Older brother's best friend, forbidden romance isn't my favorite trope ever but Finn and Grey did grow on me. I felt like the majority of their issues could have been resolved just by talking (sooo frustrating) but on the whole, this was still a sweet, small town, dual POV, fake dating turned real, small town romance. I especially enjoyed cameos from Finlay's brother and fiancé and the florist slash aspiring used bookstore owner FMC! Good on audio and recommended for fans of authors like Sarah Adams, Julianna Smith or Kelsey Schulz. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Read this book if you like:

- brothers best friend
- Childhood crushes & secret pinning
- He falls first
- Secret tattoos
- Fake dating (that becomes very real)
- Found family & supportive community
- Surprise trips

For the hopeless romantic that lives DEEEEP inside of me. This book was for you. It was sweet, funny and sad. The perfect recipe for an amazing romance book.

Grey and Finley were so special and are the definition of loves dream. They are so in love with each other it hurts.

This book was definitly so cute!

I truly love this author's writting and how sweet she can turn the story in.

This book from the start was really good and I loved to share my time with both of them - totally worth it if you are a romance person!

This series is so sweet. It gives you all the warm cozy vibes. It leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

HANDS DOWN - my favorite book by Madison Wright! I absolutely loved everything about this!

I’m slowly being turned into a lover of brother’s best friend trope because when the brother is NOT crazy defensive of the situation and is for the relationship it’s so much more wholesome and enjoyable, and this one had allllll the things you need to be cheering on your MCs!

Madison writes in a way where you truly fall in love with and root so deeply for her characters. They’re relatable, enjoyable and bingable. I sat down with the book and didn’t get up for 3 hours and it was finished.

It’s giving - small down romance, brother’s best friend, friends to lovers, fake dating AND she’s a small business bad a$$ owner. 👏🏼

ALSO - my absolute favorite part of the book…..
THE PROPOSAL! 👏🏼 that’s all i’m going to say because i don’t want to give anything away, but I literally texted every single person i know and swooned over how he proposed. My bookish loving heart was freaking out.

I also just want to touch on the vulnerability Madison showed in the acknowledgment section of this book. You’re such a strong woman and you’re not alone. 🖤

3.5 / 5 stars

This turned out to be a surprisingly quick read for me, and I didn’t expect to get through it so fast (especially since I have been pretty slow with novels recently!)

The writing itself was quite solid and I enjoyed the author's narrative voice quite a bit. It flowed smoothly, and I found it easy to follow along without any major confusions or plot contrivances which in all made the overall experience pretty enjoyable.

The characters were interesting enough to hold my attention, but I didn’t find myself fully invested in them. I think for me, dialogue is THE most important thing to buy into a character relationship especially when it comes to romantic relationships, but they just didn’t draw me in completely, I may just being picky and this couple may work much better for other readers, but I just wasn't fully sold on their dynamic and so as a result I wasn’t able to care about them as much as I’d hoped to.

As for the fake dating trope, it's nothing new and I’ve read plenty of stories with this plot before, but (although I admittedly did have higher expectations that there might be a unique twist on it to make it the author's own), this one didn’t quite deliver. I found it did drag a little and, especially in the second half I did find myself putting the book down more due to it feeling a bit anticlimactic. I think it just wasn't holding my engagement to be honest.

The romance did have some appeal, and I liked some of the moments between the characters, but overall, the romantic development felt a bit stale (I think because I never really felt their connection in the first place so it didn't feel earned). There wasn’t much of the tension or emotional pull that I usually expect with this trope and I NEED the tension, otherwise it can end up feeling a bit 'easy' or too insta-love-y. It was honestly just a bit hard for me to stay invested in it for the entire book because of this.

All in all, it was a decent read with a few good moments and I think the average reader would eat this up quickly and rate it decently, but it could have been more engaging and exciting and it fell a little flat for me personally. Still a good book, and I would love to see more from the author, I just think the character dynamics need work.

This was quite a quick read for me. I wasn't really expecting to read this fast at all.

Writing wise, it was quite good, in my opinion. I did like it and thought it was pretty easy to read. I didn't have problems getting through the writing and following the flow of the story

The fake dating plot wasn't something new to me tbh. I've read tons and have faves with this trope. As for this one, I was really expecting more from it to give this exciting execution. However, I find the last half pretty anticlimactic and dull.

The characters were decent, and at least they were interesting enough for me, but it really failed to immersed and make me care towards them in full.

Although the romance was pretty cute in some parts, I also did like some of their moments, I think the romance wasn't that developed for me? It was pretty stagnant for me, and I didn't have these intense moments. It really did lack the exciting and pinning and attracting element of the fake dating trope. I wasn't really that invested enough for like half of if.

Overall, I think this was at least a decent read for me me? There's some good moments and some moments that's just 'meh' for me. I think I would have liked it if it was more engaging and exciting.

Thank you, author Madison Wright, for the e-arc via Netgalley.

—----

Date Published: September 27, 2024
Date Read: October 18- October 19, 2024
Ratings: 3⭐️

Out On: September 27, 2024

If Madison Wright writes it, you know I'm going to read it, buy it, and rave about it!

Another super sweet romance book from an author who has progressively been climbing the ranks as one of my favorites! Everything about this book was wonderful (even the parts that were sad) and I loved reading it.

Finley was very well written and while I think holding onto a grudge about your brothers best friend calling you annoying is a little silly, I can see how as a teenage girl that could/would impact you in a heavy way if you had a crush on said brothers friend... In terms of a conflict that keeps our main characters apart for a bit, it was pretty harmless, which is what I needed honestly.

The alternating chapters in romance books are always my favorite because I adore that we get to have an inside look at what's going on in the brains of BOTH of our main characters and I love to snoop on their feelings haha!

Grey is honestly adorable and I think he stands to be added to the list of favorite book boyfriends as well here. So sweet, so underappreciated and so dreamy tbh!

Overall, you need to read this book because it's adorable, discusses hard topics well, and will make you smile as you read through it. So go check this one out when you get a chance!

Thank you so much to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this advanced copy on NetGalley! 🤍

This was my first Madison Wright book and it absolutely will not be my last!

Finley and Grey are so special to me, but especially Finley. I was able to connect with her on a pretty deep level and seeing her find her happily ever after gave me a little bit of hope for myself.

I love the world that Madison builds and can't wait to go back and read even more of her books!

3.75 / 5

such a cute, cozy, fun read. It was so easy to fall into and get lost following Grey and Finley along. I really enjoyed how their story came together. It was so sweet and cute.

Another book boyfriend!
Grey is a walking green forest of man. I mean let's be honest, who would wait for someone for fifteen years and there's still so much to learn and love about that person!
Finley and Grey are a perfect fit and I just love how he kept gifting her old paperbacks and we see what he did with those paperbacks in the epilogue, it was a very sweet moment!

"He looks at me like I've made all his dreams come true." *swoon*
Yes, Grey, you're the dream!


Thank you, Madison and Netgalley, for the gifted copy. I had a great time getting to know Grey and Finley and it was also amazing seeing Holden and Wren again!

[3.5 Stars😊] Only In Your Dreams was my first book authored by Madison Wright, and I thought it was a sweet and charming story! I loved the premise, the plot, and the pining, and I thought Finley and Grey were well-developed as characters. There were so many times when Grey stole my heart with his charismatic personality, and when Finley was so relatable and endearing (not to mention that she's living the dream of being a florist with a dream to open a bookstore!) that I felt like I was in the story with them.

I enjoyed all the romantic tension between Finley and Grey, and the added layer that they were childhood "frenemies" AND he was her older brother's best friend meant the wait for them to admit feelings was so much fun, and the reveal that Grey had pined for her for 15 years was heart-melting

However, once the romantic tension resolved between the characters, it became a little TOO sweet, and the balance of the book was thrown off for a bit. I'm glad Madison Wright brought some third-act drama, though, because I missed the tension and the "will they/won't they" that was a huge part of their relationship development.

Overall, Only in Your Dreams was a quick, sweet, and swoony read, perfect for anyone who's a fan of Sarah Adams's The Cheat Sheet. I'm so glad I took a chance on Madison Wright's book because I thoroughly enjoyed reading Finley and Grey's story, and I can't wait to read more books by her!

+A HUGE thank you to Netgalley and Madison Wright for the ARC of Only In Your Dreams! All thoughts in this review are my own.
____________________________________
Details:
💘Contemporary romance
🎈Romantic comedy
🚒First responder (firefighter) romance
🏡Small town romance
👀Dual, first-person POV
🌹No third act breakup
🙌Would re-read

Characters and tropes:
🥸Fake dating
🪢Family ties (brother's best friend)
🧩Found family
🚦Frenemies-to-lovers
💙He falls first
🤐Secrets

Spice:
🧨Slow burn
🌸No explicit content (clean)
____________________________________
Emoji Ranking System:
🤩Excellent to Fantastic (4.75-5.00)
😍Very Good to Great (4.25-4.50)
😊Good to Really Good (3.50-4.00)
😒Just OK to Decent (2.75-3.25)
😑It's A No (1.00-2.50)
🚫DNF

This is the first book I have read form Madison and now I cant wait to read all her other books!!
*Only in Your Dreams* by Madison Wright is the perfect escape. This charming small-town romance had me completely hooked from the start. From the first few pages, you can feel the undeniable chemistry between Grey and Finley, and the connection between them is pure magic.
What really stood out to me was how well Madison Wright captured the feeling that Grey had always loved Finley—his emotions are woven so deeply into the story. Watching their relationship unfold had me in tears at some points
The character growth throughout the novel is amazing, making you root for both Grey and Finley in their personal journeys. The small-town setting only adds to the charm— bookshops, flower shops, and all the things that make your heart melt.
*Only in Your Dreams* is a romance that’s equal parts tender and swoon-worthy. Whether you're a fan of slow-burn love stories or you simply enjoy beautifully crafted characters, this book delivers on every level. Madison Wright has created a world you'll want to get lost in, and I’m so glad I had the chance to read it early!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

Utterly obsessed!!!!

Finley is tired of never being enough. Her long term boyfriend admits he’s not ready to commit and ends things with her, but months later he’s engaged to someone else. She’s had enough of feeling a certain way towards him, so when he walks into her flower shop she tells him she’s moved on with her brother’s best friend. Grey walks in at this exact moment and agrees to the story and this is where their fake relationship blooms. Grey has been in love with Finley for fifteen years but he’s never thought he had a chance. As the weeks go on, lines start to blur and Grey and Finley are head over heels for each other. Will they risk their hearts to have everything they’ve ever dreamed of?

Oh I adored this book. Completely pulled me out of my reading slump. A huge five star read that I just want to start all over again 🥹 One of my favourite tropes and I’m going to be thinking about this book for a long time! Can’t wait to read more from Madison!!

Recommend this to everyone!!

There’s only one woman I’ve ever wanted in Fontana Ridge, Finley.”

This book was so beautiful omgg. I loved it so much <33 it was so emotionally & beautifully written. I fell in love with the story and the characters. I loved grey and fin so much. My heart broke for baby Grey, I want to hug him so bad. Grey was so obsessed with fin from the start. He's THE book boyfriend, my man is the greenest flag everr!! Fin was so precious, my girl deserved everything. They are perfect for each-other. This book felt like a warm hug, a happy place and I'm definitely re-reading it soon. I had the best time reading it.

Read this book if you like:
🌸 Small Town Romance
🌸 Brother’s Best Friend
🌸 Fake Dating
🌸 It's always been you
🌸 Closed Door

Thank you Netgalley, victory editing and madison wright for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was everything my little heart wanted and more! The way these two wiggled into each other's hearts (for Grey, she wiggled in there a looot earlier than the beginning of this book, and it was fun to watch his dreams become reality). The support and undying affection they had for each other, even before their romantic story began, was so sweet.
I really appreciate that the dx boyfriend, fake dating drama took a pretty early backseat to their romantic journey, and we were able to sit back and enjoy the ride without worrying about what would derail the whole thing. While there was no 3rd act breakup, there were complications and things they both had to work through together to get to their HEA, thus strengthening their relationship overall.
We also get another little part of Holden and Wren's story, a welcome epilogue for us lovers of book 1 in this series.
I adored this book and can't wait for more from Madison Wright!

4.5 ⭐️

“there’s only one woman I’ve ever wanted in Fontana Ridge, Finley.” talk about a man obsesseddd😍

loved loved looooved Grey and Finley. this was just as good as ‘off the beaten path’ with many cute Wren and Holden appearances. Madison’s books are so wholesome and sweet. they’re perfect for those of us that crave a low stakes, less spicy romance with green flag mmc’s and kind-hearted fmc’s.

Grey and Finley are childhood friends with Grey being in love with Finley for the better part of his adult life. this romance is so sweet, it makes the reader never want to settle for less than what Grey gives!!! the foundation of the friendship already being present made the romance even more connected. I loved the vulnerability with both Grey and Finley and how much they were there for each other, emotionally and physically.

I can’t think of a more sweet romance book than this one. Madison has outdone herself for setting the new standards of fictional men!!! a brother’s best friend, childhood friends to lovers, fake dating, and closed door romance book that will have you swooning and wanting more ❤️

This was just as sweet as the first book and I really enjoyed it! I will say I was expecting a little more angst just based on the blurb but at the same time I ended up really enjoying how light hearted and sweet this book was.

There’s definitely some deeper moments that added to the angst but overall it’s just very focused on the romance between these two and I ate it up.

This is the second book I’ve read from this author and I’ll definitely be reading more!

Only in your Dreams review 🌼

I’ve come to depend on Madison’s books to be sweet and low-angst which is so great for a quick and easy read. This series especially delivers on the small town vibes, which I love!!

All throughout OIYD I felt so sad for the broken main characters. Both Grey and Finley were going through their own stuff and I just wanted them to get their HEA. 🥹

Grey’s story especially broke my heart a little bit!! And also he was head over heels for fin, boy was down BAD 🤭

Overall, I think I enjoyed off the beaten path a bit more but also don’t have any huge complaints about this one either!!

Thank you so much to Madison Wright and @Netgalley for the arc! 🫶🏼

Only In Your Dreams is honestly the most adorable, swoon-worthy romance I’ve read in a while! From start to finish, it’s like a big, warm hug wrapped in all the sweet, heart-fluttering moments you could ever wish for. I was hooked!

Let’s talk about Finley first. I just loved her! She’s so relatable with all her insecurities and that fear of not being enough—we’ve all been there, right? You’ll fall in love with her journey, and yes, I definitely got misty-eyed at a few points. She’s just that kind of character you can’t help but root for.

And then there’s Grey. <I>sigh.</i> Can we talk about how perfect he is? He’s sweet, caring, and so supportive of Finley’s dreams. Seriously, if you’re on the hunt for your next book boyfriend, look no further—Grey is everything! He’s just head-over-heels for Finley, and reading his POV made my heart melt. The way he looks at her? Pure, dreamy romance. I couldn’t stop swooning!

Their romance is perfection. It’s that fake dating trope we all love, but with a twist because you know right from the start that Grey’s feelings are totally real. The tension between them had my heart fluttering the whole way through. Every little moment between them is just so precious, and when they finally come together, it’s like fireworks! And don’t even get me started on the brother’s best friend thing—so cute!

What really made me fall in love with this book is how natural their relationship feels. You can totally see their friendship as the foundation, and the way they slowly open up to each other is just so heartwarming. There’s no over-the-top drama, just lots of sweet, genuine moments that made me smile like crazy.

And oh my god, the epilogue! Madison Wright gives us a proper, *years later* epilogue, and I just about cried. It’s so perfect and ties everything up with the biggest, warmest bow. You can literally feel all the dreams coming true, and it’s the perfect ending to such a dreamy love story.

If you’re in the mood for a cute, small-town romance with all the warm fuzzies and dreamy sighs, Only In Your Dreams is the one. You’ll fall head over heels for this story, I promise!

Thank you so much to Victory Editing Co-Op and Netgalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. ✨