Dream On by Angie Hockman
Contemporary Romance/WF
July 5, 2022 by Gallery Books
ARC
Review by Angela
Dream On is Angie Hockman’s sophomore release. Her debut Shipped, was a sweet romantic comedy that I enjoyed quite a bit. You can check out my review here. The premise for Dream On was so intriguing that I couldn’t help but snatch it up when offered for review.
When Cass Walker wakes up from a coma after 6 days, she doesn’t remember the car accident that put her in the hospital, but she does remember her boyfriend Devin. The only problem is Devin doesn’t exist and Cass can’t understand how someone who she remembers so vividly could only be a product of her traumatic brain injury. After rehabilitation and time to heal she finally decides to try and move on with her life. She moves in with her bestie Brie and takes a position as a summer intern with a prestigious law firm. So what if she still sees Devin in crowds and dreams about him nightly, she’s finally living her life and hopefully her memories of him will fade with time.
Until she walks into a corner flower shop and meets the real Devin.
This was such a charming romance. It reminded me a bit of the movie While You Were Sleeping, only it’s the FMC who awakes from a coma, but like the movie she is stuck between two men. One who she believes is fated because of her memories and one who she begins to realize that just might be perfect for her. Devin and his older brother Perry couldn’t be more different, Devin is a businessman and Perry is the quiet, laid back owner of a flower shop. I guess this is a love triangle of sorts, which is a trope I don’t particularly care for, but this author handles this one so well that I enjoyed it nonetheless.
As she and Devin begin seeing each other in order to figure out how Cass seems to know so much about him even though he is sure he’s never met her before, they kind of fall into a relationship. Perry is always there in the background, at first suspicious of her motives, but ultimately welcoming her into the family. It doesn’t take Cass long to start doubting herself and her feelings for each brother.
I’m not going to spoil it for you, but this romance is such a twisty-turny good time. I fell in love with Perry, I rooted for Cass to reclaim her happiness, I adored the tight, loyal relationship between Cass and her BFF. Even Devin charmed me and I wanted good things for him in the end. The conclusion and HEA was lovely, leaving me happy and satisfied.
I gobbled this book up in one evening. I just couldn’t stop reading. After having enjoyed both of this author’s releases I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next.
Final grade- B+
This does sound good, Angela! Thanks for the review.
I actually like the “amnesia/unexplained connection” trope, if it’s handled well, so I’ll be adding this to my tbr. If you liked this premise DREAM ON, I can recommend a few books with similar themes:
FINDING IVY by Claire Kingsley: a stranger appears in Ivy’s life. He has no memory of his past, but he seems to know everything about Ivy.
THE BEST MAN by Winter Renshaw: a man awakens from a coma asking where his wife is–the only problem is, he’s never been married. Six months later, he meets the woman, but she doesn’t know him and he has no idea why he knows so much about her.
PAUSE by Kylie Scott: a woman awakens from a long coma (following an automobile accident) to discover her fiance and her best friend have “moved on” without her. She then grows close to the man who saved her after the accident.
Of course, amnesia is a fixture of the Harlequin Presents universe and I’ve read any number of them. As with any trope, it’s how the author handles it than the “believability” of the trope itself.