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Dream On
Jennifer Hartmann presents an all-new standalone crossover romance filled with heartache and dreams.
Lexington Hall and I were never supposed to collide—he, the golden boy of Hollywood, and me, a small-town dreamer with stars in my eyes. But when we shared the stage in our high school musical, something ignited.
Then, just as quickly, it all fell apart, leaving my dreams in pieces.
Now, four years later, Lex is a household name, turning our past into a television sensation. He's spun our story for the world to see, while I'm still haunted by what we lost.
With millions obsessed over the "real" Stevie St. James, Lex reappears with an offer too tempting to turn a fake romance to keep the buzz alive, in exchange for the financial freedom I desperately need.
I convince myself I can play the part. But as old feelings resurface and new risks emerge, the line between fiction and reality begins to blur.
Dreams are easy to chase—but falling for the guy who shattered mine could cost me everything.
Lexington Hall and I were never supposed to collide—he, the golden boy of Hollywood, and me, a small-town dreamer with stars in my eyes. But when we shared the stage in our high school musical, something ignited.
Then, just as quickly, it all fell apart, leaving my dreams in pieces.
Now, four years later, Lex is a household name, turning our past into a television sensation. He's spun our story for the world to see, while I'm still haunted by what we lost.
With millions obsessed over the "real" Stevie St. James, Lex reappears with an offer too tempting to turn a fake romance to keep the buzz alive, in exchange for the financial freedom I desperately need.
I convince myself I can play the part. But as old feelings resurface and new risks emerge, the line between fiction and reality begins to blur.
Dreams are easy to chase—but falling for the guy who shattered mine could cost me everything.
448 pages, Paperback
First published August 12, 2025
1674 people are currently reading
17366 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Hartmann
33 books16.1k followersJennifer Hartmann resides in northern Illinois with her own personal romance hero and three children. When she is not writing angsty love stories, she is likely pondering all the ways she can break your heart and piece it back together again. She enjoys sunsets (because mornings are hard), bike riding, traveling, bingeing Buffy the Vampire Slayer reruns, and that time of day when coffee gets replaced by wine. She loves tacos. She also really, really wants to pet your dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,617 reviews
September 4, 2025
i’m starting to think i’m the problem because wtf.
let me start off by saying I love this author so this was a let down for me. I loved act 1, and the way it ended had me GASPING FOR AIR.
my problem was in act 2. lex became insufferable to me. he basically destroys her whole life and claims he had the best reason.. when in reality to me, that reason sucked. he refuses to stand up to his piece of shit family. and she’s constantly chasing HIM when it should be the other way around.
also the fake dating felt so weird and uncalled for?
let me start off by saying I love this author so this was a let down for me. I loved act 1, and the way it ended had me GASPING FOR AIR.
my problem was in act 2. lex became insufferable to me. he basically destroys her whole life and claims he had the best reason.. when in reality to me, that reason sucked. he refuses to stand up to his piece of shit family. and she’s constantly chasing HIM when it should be the other way around.
also the fake dating felt so weird and uncalled for?
July 30, 2025
✨
Wow… Where Do I Even Begin?
RUN, don’t walk, to pre-order and read this book. Dream On shattered my heart into a million pieces and then put it back together better than before.
💫 Stevie & Lex: My Heart Belongs to Them
Stevie and Lex have a piece of my heart forever, and this book has officially landed among my favourite reads of the year.
Lex —dammit, baby is so precious— he’s everything. He has to be protected at all costs. “My Christian.”
AHHHHH. He’s easily one of the characters I’m most proud of this year.
And Stevie? She’s the calm strength you can always count on, art personified. Together, Lex and Stevie are pure magic.
Their intimate scenes are so electric. Their connection is fire.
I had constant tears in my eyes because of these 2.
🖋️ Jennifer Hartmann’s Healing is Masterful
The way Jennifer Hartmann writes healing probably makes her my favourite author in that department: it’s masterful and should be taught. You can feel her PhD in clinical psychology bleeding into every page.
She writes healing that is human, patient, holistic, organic, and sustainable. She takes her characters through every step: the confrontation, the messy middle, the parts of themselves that need healing, even if they’re not tied to the “big trauma.”
Her characters fall in love, but they also learn to accept love and, most importantly, become their own friends first and love themselves.
🎭 Moulin Rouge Magic
And the story structure? Perfection. The book is divided into three acts:
• Act 1 follows Lex and Stevie at 17 ~ on stage as Satine and Christian doing Moulin Rouge school musical.
• Act 2 has them reconnect at 21 ~ in their own rendition of Come What May.
• Act 3 is the culmination.
The first two acts end in tragedy, just like Moulin Rouge, which this story beautifully nods to (as a massive fan of the musical, I was thrilled). You can practically hear the music threading through the pages. Then comes Act 3, when all the healing, peace, and happiness finally come together.
🌟 Epic Love, Epic Story
Lex and Stevie are art and magic and stars, and together they shine so brightly they light up the dark night.
Their story is epic. Throughout the book, it felt like there was a vice grip on my heart, crushing it, then loosening its grip just enough for me to breathe, only to squeeze again. They never let that grip on my heart falter or loosen throughout their story.
They own a piece of my heart, and they deserve to be protected at all costs.
🏆 Dream On is absolute perfection. 💥
Thank you Valentine PR, Jennifer Hartmann, and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the eARC.
--
Pre-read:
Jennifer Hartmann? Fake dating? Angsty love?
Give me 2 of those rn!!
RUN, don’t walk, to pre-order and read this book. Dream On shattered my heart into a million pieces and then put it back together better than before.
💫 Stevie & Lex: My Heart Belongs to Them
Stevie and Lex have a piece of my heart forever, and this book has officially landed among my favourite reads of the year.
Lex —dammit, baby is so precious— he’s everything. He has to be protected at all costs. “My Christian.”
AHHHHH. He’s easily one of the characters I’m most proud of this year.
And Stevie? She’s the calm strength you can always count on, art personified. Together, Lex and Stevie are pure magic.
Their intimate scenes are so electric. Their connection is fire.
I had constant tears in my eyes because of these 2.
🖋️ Jennifer Hartmann’s Healing is Masterful
The way Jennifer Hartmann writes healing probably makes her my favourite author in that department: it’s masterful and should be taught. You can feel her PhD in clinical psychology bleeding into every page.
She writes healing that is human, patient, holistic, organic, and sustainable. She takes her characters through every step: the confrontation, the messy middle, the parts of themselves that need healing, even if they’re not tied to the “big trauma.”
Her characters fall in love, but they also learn to accept love and, most importantly, become their own friends first and love themselves.
🎭 Moulin Rouge Magic
And the story structure? Perfection. The book is divided into three acts:
• Act 1 follows Lex and Stevie at 17 ~ on stage as Satine and Christian doing Moulin Rouge school musical.
• Act 2 has them reconnect at 21 ~ in their own rendition of Come What May.
• Act 3 is the culmination.
The first two acts end in tragedy, just like Moulin Rouge, which this story beautifully nods to (as a massive fan of the musical, I was thrilled). You can practically hear the music threading through the pages. Then comes Act 3, when all the healing, peace, and happiness finally come together.
🌟 Epic Love, Epic Story
Lex and Stevie are art and magic and stars, and together they shine so brightly they light up the dark night.
Their story is epic. Throughout the book, it felt like there was a vice grip on my heart, crushing it, then loosening its grip just enough for me to breathe, only to squeeze again. They never let that grip on my heart falter or loosen throughout their story.
They own a piece of my heart, and they deserve to be protected at all costs.
🏆 Dream On is absolute perfection. 💥
Thank you Valentine PR, Jennifer Hartmann, and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the eARC.
--
Pre-read:
Jennifer Hartmann? Fake dating? Angsty love?
Give me 2 of those rn!!
July 29, 2025
Dream On by Jennifer Hartmann
4/5 stars
I started reading Jennifer Hartmann's books in the last 6 months or so. And my heart, that woman is incapable of writing a bad book. The way she almost whispers and tells a story is very unique and captivating. No matter which book I pick up, I instantly get sucked into the story and she is able to make me feel every single emotion the character feels. Reading her books is an immersive experience and I admire how talented she is. And Dream On is another stunning tale that will live in my heart forever.
What I loved most about Dream On is how realistic it is. Because it's a story that's almost tethered to my own. And the things Lex does, or doesn't do, or how stuck he is, and in the way he survives - I did the exact same things. And I love how truthful the story is in how a majority of sexual abuse victims survive.
The book starts with Stevie driving around town. She just splurged on a delicious cup of coffee and is taking her new second hand car for its first drive. When she is waiting before a red light a car smashes into the back of her. A tall handsome man with stunning eyes gets out of it and tries to blame it on her. He is arrogant and gives her the feeling she is beneath him. His name is Lexington Hall and he's an actor who was on track to become very famous before he suddenly stopped and took a break.
He starts at her school and when he describes her as underwhelming the tone is set. Lex keeps to himself and he shuts people out. But he does audition for the school's play of Moulin Rouge. Stevie is mesmerized by the way he sings, performs, acts. She is drawn to him. While Lex ignores everyone who auditions, keeps his eyes focused on his phone. But when Stevie starts, she feels his eyes on her, and his eyes spur her on and she delivers an exceptional performance. They both get the lead parts and that is what the first part of this stunning book is about.
It's about a boy who instinctively pushes people away. With his body language and words he pushes people away. But right from the get to Stevie is able to see the boy he tries to hide away. She knows that the behaviour he shows is a result of something that happened to him.
And Lex? Lex feels a safeness with Stevie that he never expected to feel again. They grow closer. And Stevie is so incredibly selfless. The way she cares for him is admirable. The way she is able to discern his anger touched my heart and soul.
But things get complicated and harder to navigate. She meets his mother and when something tragic happens and they are driven apart the world changes for the both of them.
4 years pass and Stevie finds out he turned their story into a tv show and suddenly they are thrown together again. Lex is even more guarded, closed up and a puppet to his mother's wishes and ideas.
My heart ached until the last few chapters. I felt Lex's pain like it was my own. I recognized the safety he found in shutting down and turning himself off. His inability to communicate and stand up for himself was heartbreaking.
And Stevie truly is too good and too kind for this world. Her generous, kind and open heart is a guiding light for Lex. I absolutely loved their story from start to finish. It's not written in a big and shouting way. It's written with a silence that forces you to feel it with your soul. It's soft but impactful. And it forces you to think about what you would do when such a broken person reappears in your life again.
And Stevie's parents and sister, I adored every single scene they were in. Their life on the farm even steadied me while reading this book.
Same goes for Rudy. Even though he is Lex's agent. He is also the truest friend you could ever have. Same goes for his driver Adrian. Two people who saw the human Lex instead of Lex the famous actor.
When the climax of the story pushes to the front I was so f**king proud of Lex. I screamed and spurred him on. And I cried because I admired his strength and strong will.
This book is soft, very, very soft. But that softness highlighted the pain and strength of the characters and the overall storyline.
It's a story where you find yourself, where you steady yourself, where you fall in love. It's a story that signifies the meaning of family and friendship. A story that is about acceptance and truth and kindness. A story that will hold your heart all the way through.
4 huge stars from me for this stunningly written book.
4/5 stars
I started reading Jennifer Hartmann's books in the last 6 months or so. And my heart, that woman is incapable of writing a bad book. The way she almost whispers and tells a story is very unique and captivating. No matter which book I pick up, I instantly get sucked into the story and she is able to make me feel every single emotion the character feels. Reading her books is an immersive experience and I admire how talented she is. And Dream On is another stunning tale that will live in my heart forever.
What I loved most about Dream On is how realistic it is. Because it's a story that's almost tethered to my own. And the things Lex does, or doesn't do, or how stuck he is, and in the way he survives - I did the exact same things. And I love how truthful the story is in how a majority of sexual abuse victims survive.
The book starts with Stevie driving around town. She just splurged on a delicious cup of coffee and is taking her new second hand car for its first drive. When she is waiting before a red light a car smashes into the back of her. A tall handsome man with stunning eyes gets out of it and tries to blame it on her. He is arrogant and gives her the feeling she is beneath him. His name is Lexington Hall and he's an actor who was on track to become very famous before he suddenly stopped and took a break.
He starts at her school and when he describes her as underwhelming the tone is set. Lex keeps to himself and he shuts people out. But he does audition for the school's play of Moulin Rouge. Stevie is mesmerized by the way he sings, performs, acts. She is drawn to him. While Lex ignores everyone who auditions, keeps his eyes focused on his phone. But when Stevie starts, she feels his eyes on her, and his eyes spur her on and she delivers an exceptional performance. They both get the lead parts and that is what the first part of this stunning book is about.
It's about a boy who instinctively pushes people away. With his body language and words he pushes people away. But right from the get to Stevie is able to see the boy he tries to hide away. She knows that the behaviour he shows is a result of something that happened to him.
And Lex? Lex feels a safeness with Stevie that he never expected to feel again. They grow closer. And Stevie is so incredibly selfless. The way she cares for him is admirable. The way she is able to discern his anger touched my heart and soul.
But things get complicated and harder to navigate. She meets his mother and when something tragic happens and they are driven apart the world changes for the both of them.
4 years pass and Stevie finds out he turned their story into a tv show and suddenly they are thrown together again. Lex is even more guarded, closed up and a puppet to his mother's wishes and ideas.
My heart ached until the last few chapters. I felt Lex's pain like it was my own. I recognized the safety he found in shutting down and turning himself off. His inability to communicate and stand up for himself was heartbreaking.
And Stevie truly is too good and too kind for this world. Her generous, kind and open heart is a guiding light for Lex. I absolutely loved their story from start to finish. It's not written in a big and shouting way. It's written with a silence that forces you to feel it with your soul. It's soft but impactful. And it forces you to think about what you would do when such a broken person reappears in your life again.
And Stevie's parents and sister, I adored every single scene they were in. Their life on the farm even steadied me while reading this book.
Same goes for Rudy. Even though he is Lex's agent. He is also the truest friend you could ever have. Same goes for his driver Adrian. Two people who saw the human Lex instead of Lex the famous actor.
When the climax of the story pushes to the front I was so f**king proud of Lex. I screamed and spurred him on. And I cried because I admired his strength and strong will.
This book is soft, very, very soft. But that softness highlighted the pain and strength of the characters and the overall storyline.
It's a story where you find yourself, where you steady yourself, where you fall in love. It's a story that signifies the meaning of family and friendship. A story that is about acceptance and truth and kindness. A story that will hold your heart all the way through.
4 huge stars from me for this stunningly written book.
November 19, 2025
This is a second chance novel that I had really high hopes for, but for me it didn’t fully deliver. However, this was still a really good book. It was beautifully written, easy to read and realistic. It was well structured, yet very predictable. I think for me, it was the characters. I found them unlikable and could not connect with them. The storyline was original and nothing really stood out to me. I really liked the identity and self worth theme in this story. This was a romance that was a very slow burn. This is not a memorable one for me, unfortunately. Overall, I give this 3 out of 5 stars.
This book was an extremely successful and well loved book! I do recommend reading this one!!
It is out now!
This book was an extremely successful and well loved book! I do recommend reading this one!!
It is out now!
August 27, 2025
4.5⭐️ Lexington Hall and Stevie have an almost instant connection. Both participating in the high school rendition of Moulin Rouge, their close proximity will cause butterflies and the start of young love. But when Lex disappears from Stevie’s life suddenly and without warning, their romance is all but over. Several years later, Lex is a television sensation, making a name for himself off of their love story, with an offer for Stevie that may change her life as well.
Jennifer Hartmann is the master of the angsty, turbulent romance, and I am here for every single one she writes. Dream On is filled with trauma and heartbreak but so perfectly juxtaposed with forgiveness and healing. I think this is what makes her books feel so emotionally dynamic. And with a romance that unfolds over many years, it’s hard not to get swept up in not only Stevie and Lex’s love story but in each of their growth arcs as well.
Seeing these characters go from the butterflies of first love while handling teenage struggles and insecurities to two much more mature, though still internally troubled adults, is what makes this story feel really special. By the time we reach the end, it’s hard not to find yourself shedding a tear or ten over how far they have come in their journeys. And thankfully, JH is a little less brutal on our hearts with this one.
Read if you like:
▪️Hollywood romance
▪️first love
▪️school musicals
▪️second chances
▪️emotional love stories
▪️flawed characters
Check out my Bookstagram post here ♥
Thank you Bloom Books for the advanced copy.
Jennifer Hartmann is the master of the angsty, turbulent romance, and I am here for every single one she writes. Dream On is filled with trauma and heartbreak but so perfectly juxtaposed with forgiveness and healing. I think this is what makes her books feel so emotionally dynamic. And with a romance that unfolds over many years, it’s hard not to get swept up in not only Stevie and Lex’s love story but in each of their growth arcs as well.
Seeing these characters go from the butterflies of first love while handling teenage struggles and insecurities to two much more mature, though still internally troubled adults, is what makes this story feel really special. By the time we reach the end, it’s hard not to find yourself shedding a tear or ten over how far they have come in their journeys. And thankfully, JH is a little less brutal on our hearts with this one.
Read if you like:
▪️Hollywood romance
▪️first love
▪️school musicals
▪️second chances
▪️emotional love stories
▪️flawed characters
Check out my Bookstagram post here ♥
Thank you Bloom Books for the advanced copy.
February 3, 2026
If you’re a Jennifer Hartmann fan, you usually expect something a little dark. This book isn’t dark at all, instead, it’s full of heartbreak, romance, and second chances. And honestly? I loved it.
Stevie and Lex give us a strong start, working together on a school play. Then something bad happens, they’re torn apart, and they don’t see each other again… until they do.
Jennifer’s books always grip my emotions and most of the time they make me cry. This book still gripped my emotions, but it didn’t make me cry.
Stevie and Lex give us a strong start, working together on a school play. Then something bad happens, they’re torn apart, and they don’t see each other again… until they do.
Jennifer’s books always grip my emotions and most of the time they make me cry. This book still gripped my emotions, but it didn’t make me cry.
July 29, 2025
Let me start by saying—I adore Jennifer Hartmann’s books! They always make me feel the entire range of emotions, and this one was no exception!
The main characters first meet during their senior year of high school. Lex is already a well-known actor from a wealthy family, while Stevie is a small-town farm girl with big dreams of becoming an actress. They play the lead roles in the school musical, and sparks fly! But after a tragic event, they part ways and reunite four years later for a fake dating arrangement.
I instantly fell in love with both characters. Lex might seem like a cocky guy who has it all—fame and money—but deep down he’s broken and convinced he doesn’t deserve happiness. Stevie has such a big heart. She sacrificed so much, never gave up, and fought for Lex. The book also touches on how brutal the Hollywood industry can be.
The main trope is fake dating, but as always, Jennifer managed to turn it into something unique. The scenes are so vivid—whether it’s the high school musical, Stevie’s cozy farmhouse, or Lex’s LA apartment, I could see it all so clearly in my mind.
This story completely consumed me. I felt every emotion right alongside the characters. I was flying through the pages! And when I got to the secret trope—I literally squealed inside! It’s one of my all-time favorites!
This is a heartbreaking, multilayered story about first love and second chances. Lex and Stevie will stay in my heart forever, and I will be coming back to them again.
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓slow burn
✓second chance
✓fake dating
✓forced proximity
✓broken hero
_________
Pre-read: I got the ARC from my all-time favorite author!😭
Thank you to Jennifer Hartmann and Valentine PR for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The main characters first meet during their senior year of high school. Lex is already a well-known actor from a wealthy family, while Stevie is a small-town farm girl with big dreams of becoming an actress. They play the lead roles in the school musical, and sparks fly! But after a tragic event, they part ways and reunite four years later for a fake dating arrangement.
I instantly fell in love with both characters. Lex might seem like a cocky guy who has it all—fame and money—but deep down he’s broken and convinced he doesn’t deserve happiness. Stevie has such a big heart. She sacrificed so much, never gave up, and fought for Lex. The book also touches on how brutal the Hollywood industry can be.
The main trope is fake dating, but as always, Jennifer managed to turn it into something unique. The scenes are so vivid—whether it’s the high school musical, Stevie’s cozy farmhouse, or Lex’s LA apartment, I could see it all so clearly in my mind.
This story completely consumed me. I felt every emotion right alongside the characters. I was flying through the pages! And when I got to the secret trope—I literally squealed inside! It’s one of my all-time favorites!
This is a heartbreaking, multilayered story about first love and second chances. Lex and Stevie will stay in my heart forever, and I will be coming back to them again.
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓slow burn
✓second chance
✓fake dating
✓forced proximity
✓broken hero
_________
Pre-read: I got the ARC from my all-time favorite author!😭
Thank you to Jennifer Hartmann and Valentine PR for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 20, 2025
2.5🌟 It genuinely HURTS my heart to say that this was a bit of a disappointment for me💔😔 This was one of my most anticipated new releases of the year and I hate that I didn’t love it, but let me explain:
This book started out really strong. I actually LOVED Act I. Having had some similar childhood experiences as Lex, I was really feeling it in the beginning. I felt connected to the characters and their stories as teenagers and was interested to see where Act II went. I’ll admit though, I remember wondering how this was going to somehow turn into a fake dating scenario considering the way Act I ended…
Once I got into Act II, I was frustrated with Lex most of the time. The way he treated Stevie and the way he let his mother treat her was kind of infuriating. It didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me either. He would just stand by and let his mother completely disrespect her straight to her face. If you saw my updates for this, you know I was like is he going to defend her ever or...???? For this being dual pov, you would think it would help make his actions make more sense, but it weirdly didn’t clear anything up for me on that front. I kept thinking/hoping it would make sense why he left cut her out after Act I and then continued to kind of treat her badly all throughout Act II when he was the one responsible for basically ruining her life??? It genuinely was nottttt making sense to me.
Because of this, it made it harder and harder for me to feel connected to this story and the characters. I think the fake dating thing felt more weird than anything, too. I don’t feel like the fake dating trope really made sense for this storyline or after what happened in Act I. I think if they were brought together in a different way in the future it would’ve made this book a lot better. But I wasn’t feeling any real tension or chemistry between them like I did in Act I, which was super disappointing. Act II and III, just did not deliver the same impact as the beginning. The pacing was off at times and for how strong the start was, I was expecting way more developments in the plot that would give me that emotional punch.
Jennifer Hartmann is one of my favorite authors of all time; I will literally read anything she writes. And while I didn’t love this one, I still enjoyed her writing style in this.
Either way, I know plenty of people will still love this and I think you should still give it a chance even though it wasn’t my favorite 🩷
This book started out really strong. I actually LOVED Act I. Having had some similar childhood experiences as Lex, I was really feeling it in the beginning. I felt connected to the characters and their stories as teenagers and was interested to see where Act II went. I’ll admit though, I remember wondering how this was going to somehow turn into a fake dating scenario considering the way Act I ended…
Once I got into Act II, I was frustrated with Lex most of the time. The way he treated Stevie and the way he let his mother treat her was kind of infuriating. It didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me either. He would just stand by and let his mother completely disrespect her straight to her face. If you saw my updates for this, you know I was like is he going to defend her ever or...???? For this being dual pov, you would think it would help make his actions make more sense, but it weirdly didn’t clear anything up for me on that front. I kept thinking/hoping it would make sense why he left cut her out after Act I and then continued to kind of treat her badly all throughout Act II when he was the one responsible for basically ruining her life??? It genuinely was nottttt making sense to me.
Because of this, it made it harder and harder for me to feel connected to this story and the characters. I think the fake dating thing felt more weird than anything, too. I don’t feel like the fake dating trope really made sense for this storyline or after what happened in Act I. I think if they were brought together in a different way in the future it would’ve made this book a lot better. But I wasn’t feeling any real tension or chemistry between them like I did in Act I, which was super disappointing. Act II and III, just did not deliver the same impact as the beginning. The pacing was off at times and for how strong the start was, I was expecting way more developments in the plot that would give me that emotional punch.
Jennifer Hartmann is one of my favorite authors of all time; I will literally read anything she writes. And while I didn’t love this one, I still enjoyed her writing style in this.
Either way, I know plenty of people will still love this and I think you should still give it a chance even though it wasn’t my favorite 🩷
August 12, 2025
🌟🌟🌟🌟 𝖢𝖮𝖬𝖤 𝖶𝖧𝖠𝖳 𝖬𝖠𝖸 𝖲𝖳𝖠𝖱𝖲
📚'𝙼𝚈 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝚂'📚 can also be found on my blog:
╰┈➤KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
'𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐎𝐍' Is a full length standalone crossover romance filled with heartache and dreams by author Jennifer Hartmann. Spoken in dual POV's. Get ready to meet Stevie Nicks and Lexington Hall.
Anything this author writes...I will read!! And this one was no exception as soon as I saw that sign up doing the rounds I had to sign up. She can write dark too light in a heartbeat, nothing is above her capabilities which is what draws me to her stories each and every time, each one is unique, each is one unexpected.
Tropes:
Fake Relationship
Forced Proximity
He Falls First
Second Chance
Slow Burn
All the feels
When fame and destruction walk hand in hand, my heart went out to Lex, a child thrown into the limelight at a young age..Vulnerability shone through every reaction, every broken piece of himself, the only person who saw deep down into his soul was Stevie, the girl who pulled her into her orbit and shone lightness into a dark and manipulative world. She was his sunshine to his darkness, tethering them together through heartbreak and destruction.
This pulled on my heart strings, zapping new life into me on this cold winter's day as I sat on my favorite reading chair drowning in the words on the pages, the highs and lows hitting where it hurt, these two characters were perfect for each other..I couldn't imagine Lex with anyone else..
📚'𝙼𝚈 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝚂'📚 can also be found on my blog:
╰┈➤KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
'𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐎𝐍' Is a full length standalone crossover romance filled with heartache and dreams by author Jennifer Hartmann. Spoken in dual POV's. Get ready to meet Stevie Nicks and Lexington Hall.
Anything this author writes...I will read!! And this one was no exception as soon as I saw that sign up doing the rounds I had to sign up. She can write dark too light in a heartbeat, nothing is above her capabilities which is what draws me to her stories each and every time, each one is unique, each is one unexpected.
Tropes:
Fake Relationship
Forced Proximity
He Falls First
Second Chance
Slow Burn
All the feels
When fame and destruction walk hand in hand, my heart went out to Lex, a child thrown into the limelight at a young age..Vulnerability shone through every reaction, every broken piece of himself, the only person who saw deep down into his soul was Stevie, the girl who pulled her into her orbit and shone lightness into a dark and manipulative world. She was his sunshine to his darkness, tethering them together through heartbreak and destruction.
This pulled on my heart strings, zapping new life into me on this cold winter's day as I sat on my favorite reading chair drowning in the words on the pages, the highs and lows hitting where it hurt, these two characters were perfect for each other..I couldn't imagine Lex with anyone else..
October 14, 2025
5 ⭐️ i’m speechless. this book was everything - frustrating, tense, heartwarming, and packed with yearning. i’m emotionally exhausted in the best way possible.
dream on was my first jennifer hartmann book, and she lived up to all my expectations. this woman knows how to create layered characters with real charm and depth. lexington hall should not be such a likeable character, but despite all his flaws and mystery, you can’t help but root for him at every turn. and don’t even get me started on the longing… this man is the blueprint for a lifetime of yearning - for happiness, for a better life, for connection, for his green-eyed girl.
i can’t even begin to explain how much i adored stevie st. james. a dreamer, a sweetheart, and an icon of quiet femininity. she carries a rare strength built upon layers of softness, empathy, kindness, resilience, and calm confidence. she’s grounded and level-headed, walking through life with an envy-worthy amount of optimism. simply, stevie is sunshine personified.
dream on delivered on every level - from crush-inducing butterflies and teenage love to broken hearts; from the charm of small-town life to the cutthroat world of celebrity. angst, sacrifice, and ultimately, tenderness. this is a real love story: beautiful, broken, and heartfelt.
⋆˙⟡ pre read →
rec from my girl, grace. also my first jennifer hartmann book 🫶🏻
dream on was my first jennifer hartmann book, and she lived up to all my expectations. this woman knows how to create layered characters with real charm and depth. lexington hall should not be such a likeable character, but despite all his flaws and mystery, you can’t help but root for him at every turn. and don’t even get me started on the longing… this man is the blueprint for a lifetime of yearning - for happiness, for a better life, for connection, for his green-eyed girl.
i can’t even begin to explain how much i adored stevie st. james. a dreamer, a sweetheart, and an icon of quiet femininity. she carries a rare strength built upon layers of softness, empathy, kindness, resilience, and calm confidence. she’s grounded and level-headed, walking through life with an envy-worthy amount of optimism. simply, stevie is sunshine personified.
dream on delivered on every level - from crush-inducing butterflies and teenage love to broken hearts; from the charm of small-town life to the cutthroat world of celebrity. angst, sacrifice, and ultimately, tenderness. this is a real love story: beautiful, broken, and heartfelt.
⋆˙⟡ pre read →
rec from my girl, grace. also my first jennifer hartmann book 🫶🏻
August 16, 2025
⭐️4⭐️ FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW! Amazing. Pure perfection. Jennifer Hartmann can write. This woman can really break you and then set you whole again. Her stories are so DEEP & RAW. Painfully beautiful. She knows how to write about grief and love and what matters in life.
My all time favorite author.
My all time favorite author.
August 1, 2025
February 12, 2025: "Jennifer writes it, I'm going to read it! 😍"
Update
August 1, 2025:
Well, I was lucky enough to read this as an ARC so here we go:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️ - 4.5 stars
"Dream on, Nicks."
Review:
Jennifer Hartmann is an auto-buy author for me. I’ve read 8 of her books so far and loved them all, this one was no exception.
It had a different vibe than her other stories, but in a good way. This one was really unique, but still emotional, romantic, heartbreaking, and healing all at once.
And dare I say… it was slightly less traumatizing than some of her other books (not that I mind emotional rollercoasters, I love them, but this was a breath of fresh air).
I would definitely reccomend this as introduction to Jennifer's work.
Jennifer writes such complex characters and somehow makes you love them no matter what. I absolutely adored Stevie (farm girl 🐄🌾) and Lex (Hollywood’s golden boy 🎬💫).
The Hollywood vibes were so fun, but I also loved their quiet, cozy moments on the farm.
I also don’t always love second chance romance, but it really worked here.
I would definitely put this on your TBR if you haven't already done it.
- Contemporary romance
- Hollywood's golden boy x farm girl
- Second chance
- Time jumps
- Fake dating
- Forced proximity
- Emotional
- He falls first
I was gifted this e-arc by Valentine PR for free and leave this honest review voluntarily.
Update
August 1, 2025:
Well, I was lucky enough to read this as an ARC so here we go:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️ - 4.5 stars
"Dream on, Nicks."
Review:
Jennifer Hartmann is an auto-buy author for me. I’ve read 8 of her books so far and loved them all, this one was no exception.
It had a different vibe than her other stories, but in a good way. This one was really unique, but still emotional, romantic, heartbreaking, and healing all at once.
And dare I say… it was slightly less traumatizing than some of her other books (not that I mind emotional rollercoasters, I love them, but this was a breath of fresh air).
I would definitely reccomend this as introduction to Jennifer's work.
Jennifer writes such complex characters and somehow makes you love them no matter what. I absolutely adored Stevie (farm girl 🐄🌾) and Lex (Hollywood’s golden boy 🎬💫).
The Hollywood vibes were so fun, but I also loved their quiet, cozy moments on the farm.
I also don’t always love second chance romance, but it really worked here.
I would definitely put this on your TBR if you haven't already done it.
- Contemporary romance
- Hollywood's golden boy x farm girl
- Second chance
- Time jumps
- Fake dating
- Forced proximity
- Emotional
- He falls first
I was gifted this e-arc by Valentine PR for free and leave this honest review voluntarily.
August 20, 2025
4.5 stars
Dream On had so many things I love… high school theater, young love, and a really sweet second chance romance! Jennifer Hartmann’s writing always hits the mark, and I loved following Lexington and Stevie’s story.
Stevie was such a great character who was full of heart and determination. Her family was lovely, and I really admired how strong and grounded she was. Lexington definitely needed someone like her, and together they just worked.
I really enjoyed seeing his growth and healing throughout the book. It took time, but it made their connection feel even more meaningful. Overall, this was an emotional and beautiful love story that I really enjoyed.
Dream On had so many things I love… high school theater, young love, and a really sweet second chance romance! Jennifer Hartmann’s writing always hits the mark, and I loved following Lexington and Stevie’s story.
Stevie was such a great character who was full of heart and determination. Her family was lovely, and I really admired how strong and grounded she was. Lexington definitely needed someone like her, and together they just worked.
I really enjoyed seeing his growth and healing throughout the book. It took time, but it made their connection feel even more meaningful. Overall, this was an emotional and beautiful love story that I really enjoyed.
August 6, 2025
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 5 stars ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
“Dream on, Nicks.”
“You’ve been the only thing that has ever made me feel alive.”
“Come what may, right?”
“Come what will.”
"I think, sometimes, love isn’t always in the ones who stick around. It’s in the missing pieces— the holes carved out, the gaps that strain and stretch. You notice when it leaves, the quiet, empty moments where absence lingers, and you feel the weight of what’s gone."
“But I have two hands that will hold you forever, a voice that will sing to you until we take our last breaths, and eyes that will see you for all that you are, every day, every minute, just as you’ve seen me.”
“I always knew it would be the blue I'd remember. I just never dreamed I'd find my forever in it.”
this was my first jennifer hartmann book, and it did not disappoint! not a single bit! she sure knows how to take the reader on an emotional rollercoaster ride, because that’s exactly what this book was. like actually, so many emotions were felt. one minute you’re laughing, and the next you’re sobbing of pure heartache. i know i cried at least twice reading this.
the writing in this book is beautiful. it takes serious talent to make a reader feel all the emotions a character feels, and jennifer hartmann does that with ease. i love how i went into this book with no expectations in general, but got immediately sucked into the story and ended up loving it so much. her writing is captivating, and truly something else.
nothing can explain how much it hurt to read about lex and everything he went through. like it PHYSICALLY hurt. i will admit, at first i thought i wouldn’t like him because he was so full of himself, but as soon as i found out things about his past, and why he is the way he is, my heart broke for him. it was so sweet to see him learn that stevie is able to calm him down. all he ever wanted was to truly be loved by someone.
i think stevie and lex have a piece of my heart now, and that this book is among my favorite reads of the year. i loved everything about this book, so if you’re looking to read something emotional that will be memorable and tug at your heart, you won’t want to miss this.
˗ˋˏ ୨୧ thank you to Valentine PR and Jennifer Hartmann for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review! ୨୧ ˎˊ˗
pre-read:
my first jennifer hartmann book! everyone has been enjoying this one so hoping it delivers!
“Dream on, Nicks.”
“You’ve been the only thing that has ever made me feel alive.”
“Come what may, right?”
“Come what will.”
"I think, sometimes, love isn’t always in the ones who stick around. It’s in the missing pieces— the holes carved out, the gaps that strain and stretch. You notice when it leaves, the quiet, empty moments where absence lingers, and you feel the weight of what’s gone."
“But I have two hands that will hold you forever, a voice that will sing to you until we take our last breaths, and eyes that will see you for all that you are, every day, every minute, just as you’ve seen me.”
“I always knew it would be the blue I'd remember. I just never dreamed I'd find my forever in it.”
this was my first jennifer hartmann book, and it did not disappoint! not a single bit! she sure knows how to take the reader on an emotional rollercoaster ride, because that’s exactly what this book was. like actually, so many emotions were felt. one minute you’re laughing, and the next you’re sobbing of pure heartache. i know i cried at least twice reading this.
the writing in this book is beautiful. it takes serious talent to make a reader feel all the emotions a character feels, and jennifer hartmann does that with ease. i love how i went into this book with no expectations in general, but got immediately sucked into the story and ended up loving it so much. her writing is captivating, and truly something else.
nothing can explain how much it hurt to read about lex and everything he went through. like it PHYSICALLY hurt. i will admit, at first i thought i wouldn’t like him because he was so full of himself, but as soon as i found out things about his past, and why he is the way he is, my heart broke for him. it was so sweet to see him learn that stevie is able to calm him down. all he ever wanted was to truly be loved by someone.
i think stevie and lex have a piece of my heart now, and that this book is among my favorite reads of the year. i loved everything about this book, so if you’re looking to read something emotional that will be memorable and tug at your heart, you won’t want to miss this.
˗ˋˏ ୨୧ thank you to Valentine PR and Jennifer Hartmann for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review! ୨୧ ˎˊ˗
pre-read:
my first jennifer hartmann book! everyone has been enjoying this one so hoping it delivers!
July 27, 2025
3.5 ⭐
I’ve been in a reading slump for about two months now, so I think it’s only fair that a Jennifer Hartmann book is the one to pull me out of it. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite live up to her past works (which were all solid 4–5 star reads for me), but it was still a decent read.
Let me break it down—spoiler-free, of course:
First of all, when an author can make you deeply hate a character, that speaks volumes about their writing. Jennifer knows how to write emotions.
That said, I didn’t feel the same level of connection between the main characters that I felt in books like Lotus or Catch the Sun. Maybe it’s because I’m just not that into celebrity romance tropes, or maybe I wanted to see a more protective side to the MMC.
I don’t know… I just didn’t feel completely fulfilled. I craved more. I wanted more revenge, more emotional depth, more character growth.
Still, it’s a good book—just not my favorite from her. But I’ll absolutely keep reading whatever Jennifer writes next.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER: 32, 35, 43, 44
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
I was so lucky and got chosen by Valentine PR to read and review this highly anticipated ARC 🥹🫶🏻
I’ve been in a reading slump for about two months now, so I think it’s only fair that a Jennifer Hartmann book is the one to pull me out of it. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite live up to her past works (which were all solid 4–5 star reads for me), but it was still a decent read.
Let me break it down—spoiler-free, of course:
First of all, when an author can make you deeply hate a character, that speaks volumes about their writing. Jennifer knows how to write emotions.
That said, I didn’t feel the same level of connection between the main characters that I felt in books like Lotus or Catch the Sun. Maybe it’s because I’m just not that into celebrity romance tropes, or maybe I wanted to see a more protective side to the MMC.
I don’t know… I just didn’t feel completely fulfilled. I craved more. I wanted more revenge, more emotional depth, more character growth.
Still, it’s a good book—just not my favorite from her. But I’ll absolutely keep reading whatever Jennifer writes next.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER: 32, 35, 43, 44
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
I was so lucky and got chosen by Valentine PR to read and review this highly anticipated ARC 🥹🫶🏻
August 23, 2025
1.5 ⭐️ i’m probably in the minority on this one, but the romance in here was so goddamn awful omg. i was ready to tap out at 40% but i was genuinely hoping for some redemption arc to make the tomfoolery worth it, but nope, it never came, and i would have been better off not picking this one up at all because it turned into such a chore to finish. i was really excited to read it though, so i’m quite sad it ended up being a disappointment, and also downright infuriating in parts.
my experience with jennifer hartmann books is limited. i’ve only read “older” and “the thorns remain”, the latter being a co-written novel with another author. jennifer is definitely a romance booktok fan favourite and the consistent messaging about her books is that she writes beautiful and emotionally decimating stories so that’s what i was hoping to find with this book. i absolutely bawled my eyes out reading “older”, it was that good for me. i felt it alllllll. but “dream on” was terrible and just made me mad? there were so many things wrong with this story and the characters were questionable.
i don’t really think i enjoyed anything to give this a positive start, so i’m just going to highlight my major issues below and call it a day (spoilers ahead):
1) first off - the writing was kind of basic. which came as a shock to me because i remember from reading “older” how the writing was really beautiful, lyrical and poetic in parts and just overall evocative, but in here, it felt like a different author. the prose was very simple and felt slightly amateur-ish. the editing was also not that great. there were quite a few repeated words close together, some stilted writing and awkward transitions between scenes.
2) all the musical theatre, hollywood / fame stuff, singing and acting etc - it was all a CRINGE fest. i tend to not pick up celebrity romances often because a lot of them are riddled with clichés but sometimes you’ll find a gem, and i thought this one would be one of them because i wanted to trust jennifer’s writing - but it was really trite and corny af. all the related metaphors were making me roll my eyes to no end too.
3) the connection between the characters in act 1 (when they first meet in high school and their friendship develops) was so artificial and planted. nothing about it felt organic and there was a lot of telling vs showing, so it was really quite unbelievable to me because i didn’t actually get to experience it bloom - i was just told a bunch of things and expected to accept that this life-altering young love origin story was a certainty. i just didn’t feel it. it was so contrived, and unfortunately, that weak foundation ended up hurting the rest of the book because i didn’t feel any chemistry between stevie and lex even beyond this into the future and then their decisions from the end of act 1 through to the end of the story made no sense to me since their motivations were hinged on the two of them being so connected and in love as teens but that connection did not have an ounce of genuineness and credibility to it.
4) stevie has got to be one of the stupidest heroines i’ve ever read. zero sense for self-preservation. why did she take the fall for that accident? IT MADE NO SENSE, especially since she had very limited context for what was going on with lex’s home life because he’d never confirmed anything, and again, the reason the book was trying to sell me was that she cared so much for him that she wanted to protect him - but because i didn’t believe their connection and it was poorly motivated by the writing in the book, i genuinely couldn’t wrap my mind around her choice here. she was literally facing a dui charge that could have put her in JAIL and she put her family through absolute hell with all that medical debt because their insurance wouldn’t ever cover for something that was her fault…and she STILL did that. at a great cost to her family. to herself and her own future. people she should have had more loyalty toward than lex???? this genuinely had me seething and baffled in equal measure. she knew this boy for three months and did all this to people she’s loved for years and potentially could have landed herself into big trouble? lmao. further, her actions that led to putting herself in the position of launching the fake dating scheme also felt very illogical. what exactly was she trying to prove here? i didn’t get it. again, this felt like a forced segue shoved into the plot to insert a trope. i love fake dating, i really do - it’s one of my favourite tropes, but the angle of it in this book did not feel organic. if stevie was a rational person, she would have not done what she did by being an instigator and pushing for it given how lex destroyed her life and disappeared from it. like girl, have some self-respect and common sense. none of their mutually beneficial reasons held up for keeping up the ruse, so i genuinely didn’t understand it. and then stevie not comprehending or anticipating what her lies would do to them…girl bye. expecting her lil performance of claiming to be his girlfriend would end with the weekend was laughable. she was so naive and i couldn’t take her seriously. the only smart decision she ever made was taking that money and giving it to her parents - i almost thought she was going to pull one of those dumb heroine moves and refuse it out of some misguided principled stance of not taking it “because it was never fake and what we had was real, i can’t accept payment for it” type shit. glad mama ran with the cheque and repaired some of the financial damage her past decision made to her family.
5) lex was actually a really horrible person? i’m so sorry but he was kind of a shitty guy. obvious thing first, he did not tell the truth about the accident that was HIS fault. and yeah yeah the book tried to sell that decision as him having done it to protect her from the dui charge and his parents’ wrath, but him not even reaching out to explain himself or even bare minimum check on her or send flowers or ANYTHING for all those years and i’m supposed to swoon over this mf? NO. to make matters worse, he swoops into her life later in the most dickish manner with his sense of tortured superiority and i-know-everything attitude. he made a tv show about their life without consulting her for her input or consent, maligns and ridicules her and her family’s characters in it, and then acts like she should be grateful for the exposure when he bursts back onto the scene of her life? he doesn’t even fucking apologize properly for any of it - the accident, ghosting her, the show - he’s such an entitled prick. the way he treated women in this story was awful too. they were just props to him, he couldn’t even bother with people’s names. i can’t stand him. i get that he’s a victim of abuse and parental neglect, but that trauma is no excuse to treat people the way he did - he sucked and he needs to go to therapy! let me not even get started on how he couldn’t even stand up for stevie when his mom was constantly insulting her and he’d just dissociate and tap out from the moment - like what kind of book boyfriend is this? he’s a coward in every sense of the word. a lot of his inner monologues were pointless navelgazing and repetitive woe-is-me overtures too. he really could have sought help because he had the money for it too. there was no excuse. and on this, i hate that the book didn’t address him seeking professional help because his character DID need it. the reconciliation at the end of the third act and hea would have been more impactful had he actually worked on himself because to me, he didn’t develop as a person at all and the opportunity was missed to show some growth and healing for him.
6) the sex was so bland and awkward - but i think it also has to do with the fact that i didn’t feel any chemistry between the characters, so it all felt really clunky and weird. what really put me off was their first time too. they have sex while in a fight and someone needs to explain to me why stevie took her dress off mid-argument because that was so forced to transition into a sex scene - i was shaking my head trying to understand the why of it all. i also didn’t like that the messy way this progressed ended up being lex’s first consensual sexual experience and the loss of his virginity - something about it felt very icky to me given his history. there was also such a massive missed chance to portray some physical intimacy between the two of them whilst showcasing her knee injury and scar tissue that HE was responsible for. like no kisses to it or him tracing it reverently with some angsty weeping or some shit?! this could have worked so well in a scene and brought some much-needed emotional pay-off to an intimate moment, yet the author ignored the opportunity.
7) somewhat linked to the point above, this book is categorized as ya. there are explicit sex scenes in it, which to me is NOT ya and i was quite taken aback by that because i went into it under the guise that it would be young adult. the characters are on the younger side (teens and early 20s), but the content of this book fits more new adult than young adult. am i upset by that? not really. i just prefer to know what i’m picking up. i like ya stories just as much as i like new adult or adult stories, as long as the label fits the book - so i do feel a bit misled. i wanted a cute and angsty young love story, but got this train wreck in return AND it had explicit sexual content in it which threw me.
8) the fake-out tragedy scene at the end was very unwarranted. i almost gave the book 1 star without the half had that actually been true and not a scene thrown in from the tv series director cut or whatever. also the end of this book was painfully long. it should have ended before this last chapter - this last chapter before the epilogue was pointless and unnecessarily stress-inducing. the epilogue was really lame too with that script piece. corn-fest.
there’s actually a lot more that irritated me, but i’m going to quit while i’m ahead. the only positive thing i can think to note is that stevie’s family, lex’s (adult career) agent and the high school director / piano bar owner that employed stevie were lovely folks. lex’s parents and mom’s best friend (lex’s childhood + teen career agent) sucked ass - that goes without saying.
my experience with jennifer hartmann books is limited. i’ve only read “older” and “the thorns remain”, the latter being a co-written novel with another author. jennifer is definitely a romance booktok fan favourite and the consistent messaging about her books is that she writes beautiful and emotionally decimating stories so that’s what i was hoping to find with this book. i absolutely bawled my eyes out reading “older”, it was that good for me. i felt it alllllll. but “dream on” was terrible and just made me mad? there were so many things wrong with this story and the characters were questionable.
i don’t really think i enjoyed anything to give this a positive start, so i’m just going to highlight my major issues below and call it a day (spoilers ahead):
1) first off - the writing was kind of basic. which came as a shock to me because i remember from reading “older” how the writing was really beautiful, lyrical and poetic in parts and just overall evocative, but in here, it felt like a different author. the prose was very simple and felt slightly amateur-ish. the editing was also not that great. there were quite a few repeated words close together, some stilted writing and awkward transitions between scenes.
2) all the musical theatre, hollywood / fame stuff, singing and acting etc - it was all a CRINGE fest. i tend to not pick up celebrity romances often because a lot of them are riddled with clichés but sometimes you’ll find a gem, and i thought this one would be one of them because i wanted to trust jennifer’s writing - but it was really trite and corny af. all the related metaphors were making me roll my eyes to no end too.
3) the connection between the characters in act 1 (when they first meet in high school and their friendship develops) was so artificial and planted. nothing about it felt organic and there was a lot of telling vs showing, so it was really quite unbelievable to me because i didn’t actually get to experience it bloom - i was just told a bunch of things and expected to accept that this life-altering young love origin story was a certainty. i just didn’t feel it. it was so contrived, and unfortunately, that weak foundation ended up hurting the rest of the book because i didn’t feel any chemistry between stevie and lex even beyond this into the future and then their decisions from the end of act 1 through to the end of the story made no sense to me since their motivations were hinged on the two of them being so connected and in love as teens but that connection did not have an ounce of genuineness and credibility to it.
4) stevie has got to be one of the stupidest heroines i’ve ever read. zero sense for self-preservation. why did she take the fall for that accident? IT MADE NO SENSE, especially since she had very limited context for what was going on with lex’s home life because he’d never confirmed anything, and again, the reason the book was trying to sell me was that she cared so much for him that she wanted to protect him - but because i didn’t believe their connection and it was poorly motivated by the writing in the book, i genuinely couldn’t wrap my mind around her choice here. she was literally facing a dui charge that could have put her in JAIL and she put her family through absolute hell with all that medical debt because their insurance wouldn’t ever cover for something that was her fault…and she STILL did that. at a great cost to her family. to herself and her own future. people she should have had more loyalty toward than lex???? this genuinely had me seething and baffled in equal measure. she knew this boy for three months and did all this to people she’s loved for years and potentially could have landed herself into big trouble? lmao. further, her actions that led to putting herself in the position of launching the fake dating scheme also felt very illogical. what exactly was she trying to prove here? i didn’t get it. again, this felt like a forced segue shoved into the plot to insert a trope. i love fake dating, i really do - it’s one of my favourite tropes, but the angle of it in this book did not feel organic. if stevie was a rational person, she would have not done what she did by being an instigator and pushing for it given how lex destroyed her life and disappeared from it. like girl, have some self-respect and common sense. none of their mutually beneficial reasons held up for keeping up the ruse, so i genuinely didn’t understand it. and then stevie not comprehending or anticipating what her lies would do to them…girl bye. expecting her lil performance of claiming to be his girlfriend would end with the weekend was laughable. she was so naive and i couldn’t take her seriously. the only smart decision she ever made was taking that money and giving it to her parents - i almost thought she was going to pull one of those dumb heroine moves and refuse it out of some misguided principled stance of not taking it “because it was never fake and what we had was real, i can’t accept payment for it” type shit. glad mama ran with the cheque and repaired some of the financial damage her past decision made to her family.
5) lex was actually a really horrible person? i’m so sorry but he was kind of a shitty guy. obvious thing first, he did not tell the truth about the accident that was HIS fault. and yeah yeah the book tried to sell that decision as him having done it to protect her from the dui charge and his parents’ wrath, but him not even reaching out to explain himself or even bare minimum check on her or send flowers or ANYTHING for all those years and i’m supposed to swoon over this mf? NO. to make matters worse, he swoops into her life later in the most dickish manner with his sense of tortured superiority and i-know-everything attitude. he made a tv show about their life without consulting her for her input or consent, maligns and ridicules her and her family’s characters in it, and then acts like she should be grateful for the exposure when he bursts back onto the scene of her life? he doesn’t even fucking apologize properly for any of it - the accident, ghosting her, the show - he’s such an entitled prick. the way he treated women in this story was awful too. they were just props to him, he couldn’t even bother with people’s names. i can’t stand him. i get that he’s a victim of abuse and parental neglect, but that trauma is no excuse to treat people the way he did - he sucked and he needs to go to therapy! let me not even get started on how he couldn’t even stand up for stevie when his mom was constantly insulting her and he’d just dissociate and tap out from the moment - like what kind of book boyfriend is this? he’s a coward in every sense of the word. a lot of his inner monologues were pointless navelgazing and repetitive woe-is-me overtures too. he really could have sought help because he had the money for it too. there was no excuse. and on this, i hate that the book didn’t address him seeking professional help because his character DID need it. the reconciliation at the end of the third act and hea would have been more impactful had he actually worked on himself because to me, he didn’t develop as a person at all and the opportunity was missed to show some growth and healing for him.
6) the sex was so bland and awkward - but i think it also has to do with the fact that i didn’t feel any chemistry between the characters, so it all felt really clunky and weird. what really put me off was their first time too. they have sex while in a fight and someone needs to explain to me why stevie took her dress off mid-argument because that was so forced to transition into a sex scene - i was shaking my head trying to understand the why of it all. i also didn’t like that the messy way this progressed ended up being lex’s first consensual sexual experience and the loss of his virginity - something about it felt very icky to me given his history. there was also such a massive missed chance to portray some physical intimacy between the two of them whilst showcasing her knee injury and scar tissue that HE was responsible for. like no kisses to it or him tracing it reverently with some angsty weeping or some shit?! this could have worked so well in a scene and brought some much-needed emotional pay-off to an intimate moment, yet the author ignored the opportunity.
7) somewhat linked to the point above, this book is categorized as ya. there are explicit sex scenes in it, which to me is NOT ya and i was quite taken aback by that because i went into it under the guise that it would be young adult. the characters are on the younger side (teens and early 20s), but the content of this book fits more new adult than young adult. am i upset by that? not really. i just prefer to know what i’m picking up. i like ya stories just as much as i like new adult or adult stories, as long as the label fits the book - so i do feel a bit misled. i wanted a cute and angsty young love story, but got this train wreck in return AND it had explicit sexual content in it which threw me.
8) the fake-out tragedy scene at the end was very unwarranted. i almost gave the book 1 star without the half had that actually been true and not a scene thrown in from the tv series director cut or whatever. also the end of this book was painfully long. it should have ended before this last chapter - this last chapter before the epilogue was pointless and unnecessarily stress-inducing. the epilogue was really lame too with that script piece. corn-fest.
there’s actually a lot more that irritated me, but i’m going to quit while i’m ahead. the only positive thing i can think to note is that stevie’s family, lex’s (adult career) agent and the high school director / piano bar owner that employed stevie were lovely folks. lex’s parents and mom’s best friend (lex’s childhood + teen career agent) sucked ass - that goes without saying.
August 20, 2025
This is a PAINFUL rating. I didn’t feel the normal angst, tension and emotional impact as I have with all of Jennifer Hartman’s other books. Everything just fell so flat for me 😭😭😭😭😭.
August 15, 2025
I dont understand all the positive reviews for this tedious and frustrating book. Lex is an arsehat and Stevie is his doormat. Jennifer Hartmann usually writes better stories than this. Very disappointed.
September 7, 2025
i am heartbroken at how much i disliked this book. i am genuinely a major fan of jennifer hartmann, but wow this book was so bad in SO many ways. from the main guy having absolutely no redeemable qualities, to the main girl having no backbone…. the only saving grace was the chemistry between the characters and maybe the first 20% of the book as a whole. i can’t in my heart give it 1 star because i still somehow made it to the end, but i’m so glad i filmed my reactions for a vlog. i truly feel like i can’t make up what i just experienced while reading this
August 3, 2025
It's happened again. My Jennifer Hartmann high is over and now I am left longing for the beautiful worlds and stories she creates for my head. The ending of this book is no exception, and I am honored to be able to read this story.
That being said, this book had me wanting to strangle Lex and tell Stevie to run at least 75% of the time. This story features an MMC who is truly broken and frozen in time as a broken child that everyone turned their back on. Because of this mindset, he makes some STUPID decisions. This is the beauty of a Jennifer Hartmann book though. She writes REAL people with REAL issues. She doesn't tell you a sweet little happily ever after with rainbows and butterflies along the way. She writes book that make you want to scream, cry, throw things and fall in love all at the same time. This book was also a slowwww burn and the first part is their history in high school, but the full picture is so beautiful.
I will ALWAYS be a diehard Jennifer Hartmann fan because she speaks to my soul in a way that other books haven't. I love reading stories with real people figuring out their lives and being messy along the way. If you don't like messy characters, you may struggle with this book. However, if you're like me and find home in the pages of a traumatic story, this book is a must read.
Side note: the villains in the story deserved way more tragedy than what found them and it's another one of those books where I wish I could jump into the story and turn into their villain myself. You all are on my hit list, fictional or not.
That being said, this book had me wanting to strangle Lex and tell Stevie to run at least 75% of the time. This story features an MMC who is truly broken and frozen in time as a broken child that everyone turned their back on. Because of this mindset, he makes some STUPID decisions. This is the beauty of a Jennifer Hartmann book though. She writes REAL people with REAL issues. She doesn't tell you a sweet little happily ever after with rainbows and butterflies along the way. She writes book that make you want to scream, cry, throw things and fall in love all at the same time. This book was also a slowwww burn and the first part is their history in high school, but the full picture is so beautiful.
I will ALWAYS be a diehard Jennifer Hartmann fan because she speaks to my soul in a way that other books haven't. I love reading stories with real people figuring out their lives and being messy along the way. If you don't like messy characters, you may struggle with this book. However, if you're like me and find home in the pages of a traumatic story, this book is a must read.
Side note: the villains in the story deserved way more tragedy than what found them and it's another one of those books where I wish I could jump into the story and turn into their villain myself. You all are on my hit list, fictional or not.
August 19, 2025
“That’s what love is. It’s the ups and downs. The in-betweens. The dark, the ugly, the beautiful, the surreal. It’s in both the perfect melodies and the off-key notes. The hardships make us stronger. Braver. That’s how love grows.”
''I glance at the man beside me, at my dream. No award trophy, no big paycheck, no stage to dance and twirl. Just a girl with pins in her knee and love in her eyes and a boy with songs in his heart and ghosts I’m determined to scare away for good.''
⭐⭐⭐⭐.75
🌶️
Jennifer does it again with this heartfelt, poetic, dream-chasing romance! All the books I have read by this author have been so good, and this was no different. There were so many amazing quotes throughout. Her writing is so down-to-earth with its realistic life struggles and relatable characters.
This FMC deserves all the stars! ⭐ The heart, patience, and integrity this woman had were beautiful. The support she had for this man after everything she went through was beautiful to read! Choosing to see the good in him, though all the hurt he caused her, showed true strength and resilience. Hats off to Jennifer Hartmann for giving us an FMC that's truly inspiring!
The first part of this book follows their younger selves meeting and building their friendship, and man, I could have read a full book of this! Romance in its purest form 💞 This was full of great characters, high stakes trauma, heart-melting romance, and relatable life truths. Truly an amazing read!
''I glance at the man beside me, at my dream. No award trophy, no big paycheck, no stage to dance and twirl. Just a girl with pins in her knee and love in her eyes and a boy with songs in his heart and ghosts I’m determined to scare away for good.''
⭐⭐⭐⭐.75
🌶️
Jennifer does it again with this heartfelt, poetic, dream-chasing romance! All the books I have read by this author have been so good, and this was no different. There were so many amazing quotes throughout. Her writing is so down-to-earth with its realistic life struggles and relatable characters.
This FMC deserves all the stars! ⭐ The heart, patience, and integrity this woman had were beautiful. The support she had for this man after everything she went through was beautiful to read! Choosing to see the good in him, though all the hurt he caused her, showed true strength and resilience. Hats off to Jennifer Hartmann for giving us an FMC that's truly inspiring!
The first part of this book follows their younger selves meeting and building their friendship, and man, I could have read a full book of this! Romance in its purest form 💞 This was full of great characters, high stakes trauma, heart-melting romance, and relatable life truths. Truly an amazing read!
August 7, 2025
I have been in the slump of my life for the last few weeks and it's been a struggle for me to get through anything. This took me 10 days to read overall, however, once I really got into it, from 24% onwards, it actually took me about 26 hours with a work day in the middle LOL!
Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann is one of my all time favourite books, so I don't know why I don't reach for her more often, especially when I'm struggling to read like this. She has such an incredible way with words. An incredible way of giving us some pretty toxic (mentally) broken characters/relationships and making us fall in love with this people, giving them incredible character arcs that make sense. Nothing feels "too convenient" it all makes sense. I truly loved this. It gave us such a good insight into Hollywood and child actors, how they're treated, how it can go to peoples head - the fame, the money. There were some completely shocking revelations in this book that I wasn't expecting but make complete sense.
I think what Jennifer can do with a pen and paper and a computer is nothing short of phenomenal and this didn't miss a beat. I ate this up once I got going. Not only do I think it's potentially cured my slump (so naturally, 5 stars) but it was actually amazing so deserved every single one of those 5 stars. And as someone with a fiancé who's literally obsessed with Moulin Rouge (it's his favourite movie of all time) this book had a nostalgia feel running through it for me and it just felt a little bit like home. Loved it!
Please check the trigger warnings for this one. There's A LOT going on.
Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann is one of my all time favourite books, so I don't know why I don't reach for her more often, especially when I'm struggling to read like this. She has such an incredible way with words. An incredible way of giving us some pretty toxic (mentally) broken characters/relationships and making us fall in love with this people, giving them incredible character arcs that make sense. Nothing feels "too convenient" it all makes sense. I truly loved this. It gave us such a good insight into Hollywood and child actors, how they're treated, how it can go to peoples head - the fame, the money. There were some completely shocking revelations in this book that I wasn't expecting but make complete sense.
I think what Jennifer can do with a pen and paper and a computer is nothing short of phenomenal and this didn't miss a beat. I ate this up once I got going. Not only do I think it's potentially cured my slump (so naturally, 5 stars) but it was actually amazing so deserved every single one of those 5 stars. And as someone with a fiancé who's literally obsessed with Moulin Rouge (it's his favourite movie of all time) this book had a nostalgia feel running through it for me and it just felt a little bit like home. Loved it!
Please check the trigger warnings for this one. There's A LOT going on.
August 12, 2025
this book has brought me back to life 🫶🥹💓
I cannot process my emotions right now, but just know, this was heartbreaking & romantic & raw in the best possible ways.
more details to come on IG & TT tomorrow, but for right now… just trust me 😉
I cannot process my emotions right now, but just know, this was heartbreaking & romantic & raw in the best possible ways.
more details to come on IG & TT tomorrow, but for right now… just trust me 😉
July 31, 2025
4.25 stars—I was not a fan of Lex for the firat 75-80% of this book. I thought he was a whimp for blaming his past for all the wrong and hurt he was putting Stevie through, but I am happy to say he made up for it in the end. I should have known Jennifer Hartmann would not write an unlikable MMC ♥️ This story was like all her books..ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN. Stevie was an amazing FMC and I loved that she always put her heart on her sleeve even when Lex did not.
August 20, 2025
Tal vez le tenía muchas expectativas porque amo a la autora, pero no es mi favorito de ella.
Igual quiero destacar que lo disfruté, sufrí (como siempre con Jennifer) y me encantó la relación principal. Lo único que no me gustó fue que me aburrió la dinámica de idas y vueltas que tienen.
De todas maneras, los personajes tienen un crecimiento muy lindo de ver y habla de temas fuertes con el respeto que se merecen.
Igual quiero destacar que lo disfruté, sufrí (como siempre con Jennifer) y me encantó la relación principal. Lo único que no me gustó fue que me aburrió la dinámica de idas y vueltas que tienen.
De todas maneras, los personajes tienen un crecimiento muy lindo de ver y habla de temas fuertes con el respeto que se merecen.
August 11, 2025
5 stars!
There are some authors who you know are going to destroy you whenever you pick up their books. Jennifer Hartmann is one of those writers. I have read several of her books, and each time, they break me down, only to lift me back up again. "Dream On" is an incredible read. It's a slow-burning, enemies-to-lovers x2, fake dating story featuring two protagonists who met when they were 17 and in high school performing Moulin Rouge together in their school's play. After *~circumstances~* cause them to spend a few years apart, they reconnect a few years later as adults when Lex has reached superstar status as an actor and Stevie has been stuck with abandoned, broken dreams. Things happen that lead them to fake date for the paparazzi and for the clout of their situation, but their very real feelings come bubbling back up to the surface after all this time, slowly but surely. Secrets are divulged, years' worth of feelings are explored, and dreams are achieved and shifted. Lex and Stevie's story is full of second chances, healing, love, despair, connection, acceptance, heartache, and finding your true place in life. These are two very complex characters with tragic backstories who find solace with one another once they let their guard and their walls down. I could not put this book down. It exhausted me over and over again, but in the best way. I laughed, I cried, I felt immersed in this world and with these characters. The story is very well paced and flows well. I didn't think there was anything unnecessary about it. All of the pieces of Lex and Stevie's puzzle come together in due time, and the slow burn is more than worth the wait. It's explosive, emotional, and wonderful. I will DEFINITELY have a book hangover for a while. Please read this book. It is simply magnificent!
Thank you to Jennifer Hartmann, SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, NetGalley, and Valentine PR for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
There are some authors who you know are going to destroy you whenever you pick up their books. Jennifer Hartmann is one of those writers. I have read several of her books, and each time, they break me down, only to lift me back up again. "Dream On" is an incredible read. It's a slow-burning, enemies-to-lovers x2, fake dating story featuring two protagonists who met when they were 17 and in high school performing Moulin Rouge together in their school's play. After *~circumstances~* cause them to spend a few years apart, they reconnect a few years later as adults when Lex has reached superstar status as an actor and Stevie has been stuck with abandoned, broken dreams. Things happen that lead them to fake date for the paparazzi and for the clout of their situation, but their very real feelings come bubbling back up to the surface after all this time, slowly but surely. Secrets are divulged, years' worth of feelings are explored, and dreams are achieved and shifted. Lex and Stevie's story is full of second chances, healing, love, despair, connection, acceptance, heartache, and finding your true place in life. These are two very complex characters with tragic backstories who find solace with one another once they let their guard and their walls down. I could not put this book down. It exhausted me over and over again, but in the best way. I laughed, I cried, I felt immersed in this world and with these characters. The story is very well paced and flows well. I didn't think there was anything unnecessary about it. All of the pieces of Lex and Stevie's puzzle come together in due time, and the slow burn is more than worth the wait. It's explosive, emotional, and wonderful. I will DEFINITELY have a book hangover for a while. Please read this book. It is simply magnificent!
Thank you to Jennifer Hartmann, SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, NetGalley, and Valentine PR for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
October 12, 2025
4 Stars
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise, the flawed H, the strong h, their connection, and the side characters.
The Not-So-Good: I would've liked to have some more of their HEA on page.
The Bad: I wanted the villains to pay a little more I guess 😏
Overall: This was a good surprise ~ I liked it! I love Jennifer Hartmann's voice and how her tragic characters come together, while often a little slow, but in a truly genuine feeling way. There's always some angst that makes it that much sweeter when the grey parts of their romance gets worked out, which I always love. It's no secret I love the messy romances and I'm not complaining here! I just wish that there was more comeuppance for the villains and while I liked the epilogue, I would've liked to experience their HEA a little more.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Stevie and Lex's story. They met in high school and were main characters in a musical together when they created a strong bond. Tragedy strikes and they are separated, only for Stevie to see a rendition of their story on tv on a new show that Lex wrote and stared in. His agent reaches out to her to propose that she acts as his fake girlfriend for a price that she cannot refuse. The more they re around each other, the more they remember how much they mean to one another. There is some heavy baggage they have to work through, there are some sweet moments, some sexy times, and some big life changes...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Stevie and Lex's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop (and share) deeper feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Lex. He was majorly messed up, so I couldn't help but like him and how he allowed himself to be vulnerable with the h.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Stevie. I liked her. I appreciated how she knew herself and never strayed from that.
Sadness level: Moderate. I shed some tears but never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. Slow burn since they are not intimate until ~73% in my kindle app.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No, other than some mild jealousy
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with a HEA with good closure
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise, the flawed H, the strong h, their connection, and the side characters.
The Not-So-Good: I would've liked to have some more of their HEA on page.
The Bad: I wanted the villains to pay a little more I guess 😏
Overall: This was a good surprise ~ I liked it! I love Jennifer Hartmann's voice and how her tragic characters come together, while often a little slow, but in a truly genuine feeling way. There's always some angst that makes it that much sweeter when the grey parts of their romance gets worked out, which I always love. It's no secret I love the messy romances and I'm not complaining here! I just wish that there was more comeuppance for the villains and while I liked the epilogue, I would've liked to experience their HEA a little more.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Stevie and Lex's story. They met in high school and were main characters in a musical together when they created a strong bond. Tragedy strikes and they are separated, only for Stevie to see a rendition of their story on tv on a new show that Lex wrote and stared in. His agent reaches out to her to propose that she acts as his fake girlfriend for a price that she cannot refuse. The more they re around each other, the more they remember how much they mean to one another. There is some heavy baggage they have to work through, there are some sweet moments, some sexy times, and some big life changes...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Stevie and Lex's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop (and share) deeper feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Lex. He was majorly messed up, so I couldn't help but like him and how he allowed himself to be vulnerable with the h.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Stevie. I liked her. I appreciated how she knew herself and never strayed from that.
Sadness level: Moderate. I shed some tears but never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. Slow burn since they are not intimate until ~73% in my kindle app.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No, other than some mild jealousy
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with a HEA with good closure
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
August 12, 2025
I’m going to start a support group for those who have been emotionally devastated by Jennifer Hartmann. This author has a way of ripping your heart out of your chest, holding it hostage, breaking it in a million pieces, then slowly glueing it back together. It’s cathartic and mesmerizing.
Dream On is a prime example of this. Get ready for a story that will turn your world on its axis, catapult your emotions and completely consume you. You’ll be forced to feel all your feels, and by the end of it you’ll be thanking her for the ride. I can’t explain it, but damn if I don’t keep coming back for more.
The story of Lex and Stevie is more than just your average romance. Their journey was heart wrenching at times but also there were so many life lessons to be learned throughout the pages. It demonstrates how life can change in an instant, the power of sacrificing everything for love, and what’s meant to be will always find a way. The tension and angst was just as palpable as the chemistry between these two. The push and pull of wanting them to find their way back to each other was so addictive!
Clear your entire schedule and grab your tissues because you will not be able to stop reading this gem once you start.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It completely destroyed me, but you should definitely read it!!
Dream On is a prime example of this. Get ready for a story that will turn your world on its axis, catapult your emotions and completely consume you. You’ll be forced to feel all your feels, and by the end of it you’ll be thanking her for the ride. I can’t explain it, but damn if I don’t keep coming back for more.
The story of Lex and Stevie is more than just your average romance. Their journey was heart wrenching at times but also there were so many life lessons to be learned throughout the pages. It demonstrates how life can change in an instant, the power of sacrificing everything for love, and what’s meant to be will always find a way. The tension and angst was just as palpable as the chemistry between these two. The push and pull of wanting them to find their way back to each other was so addictive!
Clear your entire schedule and grab your tissues because you will not be able to stop reading this gem once you start.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It completely destroyed me, but you should definitely read it!!
July 27, 2025
Jennifer Hartmann has done it again she simply cannot write a bad book. Her writing is breathtaking, poetic, emotional, and so vivid that I often find myself highlighting entire pages. Heck the entire book! From the very first sentence, she pulls you in and refuses to let go.
This story follows Stevie and Lex, two characters from completely different worlds. Stevie is a high school girl with big dreams of becoming an actress and singer. She comes from a loving, tight-knit family who may not have much money, but their home overflows with warmth and support. When her parents manage to buy her a used car, Stevie is over the moon until her first day driving it ends with a fender-bender… courtesy of Lex.
Lex is her opposite in many ways wealthy, brooding, and hiding more than his fair share of pain. A former child actor, he’s just moved to town and is adjusting to life in public school, which just so happens to be Stevie’s. While Stevie’s life is full of love, Lex’s is marked by emotional neglect. But beneath his guarded surface, Stevie sees the hurt in his eyes. And despite everything, Lex finds himself drawn to Stevie’s light. She’s everything he isn’t kind, genuine, full of heart.
Their connection deepens when they’re cast together in the school play, and their on-stage chemistry bleeds into something very real off-stage.
The story later jumps forward in time and without giving too much away, I’ll just say the emotional depth and growth of these characters is incredible. The pacing is perfect, the plot unfolds beautifully, and the themes of love, pain, healing, and hope are woven masterfully throughout.
If Jennifer Hartmann writes it, I’ll read it. Every. Single. Time. This book is a stunning, unforgettable journey.
“In my experience, all money has ever done is suck the humanity out of people who were once decent.”
“Hollywood would eat you alive. Then it would gag on you and spit you out on the concrete until you’re a chewed-up, stomped-on pile of broken dreams.”
This story follows Stevie and Lex, two characters from completely different worlds. Stevie is a high school girl with big dreams of becoming an actress and singer. She comes from a loving, tight-knit family who may not have much money, but their home overflows with warmth and support. When her parents manage to buy her a used car, Stevie is over the moon until her first day driving it ends with a fender-bender… courtesy of Lex.
Lex is her opposite in many ways wealthy, brooding, and hiding more than his fair share of pain. A former child actor, he’s just moved to town and is adjusting to life in public school, which just so happens to be Stevie’s. While Stevie’s life is full of love, Lex’s is marked by emotional neglect. But beneath his guarded surface, Stevie sees the hurt in his eyes. And despite everything, Lex finds himself drawn to Stevie’s light. She’s everything he isn’t kind, genuine, full of heart.
Their connection deepens when they’re cast together in the school play, and their on-stage chemistry bleeds into something very real off-stage.
The story later jumps forward in time and without giving too much away, I’ll just say the emotional depth and growth of these characters is incredible. The pacing is perfect, the plot unfolds beautifully, and the themes of love, pain, healing, and hope are woven masterfully throughout.
If Jennifer Hartmann writes it, I’ll read it. Every. Single. Time. This book is a stunning, unforgettable journey.
“In my experience, all money has ever done is suck the humanity out of people who were once decent.”
“Hollywood would eat you alive. Then it would gag on you and spit you out on the concrete until you’re a chewed-up, stomped-on pile of broken dreams.”
August 15, 2025
Well, it happened again. Jennifer Hartmann tore my heart out, used it as a punching bag, then put it back together. Every book of hers that I have read has always been an absolute romance masterpiece, and this one was no exception. If you have not ready any of Jennifer’s books, you really need to add this one to your TBR immediately!
At first I really wanted to dislike Lex. It made it so hard for me to like him at first. Then slowly but surely I came around and fell in love with him so damn hard. By the middle of the book you learn that he really has the biggest heart, but has closed it off for so long due to feeling so broken. Then Stevie comes into his life and breaks his walls down slowly, then all at once.
Stevie really did have the biggest heart and knew Lex needed someone in his life to just be there for him. She sacrificed so much of herself; not only her hopes and dreams but her own family because she knew someone needed to be there for Lex. Their chemistry from the start was just magic. I love a good friends to lovers relationship, and not only that but we get fake dating too?! This book really did have all the tropes.
This story really did consume me in the best way possible. It was such a heartbreaking story about your first love, broken homes, second chances and finding who means the most to you and keeping them forever. This was such an emotional roller coaster and I never wanted to get off the ride.
Tropes:
🌴Slow burn
⭐️Childhood friends
🎤Hollywoods golden boy x ordinary farm girl
🎥Fake dating
🎭Forced proximity
♥️Emotional love story
🐄Broken hero
🎵Second chances
✨A secret trope?!
*Thank you to Valentine PR, NetGalley, Bloom books and the amazing author, Jennifer Hartmann for the ARC!*
At first I really wanted to dislike Lex. It made it so hard for me to like him at first. Then slowly but surely I came around and fell in love with him so damn hard. By the middle of the book you learn that he really has the biggest heart, but has closed it off for so long due to feeling so broken. Then Stevie comes into his life and breaks his walls down slowly, then all at once.
Stevie really did have the biggest heart and knew Lex needed someone in his life to just be there for him. She sacrificed so much of herself; not only her hopes and dreams but her own family because she knew someone needed to be there for Lex. Their chemistry from the start was just magic. I love a good friends to lovers relationship, and not only that but we get fake dating too?! This book really did have all the tropes.
This story really did consume me in the best way possible. It was such a heartbreaking story about your first love, broken homes, second chances and finding who means the most to you and keeping them forever. This was such an emotional roller coaster and I never wanted to get off the ride.
Tropes:
🌴Slow burn
⭐️Childhood friends
🎤Hollywoods golden boy x ordinary farm girl
🎥Fake dating
🎭Forced proximity
♥️Emotional love story
🐄Broken hero
🎵Second chances
✨A secret trope?!
*Thank you to Valentine PR, NetGalley, Bloom books and the amazing author, Jennifer Hartmann for the ARC!*
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