Bringing Me Dreams

by K.G. MacGregor

Reeling from her brother's senseless death, Gianna Del Vecchio finds comfort in an online forum from a woman who suffered a similar loss. Theirs is a club no one wants to join--survivors of a loved one's suicide. Photos posted to the forum of the woman's cute therapy dog bring cheer when nothing else can, and Gianna is compelled to reach out to say thanks.
After two years, Keenan McEvoy is still fighting her way back from despair after losing her partner, Annabel. She's surprised when she connects with Gianna, whose kindness and compassion ignite a spark she wasn't sure she'd feel again.

Their fledgling romance is jeopardized by Jaz, Gianna's ex-girlfriend and current best friend, who'll stop at nothing to keep them apart--even threatening to repeat their worst nightmare. How do they conquer their own guilty demons and stop Jaz from laying more blame at their feet?

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, LGBT, Audiobook, Lesbian Fiction

238 pages, Paperback

First published August 18, 2022

About the author

A former teacher and market research consultant, KG MacGregor holds a PhD in journalism and mass communication. Infatuation with Xena: Warrior Princess fanfiction prompted her to try her own hand at storytelling in 2002. In 2005, she signed with Bella Books, which published the Goldie Award finalist Just This Once. Her sixth Bella novel, Out of Love, won the 2007 Lambda Literary Award for Women's Romance, and the 2008 Goldie Award in Lesbian Romance. In 2009, she picked up Goldies for Without Warning (Contemporary Romance) and Secrets So Deep (Romantic Suspense).

Other honors include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Royal Academy of Bards, the Alice B. Readers Appreciation Medal, and several Readers Choice Awards. An avid supporter of queer literature, KG currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Lambda Literary Foundation.

KG MacGregor divides her time between her homes in Miami and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. When she isn't writing, she's either on a hiking trail, a golf course, or if she's really lucky, a cruise ship.

Reviews

[Diane Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

'ARC provided by both NetGalley and The Publisher (Bella Books) in exchange for an unbiased review'

**'When you as a writer begin to tell a story, write as much as you can, read and research as much as you can. But do not forget to THINK before you start telling that story..'

Agitating read!
When i first saw this book then read the premise, i got a bit hesitant on whether i should check it out or not -- because of it's sensitive subject matter (suicide) but then it's a book by KG MacGregor who's storytelling i've always enjoyed. So i took a chance not only because of the author but because i've read about this, heard from close friends and associates about it and even know of a few people in my circle that did -- and it's one of the most difficult, questionable and troubling time anyone goes through. Anyone going through this always wants to understand the why's & what could or should you have done better for that person.
I know it seems like i'm going off topic and not giving a roundabout view about the storyline but then i would not be me if i did not add this; I've long thought that if there are things/issues that we cannot conceive of or measure, it's due to a lack of knowledge, not because such things/issues might be inconceivable or immeasurable outside of our norms or limitations.
As to 'BRINGING ME DREAMS' it ended up being not as difficult to get through but because there were so many different storylines jumping out at the same time. I tried focusing on how Ms. MacGregor was gonna explain what cause both Gianna's brother and Keenan's girlfriend suicides and how their romance came about but only a snippet of this happened. Yeah, there were support groups but the problems with the storytelling was that there were way too many characters plus i don't think the leads had that kind of special chemistry. Her writing kinda veered off too far diving into all this underhandedness taking place in Gianna's family business, Jaz''s non storyline issues, Keenan & family doing volunteer dentistry abroad etc... instead of staying more on telling about their personal lives and an actual enticing love story.
Readers will have to stop at the many numerous occasions to try to consider the points MacGregor might be trying to make and tell in every paragraph and chapter for any enjoyment.

[Lex Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.50 Stars. An entertaining read by MacGregor. If you don’t know much about MacGregor, but are a big fan of sapphic fiction and its history, then you might be interesting in knowing that MacGregor is one of the OG’s of the genre. She was part of that group of authors like Radclyffe, Gerri Hill, and Karin Kallmaker (just to name a few) that helped to pave the way for some many sapphic writers of today. Not to get on my soapbox again, but I read a book this year by a mainstream author and she said that there wasn’t any sapphic romances for her to read so she “wrote the one she wished she had available to read”. I wanted to ask what she was smoking because KG MacGregor has been writing sapphic romances for 20 years so she had plenty to pick just from her alone, and that’s even ignoring the thousands and thousands of other sapphic books already out there too.

I will read anything by MacGregor. She has written some of my favorite books and I’ll put some recs below if anyone is interested. While I love some of her books, she has written some I’m not that big on. I seem to be a bit hit and miss with her but when I love one of her books, I really love it so I’m always up to read her new books to find out which way I might fall and this one was right down the middle.

At first this book worried me because it was about two people meeting over their grief of losing loved ones to suicide. That is not a trigger for me personally, but it is still a tough subject and I was not sure how it would work in a book that would eventually be a romance. This might be a little TMI but I wanted to tell you where I was personally so I could show how I was comparing to the book. My only real world experience with suicide is through one of my ex-girlfriends. When we started dating she had confided in me that she had lost her father to suicide just one year prior. Since it was one year ago, her pain wasn’t super fresh, but it was still very sharp and her anger still acute since her father knew she would be the one to find him (her parents were divorced) and he didn’t care. So when I take my experience with my ex’s grief, pain, and anger, I think that MacGregor mostly got it right and portrayed it honestly, but again, my opinion is coming as an outsider that could never truly understand it until it happened to someone that I loved. I also want to point out that while this is a very tough subject, this book is not too heavy or depressing. I was surprised that the book is much lighter than I expected which is because the characters are farther along in their grief and there is a lot going on to balance the book out.

To say there is a lot going on in this book would be an understatement. In fact, I think there was too much going on. I actually had fun with all the angst, ‘crazy ex-girlfriend’ shenanigans, and office backstabbing, but I felt like there was enough plot points for 2 or 3 books. I’m usually not a fan of the ‘crazy ex-girlfriend’ trope but this one has to take the cake as being one of the worst exes ever and because of that it was very entertaining to read about. Then you have Gianna’s job and what is happening there. Again, very interesting to read about but it is like a whole book just in itself just like the ex-girlfriend storyline could have been a whole book. The next storyline and possible book that was very interesting was Beenie, the cutest therapy dog in the world that sits on dentist patients to calm them as her human travels around the world fixing teeth, which is again another great story. That is potential for three great book ideas right there but instead it is altogether here as one big story and because there was so much going on, when it came to the romance there wasn’t much time for it. I mean overall the romance was okay. The characters seem nice together and I wish them well, but MacGregor has written fantastic romances before but she just didn’t leave herself the time to do that when she has too many other things to deal with in the book. To be honest I’m not complaining too much as I was still highly entertained and enjoyed reading this. I just can only wonder if some of those ideas had been saved to be made into two or three books, with more added romance, how amazing they could have been.

An ARC was given to me for an honest review.
If you are new to MacGregor I added two of my favorites:
Her Shaken Series is a must! I believe it is one of the best sapphic romance series that follows the same couple every book (instead of introducing new couples) books 3 and 4 are the best. Book one:Without Warning

T-Minus Two- This is not about actual space and you don’t have to be a sci-fi fan to love this. It is about the competition to be picked as the astronauts going to Mars and there just might be some falling in love among the competition. Love this one!

[Della B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kudos to Ms MacGregor for writing about the societal taboo subject of suicide. And making it a romance novel. 

Gianna and Keenan meet at an online forum for the loved ones of those who committed suicide. It has been two years of learning to cope for Keenan while Gianna is trying to survive the first year anniversary of her loss. 

Ms MacGregor loads her novel up with multiple story lines which adds to the depth of the main story. Real life is never about a single obstacle. We are inundated with so much more from all facets of our life on a day to day bases. This realism grounds the story. 

The writing is what you would expect from Ms MacGregor. A cut above most of the others in this genre. Her storylines crossed over nicely to create added angst to the novel. I found myself turning pages quickly to find out what happened next.

There are a few surprises waiting for you in Bringing Me Dreams. I suggest you do not miss out on them.

I received a free advance review copy from Bella Books through NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[MZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This books starts rather heavy with lots of grief for losing lost ones. It becomes lighter later on when the romance starts, but also a lot of drama is added by a crazy ex. I liked the storyline well enough although there was a lot happening in this book. I especially liked the small second storyline near the ending, which could have made a good separate book. I had some issues with the characters though, they were too black and white for me, they were either perfect (especially Keenan) or bat shit crazy like the ex. I prefer characters that are more in the middle, it’s more believable to me in a realistic setting that I think this book was aiming for.

I listened to the audiobook and have to remark that I wished the voices for the MCs were switched around. One MC is an androgynous type where the other is more feminine, the most feminine voice (to me) was coupled to the androgynous character which just messed with my head. It’s a me thing and very silly, but that’s the way it is.

[khi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review

When asked about my recommended lesbian authors, KG MacGregor always makes an appearance on that list., having been the author of one of my favourite series in her "Shaken" pentalogy. 'Bringing Me Dreams' is no exception to my list of favourite books by this author as it presents an emotional story of grieving and moving on with your life. Heartwarming and breaking.

Bringing Me Dreams follows two women, Gianna and Keenan, both reeling from the loss of people really close to them through suicide and how they try to move on from those losses.

Characters

Gianna was absolutely endearing she frequently compliments Keenan on her kind nature but she too has a big heart and in this book, one of the main areas of contention comes from her over-extending it to her friend Jaz. Gianna’s lost her twin brother from suicide and as a twin myself, It's safe to say this book hit a dark place within me. The mere thought of spending my birthday without him is unimaginable, this is a small but hard-hitting point in the book.

Jaz is our most present antagonist, she's Gianna’s ex and best friend. Seeing Gianna moving on with her life causes some sort of obsessive break down and she absolutely harasses Keenan. She's pretty messed up in her own right.

Keenan is charming, considerate and patient with all of Gianna drama. She's probably my favourite character along with her cute dog Bennie. She's lost her wife Annabel from suicide as well and has found a satisfying grief counselling in sharing pictures of Bennie in an online counselling group.

Plot+ Writing + Explanation of rating

The plot itself is good, I really liked it and this book was easy to read and definitely interesting. However, I felt like it could've used... more.

There are two main characters but I can't help but feel like Gianna and her drama takes up most of it. I felt like Keenan moving on from Annabel should've been more important but all we get is a few lines of her saying she's okay. So I guess what this book really needed was just a little bit more depth on her side and pacing along with it.

That's why I've given this 4 stars. On one side I really enjoyed their relationship but would've loved to see more of Keena's side of things and her thought processes.

I liked how the Jaz and Gianna situation was dealt with- I've actually seen a similar situation in real life so there's not much doubt to me about the realism of it but again, had it been longer and a more intricate plot line I would've given this 5 stars.

Overall thoughts

Just wish it was longer, to be honest...

Do I recommend it? Yes, this is still a very cute romance.

Make sure and check out the author's other books though! I highly recommend her shaken series. It deserves more attention!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest review.

[Ashlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a fan of KG MacGregor's work and I have to say I really enjoyed this new release. Keenan and Gianna meet in an unusual way and have similar traumas they are each trying to overcome. As they get closer new roadblocks come up and they each have some big decisions to make regarding their future. The plot for this book was so much fun to read. I was so absorbed in this I was reading on the couch still when my automated lights turned themselves off for the night and then stayed up to finish the book until 1am. I really liked the two MCs and many of the side characters too. The one exception was Jaz, I saw no redeeming qualities in her and I couldn't understand why Gianna continued to talk to her. In the end she was pretty integral to a major plot change so I know why she had to be kept around but I still didn't love scenes with her in them. The was another hole related to Gianna's brother that just was lacking in details at the end but those were my only two gripes. I really liked this book and I think it's likely one I'll need picking up for a second read in the future.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about two women who are both survivors of a close person in their life committing suicide. Gianna’s brother is a victim and she joins a suicide survivor’s on line forum to deal with her grief. There she meets Keenan who is another survivor. They begin privately emailing each other and agree to meet for dinner. There is great chemistry between them right from the start. In the background are several conniving people who adds bit of mystery to the story. First we have Jaz, Gianna’s ex, she’s a manipulating liar and tries everything to keep Gianna and Keenan apart. Then we have Gianna’s uncle Jack, who is a homophobe and male chauvinist with his own hidden agenda.

I’ve enjoyed MacGregor’s writing in the past and this was another enjoyable book. I was hesitant to read it with suicide being a prominent part of the book but, it was thoughtfully written and helped me in a small way with my own personal grief. Both MCs are mature and have good communication skills and the romance is nice and very realistic.
I would recommend this book to all of MacGregor’s fans both new and old.

Arc received from Bella Books through Net Galley for a voluntary and honest review.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by MacGregor and I should definitely look into this author’s catalogue for more outstanding stories. I think this book is rather unique, it tells the story of two women who lost a loved one. This is something we know, but when you know they both lost someone to suicide it changes. So a content warning would be appropriate as well. The author does this as well, even goes as far as warning for a description of one of the suicides. It’s clearly marked and can be skipped without missing anything about the story.

Gianna and Keenan meet on a forum. Gianna finds comfort in Keenan’s post of her dog Bennie, who by the way is lovely and a certified therapy dog, and in the quiet comfort Keenan provides. Together they work through their grief, find love and discover what is important in their lives. There is annoying ex now bff, Jaz, who becomes a bit stalkerish and is a little too much. I guess every story needs a villain and she’s one of them in this book. The main storyline is the romance, and whatever feelings they have to work through, but the secondary work storylines and the stalking ex are very well written as well.

I think the author does a great job writing all these complicated feelings and how the characters deal with it themselves and together. It’s certainly different from a lot of the romance books, but definitely a good different. 4.5 stars

*ARC provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Jo reece · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bringing me home... Not many authors write a book that's centred around suicide. And bloody well done to KG MacGregor for firstly approaching the subject and second for writing it with such sensitivity. You can tell there's been plenty of research done.

I enjoyed the story, it's a bit fast-paced but the characters gelled well together, with plenty of sparks brewing between the pair. The storyline itself was realistic and certainly poked at your emotions.

I've given Bringing me home a 4 out of 5.

[Katherine Rupley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deals with some tough topics and handles it well. Lots of twists and turns.

[Women Using Words · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a reason why so many readers remain loyal to MacGregor’s work: She knows how to tell a compelling romance. With 27 books under her belt and at least a dozen envy-worthy awards, she’s more than proven herself a master wordsmith. Readers love her storytelling style. It’s relatable and it’s reliable. More than that though, it’s good.

MacGregor’s new book Bringing Me Dreams is a trademark example of her work. It showcases her fearlessness as a romance writer; she goes where other’s dare not. In the past, she’s written about alcoholism, boarder control problems, the failings of foster care, and the gaps in the juvenile court system. With this book, she adds suicide to that unconventional list. It’s a theme that normally wouldn’t jibe with romance, yet MacGregor uses it to her advantage, ultimately making the story more interesting and dynamic in the end. Most significantly though, MacGregor consistently remains attentive to the the subject matter. The result is a stand out story worth reading.

To the delight of romance fans, Bringing Me Dreams possesses everything readers have come to expect from a fantastic love story. It features two well-developed and fleshed out characters, individuals that are a bit flawed and damaged, but very likable and relatable. Keenan McEvoy and Gianna Del Vecchio are both grieving the death of a loved one, a loss caused by a suicide. They get to know one another in an online support group and an attraction sparks. It’s an unconventional way to go about forging a romance, but MacGregor’s gentle and thoughtful pen paves the way to heart-warming moments for readers, ones that signal solid and well-scripted storytelling.

As far as the lead characters, MacGregor does a fine job with them. Gianna and Keenan are both beautifully drawn and captivating. Readers easily connect with them and sympathize with their pain and loss. Though suicide is not normally an appealing topic for a romance, MacGregor does a lovely job handling their heartbreak and emotional devastation. She accomplishes this in two different ways: through supporting characters and plot.

Enlisting the aid of Keenan’s adorable dog Bennie, MacGregor cleverly helps defuses the pain and trauma of suicide. Bennie is a therapy dog and is well used in the storytelling. Through Bennie, the women are able to round off the raw edges of this horrific trauma and find some comfort. He becomes an emotional blanket and touchstone for them. More interesting though, he becomes a buffer for the readers, too.

MacGregor also uses Jaz, Gianna’s manipulative ex, as a distraction for the pain of suicide. As much as it distracts, it also stirs and advances the plot. Readers get pulled into a complex and riveting tale of cover-up and deception every time Jaz enters the scene. Ultimately, she adds to the story arc and brings it around to a full circle.

Final remarks…

Good literary fiction is threaded with ideas that are startling, unexpected, unusual, weighty or new. Facilitating romance through a shared experience of grief and suicide is most certainly startling and unexpected. Yet, at the same time, MacGregor’s unusual approach to romance is artfully done. She gives readers a story that’s not only compellingly complex, it has heat and heart. Fans of MacGregor’s writing will want to add Bringing Me Dreams to their shelves. It’s another fine example of her work, and and an all-around enjoyable read.

Strengths….

Original storyline
Heartfelt and tender
Well-written, well-plotted, well-paced
Splendidly drawn characters
Nicely developed romance

[KarenC · Rating 5 out of 5]

KG MacGregor is one of the true masters of the WLW genre. I have read most of her books and have never been disappointed. Bringing Me Dreams is like nothing I have ever read.

Suicide is certainly a polarizing topic, especially for a romance novel, and I truly hope no other reviewers give any spoilers because there's a LOT going on in this book. From the very beginning, the two MCs meet at an online forum for suicide survivors, so you know their relationship will be different from any other couple. The author handles doling out the details skillfully, and it was heartbreaking to read about both Gianna's and Keenan's experiences. Gianna's friend-slash-ex Jaz probably takes the prize as once of my all-time most hated characters; she will stop at nothing to try to win back Gianna's love. In addition to Jaz, all the side characters (friends and family) are so well developed and add so much to the story. Plus Bennie the pup! Between family drama and workplace drama, I couldn't put this book down. In addition, the city of Pittsburgh plays a character as well; I could actually visualize the downtown area from the vivid descriptions.

This is definitely not a breezy, light-hearted story by any means, but stay with it till the end. The redemption is sweet and satisfying.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

The very cute cover doesn’t reveal some of the serious topics covered in Bringing Me Dreams. Gianna Del Vecchio and Keenan McEvoy meet on an online forum for people who have lost loved ones to suicide. Gianna messages Keenan directly when an online post shows they may be close locally. They begin texting before finally meeting one another. Gianna is hitting the year anniversary for the death of her twin brother. Keenan lost her partner two years ago but has reached the point where she is helping others in their grief. The topic is cover sensitively and while it comes up throughout the book because it affects their own outlooks it isn’t the focus of the story. I appreciate there is a trigger warning and specific pages to skip if needs be at the start of the book.

But the story is very much a traditional romance. Is Keenan ready for a new relationship? Gianna works for a family business and may be getting pushed out of what she thought was her future. Her ex-girlfriend is also causing major drama as the two meeting. I like that they date and Gianna even spends a service weekend with Keenan when she provides dental work to the poor. Even meeting the parents is included. I loved Bennie the therapy dog and the benefits he gave to others and to Keenan herself.

The author creates a good romance with fully developed side characters. The inclusion of a serious topic and how people deal with grief adds to the story but does not bring it down. I was happy for Gianna and Keenan to find their HEA. Thank you to NetGalley and Bella Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a K.G. MacGregor fan ever since I read her Shaken series. I especially like her depth of character and storytelling. Pretty much every time I pick-up one of her books and read the description, I am hooked. I knew it would be a tough read considering the topic of suicide is at the center. Keenan McEvoy, dentist with a strong supportive family, dealing with the aftermath of her partner Annabel committing suicide. Gianna Del Vecchio, works in the family business, and dealing with the suicide of her twin brother, Gabe. Keenan and Gianna connect on an online forum for survivors of a loved one's suicide. Both Keenan and Gianna are likable characters. However, Gianna has to deal with her ex-girlfriend Jasmine and oh my is she a hand full. This read did not disappoint.

ARC provided by Bella Books, via NetGalley

[Aleana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Keenan and Gianna meet on forum that’s helps people deal with losing a love one to suicide. As they get to know each other they decides to meet in person and grow more closer. I like this read it’s was a bit short we learn some things that is a shock to Gianna and her family but Keenan is there to support her.

[GM · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was overall very interesting. I did wish the pacing was a bit slower. Towards the end they were making big decisions that I felt should have been put off a bit more. The ex was way too involved in this story that it became annoying. I felt like we saw more ex drama when that space could have been used to further develop the relationship between the two. The plot twist at the end was interesting. A decent read, just a bit underdeveloped in some aspects.

[Henriette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written f/f drama with serious topics
MacGregor tackles a difficult topic in this book: being the survivor of a loved one. One aspect of this book is focusing onhow Gianna and Keenan deal with it. Keenan is already further along in the process and connects with Gianna via her cute therapy dog. I actually like how sensitive MacGregor handled that part of the story and I got the chemistry and bonding between the two mc.
I was greatly disturbed though by the stalkerish ex thrown into the mix who nearly overshadowed everything with her destructive behaviour. I.REALLY. REALLY. DISLIKED HER. On the one hand kudos to MacGregor. But: It was hard to believe that any new relation would be so understanding for so long with a clearly lesbian-stalker situation. Any sensible person would (hopefully) run for the hills and avoid this toxic co-dependency.
The work-situation of Gianna in her family‘s business is a very good example of how sexist and toxic things still are: the double-standards and the impossible to reach bars. The final resolution was long due. I would have wished though that the new couple would have had a bit more time „on paper“ to hash it all out. The end felt a bit rushed and gave me virtual whiplash.
To sum it up: I am a bit torn. This book is overall well-written, tackles some serious topics (and don’t forget the cute dog). But it felt rushed at the end and the stalker-drama to be endured by the new girlfriend (and us readers) is over the top and goes on too long to be believable.
PS: Clever, clever title.

[Bee Sherrard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keenan McEvoy found it so hard, dealing with the death of her partner. Together for a few years Keenan thought she was doing the right thing by moving back to Pittsburgh where her family lived. Job wise it wasn’t a problem for Keenan. She would work with her father in his dental practice. Annabelle didn’t get better, she’d been fighting depression for much of her life. When Keenan came home one day she found Annabelle, dead by her own hand.
Gianna Del Vecchio was dealing with the death of her brother. She knew he wasn’t depressed so when he found out his girlfriend was cheating on him that alone shouldn’t have made him jump from a balcony. It’s been a year now but she couldn’t move on. Something about his death just didn’t make sense.
Meeting online while visiting a site dedicated to helping others deal with the deaths of their loved one. Usually meetings were held at the local community center community group aimed at helping others dealing with the loss of a loved one. Covid moved the group to helping people online. Both women found they got along well, so they decided to meet in person.
Both Gianna and Keenan are very likable main characters and Ms MacGregor has surrounded them with a great cast, including the bad guys. A great read. Very, very enjoyable.
ARC via NetGalley/Bella Books

[Alicia Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bringing Me Dreams

Author KG MacGregor

MC Keenan McEvoy & Gianna

Trigger Warning ⚠️ suicide


This book does deal with a heavy topic.  It talks about the impact of what people go through after someone they care about commits suicide.

This book also shows how a woman can be ahead of the rest, and be overlooked.

Gianna struggling to get passed her brothers death, seeks out comfort and support on an online forum. There she meets a kind soul Keenan.  I felt like Keenan really wanted to help people, and find love for herself again. Keenan and Gianna took the time to get to know each other .  And the story development is perfect.


Gianna family was something else and unfair to her.  Just because someone is blood related, doesn’t  give them the right to humiliate you.  Make you feel less than them,  because of a preference or your sexual orientation. I felt like in some parts of the book, particular members of her family,  were just manipulating her.


This book has a boom 🤯, you don’t see coming.  This book kept  my attention.  It drew me in instantly and kept me hanging until the very end.


This was my first book by the author and it won’t be my last.  I want to thank Bella Books and NetGalley for the Arc! 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Bella Books for this copy in exchange for review consideration.

This books is first and foremost about grief and loss and dealing with both.
This begins on a website forum for those who have lost someone to suicide where Gianna and Keenan meet, bonding over a picture of Keenan’s adorable dog Bennie. Through the book they both have multiple issues to deal with, both with themselves and other loved ones who are also struggling with their own forms of loss and dealing with it in both positive and negative ways.
I loved how the various states of grief are dealt with, from Keenan struggling with having found her lover, Gianna’s best friend and on again off again lover Jaz dealing with the end of their relationship, to Gianna and her parents dealing with her brother Gabe’s suicide. The emotions shown are messy and real.
Gianna and Keenan bond first over their loss, then Bennie, and start to allow themselves to heal. There are a few twists in the book that kept me turning to see how they would turn out, one in particular that caught me completely off guard.
Overall this book is really good, not super heavy despite the subject matter and the growing relationship between the couple is sweet and hopeful, even when they stumble a few times along the way.

[auteaandtales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, thank you Netgalley for the review copy! I haven't used Netgalley in quite some time, and I'm glad this was the first book to get me back into the swing of things.

And secondly, I couldn't decide if this book should be a three or a four star, so I ended up settling between the two at 3.5

Content Warnings: suicide, grief, misogyny, drugs and alcohol, deadnaming, childhood trauma/abuse

This book follows two women in Pittsburgh, both suffering a similar loss, who bond via an online forum for people who have lost a loved one to suicide. Their story begins when Keenan McEvoy posts a picture of her therapy dog, Bennie, to bring cheer to the group when nothing else can. Gianna Del Vecchio is compelled to reach out and say thank you for the uplifting posts, and before they both know it, a spark is ignited. Their romance has many barriers along the way, including Gianna's ex-girlfriend and current best friend Jaz, who will stop at nothing to keep them apart. They plan on overcoming their demons and coming closer and closer together.

There are many things I loved about this book, and many things I didn't, ultimately making me undecided on how to rate it. However, I ended this book glad I read it and taking away from it more than what I went in with. It's a story about hope, perseverance and learning when to say enough is enough.

I'll start with the things I loved! This book starting of, before even going into it, with a content warning. This is rare to find in books, even when they have a heavy subject matter, and I was thrilled to find it here. It was absolutely worth mentioning, I think - not only that, but it specified exactly where and when to find these warnings!

It was humorous, and make me chuckle in parts, with lines such as "Ughh. If I die, please don't let me come back as a straight chick". Also, with relatable moments, such as Keenan being envious at someone else for discovering their sexuality at an early age, as it means she missed out on some experiences which I really feel her on, and also meant being in pointless relationships we'd never be happy in, and not yet understanding why.

Bennie highlighted how amazing and important having a therapy animal can be, even when they're unofficial ones (although Bennie is a therapy dog in training). Keenan says "dogs are angels when it comes to broken hearts"and "if you want a friend who accepts you the way you are, you can't go wrong with a dog" and I completely agree. Dogs are angels, as are all animals, and extremely helpful when coping with challenging things going on in your life and helping you overcome them. That underlying theme was so wholesome and a great message to send.

I also loved how this handled grief, in two different ways as well. Keenan and Gianna went through a very similar experience but handled it in two very different ways. Gianna seemed to hold grief in her hands until it burnt and still wouldn't let go. Keenan seemed to exhale the pain from her body, until all she had left was the expression of love, and I loved this comparison. It was great to see grief being explored in the different ways that it can present itself. This doesn't even include the background characters also affected by the suicides, and how they handled grief even differently still. It told the message that there is no wrong way to grieve.

The writing style was also very captivating and engaging. I absolutely will be keeping an eye out for this authors name in future. I am very open to reading more from them in future.

Now, the things I didn't enjoy as much and ultimately led to taking one and a half stars of my total rating:

I believe the author was well-intentioned, but it felt important enough to mention anyway. There was some minor transphobia. The first was "from here, one couldn't tell whether she was a woman or a man. But up close her delicate features made it obvious, as did her soft voice" which felt quite offensive to the trans community, especially non-binary people and trans women. The second point was when Nick was introduced, who had a minor role in the story, was how he was introduced to Keenan as "Our friend Nick used to be Nicole but he's been transitioning for about a year. Just wanted to let you know so you won't get confused" - I feel like simply saying Nick was transgender would have been enough to explain why he may be getting deadnamed and misgendered by others, but it's strongly discouraged in the trans community to tell others' of their deadname (the name they went with before coming out as trans).

Another was that Jaz's abuse of Gianna (and, by extension, Keenan) was not taking seriously enough. There were discussions about her behaviour being toxic and unacceptable, but a lot of it was straight up abuse. Examples are Jaz breaking the windsheild of Keenan's car because Gianna spent the night with her, sending nasty messages to Keenan, manipulation, even going as far as to use Gabe's suicide against Gianna. Her abusive behaviour was, at one time, explained away as "selfish" and ultimately did not get the consequences it should have gotten. There was a brief description from Keenan that drug users are not bad people, though, which I did appreciate.

I also would have liked more of a build up to Keenan and Gianna's relationships, and spent more time with the two of them as people and within their relationship. It all felt a bit rushed and I didn't feel a connection with them as a result. I really wanted to get to know them more, though.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and would love to read more from Gianna and Keenan. I loved them as characters, I enjoyed the messages it pushed across and I feel like I took a lot away from this book. I will absolutely be reading more from this author in future.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bringing Me Dreams by K.G. MacGregor is a novel that will tug at your heartstrings in more ways than one. The book has a beautiful love story, an adorable service dog, and an intriguing mystery that will keep you reading to figure out what is really happening.

The two main characters (Gianna Del Vecchio and Keenan McEvoy) meet through an online forum they both belong to. The online group and forum is for survivors of a loved one’s suicide. Gianna had joined because of her brother’s death a year prior to the story, and Keenan was there because of her wife’s suicide three years before. The two began talking when Keenan posted a photo of her service dog Bennie to the forum, and the two eventually meet in person. There is definitely a spark between them, but Gianna also has a jealous best friend who doesn’t want them to be together.

Obviously there is a fair bit of angst running through this story considering what Keenan and Gianna are going through. There is also an exciting mystery involving Gianna’s family business that adds a touch of danger to the tale. Add in a stalking “best friend” out to destroy Gianna and Keenan’s budding romance, and you have a tale that will definitely keep you reading. The author did a wonderful job weaving all these details together into an excellent narrative full of excitement, danger, grief, joy, and love. She’s also not afraid of including sometimes difficult themes such as she did with suicide in this novel.

MacGregor does put a content note at the beginning of the book letting readers know of the difficult subject in this story. In real life, I am a survivor of a close family member’s suicide. I read the content note and still decided to read the novel, and I’m glad I did. If you think you might have a problem with this subject, read the content note at the beginning of the book. Amazon allows you to see it in their book preview. I loved this book and can recommend it to all who love mystery and romance.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gianna Del Vecchio has worked in her family’s business for nearly twenty years and has been groomed to be the next CEO after her brother’s suicide. When she overhears her uncle and father discussing the succession, she realizes they have no intention of honoring her father’s commitment to her. As her brother’s birthday approaches, Gianna visits an online forum for people whose loved ones have committed suicide. She likes what she reads from another member and reaches out to her to thank her. Keenan McEvoy’s partner committed suicide and she and her therapy dog offer whatever support she can. The two women feel a connection and act on it.

MacGregor written a bland-as-white-bread story that is sure to disappoint most readers. It is as if she took an outline of this book, filled in some of the details, and sent it to her publisher. The result is under-developed characters, little or no real conflict, and a milquetoast ending. When the women become intimate, MacGregor fades to black, which will remind many readers of lesbian fiction from the 1980s. MacGregor tells her readers about the “connection” between the characters but doesn’t show them so readers will undoubtedly be disappointed. Within three months of meeting, the characters are moving in together sure their relationship is deep and true while the reader will shake her head and ask, “Wait. What?”

The only character who was developed with any depth was Jaz, Gianna’s ex who doesn’t want to be ex. While Jaz is childish and vindictive, at least readers know her better than they know the two main characters because she has substance.

If you’re a MacGregor fan, you will undoubtedly love this book. If you’re unfamiliar with MacGregor, don’t let this be your introduction to her books.

My thanks to Bella Books and NetGalley for an eARC.

[Patty Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book. This was a well thought out story and you could tell that it's written with the utmost knowledge and compassion for this subject matter. I thought the relationship between Keenan and Gianna was sweet and very cute. There are some dramatic moments in this book brought on by others who didn't want to see their relationship succeed but, it doesn't stop these two from falling for each other. I thought their initial meeting online due to Gianna seeing posted pictures of Bennie the therapy dog was so cute, he was such a ham and lovable too. The supporting characters were written well and helped to keep this story very interesting, especially the ex girlfriend Jaz, and Giannas' family was not so great either especially the uncle. I won't say more because I would be giving spoilers,but just know this is a great book and I would definitely recommend this to my friends and family, and I look forward to what this author writes next.

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I thoroughly enjoyed Bringing Me Dreams.

Our two protagonists are brought together through the chat feature on a forum for those grieving a loss due to suicide. What starts out as support and friendship quickly turns to attraction and love but there's more to the story. We've got a jealous ex who seems to have some serious issues, plenty of drama revolving around family businesses - one much more than the other - and a super sweet doggie.

There was a lot going on but it didn't feel like too much. I was engaged in the shady stuff going down just as much as I was the romance aspects. No spoilers, but I pegged the twist very early on. Well, not completely - there was still some twisty goodness to catch me.

Glad I got to go on this journey with Keenan and Gianna. Thanks to Bella & NetGalley!

[Sandra Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

KG MacGregor always tells a compelling story. Bringing Me Dreams is no exception. She tells the story of Keenan and Gianna, who meet in an online support group for people who lost a loved one to suicide. As with many of KG’s books, the romance shares the spotlight with another prominent story line. While there are many moving parts in this book, I never felt overwhelmed. In fact, it kept me reading well past my bedtime. It reads like a mystery and kept me turning pages.

My only complaints about this book are that I feel that Keenan was overshadowed by Gianna and the use of the word yinz (although I love the word jagoff).

Overall, Bringing Me Dreams is a solid romance that passes my personal test of whether I like a book or not. This book definitely goes in my re-read list. I will visit these characters again.

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I discovered K.G. MacGregor’s books years ago. I loved the Shaken series, I haven’t read the most recent book because I didn’t want to tarnish my original feelings. So I’ve been a fan of hers for a while.

Bringing Me Dreams was such a frustrating book. I wanted to shake the main character and ask her why she kept giving her best friend so many ridiculous chances. It was a tough book to get through for me.

There is a bit of a reveal towards the end of the book that I figured out less than halfway through. It was less of an “Oh Wow” than a “Thank god they finally figured this out.”

Bottom line if you like characters that can be fooled into making decisions and making terrible life choices then this is the book for you. If not, then read something else.

[Fran Sappharc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic start, the book has trigger warnings about suicide in the foreword. If you are able to read this book I highly recommend it. It deals with a difficult subject but at its heart is life and romance and a bit of intrigue. The non romance part of the plot was shadowed very well and all plot points were resolved. When I had to be away from the book I was always keen to get back to it. I think this book will stay with me. It is different from many of the fast food romances I devour. I'm left nourished and fulfilled by it.

[Lindsay Ottens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this book does hit on some really heavy topics. It still was able to be somewhat lighthearted and not quite as emotional. I’m not the world‘s biggest fan of the narrator, but she still did a really good job. I did enjoy the development of the relationship between our two female main characters however I am not a friend of jazz, which I think by the time the end of the book came around most people would not have

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always been a fan of KG books. This one was no different. I enjoyed the journey of Gianna and Keenan who met through an online group. Gianna is struggling with the loss of her brother and Keenan has loss her partner through suicide. the story was well written and kept me engaged to the end. I definitely recommend.


Thank you NetGalley and Bella Books for this ARC.