4.5⭐️

Does this woman ever miss ??? Jennifer Hartmann has done it again with an amazing book filled with angst, pain and love.

I can say that I will honestly read anything that Jennifer writes and when I found out this was second chance romance I jumped at the chance to read it. Now I don’t usually enjoy the famous trope but it didn’t bother me in this book I actually enjoyed it, Lex being in the limelight whereas Stevie living on her family farm was such a good dynamic which you wouldn’t think would work but I think it added to the story being from different backgrounds.

I’m also a sucker for past to present timelines and being able to read about their young love developing when they meet in high school was perfect to add the tension of them being together when they are adults. Also the way they initially fell in love through acting in a play with perfect like my heart was melting.

I wanted both characters to be loved in the way they deserve and they got that with each other, Lexs trauma broke me and the way he came out of himself towards the end of the book being able to finally let someone else (Stevie) help carry some of the weight of him trauma was inspiring because as it’s shown that trauma is just black and white and people deal with it differently.

I honestly just loved this and if you are looking for a book to break your heart but also put it back together again I would highly recommend.

** 5 stars **

Dream On is another amazing story by this very talented author. I enjoy her stories so much and I know from the beginning there will be so much emotion that it will be at times hard to read. This story was no exception. It is filled with heart and was so hard to put down.

Stevie is out driving her new car when she gets hit from behind. Lex gets out and she is so angry with him that he hit her car. The car is actually old but it is new to her. Her parents had just given it to her. Stevie later sees Lex again at high school. They are in their senior year. Lex is very popular since he is an actor and comes from a wealthy Hollywood family. Stevie is a farm girl who works to help her family. She wants to become an actress so she can help her family. Lex and Stevie both try out for the school musical and they are both cast as the lead roles. They have to practice for the parts a lot together and become friends. Lex has family issues and enjoys being around Stevie. A tragic accident happens that tears them apart.

Time goes by and Lex needs Stevie to play his fake girlfriend. She agrees to help him. What happens is nothing short of emotional and heart-wrenching.

I loved these characters so much. Lex has been through so much. So many people think he has everything because he is famous. They don't realize what his life is really like with being famous as well as his family issues. Stevie is so admirable and strong. I loved how she was able to see Lex for the person he was. She didn't see him as a famous person. I look forward to more from this author. She is a must read.

You will love this story if you enjoy:
* Actor vs farm life
* Second chance
* Fake dating
* Emotional
* He falls first
* Slow burn

✨Fake Dating
✨Forced proximity
✨Emotional Angst/Healing from Trauma
✨Second Chance Romance

Huge thanks to Valentine PR and Jennifer Hartmann for the ARC of Dream On. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Brief Synopsis: Former high school classmates Stevie and Lex reconnect years after a painful parting, when Lex, now a famous actor, proposes a fake dating arrangement to boost both their careers. What began as Lex and Stevie "pretending" to date, end in lines becoming blurred until they have to confront old wounds that resurface alongside growing tension and their unresolved feelings.

Jennifer Hartman has become an auto buy author for me. Her storytelling is captivating, and she manages to weave together a sweet romance alongside very real themes of trauma, and complex relational dynamics. Lex's character was complicated, and she gives us just enough of his story, insight into his inner workings, his struggles, and fears that as the reader you genuinely root for him, and become invested in his development and healing. I found his dynamic with Stevie to be so realistic, sweet, and heartbreaking at the same time. In having read a couple of her books, I love that Jennifer Hartman often manages to take the basic formula for a contemporary romance and adds a unique storytelling component that makes me as the reader walk away with perspective and a sense of emotional payoff. I came into this knowing very little, and I'd recommend the same to other readers! I was satisfied with the pacing, and the only criticism I'd add would be the excruciating third act breakup tension that I had to endure. Even still, it wasn't lazily done, and she managed to make a trope that I hate feel necessary. Great read over all, Jennifer Hartman fans won't be disappointed.

I’m a big Jennifer Hartmann fan. But this was the first of her YA books that I’ve read. I went into this blind (as I usually do) so I wasn’t sure where this was going. But the first part of this book felt long and drawn out. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen because nothing much was, until I realized it was just the “before” to the current situation. As soon as this happened I flew through this book!

Tropes:
🌴Fake Dating
☀️Slow Burn
🌴Second Chance
☀️Forced Proximity
🌴Celebrity/Small town girl

I loved the characters, especially the FMC Stevie. She had a very bright personality where as Lex was your stormy rain cloud. I loved the fact he was a celebrity to her small town girl. The side characters in this one were also good. In Jennifer Hartmann fashion, there are some heavy themes throughout that may be difficult for some readers but I thought it brought much needed depth.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️

Using the words of Stevie, our beautiful FMC, this story was “Part madness, part healing. Half heartache, half hope.” This book follows Stevie and Lex as they navigate the trauma of their high school years into their early adult lives. They have undeniable chemistry yet life keeps pulling them apart. At the end of the day, it’s clear their dreams wouldn’t be fulfilled without one another. This story was absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking! It did an amazing job exploring heavy themes while still showing a beautiful romance between Stevie and Lex. This was my introduction to Jennifer Hartmann and I absolutely loved it!

Tropes:
✨Forced proximity
✨Fake dating
✨Second Chance

Words that stuck with me:
“He washed me away. And I’m still drowning.”

“I think, sometimes, love isn’t always in the ones who stick around. It’s in the missing pieces-“

“What did it cost you to watch me burn alive while you push me into the flames?”

“Upholstered skin and a rubber heart, my smile always full of holes.”

Thank you Bloom books and Valentine PR for the E-arc of this book. It was emotional, complex, and healing💗

Dream On by Jennifer Hartmann, releases August 12! It’s a must read!

Words can not express how much I loved this book. Jennifer Hartmann is skilled at writing beautiful books full of emotion sand this book is no exception. This has to be my favorite Jennifer Hartman. Dream On is a beautifully written novel that tackles difficult topics such as trauma, grief and abuse. This book had me on a rollercoaster of emotions. It had me laughing out loud one moment and the next moment had me reaching for my tissues.
Jennifer Hartmann did such a good job of developing the characters of Lex and Stevie. Because of this, I felt so much for the characters. The chemistry between Lex and Stevie was electric. I loved the development of their relationship through all the parts of the book.
This book had me hooked from the first page to the last page. I ended up staying up past my bedtime to finish this book. This is on my list of my favorite books of this year. Thanks Valentine PR and NetGalley forgiving me an opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dream On is an atmospheric, emotional whirlwind of Lex and Stevie’s story. How love shines from the first time they get lost in each other’s eyes. Their love takes them through good times and the bad times. Ushering Lex and Stevie along, as they learn to trust the one each hold closest to the heart.
Main characters Lex and Stevie’s relationship develops extremely well. You get a real sense as to what Lex and Stevie must be feeling. I found myself really pulling for them to find their way back to each other.
The subject of family dynamics is skillfully woven throughout the plot. You’ll find struggles with maintaining mental health at the forefront. Both physical and emotional abuse are tactfully written and worked into the characters’ being.

Hartmann’s writing is fluid and soulful. If you like a captivating romance with a solid plot, slow burn tension, the perfect amount of spice and happily ever afters, Dream On will satisfy that yearning.

Special thanks to Valentine PR & Literary Management via NetGalley for the wonderful opportunity to read and review Dream On, Jennifer Hartmann. I hope to work with you again.

Another great emotional read from Jennifer Hartmann! This book shows how even when it seems like someone has it all and maybe everything you’ve dreamed of having- everything isn’t always as it seems! What lies behind all the popularity, money, and success someone can have could be deep rooted issues no one would ever know were there.
Sometimes a real connection with another person can spark hope in you and light up some of the darkness in your life.
I enjoyed the love these characters had with theatre and music and how they often connected with each other through those outlets!
Great read!
4/5⭐️

🎤He Falls First
🎤Hollywood’s Golden Boy x “Normal” Girl
🎤Fake Dating
🎤Slow Burn
🎤Forced Proximity
🎤Emotional/ healing journey

wow this story captivated me from the start!

Jennifer Hartmann always has a way with words and story telling and hooking you from the start and taking you on quite a journey.

and the journey of Dream On was a mix of a broken love, heartbreaking but beautiful love story telling of Lex and Stevie. while it's not an easy journey to peace and happiness, Jennifer showcases of how dreams that parents project onto their children can affect their children and ultimately their life's path.

if there was such a trope as third chance romance, this would be it.

if there was ever a story to go in completely blind, Dream On would be it. while I can say it's a true testament to opposites attract and possible love at first sight but didn't know, this would be the story for you. don't want to spoil anything and allow the story to take you on an wild adventure of finding unexpected friendship, to falling in love, to heart break, to unexp arrangements and falling again, to more heart break and.......

well you'll have to read to find out.

available 8.12

I really enjoyed Dream On. I liked the plot, main and secondary characters. Both Lex and Stevie were great characters and finding out the pain and circumstances that had made them who they were really showed you them through different lenses and why their personalities were the way they were. Lex was such a complex character and i hated that he’d been through so much and felt so alone because of what he’d had to endure since he was a kid. I really hated his parents and what they’d put him through. I loved meeting Rudy and thought he was such a great guy and really liked the friendship the two had. I adored Stevie, she was this amazing character who whilst i found could be a bit soft it was what made her, her. She was just such a beautiful person and felt everything on a deep level. I adored her family and really liked Misty too. We saw both Lex and Stevie grow as characters, we felt their deep and genuine connection and the chemistry between them. Lex going through what he did ultimately made it so much clearer to him how much Stevie meant to him and she believed in their connection so much. I really enjoyed Dream On.

Jennifer, Jennifer, Jennifer…what have you done? Oh yeah…written yet another 5 read that made me gush with happiness, laugh, cry and gasp (sometimes all in one page)! Thank you x

Lex is the new kid at Stevie’s school but he isn’t a ‘normal’ new kid, he is a movie star!
Lex is fighting an uphill battle against his demons and his childhood trauma; enter Stevie and their school musical! His soul is crying out for love, attention and understanding and Stevie tries to break her way in.

But when Stevie needs Lex the most he has disappeared back to Hollywood! But we know their story isn’t done…oh no no no…Jennifer needs to rip our hearts out, stomp on them and give them a second chance! Stevie and Lex need their time to shine…to understand each other’s stories!

Is there a JH review of mine that doesn’t say…this is an angsty and emotional read! At times you don’t know if you want to hug or hit Lex but deep down we love him!

Happy reading or crying…whatever 🤣

Jennifer Hartmann always knows how to make me feel things deeply. Every time I’m about to read her books I have to prepare myself mentally for the emotional journey, but it’s a good thing because that’s exactly what I love about reading.

This is not my favorite book from her, but I really enjoyed it and recommend it. I feel like it took so long for us to get some sense of relief and see more of the romance. I do love that her stories always have an actual plot and more than just the romance though. She always talks about real life issues, a lot of times really dark ones and it’s no different in this book, so make sure to check the TW.

Following Stevie and Lex’s journey was so full of ups and downs and heartache, I felt like my heart was being physically squeezed many times. Stevie is a sweet and talented girl full of dreams, with a loving family but very humble upbringings. Lex is the rich and talented kid that seems to have everything, but in reality, had very dysfunctional parents and was dealing with so much internal turmoil and stuck within himself and his trauma.

They meet and initially seem to be completely opposites that would never fit into each other worlds, but Stevie’s sweetness and genuine care seem’s to be the exact friend that Lex needs. She’s different from anyone else, showing interest in who he is as person and not what he has to offer. She becomes his safe haven and their connection is inevitable. He starts feeling like maybe there’s hope and a better life, until tragedy happens and drives them apart. He disappears and cuts contact, she is left alone and deeply hurt. After years, they meet again and have to try to come to terms with everything that happened and either forgive the past, go over their fears and be there for each other or finally move on for good.

I was conflicted so many times with Lex’s character because Stevie always seemed to give and give and not get the same thing back from him. It felt like he gave up so easily and left her behind, but we slowly start to understand that there was a lot more going on that we didn’t know. Lex had all the money in the world but thought he was unworthy and wanted to keep Stevie safe from the horrible things he went through. It’s sad that he chose not to communicate with her and left her wondering for years… I was struggling with him thinking Stevie was fragile and couldn’t deal with certain things, but at the same time understand that his protectiveness came from things that happened in his life and messed up his mind, making him scared and wanting to isolate himself most of the time.

I could not put this book down and already miss the characters. Her books always break my heart and then put back together, leaving me happy with the ending but with a certain sense of melancholy that I’m not sure I can explain. I think it’s because her characters always go through it all and their choices are always so hard to make. They always seem to have to give up so much before they get their HEA, but life can sometimes be like that. Ultimately, even with everything life threw at them, their love and connection was so strong that there was no other option than to fight hard and choose each other.

Thank you Valentine PR and Jennifer Hartmann for this eARC!

Jennifer Hartmann always writes angsty and emotional romances so well and this was no different! I will read anything she writes so I honestly went into this blind and I'm glad I did. I was kinda surprised that we started out with Stevie and Lex in high school, but it worked so well and makes so much sense as the story went on and we got to the end of each Act.

Lex and Stevie had amazing chemistry from their first meeting. Talk about a meeting haha. Lex was definitely an asshole at first, but we came around to him! I loved all their sweet moments together and how Stevie was exactly what Lex needed. Stevie had things she was going through as well, but my boy Lex! My heart hurt for him so much.

I loved all the Moulin Rouge and Hollywood aspects as well! These two were both so talented and I enjoyed how everything intertwined with their careers. This was slow burn, but it made sense given their pasts. And I loved the angst that came with that!

I will say that this didn't have me as obsessed with this story as I have with some others from Jennifer Hartmann. So overall not my favorite from her, but still not anything I disliked here. Had a great time reading and highly recommend for anyone looking for an angsty, second chance, Hollywood romance!

Thank you so much to Jennifer Hartmann and Team, and Bloom Books for the advanced copy!

This was a classic Jennifer Hartmann book...I absolutely loved it!!! 🥰 no other author sucks me into a book and I feel all the emotions of their love story. I feel like l'm in the relationship, right in the middle, invested in both of them. Lex and Stevie have this beautiful relationship. No spoilers but this book will always be in my mind. A true testament about living life to the fullest. Live, Dream, Love. 💕
Live life with all the feelings.⭐️
Thank you Jennifer Hartmann, Valentine PR, and Bloom Books for selecting me as an ARC reader. It was an absolute honor 🥰💞

My first Jennifer Hartmann read & it certainly won't be the last!!
I loved this book so much 🩷
The way it rips your heart apart and then puts it all back together again 🥲
Jennifers writing is amazing and I really can't wait to read more by her.
These two characters really did grab you and pull you into the book, making you not want to put it down & I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this from @netgalley @author.jenniferhartmann

Available 12th August 💖

This story had me completely torn. I felt so deeply for both Stevie and Lex. You could feel every ounce of hurt, hope, and longing woven into their journey. It wasn’t just a romance, it was about what happens when dreams don’t go the way you planned, when people make mistakes, and when you're forced to confront the past in order to move forward.

Lex... gah. He frustrated me and broke me and made me swoon all at once. And Stevie? Her quiet strength and vulnerability hit me hard. Watching them navigate their tangled history, complicated present, and the blurred lines of their relationship felt so real.

There’s a bittersweet undercurrent throughout, but also so much warmth, second chances, and healing. It’s the kind of book that makes you sit in silence for a bit after turning the last page.

If you're in the mood for a slow burn with emotional depth, complex characters, and a romance that feels earned and achingly real, this one is for you.

Jennifer Hartmann does it again! I loved this book. It’s different than the books I typically enjoy. The superstar trope just doesn’t do it for me. But I loved it! I liked how the second chance romance went into great detail about the first chance. While I was internally screaming at the characters to wake up, I found it quite fun to do so. I am a big fan of Jennifer Hartmann and clearly that isn’t changing soon if she keeps on engaging me in her books like this. Dream On was beautifully written and she really dives into trauma and healing and writes about it in a way that captures you and makes you feel for the character(s). The character growth in this book was amazing.

Welp, Jennifer delivered yet another vulnerable, deeply emotional story about two imperfect people who are perfect for each other.

Lex and Stevie are such multifaceted characters, trying to navigate young adulthood in a complicated world. I absolutely loved the mental health rep and the depiction of the sometimes harsh realities of growing up in the spotlight.

There’s so much push and pull and angst between Stevie and Lex throughout the book. Because of Lex’s background and upbringing, expressing and accepting love is incredibly difficult for him. But Stevie gives her all to prove to him that he’s worthy of a well-lived life.

If you love to experience the entire spectrum of emotions while reading a book, pick up Dream On on August 12. You won’t regret it!

The way this story will pull you in is incredible. This story follows Lex and Stevie from a high school romance to a tragedy and abandonment to a reconnection that will make you swoon. There story was written so beautifully and it really made you feel like you are a friend rooting them on! I loved Stevie’s close knit family, the friendships and Lex’s incredible growth.

Jennifer Hartmann knocks it out of the park again with this heartbreaking and complex story. Lexington comes to a small town to escape the Hollywood life for his senior year of high school. There, he meets Stevie St. James. Stevie loves the simple life, but has big dreams of becoming an actress. She lives this dream on the theater stage through her school. Not knowing that one play would change the course of her life forever. Lexington “Lex” is closed off emotionally due to circumstances growing up in the Hollywood scene. He feels safe with Stevie and is able to develop a relationship with her, even with keeping her at a distance.

I loved the flow of this story, and it just sucks you in. There is vulnerability, and a roller coaster of emotion through out. Stevie’s family experiences a tragedy early on, and you just fall in love with the St. James family instantly. The parents, the sister and even Emmy the cow. Lex has an awful family, and everything is conditional and rides on the success of Lex’s Hollywood career. I loved how the story wrapped up and how Lex was able to grow emotionally, and find peace with himself and with Stevie.

Thank you Valentine PR and Jennifer Hartmann for the opportunity to read this early. This is my honest review.