absolutely loved these flawed ladies. and the supporting characters felt so real to me. my love for AHB contines!

Characters: 9.5
Atmospher: 8
Writing: 10
Plot: 9
Intrigue: 9
Logic: 8
Enjoyment: 10

This book swept me away. Second chance and celebrity are two of my favorite tropes- made even better by the small town aspect. The characters were sweet and I could easily see why they were perfect for each other. The one thing that threw me off were the steamy scenes…they’re written well and all fine and good but the way the MC’s were together in the bedroom didn’t match their characters to me. The second half also felt a little cliche though I still enjoyed it. I especially loved the side characters and am really looking forward to April’s book!

Short summary: after leaving RISD to return home to help care for her sister after her father’s accident, Ramona is now stuck far from her dreams of being a costume designer. Until a movie set rolls into town with her first kiss playing the lead role. If only Dylan remembered her…

Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Lately, Ashley Herring Blake's writing has felt really clunky and hard for me to read, and this is coming from someone who absolutely adored the entire Bright Falls series, but hasn't really enjoyed anything since. I really wanted to give her writing another chance when I picked this one up, but I couldn't even get to the potential relationship because it was so hard for me to read for some reason.

I was given an ARC through Netgalley. Thank you Berkley Publishing for giving it to me. I had only read one book by this author and loved it so when I applied I thought I wouldn't get it but I got it. This book was amazing. I did not want to wan this book to end I loved it so much the characters feel so real and fleshed out breathtakingly like Ashley Herring Blake usually does with her books.

i had a decent time reading this! AHB is sometimes hit or miss for me, so this one was right in the middle. mostly because i didn’t feel connected to the story or the romance so much, and the pacing felt off in a way i can’t explain. but the cover and the scenery makes up for it!!!

I ALWAYS go into an Ashley Herring Blake romance with high expectations, but this was sooooooo good. It's similar to her last trilogy in that it's set in a small town (I can't wait for book 2) with an outsider coming in, but their sweet childhood connection was so nice.

Overall, I really connected with both characters and their journeys as well as the relationship! SO GOOD.

I loved Delilah Green Doesn't Care, but after that I feel like my love for the author lowered. The stories just weren't the same and this was was no better. I just couldn't do it. The story, the characters they did not work for me at all. The conflict was utterly ridiculous and communication would've solved everything. I think this is going to be my last by the author.

Do you love small-town romances set in the summer, in a picturesque lake village? Romances that are sapphic and spicy? Do you also enjoy romantic stories with actors, fake dating in a wholesome town with a mushroom museum, a sassy group of close friends and family, and a beautifully crafted, perfectly queer world? Then this is the book for you!

I loved this book. As someone in their mid-30s (36), I adore how much it centers on the idea that it’s never too late to start over, pursue your dreams, or learn more about yourself and those around you. My favorite romances to read are those with characters who are deliciously flawed and relatable. Both Ramona and Dylan have been through so much, and their healing and growth journey together made my heart so happy—especially as they learned to let each other in. This book gave me all the feels. I even shed a few tears at parts that hit a little too close to home.

I can’t wait to receive my preorder of this book. Another Ashley Herring Blake book for the win—all the stars! I’m also beyond excited to read more about the characters introduced in this book.

The biggest and sincerest thank you to the Berkley Publishing team and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the small town setting of Clover Leaf! I am looking forward to more books set in this town. These two women were a little broken and searching and I definitely enjoyed their character ARCs. It did have a lot of downtime in my opinion because it took me over a week to read. I think some edits could have been made.

When I picked up this book, it was expressly because I wanted to read an Ashley Herring Blake without Iris Kelly, the worst character I’ve ever been asked to picture as a romantic lead. Unfortunately, this is a connected universe so I didn’t get that. This book has a problem which also showed up in Astrid Parker’s book - the whole conflict could have been solved if the characters would even once try to communicate. The ending saved this from being a two star read, but this is definitely the last AHB book I will read.

As a huge Ashley Herring Blake fan, this was my most anticipated 2025 read and I'm so happy to say it exceeded all expectations! Dylan and Ramona were so lovable from the start, and this romance felt believable yet dreamy. I felt truly immersed in Clover Lake, and I can't wait to see what April's story holds!

5 out of 5 stars

Rep: Fat bi MC, bi MC, pan side character, bi SC, unlabeled queer SC, Black trans woman SC, Black queer SC, lesbian SC, East Asian SC, BIPOC nonbinary lesbian SC

Content warnings: Parental abandonment (past) and grief related to it, car accident and resulting injury (past), unsafe living situation for a child including witnessing drug and alcohol abuse (past), getting drink, non-graphic vomiting

Ashley Herring Blake is simply incapable of writing a bad novel. This book overflows with their signature humor, found family, character development, diversity, and sexiness (I swear the spice gets hotter with each publication). The entire cast is wonderful and I adore Ramona and Dylan, even when I got frustrated with their lack of communication — not a spoiler, btw, since that’s the premise of the novel. They just both feel so delightfully human, like people I’d be friends with in real life. Dare I say, they’re on par with the Bright Falls gang, or perhaps even better!

Minor editing note from someone who studies astrology that the date mentioned for Saturn in Pisces is wrong. When April and Ramona read that horoscope before the book’s climax, Saturn would not be moving into Pisces in July; that would happen in September.

I will absolutely purchase a physical copy of this book when it publishes, and I already can’t wait for the next installment in this series!

**HUGE thank you to Berkley for granting me an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!**

This was not my favorite of Ashley Herring Blake's books. I liked both main characters but I didn't feel there was much depth in their emotional connection. I felt for both characters in their troubled relationships with their parents, but I wasn't as invested in their HEA as I usually am with her books. I would recommend this to readers of sapphic romance.

Ashley Herring Blake delivers a truly special romance with Dream On, Ramona Riley. It’s the perfect blend of small-town charm and big, heartfelt emotions, wrapped in a story that feels authentic and deeply satisfying.

The bi rep shines brightly here. Both leads are lovable, anxious bisexuals who spend so much of the story apologizing to each other in ways that are sweet, endearing, and incredibly real. Their dynamic is messy in the best way, full of vulnerability and tenderness that makes their love story impossible to resist.

This is a story with layers—rich, vivid, and three-dimensional. Each piece of Ramona’s journey adds depth, making the overall experience even more delicious. It’s the kind of story you can completely sink into, where every detail feels intentional and meaningful.

Blake’s knack for writing small-town settings really stands out. The sense of place is strong, but it never overshadows the emotional weight of the story. Every big feeling is handled with care, making the romance even more rewarding.

Dream On, Ramona Riley is thoughtful, tender, and completely captivating.

This is my first time reading an Ashley Herring Blake book but it won’t be my last!!! Dream On Ramona Riley was so good!

I loved every single character in this book. They all had so much depth to them. Each one was super unique and had their own personality which really shined during certain moments in this novel.

I also really loved the chemistry between Ramona and Dylan. Anytime they interacted I was smiling and eating it up. There was a lot of self reflection and growth from when they first met to now, which I loved to see. The spicy scenes between them were also really good!

Ashley Herring Blake honestly never fails me. Her characters are so relatable in some sense. They're messy, but they're just trying to figure life out. I loved Ramona. She was precious and truly sacrificed a lot to step up to the plate to help take care of Olive. Her bestie April was HILARIOUS! She made me chuckle out loud several times. Her father was adorable. Dylan was beautiful deep down and on surface level, too, but I loved her character development by the ending. All of this was beautiful. I loved that it was serendipitous. All around, lovely and spicy bits were spicing! 🥵🤌

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Berkley to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

thank you to berkley and netgalley for an ARC of this book for an honest review

hmmm… not super sure how i feel about this one. for starters, the cover is adorable and as a bisexual i love seeing bi characters getting their time to shine.

i felt a little bored in a few places while reading this. some information seemed unnecessary and i found myself desiring more. there were side characters used for minor plot development, and there was some missing potential for dylan or ramona to dive deeper into their former relationships. i was expecting more jealousy when exes/flings popped up.

the story was predictable, which was fine and i expected that. i also felt like it was long? i enjoyed the chemistry between dylan and ramona though i think some of it got lost with all of the side characters being introduced.

all in all, i was able to finish this book lol. i enjoyed some parts of it and was able to read most of it in around 4-5 hours. i’m not sure that i’d read it again, but i’m glad for the representation.

The last two books I have read by Ashley Herring Blake were admittedly a bit of a miss for me, but with Ramona Riley, she reestablished her spot as one of my favourite queer romance writers.

The second-chance romance was completely swoon-worthy, the setting came alive through each new scene, and the exploration of trauma was done incredibly well, with both characters doing a lot of self-reflection and growth throughout the novel. While I recognize that some readers won't enjoy the miscommunication trope in this one, I couldn't help but overlook it because I had completely fallen for Dylan and Ramona's story.

I can't wait to read the next book in this new romance series!

DNF.

I think it's time to admit that Ashley Herring Blake's books just aren't for me. I enjoyed Delilah Green Doesn't Care when I first read it years ago, but I haven't felt like anything she has released since has really worked. Her writing style is very repetitive and expository, which I don't particularly care for. It seems like you're constantly being told rather than shown how characters think, feel, act, etc. Similarly, her characters seldom feel like real people to me, so I struggle to connect with, relate to, or really even care about them.

With respect to this book in particular, I'm not sure if I just don't care for the celebrity romance trope in general or if the plot was too ridiculous and unbelievable, but either way, I wasn't into it. I didn't feel invested in Ramona and Dylan as individuals or as a couple.

As a lesbian myself, I'm always really bummed when I don't like a sapphic book, and I think that's why I keep giving Ashley Herring Blake's books a chance. I'm always hoping that the next one will be the one that really DOES work for me. Unfortunately, this one wasn't the one. I tend to have different expectations for romance novels than what is the norm, so I do think other people will like this book. I hope there are folks out there who enjoy it and feel represented by it. As much as it wasn't for, I'm not here to yuck anyone else's yum, so I'll leave it at that.

(Leni Kauffman designed a cute cover, though. Credit where credit is due.)

Another cozy and cute read from Ashley Herring Blake! If you’re already a fan, then you’ll definitely want to add this one to your tbr list