Sweet Dreams

by Lauren Dykovitz

Welcome to her nightmare.

Ashley Simms is a therapist who has more issues than most of her clients. The biggest one is the recurring nightmares she has about going to prison, which are likely due to unresolved trauma from something that happened to her when she was a teenager.

When one of her clients suddenly goes missing, Ashley learns that she was the last person to have any contact with him. As the investigation continues, the police begin questioning Ashley’s every move and her fear of going to prison feels more real than ever.

Ashley quickly enters a downward spiral and soon realizes that she can no longer trust herself or her memory of recent events. As her nightmares become increasingly unhinged, she begins to wonder if her dreams might be trying to tell her something.

Are her dreams shaping her reality?
Or is it the other way around?

And will Ashley discover the truth before it’s too late?
Or will she make her own worst nightmare come true?

210 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 29, 2026

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow. this book is incredible. it had me questioning everything i knew when reading, and i was shocked by the end. incredible!!!!

[Mandi Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a certified audiobook girlie, it’s rare that I get to sit down and physically eyeball read a book…

But when Lauren Dykovitz offered to send me her newest thriller, Sweet Dreams, in exchange for an honest review, I absolutely jumped at the chance. 💌✨

I started it at silent book club and immediately knew I was in trouble (the best kind). I didn’t want to stop. The only reason I put it down when I got home was heavy eyes… iykyk.

All day at work the next day? Distracted. Unwell. Mentally still in the plot trying to figure out what was real and what wasn’t. I hated not having time to read, but I knew the second I had a free moment, it was over for everyone.

And listen… I abandoned responsibilities to finish it. Zero regrets.

The entire time I was side-eyeing every character. Accusing everyone. Trusting no one. The dreams felt so real it was unsettling in the best way. I did guess one character’s involvement — but honestly? I’m not even mad about it. It added to the thrill.

Easy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.

This is my second book by Lauren and my second 5-star read. Officially hooked. 🔥📚

[Trina 🖤 · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! 😳 Sweet Dreams by @laurendykovitzauthor is a pulse pounding, suspense filled, unhinged, unputdownable read!!! I flew threw this book so fast! Instantly I knew this was going to be a good one, and it did not disappoint!!

If you love a fast paced, twisty {& twisted} psychological thriller, what are you waiting for?! Go read Sweet Dreams right now!! It’s even on KU!!

Thank you so much Lauren for this gifted copy. I feel like I ran a marathon!! {in the best way possible!}

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded to 5.

Thank you so much Lauren for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a quick, fast paced, easy read! At no point did I know what was real and what was imagined in her dreams. It keeps you guessing throughout the entire book and the end was so unexpected I couldn’t have guessed what was coming. I loved the first book by the author and this one delivered just as well. Highly recommend!

[Akku · Rating 4 out of 5]

• 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 4.5✨

• 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 - Jan 29, 2026

• 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 -
- psychological thriller
- unreliable narrator
- repressed trauma
- dark dreams vs reality
- mental health rep
- prison life
- slow psychological unraveling

• 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 -
Sweet Dreams follows Ashley, a therapist living a seemingly normal life with her husband, a steady job, and a quiet routine. But behind closed doors, she is haunted by intense nightmares about prison, blood, and a crime she cannot remember committing.
When one of her clients goes missing, Ashley slowly realizes that her dreams may not be dreams at all but suppressed memories trying to resurface. As the truth unfolds, she is forced to confront her past trauma, her guilt, and the consequences of avoiding pain for too long.
𝐈 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞. This line perfectly captures the soul of the book. The story is slow but intentional. Every nightmare, every small detail, every confusing moment matters. What I loved most is how real the fear felt. The fear of prison, the fear of losing control, the fear of your own mind. Ashley is not written as a perfect character. She is flawed, broken, scared, and human.
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐬. 𝐈𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝.
The writing is sharp, emotionally raw, and quietly unsettling. There are no unnecessary twists, only truth unfolding at its own painful pace. It is dark, heavy, emotional, and deeply psychological & I highly recommend who love this type of book!!
Thank you so much author for the free ARC!

[Lama Dabbagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Dreams Kept Me Guessing

Sweet Dreams by Lauren Dykovitz is her second thriller, and I absolutely loved it.

The story follows a married couple, Ashley and Brian. Ashley is a therapist with a complicated childhood and a troubled past. She suffers from recurring nightmares about spending the rest of her life in prison.
When one of her clients suddenly goes missing, Ashley becomes a person of interest after police discover she was the last one to see him.

I was hooked from start to finish, constantly questioning whether Ashley’s dreams were symbolic or something far more real. While I truly felt for her, I was never entirely sure I could trust her… or anyone around her.

Dykovitz’s writing is intense and immersive, creating a world that feels almost like reading true crime. The tension feels real, and the characters though fictional felt incredibly believable.
I especially loved how layered and unsettling the story became as it unfolded.

If you’re looking for a gripping, psychological thriller that keeps you guessing, I highly recommend picking up Sweet Dreams and discovering Lauren Dykovitz’s work. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from her in the future.

[Josh Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg what a ride! Ashely is a therapist and has reoccurring dreams she going to prison. One day one of her clients go missing and she a suspect in his disappearance. She knows she had nothing to do with him going missing, so someone must be framing her. This book had me in a choke hold and I didn’t want to put it down! This is a fast paced read with short chapters. If you haven’t check out Lauren’s other great book When.world’s Collide.

[Taylor Gentles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily 5 stars!!!!!!!!! Absolutely worth taking the time to read this book! I read it in under 24 hours, it was incredibly written, fast paced, sprinkles of doubt throughout the entire book to keep you guessing on who/what is going on without being confusing!!! It keeps you guessing until the epilogue and it truly was a fantastic read!!!!

[Thriller Bookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Dreams completely pulled me in. I loved being inside Ashley’s head and questioning what was real right along with her. Dark, tense, and emotionally heavy in the best way. I couldn’t stop reading and will definitely be picking up more from this author.

[Lori Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! Kept me guessing and wanting more. Good read!

[Josh Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg what a ride! Ashely is a therapist and has reoccurring dreams she going to prison. One day one of her clients goes missing and she is a suspect in his disappearance. She knows she had nothing to do with him going missing, so someone must be framing her. This book had me in a choke hold and I didn’t want to put it down! This is a fast paced read with short chapters.
You also have to check out Lauren’s other great book When World’s Collide.

[Maya Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Dreams by Lauren Dykovitz is a psychological thriller where fear refuses to stay asleep. Ashley Simms is a therapist carrying a troubled past and battling recurring nightmares about spending her life in prison. At first, they feel symbolic until real life starts to mirror her dreams.
When one of Ashley’s clients mysteriously disappears, she becomes the last known person to have seen him. Suddenly under police scrutiny, her imagined future behind bars feels dangerously close to becoming reality. As the pressure builds, Ashley can’t shake the feeling that her nightmares may be more than stress-fueled visions.
As dreams and waking life blur together, Ashley must uncover the truth before fear consumes her or fate decides for her. Sweet Dreams is a tense, mind-bending thriller that keeps readers questioning what’s real, what’s imagined, and whether the subconscious knows more than we do.

[Casey Pettey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a huge fan of Lauren’s first book so I was so thrilled she reached out to me for an early copy of this book. I instantly dove into it and was invested from the beginning. I loved how realistic her dreams vs reality were. You had to really pay attention to what was a dream vs reality. While part one was a little slow for me, part two really picked up the pace and was action packed. It has a lot of nice twist I didn’t expect. Overall this was a very great quick read. I loved how the ending wrapped up and let no questions unanswered. It didn’t end how I expected it to but it was very nicely done.

Thank you so much Lauren for my early (special edition) copy! I loved being able to arc read this and can’t wait to see what you come up with next! I will for sure save a spot for it on my TBR 🖤

[Bola · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4! This one started with a bang and had me intrigued for most of the book. The suspense kept me engaged up until about the last 20%, where things started to feel a bit rushed and the ending fell slightly flat for me.

That said, I really liked the twist. I didn’t see it coming at all, which is always a win. The whole vibe of the book honestly reminded me of those horror movies where you’re yelling at the TV like “don’t go in there!” 😂

Overall, an entertaining and suspenseful read with a solid twist. The premise was also pretty unique.

[Kelly Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, where do I start…
This book was just brilliant, I loved the character Ashley. This was such a page turner I couldn’t stop reading, I kept trying to guess what’s real, what’s a dream! Just brilliantly written!

[Alaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal book! I could not put it down at all! Had me hooked from the very beginning!

[Lauren Dykovitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb! Probably the best book anyone has ever written. Although, I may be biased.