quite honestly this was a DNF for me. but I got 62% of the way into it so I feel qualified to leave a review. I've enjoyed Ashley Herring Blake's other books but this fell flat for me. Dylan and Ramona didn't feel as fleshed out and real as many of the characters from other books and quite frankly I didn't care what happened between them. There was also just one too many layers of Stuff going on with their relationship - the remembering/not remembering their first kiss as teens, their reunion, their separate personal and professional struggles, Ramona covering up her interest in film costuming/the costumer on this film specifically, the real but also fake dating - any of these could carry the story on its own if done well (or maybe in groups of two) but all of it together was A Lot. I literally got as far as them having sex for the first time and realized I still didn't feel their connection or care about them staying together so I put the book down and moved on. disappointed, but I'll still pick up another book by AHB in the future!

This romance was super cute!☺️ I loved the banter and the discussion of finding your place and who you are. This was such a warm book full of laughter and love. Definitely add to your TBR!!!

I have mixed feelings when it comes to this book. I liked the writing, setting and plot, as well as the steam. However, I did not like the main characters and their schemes. I had a very hard time with this part of the book and sadly it's a huge one so I couldn't give this book a higher rating.

Thank you to Berkley for an early review copy.

Ashley Herring Blake introduces their new series and setting in the first installment of the "Clover Lake" books. When Ramona and Dylan were teenagers, they had a brief meeting that ended in each of their first kiss. Twelve years later, Ramona is a college dropout, who had to return to her small town to take care of her younger sister, and Dylan is an actress, with a sinking reputation. Dylan's latest movie (with a "Bright Falls" reference) is filming in Clover Lake and Ramona has been tasked with showing Dylan how to portray a barista. The real kicker comes when Dylan doesn't remember their brief meeting.

As always, AHB is able to perfectly depict messy characters and the ways that we are drawn to them.

This one is sweet and steamy 🔥 I really liked the relationship between Ramona and Dylan. They had such a sweet encounter that was so impactful to them both as children and I liked that they got to reunite as adults. While these two keep important things from one another, I liked the way they handled it and how much each character grew. I was so happy for them in the end! I also loved all the supporting cast and can’t wait to read April’s book next 👀

This was, very very unfortunately, a big disappointment for me. I have loved Ashley’s stories for years now so when I saw this book announcement (AND THIS COVER!!) I was thrilled. The plot was truly so promising, I love a childhood crush type story and this was something I was SO looking forward to. However, pretty early on in this book I realized it was going to be a miss for me.
Personally, I could not mentally get over the fact that both Dylan and Ramona were lying to and secretly using each other. I really tried to push that to the back of my mind and I did decently enjoy a good chunk of this but I had such a hard time connecting to or being invested in the relationship to really care what happened to them. Genuinely cared more about Ollie and Marley by the end than I did for Ramona and Dylan (even though I did end up team Ramona and supporting her wrongs by the end) (Dylan on the other hand…. I’m still mad).
I believe part of the reason this book upset me so much is because it so easily didn’t HAVE to be so manipulative and shady? If we just made it a simple case of mutually agreed upon mutually beneficial fake dating it would’ve been a whole other story??? So why did we have to go the super toxic route?
Really sad I didn’t like this more but still looking forward for April’s book next!

_Dream On, Ramona Riley_ by Ashley Herring Blake is a fast-paced romance for readers who love a small town setting and sympathetic characters. Ramona Riley lives at home in Clover Lake, is a mother-figure to her younger sister, and has dreams of being a famous costume designer, when a Hollywood movie is set to film in town. The film brings the famous actor Dylan Monroe, who met Ramona briefly when they were teenagers, back to Clover Lake. As the movie shoot progresses, Ramona and Dylan become close and must deal with the hurdles of life in the spotlight. A cute read for lovers of romance.

This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

dnf @ 39% / i would rate what i managed to read a 2.5 stars

I've never dnf'd an arc before.. and if this weren't my busiest time of the year at work, and I wasn't exhausted, I might have made myself push through.

no one is more disappointed then me that I can't bring myself to finish it..

I absolutely adored the Bright Falls trilogy, and even enjoyed her Christmas romance... but this book is missing the mark for me.

It's not a bad book, I'm certain it will find its readers.. but what I did read sadly left me feeling completed detached and uninterested.

I could not connect to these characters and I felt nothing when it came to the romance. It was missing all the emotion, connection, chemistry and FEELING that we get in heaps in the author's Bright Falls trilogy. It felt very surface level. The set up of the story was interesting enough, but I wish we could have dug deeper into the characters, and upped the tension/chemistry between the MCs.

Once I put the book down, I could not get myself to pick it back up to finish the story.

First and foremost, thank you to Ashley Herring Blake, Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of Only in Your Dreams in exchange for an honest review.

Summary
Ramona Riley once dreamed of becoming a Hollywood costume designer, but after her father’s accident, she gave up art school to care for her sister in Clover Lake. Now, twelve years later, she’s still working at the town café with little hope of chasing her old dreams. When a big-budget romantic comedy begins filming in town, Ramona sees a possible opportunity—until she realizes the star is Dylan Monroe, her first kiss and Hollywood’s favorite wild child. Dylan, desperate to prove she’s more than just a nepo baby, takes on a role shadowing Ramona to experience “normal life.” As they spend more time together, sparks fly, but both must decide if their budding romance can survive outside of their small-town bubble.

Short and Sweet Opinion
I enjoyed this book, though it leaned into tropes I don’t personally love. The small-town setting and movie-making backdrop were fun, and the romance had plenty of steam, though I wanted more emotional connection. The miscommunication plot wasn’t my favorite, but overall, it was a solid read with strong mental health representation.

In-Depth Opinion
As a big fan of Ashley Herring Blake’s Bright Falls series, I was eager to dive into this one! The writing was great, but some of the tropes held me back from fully loving it—more of a personal preference than a flaw in the book itself. I really liked the movie production plot and how it played into the romance, making for some fun moments between Ramona and Dylan. The chemistry was there, with plenty of attraction and steamy moments, but I needed a deeper emotional connection to fully invest in their relationship. The mental health representation was well done, and both characters had past trauma, though the book remained fairly light in tone. The heavy miscommunication subplot was a drawback for me, and while the childhood connection between Ramona and Dylan was intriguing, it also felt intentionally messy. Despite that, this was an enjoyable read, just not my favorite from the author.

I was really excited to read this book, as I enjoyed the Bright Falls trilogy by Ashley Herring Blake a lot, However., while this book had its moments, I'm sad to say I was let down.

I liked Ramona as a character but I wasn't a fan of Dylan. She underwent some growth and development throughout the story but not until very close to the end of the book, so by then it was too little too late..

The romance was another reason why I didn't connect with this book. Both Ramona and Dylan went into their fling under false pretences and even after the relationship started to become more serious, neither one of them confessed. Personally, I find it difficult to root for a relationship built on a foundation of lies. That said, they did share some cute moments and I didn't hate them together. However, I wasn't too invested in them either.

In my opinion, what truly shone in this book was the familial relationships.. Dylan had a difficult relationship with her parents due to the neglectful way they raised her, and while it wasn't a major plotline, it was intriguing and concluded in a satisfying way. My favorite relationship in the book though was between Ramona and her sister, Olive. The way they supported and loved each other was so pure and heartwarming.

This book was quick and easy to read and if you're not bothered by lying in romance books like I am, then I can see how you might love this. Sadly, I didn't, but I do look forward to reading whatever Ashley Herring Blake writes next.

This was so cute! It's a celebrity romance but also childhood friends second chance, all set in a small town? What's not to like? This felt very classic romcom but with great spice!

Lovers of opposites attract will fall hard for this romance. Ramona and Dylan seem very different on the surface (small town vs. city girl) but I felt the connection they had was undeniable. The attraction between them was crazy hot. The steamy scenes were *phew* scorching. This does have the miscommunication trope but what classic romcom doesn't. It adds drama to the story and keeps it interesting.

I liked the small town, the movie plot and the mental health representation.

Overall, I thought this was a cute & steamy romcom.

Unfortunately, I think this really should be my last Ashley Herring Blake romance. It's not that they're bad, they're just fine, kinda boring, and generally too safe for my tastes. As for this book, Ramona and Dylan were cute but just a little bland and bad at communication most of the time. I'm sure there's lots of people who will like this though and look forward to the next Clover Lake book.

I have enjoyed this author’s other books and this one is no exception. So stinking cute, and so awesomely queer. Highly recommended.

This was a really fun Hollywood-esque read, with very fun characters and a small-town setting. I really enjoyed it, and I liked the glimpse of movie making, as well! I really enjoy reading this author, and I know that I can recommend this story to the right readers.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC.

3 stars.

"Dream On, Ramona Riley" by Ashley Herring Blake is not my favorite queer romance novel, but it's not all that bad. It just didn't scratch the sapphic romance itch I have come to love and expect from novels like "Kiss Her Once for Me" or "Here We Go Again" by Alison Cochrun, "Late Bloomer" by Mazey Eddings, or even "Mistakes Were Made" by Meryl Wilsner. This book tries to balance drama and reconnection, but I found it lacking both intensity and magnetism. Despite this being a second-chance romance with a solid backstory, I didn't feel a huge connection between the main characters, Ramona and Dylan. There was virtually no spark between them until about 60% into the book. Maybe it's because there is *so* *much* *miscommunication* between the two of them that, once they got together, I just didn't care too much. I feel like the author was striving for a slow-burning romance, but to me, it came off as clunk and ineffectual. Once the spice began, I got into the book a bit more, but it was too little, too late at that point. All of the spicy stuff happens at the end of the book, so it feels a little off-balanced and just. keeps. happening. over. and. over. This story is also pretty a predictable celebrity/normal person tale, which by itself is typically fine, but coupled with all of my other issues, it made this a bit of a chore to get through. There are also so, so many characters in this story, many of whom are thrown out in the very first chapter along with very detailed backstories all at once. I had to go back and read the first few chapters to make sure I had them all correct in my head... it was a lot of information to dole out in the very first chapter! I also think the nicknames Dylan and Ramona used for one another when they were younger were very cringe, so when they started using them as adults, I was halfway to gagging. I haven't read the Bright Falls series, a fan-favorite series that also takes place in a small town, but I didn't feel like Clover Lake had the same charm as the small-town romances I have read from other authors. I love queer romances so, so much. I love watching queer characters get their moment in the sun and spotlight to shine a light on their stories. I love seeing marginalized and underrepresented communities experience joy and happiness and adoration and love (and much, much more). I wish this one had been better because I was really looking forward to it. That being said, I will still give the next book in this series a chance.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ashley Herring Blake, and Berkley Publishing Group for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

I always have a great time reading Ashley Herring Blake’s books. Her adult sapphic romances are always full of complex characters, great chemistry, and interesting plots. This took the story of a famous actor falling for a small town local while on location shooting a movie and gave it an interesting twist. Dylan and Ramona actually met when they were thirteen and shared their first kiss, but they never saw each other again. They also both have something to prove, for Dylan that she can be more than a Hollywood wild child and for Ramona that she can finally realize her dream of being a costume designer.

Dylan and Ramona both had interesting backstories with their parents and how their lives growing up impacts who they are today. I enjoyed seeing the ways that they connected with each other and doing fun small town things that Dylan doesn’t normally get to do as a celebrity. Also, the chemistry in the steamy scenes was through the roof.

There’s a fair amount of miscommunication and the characters holding back information from one another. Normally that isn’t my favorite way for conflict to be introduced in romance novels, but I thought it worked for the characters and this story in particular. I enjoyed how they solved their 3rd act conflict and where they ended up in the epilogue.

Definitely check this out if you enjoy steamy, sapphic romances!

I received "Dream On, Ramona Riley" as an ARC from NetGalley, so thank you for the early preview. This book is a charming story that blends nostalgia of easier hard times with the reality of present hard times. It's easy to read and the characters are easy to like, even if there are some plot holes that could have stood to be explored more deeply to round it out more fully. This is a solid beach read with heart and a pinch of messy healing.

The Plot: Ramona had to drop out of RISD to care for her father and younger sister, and while she was an amazing stand-in mom, she temporarily gave up on her dreams and is finding it difficult to imagine those dreams as reality. Dylan is supposedly your typical Hollywood wild child and present f*ckboi, but really is just a young woman who experienced a lot of trauma and accidental (?!?) child abuse when she was young and the media loves to spin a dramatic story at her expense. Dylan's movie is shooting in Ramona's town, which Dylan hasn't been to since she was a teenager, when, of course, they're re-introduced. To get into her role better, Dylan wants to know what small-town life is like and Ramona is breathily hoping for her shot with magical costume designer legend who just happens to be part of Dylan's crew. Throw in fake dating, a sibling, some parents, and a BFF and shenanigans and will they/won't they ensue. They spend very little time on set, so while it leverages a film shoot as a setting I wouldn't call it integral to the plot. It's the device that keeps bringing Ramona and Dylan into each other's path.

Tropes & Depth: This book delights in tropes: a brief fake dating stint, childhood lovers to adult lovers, surprise form the past, and small town/big city but never fully settles into one thoroughly. It's delightful but sometimes incomplete. It also tackles some heavier topics lightly: child abuse, parental abandonment, car accidents, which contrast with the summery rural setting but also never fully resolve. I would have loved to read the talk between Dylan and her parents, or Ramona's technical dialogue with Noelle (I think?) that really convinced her to hire her. The characters don't talk as much or as deeply as they do in other AHB books, to their detriment. While not a miscommunication trope book, it does feature prominently. Like most books set around the film industry, there's a lot of skim and not enough depth to make it compelling. In contrast, Allison Cochran did this spectacularly.

Strengths: AHB is always excellent at writing sympathetic characters and I did really enjoyed this book. Community surrounds Ramona and therefore envelopes Dylan, which always makes the plot feel more developed. The dialogue with Ramona's friends, father, and sis are snappy, queer, and I would have loved to spend more time with them, as well as more communication time with Ramona and Dylan -- these moments are too precious and are what left me wanting just a bit more. The intimate scenes are spectacular and seemed more frequent and *ahem* spicy than other books. Overall, the chemistry is easy to sink into, the book is easy to read, the characters are easy to love, there's a nice cameo, and the book manages to explore dollops of reality before waltzing queer love towards the Hollywood dream (thank god).

A heartwarming sapphic romance full of second chances, sizzling chemistry, and heartfelt moments.

RATING: 4.5/5
SPICE: 4/5

Starting off 2025 with Dream On, Ramona Riley was an absolute delight. Ashley Herring Blake delivers a heartwarming, fun, and undeniably charming sapphic romance that left me grinning from start to finish. This novel is packed with humor, heartfelt moments, and just the right amount of spice, making it a must-read for romance lovers.

The story follows Ramona, a bisexual, plus-size woman living in a small town, and Dylan, a famous actress. The two first met as teenagers and shared an unforgettable kiss before going their separate ways. Years later, fate intervenes when Dylan returns to town for a summer film shoot, giving them a second chance to explore what could have been. The chemistry between Ramona and Dylan is electric, and their rekindled relationship is filled with swoon-worthy moments, witty banter, and genuine emotional depth.

One of the highlights of this novel is its ability to balance lighthearted romance with deeper themes. Blake seamlessly weaves in discussions on growing up with neglectful parents, searching for an absent parent, and the power of second chances. The romance is at the forefront, but these themes add layers of authenticity to the characters' journeys.

The book also features two beloved romance tropes: miscommunication and fake dating. While miscommunication can sometimes be frustrating, Blake executes it in a way that feels natural and contributes to the overall emotional arc of the story. And let’s talk about the spice—each book from Ashley Herring Blake seems to turn up the heat a little more, and Dream On, Ramona Riley does not disappoint!

A standout quote from the novel that truly resonated with me was: "Letting someone in is always a little scary. No matter who you are or what you've been through. But it is always worth it." This encapsulates the heart of Ramona and Dylan’s story—learning to open up, take risks, and embrace love, even when it feels daunting.

For fans of LGBTQ+ romance, especially sapphic love stories, Dream On, Ramona Riley is a joyful, engaging, and emotionally rich read. Ashley Herring Blake continues to prove why she’s a powerhouse in the genre, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

EXPECTED TO RELEASE: May 13, 2025

Oh my goodness! Dream On Ramona Riley was my first venture into the world of Ashley Herring Blake and the hype did not disappoint! Ramona and Dylan had me hooked from the start and I adored watching them grow into themselves throughout. I loved all of the side characters and I’m looking forward to reading more about April! I’m so glad that Olive and Marley got together (I was rooting for them literally the entire time!) All together an incredible read!

I love a second chance romance, and few do them as well as Blake! Her characters always leap of the page. FIlled with such heart and hope and her latest offering is no different!