Evie's so she doesn't have much choice. This is how she meets Danny...he is her blind date. Danny hasn't had it to easy either. But, Evie has a crazy family who count on her for everything. Evie is their go to person for cleaning up their problems. This of course leads her into trouble along with other decisions. This was a page turning read for me. I really enjoyed this book. I will be looking at read more books from this author!

-- Read this review, and lots of others, on my blog www.hookedbythatbook.com –

Evie is a computer nerd by day and a stripper by night. Her friend, Lottie, sets her up on a date with Danny (who everybody calls Mag), except for Evie. Danny has some issues of his own after his career in the armed forces. He works with Mo, Lottie’s fiancée.

Evie was in big trouble because of her brother, and since she is very self-sacrificing, she would have just gone along with everything that happened. But Danny took over right from the moment they met and spent a lot of time and energy trying to keep her safe. Evie always considered herself a loner, but suddenly she found support and friendship from the Rock Chicks (Lottie’s gang of friends), and her fellow strippers, as well as Danny and his group of friends. And all of these people seemed to want to make Evie’s decisions for her, as they all think she will not take care of herself in the process. I have to say, Evie did push back against this wall of “taking over”.

I liked Evie, though she really had no sense of self-preservation. And she wasn’t used to having people in her corner, so she had a tough time adjusting to all these new people who wanted to help. Danny was a bit intense for me, and I didn’t like him much at all. He is domineering, arrogant, and over-possessive. And I don’t buy the idea that a guy has to solve his problems with aggression to be considered “alpha”. Between Danny and his group of friends, there was way too much testosterone flying around, and not in a good way.

I haven’t read the Rock Chicks, so I felt like I missed something a bit, but not enough to still follow this story.

I am not a fan of the writing style. Many of the characters sound the same when they talk – they use the same sort of phrases, and there isn’t really a distinction between them as such. The plot was fairly good, but Evie was about the only character that I liked and connected with. There are also a lot of repetitive statements and phrases used that I have never heard real-world people use, such as “Thus being to the fact”, “That turn being me”, and “Doing so”. There are loads more examples.

So, while I enjoyed the plot, and Evie, I didn’t really care for the rest of the characters, and the writing style is hard to ignore to get to the heart of the story, that’s why I’m giving it a 2.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When Kristen Ashley teased this book to her readers in 2019, I couldn’t wait, and it instantly became one of my most anticipated books of 2020. I loved her Dream Man series, and the commandos were always these interesting, elusive guys popping up when everyone needed them most. I wanted to know more then, and I’m thrilled KA is giving readers that now.
Dream Maker kicks off KA’s new Dream Team series with the romance of Mag and Evie. Make no mistake, this is a brand new series set around new characters that have really only been alluded to in previous books and series. But KA pulled off a double whammy with this book, delivering a story that was both comfortingly familiar and brand-spanking- new. It was a wonderful blend of nostalgia but with a fresh take.
As any KA reader will tell you, her stories aren’t just about the hot guy hero. Oh no, not even close. He’s a star, don’t get me wrong, but getting equal billing is a heroine who holds her own in the face of all that alpha-hotness and a tribe of friends that define what it means to belong to a sisterhood. I read KA stories just as much for those fantastic female friendships as I do for the heart-racing, heat-filled, knee-weakening romance. In Dream Maker, KA gives readers a solid tribe of female in Smithie’s girls, and their brand of shenanigans and sisterhood can stand right up to that of the Rock Chicks – who make liberal appearances and welcome the strippers into the fold.
Mag and Evie each come to the table with their own baggage, and Lottie, the mastermind behind their pairing, chose them specifically for each other. They pretty much only agree to this blind date set-up to get Lottie, the queen of Smithie’s strippers and another commando’s woman, off their backs. Neither is prepared for the instant attraction and the shocking spark of chemistry, and Mag is immediately taken in by Evie’s endearing clumsiness. Evie may be gorgeous and a Smithie’s girl, but she’s also a genius with a huge heart. A nerdy girl through-and-through, she finds herself in a serious jam thanks to her good-for-nothing brother. Mag is one of Hawk’s commandos, and he’s got a heart of gold. His attraction and reaction to Evie rocks him to his core, but he’s a smart enough man to recognize this woman, these feelings – the whole package is special and rare. His gentle, patient pursuit of Evie was the kind of sigh-inducing, swoon-worthy magic I’ve come to expect from KA, and man oh man, did she deliver the goods here.
Dream Maker was everything I love about a Kristen Ashley romance. A strong, sassy, smart heroine and a protective alpha male with a mile-wide sweet streak team up in a love story full of friendship, fun and fire. Kristen Ashley did not disappoint with the first book in her new Dream Team series. I devoured this book eagerly, and I’m already on the edge of my seat, counting down for the next book. A top favorite of the year, Dream Maker by Kristen Ashley gets five smooches from me!
~Danielle Palumbo, Red Cheeks Reads


* I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review. I have since purchased a my own copy of the ebook for my digital library.

Dream Maker is another 5-star romance from Kristen Ashley. Mag and Evie are opposites but their connection is so captivating. No one expected them to be together but they sure know how to prove everyone wrong.

Evie is a super-intelligent woman who has always known what she wants and did what she needed to do. When she meets Mag, she thinks he is way out of her league. He is so sexy and protective which is really attractive. They may look so different on paper but they have both been through tough experiences.

I loved this story because of the amazing chemistry between Evie and Mag. They help each other so much throughout the story and their bond is so charming.

I give Dream Maker 5 stars. It was perfect from start to finish. Kristen Ashley can do no wrong. I loved the dynamic between these characters and how they overcame adversity.

What a fun ride! I've only read a handful of Kristen Ashley books (her most recent Rising fantasy series), so I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. It's a mash up/spin off series of her well loved Rock Chick and Dream Man series, and even though I haven't read those I still really enjoyed Mag and Evie's story.

The book had plenty of action and sexy times and though it starts off with some instalust, I liked that the overall romance took a bit longer to come about. The surprising thing for me, was how funny Dream Maker was. Evie's inner monologue and all the colorful characters were hilarious and added a lot to the story. I really liked both Evan and Danny (Mag). They might have started off in a non-conventional way, but the forced proximity/opposites attract romance was wonderful. In true Kristen Ashley fashion, there are kidnappings, OTT alpha men, and strong female friendships and characters, but it was still very entertaining. There was a twist at the end that I wasn't expecting and though I found the story a bit long overall, it set the next books in the series up very well. I'm really excited for Axl and Hattie's story.

Because I wasn't already familiar with the world these characters are from, the Easter eggs and character mentions throughout the book went a bit over my head. I didn't feel too lost though and got some clarification from some fellow book friends and Kristen Ashley lovers. Overall, I still really liked this one, but I think existing Kristen Ashley fans will get the most out of it versus someone just starting her books.

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*