Thank you Berkley Publishing Group and PRH Audio for the free advanced copies of this book.

Dream On, Ramona Riley was my first book by Ashley Herring Blake and a STEAMY sapphic romance featuring some of my favorite tropes.

This small town, grumpy x sunshine story follows Ramona and Dylan as they reunite unexpectedly after sharing a kiss one summer when they were teenagers. Ramona is now a pseudo-mom to her younger sister and Dylan is the Hollywood famous, wild only child of rockstar parents.

This book was cute, funny, steamy, and featured some excellent side characters. I loved Ramona, her older sister energy was so relatable and I loved watching her blossom throughout this book! Ashley Herring Blake set this story up well for a continuation of the series, and I can't wait.

I had high hopes for this one and it exceeded my expectations!

this was so good!
from being 13 and being each others first kiss and not seeing each other for years, to being adults whos paths cross again.

i ate this up!
i could not put it down to the point i was reading it at work🤭

this was cute, emotional and Ramona was written 100% for the eldest daughter who has to grow up too fast and put their dreams on hold.

highly recommend!

Another emotional journey from Ashley Herring Blake, with tons of character development and swoon worthy open door scenes. If you’ve liked her other works, you’ll love this one!

“She could forgive herself. She could start fresh, remake, redo, be, become.”

I just adore Ashley Herring Blake. Her books are so genuine and her characters always feel relatable, but complex enough that their growth journeys are compelling.

Both Dylan and Ramona have complicated, interesting backstories involving their families which is something that I think connected them when they were younger and again as adults. There is such an obvious chemistry between them, but still a lot of difficult feelings. Dylan coming back into Ramona’s life is unexpected, but blossoms into a burgeoning romance. And the fact that Dylan is there to shoot a movie adds a different pressure to everything. It was also really fun to get a little cameo from Iris and Stevie!

What I really loved was how they both resolve their feelings towards their parents. For Ramona, she’s still bitter about her mom walking out. She has this great conversation with her dad where he acknowledges her sacrifices while also encouraging her future. Dylan has always been in the shadow of her famous parents who never acted much like parents. She has held these feelings of neglect and abandonment, and finally has the conversations she needs to.

There is some miscommunication here, but it was written in a way that worked for these characters. It doesn’t feel trivial, and it builds into a significant and beautiful resolution. The last few chapters are just so well written and bring the entire story together. It doesn’t feel too neat and clean, and despite the nearly grand gesture, it feels realistic and grounded. This is another great book from Ashley Herring Blake.

AHB is one of my most favorite authors and I have been eagerly awaiting this book after reading an excerpt at the end of Make the Season Bright. I adore the Bright Falls series and was thrilled to see that there was a connection to those beloved characters through one of Iris's novels.

Like with all of AHB's books, this story is brimming with heartwarming moments that leave your eyes a little teary. Ramona and Dylan, like AHB's other characters, feel like real people as their journeys, struggles, hopes, hurt, and dreams are reflect the lived experiences of our own lives or those we know and love. As adults, Ramona and Dylan are still coping with having their childhoods cut short and thrown into adulthood at an early age. Because of this rapid thrust into adulthood, they have not fully processed or begun healing from these events. Ramona, as a teenager, not only had to process her mother leaving, but had to step back from her academic pursuits to step into a caregiver role and look after her younger sister and father following a traumatic event. As the child of famous parents, Dylan has lived a life in the spotlight and under scrutiny since she was born, and while her parents are now in therapy and working on being supportive, she still carries the pain of their neglect. I felt so protective of both Ramona and Dylan and took a deep breath of relief when they finally reached the point of prioritizing their personal mental and emotional wellbeing.

This story was sweet, swoon, and S P I C Y. I really love how there is such intimacy and tenderness in the spice that AHB writes and how these moments where the characters are so vulnerable, there is always open communication and enthusiastic consent.

I cannot wait for April's book and to revisit the delightful world of Clover Lake!

Absolute perfection 🤩 Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC!!

Diverse queer representation that feels natural and authentic, and it's performative? Absolutely - I think that's an Ashley Herring Blake signature.
But so are examples of tough love and of self-realizations that feel like therapy. So are best friends who feel like family.

Ramona Riley is an amazing older sister to Olive, and she wouldn't have had it any other way. Her best friend April has been in her corner, trying to inspire her to start going after her own dreams and taking care of herself.
Dylan Monroe is Hollywood's perceived wild child bad-girl, and is looking to clean up her image by starring in a queer romance movie as the shy lead.
When Ramona and Dylan meet, they realize they actually knew each other as kids and have been thinking about each other ever since.

Another incredible, touching, and amazing book by the wonderful AHB!! 🍒🍭

Thank you to Berkley and Ashley Herring Blake for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own. ❤️

As an unapologetic Ashley Herring Blake fangirl, I went into this with high expectations. It did not disappoint! Dylan and Ramona meet as teenagers one fateful night on a lake. Never sharing their real first names, they both share their first kiss. Now, Dylan is a world famous actress and Ramona stayed in her same small town, caring for her sister after their mom left and dreaming of being a Hollywood costume designer. Dylan comes back to shoot a movie, and the same sparks fly from childhood.

As always, Blake packs a punch in what appears to be a standard sapphic romance. And while it is that, this book explores so much more. How we feel about ourselves. The things we do for those we love. Living up to others expectations and truly being ourselves, no matter the consequences. I absolutely adored this book! Dylan and Ramona's love story will live rent free in my head for a long time coming, and I can not WAIT to read the next in the series! Ashley Herring Blake has done it again, and I'm just thankful I'm along for the ride!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

This was a cute, queer, small town romance. Dylan and Ramona met as teens one summer in this lake town and had both of their first's kiss, but they never shared their names with each other. Dylan becomes a famous actress and does a movie that shoots back in that same lake town. Ramona is still living there, having dropped out of design school to care for her younger sister after her mom left and her dad was injured in a car accident. Her dream is to be a holly wood costume designer. When Dylan and Ramona run into each other, sparks fly, and Ramona sees an opportunity to finally get out of her small town.

This was pretty solid! I enjoyed reading it, but it isn't one I see myself reaching for or re-reading. I think the celebrity/regular romance is hard to pull off and parts of this felt blah to me. I would recommend if you like celebrity romance, small town romance, bisexual rep, and second chance romance! Overall 3 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for a review copy of this book--all opinions my own!

Not my favorite of AHB's books. It was fine but not great. Didn't really feel like the author had spent much time in New Hampshire, honestly.

Overall, I'm sure some folks are going to love it and the very spicy sex scenes but it was not my cup of tea

4.75 ⭐️
🌶🌶🌶🌶

Ramona gave up her dream of costume design to help raise her sister. Years later, Olive is about to go to college and Ramona's best friend April is begging Ramona to take charge of her dreams again. Enter Dylan, the traim wreck of a star in a movie being filmed in Ramona's town. Only, this isn't the first time Dylan and Ramona have crossed paths.

I love the setting so much. Small town meets celebrity romance with a dash of second chance. Ramona is sunny and wholesome, and Dylan is messy but tries so hard. I wish Dylan's arc with her parents hadn't been so summarized, but I really enjoyed the resolution between Dylan and Ramona.

This was such a fun read, and I can't wait for the next Clover Lake book!

Thanks so much to @berkleypub for the opportunity to read and review.

It seems that fate has brought Ramona Riley and Dylan Monroe back together in Dream On, Ramona Riley after a chance encounter in their teenage years. Ashley Herring Blake weaves a tale bringing struggles of the past in conflict with the dreams of a better future for both Ramona and Dylan. Who do they want to be and how will they get there. With each other there is love, friendship, safety, and a lot of spice. Another wonderful read by Blake. Will recommend.

Ok I’m not gonna lie, small town romances aren’t normally my thing, BUT it worked so well for this story. The plot was well done, and the romance was incredibly sweet. I enjoyed the dual POV, where we really got to understand each fmc, and see their character progression throughout the story. Would 100% recommend giving it a read!

My god, Ashley Herring Blake has done it again. The way she writes sapphic love? Magnificent. The grand gestures? Absolutely swoonworthy. And the raw, believable characters? She could bottle that talent and sell it - but luckily for us, she binds it into books.

Ramona and Dylan are hot. Like, jaw-on-the-floor hot. The spicy scenes in this book? 10/10, no notes. But beyond the heat, they’re also messy and relatable in the best way. The fake dating element is present, but it gently steps aside to let their shared past take center stage - one of those “blip for some, life-changing for others” kind of histories. It’s the kind of connection that lingers, that gave each of them a light to hold on to when things were dark.

Watching them grow - together and individually - was such a joy. And I loved how the movie they were filming mirrored their emotional journeys, giving us this extra layer of reflection and resonance. Classic Ashley Herring Blake move, and it worked beautifully.

And of course, the side characters shine like always. April, Olive, even the parents - each one felt vibrant and alive. And Iris!! I squealed seeing her again. I cannot wait to read Get Real, April Evans the second it drops.

**Thank you to Berkley Romance and Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Ashley Herring Blake kicks off a new small town series with the second chance story of Ramona and Dylan, who met years ago and shared an evening of fireworks, but haven’t seen each other since. Now actor Dylan is in town to film a movie, and waitress Ramona is supposed to help her prep for the role. Sparks fly immediately but each of them is hiding some important truths, so will the sparks turn into a flame or fizzle out?

I absolutely love all of Ashley Herring Blake’s books and “Dream On Ramona Riley” was no exception. I was so excited to dive back into her writing and to an entirely new group of queer characters. “Dream On Ramona Riley” was an extremely enjoyable book and truly resonates with anyone who's ever had to put their dreams on hold. The main movie plot in this book being based on Iris's book is such a wonderful way to tie it all into the rest of her world. What I loved most about this book is how it explores the themes of rediscovery and the courage to chase your dreams, no matter how long they've been on the back burner. I loved the backstory with Ramona and Dylan, and also found myself falling in love with the secondary characters as well, especially April and Olive. Their relationship is so effortless even though they’ve both been dreaming about each other for 18 years. Ramona and Dylan have incredible chemistry and when they get to come together and...come together it is SO GOOD. OMG, their smut scene is one of my new favorites. It blew my mind. Steam was coming off of my kindle while I was reading it. I’m very excited to read the next one in this series. Thanks to Ashley Herring Blake, Netgalley and Berkeley Publishing for an e-arc in exchange for my thoughts. I will absolutely purchase a physical copy of this book when it publishes! . I'm already anxiously anticipating the next book following Ramona's tattoo artist best friend April who's still hung up on a life-altering one night stand from years ago.

While I enjoyed this one overall it wasn't my favorite by the author. The chemistry between the two heroines was undeniable and I did enjoy seeing the ways they came through for one another when it mattered. But the one-sided fake dating thing left a lot to be desired especially since they could have had a mutually beneficial one and then fall more in love along the way. This is one of the few romances where I understand the annoyance with the miscommunication trope.

One thing it did well was show the downside of being a celebrity. This made Dylan seem like a sympathetic character and she's probably the best depiction of a celebrity that I've read meaning showing all the layers and facets. I think that the mending of the relationship with her parents was a bit rushed (especially her dad) but I understand space limitation.

All that aside this was still a very enjoyable book and I loved how Dylan and Ramona fit together. Even with the deception they got each other on an emotional and physical level that sometimes takes years to master. And the way they reunited was super sweet.

Calling all second chance romance lovers - this book is the one for you! Blake has crafted a new world for us readers to fall in love with, and a new cast of characters to adore. Meet Ramona Riley - small town waitress with the artistic brain and talent, plus passion, for fashion and costume design - who selflessly put her dreams on pause to help her family out when they needed her most.

Enter: Dylan Monroe. Famous daughter of rock and roll legends, whose face gets splashed across the tabloids every chance they get. Messy, wild, chaotic - the labels they slap on her, scrutinizing her every move instead of giving her the chance to grow and be someone new.

But Dylan doesn't have to look too far to find someone more than willing to give her that chance. Thus ensues the rekindling of a fated, childhood romance that blossoms into something that reminds both Ramona and Dylan that second chances are very real, and worth every risk. Because if you're not willing to try, is there even a point?

What I have always loved about Blake's writing is how messy and relatable her characters are. They're not picture-perfect; they deal with hard, tough - excuse my language - shit in their lives, and they do it imperfectly. Their feelings, their hearts, their growth - it's all so real and vulnerable, you can't help but root for them with every turn of the page.

I loved Ramona's relationship with April and her sister, Olive, but I also wish we had seen more of each throughout the story. At times, both April and Olive were getting on my nerves, but that just shows you how great Blake's writing is!

And while I wasn't the biggest fan of the whole 'fated one kiss as teens means we're soulmates' storyline, I still enjoyed Ramona and Dylan's relationship. Their character development did leave me wanting more, but, for what it's worth, I think they were developed 'enough' for where the story ended up.

All in all, I had fun reading this (I'll always love Blake's steamy scenes!) and I'm excited to read April's story next!

I really enjoyed getting to know these characters. Ramona is bubbly and happy with her life, but with her sister graduating soon she knows it's time to start thinking about her next adventure. Dylan is spiky after years of being seen as the daughter of rock stars rather than as her own person. Ramona and Dylan met once as teenagers and now in their early 30's meet again. A 'summer of fun' quickly grows into real feelings that both are too scared to voice. Ramona's dreams are all coming true and Dylan's public image has never been better, but what happens when the other shoe drops?

This book is a wonderful romance from Blake. It’s sweet, sexy, relatable, and full of yearning. It’s a good start to a new series.

Thank you to Penguin Random House for my ARC!!

So I also read this one in one day, because I’m telling you I was ENTRENCHED in this book. And it was worth it!!! it was a super cute read!! I do love a good small town romance, especially when it has to do with a big city character. The book follows Dylan, and actress kind of in the trenches at the moment with life and work, and Ramona, an aspiring movie costume designer.
First of all, this dynamic was fantastic. I loved the way they were each other’s first kiss, but found had found a way back to eachother. It was mean to be!! One thing that stood out to me about this process though was that it was not automatic. This style of reconnection and love allowed it to really feel natural for me, given that the premise of the book kind of isn’t. I loved the element of the movie plot, it really allows for the exploration of both of the character’s thoughts and actions to be an in-depth process. To me, the small town element really allowed for us to get to know who Dylan and Ramona truly were. NOT TO MENTION THE SIDE CHARACTERS??? Olive and Marley?? APRIL??? LEIGH??? I am absolutely so invested in all of them, especially April and Leigh now that I know they’re the next book. Trust me they are so funny and such great additions to the cast. Also not to mention the cameos of a certain favorite past character…
Both Dylan and Ramona had truly compelling and emotional backstories that I’m so glad were there. Because this is not necessarily a realistic plot, this element of their struggles really allowed for the characters to be brought down to earth, but also relatable and humanized for the reader. ALSO THE STEAM??? Ashley. Herring. Blake. You have absolutely outdone yourself. This was absolutely steamy, sexy, smutty and just overall perfect. Like I was BEET RED, doing the phone throw at certain lines. Like Dylan Monroe the woman that you are.
Now here’s the deal…the miscommunication. There’s a huge chunk of that I won’t lie. And as you guys know it is my least favorite trope. HOWEVER!!! It WORKED HERE!! I thought it made sense given the prior experiences both Ramona and Dylan had with others and within their lives. Also they each had the goals that they needed to meet...so maybe it made sense they didn't tell each other about it?? I don't know it's slightly red flag, but oh well it worked out in the end.
I would consider this novel a pick me up, as after I read it I truly felt better. Like it just was a book that made me smile and feel bubbly and giggly. Please give this book a go!! I promise it’s worth it!!

🌟 Ashley Herring Blake does it again! 🌟

Every time I dive into one of her adult sapphic romances, I know I’m in for layered characters, electric chemistry, and a storyline that feels both fresh and full of heart. 💘

This time, we follow Dylan, a Hollywood actress trying to rebuild her image, and Ramona, a small-town local with big dreams of becoming a costume designer. What makes their story extra special? These two actually shared their first kiss at thirteen—and then never saw each other again. 👀💋 Now fate brings them back together in the most cinematic way: Dylan’s filming a movie in Ramona’s town, and sparks instantly fly. 🎬🔥

Both women come with complicated pasts—especially when it comes to their families—and I loved seeing how their histories shaped who they are today. Watching Dylan experience charming small-town life (and Ramona!) was such a joy. From cozy moments to red-hot chemistry in the steamy scenes... trust me, the heat level is off the charts. 🔥🌶️

Yes, there’s miscommunication and secrets being kept, which I’m usually not a huge fan of—but in this case, it made sense. It felt true to who these women were, and I really appreciated how they worked through everything with honesty and growth by the end. 💬💞

The epilogue wrapped things up perfectly—hopeful, romantic, and totally swoon-worthy. 🥰
If you love sapphic stories filled with heat, heart, and second-chance vibes, this one absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR! 🏳️‍🌈💫