Cover Image: Dream Chaser

Dream Chaser

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This is the second book in the Dream Team series by Kristen Ashley. Kathryn aka Ryn is a struggling stripper who has put her own dreams aside to help those around her. She hasn’t much luck in the men department as well. When she gets a hard dose of truth presented to her by Boone Sadler, she can’t help but to lean on him for a little bit of support.

I actually didn’t mind the romance with Boone and Ryn. It is a bit of a slow burner romance but the chemistry is there. Of course, Boone is this strong and protective Alpha male. He knows what he wants and of course, he sets his sights on Ryn. So there is this tug and pull component to the book.

This is BDSM-Lite. I don’t know Ms. Ashley’s normal writing style when it comes to this but I wanted more. Maybe my smutty mind anticipated more. Boone contradicted himself because he barked out orders outside of the bedroom but when it came to the bedroom he is pretty tame. Since the author uses this as a huge part of Boone’s personality, I would think it would be more fleshed out and not glossed over in the actual love scenes.

The plot is where I struggled with the story. Ryn is too sugary for me. She is out there hustling as a stripper to make ends meet and her family dumps on her. She enables the bad behavior and gives all of her money to them. I needed for her to get more assertive and take control of her life. I guess the author using her “submissive” nature in the bedroom spill out in the other areas but it didn’t work for me. The storyline just kind of fell apart.

This is my second book by this author and I realized that in order for me to fully enjoy her writing style, I need to go back to some of the earlier series. I know that each book is a standalone but I get the sense that if you knew some of the background of the characters and their world, it would be a bit more pleasurable. Readers should definitely read the first book in this series though.

Overall, I enjoyed the story in parts. I am definitely going back to read some of the author’s earlier works. Fans who appreciate a nice contemporary romance will like the book.

~ Samantha

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Ryn has had a lot of disappointments in her life. She's living her life for her now. No men. Boone is not one to give up. Things get sticky when the wrong guy pays attention to Ryn. Boone steps in to help her out and show her what kind of man he is. I loved this book. It was exciting and read quickly and left me wanting more. Not much more you can ask for right? Loved watching these two grow close.

Find out more about Kristin Ashley and this series here www.kristenashley.net

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Ryn Jansen is fiercely independent after being burned by relationships in the past. She has her own dreams that she would love to see fulfilled, but her family always needs something and she wants to help those she loves. She turned Boone down because she doesn’t have time for another relationship to fail and it scares her a little that she can see how well they would fit.

Boone Sadler isn’t one to sit around waiting, so when Ryn turned him down, he wasn’t deterred but didn’t sit around pining either. He wants to be her protector, and when he learns she has problems circling because of her earlier kidnapping, as well as family problems, he vows to be there to help her out of her jams.

These two are a great fit, even if Ryn is hesitant to give Boone a chance. They have similar interests in bed, and as they spend more time together they find they click out of the bedroom as well. They each have their own issues to sort out, some more secret than others.

I loved returning to the world of the Dream Chicks and Rock Chicks. The cameos and appearances by familiar favorites adds a little fun to this series. But at its core, this new group of women (and the men Lottie has matched them up with) has its own battles to wage, storms to weather, and antagonists to best. Dream Chaser picks up the series arc started in Dream Maker, but I suppose a new reader would be ok picking this up. There would be Dream Maker spoilers, but I think enough of the background for this story is included that new readers wouldn’t be lost.

In a lot of ways it feels like the classic Rock Chick stories, which fits as this is essentially a next generation of women following in the Rock Chick steps. KA’s worlds are rich and deep, even if the stories have overlapping themes and familiar lines. I am looking forward to more from this series. There are 2 more pairs that have been “matched” by Lottie and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for them.

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Stripper with a chip on her shoulder sounds so cliche, and I'm glad Dream Chaser was not that! Ryn is guarded because her life has kind of been a mess. She is raising her niece and nephew, and her life is a bit overwhelming. She needs someone like Boone, who is organized and task oriented. He is a problem solver. Of course, she doesn't want to get involved. As if Boone would give her a choice!

Readers will love the give and take between Ryn and Boone-its quick, witty, and sexy. There is lots going on throughout the plot that will keep you on your toes. Sometimes, I find Ashley's heroes a bit TOO much, but I really loved Ryn and Boone. There is a Dom/Sub relationship between these two and it really works! While Ryn is a sub, she is not blindly giving. For those, like me, who aren't really into the hardcore BDSM reads, Dream Chaser gives you just a taste. It's tame, but scorching.

Dream Chaser delivers enchanting characters, humor, love, and so much more for readers. KA fans will delight in the cameos from previous couples from Dream Man and Rock Chick. New readers can expect a style of writing they will come to love and find comforting in times of stress!

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The one thing I don't like about a Kristen Ashley book is that it has to end. KA has this way of creating a fictional world that you just never want to leave. The storyline, the characters, the romance it's everything I look for in a book and Ashley is one of my go to rereads whenever I am in a book funk.

Dream Chaser has that KA formula that I've come to know and love. Suspense, hot Alpha heroes, lovable female heroines and swoony romance. I love that her male heroines are persistent, protective and have this way about them that makes you wish they were real.

Ryn and Boone have this chemistry that is palpable, and Ryn's resistance to Boone actually makes this story even more endearing. Once these two decide to try things out, things get steamy and I loved every second of it.

I also found myself chuckling as some fav characters from her Rock Chick series make an appearance. It like hitting the lottery when KA worlds collide and brings a bit of nostalgia.

I've already preorder the next one in this series and will continue to read anything Ashley writes.

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I absolutely love how Kristen Ashley tells a story, pulling me into a rich and detailed world with well thought out characters with so much depth. I always feel like I'm a part of it, caught up in everything. Dream Chaser was such an amazing story filled with intrigue, heart, and passion. I loved it!

I loved Ryn and this incredible strength she had to keep pushing forward in life to accomplish her dreams. She had a tenacity to her I adored. Boone was so caring and sweet with such a big heart, I couldn’t get enough of him. He was so alpha and in control and had a whole Dom thing happening that was sexy and commanding. I loved Ryn and Boone butting heads and that animosity between them. I really loved them opening up and connecting and the vulnerability and rawness they had as they came together, her sub to his Dom. There were some really nice, hot scenes in this with some light BDSM elements as well. I loved learning their history, the pains of their past, and how that affected their lives in the present.

This story had such an exceptional build as everything unfolded. I loved the different scenes and dramas taking place with Ryn’s family and the threat against her, it kept me on my toes. I loved seeing some of my favorites from the Dream Man and Rock Chick series as well. It added a nice amount of fun and entertainment into the tenseness of the story. The Dream Team series is a great combination of both those worlds colliding with a great mix of fun, drama, and intrigue. I loved the hints of what's to come in the next book with Hattie as she's paired up with Axl. I am so curious about her life, I can't wait to find out all the things.

Dream Chaser was exciting to read! Entertaining, intense, and sexy! I loved the emotion, the heat, and the amazing build as histories were learned, hearts grew, and drama ensued. Fantastic story!

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this spin off series is living up to everything i wanted and more. absolutely love love the group of girls in this series, all the characters are a blast and of course loving seeing all our old friends. it takes me a hot minute to get back into the KA lingo and style, but eventually you get back in the swing of things. anywho. this was super enjoyable, everything you want and expect from KA. Fun. Positive. Romantic. Funny. Sexy. Cute. really enjoyed it!

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I am back on the Kristen Ashley wagon and I didn’t realized I missed book one of the Dream Team series. So I am definitely running back to that book stat!!

I did fall in love with Dream Chaser. It felt so good to be reunited with olde KA characters, especially the Rock Chicks! This book was like coming home for me. I loved Ryn and Boone. I fell for the whole Dream Team! This book is full of drama and angst. I enjoyed every page of it. It was exciting to see how the story played out. This story has a lot of heart ache and mends that puts it back together. We have our villains in this story and some may not be redeemed.

Dream Chaser is the book for 2020! You can read this book as a standalone like I did, but I bet you will be craving book one as much as I am because I need to know what happened before!!! #BookRec2020

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Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read Dream Chaser early. This was my first book by Kristen Ashley and it won’t be my last! I absolutely loved this story! The characters were fun and the story was great! I highly recommend it!

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Dream Chaser was a lot of fun. A great KA story with many twists and turns. I'm not much of a fan of the dom/sub world but I digress. I'll definitely read more from this series if available.

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Ryn and Boone did not have an easy time finding their way together. With past hurts pushing them apart, kidnappings, misunderstandings, and family drama it was like everything was working against them. But that made reading their story all the more enjoyable because we got to see how they worked past all of that. It made me love their characters even more and it really showed the connection that they had.

I was a huge fan of Ryn and I loved that we got to see her vulnerable side and saw her struggle but we also saw how she picked herself up and moved on from that. It showed how truly amazing she was in order to do that and later when she let Boone help her it was an even bigger strength that we saw from her in order to give over some of the control she tried to have on her life. And she also had the help of some other side characters that will really have KA fans happy to see.

Overall, this was an amazing book to read and it has me dying for more from the series. I feel like we're getting some old-school KA vibes with this series and I am not mad at it. A definite recommend.

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Heat Factor: If you had asked me earlier, I would not have said that being collared is sexy. But I am totally buying what Ashley is selling here.
Character Chemistry: Well, I wanted them together in book 1, so...yeah, they’ve got chemistry
Plot: “I want to be with you.” “Never gonna happen.” “You know what? Fine.” ... “Actually, not fine, you just got kidnapped and dragged into a dangerous situation with an ever-increasing body count, and I am not okay with that.”
Overall: Ermagherd, worth the wait!

I’ve been chomping at the bit to get my hands on this book, and it was super fun. The premise of the Dream Team series is that Lottie from Quiet Man (a Dream Man/Rock Chicks/Dream Team series crossover novella) has decided to set up four of her friends (all of them strippers like Lottie herself) with her boyfriend’s four best friends (all of whom work for Hawk Delgado from the Dream Man series). So if you have read Quiet Man or Dream Maker, you already know that there are four pairings that have already gotten rolling (to nowhere) before the book begins.

Dream Chaser picks up not too long after Dream Maker ends, and it turns out that the drama that began with Mag and Evie in book one isn’t actually resolved like we thought. So Ryn gets dragged right into it by Is-he-really-a-bad-guy-though? Brett/Cisco, kidnapper and murder suspect extraordinaire from book 1. But you don’t really need to read the first book in the series, or even the novella. It’s helpful to round things out, but isn’t necessary.

Boone, knowing Lottie and seeing how well Mag and Evie hit it off, is super keen to date Ryn, but has already been shot down three times by her before this book begins. So, after his latest run-in with her, he’s about ready to throw in the towel.

Then Ryn gets kidnapped-ish by Brett/Cisco again and Boone loses his mind a la macho protector badass hero man (you know the type), which is just the kick that Ryn needed to get over her inveterate need to avoid relationships that require her to be vulnerable. And so Ryn and Boone set off on their romance with a big side of danger and conspiracy!

Ashley is good at characterization, and she’s also good at balancing the drama of the danger plus a lot of big feelings with humor. The tension is also consistent and consistently good (I struggle to stop reading her books, which is a problem because they really are not one-sitting length). Also there’s a lot of family drama going on with Ryn, and I have to say, I (usually) like the way that Ashley writes families with children, like there are all kinds of parents in the world (good and not so much) and like kids are normal, developing people who are part of life.

The other thing I’ll note is that one of the reasons that Lottie paired Boone and Ryn is that Boone is a Dominant and Ryn is a Submissive. I have read other Ashley books in which the protagonists are into BDSM (or at least one of them is), and this one is a little different. For starters, Ryn is part of BDSM culture before she meets Boone, so they start off their relationship well versed in the steps partners take before engaging with each other, talking about their boundaries and safe words, and they do this in a clear way that most romance protagonists never do, never mind what kind of kink they’re into (or not). If you’re not already a BDSM smut reader, this book is one of few that I’d recommend to dip your toe in, because most books that involve BDSM sexytimes, etc., jump straight into Doms domming and bypass a lot of what makes BDSM safe and consensual in real life (SSC!), which (I think) makes it harder for people who aren’t into certain kinds of kink to understand why other people might like them. This relationship is mostly D/s, and even with the D/s aspect Boone doesn’t go so far as to, say, decide what clothes Ryn gets to wear every day or the like, so compared to some stuff I’ve read, it’s not extreme. Short story: Ashley takes pains to make this relationship accessible to readers who might have a kink incompatibility with Ryn and Boone.

Shorter story: This book was a plain fun, suspenseful read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

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I love this book and series, it gives me all the Hot Bunch and Rock Chick vibes. But now, it's the Dream Team and they couldn't get into more crazy trouble and have their men help save the day!

Dream Chaser has all the Kristen Ashley throwbacks - the usual funny, romantic , steamy and feel-good story in a book. And don't forget the ultra alpha male and Boone Sadler is all that! Boone is determined to win and charm over Ryn. Ryn finds herself putting her family first and those who don't give in return. But Boone is determined to change that and show her that she deserves it all for working hard and having a caring heart.

But bossy and sexy Boone is the last thing Ryn needs in her life - she knows that if she has something good, it will eventually leave and leave her heartbroken. Not only is Boone trying to break her walls down, but someone is also trying to hurt her and that's when Boone is determined to protect Ryn.

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So I'm going to start by saying I FEAKING LOVED THIS BOOK!

Let's start with Ryn (Kathryn); Strong, Loving, Loyal, Forgiving, Straightforward, these are just a few ways to describe Ryn. She is also a Stripper at Smithies, who dreams of flipping houses, but because of family drama her time and money are being taken up.
Boone....(sigh) is the most well rounded, developed Alpha Male I believe Ms. Ashley has written. He is understanding, loyal, honest, funny, protective, Straightforward, understanding, honest, Commando.
They are however not without some flaws, both can be stubborn and fly off the handle either in response or words, when they are not careful. However these two both learn from their mistakes.
With every K.A. book you have drama, cameo appearances by other book characters, friendship, laughter, loyalty, and awesome secondary characters.
There is also some Dom/sub aspect between Boone and Ryn, I found tasteful and well done.
I picked this book up and didn't set it down until I was done. Then I kicked myself because it was over. This is also a duel point of view story which I loved because you really understood where Boone was at not just Ryn.

“Part of what I get off on is that. I can take you out, and you’re gorgeous, and men are gonna look at you, and want you, but you’re mine. But more,” he leaned toward me, “in other very important ways, you… are… mine.”

“I just want you all to know I’m picturing this sit-down of hotties in my head and burning it there so I can take it out and savor it later,”she announced. “And I’m not even sure which selections on the smorgasbord showed.
”There were chuckles. But Boone growled, “Kathryn.”
“Right,”she said, that one word a smile.

“Baby, can you do me a big fuckin’ favor and not make friends with fugitives?” he asked.

“Seeing as you’re a commando, and as such, a card-carrying member of the Extreme Alphas Club, won’t you go into anaphylactic shock if you step foot in a mall?” she asked.
“Stop being a smartass.”
“That’s like telling me to stop being blonde. And you haven’t had the chance to see the evidence… yet, but I’m natural.”

ARC Provided By NetGalley For An Honest Review

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Ryn and Boone – SWOON! Dream Chaser finds our house flipping stripper Ryn down and out in a really bad way. Crazy ex-sister in law demands she no longer has access to her darling niece and nephew after bilking Ryn of thousands of dollars in the guise of caring for the kids – while that crazy is actually out getting massages with the kid’s cash.

Boone is an ex-military hottie security “specialist” working under Hawk (from KA’s Dream man series.) He’s dealing with his ex-BFF’s suicide while obsessing over Ryn and her drama. Sounds like a lot? Yep – but it works! He is our typical Alpha guy keeping track of Ryn and finally catches her when he and his posse need to guard her from the “not so bad guy” Cisco and some rouge dirty cops.

In typical KA fashion, the baddie kidnaps (kind of) Ryn. On top of that Ryn strikes up an unusual “friendship” with the mafia type bad guy…..who maintains he was framed so maybe he is a not so bad guy? She then leads her bodyguard hot guys (from the Chaos and Dream Men series) around town – a mall stop, of course, and a drive by the home she is flipping. These guys can’t help but take over her house flipping rehab. If you are a Kristen Ashley connoisseur, you will recognize all the names. One thing that I did appreciate was that this book was not as inundated with all those characters in every scene which tends to overwhelm KA books.

Ryn and Boone’s love story is sweet. Their connection slowly develops even though both were pretty stubborn at first flirt. Lots of couple time without the typical “interruptions” and a little “D/s lite” sexy times! I really enjoyed both characters even with their baggage – Ryn’s daddy issues seem to dominate her internal struggles as well. One of the best lines from Ryn about her Dream Team gals: “So, the rundown was, my dad was an absent dick. Evie’s dad was a neglectful dick. Pepper’s dad was a judgmental dick. And Hattie’s dad was an actively evil, children’s-animated-film-villain-level dick.”

Dream Chaser is a fun, sexy contemporary romance from our darling Kristen Ashley. This story will resonate with the Rock Chick crowd – BUT you do not need to have read all those series to enjoy this book. Having personally read Dream Maker (the first in this series) does give some background to the group of ladies on this “Dream Team” but is also not required pre-reading. Our authorette sets up Hattie and Axl for the next installment and I am all for it!

*** Thank you to NetGalley and the Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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I have to say I liked this one much better than the first one goes in terms of the storyline. I still recommend all of them so far. I haven't come across this type of story of Kristen's in awhile that's emotional but also has an HEA that you'll love. Boone just doesn't give up and him and Ryn are perfect.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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After reading Dream Maker I knew that I needed the next book and here we go, Boone and Ryn!

Ryn has her plate full what with working, the house she is doing up and looking after her family so a boyfriend is the last thing on her mind...enter Boone.

I really don't want to say anymore because if you loved the original KA then you will love this (just with a bit of extra kink thrown in!)

This story was beautifully written, full of friendship, family and love and also.....Chaos!!!!

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“We weren’t dark and light, fitting perfectly. We both had our dark. We both had our light. We just fit. Perfectly.”

What You’ll Find:
✔️Contemporary Romance
✔️Heroine In Danger
✔️Commando Hero
✔️Dom/Sub relationship
✔️Dual POV

If you read Dream Maker you know that Ryn shot Boone down already. But like most KA alpha men, when they decide to wade in... they are all in. And all it takes in this case is some family backstabbing and danger for Boone to be all in. But that doesn’t come without conflict. And Ryn standing her ground about what she deserves.

Both Ryn and Boone come from troubled pasts. That have has impacts on their relationships. But one thing they have in common is their BDSM lifestyle. I would say this has light BDSM scenes. But even those are few. This story packs some great steam, but also has elements of humour, emotion, suspense and action. With some twists that will leave you wanting more in this series ASAP!

What I love most about this series is the all the returning characters from previous series. From the fantastic group of women who stick together, to the men who go all out to help as well.. they truly make this story and series. I could definitely relate to Luke when he said he was having flashbacks. It definitely felt like something straight out of Rock Chicks. While I feel you could read this as a standalone, it truly is experienced so much better if you’ve read the Dream Man, Chaos and Rock Chick Series.

Thank you to the author, Forever Publishing (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for this eARC my honest review.

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Loved this!!!! Ryn and Boone know each other through a friend. But Ryn is nowhere near ready for all that is Boone. She has her hands full with her job, family, and her dreams, but let’s not forget she’s a little damaged.

When Boone steps in and has had enough, Ryns life explodes and if that wasn’t bad enough she’s kidnapped again, someone is trying to kill her, and she’s trying to keep away from Boone.

He’s not gonna let that happen, he’s done with games and things are heating up! Love the other series character are in this, so many side characters can sometimes make you lose the story but these just add to it. LOVE LOVE LOVE this book

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I have been waiting for Ryn's story forever ever since I finished the first book in the Dream Team series. Like I need to know how Ryn will end up with Boone and how their relationship will work especially since they are both involved with the BDSM lifestyle. I got to know now. It took a bit of time but I totally screamed when I received the ARC of Dream Chaser. I could not stop myself. I can say that you won't regret reading Dream Chaser.
Dream Chaser starts off with a few months after the first book. Ryn is somewhat in a funk especially with Boone when he starts dating. You cannot blame him since she keeps rejecting him whenever he asks her out. She is not blameless but she does have some issues that Boone should have realized when he took interest with her. It takes two to tango, and soon enough Ryn and Boone will discover that when Ryn becomes a target again.
Nothing is ever easy in Kristen Ashley books. And we should not too. It adds more depth to her characters and their breakthrough. And that's what Ryn and Boone needs in their life because they have some heavy baggage in their life that they need to unload and face together. They won't be perfect when they handle their problems. But we can expect them to be there for each other when it matters no matter what. 
I won't go too much into details since I don't want to spoil it. But expect craziness yet sexy but yet drama yet cute moments. In that order.

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