Thank you to the publishers for approving me for an arc of this book.

This book was about more than just bringing soulmates together; it was a story of friendship, grief, the struggles of life, found family, true love, and most importantly: finding who you really are.

This book follows the story of Savvy, a passionate grocery store manager who has been dealt a hard hand in life at every turn. After dealing with the loss of her aunt who raised her, she meets Kyle, a sexy and alluring doctor. Kyle forms an instant connection with Savvy and they plan to meet in a year… Except Kyle never shows. Heartbroken Savvy swears off love until one day Kyle shows up again, in her AirBNB.

I was intrigued as I haven’t read many second chance romances but I was a bit disappointed. There was only maybe 20% of the book when they weren’t together and as the main plot line was the romance I expected more focus on it. I understand the main character had a lot going on in her life and we were following that story too, but as it’s classified as a romance I expected the romance to stand out more than everything else, it didn’t. Nothing wrong with that but I feel like it shouldn’t be classified as just romance, you know?

I loved the spark they had and the easy, bound off of each other energy they had. You could tell they got along well and loved their energy together. I truly could see them sticking together and forming a family filled with love and laughter. The way they talk about each other and were great partners was so lovely to read. You could see the love in the small things and the way they showed up for each other when they had other issues going on in their lives. Kyle genuinely seems like the perfect partner despite the disappearing act. As you go through Savvys’ life with her you can watch all of the dramatic character development and how she handles all the insane problems thrown her way.

The first issue I have is with the writing style. Theres nothing inherently wrong about it but it did read like a millennial trying to use Gen Z terminology; as a Gen Z it was painfully obvious and hard to read at first but I got used to it with time. If that’s how millennials think inside their heads, I’m truly sorry. It was still funny in a “what did I just read?” Kind of way and I still enjoyed it in the end. I’m not sure if the intention was to read as a complete inner-monologue, hence the un-seriousness of the writing but maybe that was the goal? It just wasn’t for me, but I can definitely see others loving this book and the writing style. I also noticed at the beginning a lot of things were just said in an explanation instead of shown through the writing, which I happen to particularly dislike.

Due to the fact that Savvy was supposed to be jaded I expected more angst, longing and anger. She definitely didn’t forgive her immediately, but everything was forgiven and moved past pretty quickly. Not to mention, because there’s always the third act break-up, it was more of a 3rd chance romance. The love was sweet but it was always kept at a distance due to both of their issues, disallowing the development of a deeper love. It felt and read as extremely surface level, puppy love. I can’t say I was expecting more as the description didn’t allude to such, however, I was hoping. I thought they would delve into their issues and work through them together but the author just didn’t create that bond. I felt let down in the end but appreciate it for what it was: a fun read. I kept reading about how much they fit together and were perfection but it I just didn’t feel it below them having good banter and great sex; they had chemistry but that was about it. I didn’t actually get to see them work through their dilemmas and form a true connection, it was more-so “we should work together in future” after they worked through things alone then we saw no example of that.

The dad plot line ended up being extremely prevalent, which was exciting at first. I loved where it was heading, finding her father and slowly developing a relationship with her new found family after losing what she had. Unfortunately, I think the author wanted more of a wow factor and chose to go with a surprise, plot twist approach which took away some of the meaning in the story. I don’t like how this went and it affected my feelings toward the book a lot. I liked how she found out, I think it was a little funny considering everything but since it happened so late in the book not much was able to be done with it. The development of who she decides to be is touching and what she decides to do shows how amazing of a person Savvy was. What she found out at the bank helped to ease me into the idea of who her father was and eventual acceptance, which she struggled with too. I think the father storyline was beautiful and contained all of the depth I was wanting from the romance in the book.

Overall I enjoyed the book, yes I had issues with it but it was still a fun and easy read. I can see this story being a lot of peoples’ cup of teas, just not my favourite.

Savanna Potter is having an off year. Her aunt died, and the woman of her dreams, who had agreed to meet her on the suspension bridge one year after their first amazing date, stood her up. Then, in news that rocks her, it turns out the dad she knew isn’t her biological father. So, who the hell is?

Savanna, angry and adrift, can’t believe it when Dr. Kyle Remington, the very woman who left her standing on that bridge like a fool, shows up in Dreamer’s Bay. Not only has Kyle landed in Savanna’s small town, but she’s managed to charm every other person who lives there. Savanna has no plans to forgive and forget. There’s nothing between them anymore, even if Kyle’s sparkling blue eyes and shiny dark hair make Savanna’s pesky knees go weak.

Absolutely loved this one. Everything I've read from Brayden has been excellent, and if you've enjoyed her books in the past, you will love this one! Wonderful characters with great chemistry, laughs galore, and all the feels. Pick this one up! 4⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

I’ve read a lot of Melissa Brayden’s romances and this was another enjoyable book about second chances, loss, trauma and family.
There were some ‘hot’ scenes but the story was based around Savanna and her thoughts, feelings and issues.
We are reunited with some familiar characters from her previous romance.
It was a nice story to read but for me the author sadly didn’t bring the ‘wow’ factor to this book unlike many of her others.
Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and offer my opinion.

Melissa Brayden qrites another wonderful story with some of the best banter I have seen in a while.
The MCs were complex characters that required growth. And grow they did, reasonably and well. The angst was expected as it was normal for this author.
The MCs had gripping chemistry from the beginning. The meeting was fun and original. The resolution to the angst was fitting for the characters.
I will continue to follow her and any future books that come our way.

Hear me out - this book is giving a lot of the same energy as when you are cooking and your pot overflows so you panic a bit and turn off the heat, take the pot off and then slowly heat your pot back up. This book starts hot and heavy, then the pace slows down a bit before warming back up again. Savanna is an employee at a small time grocery store but her life could not have been more of a whirlwind of "oh my gosh what is next". Kyle is a doctor who's struggling with her own trauma but is determined to make their relationship work. If you are looking for a romance that integrates multiple stories lines plenty of twists and turns, and just enough spice this is a good pick for you.

I love 92% of Melissa Brayden's books, and this one was just as good! We returned to the bay, and one of the stories I didn't know I needed. The author said it best, "a sapphic ping pong match and the banter was perfect! This book gave you all the perfect little tie-ins to a few of her other series, which I've grown to like, the subtle hints. This was also a little different take, one meeting and falling in love with a little PTSD and suffering losses inside. And that one hit so close to home. This book was filled with great character building and a love story that will stay with you. And also SPICE. Just the right amount. This book was great and came out as another favorite and love story I didn't know I needed.

In Dream A Little Dream by Melissa Brayden Savannah Potter meets Dr. Kyle Remington at a hotel while attending a conference in Charleston. They have an instant connection and an amazing weekend. However, the timing doesn’t work. Kyle is finishing their residency and has no time for a relationship and Savannah’s life is in Dreamer’s Bay not Charleston where she is dealing with the recent loss of her aunt and only family. The two agree to meet up in a year when things have settled down to see if they could have something. Kyle doesn’t show. Savannah is left heartbroken and dealing with her feelings of being alone and left by those she loves. Months later Savannah is in for a surprise when Kyle shows up in Dreamer’s Bay and it looks like she’s planning on sticking around for awhile. Both characters come with complex histories and feelings and need to work through those to be able to work as a couple.

I really enjoyed this book. This book was full of twists and surprises that kept me on my toes. Not quite as predictable as your usual romance book.

Small town settings are usually filled with an enjoyable cast of characters and this book did not disappoint. I not only wanted to know about Savanah and Kyle but several other people mentioned in this book.

Savannah’s thoughts were so much fun to read. How she spiraled and where her head went was funny and relateable.

The chemistry between Savannah and Kyle was strong, although this book did seem to rely heavily on physical attraction and cute flirting. Speaking of, the flirting and banter in this book was great. I just would have liked to have seen more meaningful conversations between Savannah and Kyle.

Overall, this was a compelling story with a lot of very relateable feelings. I would definitely recommend it.

Thank you Melissa Brayden, Bold Strokes Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a story about Savanna who lived in a SC beach town, Dreamers Bay, and works as a grocery store manager. Her parents died when she was 11 and she was raised by her aunt Lindy. After her aunt passed away she inherits her house and decides to turn it into a B&B. Savanna meets Kyle at a conference in Charleston in a funny scene in her hotel hallway.
Kyle is a medical resident in her final her of residency.

Savanna is a happy person and friends with all the people we met in the first book about Dreamer’s Bay. So we get to revisit these great characters. Kyle has PTSD from her work as an ER doctor. The book is written from Savanna’s point of view and at first I had a hard time getting into it. I would have also liked Kyle’s pov, I don’t feel like I got to know her very well.

Kyle and Savanna are both flawed people and each goes through emotional struggles in this story, which causes them to withdraw from each other. If you are a Brayden fan you’ll enjoy this book.

I really liked this book.
It is set in a small town and features Savannah and Kyle.
They meet but it's the wrong time for them. They set up a date for a year but Kyle is a no show.
Now, Savannah is a typical lesbian in a book - her parents died when she was young and she lived with an aunt who has recently died. There's a lot of loss, grief and abandonment issues at play here - she is not going to take this well.
Safe to say they both have issues and we see it play out across the whole town - and probably involving most of the town.
It's told from Savannah's perspective - which worked well for me.
There's some chronic illness representation which is good to see - especially the fact that walking and walking aids vary according to pain level - thus presenting the character as having good mobility/pain days and bad.
Savannah also has some other stuff going on which reinforces her abandonment issues - she's being triggered left right and centre.

There is of course an epilogue - where we are treated to a glimpse of life one year down the line.

I really liked this - it shows life as hard and emotions as things to be dealt with - and how real life sometimes just gets in the way of all your best intentions. Trauma stops you from doing what you want - and it will keep happening if you don't deal with it.
I am going to add this to my paperback shelf.

Dream a Little Dream is the stark reminder of how good this author is at quantifying and articulating complicated emotions. Savanna is alone in this world with the exception of her bestie. You wouldn’t know it considering she is the town’s unofficial cheerleader and big sister that looks out for her fellow townspeople with her bubbly personality and her tireless dedication to the customers that frequent her grocery store. The universe thrives on balance and the equal and opposite reaction to Savanna’s endless cheerfulness is the deeply rooted loneliness with a side of betrayal of feeling utterly alone and abandoned. It made it difficult to read at times through the tears falling down my face knowing that Savanna deserved to be loved as she gave so much in return. Enter Kyle, the dashing doctor that abruptly slides into her world and creates something that Savanna hasn’t known in a very long time …. Hope. Both women are terribly shaken by the implications of their chemistry and what it could deliver them if only they are brave enough to accept the gift they’ve been given. Somewhere in there is not only love but most importantly, acceptance with absolution in addition to the the smoking hot chemistry that inevitably brings them together time and again. This was an emotionally exhausting book for me, but it was worth every word and I can’t wait to read it again. Her best book in my opinion. Keep’em coming. Thank you to the author, Bold Strokes Books, and NetGalley for the advance read in exchange for an honest review.

When You Smile was my introduction to Melissa Brayden’s writing, and Dream a Little Dream confirmed that this author creates lovely stories with amazing characters.
This book was a sweet second-chance romance with enough sad moments to make me shed some tears. It also has a surprise reveal that I didn’t see coming and a small-town community that made me feel warm and cozy.

I loved Kyle and Savanna. Their first meeting nearly got me giggling, but I was definitely kicking my feet and smiling like a fool.
Savanna was endearing and had a knack for public announcements. I felt deeply for her and truly understood her reaction after getting hurt.
As for Kyle… is there a word to describe her? I could feel her aura bleed through my screen. Her flirting and ability to get through Savanna’s defense left me swooning one or two times. I honestly don’t know how Savanna managed to stand on business so 10 out of 10 for her effort.
I really enjoyed Dream a Little Dream and can’t wait to read another Melissa Brayden’s book.
(PS. If someone could kindly send a Kyle my way that would be very much appreciated, thank you.)

Brayden is the Queen of romance for a reason. I would definitely put this book in the "meet-cute" category. While staying in the same hotel, Savanna and Kyle meet in a rather adorable way and end up spending the remainder of the weekend together. Then the story takes a rather strange twist IMO, when they decide to not exchange numbers, but to meet in one year at a designated spot. It's got a small town, a Gay BFF, nosy townspeople, festivals, and lots of surprises. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Savannah was a very likeable character. Maybe a bit too “on” all the time, but she also just genuinely seems like a friendly person. She knows everyone who walks into her store, people love stopping to talk to her, and she cares deeply for her small town and everyone in it. Having to not only grieve her parents at a young age, but also now her aunt, I think it was interesting how she dealt with her grief. I think if I had been in her shoes it would have taken me longer to recover. But her community and friends seemed to always be there for her, which is nice, but usually not the case I would say for most. While she did wait a good amount of time to let Kyle back in after standing her up, I think it all seemed a little bit too easy. I’m sure if Kyle existed in real life, it would be hard to deny her, but I think for it to be a bit more realistic there needed to be more than just one conversation to seal the deal. Especially after she basically did the same thing in the third act breakup. The chemistry between Savannah and Kyle was electric from the start, but I think everything afterward never quite measured up. It seemed like they were running on pure lust and avoiding the major issues at hand, which is also why things blew up even more out of proportion in the end.

Besides how pretty Kyle is and her soap opera doctor persona, there isn’t much else we know or get to appreciate about her. Without knowing her point of view and the same amount of background information as we get about Savannah, it was really hard to connect to her and care about her as much as Savannah, especially given how many times Kyle messed up and left Savannah hanging. I never really understood how a person could just pick up their whole life after meeting someone (in this case a day), and claim to do anything for them, but then constantly make decisions that put that relationship at risk. Yes she struggles with PTSD, but if she had just communicated that earlier with Savannah and accepted her help, all the drama could have been easily avoided. Her chemistry with Savannah was good, they had good banter and clear attraction, but there was just something more I wanted from them that still seemed to be missing. I loved the cute and hilarious way they met in the hotel hallway and everything that happened in Charleston, but everything seemed to slowly decline after that.

Some of the side characters were great, there were alot of stand out personalities, but there were just too many to keep track of. We just get to the mere surface level of several characters and never get to dive deeper into their lives to truly feel invested in any of them. Jonathan especially seemed really great, especially with getting to know him and his disability and how him and Savannah became and stayed friends. Their connection ran deep, but yet I still feel like there was more to explore there. I particularly didn’t like the whole paternity sub plot, especially when we never really know what she decides to use all the money for and why. It just seemed like Savannah was desperate for someone to call family and it didn’t matter who that was. Yes Savannah has a lot of emotional pain stemming from betrayal and abandonment, but I think there could have been a better way to go about it, than the ridiculousness of finding out who fit the paternity test. Besides the characters, I was kind of disappointed with the lack of small town feel. Being set in South Carolina, you never really get that full feel and all I really remember is jumping from the grocery store, to the bar, to the donut shop, and to the beach house. Other than that I can’t even picture anything else about the atmosphere or even how the town is layed out. Basically everything had the potential to work together but it just didn’t. The themes were good, the characters and side characters were good and likeable, the plot was unique, but how everything was executed just fell flat and seemed forced to me.

Thank you to Bold strokes books and Melissa Brayden for providing me with this e-ARC

First the good things:

I loved the characters, Savannah is a great main character and Kyle is an amazing love interest (she’s seriously so hot). I really liked the small town setting, it’s not something I have read a lot of but, it’s such a cute vibe and definelty something I will look for in the future. I loved Savannah’s friends, Jonathon and Elizabeth and everyone else in the town. The storyline was great too, there were other plotlines apart from the romance which was good. It was a very enjoyable, very funny book and I felt very connected to all of the characters. As someone who loves character focused books, I really loved how close I felt to the characters, I was rooting for them which is a good sign of the authors characterisation skills.

The aspects of this novel that I did not enjoy, include the dialogue. It felt unnatural to me and I had quite a few moments of intense second hand embarrassment as characters said some really cringey things. However I do understand I am a lot younger than the characters and the author and probably not the target audience, so it might just be my age speaking. I also felt that the third act breakup was entirely unnecessary, it was so sudden, I just don’t believe there was any reason for them to break up. And I understand it was used as conflict during the end part of the novel, and that it is a common strategy for romance authors, but to be honest, it just made me annoyed. It felt like Savannah was pushing away Kyle for no reason and that their issues could have been resolved with a simple conversation rather than breaking up for months.

I did think Kyle was very supportive of Savannah throughout the whole thing though, I really liked that she continued to be there for her despite their breakup.

In summary I am happy to have read this, I love sapphic romances with all my heart. It was a fun, addictive read and I’m super thankful I was able to read it early.

I am a huge fan of Melissa Brayden, but this book fell a bit short for me compared to her other works.

Savannah and Kyle meet at a hotel, have instant chemistry, hook up and make a pact to meet up on a bridge in a year when Kyle is done with her residency and will be able to dedicate herself to a relationship. Only she doesn’t show up at the bridge and Savannah is devastated and swears off love, only to have Kyle show up in her town a few months later looking to make amends.

Savannah was an interesting character, and the story is told from her point of view. She has a lot going on with her job and tool of a boss, her aunt just passing away, a new AirBnB, her best friend and his new relationship and her finding out her dad, who passed away years ago, wasn’t her biological father. It’s a lot to keep up with and I think I would have preferred more time spent on developing Kyle as a character. It was hard to get into her as so much time was spent on Savannah and all she had going on.

The thing that bothered me the most about the book was the dialogue though. Melissa Brayden’s super power is witty banter, and it was just too much here. The whole story was witty banter and I think it prevented me from really connecting with the characters since everyone was ‘on’ so much it was just not realistic. It was exhausting honestly,

If you are a Melissa Brayden fan, you will probably like this book but not love it, like me. I still love Dreamers Bay though.

3.5 stars.

Savanna Potter, who lives in a small town called Dreamer's Bay, meets Dr. Alexandra Kyle Remington on a trip to Charleston, and they instantly got attracted to each other. They spend a night together. You know, the typical hookup. But when the morning comes, both aren't capable of letting it go, even though the timing wasn't the best to have a relationship, especially for Kyle. That's when they decided to meet in the bridge where everything started a year later. The year passed, and Savanna went to the date, but Kyle never showed up. With everything happening in her life (her aunt's recent decease and discovering that the man she knew as her father wasn't her biological father), Savanna goes home brokenhearted. Eventually, Kyle goes to Dreamer's Bay to win back Savanna, but she's not eager to have Kyle in her life again. Would Savanna and Kyle get their second chance to be together?

I really, REALLY wanted to connect with this story, and I'm still wondering how I finished the book. First of all, the beginning is really slow, with some unnecessary explanations that weren't useful. Secondly, I think this story needed to be told by both female main characters instead of being narrated by Savanna. I don't know, I feel Kyle's side of the story would help to get full context of the book.

About the main characters, I have to say that they are well developed and have pretty good chemistry. Yet, sometimes their interactions were a bit awkward. Again, since we don't have Kyle's POV, you can't fully understand her because we're looking at Kyle through Savanna's eyes, and Savanna didn't get the whole picture.

Another thing that doesn't work in the book is the fact that there are too many secondary characters AND too many sub plots that overshadowed the main storyline, distracting the reader from it. Although I think the writing is good, there were too many stuff that unfocused the main plot and the conflicts between Savanna and Kyle.

This is my first book from this author, and my first impression is that this story has a lot of potential that needed to be explored in a bolder way.

• ARC given by Bold Strokes Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for your trust.

Dream a Little Dream is sweet small-town somewhat-second chance love story between grocery store manager Savanna Potter and ER doctor Kyle Remington. I enjoyed the rom-com feel of their meet-cute and the promise to meet again on a bridge a year later, and their banter was a lot of fun!

Both protagonists come with their own share of trauma — Savanna from the death of her parents when she was a child and Kyle from what she experiences at work. They are both learning to open their hearts to allow love into their lives, but are faced with Kyle’s insecurities of being “too much” and “not enough” as she comes to terms with her PTSD, while Savanna desperately seeks an unconditional love she has lost over and over again in her past. While I was frustrated at times with how they dealt with their unresolved pasts and poor communication as a result, the story wrapped up in a beautiful HEA.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable book and my first introduction to Melissa Brayden, and I’ll definitely be picking up more.

I’m going to be honest: I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book even while I was more than halfway through it. For a few reasons. For one, it is written in single-person first person. Now, I don’t generally mind first person,, but it’s a tricky issue when it comes to romance. Typically, when it comes to romances, first person seems to be alternating points of views from the main characters. Here, it’s all from Savanna’s point of view, and we never get to know what goes on in Kyle’s mind (except whatever she is willing to tell Savanna). And, while Savanna’s life seems to be…less than great overall, Kyle seems like a perfect person. Doctor. Beautiful. And everyone who meets her seems to love her right away.

Except, not much of a spoiler, she isn’t perfect, and Savanna’s story is so interesting, that it really was the right idea to write it in first person from Savanna’s point of view. Savanna is dealing with a lot, which I won’t spoil, because you really need to take that journey yourself. Honestly, for most of the book, I just wanted to give her a hug.

By the time I was finished the book, I was happy I got past my little moment of annoyance. It was well worth the journey, and I hope to see the characters from Dreamer’s Bay again (Dreamer’s Bay is also where the novel Beautiful Dreamer takes place, and many of the characters in that book show up here, but it is not necessary for you to have read that book before).

What happens when the most intense connection, that feels like fate, ends with ghosting? Move on, which becomes more complicated when Kyle shows up in Savannah's small town.

This is a small town romance, with a delightful town. While this is technically second chance, it felt more like the characters overcoming their past traumas and learning to rely on each other.

Melissa Brayden always writes characters and stories that make me feel, and this is no exception. Melissa Brayden never misses, and is one of my favorite Sapphic authors.

I received a free advance review copy through from Bold Strokes Books through NetGalley and my review is voluntary.

This was good, the pacing was good and I liked the setting. I didn’t find myself connect with the story too much, but I can totally see why a lot of people will be able to!