Member Reviews
This was a cute story. I liked the characters. I feel like they had realistic character development. I hadn't read the two previous books in the series, but I didn't feel like that effected me much in understanding the story. The funny thing is, I went to read the first book in the series, and I did not enjoy it at all- so I guess I'm glad I read this one first!
Loved the characters in this but dialogue sometimes felt robotic. Their relationship was beautiful but felt almost too perfect to the point where I didn’t feel any conflict coming that would keep me interested.
After reading Wildfire, I was a little apprehensive to pick up Daydream. Turns out, I totally loved it. I think I liked this more than Icebreaker? But that very well could be for personal reasons.
These two characters were relatable on so many levels. Halle and her people pleasing (I feel that so much) and Henry and his spirling. While I adored Henry with everyone else in Icebreaker, I have to admit I didn't see how a book with his story would work. So Hannah Grace came in hot to prove me all the way wrong. Henry is truly unlike any other book boyfriend I've read in all the best ways.
Two things I loved most about this book:
1. The third act conflic was thankfully not super dramatic and didn't make me all that anxious, which I feel like authors are so prone to do anymore.
2. Thank you for just finishing the book and not adding an epilogue or bonus chapters. That might be my favorite part of all.
This is an absolute must read for anyone who loves a cozy romance in which the stakes aren't too high, and for those who fell for Russ in Icebreaker like I did.
Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the advanced audiobook. All opinions are my own.
This was a pretty solid romance. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the couple, but I did think that for a bunch of 20 year olds they used a lot of therapy-speak. I do wish it was a bit more subtle in that regard. I felt like it had a hard time balancing the realities of what 20 year olds and fully developed adults experience and think. I do also think it’s a bit hard to follow if you haven’t read the other books. So many characters, I had a hard time keeping up.
This one was my favorite of Hannah's UCMH series! I loved how sweet the two characters were with one another, and the story itself was feel good and lovely.
Thank you to Atria Books for this digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I've been waiting for this one! <3 Henry is finally getting his story. I'm so happy to see the Maple Hills series continue to grow because I love these characters.
The author's note at the start of the book made me even more excited for Henry's story because Hannah's love for her characters leaps from the page. Her writing is so deeply connected to her own feelings but it allows for you welcome each character and embrace every quirk and flaw as you go through the story.
Henry and Halle are the quirkiest of her characters this far in the series. I loved their slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance. I especially loved the open communication of their needs and boundaries and how they continue to work on themselves and form meaningful relationships. Halle has a long history of people please and never saying no (honestly... same). Her overbearing mother has always dumped much of her parenting responsibilities on Halle to keep herself from being too overwhelmed and Halle just takes it on in stride. I was honestly waiting for Halle to finally snap and explode on her mother. It was so satisfying to see her finally stand up for herself in the end and also see her mom respect where she's coming from.
Halle's ex, Will, is such a piece of shit. He has spent YEARs gaslighting her and deflating her confidence. Making Halle thing so little of herself she thinks she needs to do things for other in order for people to want her around. He confidence is at an all time low at the start of the book. When he pressured her for sex and she wasn't ready, so he dumped her, I wanted to scream at him through the pages. But honestly, good riddance. I am so happy that she finally freed herself of the dead weight he was and to finally find friends who are truly in her corner and love her for who she is and not what she can do for them.
Oh, Henry. Throughout the entirety of the series, Henry has been an absolute sweetie pie. I have always loved his friendship with Stassie. He is neurodivergent (undiagnosed) and struggles with filtering his thoughts, lest they come out the wrong way and offend someone or hurt one of his friend's feelings. He also struggles with sound overwhelming him. When he gets overwhelmed, he tends to need to shut out the world. This is, of course, a quick simplification. I love how his friends understand his needs and give him the space and time that he needs, while also pushing him towards things they think he's capable of. **Balance** And Halle just fits right into that with ease. From highlighting his articles to just the pertinent information to gifting him noise reduction plugs to be able to go out with friends, and noise cancelling headphones to study.
I love the universe that Hannah has created in the Maple Hills series. The relationships and friendships are so wholesome. I'd love to see JJ with a book next!
This is the third book in the Maple Hills Trilogy, and while I did not enjoy it as much as book #2, this one is worthy of a read.
I find that the characters in this series of books don't sound so much like young 20 year-olds, and are a little more mature than they should be. Perhaps that is the point of the story; but in that sense the book seemed slightly off. While I enjoyed it, much of it didn't ring true for me, but I was able to put that aside and focus on the story and the characters. Worth a read if you are a fan of the other books in the series.
I absolutely loved this book!! I’ve been so excited for this characters own book for years and it did not disappoint! The cover was very aesthetically pleasing and can’t wait to buy my own copy to have on my shelf!
I have never read Hannah Grace before, but I’ve always heard wonderful reviews about her previous books. I had high hopes for my first book, but unfortunately it didn’t meet my expectations. I couldn’t get past the almost robotic dialogue. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
After loving icebreaker, both wildfire and this book were just ehhh. I really wanted to like the book as I love both of the characters involved but it just fell a little short for me.
HALLE AND HENRY 🥰🥰🥰 Absolutely adored this book...definitely my favourite in the series so far.
Swifties will love this....so many easter eggs to catch (look at Halle's outfit on the front cover...enough said).
You'll be kicking your feet, giggling, smiling, and blushing the whole way through.
A perfect fit for readers who enjoy heartwarming, lighthearted romance stories that celebrate the importance of self-discovery, chosen family, and putting one's own needs first, with a dash of humor and wit.
This was my favorite of the Maple Hills series so far. I found Henry and Halle to be much more likable than some of the other characters. This is a sweet story and I recommend it.
People are counting on Henry to succeed - he's the captain of the hocky team and he has an example to set. Unfortunately, he didn't withdraw from a very difficult class and now he's stuck taking a class with a professor whose expectations are unclear to Henry. Henry cannot fail this class, so it's very lucky that he meets Halle, who is a chronic people pleaser and has taken classes with that professor before. Halle definitely gets something out of the deal, too - she's trying to write a novel but she lacks "real-life" experiences because she doesn't have a lot of friends, and her relationship with her ex was mediocre at best and in reality exceptionally toxic. Henry and Halle agree to a set of rules and become friends, and then more, very quickly. Henry and Halle have a rule not to fall in love, but rules are meant to be broken.
Henry is THE peak man, honestly. Halle is adorable, and I thoroughly enjoyed their relationship and friendship. Watching Halle make friends with Henry's friends was so sweet. There are a lot of people who won't ever get/want/need a diagnosis, so I appreciate why the author chose not to give Henry a diagnosis. However, I found it hard to believe that his mother, who is a doctor, would not seek a diagnoses. Halle and Henry had such different things to worry about, but their support of each other and understanding of each others' needs was lovely to read about.
I didn't read Wildfire, but I understood everything that was happening in Daydream, and this was my favorite of the two that I read. My library has ordered four copies already!
Anticipated but a bit of a letdown on the plotting - still trying to reach the highs of her first - would've appreciated a bit more editing and tightening up of some of the reasoning behind characters' actions.
I've been looking forward to reading the latest book in Grace's series all year! Henry is Lakeside U's newest captain, and, if he's being honest, he doesn't love the pressure that comes with the title of "leader." Halle is trying to write her first novel in time to submit it to a contest that will win her a summer internship. The two connect when Halle agrees to tutor Henry through his difficult professor's course. In exchange, Henry agrees to take her out on real dates to give her writing material.
Much more wholesome than the other books in Grace's series, the story was just as easy to root for. Already looking forward to the next one!
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy of Daydream by Hannah Grace.
This is by far my favourite Hannah Grace novel in the series so far. Halle and Henry are so quirky and loveable and being able to *understand* the inner workings of Henry’s mind put his actions and words into an entirely different light.
I really enjoyed that this wasn’t your typical romance novel where the characters break up and find their way back to one another. Instead, the focus of this novel seemed to be on how Halle and Henry grew as individuals and learned to put their own needs first BECAUSE of one another.
As an eldest daughter, I resonated with Halle’s “family manager” role and the anxiety and pressure she felt to do it all and not let anyone down.
As a fellow neurodivergent, I resonated with Henry’s social exhaustion and his inability to always read people and situations the correct way.
Given the sexual inexperience of Halle’s character, this was definitely the least spicy of the three novels, but I really enjoyed the character development and I’d love to see where Halle and Henry end up down the road!
I would highly recommend this novel, as long as you temper your expectations - this is less of a super spicy sports novel and more of a slightly spicy college romance/ personal growth story.
THIS BOOK. Hannah Grace does it again. I seriously am in love with the Maple Hills universe. From Icebreaker to Wildfire and now Daydream. Henry has always needed his own book since we met him and golly, it is just what we needed. Grace’s MMC’s are truly men written by women, but realistic enough to let us ‘daydreamers’ set our standards adequately high. Her female main characters are equally as charismatic and relatable. This book will live rent free in my brain for the foreseeable future and beyond. I related to Halle a lot and loved seeing how she grew throughout the novel becoming more confident on her own, with her gal pals (some returning favorites), and with Henry. Every time I talk about this book I squeal and once you read it you’ll be doing exactly the same thing.
I cannot even begin to guess who the next book will be about (please let there be another book, I NEED MORE). Low key hope it’s JJ but he’s not in school anymore… so maybe we get a completely new character! Whatever Hannah Grace is writing I’m reading. Period. No notes.
Thank you so much to this publication team for allowing me an ARC of this novel. Forever ‘Daydream’ing about this one!
This book is an absolute DAYDREAM!
Read if you enjoy:
💜 Fake Dating
🏒 Jock x Tutor
🧠 Neurodivergent Rep
📚 Booklover Swiftie
🎀 Eldest Daughter
⚓️Found Family
Hannah Grace has given us a vulnerable, authentic and swoon worthy glimpse into Henry and Halle’s lives in Daydream.
Henry is pushing himself to his max trying to tackle a difficult professor’s class, his expectations for himself as captain, and his day to day stress of life’s responsibilities. Halle has just left her longest relationship and is entering a period of self discovery where SHE is finally the most important person in her life.
There’s hockey, douche jocks, book loving girls, an aspiring writer, a reserved artist, “you’re mine”, and so much more fun along the way. Meeting the Maple Hills family has truly been a pleasure and this is by far my favorite installment of the series.
This was more like a 3.5 for me. This book was a cute slow burn. The eldest daughter with people pleasing tendencies is so very relatable. I also really enjoyed the representation of folks dealing with neurodiversity. The characters were well written and the book was easy to follow. Overall an easy and enjoyable read.