Maladaptive: A Magical Realism Romance for Daydreamers

by Julie Gunn

Everyone has daydreamed about being in a relationship with their celebrity crush, right?

Jules has spent over a decade escaping into a vivid a life where she’s confident, loved, and married to Hollywood’s golden boy, Chris Jones. It’s been her safe place, her secret, her maladaptive daydream.

Until she meets him.
And he recognizes her.

As fantasy crashes into reality, Jules must confront the life she’s been avoiding and the version of herself she only dared to imagine. Can the love she created in her mind survive between two very real, very different people?

Maladaptive is an emotionally rich magical realism romance about mental health, identity, self-worth, and the blurry line between imagination and reality.

Perfect for fans of celebrity romance, neurodivergent and emotionally vulnerable characters, found family, and healing arcs.

Get your copy of Maladaptive today and step into a story where fantasy meets reality, and love finds a way through both.

Genres: Romance

322 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 12, 2026

Reviews

[ASDMommaBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d been really looking forward to this one. I came across the premise on TikTok and immediately loved the idea, so I was super excited for it.

I really wanted to love it - the whole dreams thing reminded me of the movie In My Dreams (which I love)... But I didn't.

The writing felt a wee bit weak. There were some jumps in tense and POV, and a few typos and grammatical errors that pulled me out of the story, plus an overuse of similes that bordered on excessive at times. The characters were interesting in concept, but their personalities changed from scene to scene, which made it harder to connect with them.

That said, I kept reading because the idea itself was so strong and unique. You can see the heart that went into this story and there are moments where you definitely see what it could have been with a bit more polish.

I did finish it. I’m not much of a DNF reader, especially with indie authors, because I know how much goes into putting a book out there, but I think this is one of those stories that could have been beyond incredible with a proper editorial pass and a bit more time spent refining the writing.

While it wasn't quite my cup of tea in the end, I’m still eager to see what the author writes next, because she's got so much potential, and boatloads of creativity to spare.

[EMFubz · Rating 1 out of 5]

ThisWasBad🫠/5📚 Cheating?!/5🌶️
This is NOT a romance book. Even though the title, the author and the tags are trying to tell you otherwise. This is not a romance book (real or fictional) because there is not a single romantic aspect to be found here. And we can hardly declare something a „realism romance“ when the only romance scenes are in her daydream…
Again this is NOT a romance book. This is a story about mental illness at best.

The writing was ass mate. Like legitimately so bad, I’m confused why this wasn’t just uploaded on AO3 or whatever. Definitely not worthy to demand money for.
-weird switches between 1st and 3rd person
-unnatural dialogues
-unnecessary scenes with too much detail and important scenes with too little detail
-the storyline in itself was super duper rushed
->the whole point is that she daydreams about him for 12 years!!! And they make out 5 minutes after seeing each other for the first time in real life… WTF?
-!!!the switch between real world and dream not only by chapter but also in between certain POV’s was super confusing
-etc etc etc
Also this book is advertised as a romance book… but they don’t even end up in a romantic relationship??? 99% of their interaction is just them arguing and putting each other down!!! Why am I being fooled? This is like putting the ‚happy ever after‘ tag on your fic but then killing off the MC… Why???

“But then Caroline caught something else—something she hadn’t seen in a long time. My eyes, usually tired and distant, had a glimmer of something else. Happiness? Excitement? It had been ages since she’d seen me look like this.”
It’s so weird to portray the storyline in 1st person but then throw in 3rd person thoughts.

“Marry a Gemini woman,” he said, his eyes sparkling. “You’ll never get bored.”
Weow weow weow ick alert 🚨

“I stepped into the too-dark and too-damn cramped for a star of my caliber dressing room, trying to keep a straight face. But my usual swagger—that casual, effortless one I’d perfected over the years—had taken the day off.”
wtf are these 2 sentences? God I already hate the MMC
Chris was super unlikable and just a piece of shit really, if I had to sum him up. He is sexist, arrogant and has his dick so far down his own throat it’s crazy. And he so clearly doesn’t care about her kids, that should be the first 🚩 for a mother, but the FMC couldn’t find a back bone even if someone shoves it up her ass🙄.
There was legitimately not a single situation in which I found the MMC likable or just even a decent human being. He didn’t give a shit about anyone but himself, but at the same time tried to invade the FMC life and convince her of his believes like there is no tomorrow.

Tw:
•mention of mental illness
•fucking terrible MMC
•crappy execution of everything

[riona]

shoulda stayed in the character ai chat queen

[Abi Janakes]

While this story was unique and fun, it just wasn’t for me! Doesn’t mean it’s not for you. Great mental health representation!

[Katelyn | CreativelyKatelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had the opportunity to beta read this, and haven't stopped thinking about it! The concept was so unique, and the characters were fresh and different. I can't wait to read the final copy!

[JoyceLeest · Rating 4 out of 5]

​I feel seen! "Maladaptive" is a fun, fast-paced, and surprisingly deep look at the stories we tell ourselves to get through the day. The transition from a 12-year internal fantasy to a real-life encounter at Comic Con was written so well. It’s both a wish-fulfillment story and a reality check. It definitely made me reflect on my own habits of daydreaming. If you're currently "in a relationship" with a celebrity in your head (Pedro Pascal, Henry Cavill or my other 10 fictional men anyone?), you need to read this! P.s. I claim this energy in real life...

[SJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

Maladaptive by Julie Gunn has such a unique premise that immediately drew me into the story. Jules tries to be present in the normal world with her two children and her soon to be ex-husband, however, she is always drawn to a life she daydreams about. In this life, she is a famous screenwriter and very happily married to a superstar actor, Chris Jones. She has only ever thought of these as daydreams until she runs into Chris at a convention, and to her surprise, he recognizes her too. What ensues is a chaotic mess of pushing and pulling, grasping at straws, trying to gain a semblence to the life they lived in the daydream.

Although this was an interesting premise, I did not enjoy this as much as I was hoping. I felt like it was very repetitive in Jules wanting Chris to be the man from their daydreaming and being disappointed when he wasn't. Chris could never live up to her expectations but that was also due to Chris being a complete and utter POS. How she was even interested in reality Chris was beyond me. She was never in love with him. She was in love with the version that existed in the alternate reality.

Despite this, I can also say that I understand the way the story paned out. Jules spent so long literally dreaming of this perfect man, so she constantly pushed this narrative onto Chris, who also desperately wanted to be that man for her. That said, the ending is very fitting for everything that occurred in their story. I wouldn't say it was a HEA but I also couldn't say it wasn't.

Overall, I did enjoy Maladaptive although I did struggle with the redundancy in Chris' and Jules' relationship. There were also a fair amount of typos however, given that this was not a final version of the book, it did not affect my rating.
If you are interested in reading a story about two star crossed lovers with a tumultuous, almost toxic, yet somehow still very loving relationship, I recommend checking out Maladaptive!

This is a review of an ARC provided by the author, Julie Gunn. Thank you so much for allowing me this opportunity!

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely surprised me in the best way.

I went in expecting something cozy and light, and what I got instead was an emotionally rich story about identity, self-worth, and the kind of love that doesn’t rush or force itself into place.

The characters are what truly make this shine. They feel real, layered, and human in a way that’s hard to find. The main character especially stood out to me, her inner world, the way she navigates life, and how she slowly grows into herself felt authentic and deeply relatable.

What I loved most is that this isn’t a romance that relies on instant connection or easy answers. It’s about timing, about healing, and about becoming the kind of person who can actually sustain love. The emotional tension, the longing, the almosts… it all builds into something that feels earned rather than given.

There’s a softness to this story, but it doesn’t mean it’s simple. It handles vulnerability, mental health, and relationships with care, without losing depth or impact.

By the end, I didn’t just enjoy the romance, I believed it.

If you’re looking for something with heart, character depth, and a slow, meaningful emotional payoff, this is absolutely worth it.

[Tabi Leass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark your calendars because it releases on 4/12!
Huge thank you to Julie Gunn for sending over an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!
​Maladaptive is such a unique story. I will be the first to admit that I hadn't given much thought to maladaptive daydreaming before this, but I am a massive believer in manifestation and loving someone across every lifetime. This book captured those themes and then pushed them even further.
​The characters are written with such raw, relatable depth. It is a massive challenge to make a concept like this feel grounded and real, but Julie did a fantastic job with the character development. The stakes felt incredibly high, I could genuinely feel the weight of their turmoil as they fought to keep their fantasy from shattering against reality.
​If I had to find one 'complaint' it would only be that I wanted even more time in this world. I would have loved for the story to be a little longer, perhaps with a few more chapters from Chris's point of view to really round things out.
​Overall, this is absolutely a book to pick up if you love stories that blur the lines between dreams and reality.

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved the uniqueness of this story, exploring the reality of maladaptive daydreaming, which is something I've never come across in a fiction book before. It's a tricky thing to convey, yet the author does it really well in this story. I also appreciated the representation of neurodiversity and how that, as well as historical trauma, can go hand-in-hand with maladaptive daydreaming.

In terms of the story itself, I liked the gritty reality contrasted with the idyllic fantasies. The portrayal of Chris was spot on for what we imagine the experience of dating a Hollywood actor to be, and I appreciated how the whole point of the story was not to romanticize that. The pacing was great and I raced through the book in a day.

The only thing that stopped me giving it five stars was that, at times, it read a bit like fan-fiction. I wish the characters were more fictional as I think it would have given the story a wider scope. Using the author's name for the main character, and name of the real-life actor Chris is based on for him, felt a bit too close for comfort for me.

[Grace M · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re a maladaptive daydreamer, you need to read this book! I’ve been following this author’s journey since last year & am so excited for this book to finally be out.

Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice- 🌶️🌶️

What I liked: The author did a good job of balancing between the real world situations and daydreams about Jules life as Chris Jones’s wife. Chris and Jules were both flawed people with their own problems- Chris drinking/women, Jules ocd. The push and pull of them figuring out who each other really was when not in the daydream was really realistic!

What I didn’t like: This kinda of read like Chris Evans fanfiction, which did put me off a little bit. Also, maybe because we were seeing everything from Jules POV most of the time but her constant mentioning of her need for everything to be just so got annoying real quick. The author may have been trying to make Jules ‘quirky’ but she came off as insufferable.



I received a copy of this book in exchange for supporting the Kickstarter.

[Lulla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason I didn't rate it 5 stars is because it's not how I wanted it to end. Mostly because I feel like they didn't truly try to work on the relationship before giving up. While reading I was expecting them to go out more or hang out just the two of them so I was disappointed when it didn't happen. Although, I do really wish they could have made it work until the end lol. Not to say I didn't understand why they chose to go their separate ways, just wish they didn't have to😭

Otherwise, no notes absolutely loved it! (obviously because I NEVER write reviews on Goodreads lol) Genuinely still thinking about it two days later, I loved everything else about it. I hope to read more books by the author in the future💓

[HappilyHailsReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I just want to thank @writewithjulie ✨ for sending me this early before her release because wow, I feel so lucky to have been able to read this!!! You wrote and portrayed such beautiful characters with their quirks and differences and reaffirmed in this book that our minds are our magic and we’re not alone in being different so THANK YOU! 🩷✨🧩🫶🏻

This book was so stinking cute! The characters, the story, the banter, the sasssssiness lol, I loved it!! It took me a second to focus in on it but once I did, I couldn’t put it down!! It always makes it more fun to read when you can relate to certain things people write about ✨🥰

I can’t wait for you guys to get to read this too!!! Keep an eye out on Julie’s page so you can be the first to get it on April 12th EEEEEK!! 🧡💚📖💌📚🌸✨🌶️

[Laura The Book Bunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

When two people, who have never met, having daydreaming about each other for 12 years, finally meet, will it be a dream come true? Or will real life get in the way?

Maladaptive is a whirlwind, celebrity romance, with magical realism, epic yearning, and star crossed lovers. The premise is really unique, and I read this in one sitting, because I needed to know what happened with this story. My heart broke for the two main characters when it was revealed why they were sharing dreams.

This romance is more instalove than I usually read, but I think it worked. They did just meet, but they’ve know each other for so long. I also wish it had a more HEA ending, but I can see why the author chose to end it this way.

Definitely recommend! Thank you to the author for this arc.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soooooo Gooood!

I've been waiting a while for this book to release, and once it did, I promised myself I would take my time with it. There's just so much I want to say, but I don't want to give away any spoilers. This book made me cry...A LOT. I suppose you could say it resonated deeply on so many levels. Julie did an excellent job at creating Jules' character and the many emotions and feelings of a neurodivergent person- that feeling of loneliness even when surrounded by people, the gut wrenching anxiety, the self-soothing. There's just so much that I love about this story. I hope maybe we'll get a part two? 😊

[Sarah Hotaling · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really excited for this when I saw it on TikTok. But it was just meh.
I saw someone say this book was like the author posted her ai chat room and honestly yeah.

The writing style was all over the place
The MMC and the FMC were so annoying.
There was no character development and half the book was just the MCs putting eachother down every two secs.

While the whole dream vs. Reality was super interesting, either keep the dream and reality separate in different chapters or have a clear understanding that this is dream land or something. It just kept jumping from dream to reality over and over.

Also we had so much detail in some areas but no detail in others??

[Makayla Finnegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very fortunate enough to be an early reader for this book back in early 2025. I am a very picky reader and I often DNF things once I am uninterested but, not only did I finish this book I read it all in one sitting! The concept was captivating and so was the writing! It’s raw and emotional while still maintaining its lighthearted and mystical vibes, It wasn’t overly cliche or repetitive either which was really nice! I’ve been following Julie’s writing journey for a while now and I truly cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy to reread it!!

[Abrianna Ware · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to beta read Maladaptive, and it completely blew me away. I devoured this book! I truly didn’t want to put it down! The concept is incredibly unique, the writing is raw and emotional yet light and magical, and nothing felt overly cliché or repetitive.

There was a moment that made me immediately want to reread the entire book just to catch all the subtle hints, which says everything about how thoughtfully this story was crafted. If you love emotionally rich romances, magical realism, and characters who feel deeply real, this is a must-read.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received the e-book of maladaptive by purchasing it through the author’s Kickstarter. I have been eagerly anticipating this book for over a year now. While there were grammatical errors throughout the book, I found it easy to overlook that as what was meant to be said was obvious and the overarching story was engaging. There was a little twist in there that I did not expect that got me right in the heart. I also appreciate the unconventional ending of this book. I’m very excited to get my physical copy!

[Melly Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in less than 24 hours. This was my most anticipated book of 2026 and it delivered! It was everything I thought it was going to be and more. It completely exceeded my expectations. I laughed but I mostly cried. In all my years of reading I have never related to a character as much as I relate to Jules. It’s heartbreaking but also comforting at the same time to know there’s a character out there that is so much like myself. Julie Gunn is an absolutely captivating author and I can’t wait to read more from her.

[Mandy Fipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the wonderful opportunity to Beta read this book, that being said, it is truly one of the most unique book ideas I have ever read. The author does a great job at mixing world building, romance, and unexpected surprises. One such surprise made it so I immediately went and reread the entire book so I could pull out all of the hints leading up to it. I love this book and can’t wait to get a hard copy!

[Becky Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars. It's a rollercoaster and a half of a story and such an interesting concept!! I found myself thinking about it when I wasn't reading it (as I primarily read during my lunch hour) and wondering what would happen next!

I will say that I was only mildly disappointed with the way the story ended - with the HOPE of an HEA - I guess I'm just and old fashioned bean who wanted that happily ever after and not just the hope of it?

[Melinda McCormick · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of THE. BEST. romance books I have ever read. It is filled with magical realism elements that will have you believing in magic too! Juliet has been fantasizing about for over a decade about being married to the famous actor, Chris Jones. Come to find out that he has been fantasizing about being married to her during that time as well. It's an endearing romance that will melt your heart and have you rooting for them the entire time.

[Lizett · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of the book got me when I saw an ad for it on TikTok. Story is unique and was overall enjoyable. There was a lot of grammatical errors (I have both kindle and physical book) I read the kindle version, hopefully the physical book have it corrected. This book has fade to black romantic scenes which is good for readers that do not like descriptive sex scenes. Ending is a little disappointing.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been on a romance genre reading journey over the past year or so, this book being my 71st romance book, and I have to say that this plot is incredibly unique. I loved how Julie Gunn wrote her neurodiverse characters. The characters themselves were fully fleshed out and well-written. As the reader, i understood each of their motivations, and at times i found myself crying alongside the characters (not ideal for those currently on their cycle, aka me lol).

What a special book this was, especially for an indie.

[Nageen Ahmad · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was a random book I read because I saw a tik tok on it. That was my first mistake.

Honestly, the concept of this story was not bad, but the execution was. The story was realistic, but why would I want that and angst when real life is already realistic enough??? Like make them fall in love!! Chris was such an unlikable character, and I definitely did not want them together. But at the same time, I was like ok yall belong together this is annoying. Anyways, 2/5 stars.

[Antonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stayed up till 12 to start reading this as soon as it became available, and I just finished it. It has wrecked me in the best way possible, the writing, the characters, and the emotions I felt during this read were incredible. Hats off to Julie in what I hope is the first of more incredible books!

[Trista Cremeans · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, even though it wasn’t what I expected.

It’s a messy, emotionally charged story about characters confronting the gap between who they think each other are and who they actually are. The melodrama feels intentional, and the book isn’t afraid to sit in the aftermath of those collisions, which made it easy to stay invested.

[Destiny Lovell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I backed this author on Kickstarter and I am very glad that I had the chance to do so. This book is such a amazing concept and as someone who daydreams all the time I really enjoyed the story. It's such a cute comfort story

[Catherine Vorhies · Rating 5 out of 5]

These characters are not perfect. They’re flawed and messy and REAL. That’s what makes this book stand out. A girl meets famous guy with a definite twist. I’ve been waiting on this book ever since the author began promoting it and it did not disappoint!