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Make Me Dream
Aria
I’ve been trapped by a mad man, isolated from my family who I haven't spoken to in over a year. Now, they're my only chance at salvation. What I thought was happily ever after with one of the most powerful men in the country, turned into a nightmare more terrifying than I could ever imagine. My only way out is to snitch to the FBI, but I know he'll hunt for my silence, stopping at nothing to make sure I'm six feet under for betraying him. To make matters impossibly worse, I'm pregnant...with his baby.
It won’t matter that I'm hidden behind the shield of the FBI. I'm on borrowed time, so I shouldn't want to fall in bed with the sexy veterinarian who lives two doors down on my family's farm. The temptation to start a no-strings attachment with the hot, single dad who doesn't do commitment shouldn't be so irresistible, but my heart doesn't seem to care that our attachment could get us both killed.
Derek
The prodigal daughter returns to Sage Creek after over a year of silence. I don’t need her brand of drama lurking around. Especially when I'm fighting for sole custody of my daughter. But when my brother from the Marines becomes her witness protection, I’m forced to help keep Aria safe.
Her past is messy, and it most certainly gives me a headache I wasn’t asking for. I don’t do promises and forevers, especially not to a woman carrying another man's baby. So why am I considering giving everything and more to Aria McKenzie when she strolls back into the barns of Sage Creek with a black eye, battered, broken, and scared of her own shadow? She says loving her will get us killed. I'd like to see him try...
I’ve been trapped by a mad man, isolated from my family who I haven't spoken to in over a year. Now, they're my only chance at salvation. What I thought was happily ever after with one of the most powerful men in the country, turned into a nightmare more terrifying than I could ever imagine. My only way out is to snitch to the FBI, but I know he'll hunt for my silence, stopping at nothing to make sure I'm six feet under for betraying him. To make matters impossibly worse, I'm pregnant...with his baby.
It won’t matter that I'm hidden behind the shield of the FBI. I'm on borrowed time, so I shouldn't want to fall in bed with the sexy veterinarian who lives two doors down on my family's farm. The temptation to start a no-strings attachment with the hot, single dad who doesn't do commitment shouldn't be so irresistible, but my heart doesn't seem to care that our attachment could get us both killed.
Derek
The prodigal daughter returns to Sage Creek after over a year of silence. I don’t need her brand of drama lurking around. Especially when I'm fighting for sole custody of my daughter. But when my brother from the Marines becomes her witness protection, I’m forced to help keep Aria safe.
Her past is messy, and it most certainly gives me a headache I wasn’t asking for. I don’t do promises and forevers, especially not to a woman carrying another man's baby. So why am I considering giving everything and more to Aria McKenzie when she strolls back into the barns of Sage Creek with a black eye, battered, broken, and scared of her own shadow? She says loving her will get us killed. I'd like to see him try...
398 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 13, 2022
93 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
June 5, 2022
Make Me Dream is an emotional and sometimes dark story about finding love when you least expect it. Aria is an incredibly believable badass heroine. Her journey of healing after severe trauma was beautiful. She starts out thinking she’s on her own, but soon learns how wrong she is.
Derek is a former Navy corpsman and a current philandering a**hole. As a single dad, he relies on his relationship with his daughter and his military brothers. Once he sees past Aria’s hardened exterior to the woman crying out for help, his life flips upside down in his need to show her how strong she really is.
When these two finally give in to their intense and unprecedented connection, the steam and passion is off the charts. Aria and Derek bring out the best in each other, and I finished with a major book hangover, feeling like I had to say goodbye to friends.
I’m personally not a fan of the surprise pregnancy trope, but this was very different and had me tearing up. It added a surprisingly sweet element to the story that made it that much more impactful.
Dillon Bancroft did an amazing job of sharing a difficult and painful story that ends in love and happiness. There is life after trauma, and so much love if you know where to look!
I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. Dibs on Olson!!
I received an advanced reader copy and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Derek is a former Navy corpsman and a current philandering a**hole. As a single dad, he relies on his relationship with his daughter and his military brothers. Once he sees past Aria’s hardened exterior to the woman crying out for help, his life flips upside down in his need to show her how strong she really is.
When these two finally give in to their intense and unprecedented connection, the steam and passion is off the charts. Aria and Derek bring out the best in each other, and I finished with a major book hangover, feeling like I had to say goodbye to friends.
I’m personally not a fan of the surprise pregnancy trope, but this was very different and had me tearing up. It added a surprisingly sweet element to the story that made it that much more impactful.
Dillon Bancroft did an amazing job of sharing a difficult and painful story that ends in love and happiness. There is life after trauma, and so much love if you know where to look!
I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. Dibs on Olson!!
I received an advanced reader copy and am voluntarily leaving my review.
January 19, 2022
The first and most important thing that you should know about this book before even considering reading it is that it comes with a ton of content warnings. I didn't see any listed in the GR blurb or in my review copy, but I understand that is not a finished draft and these warnings may be added later. This book deals with a lot of heavy issues - domestic violence, physical, verbal, psychological, and sexual abuse, trauma, PTSD, unplanned pregnancy, kidnapping, torture, children in jeopardy, suicidal ideation, and probably more I can't remember at the moment. I say this not to discourage anyone from reading it, I just believe that when a story is this heavy, the reader should be made aware of what they are getting themselves into.
That being said, I believe that the author handled all of the above issues with insight and sensitivity. Our lead characters, Aria and Derek, are well-developed and likeable despite their flaws. Aria has fled an abusive relationship and has returned to her rural hometown to stay on her parents' farm. Derek is a single dad to an adorable and precocious ten-year-old and works as a vet in town and helps with the animals on the farm. Aria is understandably slow to trust anyone, especially another man, while Derek feels like, since his divorce, he's done with relationships for good.
In addition to the developing connection between Aria and Derek, this story focuses on the pursuit of Aria's abusive and elusive ex and the attempts to bring him to justice. Aria has a whole team of men protecting her, including the FBI agent who helped her escape her penthouse prison and the team of Derek's Marine Corps brothers. These men are sweet and funny and broody and fiercely protective, and I hope that they all get their own books.
For the most part, I enjoyed this book. However, I did have some problems with the story structure. Mostly I felt like we were dropped into this setting with no context. The author doesn't give us a solid background of the group of "brothers" that Derek is a part of, we just know that they are all former Marines and that they take out bad guys when needed. We don't even have a timeline to connect the opening scene with the remainder of the story. How long ago did that raid take place? We also are told that Aria is shunned by most of the community, and we're given hints that it's because of some behavior in her past that I guess was considered slutty? But we never find out exactly why everyone in town looks down on her. It feels like maybe there's an earlier book that would have given us all of this background, but this is the first book in the series, so I don't know.
But if you are looking for an emotional read and can handle the content, this book might be worth a try. Aria is a strong and resilient woman. I try to put myself in her shoes and can't imagine having to make the kinds of decisions she does. Like, do I keep this baby who was a product of sexual abuse? Can I care for this child knowing that the "evil" of the father could be lurking there? Can I stand having a constant reminder of that traumatic part of my life in front of me every single day? Or when she's considering returning to her abuser to keep the other people she loves safe from him and his violence. That was heavy stuff, and I can't imagine being put in that situation. So thank you, Dillon Bancroft, for giving us this beautiful, flawed woman who forces us to confront the question: how far am I willing to go to protect those I love?
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Thank you to the author and to Romance Me With Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
That being said, I believe that the author handled all of the above issues with insight and sensitivity. Our lead characters, Aria and Derek, are well-developed and likeable despite their flaws. Aria has fled an abusive relationship and has returned to her rural hometown to stay on her parents' farm. Derek is a single dad to an adorable and precocious ten-year-old and works as a vet in town and helps with the animals on the farm. Aria is understandably slow to trust anyone, especially another man, while Derek feels like, since his divorce, he's done with relationships for good.
In addition to the developing connection between Aria and Derek, this story focuses on the pursuit of Aria's abusive and elusive ex and the attempts to bring him to justice. Aria has a whole team of men protecting her, including the FBI agent who helped her escape her penthouse prison and the team of Derek's Marine Corps brothers. These men are sweet and funny and broody and fiercely protective, and I hope that they all get their own books.
For the most part, I enjoyed this book. However, I did have some problems with the story structure. Mostly I felt like we were dropped into this setting with no context. The author doesn't give us a solid background of the group of "brothers" that Derek is a part of, we just know that they are all former Marines and that they take out bad guys when needed. We don't even have a timeline to connect the opening scene with the remainder of the story. How long ago did that raid take place? We also are told that Aria is shunned by most of the community, and we're given hints that it's because of some behavior in her past that I guess was considered slutty? But we never find out exactly why everyone in town looks down on her. It feels like maybe there's an earlier book that would have given us all of this background, but this is the first book in the series, so I don't know.
But if you are looking for an emotional read and can handle the content, this book might be worth a try. Aria is a strong and resilient woman. I try to put myself in her shoes and can't imagine having to make the kinds of decisions she does. Like, do I keep this baby who was a product of sexual abuse? Can I care for this child knowing that the "evil" of the father could be lurking there? Can I stand having a constant reminder of that traumatic part of my life in front of me every single day? Or when she's considering returning to her abuser to keep the other people she loves safe from him and his violence. That was heavy stuff, and I can't imagine being put in that situation. So thank you, Dillon Bancroft, for giving us this beautiful, flawed woman who forces us to confront the question: how far am I willing to go to protect those I love?
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Thank you to the author and to Romance Me With Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2022
I received an arc of the next book in this series, when i realized that it was a series, i had to read this one first, im glad i did. I loved all the characters except one who i literally wanted to reach threw the pages and slap her lol. I love how dillon wrote a character who loves to read into this book...
January 19, 2022
Wow....just wow! Make Me Dream by Dillon Bancroft is my first read of the author and will not be my last. Bancroft pens a powerful story of a woman who escapes from a serious toxic, multi-abusive relationship. Aria is one of those people that feels she is a screw up in life. The reality is she possess inner strength the likes of which most of us cannot fathom. The hits just seem to keep coming in this page turner. Sparks start to fly when Derek, a jaded, grumpy single dad with a military background makes Aria's acquaintance. As the walls start coming down for them both, the healing begins.
I can't wait to see what the author has in store for Derek's military brothers in future.
I can't wait to see what the author has in store for Derek's military brothers in future.
December 11, 2023
The plot had promise but the writing kept taking me out of the story like overuse of the word “boobs” and her constant self deprecation and (TW) suicidal type thoughts. She felt worthless and like she didn’t want to plan for her life after the baby because she didn’t think she’d make it that far and instead of feeling for her, it was frustrating.
October 31, 2023
⚠️CHECK TRIGGERS⚠️
I absolutely love this book. It's an emotional read. I cried while reading it. I stayed up all night to finish it because I NEEDED to know what happens. Before reading please read the TWs.
One of my favorite quotes:
“Our hearts know each other, Aria McKenzie. I don’t know how I know that, or how to explain it, but deep down, I think you know we are supposed to know each other.”
Aria has suffered trauma from someone she thought she could trust and love. She goes home and meets Derek. They are both attracted to the other but neither one wants anything serious.
Derek doesn't want anything serious. The only girl important in his life is his daughter. Until that changes
Can Derek help her heal?
I absolutely love this book. It's an emotional read. I cried while reading it. I stayed up all night to finish it because I NEEDED to know what happens. Before reading please read the TWs.
One of my favorite quotes:
“Our hearts know each other, Aria McKenzie. I don’t know how I know that, or how to explain it, but deep down, I think you know we are supposed to know each other.”
Aria has suffered trauma from someone she thought she could trust and love. She goes home and meets Derek. They are both attracted to the other but neither one wants anything serious.
Derek doesn't want anything serious. The only girl important in his life is his daughter. Until that changes
Can Derek help her heal?
July 10, 2023
Make Me Dream by Dillon Bancroft is an emotional journey that some readers will find quite confronting. I know in parts I certainly did. But Aria, our leading lady, caught my attention early on and just drew me right in.
Aria’s life in recent years has been anything but easy. She has been in an abusive relationship (this feels like it’s not a strong enough description) and she has now returned to the family home to try to start over. Not an easy task. Especially considering that she’s pregnant with her ex’s baby.
In comes Derek, the local vet, a dad & committed bachelor. With quite a reputation around town.
Neither of them wants a relationship and they’re very vocal with each other about this. But no strings? Perfect! Or so they think.
There’s no getting around the fact that the topics issues covered in Make Me Dream are heavy. But at all times, I thought that Dillon Bancroft handled it all sensitively and appropriately. In many places it was uncomfortable to read, but for me that was because it felt so real.
There are almost two separate stories going on side by side. Aria and Derek on one side, and Aria’s battle with her ex on the other. One is the story of a budding romance. The other is the story of a woman attempting to navigate her way through recovery from a very violent relationship, while not yet being totally free of her past.
I can’t say that I loved this book from start to finish. I thought the first half dragged on a bit, although I was invested enough in Aria’s story to always want to keep persisting.
But once I got to about the half way mark, the pace really picked up and the story really kicked in for me. With the added bonus of some serious tension and drama to make it really suck you in.
I’ve given Make Me A dream 5 hatchets for violence, not for any one thing, but rather for a whole lot of little reasons. The reflections upon past acts of violence are all through this book. And while the descriptions are often short, they come frequently and can be startling in their frank brutality.
On the other hand I’ve only given it 3 hearts? 💕 for romance, as it really was quite slow to get started in this department. It’s more like a 1 in the first half and 4 in the second, so I’ve settled somewhere in the middle.
Make Me Dream wasn’t an easy read, but there was more than enough here to make me glad that I persisted.
Thank you to Dillon Bancroft and Romance Me With Books for my copy of the book.
Aria’s life in recent years has been anything but easy. She has been in an abusive relationship (this feels like it’s not a strong enough description) and she has now returned to the family home to try to start over. Not an easy task. Especially considering that she’s pregnant with her ex’s baby.
In comes Derek, the local vet, a dad & committed bachelor. With quite a reputation around town.
Neither of them wants a relationship and they’re very vocal with each other about this. But no strings? Perfect! Or so they think.
There’s no getting around the fact that the topics issues covered in Make Me Dream are heavy. But at all times, I thought that Dillon Bancroft handled it all sensitively and appropriately. In many places it was uncomfortable to read, but for me that was because it felt so real.
There are almost two separate stories going on side by side. Aria and Derek on one side, and Aria’s battle with her ex on the other. One is the story of a budding romance. The other is the story of a woman attempting to navigate her way through recovery from a very violent relationship, while not yet being totally free of her past.
I can’t say that I loved this book from start to finish. I thought the first half dragged on a bit, although I was invested enough in Aria’s story to always want to keep persisting.
But once I got to about the half way mark, the pace really picked up and the story really kicked in for me. With the added bonus of some serious tension and drama to make it really suck you in.
I’ve given Make Me A dream 5 hatchets for violence, not for any one thing, but rather for a whole lot of little reasons. The reflections upon past acts of violence are all through this book. And while the descriptions are often short, they come frequently and can be startling in their frank brutality.
On the other hand I’ve only given it 3 hearts? 💕 for romance, as it really was quite slow to get started in this department. It’s more like a 1 in the first half and 4 in the second, so I’ve settled somewhere in the middle.
Make Me Dream wasn’t an easy read, but there was more than enough here to make me glad that I persisted.
Thank you to Dillon Bancroft and Romance Me With Books for my copy of the book.
April 3, 2022
beautiful story
it took me a while to read this. Not because it was hard to read but because I could tell it would be an important story and I wanted to give it the time it deserves.
I'll review more later.
it took me a while to read this. Not because it was hard to read but because I could tell it would be an important story and I wanted to give it the time it deserves.
I'll review more later.
January 22, 2022
This book is NOT for everyone, and that is okay, we all have our limits, but in my opinion, it’s an incredibly important work that this author did here. This book is an example of one of the major roles of romance books, telling the world about the realities so many women go through. The amount of knowledge and life lessons, empathy lessons, and eye-opening moments that this book has is outstanding.
My Rate: 5/5
From the very first paragraph, this book hooked me. It has very heavy and insightful moments, that are balanced by moments full of action and thrill. This is the type of book I love, the ones that dive deep into heavy and difficult subjects, show us things we would never see. This is the type of book I’m more than proud of saying I read and I believe these types of books are necessary to report the reality and the horrific things women, all over the world, go through every single day. I loved the writing that kept me hooked until the very last moment, I love the balance between insightful, thrilling, sweet, hopeful and, to be honest, shocking moments. This is an author that I will definitely read more from.
Feminist rate: 5/5
And if there was a 6 I would give it. This is the type of book we need more of. It treats several heavy and important topics, shows us the inside workings of the mind of someone who was tortured by the person who was supposed to take care of them, shows that the torture doesn’t end when they leave their abuser, shows the deep scars, not only physical but mental and emotional that these women will have for the rest of their lives, shows how real and healthy relationships work, showed the difficult choice of maintaining or not, not only an unplanned pregnancy but a traumatizing one. There is so much here and I loved every second. I have a special place in my heart for books that show the healing of abuse survivors. There is nothing more gratifying than seeing someone survive, heal, learn to love again, trust again, and build their life, stronger than ever. It only serves to show the strength of these people.
Recommend this to People who have no triggers, because this is a heavy read. I recommend this book to anyone who cares about women, anyone who wants to understand this issue better, understand the signs, the things we can do, and also understand them and just a small fraction of everything they went through.
Thank you, Dillon and RMWB Tours for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
If you want to read my entire review, this is my blog post about it: https://anaennoir.com/2022/01/21/make...
My Rate: 5/5
From the very first paragraph, this book hooked me. It has very heavy and insightful moments, that are balanced by moments full of action and thrill. This is the type of book I love, the ones that dive deep into heavy and difficult subjects, show us things we would never see. This is the type of book I’m more than proud of saying I read and I believe these types of books are necessary to report the reality and the horrific things women, all over the world, go through every single day. I loved the writing that kept me hooked until the very last moment, I love the balance between insightful, thrilling, sweet, hopeful and, to be honest, shocking moments. This is an author that I will definitely read more from.
Feminist rate: 5/5
And if there was a 6 I would give it. This is the type of book we need more of. It treats several heavy and important topics, shows us the inside workings of the mind of someone who was tortured by the person who was supposed to take care of them, shows that the torture doesn’t end when they leave their abuser, shows the deep scars, not only physical but mental and emotional that these women will have for the rest of their lives, shows how real and healthy relationships work, showed the difficult choice of maintaining or not, not only an unplanned pregnancy but a traumatizing one. There is so much here and I loved every second. I have a special place in my heart for books that show the healing of abuse survivors. There is nothing more gratifying than seeing someone survive, heal, learn to love again, trust again, and build their life, stronger than ever. It only serves to show the strength of these people.
Recommend this to People who have no triggers, because this is a heavy read. I recommend this book to anyone who cares about women, anyone who wants to understand this issue better, understand the signs, the things we can do, and also understand them and just a small fraction of everything they went through.
Thank you, Dillon and RMWB Tours for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
If you want to read my entire review, this is my blog post about it: https://anaennoir.com/2022/01/21/make...
January 19, 2022
Dillon made me dream... about Derek!
**I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.**
Before I start this review, I want to tell you that there are triggers and thank you Dillon for making this known multiple times before I even got to the start of the prologue.
Aria is what I would categorize as the stereotypical "blind to love." She was young and fell for her boss, and refused to acknowledge that he was abusing her (controlling her).
Derek is former military medic, but now is the Sage Creek vet. He also has a dark side gig with... Aria's dad! *gasp* Oh! And did I mention he's a single dad *heart eyes* (I'm a puddle on the floor already!)
Aria works with the FBI to get her boyfriend, Charlie Dodge, and his dad caught for all the illegal activity. An added benefit is that Charlie will no longer be able to hurt Aria. But then he escapes his house arrest and goes missing.
In a turn of events (and a trigger warning) Aria is found to be pregnant when she goes to her first doctor appointment in two years.
*Dillon did a great job showing the struggles of Aria and her family and the coming to a decision and then accepting that decision regarding the pregnancy.*
Aria spends the entire story looking over her shoulder, worried that Charlie will come to kill her and take her - their - child away from her. Because of her paranoia, she tries very hard to resist her attraction to the family vet. Eventually (and did we think it was ever not going to happen) Aria and Derek give in to the attraction and start a no strings attached agreement. And of course, lust turns to love.
**In the version I read, there were some typos and punctuation issues. These did not affect my rating. My 4 stars are solely based on how I felt about the story/plot, the characters and the pacing.
**I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.**
Before I start this review, I want to tell you that there are triggers and thank you Dillon for making this known multiple times before I even got to the start of the prologue.
Aria is what I would categorize as the stereotypical "blind to love." She was young and fell for her boss, and refused to acknowledge that he was abusing her (controlling her).
Derek is former military medic, but now is the Sage Creek vet. He also has a dark side gig with... Aria's dad! *gasp* Oh! And did I mention he's a single dad *heart eyes* (I'm a puddle on the floor already!)
Aria works with the FBI to get her boyfriend, Charlie Dodge, and his dad caught for all the illegal activity. An added benefit is that Charlie will no longer be able to hurt Aria. But then he escapes his house arrest and goes missing.
In a turn of events (and a trigger warning) Aria is found to be pregnant when she goes to her first doctor appointment in two years.
*Dillon did a great job showing the struggles of Aria and her family and the coming to a decision and then accepting that decision regarding the pregnancy.*
Aria spends the entire story looking over her shoulder, worried that Charlie will come to kill her and take her - their - child away from her. Because of her paranoia, she tries very hard to resist her attraction to the family vet. Eventually (and did we think it was ever not going to happen) Aria and Derek give in to the attraction and start a no strings attached agreement. And of course, lust turns to love.
**In the version I read, there were some typos and punctuation issues. These did not affect my rating. My 4 stars are solely based on how I felt about the story/plot, the characters and the pacing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2022
* I received my copy of Make Me Dream by Dillon Bancroft from RMW Books, but all opinions are my own and are in no way impacted by this.
Trigger Warnings: Sexual Assault, Abuse, Assault, Death, Murder, Torture, Kidnapping
There is initially explicit and possibly triggering content. I don’t think the information was handled badly, just that it can be a lot at the start to digest and then throughout. I highly recommend readers keep the trigger warnings in mind when reading. Make Me Dream definitely discusses heavier topics within its pages which is something to be aware of for those going in with limited information.
Make Me Dream features bite-size chapters that are easy to digest at once. I think short chapters can be either well done or repressive to the story being told. In this case, the alternating povs and micro-shot chapters created a reading environment that felt natural as you flip through each page.
I love a good non-traditional ‘traditional’ romance. The kind that contains many of the the most common themes of the genre with a few pleasantly surprising elements or pushbacks against stereotypes outside what we’ve come to expect. I prefer when a book takes the best of a genre and runs with it while mixing things up.
Where the book shines is in its portrayal of romance at a crossroads of healing. The journey of mending oneself is well documented and consistent throughout the book. It was a storyline that developed organically with the guidance of the author. There was never a bump in the road in how this was portrayed and instead had the consistency of fine silk as the reader unravels the plot with each chapter.
Make Me Dream is certainly a book I enjoyed that will keep my eyes looking forward to the rest of the series. It’s a powerful opening for the rest of the books to follow.
Trigger Warnings: Sexual Assault, Abuse, Assault, Death, Murder, Torture, Kidnapping
There is initially explicit and possibly triggering content. I don’t think the information was handled badly, just that it can be a lot at the start to digest and then throughout. I highly recommend readers keep the trigger warnings in mind when reading. Make Me Dream definitely discusses heavier topics within its pages which is something to be aware of for those going in with limited information.
Make Me Dream features bite-size chapters that are easy to digest at once. I think short chapters can be either well done or repressive to the story being told. In this case, the alternating povs and micro-shot chapters created a reading environment that felt natural as you flip through each page.
I love a good non-traditional ‘traditional’ romance. The kind that contains many of the the most common themes of the genre with a few pleasantly surprising elements or pushbacks against stereotypes outside what we’ve come to expect. I prefer when a book takes the best of a genre and runs with it while mixing things up.
Where the book shines is in its portrayal of romance at a crossroads of healing. The journey of mending oneself is well documented and consistent throughout the book. It was a storyline that developed organically with the guidance of the author. There was never a bump in the road in how this was portrayed and instead had the consistency of fine silk as the reader unravels the plot with each chapter.
Make Me Dream is certainly a book I enjoyed that will keep my eyes looking forward to the rest of the series. It’s a powerful opening for the rest of the books to follow.
January 21, 2022
Make Me Dream by Dillon Bancroft is the first book of the author that I’ve read. Bancroft pens a powerful story of a woman who escapes from a serious toxic, multi-abusive relationship. I should start by mentioning this book has a major triggers on domestic abuse, physical, verbal, psychological, and sexual abuse, trauma, PTSD, unplanned pregnancy, kidnapping, torture, children in jeopardy, suicide . This is not to discourage anyone from reading it but to know the story is this heavy, the reader should be made aware of what they are getting themselves into. This book is about justice and healing from an abusive relationship. It is the raw story of Aria. The young woman finds the strength to leave her abuser and moves back home to her parents' horse farm, broken and beaten. She’s trying to adjust to a new life while nightmares invade her mind. The last thing she wanted was to end up with something from him. A baby! Derek is a playboy, single dad, working a secret side job for an infamous vigilante group.
It’s an interesting and intriguing read that keeps the pages turning, From the beginning, the story draws you in. It’s a slow burn romance but the intense passion between the two main characters is super hot, even though it’s supposed to be ‘no strings attached’!
The world built by the author is an interesting one with lots of fantastic supporting characters, many of whom you hope will return with their own stories.
This book is quite dark in comparison to others in what I would call the romance genre and so it takes a little bit of reading at times.
Thank you to the author and to Romance Me With Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
It’s an interesting and intriguing read that keeps the pages turning, From the beginning, the story draws you in. It’s a slow burn romance but the intense passion between the two main characters is super hot, even though it’s supposed to be ‘no strings attached’!
The world built by the author is an interesting one with lots of fantastic supporting characters, many of whom you hope will return with their own stories.
This book is quite dark in comparison to others in what I would call the romance genre and so it takes a little bit of reading at times.
Thank you to the author and to Romance Me With Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
January 8, 2022
A bit heavy and should come with a warning:
I found this book a bit sad and melancholic and whilst it matched how Aria was feeling, I had hoped for a bit more hope and light to counteract all of the dark. It may be triggering for some people as it deals with domestic violence and abuse. I found it quite hard to read given the heavy subject matter but I was determined to keep going as I really wanted to see Aria find healing and happiness. I was also rooting for Derek as he too had some personal difficulties to work through.
The way background information was presented was a little confusing at times. It was almost as if the reader was expected to already know some of these details however this was the first book in the series and so instead it felt like I was having to play catch up. It seemed a bit long and drawn out to me and I think it would have been more suspenseful had it had of been more fast paced. I was rather disappointed that not all of the threads were tied up nor fully explained at the end and it is unclear whether more will be explained in upcoming books. It was still a fairly enjoyable book and the intense emotional journey that Aria goes through may be appealing to some readers.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I found this book a bit sad and melancholic and whilst it matched how Aria was feeling, I had hoped for a bit more hope and light to counteract all of the dark. It may be triggering for some people as it deals with domestic violence and abuse. I found it quite hard to read given the heavy subject matter but I was determined to keep going as I really wanted to see Aria find healing and happiness. I was also rooting for Derek as he too had some personal difficulties to work through.
The way background information was presented was a little confusing at times. It was almost as if the reader was expected to already know some of these details however this was the first book in the series and so instead it felt like I was having to play catch up. It seemed a bit long and drawn out to me and I think it would have been more suspenseful had it had of been more fast paced. I was rather disappointed that not all of the threads were tied up nor fully explained at the end and it is unclear whether more will be explained in upcoming books. It was still a fairly enjoyable book and the intense emotional journey that Aria goes through may be appealing to some readers.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 21, 2022
🛌 I looked at the cover in one hand and read the prologue in the other…..not at all what I saw coming! And it opens with a BANG 💥 I would caution anyone with any triggers to check out the warnings before reading this book. Bancroft does an excellent job writing about the sensitive subject matters, so please do not let this stop you from reading this great book!
🛌 The story revolves around Aria escaping her abusive relationship and returning to her hometown. She is being protected from her abuser and his powerful family. Her family’s vet, Derek, becomes her most important protector as they fall in love amidst the struggles.
🛌 Derek’s daughter, Zoey, becomes an integral part of the story, and I adored her character. However, let me tell you…..nails on a chalkboard in words….oh Zoey, my dear girl.…why oh why must you do it every time you put down your book….dear child may someone show you the horrors of your dogearring ways and give you a bookmark….please oh please 🙏🏻
🛌 One small thing that did bother me was how often words like giggled and snickered are used. At times, the words just don’t feel right in the situation at hand.
🛌 As the story began to come to a close, I kept thinking…….where oh where could Charlie be hiding? Who the hell knows……WAIT WHAT THE HOLY HELL….there is NO way 🤯 Is everyone capable of dealing with the devil in certain situations?
🛌 Yes! 🙌🏼 Through the whole book, I hoped and prayed Aria would get to close out her nightmare, and thank the good Lord, she does!
And it ends with all of the feels 🥰
What a fantastic read - so much suspense and love intertwined throughout. Bancroft has crafted a must-read novel!
Thank you to Romance Me with Books and Dillon Bancroft for this #Gifted ecopy I’m exchange for my honest review.
🛌 The story revolves around Aria escaping her abusive relationship and returning to her hometown. She is being protected from her abuser and his powerful family. Her family’s vet, Derek, becomes her most important protector as they fall in love amidst the struggles.
🛌 Derek’s daughter, Zoey, becomes an integral part of the story, and I adored her character. However, let me tell you…..nails on a chalkboard in words….oh Zoey, my dear girl.…why oh why must you do it every time you put down your book….dear child may someone show you the horrors of your dogearring ways and give you a bookmark….please oh please 🙏🏻
🛌 One small thing that did bother me was how often words like giggled and snickered are used. At times, the words just don’t feel right in the situation at hand.
🛌 As the story began to come to a close, I kept thinking…….where oh where could Charlie be hiding? Who the hell knows……WAIT WHAT THE HOLY HELL….there is NO way 🤯 Is everyone capable of dealing with the devil in certain situations?
🛌 Yes! 🙌🏼 Through the whole book, I hoped and prayed Aria would get to close out her nightmare, and thank the good Lord, she does!
And it ends with all of the feels 🥰
What a fantastic read - so much suspense and love intertwined throughout. Bancroft has crafted a must-read novel!
Thank you to Romance Me with Books and Dillon Bancroft for this #Gifted ecopy I’m exchange for my honest review.
January 19, 2022
Wow. Just wow.
First I should start by this book has a major trigger on domestic abuse, physical and emotional.
This book is about justice and healing from an abusive relationship. It is the raw story of Aria. The young woman finds the strength to leave her abuser and moves back home to her parents' horse farm, broken and beaten.
There she meets Derek. Ex-military, and the family's vet. He finds himself falling for Aria and helps her heal in the most beautiful way.
I should also mention her abuser has money and many people in his pocket. Leaving him is very dangerous for Aria.
There is a lot of darkness in this book. Flashbacks, Aria's struggle to remember the girl she was before, finding forgiveness in herself and with her family.
I cried so much during this book. I can't begin to imagine the pain and strength it took to even write this book. If you have followed me for a while, I have mentioned my past relationship that was emotionally abusive and did become physically a few times. My abuse was nowhere near Aria's and so many other women but I LOVED how this was told. I don't know if I could have stomached it 15 years ago so if you are sensitive to abuse this might not be the book for you but I would love for everyone to read how Aria heals. 💙
This book also had me laughing and grinning like a fool. Seriously, all the emotions. This book is the first in the Sage Creek Series and I can't wait for the next
Thank you @rmwbooks & @authordillonbancroft for my copy in exchange for an honest review!
First I should start by this book has a major trigger on domestic abuse, physical and emotional.
This book is about justice and healing from an abusive relationship. It is the raw story of Aria. The young woman finds the strength to leave her abuser and moves back home to her parents' horse farm, broken and beaten.
There she meets Derek. Ex-military, and the family's vet. He finds himself falling for Aria and helps her heal in the most beautiful way.
I should also mention her abuser has money and many people in his pocket. Leaving him is very dangerous for Aria.
There is a lot of darkness in this book. Flashbacks, Aria's struggle to remember the girl she was before, finding forgiveness in herself and with her family.
I cried so much during this book. I can't begin to imagine the pain and strength it took to even write this book. If you have followed me for a while, I have mentioned my past relationship that was emotionally abusive and did become physically a few times. My abuse was nowhere near Aria's and so many other women but I LOVED how this was told. I don't know if I could have stomached it 15 years ago so if you are sensitive to abuse this might not be the book for you but I would love for everyone to read how Aria heals. 💙
This book also had me laughing and grinning like a fool. Seriously, all the emotions. This book is the first in the Sage Creek Series and I can't wait for the next
Thank you @rmwbooks & @authordillonbancroft for my copy in exchange for an honest review!
March 18, 2022
DNF.I think to me this was more of a 2.5 star read . I liked the writing, but I didn’t find any real chemistry or connection between the two MC. It was weird how they fell for each other considering their circumstances. It didn’t make any sense . When he first met her he didn’t find her appearance all that and then 10 chapters later he’s mesmerized and she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. He can’t commit to anyone and yet wants to fully embark on this dangerous and unconventional relationship with this girl and put his daughter in danger ?? What is if that made her appealing. Because her “woe is me” personality sucked . She was cynical, boring, rude, and always so helpless . It was so annoying how long the story draws on and on about her inadequacies and her “daddy” issues.. It was unappealing to read , so I don’t know who would be attracted to that kind of person, but hey … to each their own. I gave up. This was just too long, over the top and the romance was far fetched .
March 9, 2024
WOW. This was intense. I don’t want to give much away but if you’re looking for a *strong* female lead, Aria is it. The amount of trauma this woman goes through is insane, you wouldn’t blame her if she was weak but oh boy. She is not.
Derek is a former marine, veterinarian and my favorite - single dad!
It’s so hard to write this review without giving spoilers. Aria is working with the FBI to help put her (very powerful) abuser behind bars for good he obviously won’t go down easily, without a fight.
These 350 or so pages were packed with emotion, detail and action. I was hooked from the beginning.
I’ll definitely add the rest of the series to my TBR. Book two is about Arias sister Annie (and a secret relationship!) who I loved from the beginning of this book!
Although not your typical dark romance, does have quite a few content warnings that should be reviewed before you pick this up. There are graphic mentions of physical, domestic abuse from the beginning.
As always, your mental health matters.
Derek is a former marine, veterinarian and my favorite - single dad!
It’s so hard to write this review without giving spoilers. Aria is working with the FBI to help put her (very powerful) abuser behind bars for good he obviously won’t go down easily, without a fight.
These 350 or so pages were packed with emotion, detail and action. I was hooked from the beginning.
I’ll definitely add the rest of the series to my TBR. Book two is about Arias sister Annie (and a secret relationship!) who I loved from the beginning of this book!
Although not your typical dark romance, does have quite a few content warnings that should be reviewed before you pick this up. There are graphic mentions of physical, domestic abuse from the beginning.
As always, your mental health matters.
June 12, 2023
The root of this book is so freaking good. It was so good, in fact, that it was the only thing that kept me reading.
Derek plays this middle ground of my kid is the only thing that matters to me. _understandable- I can't do anything serious because I don't want my child to get hurt. -again understandable - and I love you aria you are the only thing that matters. Their relationship went from casual, no feelings, to I can't live without this woman in just a few weeks. How the author handled the trauma of all that aria went through was very tasteful. And I appreciate that, and Zoey was a girl after my own heart. And I love to imagine the books she was reading are some of the authors favorites, which to me adds a layer to the character. All in all, am I going to continue the series, maybe the next book after I knock some of my tbr out of the way. Did I hate it? No. Will I read it again? I'm not sure.
Derek plays this middle ground of my kid is the only thing that matters to me. _understandable- I can't do anything serious because I don't want my child to get hurt. -again understandable - and I love you aria you are the only thing that matters. Their relationship went from casual, no feelings, to I can't live without this woman in just a few weeks. How the author handled the trauma of all that aria went through was very tasteful. And I appreciate that, and Zoey was a girl after my own heart. And I love to imagine the books she was reading are some of the authors favorites, which to me adds a layer to the character. All in all, am I going to continue the series, maybe the next book after I knock some of my tbr out of the way. Did I hate it? No. Will I read it again? I'm not sure.
January 17, 2024
Aria & Derek
This was a well written story of two broken souls who find their missing pieces in each other. What was supposed to be a no-strings-attached arrangement, quickly morphed into more, but they still had plenty of obstacles to overcome in order to make things work.
My biggest critique of this story was the unknown gender of the baby. After finishing the book it occurred to me that Derek & Aria knew the gender of the baby after the amniocentesis appointment, but the reader was never told. Then when the baby was born, they kept referring to it by gender, but again, the reader wasn’t told. I kept waiting for there to be a possible chance of mistaken gender along the way, and it wasn’t until the baby was named that I could finally stop wondering.
Overall it was a good book and I’m glad that I found this author, I will definitely be reading more of her work.
This was a well written story of two broken souls who find their missing pieces in each other. What was supposed to be a no-strings-attached arrangement, quickly morphed into more, but they still had plenty of obstacles to overcome in order to make things work.
My biggest critique of this story was the unknown gender of the baby. After finishing the book it occurred to me that Derek & Aria knew the gender of the baby after the amniocentesis appointment, but the reader was never told. Then when the baby was born, they kept referring to it by gender, but again, the reader wasn’t told. I kept waiting for there to be a possible chance of mistaken gender along the way, and it wasn’t until the baby was named that I could finally stop wondering.
Overall it was a good book and I’m glad that I found this author, I will definitely be reading more of her work.
January 7, 2024
Aria and Derek
I randomly selected this book to read on KU. I chose to go in completely blind, not reading the blurb, with an author I had not heard of before.
This book took me by surprise. It is slightly darker and more suspenseful than you expect from the cover and not reading blurb. I did get a bit confused in the odd spot, but otherwise I really enjoyed the story.
Aria escapes a very abusive relationship and doesn't believe in any compliments or good things said about her, it resonated with me. She lives in fear that Charlie (the abusive ex will 'get' her)
Derek is an ex marine but now a vet and single dad. He's gruff and sworn off marriage. He wasn't expecting Aria to break down his walls.
It's a good story, maybe a tad drawn out waiting for Charlie to re appear.
If you have triggers regarding domestic violence, this book isn't for you.
I randomly selected this book to read on KU. I chose to go in completely blind, not reading the blurb, with an author I had not heard of before.
This book took me by surprise. It is slightly darker and more suspenseful than you expect from the cover and not reading blurb. I did get a bit confused in the odd spot, but otherwise I really enjoyed the story.
Aria escapes a very abusive relationship and doesn't believe in any compliments or good things said about her, it resonated with me. She lives in fear that Charlie (the abusive ex will 'get' her)
Derek is an ex marine but now a vet and single dad. He's gruff and sworn off marriage. He wasn't expecting Aria to break down his walls.
It's a good story, maybe a tad drawn out waiting for Charlie to re appear.
If you have triggers regarding domestic violence, this book isn't for you.
Currently reading
December 19, 2021Add to your TBRs! Make Me Dream is available in 25 days! Preorder is live!
He's a playboy, single dad, working a secret side job for an infamous vigilante group.
She's just escaped an abusive relationship to one of the most powerful men in the country, and working with the FBI to put him away for life.
They're two people who don't have any interest in attachments or feelings.
But what's one night to take the edge off? What's one night wrapped up in someone's arms compared to a lifetime of heartache and disappointment?
The thing about no attachment deals, is that someone always forms one.
And forming an attachment to one of these two, well, you might as well sign their death certificates.
He's a playboy, single dad, working a secret side job for an infamous vigilante group.
She's just escaped an abusive relationship to one of the most powerful men in the country, and working with the FBI to put him away for life.
They're two people who don't have any interest in attachments or feelings.
But what's one night to take the edge off? What's one night wrapped up in someone's arms compared to a lifetime of heartache and disappointment?
The thing about no attachment deals, is that someone always forms one.
And forming an attachment to one of these two, well, you might as well sign their death certificates.
January 18, 2022
This book is quite dark in comparison to others in what I would call the romance genre and so it takes a little bit of reading at times.
An emotional read, the characters are easy to appreciate and you quickly find yourself rooting for them despite all the challenges and barriers in their way.
The world built by the author is an interesting one with lots of fantastic supporting characters, many of whom you hope will return with their own stories.
An enjoyable book, dark turns though with equally overly sweet moments that felt a little like the pendulum had swung too far, the ending was a true hea, well fought for but a little too sweet for my taste.
I would recommend though
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
An emotional read, the characters are easy to appreciate and you quickly find yourself rooting for them despite all the challenges and barriers in their way.
The world built by the author is an interesting one with lots of fantastic supporting characters, many of whom you hope will return with their own stories.
An enjoyable book, dark turns though with equally overly sweet moments that felt a little like the pendulum had swung too far, the ending was a true hea, well fought for but a little too sweet for my taste.
I would recommend though
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 15, 2022
Aria was trapped in a bad situation until the agents took him away, putting her in witness protection and sending her back home to Sage Creek. She’s trying to adjust to a new life while nightmares invade her mind. The last thing she wanted was to end up with something from him. A baby!
So we have a broken pregnant woman and a playboy with a daughter.
The narrative is nice and slow. The character POV’s and diary style story allows the reader to hear the intense thoughts and feelings. The whole thing progresses very slowly and it’s quite long, too. There’s a lot of drama and a love story somewhere in the midst. It’s a fairly nice read.
So we have a broken pregnant woman and a playboy with a daughter.
The narrative is nice and slow. The character POV’s and diary style story allows the reader to hear the intense thoughts and feelings. The whole thing progresses very slowly and it’s quite long, too. There’s a lot of drama and a love story somewhere in the midst. It’s a fairly nice read.
January 26, 2022
Make me Dream by Dillon Bancroft
I went in blindly into their book and to the world this author writes. It was a very different story than what I’m actually used to and oh boy. From the very first paragraph, this book had me completely hooked. It can be a bit heavy for many so just be aware of this. Even thou there is some heavy moments there is also insightful moments and that helps balanced out the story. There are moments full of action and thrill too to keep you interested. It’s a book that needs to truly be added to your tbr list. Highly recommend this to everyone.
I went in blindly into their book and to the world this author writes. It was a very different story than what I’m actually used to and oh boy. From the very first paragraph, this book had me completely hooked. It can be a bit heavy for many so just be aware of this. Even thou there is some heavy moments there is also insightful moments and that helps balanced out the story. There are moments full of action and thrill too to keep you interested. It’s a book that needs to truly be added to your tbr list. Highly recommend this to everyone.
February 2, 2022
This was more emotive than I expected, more detailed as well. A trigger warning is needed, there wasn't one on the arc I read and the blurb only hinted at how many triggers were covered. I liked it and want to read the series but I did find the lack of background frustrating and it felt like it took a long time to read. The characters were good, the plot well paced and dual pov is my preference, so that was good.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 13, 2025
4/4. It was a super cute cheesy romance novel. Derek the playboy jerk of a vet sleeps his way around town never catching feelings for the women, that’s until Aria comes home. Aria returns home with an FBI agent in tow after being beaten nearly to death by her millionaire boyfriend who won’t stop until she’s dead, she then finds out she’s pregnant and her world goes upside down…right into Derek’s arms. They fight their feelings because Derek has a daughter to protect but they can’t help the attraction.
January 16, 2024
Please make sure to read the trigger warnings before reading this story!
The suspense and drama surrounding Aria and Derek was intense from the first page to the last! The suspense waiting for Charles to come and get Aria had me glued to my seat – that and the chemistry between Aria and Derek was crazy! Neither of them wanted any commitments, but never say never.
Good storyline, flowed smoothly, and great characters. Will most definitely continue with the rest of the series.
The suspense and drama surrounding Aria and Derek was intense from the first page to the last! The suspense waiting for Charles to come and get Aria had me glued to my seat – that and the chemistry between Aria and Derek was crazy! Neither of them wanted any commitments, but never say never.
Good storyline, flowed smoothly, and great characters. Will most definitely continue with the rest of the series.
September 20, 2024
So many emotions! Right from page one, it had me gripped. It showed the strength and fear of getting out of a difficult situation, unafraid to voice controversial issues when facing even more difficult decisions. It was definitely a difficult read in parts but the trigger warning were clearly outlined at the start
There were tears, apprehension and suspense, laughs and love. I also loved the extra points of view later in the book
There were tears, apprehension and suspense, laughs and love. I also loved the extra points of view later in the book
January 13, 2022
The book is a good, and enjoyable military romantic suspense read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry. The story is an enjoyable beautiful, emotional, sometimes dark, heartbreaking, and military romance read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 3, 2025
Grabbed this on stuff kindle day for free, loved it!! Sucked me in from the beginning. Debut indie author did an amazing job. Already purchased book 2. Dillon’s books can only get better! Look forward to more.
Lots of characters with nicknames made it a bit harder to follow.
If you are sensitive to triggers, check the warnings first!
Lots of characters with nicknames made it a bit harder to follow.
If you are sensitive to triggers, check the warnings first!
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