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Lucid Longing Duet #1
In Somnis
Falling in love and losing your mind are basically the same thing.
I should know. I’m doing both.
My mother is gone. My boyfriend is gone. My life in Boston is packed into two suitcases in the back of my car.
And my best friend, who hasn’t been awake in twelve years, keeps finding me in my dreams, leaving me a message.
Come to me.
Three thousand miles later, I’m rolling into a town I haven’t seen in over a decade. I wasn’t supposed to stay, and I wasn’t supposed to get tangled up in three very different, very complicated men.
A sharp-tongued writer who walks into my dreams without knocking, challenging my worldview.
A psychologist who looks at me like he’s both dreaded and yearned for me his entire life.
The freckled innkeeper with paint-stained hands who makes me feel seen and cherished in a way I didn’t know existed.
While three men orbit my waking life, I explore a dream world where rules don’t apply, and nothing is a coincidence.
But the dreams are getting stranger, the line between sleep and waking is getting thinner, and the man who has been keeping my best friend hostage is starting to notice me.
I should know. I’m doing both.
My mother is gone. My boyfriend is gone. My life in Boston is packed into two suitcases in the back of my car.
And my best friend, who hasn’t been awake in twelve years, keeps finding me in my dreams, leaving me a message.
Come to me.
Three thousand miles later, I’m rolling into a town I haven’t seen in over a decade. I wasn’t supposed to stay, and I wasn’t supposed to get tangled up in three very different, very complicated men.
A sharp-tongued writer who walks into my dreams without knocking, challenging my worldview.
A psychologist who looks at me like he’s both dreaded and yearned for me his entire life.
The freckled innkeeper with paint-stained hands who makes me feel seen and cherished in a way I didn’t know existed.
While three men orbit my waking life, I explore a dream world where rules don’t apply, and nothing is a coincidence.
But the dreams are getting stranger, the line between sleep and waking is getting thinner, and the man who has been keeping my best friend hostage is starting to notice me.
540 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 9, 2026
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September 15, 2026
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
i don't even know where to begin or how to feel, but 5 freaking stars. blake black did it AGAIN.
lennon is the plus-size sunshine-in-a-bottle fmc who travels across states after losing everything when she has a dream of her best friend telling her to come to her. freaking HOOK ME IN, why don't you 😭 she gets there and apparently ain't nobody got a normal sleeping habit. which... mood, honestly.
: ̗̀➛ "𝚂𝚑𝚎’𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚗, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝙸’𝚖 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚒𝚝 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚜 𝚜𝚘 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚖."
the mmcs, i swear i can't pick a favorite, don't ask me.
ridge is all hard edges with a horrifying dreamscape he masks with asshole tendencies and sarcasm. paul is guarded, held together by routines and trauma. and nevan is the goofy, broken boy i would personally fight anyone over. actually, scratch that, i'd fight for all of them 😩
: ̗̀➛ "𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝙽𝚎𝚟𝚊𝚗, 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚒𝚖."
: ̗̀➛ "𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝙿𝚊𝚞𝚕, 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚜 𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚏 𝚖𝚎𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝."
: ̗̀➛ "𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚁𝚒𝚍𝚐𝚎, 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚖𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚠𝚎’𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎."
what i loved most is how different each of lennon's relationships with them felt. none of the guys blurred together or felt interchangeable. every connection grew completely separately, and she had NO IDEA how connected these men actually were until the very end 😭
the thriller/suspense aspect was done so well, especially with the man literally called "The Man." 👀 every time he showed up, i had more questions. who is he? why is he there? what does he want?? WHAT IS HAPPENING. every appearance just gave me ten more questions and approximately zero answers. i need to know what the hell is happening.
and that ending?? I KNEW IT WAS COMING. somehow that did absolutely nothing to prepare me for it 😭 i am RUNNING to book 2 because i need to know how all of this comes together immediately.
i don't even know where to begin or how to feel, but 5 freaking stars. blake black did it AGAIN.
lennon is the plus-size sunshine-in-a-bottle fmc who travels across states after losing everything when she has a dream of her best friend telling her to come to her. freaking HOOK ME IN, why don't you 😭 she gets there and apparently ain't nobody got a normal sleeping habit. which... mood, honestly.
: ̗̀➛ "𝚂𝚑𝚎’𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚗, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝙸’𝚖 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚒𝚝 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚜 𝚜𝚘 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚖."
the mmcs, i swear i can't pick a favorite, don't ask me.
ridge is all hard edges with a horrifying dreamscape he masks with asshole tendencies and sarcasm. paul is guarded, held together by routines and trauma. and nevan is the goofy, broken boy i would personally fight anyone over. actually, scratch that, i'd fight for all of them 😩
: ̗̀➛ "𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝙽𝚎𝚟𝚊𝚗, 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚒𝚖."
: ̗̀➛ "𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝙿𝚊𝚞𝚕, 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚜 𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚏 𝚖𝚎𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝."
: ̗̀➛ "𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚁𝚒𝚍𝚐𝚎, 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚖𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚠𝚎’𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎."
what i loved most is how different each of lennon's relationships with them felt. none of the guys blurred together or felt interchangeable. every connection grew completely separately, and she had NO IDEA how connected these men actually were until the very end 😭
the thriller/suspense aspect was done so well, especially with the man literally called "The Man." 👀 every time he showed up, i had more questions. who is he? why is he there? what does he want?? WHAT IS HAPPENING. every appearance just gave me ten more questions and approximately zero answers. i need to know what the hell is happening.
and that ending?? I KNEW IT WAS COMING. somehow that did absolutely nothing to prepare me for it 😭 i am RUNNING to book 2 because i need to know how all of this comes together immediately.
September 12, 2026
Blake's books are a hit or miss for me. Unfortunately, this one's a miss. It was an interesting idea but I don't know what it was that I didn't like. Super slow writing and Nevan was pretty much in love with someone else for most of the book. Doesn't matter that it wasn't actually love and misplaced affection.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Blake is one of those authors that will break you and put you back together again and make you ask for more. I cried my way through this book, and laughed, and felt my pulse racing at the suspenseful parts… it has it all!
I loooooooved it!
In Somnis by Blake Black is book one of a brand-new hurt/comfort, dream sharing, why choose romance duet now on kindle unlimited. But SURPRISE! Book 2 also dropped! I am diving straight into book 2!
You can expect:
☁️ dream sharing
☁️ why choose (MFMM)
☁️ Inception and Sleeping Beauty vibes
☁️ she’s a newly single chef
☁️ she’s also new to town
☁️ hurt/comfort
☁️ contemporary soulmates
☁️ Dreams? Terrifying. Spicy. Magical. Lucid.
☁️ HEA? Guaranteed (but whewww, is it a journey).
I loooooooved it!
In Somnis by Blake Black is book one of a brand-new hurt/comfort, dream sharing, why choose romance duet now on kindle unlimited. But SURPRISE! Book 2 also dropped! I am diving straight into book 2!
You can expect:
☁️ dream sharing
☁️ why choose (MFMM)
☁️ Inception and Sleeping Beauty vibes
☁️ she’s a newly single chef
☁️ she’s also new to town
☁️ hurt/comfort
☁️ contemporary soulmates
☁️ Dreams? Terrifying. Spicy. Magical. Lucid.
☁️ HEA? Guaranteed (but whewww, is it a journey).
September 14, 2026
Okay, I’ll be honest. The only reason I made it through the first 40% is because I usually love this author and kept waiting for it to pick up. Well, my perseverance pay off and it did get better.
Summary:
Did I like the characters? Not a fan of Ridge, like at all! Loved everyone else though. Especially Jasper ❤️, such a great side character.
Did I like the plot? Hmm… on the fence. I hadn’t realised how in your face this dream world would be. Not really sure i’m sold on the concept yet.
Would I recommend it? Pains me to say this, probably not. HOWEVER…
Am I going to read the next one? Yeh, i’ll probably give it a go.
So, make of that what you will!!
3 ⭐️
Happy ready 📚
Summary:
Did I like the characters? Not a fan of Ridge, like at all! Loved everyone else though. Especially Jasper ❤️, such a great side character.
Did I like the plot? Hmm… on the fence. I hadn’t realised how in your face this dream world would be. Not really sure i’m sold on the concept yet.
Would I recommend it? Pains me to say this, probably not. HOWEVER…
Am I going to read the next one? Yeh, i’ll probably give it a go.
So, make of that what you will!!
3 ⭐️
Happy ready 📚
Review of advance copy received from Author
Synopsis
Falling in love and losing your mind are basically the same thing. I should know. I’m doing both.
My mother is gone. My boyfriend is gone. My life in Boston is packed into two suitcases in the back of my car.
And my best friend, who hasn’t been awake in twelve years, keeps finding me in my dreams, leaving me a message.
Come to me.
Three thousand miles later, I’m rolling into a town I haven’t seen in over a decade. I wasn’t supposed to stay, and I wasn’t supposed to get tangled up in three very different, very complicated men.
A sharp-tongued writer who walks into my dreams without knocking, challenging my worldview.
A psychologist who looks at me like he’s both dreaded and yearned for me his entire life.
The freckled innkeeper with paint-stained hands who makes me feel seen and cherished in a way I didn’t know existed.
While three men orbit my waking life, I explore a dream world where rules don’t apply, and nothing is a coincidence.
But the dreams are getting stranger, the line between sleep and waking is getting thinner, and the man who has been keeping my best friend hostage is starting to notice me.
Some things you can’t pull someone back from. Some things pull back.
Tropes
💕 Mid-size FMC
🍋 "Sleeping Beauty" x "Inception" vibes
💕 Slow burn
🍋 Instant spark
💕 Spicy (incl dream spice)
🍋 Hurt/ comfort
💕 MFMM romance
🍋 Reverse harem/ why choose romance
💕 Lucid dreaming & dream-sharing
My thoughts
“In Somnis” (IS) by Blake Black was one of my most anticipated reads of 2026. Once I became aware it existed, that is! 🤣
First of all, I can confirm that the Sleeping Beauty x Inception comp is completely accurate. However, it does have more of a cutesy contemporary, small-town romance vibe (which was very comforting) than those movies do.
One of the highlights of "IS" is how Blake uses the lucid dreaming and dream-sharing format to meticulously communicate the characters' personalities, desires, insecurities and traumas. While I normally hate dream sequences in books and want to skim past them, I found Nevan's dream and Ridge's logging accident dream quite sad, confronting and immersive. I also loved how the dream spaces provided a safe forum for Lennon and the MMCs to explore their developing feelings (*wink, wink*).
From these dream sequences (among other scenes), we learn that Lennon is considerate; bubbly but empathetic; grieving; and she is chatty but overanalytical, because someone made Lennon feel like she had to make herself smaller. She loves to cook but had to give it up. It was such a joy to see Lennon rekindle her love for cooking and baking.
Paul is the "soft boy" of the three MMCs. The way he and Lennon met was honestly the most perfect meet-cute ever! I loved their instant spark and how they made each other feel safe to talk about their physical and mental health. Paul was so soft, caring and reverent towards Lennon. My favourite kind of MMC.
Meanwhile, Ridge is a little rougher around the edges. He has a sarcastic sense of humour and a blasé attitude that could rub Lennon the wrong way. But Ridge was only that way because he shields his hurt and vulnerability behind a joke or blunt remark. He's kind of like Damon Salvatore from "The Vampire Diaries" if he became paraplegic instead of a vampire. Ridge shows us that he means well, deep down, when he puts aside his comfort to help Lennon after a particularly disturbing dream. I am really excited to see their relationship blossom in book 2.
Our final MMC, Nevan, gives off very golden retriever-esque, supportive best friend vibes. He's like the Matt Donovan of the why choose situationship (can you tell I've been re-watching "The Vampire Diaries? 🤣). Even though Nevan's the youngest of the guys, he has this "work until you drop" philosophy which I think stems from the desire to forget his problems and prove he's smarter than he seems. You can't help but feel for him. And he is so good to Lennon, too.
There were a few things I didn't like about "IS", too, even though they weren't bad enough to ruin the whole of "In Somnis". These were:
🍋 The character names for the MMCs. Paul, Nevan, and Ridge felt too strange, bland or ill-suited to the personalities they were matched with.
💕 It took too long for Lennon to meet the guys - especially Paul, who Lennon met at around the 40% mark.
🍋 I didn't find Ridge's perpetual lollipop-sucking to be very appealing, even if using it for sexy reasons was a fun touch 🤣
💕 I found it hard to believe that Lennon and Ridge didn't have a proper conversation in real life until near the end of the book. Their dream-sharing became very intense as time went on and being neighbours was the perfect set-up for a confrontation. I can understand why Ridge would be hesitant to make the first move. But why would Lennon not make more of an effort to pound down his door?
Regardless, Blake's why choose books are always a darn good treat. The way "IS" ended has me so excited for the resolution in "Ex Somnis"!!! October can't come fast enough 😭
✨ 4/5
🌶️ 2.5/5
Falling in love and losing your mind are basically the same thing. I should know. I’m doing both.
My mother is gone. My boyfriend is gone. My life in Boston is packed into two suitcases in the back of my car.
And my best friend, who hasn’t been awake in twelve years, keeps finding me in my dreams, leaving me a message.
Come to me.
Three thousand miles later, I’m rolling into a town I haven’t seen in over a decade. I wasn’t supposed to stay, and I wasn’t supposed to get tangled up in three very different, very complicated men.
A sharp-tongued writer who walks into my dreams without knocking, challenging my worldview.
A psychologist who looks at me like he’s both dreaded and yearned for me his entire life.
The freckled innkeeper with paint-stained hands who makes me feel seen and cherished in a way I didn’t know existed.
While three men orbit my waking life, I explore a dream world where rules don’t apply, and nothing is a coincidence.
But the dreams are getting stranger, the line between sleep and waking is getting thinner, and the man who has been keeping my best friend hostage is starting to notice me.
Some things you can’t pull someone back from. Some things pull back.
Tropes
💕 Mid-size FMC
🍋 "Sleeping Beauty" x "Inception" vibes
💕 Slow burn
🍋 Instant spark
💕 Spicy (incl dream spice)
🍋 Hurt/ comfort
💕 MFMM romance
🍋 Reverse harem/ why choose romance
💕 Lucid dreaming & dream-sharing
My thoughts
“In Somnis” (IS) by Blake Black was one of my most anticipated reads of 2026. Once I became aware it existed, that is! 🤣
First of all, I can confirm that the Sleeping Beauty x Inception comp is completely accurate. However, it does have more of a cutesy contemporary, small-town romance vibe (which was very comforting) than those movies do.
One of the highlights of "IS" is how Blake uses the lucid dreaming and dream-sharing format to meticulously communicate the characters' personalities, desires, insecurities and traumas. While I normally hate dream sequences in books and want to skim past them, I found Nevan's dream and Ridge's logging accident dream quite sad, confronting and immersive. I also loved how the dream spaces provided a safe forum for Lennon and the MMCs to explore their developing feelings (*wink, wink*).
From these dream sequences (among other scenes), we learn that Lennon is considerate; bubbly but empathetic; grieving; and she is chatty but overanalytical, because someone made Lennon feel like she had to make herself smaller. She loves to cook but had to give it up. It was such a joy to see Lennon rekindle her love for cooking and baking.
Paul is the "soft boy" of the three MMCs. The way he and Lennon met was honestly the most perfect meet-cute ever! I loved their instant spark and how they made each other feel safe to talk about their physical and mental health. Paul was so soft, caring and reverent towards Lennon. My favourite kind of MMC.
Meanwhile, Ridge is a little rougher around the edges. He has a sarcastic sense of humour and a blasé attitude that could rub Lennon the wrong way. But Ridge was only that way because he shields his hurt and vulnerability behind a joke or blunt remark. He's kind of like Damon Salvatore from "The Vampire Diaries" if he became paraplegic instead of a vampire. Ridge shows us that he means well, deep down, when he puts aside his comfort to help Lennon after a particularly disturbing dream. I am really excited to see their relationship blossom in book 2.
Our final MMC, Nevan, gives off very golden retriever-esque, supportive best friend vibes. He's like the Matt Donovan of the why choose situationship (can you tell I've been re-watching "The Vampire Diaries? 🤣). Even though Nevan's the youngest of the guys, he has this "work until you drop" philosophy which I think stems from the desire to forget his problems and prove he's smarter than he seems. You can't help but feel for him. And he is so good to Lennon, too.
There were a few things I didn't like about "IS", too, even though they weren't bad enough to ruin the whole of "In Somnis". These were:
🍋 The character names for the MMCs. Paul, Nevan, and Ridge felt too strange, bland or ill-suited to the personalities they were matched with.
💕 It took too long for Lennon to meet the guys - especially Paul, who Lennon met at around the 40% mark.
🍋 I didn't find Ridge's perpetual lollipop-sucking to be very appealing, even if using it for sexy reasons was a fun touch 🤣
💕 I found it hard to believe that Lennon and Ridge didn't have a proper conversation in real life until near the end of the book. Their dream-sharing became very intense as time went on and being neighbours was the perfect set-up for a confrontation. I can understand why Ridge would be hesitant to make the first move. But why would Lennon not make more of an effort to pound down his door?
Regardless, Blake's why choose books are always a darn good treat. The way "IS" ended has me so excited for the resolution in "Ex Somnis"!!! October can't come fast enough 😭
✨ 4/5
🌶️ 2.5/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Blake Black is quickly cementing herself as an author whose books I will immediately auto-buy/read. As soon as she announced a new duet, I was intrigued, but when she revealed the covers, synopsis, tropes, and character art, I was practically salivating and eager to get my hands on it. Then, when the opportunity arose to secure an ARC, I might have literally squealed and done a little dance. Even so, the following review is honest and all mine.
In Somnis was unlike anything I think I've read before. Black marketing it as Inception and Sleeping Beauty vibes meets Small Town works really well for this book. She does an incredible job of blending the often-tough reality of our main characters with the lucid dream world they learn to shape for themselves and sometimes share together. It's hard to describe in a review without spoiling much of the plot, but just know that those dreamscapes can be just as fantastical, or sometimes hilarious, maybe a little creepy, and often spicy as you can imagine. A lot of mystery surrounds what has kept Lennon's best friend trapped in a comatose state for over a decade, This Man, why she's calling Lennon to her now, what connects these three men, and so much more. It felt like every clue we uncovered in this book just left a bigger question to be answered in the next installment.
But to me, this author always shines brightest in her characters and the depth of personalization she gives them, and this book is no exception. Our main and secondary characters are just as vibrant and fully realized as you've probably come to expect from BB, but I'd have to say that my favorite is actually one of the MMC's little brother, Jasper, and I need him to be a real person and to let me adopt him immediately because everyone needs a tarot-reading, crystal-carrying, punk fairy in their life. That said, I can't wait to see more of the undeniable chemistry between Lennon and her guys- Paul, Ridge, and Nevan more fully explored in book two.
I went back and forth with myself between a 4- and 5-star rating for a while, and finally landed on a 4-star rating. Ultimately, I think that came down to how long it took for Lennon and our guys to actually get page time together. I know she met Nevan earlier on, but he still had his head wrapped up in someone else, and they were more friends at first (though I really did like the pacing of their friends-to-more relationship, so this isn't a knock at that). Paul and Ridge came much later in the book, so the romance felt secondary to the plot in the story for me, which is fine if that's your jam, but I'm definitely more of a mid-to-fast burn girlie, unless there's some serious tension in the game in the slow-burn rollout, and so for them not to really have much interaction besides a friendship with one, a tense dream slowburn with another, and then a nice meet-cute with another at around 40% with the last felt like torture for me, haha. But I just know that all of this is going to roll around in some amazing feels and epic spice in book two, and I'm going to have to deliver one hell of an apology tour to Blake Black with my 5-star rating for book two coming next month. I have that much faith.
Even if I had wanted a tad more from the romance, the ending was a mad dash of Kindle page swipes and muttered "oh shit! oh shit! oh shit!" as I raced through that last chapter. Blake Black left us dangling on a bit of a cliffhanger, and I'm super eager to get my hands on the next book to find out what happens next for this crew because there's so many ways Blake can take these characters and the reality and dream world they live in.
🖤 A very special thanks to the author for providing a digital ARC copy for review. There were no stipulations set for the exchanged ARC. All thoughts in this review were given freely and are my own.
In Somnis was unlike anything I think I've read before. Black marketing it as Inception and Sleeping Beauty vibes meets Small Town works really well for this book. She does an incredible job of blending the often-tough reality of our main characters with the lucid dream world they learn to shape for themselves and sometimes share together. It's hard to describe in a review without spoiling much of the plot, but just know that those dreamscapes can be just as fantastical, or sometimes hilarious, maybe a little creepy, and often spicy as you can imagine. A lot of mystery surrounds what has kept Lennon's best friend trapped in a comatose state for over a decade, This Man, why she's calling Lennon to her now, what connects these three men, and so much more. It felt like every clue we uncovered in this book just left a bigger question to be answered in the next installment.
But to me, this author always shines brightest in her characters and the depth of personalization she gives them, and this book is no exception. Our main and secondary characters are just as vibrant and fully realized as you've probably come to expect from BB, but I'd have to say that my favorite is actually one of the MMC's little brother, Jasper, and I need him to be a real person and to let me adopt him immediately because everyone needs a tarot-reading, crystal-carrying, punk fairy in their life. That said, I can't wait to see more of the undeniable chemistry between Lennon and her guys- Paul, Ridge, and Nevan more fully explored in book two.
I went back and forth with myself between a 4- and 5-star rating for a while, and finally landed on a 4-star rating. Ultimately, I think that came down to how long it took for Lennon and our guys to actually get page time together. I know she met Nevan earlier on, but he still had his head wrapped up in someone else, and they were more friends at first (though I really did like the pacing of their friends-to-more relationship, so this isn't a knock at that). Paul and Ridge came much later in the book, so the romance felt secondary to the plot in the story for me, which is fine if that's your jam, but I'm definitely more of a mid-to-fast burn girlie, unless there's some serious tension in the game in the slow-burn rollout, and so for them not to really have much interaction besides a friendship with one, a tense dream slowburn with another, and then a nice meet-cute with another at around 40% with the last felt like torture for me, haha. But I just know that all of this is going to roll around in some amazing feels and epic spice in book two, and I'm going to have to deliver one hell of an apology tour to Blake Black with my 5-star rating for book two coming next month. I have that much faith.
Even if I had wanted a tad more from the romance, the ending was a mad dash of Kindle page swipes and muttered "oh shit! oh shit! oh shit!" as I raced through that last chapter. Blake Black left us dangling on a bit of a cliffhanger, and I'm super eager to get my hands on the next book to find out what happens next for this crew because there's so many ways Blake can take these characters and the reality and dream world they live in.
🖤 A very special thanks to the author for providing a digital ARC copy for review. There were no stipulations set for the exchanged ARC. All thoughts in this review were given freely and are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Could this be BB's best book duet yet??
That would be high praise, considering most of her duets (if not all) have been absolutely fantastic. It's hard to pick a number one favourite duet that she's written, in my books, there's a tie for a few (Soulful Seas, Memento Vivre, and maybe Burning Bridges?), but this one is absolutely up there so far with the other greats!
"In Somnis" is a contemporary, with a hint of paranormal, reverse harem genre. Reading the notes by the author before the book begins is interesting, and I suggest doing it before you jump in to the story, as it goes over all the research Blake Black did regarding dreams, sleep paralysis, lucid dreaming, etc. The reason the book has a hint of paranormal is because while a few of the characters have more or less got lucid dreaming down, they're also able to dream share; They can travel to other people's dreams and be lucid in the same dreams as each other. This is an important subject matter in the story. I'd describe the story more, but you can read the blurb for that!
Now, let's touch on the characters quickly!
Lennon has been dealt a somewhat crappy hand, especially as of late. Her father died suddenly at home while cooking, her mom gets cancer and passes away. Meanwhile, Lennon has been busy taking care of her, reducing time she's able to spend with friends and her boyfriend. She learns after her mother dies just what her supposed friends and boyfriend think of her, so she decides to up and leave without a word. She heard her best friend, Tessa's voice in a dream tell her to come to her, so that's exactly what she decides to do. Her best friend? Not in a lucid state, seemingly. She's awake, but unaware of the world around her, mostly.
While in the small town where Tessa lives, Lennon meets a few other guys:
Ridge, who she only sees in the dream world,
Nevan, who is running an inn in town and is practically running it all by himself, and
Paul, a psychologist who is trying to treat Tessa (though he nor Lennon know of this connection at first).
All three of these men have their own troubles with sleep. Ridge and Paul both know about lucid dreaming and are usually able to do it, though something blocks Ridge from being able to anymore.
The three all have connections to each other that, for a short while, I needed red string and a 'murder board' to keep track of! It makes things that much more interesting, though!
I also had an "Oooooh!" moment about 93% in the book that I was happy to have. I like unexpected things!
I am trying to avoid talking much about the story because I don't want to spoil anything. I loved it, I already recommend it, and I am SO excited for when book two releases! Don't question anything, just click it and read it!
That would be high praise, considering most of her duets (if not all) have been absolutely fantastic. It's hard to pick a number one favourite duet that she's written, in my books, there's a tie for a few (Soulful Seas, Memento Vivre, and maybe Burning Bridges?), but this one is absolutely up there so far with the other greats!
"In Somnis" is a contemporary, with a hint of paranormal, reverse harem genre. Reading the notes by the author before the book begins is interesting, and I suggest doing it before you jump in to the story, as it goes over all the research Blake Black did regarding dreams, sleep paralysis, lucid dreaming, etc. The reason the book has a hint of paranormal is because while a few of the characters have more or less got lucid dreaming down, they're also able to dream share; They can travel to other people's dreams and be lucid in the same dreams as each other. This is an important subject matter in the story. I'd describe the story more, but you can read the blurb for that!
Now, let's touch on the characters quickly!
Lennon has been dealt a somewhat crappy hand, especially as of late. Her father died suddenly at home while cooking, her mom gets cancer and passes away. Meanwhile, Lennon has been busy taking care of her, reducing time she's able to spend with friends and her boyfriend. She learns after her mother dies just what her supposed friends and boyfriend think of her, so she decides to up and leave without a word. She heard her best friend, Tessa's voice in a dream tell her to come to her, so that's exactly what she decides to do. Her best friend? Not in a lucid state, seemingly. She's awake, but unaware of the world around her, mostly.
While in the small town where Tessa lives, Lennon meets a few other guys:
Ridge, who she only sees in the dream world,
Nevan, who is running an inn in town and is practically running it all by himself, and
Paul, a psychologist who is trying to treat Tessa (though he nor Lennon know of this connection at first).
All three of these men have their own troubles with sleep. Ridge and Paul both know about lucid dreaming and are usually able to do it, though something blocks Ridge from being able to anymore.
The three all have connections to each other that, for a short while, I needed red string and a 'murder board' to keep track of! It makes things that much more interesting, though!
I also had an "Oooooh!" moment about 93% in the book that I was happy to have. I like unexpected things!
I am trying to avoid talking much about the story because I don't want to spoil anything. I loved it, I already recommend it, and I am SO excited for when book two releases! Don't question anything, just click it and read it!
August 30, 2026
Thank you so much Blake Black for the Advanced Reader Copy! I’ve been following Black's books for a while now, and she has easily become one of those auto-buy authors for me — as soon as she announces a new book, I just need to read it!
I’ve always loved anything related to dreams, lucid dreaming, and the like, so seeing this explored in fiction made the reading experience extra special. On one hand, there's this paranormal vibe surrounding the dreams, while on the other, it’s a delightful contemporary read with multifaceted and engaging characters.
I especially loved Lennon, the main narrator who guides us not only through the dream universe but through the whole story. From the very first moment, I wanted to jump into the book and give her a huge hug because the people in her life up to that point simply didn’t deserve the incredible, radiant person she is! Seriously, I wanted to punch her 'friends' and her ex-boyfriend when we find out what happened right before the story kicks off, with her traveling to her best friend Tessa's town after Tessa asks her to come in a dream.
Why is this so important to the plot? Well, besides Lennon actually listening to a request made in such a peculiar way, we discover that Tessa has been in a sort of coma for years and has been talking to Lennon through dreams for a long time. We know from the synopsis that the book involves lucid dreaming, so there is definitely something behind this request and even behind Tessa’s condition. As everything begins to unfold, it gets really interesting and even a bit creepy...
In Somnis is also a reverse harem and is told from the POV of Lennon (the main narrator) and her love interests, whom she meets upon arriving in the new town:
Ridge, her neighbor, whom she briefly meets at her new building but only interacts with through dreams;
Nevan, the guy everyone in town turns their back on, calling him dumb and problematic, when in reality he’s nothing like that—no one truly sees him, yet he takes care of his mother with Alzheimer’s, his younger brother, and is the handyman at one of the local inns (though he’s actually the one running the whole place); and
Paul, a psychologist who is afraid of the dark for good reason (which has everything to do with lucid dreaming), who is not only the therapist trying to cure Tessa but has also been having nightmares about Lennon for a very long time.
I don’t like writing reviews with spoilers, after all, I want to talk about the book for those who are interested in reading it without ruining the surprises, plot twists, and discoveries along the way. That's why I'll avoid going into too many details so anyone curious can read this review without fear. I won’t deep dive into the MMCs, but we do get all of their POVs, and I can already tell you they are perfect for Lennon (they just need to deal with their own baggage first—both dream-related and internal, haha).
In Somnis ends on a breathtaking cliffhanger, and I can’t wait for the next book! Not just because I'm dying to know what happens next, but also because I grew so attached to these characters and this story!
A quick tip for anyone who decides to pick this up: it’s really interesting to read the author’s notes before starting the book, as she explains her research on dreams and their context in the story.
I’ve always loved anything related to dreams, lucid dreaming, and the like, so seeing this explored in fiction made the reading experience extra special. On one hand, there's this paranormal vibe surrounding the dreams, while on the other, it’s a delightful contemporary read with multifaceted and engaging characters.
I especially loved Lennon, the main narrator who guides us not only through the dream universe but through the whole story. From the very first moment, I wanted to jump into the book and give her a huge hug because the people in her life up to that point simply didn’t deserve the incredible, radiant person she is! Seriously, I wanted to punch her 'friends' and her ex-boyfriend when we find out what happened right before the story kicks off, with her traveling to her best friend Tessa's town after Tessa asks her to come in a dream.
Why is this so important to the plot? Well, besides Lennon actually listening to a request made in such a peculiar way, we discover that Tessa has been in a sort of coma for years and has been talking to Lennon through dreams for a long time. We know from the synopsis that the book involves lucid dreaming, so there is definitely something behind this request and even behind Tessa’s condition. As everything begins to unfold, it gets really interesting and even a bit creepy...
In Somnis is also a reverse harem and is told from the POV of Lennon (the main narrator) and her love interests, whom she meets upon arriving in the new town:
Ridge, her neighbor, whom she briefly meets at her new building but only interacts with through dreams;
Nevan, the guy everyone in town turns their back on, calling him dumb and problematic, when in reality he’s nothing like that—no one truly sees him, yet he takes care of his mother with Alzheimer’s, his younger brother, and is the handyman at one of the local inns (though he’s actually the one running the whole place); and
Paul, a psychologist who is afraid of the dark for good reason (which has everything to do with lucid dreaming), who is not only the therapist trying to cure Tessa but has also been having nightmares about Lennon for a very long time.
I don’t like writing reviews with spoilers, after all, I want to talk about the book for those who are interested in reading it without ruining the surprises, plot twists, and discoveries along the way. That's why I'll avoid going into too many details so anyone curious can read this review without fear. I won’t deep dive into the MMCs, but we do get all of their POVs, and I can already tell you they are perfect for Lennon (they just need to deal with their own baggage first—both dream-related and internal, haha).
In Somnis ends on a breathtaking cliffhanger, and I can’t wait for the next book! Not just because I'm dying to know what happens next, but also because I grew so attached to these characters and this story!
A quick tip for anyone who decides to pick this up: it’s really interesting to read the author’s notes before starting the book, as she explains her research on dreams and their context in the story.
September 12, 2026
☁️ In Somnis by Blake Black ☁️
Book one of the complete Lucid Longing duet!
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating: 🌶️,5
If you are usually into more spicy Why Choose, please do not let the low spice rating deter you. In Somnis is a beautiful book, about people dreaming that there could be more.
Our FMC, Lennon, decides to remove herself from a relationship that was not a great love story. Her ex Spencer never really saw how amazing she was and she was constantly making herself smaller and less vibrant to match his expectations.
She feels called in dreams to visit her old best friend Tessa, and while accepting a three month lease on an apartment in Tessa home town, she finds herself among three very different men, who all have a strong connection with her.
Nevan, Inn-keeper and absolute golden hearted beautiful person, hires her as a chef at his inn. Nevan is younger than her, so a little reverse age gap, and is far too much on his shoulders for far too long. Lemon, aka Lennon, makes everything a little easier to carry. ❤️
Paul, the psychologist, already knows she is his soulmate, and ends up meeting her in a pretty dramatic way. They have a really hot spark from the beginning and I can’t wait to where they go from this book.
Ridge, her grumpy, strong, yet vulnerable neighbor finds her in her dreams and makes quite the impression! 🔥 He has been hurt, literally, in his past and is pretty much a hermit in his apartment, but Lennon nudged him out of his shell. Their relationship has so much potential and I think book two is going to be amazing.
In Somnis felt like Black Black managed to write two books in one, since we are constant following all four main characters from four POVs, but also seeing the plot unfold in both the real world and their dreams.
The book has some wonderful characters, and Jasper, Nevan’s little brother, is the most wonderful little punk fairy ever and has this amazing friendship/little brother/big sister relationship with Lennon! 🧚🏼♂️
The book is quite beautifully written and the dreamscape aspect adds such a unique layer to what is already an amazing romance book! 📕
Straight on to book two, Ex Somnis, I go! ❤️
Book one of the complete Lucid Longing duet!
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating: 🌶️,5
If you are usually into more spicy Why Choose, please do not let the low spice rating deter you. In Somnis is a beautiful book, about people dreaming that there could be more.
Our FMC, Lennon, decides to remove herself from a relationship that was not a great love story. Her ex Spencer never really saw how amazing she was and she was constantly making herself smaller and less vibrant to match his expectations.
She feels called in dreams to visit her old best friend Tessa, and while accepting a three month lease on an apartment in Tessa home town, she finds herself among three very different men, who all have a strong connection with her.
Nevan, Inn-keeper and absolute golden hearted beautiful person, hires her as a chef at his inn. Nevan is younger than her, so a little reverse age gap, and is far too much on his shoulders for far too long. Lemon, aka Lennon, makes everything a little easier to carry. ❤️
Paul, the psychologist, already knows she is his soulmate, and ends up meeting her in a pretty dramatic way. They have a really hot spark from the beginning and I can’t wait to where they go from this book.
Ridge, her grumpy, strong, yet vulnerable neighbor finds her in her dreams and makes quite the impression! 🔥 He has been hurt, literally, in his past and is pretty much a hermit in his apartment, but Lennon nudged him out of his shell. Their relationship has so much potential and I think book two is going to be amazing.
In Somnis felt like Black Black managed to write two books in one, since we are constant following all four main characters from four POVs, but also seeing the plot unfold in both the real world and their dreams.
The book has some wonderful characters, and Jasper, Nevan’s little brother, is the most wonderful little punk fairy ever and has this amazing friendship/little brother/big sister relationship with Lennon! 🧚🏼♂️
The book is quite beautifully written and the dreamscape aspect adds such a unique layer to what is already an amazing romance book! 📕
Straight on to book two, Ex Somnis, I go! ❤️
September 10, 2026
In Somnis, book one of the Lucid Longing Duet, is a slow-burn contemporary reverse harem with a twist of paranormal, and I was completely intrigued by the concept!
Lennon is a 30-something chef whose mother has recently passed away. Newly single and trying to figure out where she belongs in life, Lennon leaves Boston on a whim after her best friend Tessa comes to her in a dream with a simple message: “Come to me.”
Tessa has been in a trance-like state for 12 years, and the outlook is looking grim. Lennon soon realises that her purpose is to move to Vernonia and try to save her friend.
In a short time in this small town, Lennon manages to meet three amazingly complex men, each one bringing something completely different to her life.
There’s Nevan, the young innkeeper with the weight of the world on his shoulders; Ridge, the horror-writing recluse who Lennon only meets in her dreams; and Paul, the psychologist with food aversions and night terrors.
Lennon is also dealing with her own struggles, including body image issues and PCOS, which made her feel like an even more relatable and realistic character.
Blake Black has a way of taking her characters off the pages and breathing life into them. These are flawed characters with real-life problems, and I loved how easy it was to connect with them and become invested in their stories.
As Lennon builds her connections with these three men, she also begins delving deeper into lucid dreaming as she discovers that this may be the key to saving Tessa. I found the whole concept of lucid dreaming so creative and fascinating, especially the idea of a 5D and people wanting to escape into this mysterious place known as “Elsewhere.”
There was so much mystery surrounding the dreams, the characters and exactly what was happening, and I definitely found myself wanting to know more!
Of course, the story ends on a cliffhanger… BUT Blake Black has been kind to us readers and released both book one and two on the same day!
So, naturally, I’m off to read book two immediately!
Lennon is a 30-something chef whose mother has recently passed away. Newly single and trying to figure out where she belongs in life, Lennon leaves Boston on a whim after her best friend Tessa comes to her in a dream with a simple message: “Come to me.”
Tessa has been in a trance-like state for 12 years, and the outlook is looking grim. Lennon soon realises that her purpose is to move to Vernonia and try to save her friend.
In a short time in this small town, Lennon manages to meet three amazingly complex men, each one bringing something completely different to her life.
There’s Nevan, the young innkeeper with the weight of the world on his shoulders; Ridge, the horror-writing recluse who Lennon only meets in her dreams; and Paul, the psychologist with food aversions and night terrors.
Lennon is also dealing with her own struggles, including body image issues and PCOS, which made her feel like an even more relatable and realistic character.
Blake Black has a way of taking her characters off the pages and breathing life into them. These are flawed characters with real-life problems, and I loved how easy it was to connect with them and become invested in their stories.
As Lennon builds her connections with these three men, she also begins delving deeper into lucid dreaming as she discovers that this may be the key to saving Tessa. I found the whole concept of lucid dreaming so creative and fascinating, especially the idea of a 5D and people wanting to escape into this mysterious place known as “Elsewhere.”
There was so much mystery surrounding the dreams, the characters and exactly what was happening, and I definitely found myself wanting to know more!
Of course, the story ends on a cliffhanger… BUT Blake Black has been kind to us readers and released both book one and two on the same day!
So, naturally, I’m off to read book two immediately!
Review of advance copy received from Author
TL:DR, this was amazing! Absolutely loved it. This might be my favourite read of 2026 so far! If you're on the fence about reading this, I'm here to say DO IT!!
❧𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬/𝐕𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐬☙
➳ Contemporary*
➳ Reverse Harem Why Choose (MFMM)
➳ Lucid dreaming + dream sharing
➳ Dream spice
➳ Smalltown Romance
➳ Hurt/Comfort
❧𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬☙
Here's the thing about every single book Blake Black has ever written: she has this uncanny ability to make you connect personally with at least one character in each book. Whether that's a main character, a secondary character, or heck even a background character.
For Alaine in Rogue Riders (being the most recent example) I connected with her because I also suffer from chronic pain. One of the many medications I take is the same as she did in the book. So, it was easy for me to see myself in her shows, to feel her pain.
Now, I really didn't think that was going to happen in a book regarding lucid dreaming and dream sharing. Yet, I did within the first few pages. Reading Lennon come to the realisation that she has no one in her contacts list she could call in a time of need and who would drop everything and be there for her...learning that she is friends with so many people and yet not one of them are friends with her...Yeah, I've been there. Then couple that with grieving the fresh loss of the only person who did? Was not expecting tears before page 10.
My heart really broke for Nevan. That poor baby boy. I just wanted to force the 6 foot 7 giant into the little spoon and protect him from the world.
❧𝐅𝐚𝐯 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬☙
✦ "𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺."
✦ "𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳? 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥."
✦ "𝘔𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘐'𝘮 𝘢 𝘨𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳. 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵."
✦ "𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦."
✦ "𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭."
❧𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬/𝐕𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐬☙
➳ Contemporary*
➳ Reverse Harem Why Choose (MFMM)
➳ Lucid dreaming + dream sharing
➳ Dream spice
➳ Smalltown Romance
➳ Hurt/Comfort
❧𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬☙
Here's the thing about every single book Blake Black has ever written: she has this uncanny ability to make you connect personally with at least one character in each book. Whether that's a main character, a secondary character, or heck even a background character.
For Alaine in Rogue Riders (being the most recent example) I connected with her because I also suffer from chronic pain. One of the many medications I take is the same as she did in the book. So, it was easy for me to see myself in her shows, to feel her pain.
Now, I really didn't think that was going to happen in a book regarding lucid dreaming and dream sharing. Yet, I did within the first few pages. Reading Lennon come to the realisation that she has no one in her contacts list she could call in a time of need and who would drop everything and be there for her...learning that she is friends with so many people and yet not one of them are friends with her...Yeah, I've been there. Then couple that with grieving the fresh loss of the only person who did? Was not expecting tears before page 10.
My heart really broke for Nevan. That poor baby boy. I just wanted to force the 6 foot 7 giant into the little spoon and protect him from the world.
❧𝐅𝐚𝐯 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬☙
✦ "𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺."
✦ "𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳? 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥."
✦ "𝘔𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘐'𝘮 𝘢 𝘨𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳. 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵."
✦ "𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦."
✦ "𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭."
Review of advance copy received from Author
Okay…I’m ready for Part 2
I signed up for this ARC because I was looking for a different pace from my normal reads. I wasn’t really sure how I was going to like it, but the storyline had me interested, and I’m so glad I was picked to be a reader for it. It definitely didn’t disappoint.
Each character is struggling with their own demons, and they’re brought together through a pull in the ether that they don’t quite understand. As the story unfolds, though, the pieces start coming together in a really interesting way.
While there are a lot of serious elements to this story, it’s also really sweet, fun, and well put together. The characters each have their own personalities that shine through, and I really enjoyed getting to know them and seeing how their individual stories connected.
I will say, while this does have adult themes, it’s definitely a SLOW burn. I’m not familiar enough with this author’s writing style to know if that’s typical, so I just wanted to mention it. It wasn’t unwelcome for me at all, but it’s something I’d keep in mind going in if you prefer more…content…though there is some interesting lollipop usage. 🍭
I’d also recommend checking the warnings if you have specific triggers or things you prefer to avoid.
There were a few areas that felt a little slower for me, especially as the story builds out the workings of the lucid state and the overall storyline. It wasn’t much, though, and the payoff of the overall story was absolutely worth it.
I loved getting to step outside of my comfort zone and discover a new-to-me author. I can’t wait to see where the story goes next, and I’m that ending definitely has me ready to read Part 2!
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to receive an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I signed up for this ARC because I was looking for a different pace from my normal reads. I wasn’t really sure how I was going to like it, but the storyline had me interested, and I’m so glad I was picked to be a reader for it. It definitely didn’t disappoint.
Each character is struggling with their own demons, and they’re brought together through a pull in the ether that they don’t quite understand. As the story unfolds, though, the pieces start coming together in a really interesting way.
While there are a lot of serious elements to this story, it’s also really sweet, fun, and well put together. The characters each have their own personalities that shine through, and I really enjoyed getting to know them and seeing how their individual stories connected.
I will say, while this does have adult themes, it’s definitely a SLOW burn. I’m not familiar enough with this author’s writing style to know if that’s typical, so I just wanted to mention it. It wasn’t unwelcome for me at all, but it’s something I’d keep in mind going in if you prefer more…content…though there is some interesting lollipop usage. 🍭
I’d also recommend checking the warnings if you have specific triggers or things you prefer to avoid.
There were a few areas that felt a little slower for me, especially as the story builds out the workings of the lucid state and the overall storyline. It wasn’t much, though, and the payoff of the overall story was absolutely worth it.
I loved getting to step outside of my comfort zone and discover a new-to-me author. I can’t wait to see where the story goes next, and I’m that ending definitely has me ready to read Part 2!
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to receive an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you so much Blake for the Advanced Reader Copy! I am in love with Lennon and her world!
Gah! I love Blake's work! I swear if you want something light but also dark, a sprinkle of whimsy, and characters that make you want to step into their world and give them a hug, then you should read her book. Oh you also have to like Why-Choose.
Lennon is amazing and so carefully thought out. She has been through so much (like all of Blake's characters) but she is still so strong and cares for everyone she meets. She is a rambler, a happy chef, loves yellow, and bright things. I only hope that where she is going she will be able to keep that light.
The guys, they better get their acts together and pull for Lennon. I like how they all seem to know each other and it's a small town so it makes sense. But will they work together? Can they keep Lennon happy and not doubting herself? Paul, man that guy, when he is in he is all on and I loved his lines to her or in his head. "You will stay. You’ll decide the second I get my hands on you properly, and if you decide to leave anyway, that’s fine. I’ll simply follow you." I mean he really shouldn't have kept that thought inside but I bet it would have scared her. Ridge, he's a tricky one, seems to be a total asshole but I know he has it bad for her. And Nevan, sweet Nevan, he tries so hard in everything. They (him and Lennon) are the same side of the same coin. They both know the other is struggling and they each recognize how much they each need.
I love all the side characters and can't wait to see where the next book goes.
Gah! I love Blake's work! I swear if you want something light but also dark, a sprinkle of whimsy, and characters that make you want to step into their world and give them a hug, then you should read her book. Oh you also have to like Why-Choose.
Lennon is amazing and so carefully thought out. She has been through so much (like all of Blake's characters) but she is still so strong and cares for everyone she meets. She is a rambler, a happy chef, loves yellow, and bright things. I only hope that where she is going she will be able to keep that light.
The guys, they better get their acts together and pull for Lennon. I like how they all seem to know each other and it's a small town so it makes sense. But will they work together? Can they keep Lennon happy and not doubting herself? Paul, man that guy, when he is in he is all on and I loved his lines to her or in his head. "You will stay. You’ll decide the second I get my hands on you properly, and if you decide to leave anyway, that’s fine. I’ll simply follow you." I mean he really shouldn't have kept that thought inside but I bet it would have scared her. Ridge, he's a tricky one, seems to be a total asshole but I know he has it bad for her. And Nevan, sweet Nevan, he tries so hard in everything. They (him and Lennon) are the same side of the same coin. They both know the other is struggling and they each recognize how much they each need.
I love all the side characters and can't wait to see where the next book goes.
Review of advance copy received from Author
5 ⭐ 2 🌶️
Ho. Lee. Shiitake mushrooms. That was epic. AND IT ISN'T EVEN OVER I DIEEEEE. When I heard Blake was writing a story surrounding dreaming I was giddy as heck. But this exceeded every already insanely high expectation I had going in. These four are everything. This plot is everything. I just know this series is going to be E V E R Y T H I N G. I need Ex Somnis like I need air.
Want more than dramatics? 😂 Lennon is our broken FMC who just had a breakup with a TERRIBLE boyfriend and is missing her bestie something fierce. When she gets to her bestie's hometown we meet Derek, and his daughter Melanie, who is not in the why choose but omgggg I need his happy ever after too pleasefortheloveofallthatisholy. Her new neighbor Ridge—he's our resident grump and possibly my favorite of her three guys. This man is broken with a capital B and I'm so excited to watch his soul mend. Nevan who doesn't realize how hot he is but has been shut down for being "stupid" at every turn... Did I mention he's got the sweetest little brother and a train wreck for a mom? And then the Dr. Oooh boy. This man looks put together but he's just as broken as the rest of them and I can't wait for more of him. He's swoony as heck too.
But then there's the suspense. The man who seems to be haunting everyone... He's creepy and scary and I am both nervous and excited to see what he has in store for our friends in part two...
Anywhoooo I'll be salivating for the finale for a month or so. Wish me luck.
Thank you so much to Blake for the advanced copy, I freaking loved it!
Ho. Lee. Shiitake mushrooms. That was epic. AND IT ISN'T EVEN OVER I DIEEEEE. When I heard Blake was writing a story surrounding dreaming I was giddy as heck. But this exceeded every already insanely high expectation I had going in. These four are everything. This plot is everything. I just know this series is going to be E V E R Y T H I N G. I need Ex Somnis like I need air.
Want more than dramatics? 😂 Lennon is our broken FMC who just had a breakup with a TERRIBLE boyfriend and is missing her bestie something fierce. When she gets to her bestie's hometown we meet Derek, and his daughter Melanie, who is not in the why choose but omgggg I need his happy ever after too pleasefortheloveofallthatisholy. Her new neighbor Ridge—he's our resident grump and possibly my favorite of her three guys. This man is broken with a capital B and I'm so excited to watch his soul mend. Nevan who doesn't realize how hot he is but has been shut down for being "stupid" at every turn... Did I mention he's got the sweetest little brother and a train wreck for a mom? And then the Dr. Oooh boy. This man looks put together but he's just as broken as the rest of them and I can't wait for more of him. He's swoony as heck too.
But then there's the suspense. The man who seems to be haunting everyone... He's creepy and scary and I am both nervous and excited to see what he has in store for our friends in part two...
Anywhoooo I'll be salivating for the finale for a month or so. Wish me luck.
Thank you so much to Blake for the advanced copy, I freaking loved it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I don’t even know what to say about this book. It took me some time to get into it but when I did, I didn’t want to leave it. Blake Black has this way of immersing a reader into a world they didn’t know they wanted to be in. We’ve been tech geniuses, played with magic and illusion, competed in mountain bike racing and so much more. Now we are literally in a dream world. Or many worlds. I am not a person that dreams a lot (or if I do, I don’t remember them) so dreams, what they mean, how they work, etc has never been on my radar for wanting to learn about. But this story, these characters, the complications are all so fascinating and the dream element is interwoven, it’s almost a separate character. I love Lennon, I want to give her a hug and tell her how awesome she is until she believes it. I think I want to give everyone a hug: Nevan for carrying so much and having no one to see it, Ridge for thinking his only worth is as an author because his legs don’t work, Paul for the ARFID and never ending control that he has to have over everything, Tessa because real life will always end up better than dream life, Jasper for his witchy cuteness. I have some theories on who the bad guy might be. I absolutely cannot WAIT until book 2! This is one that will stay with me for quite a while. 100000% recommend! (I was given an ARC of this book but no requirement to rate it - my thoughts are completely unbiased)
Review of advance copy received from Author
Advance Copy Received by author
Every time I pick up one of Blake’s new releases I say to myself “This is her best one yet..” and here we are again! Ugh the vibes are immaculate. Small town, paranormal, and lucid dreaming thrown in the mix.
One thing about this author that I love is the research she does. The lucid dreaming aspect was such a unique and interesting concept. I loved every second of it. Especially with my favorite MMC (insert Ridge and his sour suckers).
The characters are chefs kiss. Lennon are FMC is sunshine and lemons. She’s running from grief and a shit relationship. She heads to her best friend, who is across the country after a dream. I related so hard to her character. I just wanted to hug her. Being told you’re too much or to make yourself smaller in an aspect. Man I can relate. I just love how Blake brings us a real woman on page.
Our MMCs made it hard to choose a favorite but to know one’s surprise I’m in love with the grumpy one. Ridge is the grumpy next door neighbor who writes horror novels. Paul who has been dreaming about his soulmate and him k*king her. Oh and he’s a plant daddy! Nevan is 6’7, takes care of everyone and is way too hard on himself.
If you loved Soulfuls Seas you’re going to eat this up! How the characters tie together, the mystery of what’s really going on, the history of it all. I can’t wait for book 2!!
Every time I pick up one of Blake’s new releases I say to myself “This is her best one yet..” and here we are again! Ugh the vibes are immaculate. Small town, paranormal, and lucid dreaming thrown in the mix.
One thing about this author that I love is the research she does. The lucid dreaming aspect was such a unique and interesting concept. I loved every second of it. Especially with my favorite MMC (insert Ridge and his sour suckers).
The characters are chefs kiss. Lennon are FMC is sunshine and lemons. She’s running from grief and a shit relationship. She heads to her best friend, who is across the country after a dream. I related so hard to her character. I just wanted to hug her. Being told you’re too much or to make yourself smaller in an aspect. Man I can relate. I just love how Blake brings us a real woman on page.
Our MMCs made it hard to choose a favorite but to know one’s surprise I’m in love with the grumpy one. Ridge is the grumpy next door neighbor who writes horror novels. Paul who has been dreaming about his soulmate and him k*king her. Oh and he’s a plant daddy! Nevan is 6’7, takes care of everyone and is way too hard on himself.
If you loved Soulfuls Seas you’re going to eat this up! How the characters tie together, the mystery of what’s really going on, the history of it all. I can’t wait for book 2!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Lennon has lost everything - everything that matters. She just lost her mom and her boyfriend broke her heart by not being there for her in any way, shape, form or fashion. So when her friend, stuck between two worlds, called for her in a dream… She listened. She packed up her little car, headed from Boston to Oregon, having no idea what she would encounter.
What she found was comfort, honesty, and compassion. Three men are drawn to her and she to them, caring for her all in different ways. Paul, Ridge, and Nevan are each complex in their own ways. They are each hurting and Lennon helps comfort them and they do the same for her.
The intertwining of the characters is lovely. Lennon is strong, yet vulnerable. She is kind and caring. I want to crawl into the book (or her dreams) and hug her tight.
What makes this so unique is her journey into lucid dreaming. Her encounters with some of the characters happen in dreaming and in lucidity. It’s absolutely wild and fascinating and I am just in awe of the author’s imagination.
Please, dear ones, you read the content warnings, as your mental health matters.
I’m a big time Blake Black fan and I think she just keeps getting better and better. This is by far my favorite book of hers! I cannot wait for the completion of the ‘Lucid Longing’ duet!
What she found was comfort, honesty, and compassion. Three men are drawn to her and she to them, caring for her all in different ways. Paul, Ridge, and Nevan are each complex in their own ways. They are each hurting and Lennon helps comfort them and they do the same for her.
The intertwining of the characters is lovely. Lennon is strong, yet vulnerable. She is kind and caring. I want to crawl into the book (or her dreams) and hug her tight.
What makes this so unique is her journey into lucid dreaming. Her encounters with some of the characters happen in dreaming and in lucidity. It’s absolutely wild and fascinating and I am just in awe of the author’s imagination.
Please, dear ones, you read the content warnings, as your mental health matters.
I’m a big time Blake Black fan and I think she just keeps getting better and better. This is by far my favorite book of hers! I cannot wait for the completion of the ‘Lucid Longing’ duet!
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5 ⭐️
Wow this was a bit of a wild ride but in a really wonderful way! I’ve never really thought about lucid dreaming and dream walking, but you better believe after this book I will be doing some research!
This story follows Lennon who is grieving and feeling all alone in this world, and she runs to Oregon to be close to her best friend who is in a comatose state and being cared for at home. When she makes it to Oregon, she has run-ins with 3 different men who all have their own struggles & worries. Without giving too much away, they all start to infiltrate each others dream worlds and build relationships both in and out of reality. Add in a mystery, somewhat sinister dream villain man, and this book had me completely focused.
As always, this book does end on a cliffhanger in preparation for book two! Haha so if you hate that, then maybe wait until both are released! (Luckily Blake is the best and always releases her books close together) I need book two desperately and quickly because I need to know what happens next!
Why-Choose (MFMM)
Hurt/Comfort
Mid-Size FMC, PCOS Representation
MMC in Wheelchair
Lucid Dreaming, Sleep Walking, Sleep Paralysis
Older Characters (30s-40s)
Reverse Age Gap (one MMC in his 20s)
Emotional
Slightly Mind F*ck-y
Slower Burn
Wow this was a bit of a wild ride but in a really wonderful way! I’ve never really thought about lucid dreaming and dream walking, but you better believe after this book I will be doing some research!
This story follows Lennon who is grieving and feeling all alone in this world, and she runs to Oregon to be close to her best friend who is in a comatose state and being cared for at home. When she makes it to Oregon, she has run-ins with 3 different men who all have their own struggles & worries. Without giving too much away, they all start to infiltrate each others dream worlds and build relationships both in and out of reality. Add in a mystery, somewhat sinister dream villain man, and this book had me completely focused.
As always, this book does end on a cliffhanger in preparation for book two! Haha so if you hate that, then maybe wait until both are released! (Luckily Blake is the best and always releases her books close together) I need book two desperately and quickly because I need to know what happens next!
Why-Choose (MFMM)
Hurt/Comfort
Mid-Size FMC, PCOS Representation
MMC in Wheelchair
Lucid Dreaming, Sleep Walking, Sleep Paralysis
Older Characters (30s-40s)
Reverse Age Gap (one MMC in his 20s)
Emotional
Slightly Mind F*ck-y
Slower Burn
Review of advance copy
I have absolutely devoured this and found it so hard to put down! It’s a new number one favourite from all Blake’s books (even thought they are all amazing).
I absolutely adore Lenny and wish we could be BFFs IRL, she just needs to be hugged and told how amazing she is! I love the guys, they just feel so real, and they are all so different but perfectly fit in and complete Lennon in all the best ways. Curent MMCs favourites are Nev (I wish I could give him a BIIIIIG hug and tell him that he will be ok), Paul (this man makes me melt, how sure, confident and soft he is with Lenny). Not too sure yet on Ridge, he has to win Lenny’s heart before he can get in my good books. I found the dream world and lucid dreaming absolutely fascinating, and wish we could all use our dream scape to cook lemon muffins with Lenny! Also the dream sharing between characters… can get steeeaaaaamy and I am all here for it! I am very curious to get more information on the dream guy and see how that plays out. Also really hope Lenny gets her friend back 🥹 And that ending?! I neeeeeeeed the second book ASAP!! Wish I could give this 100/5 stars 😍 absolutely loved it!
I absolutely adore Lenny and wish we could be BFFs IRL, she just needs to be hugged and told how amazing she is! I love the guys, they just feel so real, and they are all so different but perfectly fit in and complete Lennon in all the best ways. Curent MMCs favourites are Nev (I wish I could give him a BIIIIIG hug and tell him that he will be ok), Paul (this man makes me melt, how sure, confident and soft he is with Lenny). Not too sure yet on Ridge, he has to win Lenny’s heart before he can get in my good books. I found the dream world and lucid dreaming absolutely fascinating, and wish we could all use our dream scape to cook lemon muffins with Lenny! Also the dream sharing between characters… can get steeeaaaaamy and I am all here for it! I am very curious to get more information on the dream guy and see how that plays out. Also really hope Lenny gets her friend back 🥹 And that ending?! I neeeeeeeed the second book ASAP!! Wish I could give this 100/5 stars 😍 absolutely loved it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was such a lovely read. It was my first book by Blake Black and what a great way to start.
This is unlike any book I’ve read and I’m not talking about it being why choose or certain topics covered because yes, I’ve read plenty of those, plenty of times. I’m talking more about life happening in lucid dreams, and whether you would choose to stay and live in those dreams where think you get everything you ever wanted or do you knowingly wake up to reality where life is possibly and probably not as ‘prefect’ as you would like.
I love how the story made me question what I would do in those circumstances and even added the fear factor sense of getting stuck in limbo.
I really enjoyed the themes covered in this book from confidence to PCOS to physical and learning disabilities.
Each character has something that resonates with you and you just want to learn more about them. I loved the different POVs in the book and the interactions and how they interlink at some point. That ending and the mysterious man have left me feeling very intrigued.
Can’t wait for the next book in this duet to come out
This is unlike any book I’ve read and I’m not talking about it being why choose or certain topics covered because yes, I’ve read plenty of those, plenty of times. I’m talking more about life happening in lucid dreams, and whether you would choose to stay and live in those dreams where think you get everything you ever wanted or do you knowingly wake up to reality where life is possibly and probably not as ‘prefect’ as you would like.
I love how the story made me question what I would do in those circumstances and even added the fear factor sense of getting stuck in limbo.
I really enjoyed the themes covered in this book from confidence to PCOS to physical and learning disabilities.
Each character has something that resonates with you and you just want to learn more about them. I loved the different POVs in the book and the interactions and how they interlink at some point. That ending and the mysterious man have left me feeling very intrigued.
Can’t wait for the next book in this duet to come out
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5⭐️ Spoiler Free
This book is a love story for the girls who are always told that they are too much or that they need to tone themselves down. Don’t let others dim you, surround yourself with people who brighten you.
This series is going to trump Soulful Seas for me. The writing for this one may actually be Blakes best in general. Especially plot wise. This is a plot that actually kept me hooked and engaged. Not just the standard romance subplot you are side eying while just waiting for the characters to fuck. Without spoilers I must say it’s low key terrifying. The main characters are beautifully written and 3D *wink*. I love when an RH author writes actual characters and not just amalgamations of book shadow daddy tropes. Nope. These feel like real men. With real history. Anyways,
I could gush on and on but I need you to trust me on this and just read it for yourself.
(PS I received a free ARC for this but it came with no stipulations of writing a review. This review is my full honest feelings that I NEEDED to post because gosh what beauty of book)
This book is a love story for the girls who are always told that they are too much or that they need to tone themselves down. Don’t let others dim you, surround yourself with people who brighten you.
This series is going to trump Soulful Seas for me. The writing for this one may actually be Blakes best in general. Especially plot wise. This is a plot that actually kept me hooked and engaged. Not just the standard romance subplot you are side eying while just waiting for the characters to fuck. Without spoilers I must say it’s low key terrifying. The main characters are beautifully written and 3D *wink*. I love when an RH author writes actual characters and not just amalgamations of book shadow daddy tropes. Nope. These feel like real men. With real history. Anyways,
I could gush on and on but I need you to trust me on this and just read it for yourself.
(PS I received a free ARC for this but it came with no stipulations of writing a review. This review is my full honest feelings that I NEEDED to post because gosh what beauty of book)
September 9, 2026
WOW! I can't say anything other than WOW!!
I loved the care and attention to detail regarding lucid dreams and the way they were portrayed. It’s wonderful how they were used to bring the characters together and have them interact.
Lennon is truly fantastic: even though she has suffered and still suffers, she’s always cheerful and kind to everyone. She’s a fully human character with her own strengths, flaws, and insecurities.
Paul, Ridge, and Nevan are three very different men, each with a captivating personality. I can’t wait to get to know them better in the sequel.
The spicy scenes are wow, and I have to say they promise veeeery well for the second book.
The mystery and suspense subplot is really well done, with that cliffhanger I don’t know how I’ll manage to wait.
This first book is truly beautiful, another masterpiece from Blake Black. (Why did we expect anything different from BB??)
⚠️𝐓𝐖⚠️
Check the first pages of the book or the socials/website of the author!
I loved the care and attention to detail regarding lucid dreams and the way they were portrayed. It’s wonderful how they were used to bring the characters together and have them interact.
Lennon is truly fantastic: even though she has suffered and still suffers, she’s always cheerful and kind to everyone. She’s a fully human character with her own strengths, flaws, and insecurities.
Paul, Ridge, and Nevan are three very different men, each with a captivating personality. I can’t wait to get to know them better in the sequel.
The spicy scenes are wow, and I have to say they promise veeeery well for the second book.
The mystery and suspense subplot is really well done, with that cliffhanger I don’t know how I’ll manage to wait.
This first book is truly beautiful, another masterpiece from Blake Black. (Why did we expect anything different from BB??)
⚠️𝐓𝐖⚠️
Check the first pages of the book or the socials/website of the author!
September 14, 2026
Well, this was a delightful little palate cleanser! I really enjoyed this series. It’s a smaller harem than Black usually writes, but goddamn, I loved them all! Ridge, Nevan and Paul were all very distinct MMCs, which I love. Lennon was equal parts sweet and strong, and I loved how much these men helped her feel better about herself.
The world of dreams is a difficult one to write, but Black has done really well at explaining it without making it confusing. The whole concept was easy to follow, and I really enjoyed the way the dream world was woven into the story.
The spice is good without being over the top. Tessa’s character choices were completely understandable. And This Man—well done. I thought he was a really good representation of the fear that comes with nightmares and how completely real that fear can feel in the moment.
Overall, this was a fun, sweet read with an interesting concept and characters I genuinely liked.
The world of dreams is a difficult one to write, but Black has done really well at explaining it without making it confusing. The whole concept was easy to follow, and I really enjoyed the way the dream world was woven into the story.
The spice is good without being over the top. Tessa’s character choices were completely understandable. And This Man—well done. I thought he was a really good representation of the fear that comes with nightmares and how completely real that fear can feel in the moment.
Overall, this was a fun, sweet read with an interesting concept and characters I genuinely liked.
Review of advance copy
I absolutely love the strangeness of this book.
It sucked me in and I didn’t want to leave. I’ve always wanted to lucid dream but never managed it, so this was the next best thing.
I loved Lennon, her quirkiness, her personality, even her insecurities around her body. As always with Blake’s fmcs, it resonates.
Paul, Ridge and Nevan are all such different characters, I love it. My heart broke for Nevan and his image of himself. I was cheering when Lennon stood up for him. Ridge’s sarcasm was amusing, his defence mechanism again emotions, and Paul, who I struggled with initially, due to how controlled he was. I loved it when he opened up to Lennon.
And then Tessa, I don’t know whether she’s actively choosing or she’s trapped.
That ending was scary; Ridge could do an entire book with the tension behind ‘This Man’
Need the second part of this duet asap
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️🌶️
It sucked me in and I didn’t want to leave. I’ve always wanted to lucid dream but never managed it, so this was the next best thing.
I loved Lennon, her quirkiness, her personality, even her insecurities around her body. As always with Blake’s fmcs, it resonates.
Paul, Ridge and Nevan are all such different characters, I love it. My heart broke for Nevan and his image of himself. I was cheering when Lennon stood up for him. Ridge’s sarcasm was amusing, his defence mechanism again emotions, and Paul, who I struggled with initially, due to how controlled he was. I loved it when he opened up to Lennon.
And then Tessa, I don’t know whether she’s actively choosing or she’s trapped.
That ending was scary; Ridge could do an entire book with the tension behind ‘This Man’
Need the second part of this duet asap
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️🌶️
Review of advance copy received from Author
Gotta love a small town where everyone knows everyone and the drama can get real. Lennon is called in her dreams back to her best friend, who has been locked inside her mind for over a decade. When she gets there she gets a new start on life she doesn’t think she deserves.
Three men who all have their own issuers and baggage are pulling her attention and they all overlap in a way that has you guessing throughout the story. I love imagining and then seeing how they connect come to fruition. We just start to get a peak beneath the layers of all three of them when everything implodes.
This has just enough paranormal to allow the story to flow easily and keep you fully engaged. I can’t wait to see where book two takes us!
I received this as an ARC for free. I am voluntarily leaving this review.
Three men who all have their own issuers and baggage are pulling her attention and they all overlap in a way that has you guessing throughout the story. I love imagining and then seeing how they connect come to fruition. We just start to get a peak beneath the layers of all three of them when everything implodes.
This has just enough paranormal to allow the story to flow easily and keep you fully engaged. I can’t wait to see where book two takes us!
I received this as an ARC for free. I am voluntarily leaving this review.
September 15, 2026
PROTECT NEVAN AT ALL COST 😩!!!!!!!!
i CANNOT!!!!
blake black always comes up with the most unique storylines ever that really has me wondering HOW HER MIND WORKS!!! like honestly it’s insane in the best ways
in this book we follow lennon, who is trying to reconnect with her estranged best friend … who’s been in a coma for 12 years. we see a lot of lucid dreaming, meet a lot of hot men, and learn about the dreamscapes of blake’s world.
i definitely have the biggest soft spot for naven i literally cannot help but love him. ridge and paul are amazing as well but i fear he literally took a hold of my heart and i neeeed to see how they’re going to pan out!!!
also the moments of grief that come through HURT HOLLLLLY FFUUUUU —
as always this was a hit, i can’t wait (but also terrified) to see how this pans out!!
i CANNOT!!!!
blake black always comes up with the most unique storylines ever that really has me wondering HOW HER MIND WORKS!!! like honestly it’s insane in the best ways
in this book we follow lennon, who is trying to reconnect with her estranged best friend … who’s been in a coma for 12 years. we see a lot of lucid dreaming, meet a lot of hot men, and learn about the dreamscapes of blake’s world.
i definitely have the biggest soft spot for naven i literally cannot help but love him. ridge and paul are amazing as well but i fear he literally took a hold of my heart and i neeeed to see how they’re going to pan out!!!
also the moments of grief that come through HURT HOLLLLLY FFUUUUU —
as always this was a hit, i can’t wait (but also terrified) to see how this pans out!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
wow!!! just wow! this book was incredible, the whole concept of lucid dreaming, sharing dreamscapes, etc was so good! all the characters were fun, and different and loved getting to know them and all their trauma. i loved the soulful seas duet but this duet (so far) is definitely one of my top books now! so glad i got to ARC read it and can not believe i have to wait for part 2 now! this book was phenomenal! so ready to see what happens in part 2, how they save them, what happens next, are they all gonna lucid dream??! could not put this down, honestly have no idea what to read next because i’m stuck on how great this was and feel i’m gonna be so disappointed till I find out what happens next and how it’s gonna end! if you like why choose/rh, this is a MUST read.
September 9, 2026
Review of advance copy received by author
HUGE Thank you to Blake Black for the opportunity to ARC read this one! Ever since I read the Soulful Seas duet by Blake, I have been hooked. This one is no different!! I cannot wait to read part two for this duet!
The romance in this one did take a little longer than I would have liked overall, but I just know we are going to have more to come in part two! One thing I love about Blake’s writing is that our main characters are all going through their own troubles or struggles, but slowly throughout the book you start to see friendships and relationships build that form support systems for each other them! And I just knew we would have a cliffhanger. Cannot wait to see what comes next for our main characters!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
HUGE Thank you to Blake Black for the opportunity to ARC read this one! Ever since I read the Soulful Seas duet by Blake, I have been hooked. This one is no different!! I cannot wait to read part two for this duet!
The romance in this one did take a little longer than I would have liked overall, but I just know we are going to have more to come in part two! One thing I love about Blake’s writing is that our main characters are all going through their own troubles or struggles, but slowly throughout the book you start to see friendships and relationships build that form support systems for each other them! And I just knew we would have a cliffhanger. Cannot wait to see what comes next for our main characters!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 9, 2026
Another banger from blake! 👏
In Somnis was unlike any other book I've read before. Blake has a way writing characters and worlds that feel incredibly real and invigoratingly unique all at the same time. Lennon goes through a lot in this book and i dont think I've ever felt more seen or connected to a character in my life then her. After recent loss and navigating a less than stellar relationship she decides to leave and visit her friend Tessa whose been in a coma like state for years. Que Lennon meeting some very handsome men and learning about lucid dreaming the wonders and dangers of it all.
This book feels so real that the hint of paranormal is believable. I cannot wait to see how things wrap up in Ex Somnis!
Book: 5/5 ⭐️
Spice: 2/5 🌶
In Somnis was unlike any other book I've read before. Blake has a way writing characters and worlds that feel incredibly real and invigoratingly unique all at the same time. Lennon goes through a lot in this book and i dont think I've ever felt more seen or connected to a character in my life then her. After recent loss and navigating a less than stellar relationship she decides to leave and visit her friend Tessa whose been in a coma like state for years. Que Lennon meeting some very handsome men and learning about lucid dreaming the wonders and dangers of it all.
This book feels so real that the hint of paranormal is believable. I cannot wait to see how things wrap up in Ex Somnis!
Book: 5/5 ⭐️
Spice: 2/5 🌶
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