Savannah and Kyle were the definition of I will wait forever for you. Cause I fear that’s what both of them did.
Melissa did such a good job of when it came to the mental health side of it all, as well as chronic illness/pain.
I found the concept of Savannah trying to find out her bio dad, and how she was coping with it all very well done.
And I swear Jonathon was such a funny character. I loved all the reps in this book. And can’t wait to read more by Melissa Braydon

While I don't read contemporary romance in general, I really enjoyed another title by this author so I snatched this one up when I got the chance! This was such a cozy sweet story. Very few romance stories start with a First Act Breakup. Though the mechanics of it keep it from being what I would consider a second-chance romance, the familiarity tension dynamic felt similar. Our first lead is Savannah who manages a small town grocery story with her whole heart. She's gone through some recent loss and is looking to make some changes in her life. Our other lead is Dr Kyle (it's her middle name, just roll with it) who is not quite done with her residency, but has a pair of blue eyes Savannah cannot ignore. Especially, when these blue eyes landed on her when she was trapped in a hotel door. Talk about a meet cute! The two agree to meet again on a scenic park bridge in one years time. Of course things don't go according to plan when Kyle doesn't show up.

What I enjoyed about the handling of this plot is that things were not dragged our for the sake of drama. There was drama to be sure, but it didn't feel contrived and was true to the characters. Things were revealed in a comfortable time frame and we didn't speed through the healing process. While Kyle was trying to prove her intentions, she was never pushy and her patience was such an endearing trait.

Speaking of endearing, I enjoyed the small town setting a lot. While it's very different in real life, it's always cute to me reading about these settings with characters all in each other's business. Well-intentioned in this case! But yes, no escape from the rumor mill. If I could add one scene to this story I would have loved to see the proposal and/or a wedding vows scene. The epilogue was a nice bow on top, but either of these scenes I mentioned would have tied it together so nicely. Yes, I'm maybe being greedy haha.

I would love to visit Dreamer's Bay again. Perhaps to get a story for MJ?? ;)

Savanna Potter has decided she’d make ‘Dreamer’s Bay’ her home. It’s where she grew up living her first twelve years with her Mom and Dad and she could honestly say she had a wonderful life, until an accident changed her life. Losing both her parents was a hard blow but there to ease the rest of her life was her aunt Lindy. It was Lindy who gave her a warm, welcoming home.
Jonathan, her friend forever it seemed. She loved him because he, like Lindy, made her feel safe and loved. Not ‘that’ kind of love but the kind that lasts a lifetime. Over the years she added to her friends list but her romantic life, not so much.
Dr. Kyle Remington was just finishing up her residency in Charleston, South Carolina and happened to be staying at the same hotel as Savanna. Savanna traveled there to get some ideas on how to turn the house left to her by Lindy into an ‘Airbnb’. She was doing all right, she managed the local grocery store but going with ‘Airbnb’ allowed her to keep Lindy’s home. Kyle was there because of work being done at her apartment.
Spending the weekend together was the best and since they had so much fun they’d meet again after a year's time. Easy, right, but plans dont always turn out the way she’d hoped. Simply put. Another great book by Melissa Brayden, you know the author that has a love affair with wine and donuts. A very, very entertaining and fun read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

While I've read every book Melissa Brayden has published (and will continue to do so), not every one of those books shines. This one does.

This was hard to put down from the start, had likable and relatable characters, and rolled along smoothly. Kyle and Savanna were adorable, and I was rooting for them to have a happy ending.

There were just a few bumps in the road. One, there were so many characters. The BFF, Jonathan, seemed to be put in place to give Savanna a gay male friend. There were parts of the story where her other friends were far more prominent in her life. The other issue was that there was no evidence of Jonathan and Kyle ever meeting, or of Savanna sharing some information with the other characters. Case in point, there was no scene where Savanna told Kyle about what she'd learned about who her father might be. The other issue was the unnecessary addition of a second person who might be Savanna's father. That part of the story felt clunky. My last beef (I really don't feel strongly enough to even call it that) is the cute-isms throughout. This frustratingly has become a Brayden staple. Whether it's "cute" names of shops or cutesy dialogue, it takes away from the story itself. I always feel like I'm reading a book that is geared towards 20-somethings, even if the characters are in an older demographic.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read.

I fell in love with this book right from the beginning!! All the small town close relationships made me feel like I was right there in Dreamers Bay with them. I also loved that this book wasn’t straight forward and kept me on my toes wondering what was going to happen next. There were a few moments I was on the edge of my seat trying to anticipate what was going to happen next. I will definitely be looking at more titles by Melissa Brayden!!

Good book. This is a story about second chances, and finding your true authentic self. The main characters are well written and seem made for each other. Savanna and Kyle were a couple, then Kyle left, Savanna never really got over that, now Kyle's back in town and seems to want a second chance, this is where everything else begins. The town was fun to read about, it sounds very quirky and interesting, also the secondary characters were very well written, and some were just as quirky and interesting as the town. This was an enjoyable book to read and a book that I would definitely recommend to my friends and family. I also look forward to what's next from this author.

This book by Melissa Brayden tackled the ideas of fate, second-chance romance, and a main character (Savanna) figuring out her identity after a lot of loss.

The book opens with Savanna dealing with the passing of the aunt who raised her, after having lost both parents when she was very young. In addition to losing her aunt, she discovers that the dad who raised her is not her biological dad. It seemed like an abrupt plot point to me, but it makes more sense later on in the book.

All of this leads to complicated feelings of abandonment and fear of commitment, which comes into play later on in the book when she is figuring out her relationship with Kyle. The reader is definitely taken on a roller coaster of a ride with Savanna and Kyle. They meet in a humorous way, and Brayden conveyed their chemistry very well. Both characters are flawed and have their own baggage to deal with, but the way they learn to come together is highly enjoyable.

Overall I enjoyed this love story, and I would definitely want to take a trip to Dreamer's Bay if it were real.

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books and the author for the opportunity to read this book in advance and write a review.

Brayden's banter can be exhausting. Entertaining, but exhausting!
I usually don't enjoy one night intimate scenes because I like to have seen the chemistry. These two had the chemistry from their first interaction..... but also Brayden's writing of that scene hit the right notes.... It wasn't just a physical how to manual but an emotional one too!
My only problem was the immediate bit after. We know from the blurb this is second chance so I couldn't get swept along by the mains hope on the build up to the re-meet!
They did sort there issues out and all was wonderful, till it wasn't. This, with a subplot is where the book excelled for me. The initial second chance bit, I enjoyed reading but hadn't fallen in love with the book. The book sat around 3 stars for me until Brayden hit her stride! Then it was vintage 5 star. It evens out at 4 overall. I associate this writer with exhausting banter, always funny but sometimes just too on...... However actually she has moments of writing, not only truisms, but emotional depth that just connects.

This was a sweet small town, second-chance after a chance encounter story, with lots of emotional drama. Both characters were struggling with relatable and realistic events from their past (both childhood and more recent traumas), which fueled a lot of angst. Even though there were times when I thought each character was being ridiculous, I loved both of them and the group of friends that Brayden has created in Dreamer’s Bay and hope we get to return there for another story (or three).

I enjoyed reading this small-town, second chance romance. I really did. Savanna was interesting, and Dreamer's Bay sounds as charming (and possibly as quirky) as Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls. I loved the side plots involving Savanna's friends and co-workers. I adored the family-related sub-plot. I just couldn't seem to get on board with Savanna and Kyle as a couple. The dialogue felt a bit weird and the conflicts weren't always convincing to me personally. It was still a fun read overall, though!

Melissa is one of my favorite authors and she has yet to disappoint. This second chance romance will make a wonderful additon to my collection. It was quite enjoyable and I recommend.

Thank You Bold Strokes Books, NetGalley # Melissa Brayden

Dream a Little Dream takes us back to the beautiful Dreamers Bay South Carolina. It’s here we meet Savanna Potter, having just lost one of the most important individuals in her life and her world turned upside down she heads to Charleston South Carolina on a retreat where she is introduced to Dr Kyle Remington in the most adorable meet-cute introduction which leads to them sharing a steamy weekend.

Slightly different than most of Melissa’s books, we are given a hot and heavy love interest right away and then left longing for more. I loved the change in story set up and the nods to and inclusion of characters from Beautiful Dreamer. Some parts of this book had me shouting at my iPad in frustration over what Savanna and Kyle were doing. I was able to see a lot of myself in both of these characters which made their story at times both adorable and frustrating.

Melissa truly knows how to write characters that you can root for and fall in love with their story. A wonderful addition to her collection and a nice visit back to Dreamers Bay, I’ll be waiting for her next one.

This was a second chance romance novel set in an idyllic small town in South Carolina. I have to say I felt the town was a little too perfect - I started getting distracted by the kitschy store names and how every local business was winning awards for their perfect baked goods. Then some small details didn’t line up here and there, like a 10am check-in time for an Airbnb (?!), and those things can really pull me out of a narrative and make it harder to stay engaged in the story. If you can get past that, the romance was fun to watch unfold and I was definitely rooting for them to get/stay together, and Brayden certainly paints a vivid picture of the setting and builds strong character relationships. If you’re looking for a light, queer romance then you may enjoy this!

Thank you Bold Strokes Books for the arc!

Whilst I did enjoy this book and understand it’s how small town life works, there was too many little plots going on inside the story if that makes sense, i wish it would have been made clear that there was a book #1 I didn’t read the acknowledgement so I didn’t see it.

I wanted so bad for the story to finish at the jamboree as that would have been the perfect romance story for me however it didn’t and the book took a sad turn in my opinion which was good but it felt like an ending and then more was added.

This book had me feeling all the emotions and I would recommend if you want a sapphic romance to read.

Another enjoyable read from Melissa Brayden, featuring her signature blend of sweet main characters and memorable supporting ones. The story is set in a small town, something Brayden always does flawlessly, creating a cozy, familiar atmosphere that pulls you in and makes you want to visit.

Told from Savanna’s point of view, the narrative gives us a deeper sense of who she is. The downside, though, is that we don’t get to know Kyle as well as I would’ve liked. I found myself wanting more of her perspective.

This is classic Melissa Brayden. If you’ve liked her previous books, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one too.

I wrestled with this book a little. There were aspects that I really loved but other parts that were not my jam. The characters are complicated and both come with a degree of baggage, particularly Savanna who has a major fear of abandonment following the death of her parents when she was young, the recent loss of the aunt who raised her and now being left stood up by the woman of her dreams, one year after they first met in a whirlwind, heated weekend, on top of finding out that the man she always believed was her father, actually wasn't.

The book is told from Savanna's perspective which is great for getting into her head and learning to understand where her fears are coming from. However, at times, particularly after Kyle fails to turn up for their agreed meeting on the suspension bridge, the angst going on in Savanna's head was painful to wade through, particularly for someone like me who is not really a fan of too much angst in a story. However, the second half the book, following the two MC's reconnecting and getting back together became an easier read and gradually drew me back into the story.

Aside from the angst the issue I struggled with the most was the feeling that the story had a feeling of "this happened, and then this happened, and then that happened......" and it just kind of felt like the author was throwing everything possible in Savanna's path to test her ability to overcome her fear of abandonment. It just felt like Savanna was on a never-ending roller coaster of emotions.

Despite these concerns, overall, I can say that I did enjoy the story and would rate it as 3 and a half stars (rounded up to 4).

I am grateful to the author and Bold Strokes Books for providing me with an ARC copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Melissa Brayden’s Dream a Little Dream is a sweet, well-crafted romance that delivers both charm and emotional depth in equal measure. Known for her engaging storytelling and strong LGBTQ+ representation, Brayden once again offers a heartfelt narrative that’s easy to fall into and hard to put down.

The plot is solid and thoughtfully paced, unfolding with a gentle rhythm that allows the chemistry between characters to grow naturally. The writing is clean and polished, with just the right mix of humor, sincerity, and romantic tension to keep readers invested from start to finish.

Though lighthearted in tone, the story touches on themes of self-discovery, dreams, and connection—making it both entertaining and meaningful. Brayden’s talent for creating relatable characters and genuine emotional moments shines through, making Dream a Little Dream a warm, satisfying read for fans of contemporary romance.

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.