Like most of Jennifer Hartmann's books, this was a super emotional read for me. On the outside Lex seems to have it all. The good looks, the money, the fame from acting from a young age. Not everything is what it appears to be. He doesn't talk to anyone, he doesn't want to make friends. After hitting Stevie's car, that all changes. She is just a ray of sunshine in his dark world. One that he won't let himself have because he doesn't want to ruin her too.

I loved Stevie. She was the type of FMC I always root for in a story. She was strong and caring. She always put her family and friends first. And that is exactly what she does for Lex, but then he disappears.

When 4 years pass and Stevie watches the show that Lex made, about their life, I knew the tension would get good. Now she is his fake girlfriend and living with the man that ruined her life and broke her heart.

And Lex? I never wanted to hug a character so badly. The ending.... well read it and find out. 😝

I dove in blind, and honestly, that’s the best way to experience this story. Lex is such a beautifully broken man, and watching Stevie slowly help him rediscover his worth was everything. This book was a journey: love, heartbreak, healing… and love again. Jennifer, you almost lost me near the end!! My Kindle nearly took flight across the room and I almost stopped reading…but I powered through. Well played, ma’am. Well. Played.

3.5/5

Dream On by Jennifer Hartmann grabbed me from the first page and never let go. It’s a second-chance romance tangled with heartbreak, hope, and the messy realities of fame and small-town dreams. Lexington Hall is Hollywood royalty, but when he steps into Stevie St. James’s high school theatre production, they connect on a deeper level—beyond the spotlight and the secrets. Their young love is fragile, shattered by tragedy and choices that send them worlds apart.

Years later, Lex returns—changed, guarded, and carrying scars from a ruthless industry. When he offers Stevie a chance to jumpstart her acting career, old feelings resurface. But can their love survive the ghosts of their past? This story is raw and emotional, filled with characters you’ll love, hate, and root for. Hartmann nails the highs and lows of first love and second chances with honesty and heart. Plus, there are some seriously spicy scenes to sweeten the deal.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

Reading. Sobbing, throwing up. If i could give it a million stars I would!! But I need to stop crying first. This book Melted my heart, pierced my soul and lodged deep inside me, making it one of the best reads of this year!!
You get Dive deep down in the well of tears as overwhelming emotions spilleth over. JH in her indomitable angsty spirit, dips her pen in blood, sweat and tears, creating immemorable & adorable couple of Stevie Nicks and Child Prodigy Lexington Hall.
She makes them develop crushes and fall in love . Then puts them through a wringer, cause what's true love if not painful.

“ “You can’t put a fire out with lightning.”
No.
But I can burn along with it.”

And they both burn. So hot! Both have dreams of flying high in sky full of stars and fame. While Lex crashes and burns, he doesn't want Stevie to fall with him, so he lets go.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh The soul eviscerating pain that I felt deep in my heart will remain there for a while.

“ That was fiction. Make-believe. Our story could have had a happy ending. If he’d stayed. If he’d tried. If he’d done anything but walk away.”

Every tear that spilled from Steve's eye, rolled down my cheek. Every pinch that Lex felt in his throat, clogged mine too
It was a deeply personal experience to see abandonment and betrayal be the hero in Lexington's story. He's manipulated and maneuvered by people around him till his soul bleeds dry and he's nothing but an empty shell.

“ my heart remains in limbo, living under the same roof with this broken man while unable to mend his pieces.”

Stevie becomes the heart of the story. Pumping life, enough for both of them. She Is a darling doll, though at the receiving end of hurt and ridicule. But it wouldn't be a JH story if we didn't bawl hard, lying on the floor, now would it.
Best part was the purity of love between Lex & Stevie remained untouched throughout. Outside forces tried tainting it, but deep inside, their connection so strong, nothing could faze it.

“Come What May”

Lex took time to decipher and see tree from the forest, but Stevie had 20/20 vision.
I loved the writing so hard, I can't even stop thinking about it.
Fabulous. Fantastic. Fascinating.
“5 stars for Alternate Endings”

“You’ve been the only thing that has ever made me feel alive.”

OH MY HEART!!! OH MY SOUL!!! I can’t stop basking in Dream On, an emotional, Oscar-worthy romance that stole my breath like a kiss: passionate, powerful, raw, and real. This love story sang to my soul. I read it with tears in my eyes and so much love inside. Heartbreakingly beautiful and brilliantly told, Dream On blew me away!

I was instantly transported to a high school in small town Illinois as I lived and breathed the characters in this coming-of-age romance that Jennifer Hartmann so seamlessly and stunningly brings to life. I was drawn to Stevie and Lex’s undeniable pull … a connection of soulmates. I was mesmerized by the depth and raw vulnerability of these characters. Lex and Stevie are drawn together by both acting and painful pasts, yet awaken and save each other. These soulmates held my heart the whole time reading.

Dream On sank itself into my heart where I felt its emotional pull, a paralyzing zap that surged straight to my soul, owning every part of me. I applauded and appreciated its valuable messages of finding the beauty in the broken. Flying after falling. Rising by lifting others. Daring to dream. And, most importantly: true love always prevailing. The best blend of ordinary and extraordinary, Dream On is a stunning, soul-searing masterpiece worth all the stars in Hollywood.

“And I realize it’s those fleeting snippets of joy, the underwhelming moments, that stitch our days together and carry the biggest weight.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ but worth all the soul-searing stars

Reviewed on behalf of Bookalicious Babes Blog

A true gem. This book is incredibly addictive.
Stevie and Lexington meet in school and become leads in the school play. Lexington is a famous celebrity. Everyone always trying to get a peice of him.  Stevie is a sweet girl. Living a quiet life on her farm and cussing her dreams.
These two aren't your typical young love, childhood sweethearts. Their story is full of loss, despair,  heartache, family issues and wonder.  Can these two beat the odds? Find each other after years pass by and make something wonderful together after the turmoil of the past brings itself to the present. 
I really enjoyed the story and characters. It's a neat spin on the trope.
5 stars. I hope there's another book with these two in it .

This book was giving me high school musical meets starstruck vibes. I loved everything about Stevie just a choir girl living on farm and a quiet happy life and then comes Lexington the popular boy who has been in movies and tv shows because of his parents upbringing. Poor girl meets rich boy vibe. One tragedy leads them both to never communicate with one another again until a proposition comes up that leads them to fake date one another. Second....third chance at love? Saving your virginity for the right person? Singing versus Acting? I ate this book up and read it at work and then finished it by night. I could not put this book down because it was THAT good!

ARC Review of Dream On by Jennifer Hartmann
* * * * *
A second chance romance so filled with drama it is overflowing! One decision brings them back together, selfish desires and hope has them clinging on, but what will tear them apart?

Lexington Hall is a household name, not that Stevie St. James cares. He's a blue eyes golden boy beloved by Hollywood, but now he's decided to temporarily be a normal kid at her school and join her school play.
As they rehearse lines, they begin to bond. Over time, Stevie sees past the actor's facade. She's sees the secrets and the pain, what he hides from the world, and how he suffers behind closed doors. Lex wants nothing more to take a chance and be with her, but his hidden past and what the life of Hollywood has done to him ha him pulling back.
Then, their first possible chance comes to a grinding halt. One rejection, and one near fatal mistake.
Years later, Stevie is faced with her time with Lexington being put on the screen. Their story twisted and embellished. When Lex comes back into her life with an offer, one that could jumpstart her career as an actress, they come to an agreement.
Lex has changed.
He's cold and hollow and lets the world of glitter rot him.
Can she help him or will they part ways forever?

Could. Not. Put. The. Book. Down!
Sooooo many people I wanted to punch in that book! Horrible families, disgusting agents, crazy fans who need to get a life! Wanted Lex to get his happy ending so bad and to get away from the toxic environment he was forced to endure, and one he is trying to protect Stevie from. What he endured was horrid, and so many people he should trust and did trust in his life deserve to be punished.
Side characters: Rudy I was on the fence about for a while, but love him in the end. Jopline is an awesome big sister.
Happy with the ending, and how both characters got what they mostly wanted out of the messy experience. Spicy scenes!

“This is what dreams are supposed to feel like…They're not something you fight for. They're what finds you when you finally learn to let go and just be.” And another book where Jennifer gives me the BIGGEST HANGOVER! 🥹😆🙈

I don’t know how she does it but her stories just get better and better! This is a fake dating trope but it is SO MUCH MORE than what you would assume. An FMC who is literal sunshine and innocence paired with a MMC who is battling the most heartbreaking demons. The two are MAGICAL TOGETHER. I’m going to be watching Moulin Rouge now - thanks for that Jen 🤣

A standalone story that will give you alllllll the feelings. A slow burn with angst/tension that I dare you not to devour. I stayed up wayyyy too late two nights in a row finishing this! WORTH. IT.

Dream On was a very romantic and loving story and I enjoyed almost every second of it. There were a few scenes that I found questionable, but the characters had great chemistry and a real emotional connection.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stevie & Lex meet when they both audition for the high school musical. They form a deep connection that follows them into adulthood. Now as an adult, Lex is a popular actor and stars in a movie that depicts his rise to stardom; which ultimately brings him back to Stevie. The choices that they made in their past, have damaging results in their future together. This book is in the ‘teen/YA’ genre; and it was a little spicy in a few sections. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC; this book will be published August 2025. I enjoyed it! #booksbyashleynicole #jenniferhartmann

Dream On had a unique concept and some strong emotional moments, but overall, it felt a little too much like Lotus—almost like a variation of the same emotional beats and character dynamics. Jennifer Hartmann writes beautifully and knows how to pull at your heartstrings, but because I’d already read Lotus, much of this book felt predictable and lacked the same impact.

The premise was intriguing and had a lot of potential, and there were definitely scenes that stuck with me. But I was hoping for something more distinct, something that stood apart from her previous work.

If you haven’t read Lotus, Dream On might hit differently. For me, it was good—but not great. A solid 3.5 stars.

The fake dating? Messy. The chemistry? Dangerous. The yearning? Off the charts. Hartmann nails the emotional gut punches and doesn’t let up. If you’ve ever cried over a love that couldn’t be, or wanted to punch a man while kissing him senseless, this book will feel like coming home and ripping the floorboards up.

Dream On would be a great addition to adult collections. Both Lex and Stevie have plenty of past trauma and it makes the reader really root for them to heal and be together. I appreciate the twist on the fake-dating trope, and I also love that this book is told sequentially and not in a constant flashback to the past manner.

This was ok. A little too long for me but it wasn't bad. I was invested in the story and the characters

I would literally read anything written by Jennifer hartmann.She is my go to author.Nobody writes romance better than her.This book Dream on is so poignant and heart touching with a an inspiring message that no dream is small and every dream can be conquered with help and support of your partner.I would only suggest that there has been a typo in spelling of waiter when lex and Stevie meet his mother .Lex and stevie relationship will stay with me for a long time.I hope everyone loves the book as much i loved it.I loved how the book showed the vulnerability of the main male lead .

This book was so different from anything else Jennifer Hartmann has written. This story is told in duel POV (which I love) and it starts out in Highschool setting and then transitions for 4 years later. I enjoyed how we got to see highschool Stevie & Lex and then fast forward to the adult version. The highschool portion was about 30% of the book, which was the perfect amount to get a good back story on both of them. There were definitely times in this book where I strongly disliked Lex’s character but he definitely grew on me more towards the end. The one thing that I didn’t like about this book was what about Stevies dream?!

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom for this ARC.

Dream On | Jennifer Hartmann

“Perhaps he was projecting, Stevie. I saw it as his way of telling the world he doesn’t think he deserves you.” 🥺🥺🥺

There’s just something about the way Jennifer Hartmann tells a story. The way she writes? It breathes life into every emotion and every moment. Her descriptions don’t just paint a picture...they pull you in.
I’m always so immersed in her worlds, but Dream On? It gave me all the feels.
I finished it sitting in a puddle of awe and tears, Stevie and Lex’s story was emotional, powerful, and so beautifully told.

"I’m not sure what it means, but I think it’s comfort, I think it’s friendship, and I think it means everything."

Stevie and Lex completely stole my heart! Their story is the perfect blend of second chances, slow-burn tension, and emotional depth. The Hollywood glitz meets small-town roots in the best way, and the chemistry between them? Electric!! Lex was so full of neglect, shame, and starved of love 🥺 it was absolutely heartbreaking. You just want to take away all the pain he’s endured and remind him he’s worthy of so much more. Stevie, on the other hand, was the complete opposite...a true breath of fresh air. I absolutely adored the bond she had with her sister Joplin; it made me crave that kind of sisterhood. And their parents? So heartwarming and full of love.

"And I knew then that sometimes the dreams we give up make way for dreams we never knew we wanted.”

If you love fake dating with real feelings and a touch of nostalgia, and a secret rooftop beneath the stars, this one’s a must-read.

"Dream on, Nicks" 🥺

Thank you, Jennifer, for another beautiful gem to add to my collection. 🤍 Your stories always find a place in my heart.

Já fiz a pre-compra deste livro! Definitivamente um livro Young adult que se deve ler. Jennifer Hartmann tem uma escrita maravilhosa que nos leva a sentir as emoções dos personagens e este livro não é diferente. Tudo o que ela escrever eu vou ler ☺️

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloom Books for the arc of this book. This book starts with the meeting of Stevie St. James and Lexington Hall in high school and then picks up four years later when they reconnect due to the actions of Lexington. This book is a heartwarming second change romance. It took until the time jump to to really get into the story. Once I got to the adult versions of the characters I could not put this book down.