This felt like classic Kristen Ashley, rock chick goodness. It was full of capers and craziness. Funny moments and sweet moments made it charming. And of course the alpha goodness vs. quirky heroine combination was a sure winner. Reading a Kristen Ashley book always just makes you feel engaged in reading and giddy to be doing it. It's just easy and light infused with passion, fun, friendship and love.

All the new characters introduced into this story are interesting and I'm excited to see where this newest series heads. But the Dream Maker is a great start and the two lead characters find themselves astonishingly well fitted and ready to make a go at life and love as the world around them is in complete chaos. It's loving and learning and growing in only the way Kristen Ashley can uniquely provide. I'm excited for this new venture in the KA world.

Another great addition to Kristen Ashley’s wide variety of romance, I was instantly transported into the new series and loved every moment of it. Ashley is able to cover women’s insecurities while dealing with deep issues while making you simply falL
In love with the characters. Very excited for the next chapter in this great series.

Brava!

I cannot possibly squeal enough about DREAM MAKER. it is brillant!! It had me flipping pages like mad, grinning endlessly and laughing and giggling out-loud more times than I could count! Its insanely well-written. Kristen Ashley has an absolute gift with words. Her writing style is so effortless, you feel like you are right in the head of the main character.

DREAM MAKER was never boring, there is no stupidity from the characters, and the drama in the background compliments the character development of the story rather than complicates it. Its a delicate balance that Kristen Ashley has really perfected! She written so many awesome series and I’m sad that I’m not caught up on them. I need to change that very soon!



Another KA book that did not disappoint! I love DREAM MAKER. I was laughing the whole time. It reminds me a lot of the Stephanie Plum series – only better. Evie cracked me up, she sure could get herself in some sticky situations and amazingly get out of them mostly unharmed. I just adored everything about DREAM MAKER and the characters were amazing.



DREAM MAKER is probably the most all-out funniest book I’ve ever read! I mean, how can you not love a book about a smart, independent, sassy heroine and her Badass Extraordinaire hero getting together? Its impossible not to, I tell you. Impossible! 😁



I received a copy of this book from Forever Publishing and Netgalley for an honest review.

Charged, edgy, and passionate!

Dream Maker is an entertaining, alluring tale that introduces us to Evie, a young, nerdy stripper who has a friend determined to be a matchmaker and a degenerate family whose actions have finally put her in the crosshairs of some very unsavoury people, and Danny (aka Mag) an enigmatic, commando who may be in over his head and in full protection mode from the very start when he falls for the klutzy babe he just got set up with.

The writing is sultry and humorous. The characters are affectionate, stubborn, and playful. And the plot is an enticing mix of friendship, family, danger, drama, sisterhood, chaos, romance, instant attraction, smouldering tension, sizzling chemistry, and steamy romance.

Overall, Dream Maker is a menacing, alluring, action-packed start to this new series by Ashley that’s got all the elements we’ve come to know and love in her contemporary romance/romantic suspense novels including a quirky heroine, a sexy alpha male, and an adventurous storyline.

I told a friend that I didn't want to read this book because i KNEW it would make me want to read all of Kristen Ashley's back list books. I was totally right. I enjoyed this suspenseful and fun love story so much. I loved the characters and the humor and how much Mag and Evie loved each other but more than anything, I loved their community of friends. Kristen Ashley does such a good job of creating a group of people that we want to care about and know more from and I am here for it. Thank you, Kristen and Forever, for letting me read and review!

I am freaking stroke that Kristen Ashley is writing more books! Love reading her books. I can always read her books and won’t notice the time until I finish the book. Dream Maker will bring a new generation in the Kristen Ashley world.

Evan “Evie” Gardiner is a freaking genius but she is such a sweetheart that she will always clean her family messes. It messes up her chances in life but that makes Evie so much better. She is willing to go in the long haul that she needs someone to be in her corner. I want someone in her corner, she needs all of the support no matter. And I think she will get it from Daniel “Mag” Magnusson after they solve her complicated family.

Family is never easy. And it does not get any easier for Evie when she gets involve into complicated matter. But don’t you worry Evie, Mag is willing to help. Sometimes, it may be hard for her but Mag is determine to show her that she is it for her no matter what. It may be a long process for Evie to figure out but she will cause Mag is meant for her, just as Evie is meant for Mag. I totally fell in love with them.

I'm going to tell you something a little crazy... this is my first time reading something by Kristen Ashley. I'm not sure why I waited so long, because I really enjoyed her writing style - it's filled with playful banter, plenty of dialogue, and a warm, lovable hero who is admittedly kinda over the top but still a great guy. There's an element of suspense to the story that took things up a notch, and though the romance is very much instalove, I stayed connected to the characters throughout.

The story follows Evie, a woman who comes from a hot mess of a family. She strips to pay not only her own bills, but also to care for her family. When she's set up on a blind date with Danny/Mag, she doesn't have much faith in the match. He is SO not her type - a demanding, serious alpha male who turned into a bit of a player after getting his heart broken. But there's instant attraction there, and when Danny proves to be a caring, protective guy with a good heart... he becomes impossible to resist.

I really didn't know what to expect going into this - I've heard that Ashley's writing is great (and it was), but beyond that I didn't know much about the story. I found it highly entertaining; every time I thought the book was starting to drag a little, the chemistry between Evie and Danny pulled me back in. It is very much an instalove/over the top kind of romance - Danny does it in a sweet way, but he calls Evie "Baby" from their first meeting and things move at lightning speed. There are appearances from MANY characters from past books, which leads me to believe that this is a common theme in Ashley's work, and, honestly, it was executed well so that wasn't really a problem for me. Ultimately, I loved the writing style and will definitely be back for more from the author - while I don't want to read about total alpha males on a daily basis, it makes for a fun read from time to time. I received an ARC via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review of this suspenseful read.

AHHHHH!!! Kristen Ashley did it again!! Her new Dream Team series is absolutely phenomenal!!!!!! I died for Mag and Evie and could not stop reading!!! This book took me back to the Rock chicks and the Dream Man series...hands down my two favorite series EVER from Ashley. The chemistry, the banter and just the feel of this story was MAGNIFICENT!!! What an amazing story!

Gah!! This is the first book in the series but is a spin off of Ashley's Dream Man novella. I HIGHLY suggest you read that story first to get a feel for what this series will be about. When Mag and Evie are set up by Lottie we never would have expected how amazing their coupling would be. Their connection was fiery, their emotional connection was powerful and the swoons and chemistry between them was amazinggg. I loved this story SO much and can not wait for the other books in this series. Bravo! 5 stars!

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review! ~Ratula

Dream Maker is the first book in the newest series by Kristen Ashley “DREAM TEAM” and boy this book kicks booty and the ROCK CHICKS ARE BACK BABY!!! Boy this book was so entertaining. And I know the page count might seem daunting at times, but its a page turner so I easily flew through this easily within one day. But then I always seem to fly through her fabulous stories and I just got a kick out of this book and its definitely worth the wait on this one.

Dream Maker begins with Evie. Evie is a geek and super intelligent. She has dreams to be more than what people around her inspire her to be. Evie has the smarts to make something for herself. But until she can afford the education to get her there, she works as a stripper at “Smithie’s” and she does love it even if she is different from her “dream team” a group of girls who have all suffered but do what they need to do to make it. When she meets her alpha “Mag” she knows her life will never be the same….a man that shows her the beauty of her soul and fights for her when no one else will….

If you love someone, you let them be who they are

Dream Maker is such a beautiful book and I loved every moment. It definitely has Kristen Ashley’s stamp on it here. And I love seeing where Kristen Ashley takes us….back to the Rock Chicks and the Dream Man connections. It was so fun to see where this author brings us to and all the fun players that become involved in this story. I just can’t ever get enough of these characters and what a hoot they are. As we delve into the main characters we also see hints of future books and boy I NEED those books now.

Evie was such a great character and even though I didn’t like what she does to Danny at first, you understand where its coming from. The good thing about Ashley’s alpha heroes is they fight back and don’t give up on their women no matter what it takes. And I love seeing this hold true for Danny and Evie. He sees so much more in Evie than anyone else does. Her family is horrid and is always using her except for her baby sister and her step father, they are all so cruel to her. So you see why she has such doubts about her own worth. But with the Dream Team and Danny, she finds the strength to be more confident and fight for herself and her dreams. in our hero we find a man that is such a fighter. Evie is in danger and he will do everything he can to protect her. Danny was such a solid hero, he is a military commando, he is strong and fierce and protective. But he is the type of hero I love, the way he stands for Evie, protects her, fights for her and her dreams and has such faith in her and sets those boundaries we all need in relationships.

Overall I found Dream Maker to be a kick ass of a romance that will make you swoon, fall in love and get fighting for this pair and our introduction to the DREAM TEAM….passionate and sweet!!

"I just had an orgasm because that man announced without a single hint of whining that he was going to vacuum."

Confession: I've not read Rock Chicks...yet. But, I'm now convinced that's a lapse in judgment that needs to be corrected ASAP! I got a taste of the author's talent in regards to the whole #GirlPower, #FamilyOfFriends, #IGotYouGirl, #YouGoWeGo, #SecretsAre2BShared, #DrunkFun vibe and I really dig it. I have read her badass bikers and already knew she could slay the whole alpha protector who's softer side comes out when he finds his woman. Dream Maker is all that, and then some, with some action and suspense thrown in.

Evie is an adorable nerdy genius with a side of klutz that is painful but entertaining to 'virtually' watch. She's got the biggest heart and a small bank account that requires more than one job to cover her expenses. Dancing at Smithie's is not her ultimate career choice but it does put her on the right path to meet the most beautiful bossy bad boy with the curliest eyelashes.

Mag is not looking for trouble, but he finds it when he meets Evie. She's got problems that make him forget his own for a while. He doesn't want to be attracted to her, but he can't help noticing how 'cute' she is with her geeky inclinations and her sassy snark. And she needs him. To save her from her self-inflicted accidents and tendency to give everything to everyone, especially those that don't deserve it. The only problem is, he's not sure he can save himself. He wants her.

I loved this story...HARD. The cast of amazing characters left my mind open to so many possibilities. The frequent use of the word 'babe' by multiple gorgeous guys had me swooning and laughing when the hilarious and beautiful 'babes' shared their filterless opinions about said guys. I hated and adored and laughed and sighed from one minute to the next as events unfolded that kept me glued to my Kindle. I devoured every word and enjoyed every second. I can't wait to get my hands on Dream Chaser. The line forms here...

By 8% I was done with this book, but I pushed myself to read more. I ended up DNF'ing at 21%. I couldn't stand Evie. All she said when she was introduced was go on and on about how she was a millennial. She said this way too many times, then went off to explain why she was a millenial--in excruciating and exhausting detail--for 2 to 3 pages. She turned out to be a walking/talking stereotype.

Then there's Mag. At first he seemed like a hero I would like, until he wasn't. He turned out to be a guy I didn't like at all. He meets Evie at her place when her phone rings with a notification. This guy goes and GRABS her phone and reads the text message she had received (invasion of privacy, anyone?) THEY JUST MET! He doesn't need to go and grab her phone and invade her privacy! Again, THEY. JUST. MET. As if that wasn't enough, he basically threatens her with hacking into her phone so he can read all of her texts and listen to her phone calls if she kicks him out of her apartment. EXCUSE ME?! Thank you, next. He was an asshole.

Let's go to the writing. *cue all the eye-rolls in the world* The writing is so freaking cringy! I understand this is the author's style of writing and I understand including details, but... Is it just me or is it unbelievably childish? Does every boring detail needs to be included? Not only that, we get a lot of thought-vomit, to the point where I would get lost and couldn't keep track of what was the point of the heroine's thought-rant. I'm not kidding when I say an entire paragraph would be dedicated to explaining something so insignificant. I honestly couldn't deal.

Everything I read was super cringy. I searched for reviews on GR, and from one that I read I can tell it doesn't get better. By the looks of it, it gets worse. I ended up officially giving up on this book. Just thinking about it makes me cringe and roll my eyes.

Give me a Kristen Ashley book any day, anytime, and I would sit there and read it in one sitting. Ms. Ashley is one of my top favorite authors - I've love her work from the earlier days and it's a "dream" to get a new book from this author.

Dream Maker brings me back to the Rock Chick and Commando Men days - and I loved it. This book has all the elements of a KA book - stubborn woman and a hot alpha male, who is willing to do anything to protect his woman in all situations!

Evie is a stripper at Smithies (yes, she is!), but she's the nerdy, little more reserved type, In comes Mag, one of Hawk's men (yes Hawk!!) - he's attracted to her and her quirky attitude. And it turns out that Mag is there to help Evie when she lands herself in trouble and doesn't know how to get out of it and of course Mag is there. Mag, himself is dealing with a dark past from his line of work, but having Evie in his life is helping him see the light.

Again, fantastic read if you a fan of Kristen Ashley!

This book was good, I kind of felt lost just a bit at parts because I'm probably the only person who hasn't read rock chick and the Mc series so when those characters were there and talked about , the author spoke like I knew of them and of course I dont! But besides that the book was great! There was lots of suspense! Lots of action! All in all it was a great read! Very well written! Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

4 stars
Dream Maker is the official start of a new Dream Team series and it feels like the old school Rock Chick books. It has the Hot Bunch, the Rock Chicks, Chaos, and a whole new set of commandos. We got a bit of a feel for them in the novella Quiet Man, but this first book features Evan and Mag.

Evan/Evie is an intelligent and hardworking girl. She is trying to get a degree and works two jobs (one being a stripper at Smithie's) in order to support herself and all her hanger-on family members. She is used to being the responsible one and caretaker. She is kind of a klutz and a nerd and digs technology.

Lottie sets her up with Mag--Daniel Magnusson who works with her man, Mo. Mag/Danny is a charming, funny, take-charge alpha. He has a bad history with love that turned him into more of a womanizer. His easygoing facade hides some serious anger issues and PTSD that still affects him at times. But one date with Evan makes him want to help her and take care of her. And she certainly needs the help.

Her brother has got her into a big, dangerous mess and now Danny is insisting his network take her in and help figure out who is after her and how it all relates. They both also come with a lot of baggage. Evan has always been a loner and never has had anyone look out for her, but now she has a whole crew jumping in to make her feel welcome and support her. She needs to not only find her sense of self-worth, but also her backbone to fight for what she deserves and also learn to accept help. And Danny needs someone to love and accept him as he is, bring lightness and joy back into his life, but also allow him to take care of her as well.

This was a comfy read. It felt like being back home with old friends. It has the formula that worked for the Rock Chick, Dream Man, and Chaos books and they are all along for the ride. I liked Evan. She is not an impulsive bad-as* like some of the RCs, but she tries to do what she can. And Danny is just that typical KA alpha hero who decides quickly when a woman is his and will do anything to make her life better. I liked that they could balance out each other and give the other what they needed.

I will admit I am a longtime KA fan, but have had a hard time with some books in the last couple of years because they are so long, detailed, and sometimes repetitive. It is just part of her style, but my personal reading habits have changed over the years. But sometimes it is nice to revisit characters and worlds that you have loved in the past. And sometimes the formula still works (kind of like the Star Wars movies). So I enjoyed all of them hanging out and working together and still being all nosy and bossy. Hawk is still my man and he just gets better and better with age.

I am excited about the other couples that Lottie is already trying to use her matchmaking skills on. I am liking these new guys Auggie, Boone, and Axl and the Dream Team girls from Smithie's. It seems they all have some stories to tell and issues to overcome.

I have a confession.
I have never read anything from this author.
I know, I can hear the gasps of horror as I type this.
But, to be fair, there are so many books out there, and so little time.

Now. I’m really glad I started with this one. If you’re looking for an Alpha, it’s here. Daniel Magnusson is protective, caring, & loyal with his friends. Add in Evie and the ballgame changes, and the man is devoted.
The meeting, a blind date set up by Lottie, Kicks off their wild ride of a relationship, and kept me hooked.

I’m gonna go back and meet these Rock Chicks now, because I think it’s something I’m missing in my life.
This one gets all the recommendations from me.

Dream Maker is the first in a new series from Kristen Ashley that meshes her Rock Chick and Dream Man series with all new couples and some old friends. Evie is smart as a whip, down on her luck, an exotic dancer with a heart of gold, yet she aspires to something better. She gets set up on a blind date with Danny “Mag” Magnusson and the night turns from slightly embarrassing to criminal in a heartbeat. Being a former soldier and a full-time commando Mag knows a thing or two about how to get Evie out of her mess, but will she let him?

I’ve been a fan of the Rock Chick series since the first was published nearly 12 years ago. Since then I’ve read almost every single book that Kristen Ashley has published with a determination that borders on fanatic. When I was offered the chance to review the latest series I of course jumped, because it had been touted as Rock Chick 2.0 and I love a good girl squad book.

Kristen knows how to write an alpha that is protective, a badass, smart, and determined that is also capable of extreme care and love towards his woman. Mag fits this bill to a “T”, but with a 2020 set of sensibilities. It was interesting to be inside the head of an alpha that on one hand is thinking “mine”, but on the other is acknowledging his woman’s autonomy. Evie, on the other hand, fits the mold of a Kristen Ashley heroine without anything new to draw me in further. She is smart, beautiful, determined, insecure, and taken advantage of by every person in her life except an incredibly small group. She doesn’t believe she’s good enough for Mag, and even goes so far as to make plans to keep him at bay.

As I read, I began to wonder if my love of past books had clouded my love for anything new, because by 40% I was struggling. So much of what was happening to Evie felt like it had been done in other books, and I couldn’t stop drawing comparisons to the old novels and finding the new novel a bit lacking. We’ve seen the forced proximity of the main couple used in almost all of the Rock Chick books. Evie’s useless mother is almost a carbon copy of the mother from Law Man and her distant but affable father is a rehash of Jet’s dad in Rock Chick Rescue. I also struggled with the fact that so many previous characters make appearances. I couldn’t help but wonder how a new reader would feel reading some of the information dumps Kristen had to use in order to explain away who all the cameos were. Even as a fan I had to stop and check the internet to make sure I was remembering which man went with which woman. Lastly it bothered me that there were so many popular culture references. Today a mention of Postmates or Urban Outfitters seems timely and appropriate, but how will this age 20 years down the road? This book felt stuck in 2019-2020 and I don’t know if the references were a good choice to make.

In the end of course I enjoyed this book because it’s a Kristen Ashley, and she scratches an itch for me that so many other authors cannot. The way she writes an alpha should be studied by new contemporary authors to see how a strong and capable man can be written without coming off as a complete jerk. For me, reading Kristen’s books is like ordering coffee at a Starbucks. I may know the coffee is not going to be earth shattering but it will always be consistently good and sometimes that’s exactly what I need. Fans of Kristen will love the inside jokes, the cameos, and the new hot bunch and girl squad. However, new readers may struggle with a book that is so full of fanservice. I do think it’s still a solid story if you enjoy a bit of action and drama with your contemporary love story. Overall, I’m giving this a 3.5 because I know Kristen can do amazing things and this book just wasn’t her best work in my humble opinion. If you’ve never read one of her books, I’d suggest starting with the Dream Man series or the Rock Chick series before you try this latest offering, it may help you appreciate this story as it’s intended.

This was a good read. I just felt like it was something Kristen has already done before or it was mish mash of a few of her other stories into this one. The pacing of the relationship should have slowed down just a bit for me. I really loved the cameos from characters through out her other 2 series. I do look forward to the next book in the series to see what happens next.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

For those of you that are superfans of Kristen Ashley like I am then Dream Maker is going to be Christmas and your birthday all wrapped into one awesome book!!!! For those of you who haven’t read Kristen Ashley before, my best advice is to buckle up because you are about to have one hell of a reading experience and I am so flipping excited for you!!!!

Dream Maker is the first book in the Dream Team series and I am keeping my fingers crossed there is going to be to many, many, many more installments in the future!! This series is a spin-off of sorts of both the Rock Chicks and Dream Man series! I adored catching up with some of my all-time favorite characters, but let me say that the brand new cast of characters for the Dream Team Series are FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC! This addictive storyline perfectly melds the romance and suspense genres, but in true Kristen Ashley fashion the alpha-male awesomeness is what sets it apart from the rest—LOVE! Dreamer Maker is a 5 star book that will most definitely steam up your summer reading!

3.5 stars
This isnt the first book I've read by Kristen Ashley. It also isnt the best book ive read by her. I liked meeting all the girls and guys that are going to comprise this new series. Evan or Evie starts off being kind of a waffling wallflower but truly comes into her own. You see her nerdy side as well and I love that KA is showing that being a nerdy girl isn't bad. The fact that Danny (Mag) loves that about her makes me feel good about myself being a nerdy girl. I find some of the situations a lot outlandish. Definitely some over the top moments for sure. I wish that the story had focused a little more on their relationship and Danny working through his issues.

Overall it was a quick read and a compelling one. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this new series. :)

Dream Maker is the first book by Kristen Ashley that I've read. Certainly I've heard about her previous series, but with a huge TBR list, I just haven't gotten to them. It could tell early on that if you were someone who had read a lot of her books you were going to love this due to all of the appearances by characters from past books.

Evan "Evie" Gardiner makes her living by working as an exotic dancer and also fixing computers. She's a bit nerdy, sweet, a bit klutzy and loyal to a fault. She's so loyal that her brother's problems have suddenly become her own. When she's set up on a blind date by Lottie (aka Mac), she's not sure it will work out, but she's willing to try.

Danny "Mag" Magnusson is one of Hawk's commando's, but while he is alpha to the core, he's also got a sweet streak and he is super protective over those he cares about. He's got demons of his own, but he works at trying to deal with them the best he can.

The relationship between Mag and Evie is slow to develop and I liked that. They dealt with a lot in a very short time and they were supportive of one another and helped each other through the things that were happening. This book was filled with emotion and heartbreak, but you also had some humor and lighthearted moments as well.

I enjoyed this book and will look forward to additional books in the series.

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**