⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This book had my heart in a chokehold every step of the way! Stevie and Lex’s story is beautiful, emotional and shines bright like a star! If you want a second chance, slow burn that will have you wanting more this book is for you.

Thank you Jennifer Hartmann and her team and NetGalley for giving me this arc!

Wow. I am truly speechless. Anyone who knows me knows that Still Beating is the blueprint for a top tier book in my eyes, but Dream On might be giving it a run for its money.

From the first interaction with Lex & Stevie, we knew that their banter was going to be amazing. But what it didn’t prepare me for was how beautifully tragic their love story would be. In act one, we experience them as high school students in their school production of Moulin Rouge! and get a front row seat to their budding friendship. Opening night, tragedy strikes and, while both of them think they’re doing the right thing for the other, they wind up breaking their hearts in the process.

Fast forward four years later and Lex needs to show the world that he’s “dating” Stevie after his screenplay (and resulting TV series) about their tragic love story becomes an overnight success. The fact that so many big feelings have always been involved with these two, it was beautiful to see how they acknowledged them in different parts of their lives.

The angst in this story was unlike any I’ve read before and I love how Jennifer made it such a beautiful story. Stevie and Lex both experienced so much pain as children; the fact they were able to help build each other back up the way they did later in life was something my heart didn’t know I needed.

Oh, and I can cross crying over a game of two truths and a lie off of my bucket list now.

Overall, this story was such a beautiful reminder that we always need to dream on 🫶🏼

I am obsessed with how this book was written. The concept, the character depth, and the longing in this book was amazingly done! I can’t get over the twist and turns and the ride this book took you on. I could feeling the yearning and tension through out this book. This is a must read!

ARC Read Review!
4.25⭐️

Oh Jennifer Hartmann and her angst! I love Jennifer’s storytelling! This is a beautiful angsty story with trauma and love and sadness. This is a young-adult to adult story with adult topics that sadly touch out youth as well. I just love Lex and Stevie! Big gulp! ♥️😢♥️

READ IT!

I absolutely adored this book. Stevie was so strong and not afraid to speak her mind. She knew what she wanted to do in life and was determined to make it happen. It didn't exactly go as planned though. One night changed everything for her and Lex. She knew he was famous and still was friends with him. She gave him a place where he could be himself and get away from the noise. She saw the real him when no one else did.
Lex is Hollywood Royalty and was started young in show business. He was supposed to act a certain way and deal with the consequences that was at home. He doesn't have the best parents and they literally make his life miserable. His mom is seriously mental and dad was the one who had the power. He goes thru some serious trauma as kid and it shapes his life. The good thing in his life is Stevie. When he tells their story in a movie, the public wants Stevie and him together. This is when the story starts. Lex goes thru a lot and has to do some growing up. He has to let go of the past and break free from the bad people in his life. Stevie isn't afraid to tell him what she thinks and what he should do.
I adored these two together and the journey that they go on. It was really remarkable and precious.

I was lucky enough to receive an e arc copy of this gem.

I swear with every single Jennifer Hartmann release she breaks me & puts me back together in the best possible way.

Tropes is this book-
Fake dating
Slow Burn
Hollywood's Golden Boy
Forced Proximity
Angsty & Emotional

These main characters captured me from the very 1st chapter. This book is all about second chances. When they go thru a tragic event in their younger years it tears them apart. Then act 2 happens many years later when they're older.
I got upset with the mmc but I knew something happened to make him that way. Not a lot of Spice in this book which I was more than ok with. Jennifer gives you all the feels in this book without the Spice. The playlist was absolutely perfect for this book, Come what May brings on a whole new meaning now. I loved everything about this book esp the epilogue. I couldn't get enough. Stevie is definitely a Dreamer..& Lex's quote is forever ingrained in my brain "Dream On Nicks"

i really really enjoyed this!! i always find myself enjoying jennifer hartmann’s writing in every book of hers that i read so this comes as no surprise!!

i lovedddd the romance in this and the characters felt so so real. i could feel the love between them and that is something that always makes a book ten times better!!

thank you so much to valentine pr for the arc!!

*wipes away tears*

Okay.

I don't do books that make me cry. I cry enough in real life, I don't need books to make me cry as well.

But, there's one exception to that rule and that is Jennifer Hartmann. She's the only one who's allowed to make me ugly sob into my pillow in the middle of the night.

I figured this might be the very first JH book that wouldn't make me cry.

WRONG.

This whole journey was painful, but so real. I'm so freaking glad they got their happily ever after, even if they had to fight so hard for it.

Now it's time for me to give this place a spot in my hard and work through new trauma, lmao. Jokes. Kind off.

Honestly, this was great. It shows once again how diverse Jennifer's writing is.

I’m new to Jennifer Hartmann’s work, and Dream On did not disappoint. It’s emotional, beautifully written, and captures the characters’ feelings in a way that’s rare and powerful. This story is full of heartbreak and angst, but also love and healing.

Stevie and Lex’s love story is complex—woven with tragedy and loss, yet grounded in connection and comfort. By the end, you’re so wrapped up in their world that it’s hard to let go. I’ll definitely be coming back for more of Jennifer Hartmann’s stories.

Thank you Valentine PR for the e-arc!

Jennifer will always be an auto-read for me - no matter what the story is about. She's an extremely talented writer and truly knows how to weave intricate and unique stories with characters that are relatable in different ways.

I absolutely love the premise of this book. I enjoyed the story, but felt it might have been a bit too long for everything that actually happened within this story. And there are few things that I felt unnecessary as they added zero to the story outside of pulling tat reader's emotions.

Jennifer does what she does best though - she will give your heart some tugs and delivers an emotional story. There are alot of ups and downs between Stevie and Lex, and while some felt repetitive in ways, it's a part of their story.

Overall, this book starts off really strong, but for some of us, the momentum slows a bit. But overall, it was still an enjoyable read and I believe each person who reads it will feel differently in their own way.

Jennifer Hartmann est devenue en quelques années une de mes autrices indispensables, qui me fait toujours traverser une myriade d'émotions! Dream On ne fait pas exception, j'ai vraiment adoré cette histoire !
Stevie et Lexington n'étaient pas censés se rencontrer : lui est une star d'Hollywood tandis que Stevie est juste une jeune fille pleins de rêves mais ils vont devoir partager l'affiche de la comédie musicale de leur lycée... Mais à la suite d'un incident, leur chemin se séparent pour se recroiser quatre ans plus tard quand Lexington a décidé de faire une série sur leur histoire et que maintenant, il a besoin de la vraie Stevie...
C'est un coup de cœur ! Cette histoire est splpendide, poétique, percutante, addictive et déchirante! Jennifer Hartmann nous fait traverser pleins d'émotions : on passe du rire aux larmes, des papillons dans le ventre au ventre serré... J'ai adoré les personnages qui sont complexes, touchants et terriblement attachants! J'ai beaucoup aimé la construction de leur histoire, de leur seconde chance, de leur reconstruction en s'aidant mutuellement!
En bref, encore un coup de cœur signé Jennifer Hartmann

I seriously need to make more of an effort to check out the backlists of authors I've only recently discovered and whose most recent work I've fallen in love with. At the top of the list? Jennifer Hartmann. I'm a sucker for an angsty romance, and man, Hartmann doesn't merely tug at your heartstrings; she'll take your heart and shatter it. But of course, she'll also have that poor heart of yours mend and come back together by the end of her latest story. So yes, I was already expecting my heart to get a workout while reading her new standalone, Dream On, but goodness, even I was taken by surprise by how intense certain portions of the story hit me. Her main characters, Stevie and Lex, get their guaranteed happily-ever-after, and while the road is far from easy, finally reaching their HEA becomes even more satisfying for all those concerned, aka the MCs and the reader. But hey, have some tissues at the ready, just in case.

Dream On is a story of the power of true love, the resilience of one's spirit, and how one's dreams can change. Stevie St. James and Lexington Hall crashed into each other--literally--and that first meeting did not exactly leave her with the best first impression of him. When it turns out that Lex is the new transfer student to Hollow High, it's only then that she learns that he's some sort of famous actor who's taken a break from his life in Los Angeles to move with his parents to Chicago. Now, they're both part of the senior class AND they've both been cast as the leads of this stage production of Moulin Rouge. They fell in love, and then everything fell apart when he disappeared without any explanation. Four years later, Lex has returned, and he's an even bigger star than he was before. He also has an offer that Stevie knows she would be crazy to say "no" to. All Stevie has to do is to pretend Lex never shattered her heart years ago...

It's no secret that the bright lights of the entertainment industry can often be glaring, often to the point that there are the darker aspects of it that are not easily recognized. Also, as much as Disney would like us to think that all fairy tales end happily, the fact is, they don't, not if you've read your fair share of the original stories. I don't mean to sound morose, but the point I'm trying to make here is that there's an element of realism when it comes to Lex's career, the kind that serves as a reminder that some dreams can leave nightmare-like scars. Stevie was such a balm to his soul, but it took a while for his heart and his brain to accept the fact that he could have--and keep--someone like her in his life. These two together may have appeared perfectly idyllic, but that's the thing--their love story was imperfect. Having said that, once the obstacles were hurdled, they did, indeed. live happily ever after, and rightly so. Five-plus stars.

Dream On is such a beautiful, emotional story! It's a second chance romance with both heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes. This book had my emotions all over the place! I love Lex and Stevie's story!
5⭐! Thank you Jennifer and Valentine PR for including me as an ARC reader!

This was my first book I have read from this author and I really enjoyed it. There is 448 pages in the book but it such a fast read that is didnt seem that long when you actually read it.
This story is a second chance romance/ fake dating but it also had some deeper conversations that could make you emotional. The love stevie and Lex had for each other is great even with there ups and down.

Lex and Stevie met as seniors in high school. It all started with a mild fender bender, then they discovered they went to the same school. Lex was new in town, he was taking a little break from his childhood acting career. Stevie has a beautiful voice and they both get cast in the high school musical. This thrusts them together even more and they grow closer. But Lex has a lot of emotional trauma that he hasn't had a chance to deal with and he doesn't quite know how to let Stevie be there for him. This is such an emotional beautiful story about the right person, wrong timing. There is a four year time jump and the story continues with them being 22 years old. The character growth of both Stevie and Lex is very good. This book breaks your heart and pieces it back together again. Jennifer's books are always my favorites. She really brings soulmate type of energy from her characters that make you feel so much.

Tropes:
*Slow Burn Romance
*He Falls First
*Time Jump
*Second Chance Romance
*Dual POV
*Music and Theatre Aspects
*Small Town
*Fake Dating

Jennifer Hartmann did it again! When I saw this book was being offered by Valentine PR as a ARC I immediately signed up because I still think about Still Beating. She is known for writing books that will emotionally wreck you! This book is a YA book where we follow Lex and Stevie who had a prior past and find themselves meeitng again 4 years later. A lot has happend/changed which brings forward raw emotions. Be prepared and have tissues near as you read this amazing story! Thank you Valentine PR for allowing me to read this book! I loved it.

I loved this story so much, and I want so badly to give these characters, especially Lex, a big squeeze! Poor baby Lex. My heart was in absolute shambles for him!
This story is stunning and raw. It is heartbreak and phenomenal love all wrapped up into 447 pages. This book will consume your thoughts for days after finishing. I already want to re-read!

Well, it happened again. Jennifer Hartmann tore my heart out, used it as a punching bag, then put it back together. Every book of hers that I have read has always been an absolute romance masterpiece, and this one was no exception! If you have not ready any of Jennifer’s books, you really need to add this one to your TBR immediately!

At first I really wanted to dislike Lex. It made it so hard for me to like him at first. Then slowly but surely I came around and fell in love with him so damn hard. By the middle of the book you learn that he really has the biggest heart, but has closed it off for so long due to feeling so broken. Then Stevie comes into his life and breaks his walls down slowly, then all at once.

Stevie really did have the biggest heart and knew Lex needed someone in his life to just be there for him. She sacrificed so much of herself; not only her hopes and dreams but her own family because she knew someone needed to be there for Lex. Their chemistry from the start was just magic. I love a good friends to lovers relationship, and not only that but we get fake dating too?! This book really did have all the tropes.

This story really did consume me in the best way possible. It was such a heartbreaking story about your first love, broken homes, second chances and finding who means the most to you and keeping them forever. This was such an emotional roller coaster and I never wanted to get off the ride. Dream out is out now & is also available on KU as well!

Tropes:
🌴Slow burn
⭐️Childhood friends
🎤Hollywoods golden boy x ordinary farm girl
🎥Fake dating
🎭Forced proximity
♥️Emotional love story
🐄Broken hero
🎵Second chances
✨A secret trope?!

*Thank you to Valentine PR, NetGalley, Bloom books and the amazing author, Jennifer Hartmann for the ARC!*

I started reading Jennifer Hartmann's books last year and I absolutely love her writing. When I saw she had a new book coming out I immediately applied for the ARC 🥰 she did not disappoint! I loved this story so much. Stevie and Lex were so perfect. It was a book I definitely could not put down but sad when it was done. It's one of those stories that leaves you wanting more.

Stevie a small town girl who was a dreamer and Lexington a boy from Hollywood shared the stage in a high school musical. Their worlds were never meant to collide. After 4 years Lex offers a fake relationship in return for financial help which Stevie needs but old feeling come back.

“Where'd you come from?" he slurs. "I've always been here."

He Falls First •  Flawed Character  • Hollywood Couple  • Second Chance

Stevie St. James and Lexington Hall are forever imprinted in brain. I have yet to meet a Jennifer Hartmann but that I do not like but there was something about this book that scratched and itch I didn't know I had.  There are so many layers to this book I am not even sure how to summarize without giving something way. If you have not gotten into Jennifer Hartmann or are looking for a read that is going to capture you and take you through every emotion... please please please pick up this book. 

Thank you to Valentine PR and NetGalley for the ARC.