I so badly wanted to love this one, but honestly, it was hard to even follow and I ended up DNFing it. There was literally SO. MUCH. INFO DUMPING that I got to where I was basically skimming the book for what was important and what wasn't. It was hard to remember who was who since the author introduced so many characters and names right off the bat, and to a degree, I understand because we're meant to believe Dylan is a celebrity and with that, we have to learn all about this world's pop culture, but even on Ramona's side of things, we're given the name of her father, best friend, ex boyfriend, kids in her father's class, the owner of the diner, another waitress at the diner, her fashion icon, her fashion icon's... enemy(?), the author of the book the movie is based off of (which was a nod to a previous work of this author's, I'm aware), another actress, and more. And that was just in chapter one. I was hopeful it would get better but the next chapter - the first in Dylan's pov - was even more info-dumpy and it got harder and harder to follow from there because more characters kept getting introduced and I couldn't even keep up with the ones that were already introduced by that point.

4.25/5 Stars 3/5 Spice

Tropes:
Small Town
Second Chance Vibes
Fake Dating
Forced Proximity
Mental Health Rep

oh dylan & ramona were everything i was hoping they would be. these two and the angsty tension + swoony storyline had me in a chokehold. i love the dreams put on hold - coming into yourself storyline was such a moment for me. i loved these two & their second chance. ashley's writing always feels like a warm hug & this one was no exception. the queer found family & mental health rep is always written so perfectly. i read it in two days & devoured every second.

Dream On, Ramona Riley is a small town, second chance romance. Ramona and Dylan met as young teens and shared a life-changing kiss before never seeing each other again… until Dylan comes to film a movie in Ramona’s small town! I loved seeing them reconnect and get to know each other through a series of dates. There’s some miscommunication, which is not my favorite trope, but I did really enjoy this book overall.

I am a big fan of Ashley Herring Blake. I have also read the Bright Falls series and Make the Season Bright. Dream On, Ramona Riley is the start of a new series and I can’t wait to read them all.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

The childhood friends to strangers to lovers hit SO HARD I couldn't handle it.

The dynamic between the two main characters was so sweet, especially the inside jokes and memories of the one day they spent together as kids genuinely made me tear up. As a reader, I could tell immediately that they were in love through their actions, even before the word love was on the page.

The spicy scenes were also insanely good, to the point where I usually don't mention spice in reviews, but I have to talk about it now, because WOW. The chemistry in and out of the bedroom between these two characters was making me scream.

I completely recommend this to any reader who wants to read a sweet and spicy book with a famous love interest, and a main couple who have palpable chemistry.

A huge thank you to Berkeley Publishing Group and Netgalley for giving me this ARC!

Thank you to @berkley for the eARC & thank you to @prhaudio for the gifted audiobook!

I love Ashley Herring Blake’s writing and she is an auto-buy author for me, one of my favorites. I loved Dylan and Ramona as a couple, the complimented each other well but I did get somewhat frustrated by the lack of communication between them - understandable considering the characterization of them individually though and I appreciated their individual growth which allowed them to have a real relationship. This is by far AHB’s spiciest book and it was clear that Dylan and Ramona were certainly compatible behind closed doors! I’m excited for the next book, seems like it will feature April, Ramona’s best friend. I highly recommend this if you’re an AHB fan or a fan of sapphic romance or romcoms in general! (

I loved the Bright Falls series and this is the start of the Clover Lake series! There are some familiar names in this book from the other series so it’s in the same universe. I love a second chance romance but they had only met for a night in their teens one magical summer and always thought of each other. They both were able to escape their problems for a few hours.

In the present day Ramona was still in her hometown working at the diner and Dylan is a movie star now. Always love when the star comes back into town and has no idea who the hometown cutie is but is attracted anyways even though they don’t recognize them. There are some hurdles and misunderstandings they had to overcome. But life is hard in the public eye and in the workplace.
Very cute romance! Love this author!

After reading Dream On, Ramona Riley I can confirm it’s the perfect summer read! When I heard a small town, second chance, sapphic romance was coming out I just knew I needed to get my hands on it, and as soon as I picked this book up I couldn’t put it down.

Ramona is the epitome of a small town girl, working long shifts at the coffee shop and making costumes for local theatre productions. I loved exploring her relationship with feeling like she had to take on that caretaker role at such a young age and the complicated feelings of how family took her away from her dreams but she wouldn’t change it for the world. Dylan is a flawed but shining star with a tense relationship with her famous parents and a short temper. Seeing her acknowledge her privilege and grow from the “diva” the media saw her as, to a woman with a soft heart had me loving every second she was on the page.

The history between the two of them meeting back when they were kids and sharing their first kiss was so touching and sweet. The secret names, how it comes back to them in the current timeline, and the invisible thread bridging the two of them together after all these years is romantic and really gave the characters that spark. The third act breakup was the fault of both of the girls’ fear of hurting the other and a bit of miscommunication thrown in. It fit the story in a way that was a little frustrating but still predictable and the intimate scenes were rich and passionate with a raw queerness about them.

I have not read the Bright Falls series but I am familiar with Ashley Herring Blake’s works, so I loved to see a nod to Iris Kelly with the movie Dylan is starring in being an adaptation of a book she wrote. This was a quick and fun read with low angst that I would definitely recommend everyone pick up, especially this summer!

4.75/5 Stars

I really enjoyed the premise and beginning but wasn’t wowed by the execution in the end. It’s a good spring summer romance

I ate this one UP. Ashley Herring Blake is an auto-read author for me and while I didn't think she could top the Bright Falls trilogy, I truly think Dream On, Ramona Riley is my favorite yet!

I am not typically a fan of second-chance romance, so my love for this book is a testament to Herring Blake's execution! I love the film backdrop, I love Ramona as a character, and I love how real this book is about dreams deferred. I laughed, I teared up, I even kicked my feet (metaphorically of course). I recommend this book to any lover of sapphic romance!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC!

Dream on, Ramona Riley was a fun, spicy and overall delightful sapphic rom com.

In a great way, this book felt like a Hallmark holiday movie (despite it not being a Holliday book) with just a bittttt more spice, hehe. Ramona and Dylan had such great chemistry and I felt like they each had a solid back story that was fleshed out just enough to really get a feel for where each of them was coming from. I loved this sweet romance!

When a new Ashley book is coming out my heart is just filled with joy ! I have loved and became a forever fan of hers since Delilah became an absolute top ten book for me - and this book was just so light hearted and filled with such happiness - seeing so much of myself in these characters and love the bi representation :) hearts all around

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Berkley Publishing Group.

Once upon a time, Ramona Riley was a student at a prestigious art school, with dreams of landing in Hollywood as a costume designer to the stars. But after her father’s car accident, she had to quit and return to her small New Hampshire town, Clover Lake, to help take care of her younger sister. Twelve years later, Ramona is still working at the town’s café, all but given up on her dream. But when a big-budget romantic comedy comes to Clover Lake to film, she wonders if this could be her chance. There is only one problem—Dylan Monroe, her first kiss and Hollywood’s favorite wild child—is the star.

Dylan Monroe has always lived an unconventional life, having famous rock icons for parents. But she wants to prove that she is not some chaotic, talentless nepo baby, that she has actual skills, that she is just a normal person. To do that, Dylan takes on a project at a charming lake town—she even works at the town’s café (very quaint), shadowing a local waitress there (very cute), and asks her to take Dylan around to do Normal People Things.

But Dylan soon realizes it is not just some small-town waitress she is getting to know—Ramona Riley is someone she has met before, someone who remembers her even more vividly. Before long, however, reality hits them, and both women must decide if the spark between them can fan the flames of their individual dreams, or if it will extinguish their light.

I personally do not think there is any problem with the book, but Blake may just not be the author for me. I was very excited to read this one and it was cute. But I guess I was just hoping for more. I did like the characters and the overall storyline. The complicated parent-child dynamic was really interesting to read about. But Ramona and Dylan hiding important things from each other which leads to a third act break up was just not okay. It was just way too messy and the miscommunication was annoying. All of the conflicts really could have been easily resolved if they had both just been a little more honest with each other. There were also so many characters in this book and I feel like none really got fully developed. Like I know this is a set up for future books in this series but it bummed me out. It just felt like there was a bunch of information just thrown at me that provided a backstory, but was then never touched on again. Overall, this book was mediocre but I am still excited to see how the rest of the stories in this universe unfold.

Thank you so much @prhaudio for the gifted alc & thank you to @berkleyromance for this gifted physical copy #BerkleyPartner

This was such a fun read for me filled with so many of my favorite tropes. There’s second chance, fake dating (insert little feet kicks), and based in a small town. The chemistry between Ramona and Dylan leaped right off the page. But I also loved how much growth both characters developed throughout the story.

I will now and forever read anything by AHB! It’s swoony, sexy, I found the characters to be realistic and lovable. Olive and April are my new best friends. This sassy queer lake world definitely did it for me. Do me a favor and pick this gem up today!

What’s your go to sapphic book recommendation?

xo

Thank you to PRH Audio and Netgalley for the advanced copies of this book!

I think, unfortunately, that AHB may not be the author for me. I really enjoyed Delilah Green but haven’t found another book that really worked for me from this author. I love how they write sapphic and queer women, I really appreciate having that in my books as a bisexual woman. I do not, however, love how she writes. There is something stilted about the dialogue that just doesn’t work.

This was my second Ashley Herring Blake story and I felt the same about it as I did for Merry and Bright. I love the sapphic love story as it explores deeper connection through slow burn. It might be considered a second-chance romance (which is my least favorite trope) but it felt like both protagonists were entirely different people when they met for the second time. I think the high-profile character's challenges on the small-town character's life were highlighted perfectly and really provided a good backdrop for the differences both characters had to overcome to choose their love. Overall I think I found the story underwhelming but still cozy and enjoyable!

I loved this book. It was cutesy and relatable and fun. I think each character was built so well! They were dynamic and I was rooting for all of them (even the side characters) in their own way. The story came together perfectly, it was a great queer read for the summer

I do wish that their actual relationship was explored more after all of the drama so we could see the cute romantic moments.

When the request to review Dream On, Ramona Riley came through my inbox; I was a little hesitant. It being a queer romance is a little out of my comfort zone, but I’m trying to expand my horizons. And I’m quite glad I picked up this first book in the Clover Lake series by Ashley Herring Blake.

This story is about Ramona, a small-town girl who gave up her dreams to help raise her younger sister. Her sister is getting ready to head off to college, and Ramona is stuck. But then a movie crew comes to town to shoot a rom-com, and Ramona comes face to face with the girl she shared her first kiss with as a teen. And then there is Dylan. She has gotten quite the reputation in Hollywood, but she’s signed on to this rom-com with hopes of repairing her image.

I really liked Ramona. She is that typical girl next door who is friends with everyone. She’s a little quirky and has an eclectic circle of friends, but she’s also relatable. I also like that she was comfortable in her own skin, both physically and emotionally. On the other hand, Dylan is harder to like. She’s angry and doesn’t manage that anger very well, often lashing out at everyone around her. And, of course, being in the spotlight her whole life just makes everything so much worse for Dylan and those around her. But I found myself feeling for Dylan and rooting for her and Ramona to find their happily ever after.

The sex scenes took me a bit out of my comfort zone, and after the first one, I pretty much just skimmed past them since they didn’t add to the story for me. They also felt different from the rest of the story, almost like someone else wrote them. The language was coarse and over the top. I just felt taken out of the story. Of course, this could also be a “me-problem” since I’m finding that I tend to gravitate more to “clean romance” rather than more graphic ones as I get older.

Dream On, Ramona Riley surprisingly gut-punched me in a good way. I was drawn into the story, and when there was an unexpected twist, I couldn’t wait to see how it would get resolved. Once I got to know the characters, I kept tearing up as I cared about Ramona and Dylan and their journey. I don’t know if I’ll continue the series, but I am glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone to read this book and

Dream On, Ramona Riley is a same-sex romance that draws you in and tugs at your heartstrings. I encourage readers to give this one a try.

I really enjoyed reading this book, I always have a good time with Ashley Herring Blake's stories! I did think the story had a bit of a slow beginning as I struggled a little bit to get into it but after that, the middle and the conflict I thought it resolved pretty nicely. This book is basically about Ramona, a small town girl who dreams about being a costume designer but had to give up these dreams to take care of her family since she was young, and Dylan who is an actress. They met when they were young and reconnected again when Dylan is filming a romcom in Ramona's town. The whole thing is just drama!!

📖 Bookish Thoughts
Oh boy. This book.I both loved it and wanted to throw it across the room. I thought I was in for a cozy, heartfelt sapphic romance. And parts of it were that. But as things went on, I found myself getting more and more frustrated. Not with the writing, it’s well done,but with the characters, the dynamics, the imbalance.

I loved that Ramona and Dylan met as kids. And Ramona? An absolute queen. She’s kind, hardworking, creative, and so painfully giving. She basically raised her younger sister after their mom peaced out, and their dad completely took advantage of her gentle nature. The parentification was heartbreaking. Even when her dad acknowledges how much Ramona sacrificed, it honestly still made me mad. Because it didn’t change the fact that Ramona literally sacrificed everything to raise her sister.

Dylan… sigh. I wanted to give her grace. Her childhood was awful, and her parents were the definition of negligent. But as the story went on, I got so frustrated with her. Even when she acknowledged that she was selfish, she still didn’t change. She kept taking and taking from Ramona without ever really giving back. It was so painful watching Ramona keep giving and getting so little in return.

My heart BROKE for Ramona at the end! There was the usual grand gesture but I still felt so bad for Ramona and how things played out. Honestly, by the end of the book I still felt like Ramona deserved better.

Overall, I did enjoy parts of this book, and Ramona was easily my favorite. I think a lot of readers will connect with different aspects of the story. But the imbalance between them was too much for me to overlook, and it held me back from fully loving their romance.

🗓 Pub Date: May 13, 2025
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Why Did I Listen To Dream On, Ramona Riley by Ashley Herring Blake?
Dream On, Ramona Riley by Ashley Herring Blake has an absolutely fantastic cover – I found how colorful it was to be quite eye catching. With Pride month coming up and having listened to Make The Season Bright and really enjoying it, I wanted to pick up Dream On, Ramona Riley because I had this instinct that I would enjoy this sapphic rom com. Well, that instinct turned out correct. Blake’s latest is superb and quite a good listen.

What’s The Story Here?
It looks to me like Dream On, Ramona Riley is the first in a Clover Lake series and I am here for it! This book follows main character Ramona Riley who is working as a waitress in her small town of Clover Lake. She has big dreams but she put them on hold to help out with her younger sister when her mother abandoned the family. So, Ramona lives with her dad and sister and has what could be a smaller life than expected. She once dreamed of working in costume design and even got to go to Rhode Island School of Design for a year. Her life is about to get a curveball. You see, Clover Lake is about to be the set of Dylan Monroe’s new rom com movie. Dylan is a famous movie star with famous parents. This isn’t her first time in Clover Lake. You see, she was there as a youth for one summer and meets this girl for just one day. The chemistry was instant. Oh, that girl? Ramona. But, they never exchanged names. So, anyways, Ramona and Dylan cross paths in present day and it turns out, there’s chemistry in the present day as well. And so, the two start to navigate seeing each other. Ramona just might get a chance to pursue her dreams again.

How Did I Like Dream On, Ramona Riley?
After listening to this book, I can confidently say that I want to read the other books by Ashley Herring Blake that I have not read yet. Both Ramona and Dylan are compelling characters – with complicated family dynamics. If there’s one thing I enjoy in a story, it is complex family relationships. Also, Ramona’s best friend is named April and I truly appreciated that little tidbit. It feels like she may be getting a book next, I hope. There’s also an appearance from Iris Kelly. I haven’t read her book yet, but I want to after reading this. I liked how the relationship played out between Ramona and Dylan. There are moments where there is a grand gesture of apologizing. I eat that right up.

How’s The Narration?
Dream On, Ramona Riley by Ashley Herring Blake is narrated by Gail Shalan. It is 11 hours and 58 minutes long. Of course, I did listen to this at 2x speed. I liked that Shalan had different voices for Dylan and Ramona’s chapters. It made it very easy to keep track of the two different POV characters. I felt like there were true emotions put into the narration as well. It was a compelling, interesting listen. I cannot recommend this enough — particularly as we are going into Pride Month.