So far I have read all 4book (some on audible) and I can’t decide who is my favorite… With each book I think that one is my favorite. And now I think that Auggie is my man 😊 lol

Auggie has been infatuated with Pepper and her daughter, he has just been waiting for her to come to him. And when they spent one hot night together he thought he finally had his chance. But when Pepper promptly dismissed him he was done. He thought she was playing him and he was done.

But Pepper’s life was just complicated. She had a daughter, an ex who for some reason wants to get back together, her parents and sister are in some ‘cult’ that is messing them around. Plus her brother doesn’t seem any better either…. And this is when the Commando steps in…

I loved everything about Pepper and Auggie’s story. The Romance, the angst, the drama, sweetness, steamy and lots of action 😊… all of it. What I didn’t like was the over explanation of things. I love that KA has this way of describing things like you feel like you are. But some parts all I wanted to say was get on with it…

All in all, I loved the story, I loved that Pepper’s daughter just wanted her to have a happy life. I loved that she had awesome friends, who was that whole ‘tell it like it is’. And I loved Auggie for her. He was Alpha hotness and I just couldn’t get enough 😊 I hope there will be more stories in this series… 😊

My favorite author. She didn’t disappoint. Her characters come alive and I’m in love with them all. Kristen Ashley is a character genius. She’s an auto buy for me.

Watch my interview with Kristen: https://www.amazon.com/live/broadcast/066d65fa-c06a-4b8c-b373-0e31af48f75d?ref=social&tag=erinmbransco-20&linkCode=ilv

The Dream Series continues with Pepper and Auggie, and has some carry over from the prior novels about the secondary story of dirty cops and Cisco.

Pepper and Auggie hook up one night, and she promptly kicks him to the curb. During another encounter, it’s clear that she’s not ready to enter a relationship, and he’s tired of getting jerked around. Enter Juno. She devises a plan with the help of Cisco to bring them together. She really steals the show as a matchmaker, and young child wise beyond her years. While these two are breaking down the walls built up around, Pepper’s ex-husband, and her family get in the way with their own drama. A few surprises here, but no real angst. Just another really good KA novel that brings the reader back to the Rock Chick roots.

If you have been following this series you will have already met Auggie and single mum Pepper and her daughter Juno and now we get their love story. I liked all the characters but Auggie was my favourite. All Kristen's men have their own unique qualities but their capacity for love is huge and when they find their one there is no lengths they won't go to. I adored the relationship that they build as a couple but also the one Auggie builds with Juno. Another star of the book is little Juno she was an adorable little matchmaker and her partner in the endeavour was a big surprise. This has the feel of classic KA if you are a fan you'll know what I mean. There is some drama bit it's not overplayed and fit the feel of the book. If you are looking for a good romance with a swoony hero then you will enjoy this book.

If you like a lot of drama with your romance, Dream Keeper is the one for you. I love everything Kristen Ashley writes, she is one of my favorite authors. She knows how to write a story with a hot alpha hero paired with a feisty woman, add in entertaining characters and suspense and that is the perfect recipe for me.

This is the fourth book in Kristen Ashley Dream Keeper series and this one is about Auggie and Pepper. These two have tons of chemistry and their story held me spellbound. They are perfect for each other, but it takes Pepper a while to take a chance on Auggie. Auggie stole my heart, right along with Pepper’s. He is the perfect boyfriend and he never gives up trying to persuade Pepper how good they can be together.

There is so much Auggie and Pepper have to deal with in this story they barely have time to be together. The whole time I was rooting for them to get everything straightened out so they could live happily ever after. Auggie and Pepper are lucky to have a group of friends to help them whenever it is needed. Their friends are interesting and colorful characters and many of them are from KA’s other books. I enjoyed the fun filled romantic ride filled with quirky characters, emotion and intense moments.

3.5 for this one. I've read KA's series' multiple times. This one just feels like it's falling into a template. Some elements are rushed, some are very slow burning. Auggie and Pepper fit the mold of the smouldering alpha with lingering issues where he can't find the "one" . Pepper hasn't had the easiest life and needs that knight in shining armor to rescue her. Presto! Instant chemistry! And the last of the matchmaking has occurred for the main characters in this series.

Overall, it's a KA, so bantering dialog, plot line that is semi predictable, but enjoyable. You know what you're getting with her writing :)

I have not read this author before. This book is part of a series but it is not necessary to read the others books before this one. There are many story threads of which my favorite was daughter Juno’s matchmaking attempts with the help of Cisco (I wasn’t clear who he was though)

I had difficulty getting through this book since I don’t think the author’s writing style is to my taste. I’m not sure if it was youth speak or street speak, but I found the vernacular of the characters to be a bit cringe worthy. Nor am I a fan of inner dialog in parenthesis as this was done to an excess IMO. While I wasn’t a fan of his name, I liked Auggie’s character but I found Pepper to be too much drama.

This read was not for me.

Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Kristen Ashley’s Dream Keeper, book 4 of her Dream Team series, is everything I love about a KA story. Her stream-of-consciousness delivery coupled with the delightful characterization of Pepper and Auggie captivates the reader. Once I started Dream Keeper, thinking I would savor it, I couldn’t stop reading it. Here are some of my general thoughts on the newest story in her arsenal of epic books:

Juno, Pepper’s daughter, steals the book. Without spoiling anything, she has her own space in Dream Keeper, and she creates an unlikely relationship with another character that adds depth to Pepper and Auggie’s story.
Of the Dream Men, I think Auggie is the most unassuming hero. He’s just naturally a good guy with commando tendencies. He’s the most innocuous of the bunch. After Pepper figures herself out and Auggie is granted access to her, he is swoony delishness.
Pepper, like her Dream Team counterparts, is a touch-as-nails chick. She’s endured a stinker of an ex- which has made her reticent to enter relationships. It takes a portion of the first part of Dream Keeper to accept her attraction to Auggie. While it’s frustrating for the reader that she doesn’t go “all in” with him immediately, her reasons are sound, and you can’t help but respect her. Her evolution is pure Rock Chick/Dream Team personified, and she and Auggie are magic.
Kristen Ashley throws some new wrenches into the ointment of the Dream Team series. There are new twists in this book and some new characters that I suspect will have future stories. This felt like a curveball of sorts which is the reason for my 4-star rating. For this reader, it seemed like a ploy to extend this world. Not that I don’t like KA’s universe, I do. It felt, however, as though this book should have wrapped up the suspense portion of this series. It doesn’t. Instead, there is more waiting to be had, more threads to unravel.
There aren’t as many Rock Chick sightings in this book. We are dealing mostly with the Dream Teamers and their men. Pepper and Auggie’s stories are definitely enough without the intercession of the Rock Chicks and their guys.
Dream Keeper is everything I had hoped it would be. I had no idea the direction of Ashley’s Dream Team series, and now I see she has more in store for her readers. That means…buckle up, KA fans, there is definitely more to come in this world.

This is the 4th book in a fabulous series by Kristen Ashley. Pepper grew up in a difficult family in a weird cult and Auggie has 2 parents who can't figure out how to adults. Pepper and Auggie spent months circling each other, and adorable 8 year old Juno took matters in her own hands to help them find happiness. This rollercoaster romance was fun to read. Thank you for the opportunity to read this from NetGalley.

5 ⭐️ KA keeps on writing those stories you love to read

Reading a Kristen Ashley book is always a joy for me. Her latest book in the Dream Team does not disappoint, hot guys, sassy and smart women with angsty issues and drama.
Dream Keeper has something more, Pepper is a single mom, which Kristen handles delicately and with appropriate sensitivity.
A favorite scene in this book is Lottie(part of the posse that KA books are known for) bemoaning that she hasn’t been kidnapped like the other women in the posse. Be careful what you wish for. Also KA gives us more on Cisco, a side character that has appeared in most of this series, giving hope that KA will write his HEA at sometime
Overall, this book is my favorite in the series. Both Auggie and Pepper have significant baggage from their childhood and previous relationships. In addition as a single mom, Pepper is overly careful of exposing her daughter to any men in her life. Like not having any. Pepper’s eight year old daughter, Juno, is a gem. Her matchmaking and almost grownup thoughts and feelings couldn’t have been better written and provides comedic relief as well sensitive insight into how adult actions can be interpreted not as intended. Auggie is Kristen’s typical hot, commando guy but provides a different perspective than what we traditionally read in books. As a ‘hot guy’, he has had several experiences where he is treated as a hall pass, a one night stand for bedpost notch, souring him on having meaningful relationships. Even Pepper has treated in a manner causing him doubts. How these two work through their issues and finally get together was a great journey

3.5 stars Full disclosure…while I’ve read and enjoyed other Kristen Ashley books, I haven’t read any of the Dream Man, Rock Chicks or Dream Team books. I think if I had possibly had some background info, I might have starred this higher. Or maybe not. The amount of stuff going on in this book at times took the enjoyment of the characters away. Ex husbands, parents in a cult, young daughter colluding with a criminal to get stubborn and prideful mom Pepper and Auggie together…it’s a lot. Auggie was my favorite character and at times, I wondered why he kept trying with Pepper. She’s a lot of work. Even her inner dialogue was a thing for me. What’s with all the parenthetical musings? Juno was way more mature than eight years old, in good and bad ways. I think the adults in her life needed to help her be more of a kid, but also giving her consequences for lying. I enjoyed the times that Pepper and Auggie were together, but there was too much drama coming from too many directions that diluted their connection for me. I’m don’t sure I’ll read the next book, if there is one, in this series. But I’m absolutely still a fan of Kristen Ashley and look forward reading more from her soon.

Auggie & Pepper’s Deep & Complex Story Is A Sweet & Emotional Ride Intermixed With Family Drama & A Dose Of Danger. They Are Both Broken, & In One Another They Are Healed.


ABOUT THE DREAM TEAM SERIES:

This series follows the men that work for Hawk Delgado, commandos that often find themselves in dangerous situations. There are kidnappings and dirty cops galore that keep things interesting as the series progresses. Note that Hawk’s story with Gwendolyn Kidd is Mystery Man, which is book one of the Dream Man series.

This series crosses over with the Rock Chick series as well. Charlotte “Lottie” McAlister plays matchmaker in this series. Lottie is Jet McAlister’s sister. Jet’s story with Eddie Chavez is told in book two of the Rock Chick series, Rock Chick Rescue.

In book one of the Dream Team series, Dream Maker, Daniel “Mag” Magnusson steps up to protect Evie Gardiner and ends up falling in love.

In Dream Chaser, book two, commando Boone Sadler convinces Ryn Jansen to take a chance on him.

Axl Pantera doesn’t give up on Hattie Yates In book three, Dream Spinner.

This is book four of the Dream Team series. It is Auggie Hero and Pepper Hannigan’s long-awaited single mom romance. Although best read in series, this can be read as a standalone as well.

IN THIS BOOK:

The story opens at Mo and Lottie’s wedding. Auggie and Pepper were supposed to be next to couple up if all went according to Lottie’s matchmaking plan, but Pepper, a single mom, made it very clear that she was not going down that road, much to Auggie’s disappointment. Pepper is focused on her eight-year-old daughter, Juno, and she doesn’t have room for more in her life.

Not much later, the couple succumbs to their attraction to one another in an unexpected moment of passion that ends in disaster. Months later, they are still trying their best to avoid one another, which is quite a task since all their closest friends are together in one fashion or another.

As Halloween passes and the holidays approach, their story picks up again. This time, however, eight-year-old Juno plays matchmaker – and she enlists the aid of Brett “Cisco” Rappaport. The successful crime lord had once been responsible for Pepper being kidnapped and held by gunpoint, but little Juno believes instinctively that he is the one to turn to for help.

Pepper Hannigan, twenty-eight, makes being a single mom look easy. She is organized, focused, and purposeful in all she does. Things fell apart with her ex, Corbin, three years ago, when she discovered that he had been cheating. She and Corbin share custody of Juno, now eight, and though she does receive child support, Pepper puts all that money away for Juno. Since she had stayed home when Juno was born, and she hadn’t the education nor skills to provide a good home for herself and Juno, she turned to stripping after the breakup. Working at Smithie’s had helped her purchase a home and build a nice life for her and Juno, and it was also where she formed strong friendships with her friends – Lottie, Evie, Ryn, and Hattie. She doesn’t make as much in tips since the club switched over to a sexy revue, but she gets by. Her goal, though, is to open her own meditation studio. Mediation is a big part of her life, keeping her centered, and she wants to share that with others.

Pepper made a vow to herself, and she plans to keep it. After watching her daughter suffer through a series of women parading in and out of her ex’s life, and noting the toll it took on Juno, Pepper made a conscious decision to keep her home drama-free. She wants to ensure that Juno feels loved and secure, so she wakes up each day to put her daughter first. Later, when Juno is in her mid-teens and seems emotionally capable, Pepper will consider dating. But until then, dating is out, even if Auggie Hero is a dream come true. He is the impossible dream, though, and she has no other choice but to settle on having him as a friend.

Augustus “Auggie” Hero, thirty-four, is a former Marine. After leaving the service, he returned home to Denver where he now works for Hawk Delgado as a commando. He is blessed with godlike good looks. That hasn’t necessarily turned out well for him, though. He has had a few relationships – including a long-term one with Marie – but he still finds himself single. Mostly he finds himself used by women, targeted for a good time. They toy with him, and he hates it. He grew up in a dysfunctional family, and the games his parents play eat him up to this day. Pepper, though, seemed different. Her love for her daughter, Juno, is visible. And he desperately wanted to feel that love himself. It was something he hadn’t experienced growing up. And watching all his closest friends fall in love has him feeling a little lonely these days. His friends expected him and Pepper to get together, but then Pepper had surprised him. It turned out that she wasn’t much different than the rest of the women. Even so, he adores Juno, so when Juno enlists his help, he cannot say no.

When Juno brings Auggie and Pepper together again, neither is excited. They both will do anything to please the little girl, so they put on their best act. Soon enough, the ice begins to melt, and eventually their friendship – and their attraction for one another – is rekindled. But both come to this fledgling relationship with a lot of baggage. Auggie always knew his parents had problems, and he knew it affected him, but it becomes all too real once Pepper and Juno enter his life. Observing them together breaks him. It causes him to reflect on things he’d rather not think about. Pepper has family issues as well. Her family is Gonzo for God. They belong to the Tabernacle of the True Light, led by Reverend Clyde Higgins. Pepper left them and the church when she turned eighteen, as did her older brother Birch, whom she has not seen in the twelve years since he left. She loves her family, however, and despite their judgment and their pressure for her to return, she does keep in touch. The tension, however, is always there. Both Auggie and Pepper are forced to confront their past as the holidays approach. Things get ugly, but neither is prepared for the danger that follows. The couple eventually finds a happy ending.

Wow! Auggie and Pepper’s story is deep and complex. There is a lot here, including the ongoing investigations that Hawk and his men run (and it won’t end here – there is more to come). At this point in the series, the characters are beginning to feel like family, and Auggie and Pepper are the last of their group to couple up. It is easy to root for them initially, but this story gets very real, very fast, and the hurt feelings really do seem insurmountable. It is a tall order to overcome what takes place, but it works.

Auggie and Pepper are both broken, and in one another they are healed. They find the unconditional love they both crave. Auggie really is the dream, and Pepper knew it all along. She just needs a little help to get to the point where she can allow herself to find her own happiness outside of Juno. Juno is a star in this story, and her storyline with Cisco is adorable. It makes you wonder … how old is Cisco? And how old will he be when she is eighteen? That is pretty far into the future, but it might make for a great age gap romance if he isn’t too too old.

There are some new characters introduced here, and some bode to factor into future stories as well. In Hawk’s group, Billy and Marques are new guys. Zane is also unmatched as of yet. These men are younger, but that doesn’t seem to stop Lottie from having more matchmaking ideas. This time she recruits her friends to assist, and as this story ends, it is obvious that there are more stories yet to come in this series.

Auggie and Pepper’s story is a sweet and emotional ride intermixed with family drama and a dose of danger. It is a story about family and dysfunction. It is a realistic portrayal of parenting and co-parenting, and of the struggles of being a single mom. It is about setting boundaries, even when it is hard. It is about loving yourself enough to make your own happiness a priority. And it is about knowing when to walk away. Auggie is the dream, and yet despite his beauty, he is broken. He has a big heart, yet he has never really felt loved. Pepper is strong and independent. She faces the world unafraid and is a fierce mama bear. Like Auggie, she didn’t have great role models growing up, but she is determined to overcome and succeed. And little Juno steals the show in the most emotional scene of the book. This story is well-written. There are a few confusing sentences, but otherwise, this is solid. The plot is very complex. The characters are carefully crafted and very real. The story is written in third person in Auggie, Juno, and Elvira’s POVs; it is written in first person in Pepper’s POV. I rate this book 4.5 stars.

I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

je suis une inconditionnelle de Kristen Ashley et j'adore sa série "Dream Team" qui est une série spin-off aux séries "Dream Men" et "Rock Chick" puisque nous suivons les aventures des commandos qui travaillent pour Hawk mais aussi les femmes qui travaillent avec Lottie, la soeur de Jet, dans le cabaret de Smithy : ici, nous découvrons donc l'histoire du dernier des commandos (mais pas le moindre mais vu la fin de celui-ci, on peut espérer une suite) Auggie (de son vrai nom August) Hero (un nom révélateur ^^ ) et de Pepper (une mère de famille divorcée qui a décidé de renoncer aux hommes et de se consacrer à sa fille Juno) Mais... cette dernière en a décidé autrement : elle aime Auggie et sa mère ensemble et souhaite qu'il forme un couple : elle va faire appel à un homme inattendu (un homme plutôt dangereux qui a même menacé sa mère mais ça, elle ne le sait pas mais qui va fondre devant la petite) et jouer les entremetteuses... Mais elle n'est pas la seule : leurs amis veulent aussi les voir ensemble et lorsque leurs familles réapparaissent amenant, elles aussi le danger et le chaos dans leurs vies, il se pourrait que tous deux se rapprochent et affrontent les problèmes ensemble. Mais lorsque l'ex de Pepper s'en mêle aussi, la situation devient franchement explosive et il leur faudra faire face à leur blessures et tester leurs sentiments et voir s'ils peuvent trouver le bonheur ensemble.
Mon avis : Je serai honnête avec vous : j'ai lu la nouvelle 0.5 introductive, le tome 1 et ai les tomes deux et trois dans ma pal mais n'ai pas pris le temps de les lire. Pourtant, lorsque l'on m'a proposé ce sp, j'ai accepté sans souci car tous peuvent se lire individuellement et même si j'ai raté quelques allusions (ça me pousse à lire prochainement les deux et trois) j'ai adoré ce thème : lorsqu'on connaît ses séries originelles, on ne peut qu'apprécier car elle respecte bien l'ambiance de base (on retrouve donc certains des personnages )qui a fait leur succès mais elle leur insuffle aussi une touche de jeunesse et crée des histoires évidemment différentes. En effet, nos héros ont la trentaine bien passée, ont eu une vie (loin d'être simples) et doivent faire face aux enjeux de la vie de tous les jours : Auggie est commando, ce qui signifie qu'il met sa vie en danger régulièrement et Pepper est mère quasi célibataire et elle doit trouver le moyen de gagner sa vie pour subvenir aux besoins de sa fille et affronter son ex-mari, décidé à lui en faire voir. De plus, comme ses amies avant elle, elle a des envies secrètes et ne se voit pas danser toute sa vie. C'est une femme qui a une volonté de fer mais qui a été blessée profondément par l'infidélité (ou devrais-je dire aux infidélités) de son ex-mari et forcément, même si elle est attirée par cet homme alpha et sexy, elle refuse de céder. Pire, elle va le blesser involontairement en le rejetant (elle ne connait pas son passé) mais notre cupidon va intervenir...
Ce que j'aime dans les romans de Kristen Ashley comme ceux de Melissa Foster, c'est qu'une fois le couple formé, tous deux affrontent des histoires d'adultes : pas besoin de les séparer par un malentendu ou autre, non (ce qui est souvent le cas chez nos auteures françaises) non, ils vont affronter les défis qui vont se présenter à eux et évidemment, ici, il y en a de nombreux car ils ont des familles plus que compliquées voire dangereuses pour la jeune femme. En effet, elle appartient à une famille qui a basculé dans l'extrémisme religieux protestant et elle les a fuis des années auparavant mais sa soeur va reprendre contact avec elle car sa mère est gravement malade : Pepper pourra-t-elle renouer avec cette famille qui l'a rejetée lorsqu'elle est tombée enceinte? Fort heureusement, notre héros sera là pour l'épauler.
Auggie est un homme fort à l'extérieur, patient, sexy, adorable avec Juno et bien sûr, un ami et un homme sur qui l'on peut compter à tout instant : comme il travaille pour Hawk, il peut devenir létal en un instant et son corps est son arme de guerre. Malgré tout, lui aussi, a eu une vie pas facile et des parents atypiques et que j'ai eu envie de frapper plus d'une fois : c'est donc, comme ses amis , un homme fort au coeur plus tendre qu'il n'y paraît : il suffit de voir comment il agit avec Juno pour s'en rendre compte. Pourtant, il n'est pas parfait et est même grognon mais vous ne pourrez que craquer pour ce personnage.

J'ai adoré aussi cette petite fille âgée de 8 ans et si intelligente : bien qu'elle aime son père, elle sait qu'il a fait souffrir sa mère et elle veut le meilleur pour elle et elle sait que le meilleur, c'est Auggie: elle va donc faire preuve d'audace et de malice pour les réunir. Elle est généreuse, drôle et adore notre héros : j'ai adoré leurs moments mais aussi la manière dont elle se confie à Brett ou Mr Cisko dont j'espère qu'on aura l'histoire.

C'est ce que j'aime dans ces romans, cette alternance de romance sexy, de romantic suspense car nos deux héros ont des "enquêtes" à mener et sont pris dans des histoires dangereuses (l'église extrémiste qui vire en secte pour Pepper et la traque de flics pourris pour Auggie et son équipe.) Vous rajoutez des moments plein d'humour, de tendresse ou au contraire très stressants voire énervants (j'ai eu envie de secouer leurs deux familles mais aussi l'ex égoïste mais qui est un bon père) et bien sûr, les valeurs si chères à nos auteures anglo-saxonnes : amitiés, soutien, amour, familles etc... Bref, on ne s'ennuie jamais et comme toujours, c'est réussi puisque l'on recroise des personnages dont on a lu les histoires et qu'on aimait.

Vivement la suite! C'est dans ce style de récits que je la préfère et où elle excelle le plus, bien que j'ai beaucoup aimé sa nouvelle série.

Si vous lisez en VO, foncez, vous ne vous ennuierez pas et si vous aimez le romantic suspense avec des héros badass et des filles qui sont bien dans leur époque et donc qui ne se laissent pas marcher sur les pieds, lisez cette série.

This is why I love Kristen Ashley's books! Pepper and Auggie were perfect examples of the characters I love. He's alpha, but sweet. She's a bit aggravating, but totally likable. And sweet Juno! She was the frosting on the cake!

4 stars

The fourth book in the Dream Team series, this is the story of Auggie and Pepper – the last of the four couples set up by Lottie in Quiet Man– and a gorgeous single parent romance that is slightly angsty, but ultimately very satisfying with lots of sweet moments, sexiness, and a little bit of mystery. I loved it.

Auggie and Pepper have been the longest hold-outs to Lottie’s matchmaking plans. And it’s not from Auggie’s lack of trying! He’s very attracted to Pepper, and in the three years since they’ve met they’ve become friendly, he’s asked her out a few times, but she always turns him down, despite being obviously attracted to him too. Her latest bout of hot & cold has left him confused and completely frustrated, and he lashes out, and they both come to the realisation that whatever could have been between them is over.

I’ve gotta say, I was so annoyed at Pepper through the first part of this book. She’s a single mother whose daughter is the centre of her world, and having been hurt in love before, she’s not willing to risk her heart, or Juno’s, and so she constantly pushes Auggie away, but then her walls will drop and she’ll let him in, only to push him away again. The prologue gives us glimpse of the back and forth, and I completely understand why Auggie was angry. I would be too!

But right when they have both come to the conclusion that nothing will ever happen between them, Pepper’s daughter, Juno, gets involved, determined to see her mother happy, and she knows (just like we all do) that Auggie is the perfect man to do that.

Like I said, there a bit of angst in this one, but with Juno roping in an unlikely ally to help, Auggie and Pepper are brought together again and again. Though hurt, Auggie is one very determined alpha and he knows what he wants, and when Pepper’s walls finally start to drop, he’s all over it, getting himself in there, with every intention of staying, and then it’s all on!

“I’m making you mine. Juno mine. You’re both gonna be in my life. And I look after the people in my life that I care about.”

Once Auggie is in, he’s in. The relationship is honest and functional, and I loved watching them find their way forward together, follow their hearts and fall hard. After all of her hesitation, Pepper completely redeems herself as she so opens up completely to Auggie, sharing her feelings, fears and emotion, and Auggie is there, guiding her through it all and giving it right back. They are sweet and playful, the chemistry is fantastic, the sex is steamy, and the emotion and heartfelt declarations had me swooning.

“You gotta know, Pepper, you will always be my end all, be all.”

It’s the kind of romance we expect from KA, and she writes it so well.

Little Juno is a gem. Her relationship with her mother is so special, and the relationship that develops between her and Auggie is just gorgeous. She’s so open-hearted, and so willing to bring him in to their lives, and her journey in this book is like a little side-story of its own. I loved watching her fighting so hard for her family, and the love that she and Auggie so clearly have for each other was beautiful to see.

He’d known it was happening, but still, it was a shock to the system to realize that he’d fallen in love twice in a month.

As always with a KA book, there is some mystery and danger. Pepper’s family are part of a cult, one that she escaped as a teenager, but new developments drag her into danger, and Auggie and his boys, and Pepper’s girls, are all on board to help. But the trouble runs deeper than anybody expected, and things are definitely not as they seem.

This is another great read from KA. I loved Auggie and Pepper together, I loved the inclusion of little Juno, and I loved catching up with the characters from the previous books and enjoyed the dynamics of the group together. There are cameos, and a couple of nice surprises, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a couple of novellas from this series, or perhaps another spin off? Whatever the case, I’ll be reading.

Loved it – 4 stars!

We really enjoyed this story, it was emotional and felt real and was packed with a lot of feeling and a lot of heart and was a bit messy.

Juno for us made this story with her matchmaking ways, right down to the precious little girl who wanted happiness of her mother and who also had a heart of gold. This little girl just melted our heart.

Auggie was just a sweetheart who wanted what we all want, a family and to be loved, and he would soon learn that he was Juno's and Pepper be all and end all!
We found his alpha ways sexy and his voice panty melting but, we also love his vulnerable side it was precious and endearing, and we were learning very quickly he was unlucky in love, and he soon would learn he and Pepper had a lot more in common than they ever could imagine.

Pepper was a great mom, supporter and fun-loving awesome cook. We loved Pepper and how she was with her daughter and how she was willing to make sacrifices for her daughter but, her daughter was not going to let her sacrifice her happiness that she could have with someone like Auggie.

Messy bits were all about family and working through the difficulties within them, and sometimes you just can't fix broke and must move on.

Our heart went out to all characters like Pepper who seemed to be getting bad news hand over fist and how through it all she tried to find a way to fix it in away she could.

Overall, we loved the chemistry and the romance and the family drama and the surprises that popped up along the way. We loved all the little precious moments between Auggie and Pepper and Juno and also Juno with her co conspirator in helping mom and Auggie getting together. Great story with awesome characters with a plot that just got a heck of a lot more interesting.

In 2019, when Kristen Ashley teased Dream Maker, the first book this series, to her readers, I was ecstatic, and it instantly became one of my most anticipated books of 2020. I absolutely loved her Dream Man series, and to this day, it’s one I reread often. Hawk Delgado and his commandos were these interesting, elusive guys who popped up all over KA’s fictional world in Denver whenever anyone seemed to need them most. I wanted to know more about them then, and I’m thrilled that KA has given it to readers now.

Dream Keeper is the fourth book in Kristen Ashley’s Dream Team series, and I absolutely loved everything about Auggie and Pepper’s story. The Dream Team series features characters who’ve really only been alluded to in her previous books and series set in KA’s Denver. Her readers often look for stories from her with what they refer to as that ‘old school KA vibe,’ which is a reference to her early writings that are widely viewed as some of the greatest contemporary romances of our time. I am a KA reader who craves that hit of awesomeness, and she has quenched my thirst for that with the stories in this series. The stories in the Dream Team series were all comfortingly familiar yet still felt brand-spanking-new to me.

KA’s stories aren’t just about the hot guy hero. He’s a star, no doubt, but her heroines are equally dynamic and hold their own in the face of all that alpha-hotness. Her heroines are notoriously strong, sassy, smart women, and she gives them a vibrant and loyal goup of friends who illustrate exactly what it means to find your tribe. I turn to KA’s stories for those fabulous female-positive friendships just as much as I do the heart-racing, heat-filled, knee-weakening romances these heroines get swept up in. In Dream Keeper, the heroine, Pepper, has a solid support system in her co-workers at Smithie’s, and their brand of mischief and sisterhood holds up against that of the Rock Chicks or the Chaos old ladies.

Auggie and Pepper both bring a suitcase full of their own issues to this relationship. Pepper is a single mother, and her precious daughter, Juno, plays a huge role in the story and often steals the show. Pepper has been burned by love, and now she is not only guarding her heart, she’s guarding Juno’s. She’s got a big heart, and it really wants Auggie, but she’s afraid to take him up on what he’s offering. Auggie has had his own disappointments in love, but he’s got it bad for Pepper and her sweet little girl and is willing to take a chance. Auggie isn’t the only one who wants him and Pepper together, though. It seems Juno does, too, and she enlists the help of an unlikely ally. As is often the case with KA’s romances, amid the up and downs of the love story, a suspenseful secondary plot is unfolding. The one here was interesting and had a few unexpected twists and turns that kept me tapping at my screen.

Wonderfully nostalgic but with a fresh spin, Dream Keeper was everything I love about a Kristen Ashley romance. A clever, cool and chic heroine paired with a protective, decisive, caring alpha male in a love story full of feels, fun and fire. I positively devoured this book, loving every single moment, word and scene of it. I didn’t want to put it down, I didn’t want it to end, and I’m now excitedly wondering if that was truly the end. A top favorite of the year, Dream Keeper by Kristen Ashley gets five smooches from me!
~Danielle Palumbo, Red Cheeks Reads

I knew that Pepper would be the hardest to win over, out of all the girls. And I hated how much she resisted and what she put Auggie through. BUT Auggie was also a bit of a jerk too. Yet, in true Kristen Ashely fashion, the journey to Pepper and Auggies HEA is worth the wait. I really enjoyed this book.

☆☆☆The Sweetest Couple In The Dream Team So Far!☆☆☆

Dream Keeper is probably my favorite book in the Dream Team Series by Kristen Ashley. There is so much action between Pepper and Auggie, the team, Cisco, and Juno that it was like a constant rollercoaster, but after an initial few bumps the sweet between Pepper and Auggie is very old school Kristen Ashley, rather similar to Tess and Brock in Wild Man.

Pepper is sweet, trying to be that perfect Mama, do nothing to let her child down, all the while not noticing that her own walls are crumbling without any kind of outside support.

Auggie is amazing, AMAZING!! Soft, and gentle, but he's been so hurt that any perceived slight is seen as a tease, a cheat, no one to take care of him, and the ability to explode is way too close to the surface. Instead of asking questions, he moves to a defensive position.

I loved the back and forth between Hawks team and the girls, the rollercoaster ride that is Pepper and Auggie's dramatic family lives, and its interference in what Pepper and Auggie are trying to build together with Juno. I love seeing old members of KA books reappear, and watching her build this world as she moves forward is reassuring in its depth.

Pepper and Auggie together are out of this world HOT, a steam I haven't seen recently in this series. A classic 5 stars for me!!

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10++ stars! Auggie & Pepper's story has been brewing throughout the series, with Pepper being STUBBORN and wasting time. And, okay, she had a really good reason at first, and then a somewhat good reason, but then, after a bit, it was just her being stubborn.

Anyway, that part of her personality might have annoyed me. LOL

But overall, this story was FANTASTIC & I highly enjoyed it (thus the extra stars)!! Auggie is amazing, and I love getting inside his head. We also get some Juno POV, which added an extra level of depth to the story's awesomeness. We DEFINITELY get to see Brett (aka Cisco) & his role is a little different in this one, but still pulled at my heartstrings & made me hope he somehow, someway, gets his own HEA.

There is a huge family theme here, and the various ways they can be messed up or mess you up, but also the role love plays in all of that. Excellent theme! And I loved the way both Auggie & Pepper's situations shook out.

Prepare for laughter, tears (both happy & sad), steamy goodness, and a feeling of anticipation for what's coming next!!

: )