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Maple Hills #3
Daydream
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Romance (2024)The third in the New York Times bestselling Maple Hills series follows fan-favorite Henry and a bookish fellow student who come up with a plan to help them both overcome their respective challenges in a difficult year.
When his procrastination lands him in a difficult class with his least favorite professor, Henry Turner knows he’s going to have to work extra hard to survive his junior year of college. And now with his new title of captain for the hockey team—which he didn’t even want—Henry absolutely cannot fail. Enter Halle Jacobs, a fellow junior who finds herself befriended by Henry when he accidentally crashes her book club.
Halle may not have the romantic pursuits of her favorite fictional leads, but she’s an academic superstar, and as soon as she hears about Henry’s problems with his class reading material, she offers to help. Too bad being a private tutor isn’t exactly ideal given her own studies, job, book club, and the novel she’s trying to write. But new experiences are the key to beating her writer’s block, and Henry’s promising to be the one to give them to her.
They just need to stick to their rule book.
Oh, and not fall in love.
When his procrastination lands him in a difficult class with his least favorite professor, Henry Turner knows he’s going to have to work extra hard to survive his junior year of college. And now with his new title of captain for the hockey team—which he didn’t even want—Henry absolutely cannot fail. Enter Halle Jacobs, a fellow junior who finds herself befriended by Henry when he accidentally crashes her book club.
Halle may not have the romantic pursuits of her favorite fictional leads, but she’s an academic superstar, and as soon as she hears about Henry’s problems with his class reading material, she offers to help. Too bad being a private tutor isn’t exactly ideal given her own studies, job, book club, and the novel she’s trying to write. But new experiences are the key to beating her writer’s block, and Henry’s promising to be the one to give them to her.
They just need to stick to their rule book.
Oh, and not fall in love.
433 pages, Paperback
First published August 27, 2024
13118 people are currently reading
287041 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 29,857 reviews
September 26, 2024
3.5/5 ⭐
2/5 🔥
"This might be my favorite romance book, but we’re my favorite love story. "
Yours always,
Henry
This felt like a mature version of Icebreaker. And I. LIKED. IT. I want to read icebreaker all over again now.😭
This book had no plot, just vibes and an insane amount of good character development. We get to see how Halle and Henry both struggle with their studies and socializing. Struggling with their own personal issues and get better—it was nice to read it all, but after a while it fell off.
Romance
Listen, everything was excellent. Nothing too excellent. Something was missing. I saw their relationship, but I never sensed a romantic one between them. It was really cosy and friendly! There was hardly any tension between them at all. They were afraid to express their feelings to one another for sixty percent of the book. But even after they got together, I didn't find myself longing for them. 🥲
Also that tutor x jock ... ...? this trope? hello? where?
I feel like both of them had so many of their own issues. I get it, but still, this felt like they were trying to overcome their own struggles, with a side of romance.
I also felt like the convos they had were more like therapy rather than yk the way couples talk. IDK how to explain it, a few times it's okay, but whenever they talked, all they discussed was there issues, and it was just too much..
Side characters were same old. The girls group Halle found was SO PRECIOUS. Ugh, need me a girls group like in this one!
The sibling-relationship between Anastasia and Henry made me tear so hard!!! 😭
Henry always says he’s glad he’s an only child without realizing he has a younger sister in Aurora and an older sister in Anastasia.
Characters
I had no idea Henry had such a complex personality, yk? Similar to the first novel, we got a peek of a very polished to perfection, well-informed person who looked out for everyone around him. However, it was heartbreaking to witness his internal conflicts. With these two MCs, Hannah was able to precisely represent my entire personality. Being a captain put a lot of pressure on Henry, who suffered greatly from ADHD. As I saw him battle to keep up with everyone, I wanted to just step in and give him a bear hug. 😭
“Is this okay? If I touch you here?” I ask her when my hands grip her waist gently,
She nods, mouth skimming my ear when she leans in so I can hear her. “You don’t need to ask me.”
“I do. I should. Men should.”
But even with all those issues, he still managed to be a gentleman with Halle 😭. It's all those small moments!! He made her a whole AUDIOBOOK! A FREAKING BOOK OF JUST HER PAINTINGS! GAH.
He is the most gentlemanly gentleman to ever exist in the gentlemen world.
He sits in his chair again, eyebrows pinched. “I’m sorry.”
I lift my nose from the bouquet. “What for?”
"For being the first person to buy you flowers.”
Halle ✋🏻 THE LIFESAVER YOU ARE!!! She was running the whole family!!
I hate feeling like I’m everyone’s mom when all I ever want when I call is my own mom. Being the eldest daughter is a curse and I’m sick of it.”
First of all, the way first child representation was represented!!! MARVELOUS *APPLAUD*
God, her being the elder sibling, simply hit too close to home. She had to take care of EVERYTHING, even everyone's emotions! From assisting with homework to organising trips and such.
Her character growth was the best. It was reassuring to see her say no to people. From not being a people pleaser to simply loving herself.
The conversation she had with her mother was satisfying 😮💨. I was relieved that her mother didn't yell at her, but instead explained the situation to her. Then saying the words that Halle wanted to hear. 🤌🏻🥹
The writing
Was normal, easy to read. Nothing too complicated. But my main issue was those long ass dialogues! Like they be talking in these paragraphs 😭 and I don't think ppl do that a lot. In every scene where they talked- they talked a LOT with almost no pausesidk how to explain
I remember reading Icebreaker, and even tho it didn't have plot, it had fun! The group of boys and those small moments made it so good. But in this, it's all these two characters finding themselves and fighting with their issues, like no parties, no group chats (just a few), almost no banter🥲 I missed it all. I DESPERATELY MISSED JJ, NATE AND EVERYONE 😭
Overall it was a cute, very light, enjoyable and a comfort reas.
Probably won't ever reread it but still it was a great experience. 🥹
*****
HALLE JACOBS What’s the code for when you get home and your ex, his family, and your parents have let themselves into your house?
POPPY GRANT Is there a color more urgent than red? Like code super red?
CAMI WALKER fuck the code babe, RUN
EMILIA BENNETT Do you want us to come and save you? I can call in a gas leak and get your street evacuated
AURORA ROBERTS leave them in your house and we can have another sleepover at the hotel!!! don’t forget Joy though
-- I LOVE THEM PLSS
A text msg between jj and Henry 🥹🤌🏻
JJ- But you know what I always say
Henry - Aunts are hotter than moms?
JJ-No
JJ-Well yes
JJ-But no Communicate is what I always say. Make sure you’re on the same page.
Henry- I’ve never heard you say that.
JJ-I say it all the time
Henry- No you don’t. You told me to stay toxic.
JJ-As a test and you passed by being your nontoxic self
I MISSED JJ SFM KDHSKXH
“People paint people they’re in love with and I feel the lust, the longing, the joy, the sadness. It’s a physical manifestation of someone going, Look! Look at how in love I am. But I don’t believe people can look at a painting and see love. I can see friendship, though. It’s hard to explain.”
“Remind me not to paint you anything. I have a feeling you’re a harsh critic.” -- meanwhile henry... After many chapters
“What do you want to do?” I ask, taking off his sweatshirt that I stole.
Henry stands from the floor, pushing his sweatpants down until he’s only in his boxers. “I want to take off all your clothes, cover you in paint, and fuck you right here on the floor,” he says, pointing to the center of the canvas. “Respectfully, of course.”
-----
Ugh I've got A LOT to say about this-- good/bad way!!!!!
RTC
_____
ITS OUT.
KAHSKSHAKBD
She is his private tutor.....👀😏🤌
THE COVER!? AND HER Cardigan!!?
me=smitten
-----------
OMFGG THIS BETTER BE HENRY'S BOOK OR ELSE I AM SUEING
2/5 🔥
"This might be my favorite romance book, but we’re my favorite love story. "
Yours always,
Henry
This felt like a mature version of Icebreaker. And I. LIKED. IT. I want to read icebreaker all over again now.😭
This book had no plot, just vibes and an insane amount of good character development. We get to see how Halle and Henry both struggle with their studies and socializing. Struggling with their own personal issues and get better—it was nice to read it all, but after a while it fell off.
Romance
Listen, everything was excellent. Nothing too excellent. Something was missing. I saw their relationship, but I never sensed a romantic one between them. It was really cosy and friendly! There was hardly any tension between them at all. They were afraid to express their feelings to one another for sixty percent of the book. But even after they got together, I didn't find myself longing for them. 🥲
Also that tutor x jock ... ...? this trope? hello? where?
I feel like both of them had so many of their own issues. I get it, but still, this felt like they were trying to overcome their own struggles, with a side of romance.
I also felt like the convos they had were more like therapy rather than yk the way couples talk. IDK how to explain it, a few times it's okay, but whenever they talked, all they discussed was there issues, and it was just too much..
Side characters were same old. The girls group Halle found was SO PRECIOUS. Ugh, need me a girls group like in this one!
The sibling-relationship between Anastasia and Henry made me tear so hard!!! 😭
Henry always says he’s glad he’s an only child without realizing he has a younger sister in Aurora and an older sister in Anastasia.
Characters
I had no idea Henry had such a complex personality, yk? Similar to the first novel, we got a peek of a very polished to perfection, well-informed person who looked out for everyone around him. However, it was heartbreaking to witness his internal conflicts. With these two MCs, Hannah was able to precisely represent my entire personality. Being a captain put a lot of pressure on Henry, who suffered greatly from ADHD. As I saw him battle to keep up with everyone, I wanted to just step in and give him a bear hug. 😭
“Is this okay? If I touch you here?” I ask her when my hands grip her waist gently,
She nods, mouth skimming my ear when she leans in so I can hear her. “You don’t need to ask me.”
“I do. I should. Men should.”
But even with all those issues, he still managed to be a gentleman with Halle 😭. It's all those small moments!! He made her a whole AUDIOBOOK! A FREAKING BOOK OF JUST HER PAINTINGS! GAH.
He is the most gentlemanly gentleman to ever exist in the gentlemen world.
He sits in his chair again, eyebrows pinched. “I’m sorry.”
I lift my nose from the bouquet. “What for?”
"For being the first person to buy you flowers.”
Halle ✋🏻 THE LIFESAVER YOU ARE!!! She was running the whole family!!
I hate feeling like I’m everyone’s mom when all I ever want when I call is my own mom. Being the eldest daughter is a curse and I’m sick of it.”
First of all, the way first child representation was represented!!! MARVELOUS *APPLAUD*
God, her being the elder sibling, simply hit too close to home. She had to take care of EVERYTHING, even everyone's emotions! From assisting with homework to organising trips and such.
Her character growth was the best. It was reassuring to see her say no to people. From not being a people pleaser to simply loving herself.
The conversation she had with her mother was satisfying 😮💨. I was relieved that her mother didn't yell at her, but instead explained the situation to her. Then saying the words that Halle wanted to hear. 🤌🏻🥹
The writing
Was normal, easy to read. Nothing too complicated. But my main issue was those long ass dialogues! Like they be talking in these paragraphs 😭 and I don't think ppl do that a lot. In every scene where they talked- they talked a LOT with almost no pauses
I remember reading Icebreaker, and even tho it didn't have plot, it had fun! The group of boys and those small moments made it so good. But in this, it's all these two characters finding themselves and fighting with their issues, like no parties, no group chats (just a few), almost no banter🥲 I missed it all. I DESPERATELY MISSED JJ, NATE AND EVERYONE 😭
Overall it was a cute, very light, enjoyable and a comfort reas.
Probably won't ever reread it but still it was a great experience. 🥹
*****
HALLE JACOBS What’s the code for when you get home and your ex, his family, and your parents have let themselves into your house?
POPPY GRANT Is there a color more urgent than red? Like code super red?
CAMI WALKER fuck the code babe, RUN
EMILIA BENNETT Do you want us to come and save you? I can call in a gas leak and get your street evacuated
AURORA ROBERTS leave them in your house and we can have another sleepover at the hotel!!! don’t forget Joy though
-- I LOVE THEM PLSS
A text msg between jj and Henry 🥹🤌🏻
JJ- But you know what I always say
Henry - Aunts are hotter than moms?
JJ-No
JJ-Well yes
JJ-But no Communicate is what I always say. Make sure you’re on the same page.
Henry- I’ve never heard you say that.
JJ-I say it all the time
Henry- No you don’t. You told me to stay toxic.
JJ-As a test and you passed by being your nontoxic self
I MISSED JJ SFM KDHSKXH
“People paint people they’re in love with and I feel the lust, the longing, the joy, the sadness. It’s a physical manifestation of someone going, Look! Look at how in love I am. But I don’t believe people can look at a painting and see love. I can see friendship, though. It’s hard to explain.”
“Remind me not to paint you anything. I have a feeling you’re a harsh critic.” -- meanwhile henry... After many chapters
“What do you want to do?” I ask, taking off his sweatshirt that I stole.
Henry stands from the floor, pushing his sweatpants down until he’s only in his boxers. “I want to take off all your clothes, cover you in paint, and fuck you right here on the floor,” he says, pointing to the center of the canvas. “Respectfully, of course.”
-----
Ugh I've got A LOT to say about this-- good/bad way!!!!!
RTC
_____
ITS OUT.
KAHSKSHAKBD
She is his private tutor.....👀😏🤌
THE COVER!? AND HER Cardigan!!?
me=smitten
-----------
OMFGG THIS BETTER BE HENRY'S BOOK OR ELSE I AM SUEING
October 8, 2024
3.65
“This might be my favorite romance book, but we’re my favorite love story.”
This was shocking for me because it's a Hannah Grace book and I tend to enjoy her books, its not like I didn't enjoy this because I did enjoy it. It's just that it was so meh if you compare it to Icebreaker or Wildfire both of the books had a spark that this one was lacking.
Okay so, my ritual while reading a Hannah Grace book starts with leaving your criticizing mind out, by setting your expectations to spicy fluffy romance with minimal plot. It's safe to say it did help me out at times.
“God, you sound like your parents right now. People can enjoy reading and still maintain a healthy attachment to reality, Will,” I drawl. “I’m not a social pariah because I like fiction.”
I feel like nothing much happened with the romance in this one?? I am glad that Huda warned me about it but I was like halfway through the book when I saw her saying this lol so I'm a little bummed out about that, My expectations were through the roof when I picked this book up because I had been waiting for Henry's book since I first read Icebreaker and to see got his route made me both sad and mad. Like, dont get me wrong I enjoyed it but I wanted MORE!! Hannah's writing style is very easy to adapt to, it's light and it's easy to read + it's also gripping at times but I feel like for a romance this was very long! like one thing that I liked about the books in the maple hills series was their length becuase it was the perfect length for a romance and seeing that this was 500 was not it for me. The story could hav easily wrapped up on pagee 400 so I dont know why the the next 100 pages existed. I might be critical but I did enjoy the 400 pages lol dont get me wrong I did.
“Don’t do something you don’t like for other people.”
Henry, he is literally the greenest flag like I have read 700+ books and i have not met a man who scream green flag more than Henry did. He was perfect in so many ways, so respectfula dn so caring the way he noticed tiny details and focused on them and made everyone feel comfortable and learned from his mistakes and did better so other wont be harmed. I also liked his internal struggle as a hockey captain and the way he leaned into support from Anastasia and Nate was so cute, I like how they dealth with it.
“You’re the period of calm after a storm or, like, I don’t know, a well-fed panda.”
Halle was a nice surprise as well, I liked her! she was shy, read audiobooks at the speed of 2x and was a massive fan of happy place, so everything was perfect when it came to her ohh she also was in a book club! I liked her monologue and her scenes with Henry made the book so much more interesting. I hated her boyfriend and I loved how she dealt with him and I am a sucker for angry confessions so her conversation with her mother was so satisfying.
“I didn’t know what you like. Anastasia said sunflowers and Aurora said peonies, but I remembered you have a pink dress with tiny daisies on it so I thought they might be your favorite.”
Now the most disappointing part of this book was the romance, they were in love with each other but in denial?? and this went along for so long and tbh I dont even wanna talk about it because it was meh, like the scenes between them were cute but overall I wanted more also was shocked that the spice level was low as compared to the first one. I feel like I was just frustrated with it and it messed with my enjoyment for it
Overall, an enjoyable read but also a lackluster read if you compare it to the first two.
___
HENRY 🙏🏻 PLS GET ME OUT OF THIS ROMANCE SLUMP 🙏🏻
__
After a little bit of searching I found some
TROPES:
• Opposites attract
• Fake dating 🤭
• FMC tutors the MMC
• Forbidden love
• Dual pov
• Hockey team captain x book lover 💜
• Spice
~~~
I wanna say told you so but 🤭 I'll let y'all pass. Would y'all look at that cover?? It's so pretty...I can't wait for Halle and Henry and their fake dating because Henry think they're so stupid 🤭😭
~~~
THE COVER IS GONNA BE PURPLE! 💜🌂 🟣🟪
The cover reveal is in two days 🙈 we saw a sneak peek and HENRY looks so cute he's even wearing a white shirt with his name on it and two hockey sticks whilst holding a book 😭 I WANT
~~~
If we get a cover tmrw or in the following week I am literally going to die because considering how cute the covers have been for the past two books I'm pretty sure Henry's book's gonna ace it as well.
~~~
EVERYONE, WE DID IT!!
This book is officially Henrys and the love interest is Hale. The official blurb is so cute 🙈. (18+ content 😏)
~~~
Done with wildfire. This is definitely Henry's because we got hints 🤭
~~~
Halfway through the second one and I am 110% sure that this is Henry (or I'm just delulu) but pls 🥺🙏
~~~
HEY! YOU BETTER BE HENRYS 😤
“This might be my favorite romance book, but we’re my favorite love story.”
This was shocking for me because it's a Hannah Grace book and I tend to enjoy her books, its not like I didn't enjoy this because I did enjoy it. It's just that it was so meh if you compare it to Icebreaker or Wildfire both of the books had a spark that this one was lacking.
Okay so, my ritual while reading a Hannah Grace book starts with leaving your criticizing mind out, by setting your expectations to spicy fluffy romance with minimal plot. It's safe to say it did help me out at times.
“God, you sound like your parents right now. People can enjoy reading and still maintain a healthy attachment to reality, Will,” I drawl. “I’m not a social pariah because I like fiction.”
I feel like nothing much happened with the romance in this one?? I am glad that Huda warned me about it but I was like halfway through the book when I saw her saying this lol so I'm a little bummed out about that, My expectations were through the roof when I picked this book up because I had been waiting for Henry's book since I first read Icebreaker and to see got his route made me both sad and mad. Like, dont get me wrong I enjoyed it but I wanted MORE!! Hannah's writing style is very easy to adapt to, it's light and it's easy to read + it's also gripping at times but I feel like for a romance this was very long! like one thing that I liked about the books in the maple hills series was their length becuase it was the perfect length for a romance and seeing that this was 500 was not it for me. The story could hav easily wrapped up on pagee 400 so I dont know why the the next 100 pages existed. I might be critical but I did enjoy the 400 pages lol dont get me wrong I did.
“Don’t do something you don’t like for other people.”
Henry, he is literally the greenest flag like I have read 700+ books and i have not met a man who scream green flag more than Henry did. He was perfect in so many ways, so respectfula dn so caring the way he noticed tiny details and focused on them and made everyone feel comfortable and learned from his mistakes and did better so other wont be harmed. I also liked his internal struggle as a hockey captain and the way he leaned into support from Anastasia and Nate was so cute, I like how they dealth with it.
“You’re the period of calm after a storm or, like, I don’t know, a well-fed panda.”
Halle was a nice surprise as well, I liked her! she was shy, read audiobooks at the speed of 2x and was a massive fan of happy place, so everything was perfect when it came to her ohh she also was in a book club! I liked her monologue and her scenes with Henry made the book so much more interesting. I hated her boyfriend and I loved how she dealt with him and I am a sucker for angry confessions so her conversation with her mother was so satisfying.
“I didn’t know what you like. Anastasia said sunflowers and Aurora said peonies, but I remembered you have a pink dress with tiny daisies on it so I thought they might be your favorite.”
Now the most disappointing part of this book was the romance, they were in love with each other but in denial?? and this went along for so long and tbh I dont even wanna talk about it because it was meh, like the scenes between them were cute but overall I wanted more also was shocked that the spice level was low as compared to the first one. I feel like I was just frustrated with it and it messed with my enjoyment for it
Overall, an enjoyable read but also a lackluster read if you compare it to the first two.
___
HENRY 🙏🏻 PLS GET ME OUT OF THIS ROMANCE SLUMP 🙏🏻
__
After a little bit of searching I found some
TROPES:
• Opposites attract
• Fake dating 🤭
• FMC tutors the MMC
• Forbidden love
• Dual pov
• Hockey team captain x book lover 💜
• Spice
~~~
I wanna say told you so but 🤭 I'll let y'all pass. Would y'all look at that cover?? It's so pretty...I can't wait for Halle and Henry and their fake dating because Henry think they're so stupid 🤭😭
~~~
THE COVER IS GONNA BE PURPLE! 💜🌂 🟣🟪
The cover reveal is in two days 🙈 we saw a sneak peek and HENRY looks so cute he's even wearing a white shirt with his name on it and two hockey sticks whilst holding a book 😭 I WANT
~~~
If we get a cover tmrw or in the following week I am literally going to die because considering how cute the covers have been for the past two books I'm pretty sure Henry's book's gonna ace it as well.
~~~
EVERYONE, WE DID IT!!
This book is officially Henrys and the love interest is Hale. The official blurb is so cute 🙈. (18+ content 😏)
~~~
Done with wildfire. This is definitely Henry's because we got hints 🤭
~~~
Halfway through the second one and I am 110% sure that this is Henry (or I'm just delulu) but pls 🥺🙏
~~~
HEY! YOU BETTER BE HENRYS 😤
August 20, 2024
This book was really cute! Henry and Halle are such sweet characters and have such a healthy and heartwarming relationship. Buttt I wanted to feel more towards the romance and towards the book in general. I do think a lot of people will like this book if you enjoy a feel-good romance with relatable characters and not much conflict with the relationship. But for me I wanted more angst or passion or tension or conflict or something.
I will say! The characters did have conflict in their personal lives and I really enjoyed those plot lines. I found Halle and her people-pleasing very relatable. And Henry is neurodivergent which impacts his life in so many ways from his relationships to his schooling. I really enjoyed reading and learning about Henry.
Overall though I liked Icebreaker and Wildfire a lot more. Very cute and sweet romance though!
I will say! The characters did have conflict in their personal lives and I really enjoyed those plot lines. I found Halle and her people-pleasing very relatable. And Henry is neurodivergent which impacts his life in so many ways from his relationships to his schooling. I really enjoyed reading and learning about Henry.
Overall though I liked Icebreaker and Wildfire a lot more. Very cute and sweet romance though!
Want to read
September 5, 2024HE HAS A BOX FULL OF GIRL STUFF, VERY DEMURE, VERY MINDFUL. 🎀
Want to read
June 27, 2024AAAA no way i got the arc for my most anticipated book!!! 😭
—
folklore cardigan, you will always be famous!!
tutor x jock??? oh u bet i’m gonna be EATING this up 🫢
—
folklore cardigan, you will always be famous!!
tutor x jock??? oh u bet i’m gonna be EATING this up 🫢
August 20, 2024
fuck all yall icebreaker haters fr lol. this was EXCELLENT!
September 14, 2024
What happens when a neurodivergent ADHD eldest daughter who can’t say no reads this book? She feels seen.
Want to read
December 5, 2023update (14/11/23): THE COVER OMG. they both are nerds + hes poc AND shes a plus size fmc?? im so excited for this tho im currently in a major book slump and havent even read wildfire yet 😭😭
edit (01/11/23): its giving shy x shy and friends to lovers I LOVE THE BLURB SM.
quiet but caring men are my undoing HENRY BABY COME HOME
edit (01/11/23): its giving shy x shy and friends to lovers I LOVE THE BLURB SM.
quiet but caring men are my undoing HENRY BABY COME HOME
Want to read
November 17, 2023IT'S HAPPENING!!! Finally we get Henry's book. *uncontrollable screaming* it better live up to our expectations
April 17, 2025
so sad but this ends at a 2.5 ⭐️
spoiler free part of the review
this was... disappointing, to say the least.
I thoroughly enjoyed Henry's ADHD representation and thought that was done well. Halle was a people-pleaser and had an eldest-daughter curse so she said yes to everyone and everything and didn't know how to say no or put herself first. By the end, I loved seeing her yell and argue and stand up for herself.
➳Their relationship was cute. They were both there to support each other and they had really sweet moments. Was it worth the length of this book? No.
➳Side characters are there but everyone seems to be in distress. Nate is away, Stassie is stressing; Aurora is weird and Russ is a teddybear; Kris, Robbie, Bobbie and whoeevr the fuck else exist and I still don't even know who they are three books later (Robbie is in a wheelchair? I never knew this?)
The biggest downfall was how BORING this was. Oh my god. I was seventy percent through and the book should have finished then. I want you to be mindful of this: the book starts at the beginning of a fall semester. AND WE NEED TO GET THROUGH TO MARCH for Halle's character arc to be complete. When I read Icebreaker (5/5 stars for me), I didn't notice and/or mind how long it was. Wildfire was a bit of a slog, and I noticed it was unnecesarily long. But this one? Holy moly. SO unnecessarily long. And i love long books! I've read a 700-page fantasy in one day. But please. It took me a week to read this and this was the one release this year I was so looking forward to, and I couldn't get rid of it fast enough. I dreaded the fact that I had to pick this up and read it because I was so bored.
This part is going to be me ranting, since I'm very disappointed by this book. Spoilers ahead, so beware
Since I really did love Icebreaker and even Wildfire, I was so esctatic to get this. But I think my tolerance for the way this author writes has worn thin, between the choppy sentences or weird paragraphs that have no place or rhyme or reason to be there. I kept thinking to myself as I was reading, "This paragraph could have been deleted and nothing would have changed" or "This could have been the leading chapter paragraph and we wouldn't have missed anything." Because why are you trying to waste my time with these unnecessary, dragging details? There are so many redundant conversations between EVERYBODY.
➳Russ and Henry—him essentially telling him over and over again that he doesn't need to stress about being a good captain, etc. There's at least forty pages covered on this.
➳Henry and Halle—I love good communication. not when they are communciating the same point over and over again and getting nowhere. I feel like they went in circles. I don't like labels? You don't either? Cool! You need space? I'll give you space, but I'll be sad about it. Pout pout. Like get a grip.
➳Halle couldn't stand up for herself to save her fucking life. Like seriously grow a spine.
Going into this, you think it's going to be a jock x tutor dynamic and while that is true, it's not the way you think it will be. They essentially befriend each other first, then just spend all of their time together, and then they decide to help each other out. And henry is great—he has a care kit for girls, let's not forget!!—but I wish there was more tension. I felt no butterflies. No fuzzies. Nothing. Because they seamlessly just... fit.
Halle lives in her grandmother's house. Yes, you heard that right. Homegirl has a whole ass house to herself that her mother pays for. Unrealistic for a twenty year old, but okay. On the topic of unrealistic things, I truly do not believe Halle had time to do half of the things she always said she had to, nevertheless all of them. And adding onto more unrealistic things, Henry asks his friends (Russ, aurora, etc) to literally help Halle through her laundry list of never ending people-pleasing tasks by grocery shopping for her or buying christmas presents for her relatives. I dont care how good of a friend group you say you have—aint nobody doing all that.
Another trope is the virgin trope. Our heroine, Halle, is a virgin. I will reiterate since I think it's important that I do so that I LOVED ICEBREAKER AND WILDFIRE!!!—I thought their spice level was pretty good. The spice in this book is nearly nonexistent. It's also a slow burn, since halle is a virgin. Obviously. And it wasn't even good. Like... Henry. I thought you had more game than this babygirl. I was lowkey embarrassed for the both of them LMAO.
And of course, we have Halle's ex boyfriend, Will, who keeps coming back like a fucking cold sore you can't get rid of. Halle literally goes to his house in the middle of the book because her younger sister ends up there, and barely tells Henry. Like girl what?
There's also this other subplot for Halle submitting a writing prompt for... whatever reason, hence why she needs Henry's help with getting "experience" to write something good. This is the backdrop for the whole book—her trying to get material for her own book (which the premise sucks, by the way, more secondhand embarrassment)—and by the end, it doesn't even get chosen. So all of that for what? Literally everyone dropped their entire lives to help her finish this and it didn't even get picked. Girl don't quit your day job!!! keep daydreaming!!!
Now listen. There were good parts. Halle found a group of girl friends which is hard as a girl in your 20s when you're introverted and had your entire life grown around a man. Her and henry's relationship really was sweet, even if emotionally codependent. But it was just so long, so boring, at parts icky and cringey. To say i'm not disappointed by this would be a lie. And it's a 2.5, which is not a horrible rating, but I was really expecting something spectacular. And sure, that can be on me, but when I rated both other books 4 stars and higher, excuse me for having expectations. It's possible I've outgrown this juvenile, college-life style of books. Maybe I don't care about twenty-year old's problems when they're this stupid. The writing is not the best (you don't "have a shower" you "take a shower") and I might just prefer something with a little more... intellect.
My initial review, "This is going to be so good I just know it," could not be more wrong, but I digress.
--
thank you atria for the arc!!!
--
THIS IS GOING TO BE SO GOOD I JUST KNOW IT
spoiler free part of the review
this was... disappointing, to say the least.
I thoroughly enjoyed Henry's ADHD representation and thought that was done well. Halle was a people-pleaser and had an eldest-daughter curse so she said yes to everyone and everything and didn't know how to say no or put herself first. By the end, I loved seeing her yell and argue and stand up for herself.
➳Their relationship was cute. They were both there to support each other and they had really sweet moments. Was it worth the length of this book? No.
➳Side characters are there but everyone seems to be in distress. Nate is away, Stassie is stressing; Aurora is weird and Russ is a teddybear; Kris, Robbie, Bobbie and whoeevr the fuck else exist and I still don't even know who they are three books later (Robbie is in a wheelchair? I never knew this?)
The biggest downfall was how BORING this was. Oh my god. I was seventy percent through and the book should have finished then. I want you to be mindful of this: the book starts at the beginning of a fall semester. AND WE NEED TO GET THROUGH TO MARCH for Halle's character arc to be complete. When I read Icebreaker (5/5 stars for me), I didn't notice and/or mind how long it was. Wildfire was a bit of a slog, and I noticed it was unnecesarily long. But this one? Holy moly. SO unnecessarily long. And i love long books! I've read a 700-page fantasy in one day. But please. It took me a week to read this and this was the one release this year I was so looking forward to, and I couldn't get rid of it fast enough. I dreaded the fact that I had to pick this up and read it because I was so bored.
This part is going to be me ranting, since I'm very disappointed by this book. Spoilers ahead, so beware
Since I really did love Icebreaker and even Wildfire, I was so esctatic to get this. But I think my tolerance for the way this author writes has worn thin, between the choppy sentences or weird paragraphs that have no place or rhyme or reason to be there. I kept thinking to myself as I was reading, "This paragraph could have been deleted and nothing would have changed" or "This could have been the leading chapter paragraph and we wouldn't have missed anything." Because why are you trying to waste my time with these unnecessary, dragging details? There are so many redundant conversations between EVERYBODY.
➳Russ and Henry—him essentially telling him over and over again that he doesn't need to stress about being a good captain, etc. There's at least forty pages covered on this.
➳Henry and Halle—I love good communication. not when they are communciating the same point over and over again and getting nowhere. I feel like they went in circles. I don't like labels? You don't either? Cool! You need space? I'll give you space, but I'll be sad about it. Pout pout. Like get a grip.
➳Halle couldn't stand up for herself to save her fucking life. Like seriously grow a spine.
Going into this, you think it's going to be a jock x tutor dynamic and while that is true, it's not the way you think it will be. They essentially befriend each other first, then just spend all of their time together, and then they decide to help each other out. And henry is great—he has a care kit for girls, let's not forget!!—but I wish there was more tension. I felt no butterflies. No fuzzies. Nothing. Because they seamlessly just... fit.
Halle lives in her grandmother's house. Yes, you heard that right. Homegirl has a whole ass house to herself that her mother pays for. Unrealistic for a twenty year old, but okay. On the topic of unrealistic things, I truly do not believe Halle had time to do half of the things she always said she had to, nevertheless all of them. And adding onto more unrealistic things, Henry asks his friends (Russ, aurora, etc) to literally help Halle through her laundry list of never ending people-pleasing tasks by grocery shopping for her or buying christmas presents for her relatives. I dont care how good of a friend group you say you have—aint nobody doing all that.
Another trope is the virgin trope. Our heroine, Halle, is a virgin. I will reiterate since I think it's important that I do so that I LOVED ICEBREAKER AND WILDFIRE!!!—I thought their spice level was pretty good. The spice in this book is nearly nonexistent. It's also a slow burn, since halle is a virgin. Obviously. And it wasn't even good. Like... Henry. I thought you had more game than this babygirl. I was lowkey embarrassed for the both of them LMAO.
And of course, we have Halle's ex boyfriend, Will, who keeps coming back like a fucking cold sore you can't get rid of. Halle literally goes to his house in the middle of the book because her younger sister ends up there, and barely tells Henry. Like girl what?
There's also this other subplot for Halle submitting a writing prompt for... whatever reason, hence why she needs Henry's help with getting "experience" to write something good. This is the backdrop for the whole book—her trying to get material for her own book (which the premise sucks, by the way, more secondhand embarrassment)—and by the end, it doesn't even get chosen. So all of that for what? Literally everyone dropped their entire lives to help her finish this and it didn't even get picked. Girl don't quit your day job!!! keep daydreaming!!!
Now listen. There were good parts. Halle found a group of girl friends which is hard as a girl in your 20s when you're introverted and had your entire life grown around a man. Her and henry's relationship really was sweet, even if emotionally codependent. But it was just so long, so boring, at parts icky and cringey. To say i'm not disappointed by this would be a lie. And it's a 2.5, which is not a horrible rating, but I was really expecting something spectacular. And sure, that can be on me, but when I rated both other books 4 stars and higher, excuse me for having expectations. It's possible I've outgrown this juvenile, college-life style of books. Maybe I don't care about twenty-year old's problems when they're this stupid. The writing is not the best (you don't "have a shower" you "take a shower") and I might just prefer something with a little more... intellect.
My initial review, "This is going to be so good I just know it," could not be more wrong, but I digress.
--
thank you atria for the arc!!!
--
THIS IS GOING TO BE SO GOOD I JUST KNOW IT
September 28, 2024
4.75 stars ⭐️
⤷ minor spoilers ahead!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
"Thank you for being on my team, Henry."
"Thank you for giving me the love I could never picture."
"And how does it make you feel? Now that you can picture it?"
"Like I'm living in my daydreams. So, pretty damn happy."
i know i said this book was going to get me out of my slump, but funny enough, i got out of it before even starting the book 😂 still, i’m sure it would’ve gotten me out of a slump if i were in it.
anywayyy, i absolutely loved the first half and couldn't stop reading. i don’t know what i was on, but i was giggling and kicking my feet 🤭 however, when i picked it up again the next day to finish, i felt like i’d lost some of that initial excitement (though the book was still good). it’s kind of crazy how quickly my mood can change, but overall, i still really enjoyed the book.
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ halle
the eldest daughter in the family, the “family manager”, and a total people pleaser. halle is easily my favourite fmc in this series so far. she’s so sweet, loving, and caring, and i honestly have 0 complaints about her.
i teared up when she finally confronted her mom. no one realized just how much she was struggling inside. i’m really glad her mom listened, understood her, and made an effort to be better. i know her mom only had good intentions and wanted what was best for her, and it goes to show that people won’t know what you’re going through unless you tell them.
as someone who used to be a people pleaser, i really empathized with halle. i understand how emotionally draining and frustrating it is to constantly put others' needs ahead of your own, thinking that the only way to be liked is by making everyone else happy.
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ henry
henry is such a gentleman and a sweetheart, and we definitely need more men like him in the world 😫
“I would have shaved my legs if I’d known you were about to pay extra attention to them.”
“It isn’t surprising for me to find hair in a place where hair grows, Halle. You haven’t shattered any illusions for me that women are smooth and hairless.”
"...I need you to talk to me if you feel like I'm not stepping up, because I will. I'll do anything for you, Halle. I just don't always know it because sometimes that isn't how I think. I get wrapped up in things and then I don't focus on the outside things I want to focus on. You are a high priority to me."
"Look, I know hockey is your thing or whatever, but... have vou ever considered a professional career in carnival games? Because you're really annoyingly good. And don't tell me you're good at everything, because not every guy can just walk up to a game and win it."
"If he wanted to, he would." you are absolutely right henry 🗣️🗣️🗣️
i appreciated the neurodivergent representation in this book. when things got too overwhelming, he struggles to process his emotions and shuts down. he isolates himself, shuts everyone out, feels guilty later, and then spirals even more. he doesn’t understand why he’s like that or know how to stop it, but really wants to, and honestly, i’m exactly the same, so i really empathized with him as well.
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ halle and henry
i loved how comfortable henry was around halle, and watching them slowly fall in love was just heartwarming 🥹🥹🥹
“I like talking to you more than I like talking to almost anyone.”
"What're you daydreaming about?"
You. Always you. "Telling Bobby that he has to give up his seat in your car because of your massive duck and it's friends."
i especially loved how they constantly reassured each other. halle was so understanding, and the way she validated his emotions and feelings was incredibly sweet 🥹 she even helped him with his studies, bought him noise cancelling headphones, etc., which was so thoughtful 😭 henry is just as understanding. i appreciated how he constantly reassured her and reminded her that she didn’t need to apologize, feel bad, or be embarrassed for no reason. i also loved how communicative, self-aware, respectful, observant, and honest he was.
i also appreciated that they didn’t rush their relationship and only did it about 70% into the book. it was so sweet how slow and gentle he was with her, knowing it was her first time 😭
"What would you do? If you wanted to charm me?"
"I'd tell you how fucking beautiful you are. That when you laugh I want to listen to it forever. I'd tell you that when I daydream, I think of us. And all the things I want us to do. And all the things I want to do to you."
"I think that would definitely work.”
the found family trope in this series is one of my favourites, and i’m so glad henry and halle were surrounded by people who truly understand and support them 🥹
"I don't like being captain."
"Then why do it? Why not just step down?"
"I didn't want to let you all down. You all believed in me."
"Fucking hell, Henry. We believe in you because we love you, you fool. You could tell us you wanted to start, I don't know, fucking show jumping and we'd believe in you. You don't need to be something that makes you unhappy for us."
“My instincts are telling me to say I don’t need their help, that I’ll do it all on my own. But in reality, that isn’t what I want. I need help and I need support, and having a group of friends who offer that is what I’ve always wanted.
This whole time I’ve craved more superficial experiences like shopping and getting ready together. I’ve called it girlhood because to me it represented what I missed growing up. What younger Halle desperately wanted. But as we’ve grown closer and our lives have intertwined, I know I was so wrong. This is sisterhood. This is women supporting other women to meet their goals. This is what I’ve yearned for, and I didn’t even know.”
“The most important thing that this whole project had taught me is that putting myself first doesn’t mean that I have to do it alone. Having people to help and cheer me on while I did this thing for myself is what made it actually enjoyable in the end.”
overall, this is my favourite book in the series, and i hope we get JJ’s story next <3
"This might be my favorite romance book, but we're my favorite love story."
pre-read:
I ALREADY KNOW THIS BOOK IS GOING TO GET ME OUT OF MY SLUMP 💜
and no, i do not have a copy of it yet… T~T
(UPDATE: I HAVE A COPY NOW THANKS TO MY BESTIE DESTINY AAAAHH 💋)
⤷ minor spoilers ahead!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
"Thank you for being on my team, Henry."
"Thank you for giving me the love I could never picture."
"And how does it make you feel? Now that you can picture it?"
"Like I'm living in my daydreams. So, pretty damn happy."
i know i said this book was going to get me out of my slump, but funny enough, i got out of it before even starting the book 😂 still, i’m sure it would’ve gotten me out of a slump if i were in it.
anywayyy, i absolutely loved the first half and couldn't stop reading. i don’t know what i was on, but i was giggling and kicking my feet 🤭 however, when i picked it up again the next day to finish, i felt like i’d lost some of that initial excitement (though the book was still good). it’s kind of crazy how quickly my mood can change, but overall, i still really enjoyed the book.
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ halle
the eldest daughter in the family, the “family manager”, and a total people pleaser. halle is easily my favourite fmc in this series so far. she’s so sweet, loving, and caring, and i honestly have 0 complaints about her.
i teared up when she finally confronted her mom. no one realized just how much she was struggling inside. i’m really glad her mom listened, understood her, and made an effort to be better. i know her mom only had good intentions and wanted what was best for her, and it goes to show that people won’t know what you’re going through unless you tell them.
as someone who used to be a people pleaser, i really empathized with halle. i understand how emotionally draining and frustrating it is to constantly put others' needs ahead of your own, thinking that the only way to be liked is by making everyone else happy.
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ henry
henry is such a gentleman and a sweetheart, and we definitely need more men like him in the world 😫
“I would have shaved my legs if I’d known you were about to pay extra attention to them.”
“It isn’t surprising for me to find hair in a place where hair grows, Halle. You haven’t shattered any illusions for me that women are smooth and hairless.”
"...I need you to talk to me if you feel like I'm not stepping up, because I will. I'll do anything for you, Halle. I just don't always know it because sometimes that isn't how I think. I get wrapped up in things and then I don't focus on the outside things I want to focus on. You are a high priority to me."
"Look, I know hockey is your thing or whatever, but... have vou ever considered a professional career in carnival games? Because you're really annoyingly good. And don't tell me you're good at everything, because not every guy can just walk up to a game and win it."
"If he wanted to, he would." you are absolutely right henry 🗣️🗣️🗣️
i appreciated the neurodivergent representation in this book. when things got too overwhelming, he struggles to process his emotions and shuts down. he isolates himself, shuts everyone out, feels guilty later, and then spirals even more. he doesn’t understand why he’s like that or know how to stop it, but really wants to, and honestly, i’m exactly the same, so i really empathized with him as well.
ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ halle and henry
i loved how comfortable henry was around halle, and watching them slowly fall in love was just heartwarming 🥹🥹🥹
“I like talking to you more than I like talking to almost anyone.”
"What're you daydreaming about?"
You. Always you. "Telling Bobby that he has to give up his seat in your car because of your massive duck and it's friends."
i especially loved how they constantly reassured each other. halle was so understanding, and the way she validated his emotions and feelings was incredibly sweet 🥹 she even helped him with his studies, bought him noise cancelling headphones, etc., which was so thoughtful 😭 henry is just as understanding. i appreciated how he constantly reassured her and reminded her that she didn’t need to apologize, feel bad, or be embarrassed for no reason. i also loved how communicative, self-aware, respectful, observant, and honest he was.
i also appreciated that they didn’t rush their relationship and only did it about 70% into the book. it was so sweet how slow and gentle he was with her, knowing it was her first time 😭
"What would you do? If you wanted to charm me?"
"I'd tell you how fucking beautiful you are. That when you laugh I want to listen to it forever. I'd tell you that when I daydream, I think of us. And all the things I want us to do. And all the things I want to do to you."
"I think that would definitely work.”
the found family trope in this series is one of my favourites, and i’m so glad henry and halle were surrounded by people who truly understand and support them 🥹
"I don't like being captain."
"Then why do it? Why not just step down?"
"I didn't want to let you all down. You all believed in me."
"Fucking hell, Henry. We believe in you because we love you, you fool. You could tell us you wanted to start, I don't know, fucking show jumping and we'd believe in you. You don't need to be something that makes you unhappy for us."
“My instincts are telling me to say I don’t need their help, that I’ll do it all on my own. But in reality, that isn’t what I want. I need help and I need support, and having a group of friends who offer that is what I’ve always wanted.
This whole time I’ve craved more superficial experiences like shopping and getting ready together. I’ve called it girlhood because to me it represented what I missed growing up. What younger Halle desperately wanted. But as we’ve grown closer and our lives have intertwined, I know I was so wrong. This is sisterhood. This is women supporting other women to meet their goals. This is what I’ve yearned for, and I didn’t even know.”
“The most important thing that this whole project had taught me is that putting myself first doesn’t mean that I have to do it alone. Having people to help and cheer me on while I did this thing for myself is what made it actually enjoyable in the end.”
overall, this is my favourite book in the series, and i hope we get JJ’s story next <3
"This might be my favorite romance book, but we're my favorite love story."
pre-read:
I ALREADY KNOW THIS BOOK IS GOING TO GET ME OUT OF MY SLUMP 💜
and no, i do not have a copy of it yet… T~T
(UPDATE: I HAVE A COPY NOW THANKS TO MY BESTIE DESTINY AAAAHH 💋)
October 5, 2024
her gift to him for christmas was her virginity
January 13, 2025
manas has unlocked a new level of brain rot.
October 28, 2024
soporifique.
September 15, 2024
The Maple Hills series keeps growing on me as the author delivers an even better new book that I fell hard for! I've had a soft spot for my sweet boy Henry since the series began, and as soon as I received my ARC, I was over the moon. But expressing excitement at work has its consequences—like when colleagues walk in unannounced and catch you mid-handspring, causing you to lose balance, hit your knee on your favorite rolling chair, and land on the floor in a split! No exaggeration, something close to that happened to me. But it was totally worth it to get an ARC of one of the most anticipated romances of the year.
Firstly, the author's heartfelt, genuine, and honest letter at the beginning truly warmed my heart and increased my interest! Her creative writing has reached new heights with each book. Her connection with her true feelings also enhances her character development, making it easy for readers to engage with each character, embracing their flaws, mistakes, eccentricities, and unique antics.
In this novel, we not only witness Henry’s character evolving throughout three books but also see a perfect depiction of the author’s blossoming creativity. She gives us unforgettable, easy-to-love characters, each with a well-developed voice.
Henry and Halle are the best quirky, one-of-a-kind couple I've rooted for! I loved their slow-burn friends-to-lovers story: how they work on themselves, learn to communicate honestly, and form meaningful relationships, leaving behind their flaws.
Their meet-cute happens when Henry accompanies Aurora to her book club meeting to choose leadership books to become a great hockey captain, a consuming job he pours his soul into. Instead of picking a book, he crashes the book club to devour the cookies made by Halle Jacobs: an overachiever, the sweetest person, who struggles with saying “no” to anyone.
Henry is impressed not only by her baking skills but also by this pretty, quirky, sweet woman. He discovers she can help him with a class he's struggling in, using her unique teaching technique that worked wonders for her sister Gigi, who also has ADHD.
Henry wants to return the favor to Halle, who recently broke up with her egotistical boyfriend Will, a hockey player who gaslighted her into thinking little of herself. When Halle rejected sex, Will ended things.
Henry knows Will is a douchebag and that Halle never loved him. He also learns that when they broke up, Halle lost her mutual friends, making her more insecure. She’s always put others first, thanks to her overbearing mother who dumped all family problems on her. For the first time, Halle decides to do something for herself by joining a writing competition that offers a free course in NYC as a reward. This means she has to write the romance novel she’s dreamed of but postponed due to her responsibilities and people-pleasing nature. However, when she sits down to write, she’s blocked because of her lack of romantic experience.
Henry finds a way to help by offering to date her without crossing friend-zone boundaries, to help her break her writer's block. Halle agrees, and their "dating project" helps both of them break down their walls, exploring their true selves together. Halle starts writing, and the words flow onto the screen. But they had one rule: Halle couldn’t fall in love with Henry. She was sure she wouldn't, but what if their friendship turns into something more? What if Henry starts feeling the same way, feeling unhappy when other guys flirt with her? What if they abandon the rule book and take a chance on happiness together?
Overall, this is my favorite book in the series, earning five blazing hockey, quirky lovers stars! I also enjoyed the cameos of my favorite characters and seeing how their stories evolved. This is a must-read, one of the most unputdownable, sweet, and sexy reads of the year that I highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me this fantastic ARC, which made me cry and dance with happiness. I highly appreciate it in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Firstly, the author's heartfelt, genuine, and honest letter at the beginning truly warmed my heart and increased my interest! Her creative writing has reached new heights with each book. Her connection with her true feelings also enhances her character development, making it easy for readers to engage with each character, embracing their flaws, mistakes, eccentricities, and unique antics.
In this novel, we not only witness Henry’s character evolving throughout three books but also see a perfect depiction of the author’s blossoming creativity. She gives us unforgettable, easy-to-love characters, each with a well-developed voice.
Henry and Halle are the best quirky, one-of-a-kind couple I've rooted for! I loved their slow-burn friends-to-lovers story: how they work on themselves, learn to communicate honestly, and form meaningful relationships, leaving behind their flaws.
Their meet-cute happens when Henry accompanies Aurora to her book club meeting to choose leadership books to become a great hockey captain, a consuming job he pours his soul into. Instead of picking a book, he crashes the book club to devour the cookies made by Halle Jacobs: an overachiever, the sweetest person, who struggles with saying “no” to anyone.
Henry is impressed not only by her baking skills but also by this pretty, quirky, sweet woman. He discovers she can help him with a class he's struggling in, using her unique teaching technique that worked wonders for her sister Gigi, who also has ADHD.
Henry wants to return the favor to Halle, who recently broke up with her egotistical boyfriend Will, a hockey player who gaslighted her into thinking little of herself. When Halle rejected sex, Will ended things.
Henry knows Will is a douchebag and that Halle never loved him. He also learns that when they broke up, Halle lost her mutual friends, making her more insecure. She’s always put others first, thanks to her overbearing mother who dumped all family problems on her. For the first time, Halle decides to do something for herself by joining a writing competition that offers a free course in NYC as a reward. This means she has to write the romance novel she’s dreamed of but postponed due to her responsibilities and people-pleasing nature. However, when she sits down to write, she’s blocked because of her lack of romantic experience.
Henry finds a way to help by offering to date her without crossing friend-zone boundaries, to help her break her writer's block. Halle agrees, and their "dating project" helps both of them break down their walls, exploring their true selves together. Halle starts writing, and the words flow onto the screen. But they had one rule: Halle couldn’t fall in love with Henry. She was sure she wouldn't, but what if their friendship turns into something more? What if Henry starts feeling the same way, feeling unhappy when other guys flirt with her? What if they abandon the rule book and take a chance on happiness together?
Overall, this is my favorite book in the series, earning five blazing hockey, quirky lovers stars! I also enjoyed the cameos of my favorite characters and seeing how their stories evolved. This is a must-read, one of the most unputdownable, sweet, and sexy reads of the year that I highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me this fantastic ARC, which made me cry and dance with happiness. I highly appreciate it in exchange for my honest thoughts.
medium blog
June 16, 2025
4 stars
I ve been waiting for this book and I can say that it was totally worth waiting.The storyline was much more than I expected,there were lots of points where I felt close to halle,with the eldest daughter problems,her loneliness and with her past relationship.I wasn't expecting this book would make me cry,and make me feel deeper emotions than just romance.But it did.
I did my makeup today and it ended up ruining after I finish this book from both sad and happy tears.
And for Henry,he is the daydream itself.Other than his kindness and his beautiful personality I loved him because he made halle feeling less lonely even when he was dealing with his own problems.
What it bothered me just a little was them not labelling themselves but I understood why they behaved this way
This book has been my favorite out of the series.The smut was proper,not too much and it gave me butterflies while reading.And most of all I'm so happy to see other boys and girls,the family.I missed them
I ve been waiting for this book and I can say that it was totally worth waiting.The storyline was much more than I expected,there were lots of points where I felt close to halle,with the eldest daughter problems,her loneliness and with her past relationship.I wasn't expecting this book would make me cry,and make me feel deeper emotions than just romance.But it did.
I did my makeup today and it ended up ruining after I finish this book from both sad and happy tears.
And for Henry,he is the daydream itself.Other than his kindness and his beautiful personality I loved him because he made halle feeling less lonely even when he was dealing with his own problems.
What it bothered me just a little was them not labelling themselves but I understood why they behaved this way
This book has been my favorite out of the series.The smut was proper,not too much and it gave me butterflies while reading.And most of all I'm so happy to see other boys and girls,the family.I missed them
January 10, 2025
✩ 3.5 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Sports/Hockey Romance
➼ College Romance
➼ Friends-to-Lovers
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Fake Dating for Experiences
➼ She’s helping him pass a class
➼ Found Family
➼ Self Discovery
➼ Duet Audio
➼ Dual First Person POV
Hannah Grace has certainly come a long way from Ice Breaker. I saw a graphic that listed the spicy chapters in each book in this series and the author cut the spice by about a third with each new book. 😅 Icebreaker had ELEVEN spicy chapters while Daydream has only four. Now don’t get me wrong, I am pro spice, but ELEVEN spicy chapters is WAY too many IMO. To each their own, but I need substance and relationship development beyond the physical to really enjoy a book. I also personally prefer to see a more realistic portrayal of love but I understand that that may not be everyone’s preference.
This was a very slow burn/friends-to-lovers romance. I’ll admit that parts of this book were realistic to the point of being almost mundane and perhaps it was a bit too long, but I still much prefer this one to the previous two. As a reader, you really get to know the characters and more importantly, you truly feel that they know each other by the end. Too often romance books just feel like two hot people getting it on simply because they’re both hot. 🙃 That’s really not romance, just spice and insta lust, and I’m bored of how common it has become lately.
I wouldn’t say that either Henry or Halle were my ideal MC’s, but they were likable enough. This book was clearly very personal to the author and I felt like she maybe put too much of her own insecurities into the characters. There wasn’t exactly a third act break up but it had a very similar vibe. Henry goes off on his own to brood about something and cuts off all communication with Halle (and everyone else). The author kind of described it like this was just his process and that everyone understood that this was what he needed to do to cope. 😒
When he finally slinks back, he says a lot of nice and affirming things but it seemed implied that he might also do something like that again which is frankly BS. If you’re in a relationship with someone, you’re committing to work through those things together. You can’t just go off on your own for undefined amounts of time and shut the other person out. It was very “I’m different” coded and I’m sorry, but no, you’re not. Relationships are hard and require work and vulnerability, for everyone, period.
Luckily, this was the only bit that really didn’t work for me and this was an enjoyable read overall! By far my favorite HG novel to date! Here’s hoping her work continues to get better and better from here on out. 🤞🏻
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: I didn’t like the first two books in this series, so this one will probably be 5 stars, right? 😅
What to Expect:
➼ Sports/Hockey Romance
➼ College Romance
➼ Friends-to-Lovers
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Fake Dating for Experiences
➼ She’s helping him pass a class
➼ Found Family
➼ Self Discovery
➼ Duet Audio
➼ Dual First Person POV
Hannah Grace has certainly come a long way from Ice Breaker. I saw a graphic that listed the spicy chapters in each book in this series and the author cut the spice by about a third with each new book. 😅 Icebreaker had ELEVEN spicy chapters while Daydream has only four. Now don’t get me wrong, I am pro spice, but ELEVEN spicy chapters is WAY too many IMO. To each their own, but I need substance and relationship development beyond the physical to really enjoy a book. I also personally prefer to see a more realistic portrayal of love but I understand that that may not be everyone’s preference.
This was a very slow burn/friends-to-lovers romance. I’ll admit that parts of this book were realistic to the point of being almost mundane and perhaps it was a bit too long, but I still much prefer this one to the previous two. As a reader, you really get to know the characters and more importantly, you truly feel that they know each other by the end. Too often romance books just feel like two hot people getting it on simply because they’re both hot. 🙃 That’s really not romance, just spice and insta lust, and I’m bored of how common it has become lately.
I wouldn’t say that either Henry or Halle were my ideal MC’s, but they were likable enough. This book was clearly very personal to the author and I felt like she maybe put too much of her own insecurities into the characters. There wasn’t exactly a third act break up but it had a very similar vibe. Henry goes off on his own to brood about something and cuts off all communication with Halle (and everyone else). The author kind of described it like this was just his process and that everyone understood that this was what he needed to do to cope. 😒
When he finally slinks back, he says a lot of nice and affirming things but it seemed implied that he might also do something like that again which is frankly BS. If you’re in a relationship with someone, you’re committing to work through those things together. You can’t just go off on your own for undefined amounts of time and shut the other person out. It was very “I’m different” coded and I’m sorry, but no, you’re not. Relationships are hard and require work and vulnerability, for everyone, period.
Luckily, this was the only bit that really didn’t work for me and this was an enjoyable read overall! By far my favorite HG novel to date! Here’s hoping her work continues to get better and better from here on out. 🤞🏻
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: I didn’t like the first two books in this series, so this one will probably be 5 stars, right? 😅
August 18, 2024
This book is how I know my frontal lobe is fully developed because oh my god
Rebecca I’m not explaining myself
Rebecca I’m not explaining myself
July 19, 2024
HENRYYYYHALLEEEE 🥹🥹🩷🩷🩷
they were so mf cute. the friendship. their dynamic. the friend group! i missed this universe so so much.
now hear me out… jj deserves a book 🙈
they were so mf cute. the friendship. their dynamic. the friend group! i missed this universe so so much.
now hear me out… jj deserves a book 🙈
September 6, 2024
Oh, where do I even begin with "Daydream"? This book has completely stolen my heart, and I'm not sure I want it back! Hannah Grace has crafted a story that's like a warm hug on a chilly day – comforting, sweet, and leaving you with a lingering sense of contentment.
Can we take a moment to appreciate the humor in this book? Grace has a knack for blending emotional depth with genuinely funny moments. I found myself chuckling out loud one minute and reaching for tissues the next. It's this balance that makes "Daydream" such a joy to read.
Now, I will say that if you're looking for non-stop tension and drama, this might not be the book for you. The conflict here is more internal, with both Halle and Henry working through their own issues. Their romance is a steady, comforting presence rather than a rollercoaster of highs and lows.
Personally, I found this refreshing, but I can see how some readers might crave more external conflict.
In the end, "Daydream" is a book about growth, self-discovery, and the transformative power of love – both romantic and platonic. It's about finding your place in the world and the people who make you feel at home. Hannah Grace has created a story that will stay with me for a long time, and I can't recommend it enough.
So, if you're in the mood for a book that will make you laugh, cry, and believe in the power of love and friendship, pick up "Daydream". Just be prepared to have your heart completely stolen by Halle and Henry. Don't say I didn't warn you!
Thank you @prhinternacional for the ARC
Can we take a moment to appreciate the humor in this book? Grace has a knack for blending emotional depth with genuinely funny moments. I found myself chuckling out loud one minute and reaching for tissues the next. It's this balance that makes "Daydream" such a joy to read.
Now, I will say that if you're looking for non-stop tension and drama, this might not be the book for you. The conflict here is more internal, with both Halle and Henry working through their own issues. Their romance is a steady, comforting presence rather than a rollercoaster of highs and lows.
Personally, I found this refreshing, but I can see how some readers might crave more external conflict.
In the end, "Daydream" is a book about growth, self-discovery, and the transformative power of love – both romantic and platonic. It's about finding your place in the world and the people who make you feel at home. Hannah Grace has created a story that will stay with me for a long time, and I can't recommend it enough.
So, if you're in the mood for a book that will make you laugh, cry, and believe in the power of love and friendship, pick up "Daydream". Just be prepared to have your heart completely stolen by Halle and Henry. Don't say I didn't warn you!
Thank you @prhinternacional for the ARC
June 2, 2024
omg my dayssss this book is perfect like truly truly i love it so so much, hannah outdid herself yet again
September 22, 2024
I’m so sad I finished this book! I need more Halle x Henry content 😭💗
September 1, 2024
4 ★
buckle up guys, i have a lot of thoughts.
BUT, we have to start with a quote ofc...
this is gonna be a ramble because i don't want to forget my thoughts...
so one of the first things i felt/realized in the book is i felt like the author was trying to get us to relate to henry or halle SO MUCH. halle's a people pleaser, and henry has a lot of issues with dating and working on himself. i feel like at times it was super pushed to get us to relate to them, and in a few ways i did.
in the blurb, halle is described as a bookworm and her writing her own book for a competition. let me tell you, her being a bookworm does not contribute AT ALL to the book besides a few little mentions. there was a few cute scenes from her writing her book but i wish it contributed so much more than it did.
I LOVE HENRY. henry is so adorable... i feel like if you read this as a standalone and not the previous two books you wouldn't be in love with henry as much at all, imo. it's harder to understand him, for example when he tells halle not to cry i feel like you need the backup information from his days before halle.
i feel like the biggest reason this wasn't 5 stars is i didn't really care for the romance. i wasn't rooting for them, tbh i felt indifferent. i didn't feel pining or longing for them to get together in the book. yeah, i thought they were cute a few times but i wasn't giggling, on the edge of my seat waiting for them to get together, i wasn't super invested.
as a people pleaser, i definitely related to halle which is why i feel like i didn't fall in love with her because she reminds me of myself. not being able to say no, putting everyone before yourself etc.
i don't really know how to explain this but i feel like they both had so much issues?? that sounds rude but that's not what i mean lol. i feel like they both needed time to work on themselves especially after halle became friends with henry right after her breakup with will.
the timeline was so confusing... there was so many gaps. in one of the first chapters when they meet it's cute and all and then when we get to henry's POV it's talking about him seeing her weeks ago... uhm what were they doing during that?? i need the tea. there's also some gaps in the last parts of the book as well.
also, her being a tutor was basically abandoned around halfway through (i don't exactly remember when lol), it just kind of disappears without explanation.
overall i gave this four stars because i absolutely love henry, but at times i was genuinely like what when he kept being so “don't cry, halle, it overwhelms me” or him calling her dramatic and it genuinely hurt her 😭 maybe it's because i don't struggle with the same exact things henry does but after a while i was like just comfort her dude 😭
BUT THE FIRST 100 PAGES. i thought i was gonna give this 5 stars because those ones were PERFECTTT.
anyways guys i'm super excited to see everyone's thoughts when y'all read this 🤭
coming back to this 5 minutes later and i want to say how much i appreciate THE LACK OF SMUT. icebreaker gets a lot of hate for it, but this one has more emotional intimacy i feel like since it wasn't a spicy scene every three chapters 🙂↕️
buckle up guys, i have a lot of thoughts.
BUT, we have to start with a quote ofc...
“Thank you for being on my team, Henry.”
“Thank you for giving me the love I could never picture.”
this is gonna be a ramble because i don't want to forget my thoughts...
so one of the first things i felt/realized in the book is i felt like the author was trying to get us to relate to henry or halle SO MUCH. halle's a people pleaser, and henry has a lot of issues with dating and working on himself. i feel like at times it was super pushed to get us to relate to them, and in a few ways i did.
in the blurb, halle is described as a bookworm and her writing her own book for a competition. let me tell you, her being a bookworm does not contribute AT ALL to the book besides a few little mentions. there was a few cute scenes from her writing her book but i wish it contributed so much more than it did.
I LOVE HENRY. henry is so adorable... i feel like if you read this as a standalone and not the previous two books you wouldn't be in love with henry as much at all, imo. it's harder to understand him, for example when he tells halle not to cry i feel like you need the backup information from his days before halle.
i feel like the biggest reason this wasn't 5 stars is i didn't really care for the romance. i wasn't rooting for them, tbh i felt indifferent. i didn't feel pining or longing for them to get together in the book. yeah, i thought they were cute a few times but i wasn't giggling, on the edge of my seat waiting for them to get together, i wasn't super invested.
as a people pleaser, i definitely related to halle which is why i feel like i didn't fall in love with her because she reminds me of myself. not being able to say no, putting everyone before yourself etc.
i don't really know how to explain this but i feel like they both had so much issues?? that sounds rude but that's not what i mean lol. i feel like they both needed time to work on themselves especially after halle became friends with henry right after her breakup with will.
the timeline was so confusing... there was so many gaps. in one of the first chapters when they meet it's cute and all and then when we get to henry's POV it's talking about him seeing her weeks ago... uhm what were they doing during that?? i need the tea. there's also some gaps in the last parts of the book as well.
also, her being a tutor was basically abandoned around halfway through (i don't exactly remember when lol), it just kind of disappears without explanation.
overall i gave this four stars because i absolutely love henry, but at times i was genuinely like what when he kept being so “don't cry, halle, it overwhelms me” or him calling her dramatic and it genuinely hurt her 😭 maybe it's because i don't struggle with the same exact things henry does but after a while i was like just comfort her dude 😭
BUT THE FIRST 100 PAGES. i thought i was gonna give this 5 stars because those ones were PERFECTTT.
anyways guys i'm super excited to see everyone's thoughts when y'all read this 🤭
coming back to this 5 minutes later and i want to say how much i appreciate THE LACK OF SMUT. icebreaker gets a lot of hate for it, but this one has more emotional intimacy i feel like since it wasn't a spicy scene every three chapters 🙂↕️
December 29, 2024
╰┈➤ 4.75 stars!
⋆·˚ ༘ *minor spoilers ahead!
oh my god, this book was so good and it's definitely my favorite one in the series! hannah grace outdid herself with this book
౨ৎ halle. she is me. i genuinely think i'm looking at a mirror whenever she talks about her struggle as the eldest daughter in their household. i can literally attest as to how tough it is to be one! it's tough as hell out in here y'all! she's the type of person who puts other before herself even though her plate is already at the brink of falling, she doesn't know how to make friends because most of her life, she settled with the people she thought she was friends with but weren't. seeing her journey—gaining confidence, finding friends she can truly rely on, and discovering real love—was truly inspiring. i couldn’t be prouder of her for growing and changing for the better.
౨ৎ henry. it's concerning how i'm so in love with him. stassie wasn't kidding when she said that henry is lovable, because he truly is! how is he so perfectly imperfect? i just wanna give him the biggest hug and assure him that everything he's doing is well appreciated and truly enough. he, himself is enough even though he has shortcomings, anyone does. it can be a real struggle whenever you doubt yourself, and i truly think that it would always be there, you just have tougher than the doubt always creeping in.
both of them are so good for each other. i loved how when one of them notices that the other is off/not okay and just want to make the situation better, but also giving each other space because they know that they would go through such lengths just to give what the other person needs. i honestly do not know why it took so long for them to realize that everything they were doing wasn't normal to friends!
all in all, this book made everything worth it, and i'd definitely recommend this to anyone if someone asks me for a sports romance book lol! hannah grace really saved the best for the last! <33
⋆·˚ ༘ *minor spoilers ahead!
oh my god, this book was so good and it's definitely my favorite one in the series! hannah grace outdid herself with this book
౨ৎ halle. she is me. i genuinely think i'm looking at a mirror whenever she talks about her struggle as the eldest daughter in their household. i can literally attest as to how tough it is to be one! it's tough as hell out in here y'all! she's the type of person who puts other before herself even though her plate is already at the brink of falling, she doesn't know how to make friends because most of her life, she settled with the people she thought she was friends with but weren't. seeing her journey—gaining confidence, finding friends she can truly rely on, and discovering real love—was truly inspiring. i couldn’t be prouder of her for growing and changing for the better.
౨ৎ henry. it's concerning how i'm so in love with him. stassie wasn't kidding when she said that henry is lovable, because he truly is! how is he so perfectly imperfect? i just wanna give him the biggest hug and assure him that everything he's doing is well appreciated and truly enough. he, himself is enough even though he has shortcomings, anyone does. it can be a real struggle whenever you doubt yourself, and i truly think that it would always be there, you just have tougher than the doubt always creeping in.
both of them are so good for each other. i loved how when one of them notices that the other is off/not okay and just want to make the situation better, but also giving each other space because they know that they would go through such lengths just to give what the other person needs. i honestly do not know why it took so long for them to realize that everything they were doing wasn't normal to friends!
all in all, this book made everything worth it, and i'd definitely recommend this to anyone if someone asks me for a sports romance book lol! hannah grace really saved the best for the last! <33
September 2, 2024
I think this book was supposed to be about a young woman triumphing over childhood trauma that resulted in her being a parentified, anxious adult but it’s actually about a woman whose only personality trait is that she loathes herself. She can’t communicate for shit, she only grows as a person when other people are forcing her to, and nothing is ever her idea. We are products of our environments, and her environment sucked, so I’m not necessarily blaming her, but that doesn’t mean I was happy to read 400 pages of her not believing anyone when they tell her they don’t hate her. The guy is marginally better - he was raised by lesbians so he’s like, an Ultra Feminist or something - but there is no evidence that Halle experienced any evolution independent of Henry’s guidance and friend group, so what’s the point? There’s a cute cat, I guess.
December 1, 2024
˚ ༘ ೀ⋆｡˚
2 stars
˚ ༘ ೀ⋆｡˚
as william shakespear or some other old, wrinkly-assed guy once said, “to be or not to be?”
not to be. 😄
and for those poor uneducated souls that have absolutely no clue what im talking ab — here, lemme spell it out for u…
I’M TALKING AB HOW THIS BOOK SHOULDNT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BC IT’S AN INSULT TO LITERATURE AS WE KNOW IT — 🤡
the end.
as william shakespear or some other old, wrinkly-assed guy once said, “to be or not to be?”
not to be. 😄
and for those poor uneducated souls that have absolutely no clue what im talking ab — here, lemme spell it out for u…
I’M TALKING AB HOW THIS BOOK SHOULDNT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BC IT’S AN INSULT TO LITERATURE AS WE KNOW IT — 🤡
the end.
September 18, 2024
✭ 3.5 stars
Henry Turner is having a rough junior year—he's stuck in a difficult class with a professor he can’t stand and suddenly finds himself as the hockey team captain, a job he didn’t even want. Things get interesting when he accidentally crashes Halle Jacobs' book club. Halle, a super smart student who’s juggling her own busy life agrees to help Henry out with his class, hoping it’ll help her break through her writer's block. As they work together, they make a deal not to fall in love, but sticking to that rule might be harder than they thought.
➸ I thought this book was really cute, but it had the potential to be so much better. I enjoyed it overall, but I found myself getting bored pretty quickly and didn’t feel super engaged with the story at all times. The timeline got a little confusing and had so many gaps. This seems to be a recurring issue with Hannah Grace’s books for me—they’re usually good but don’t quite hit the “amazing” mark. It’s like they have a lot of promise but don’t always deliver the way I hope they will. I think this one is probably my least favourite in the Maple Hills series which is sort of disappointing since I’ve been looking forward to Henry’s book for ages since he seemed like such a sweet character in the previous books. Henry and Halle are both really endearing, and their relationship is healthy and heartwarming. However, I wanted to feel more depth in the romance and the book overall. If you’re into feel-good romances with relatable characters and a low-conflict relationship, you’ll probably enjoy this. It’s a nice comfort read, but I was hoping for a bit more tension and passion.
Halle ౨ৎ
Halle is definitely my favourite female character in this series! She’s an aspiring writer, a romance enthusiast, and a total bookworm. As the eldest sibling in her family, she’s always been the go-to person—whether it’s helping with homework, organising family trips, or managing everyone’s emotional needs. Her role as the responsible oldest child means she’s constantly putting everyone else’s needs before her own, which is a struggle I could really empathise with. Halle’s journey throughout the book is pretty inspiring. Watching her break free from her people-pleasing tendencies and start standing up for herself was so gratifying. She begins to shift her focus toward self-love and setting boundaries, which is a huge step for her. It’s refreshing to see a character grow in such a meaningful way. One of the standout moments for me was the conversation Halle had with her mother. It was a pivotal and emotional scene that truly highlighted Halle’s growth. Instead of her mother reacting with frustration or anger, she actually listens to Halle’s struggles and offers the understanding and support she needs. This moment was so important because it showed a realistic and compassionate approach to resolving conflicts and supporting loved ones. It made Halle’s journey feel even more relatable and real.
Henry ౨ৎ
In this book, we really dive into Henry’s complex personality, and it’s both fascinating and heartbreaking to see his internal battles. As the captain of the hockey team, Henry is under a lot of pressure, and his ADHD only complicates things further. Being neurodivergent affects almost every part of his life, from his relationships to his schoolwork. I really enjoyed getting to know Henry better. He struggles with filtering his thoughts and worries about accidentally hurting others, but he genuinely tries to understand Halle and comfort her when she’s upset—even though he’s not the best at handling emotional situations himself. On top of all that, Henry is struggling with one of his classes because the teaching style doesn’t work well for him. He’s trying to juggle the demands of being captain with the need to keep his grades up, especially since his coach has high expectations. This constant balancing act leaves him feeling incredibly overwhelmed. His effort to manage all these pressures makes his character really compelling and relatable.
Henry and Halle are such a unique and endearing couple, and I really enjoyed rooting for them! Their slow-burn journey from friends to lovers was captivating, especially as they worked on personal growth, learned to communicate openly, and built a deep connection while addressing their imperfections. Sometimes, it felt like Halle and Henry had so many issues going on in their personal lives that their romance just didn’t get the spotlight. The book seemed more interested in exploring healthy relationships and the value of friendship rather than diving into their love story specifically. There weren’t a ton of romantic moments between them, so by the end, I felt like they were more like really close friends than a couple.
Some issues that I had:
- Halle and Henry’s communication was supposed to be a strong point, but honestly, it felt like they were just stuck in a loop, endlessly repeating themselves. The dialogues were so long they made parts of the book drag on and become pretty monotonous.
- There were times when the plot just stalled and felt like it was going nowhere, making the story seem aimless. I kept waiting for something to happen or for the narrative to pick up, but it never really did.
- I was really looking forward to the tutor-jock dynamic, but that angle pretty much disappears halfway through
Overall, this book was definitely cute and had its share of charming moments. If you’re a fan of feel-good reads with relatable characters and a focus on friendship over conflict, then this book is right up your alley! However, I couldn’t help but wish for a bit more tension and passion in the story. The lack of conflict and the overall laid-back approach to the romance left me craving more excitement and emotional depth.
♥ Quotes & Moments ♥
❀ “You always make me feel pretty.”
“You feel like that because you are pretty, Halle.”
❀ This might be my favourite romance book, but we’re my favourite love story.
────⋆.˚ ✩ ⋆˙⟡────
༘*⁀➷ pre-read: So excited to dive into this one! Feels like I've been waiting for Henry's book since forever.
“What’re you daydreaming about?”
You. Always you.
Henry Turner is having a rough junior year—he's stuck in a difficult class with a professor he can’t stand and suddenly finds himself as the hockey team captain, a job he didn’t even want. Things get interesting when he accidentally crashes Halle Jacobs' book club. Halle, a super smart student who’s juggling her own busy life agrees to help Henry out with his class, hoping it’ll help her break through her writer's block. As they work together, they make a deal not to fall in love, but sticking to that rule might be harder than they thought.
➸ I thought this book was really cute, but it had the potential to be so much better. I enjoyed it overall, but I found myself getting bored pretty quickly and didn’t feel super engaged with the story at all times. The timeline got a little confusing and had so many gaps. This seems to be a recurring issue with Hannah Grace’s books for me—they’re usually good but don’t quite hit the “amazing” mark. It’s like they have a lot of promise but don’t always deliver the way I hope they will. I think this one is probably my least favourite in the Maple Hills series which is sort of disappointing since I’ve been looking forward to Henry’s book for ages since he seemed like such a sweet character in the previous books. Henry and Halle are both really endearing, and their relationship is healthy and heartwarming. However, I wanted to feel more depth in the romance and the book overall. If you’re into feel-good romances with relatable characters and a low-conflict relationship, you’ll probably enjoy this. It’s a nice comfort read, but I was hoping for a bit more tension and passion.
Halle ౨ৎ
Halle is definitely my favourite female character in this series! She’s an aspiring writer, a romance enthusiast, and a total bookworm. As the eldest sibling in her family, she’s always been the go-to person—whether it’s helping with homework, organising family trips, or managing everyone’s emotional needs. Her role as the responsible oldest child means she’s constantly putting everyone else’s needs before her own, which is a struggle I could really empathise with. Halle’s journey throughout the book is pretty inspiring. Watching her break free from her people-pleasing tendencies and start standing up for herself was so gratifying. She begins to shift her focus toward self-love and setting boundaries, which is a huge step for her. It’s refreshing to see a character grow in such a meaningful way. One of the standout moments for me was the conversation Halle had with her mother. It was a pivotal and emotional scene that truly highlighted Halle’s growth. Instead of her mother reacting with frustration or anger, she actually listens to Halle’s struggles and offers the understanding and support she needs. This moment was so important because it showed a realistic and compassionate approach to resolving conflicts and supporting loved ones. It made Halle’s journey feel even more relatable and real.
Henry ౨ৎ
In this book, we really dive into Henry’s complex personality, and it’s both fascinating and heartbreaking to see his internal battles. As the captain of the hockey team, Henry is under a lot of pressure, and his ADHD only complicates things further. Being neurodivergent affects almost every part of his life, from his relationships to his schoolwork. I really enjoyed getting to know Henry better. He struggles with filtering his thoughts and worries about accidentally hurting others, but he genuinely tries to understand Halle and comfort her when she’s upset—even though he’s not the best at handling emotional situations himself. On top of all that, Henry is struggling with one of his classes because the teaching style doesn’t work well for him. He’s trying to juggle the demands of being captain with the need to keep his grades up, especially since his coach has high expectations. This constant balancing act leaves him feeling incredibly overwhelmed. His effort to manage all these pressures makes his character really compelling and relatable.
Henry and Halle are such a unique and endearing couple, and I really enjoyed rooting for them! Their slow-burn journey from friends to lovers was captivating, especially as they worked on personal growth, learned to communicate openly, and built a deep connection while addressing their imperfections. Sometimes, it felt like Halle and Henry had so many issues going on in their personal lives that their romance just didn’t get the spotlight. The book seemed more interested in exploring healthy relationships and the value of friendship rather than diving into their love story specifically. There weren’t a ton of romantic moments between them, so by the end, I felt like they were more like really close friends than a couple.
Some issues that I had:
- Halle and Henry’s communication was supposed to be a strong point, but honestly, it felt like they were just stuck in a loop, endlessly repeating themselves. The dialogues were so long they made parts of the book drag on and become pretty monotonous.
- There were times when the plot just stalled and felt like it was going nowhere, making the story seem aimless. I kept waiting for something to happen or for the narrative to pick up, but it never really did.
- I was really looking forward to the tutor-jock dynamic, but that angle pretty much disappears halfway through
Overall, this book was definitely cute and had its share of charming moments. If you’re a fan of feel-good reads with relatable characters and a focus on friendship over conflict, then this book is right up your alley! However, I couldn’t help but wish for a bit more tension and passion in the story. The lack of conflict and the overall laid-back approach to the romance left me craving more excitement and emotional depth.
♥ Quotes & Moments ♥
❀ “You always make me feel pretty.”
“You feel like that because you are pretty, Halle.”
❀ This might be my favourite romance book, but we’re my favourite love story.
────⋆.˚ ✩ ⋆˙⟡────
༘*⁀➷ pre-read: So excited to dive into this one! Feels like I've been waiting for Henry's book since forever.
Want to read
November 18, 2024dnf
so boring
so boring
November 5, 2024
REVIEW!
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 3 stars
-`♡´- spoiler free | Thank you edelweiss and simon and schuster for giving me the opportunity to read this one month before it's release in exchange of my honest review
⭑.ᐟ 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎:
AHHHH I have so many thoughts and I'm going to try my best to put them all in a coherent way. The first thing I want to adress is Hannah Grace what kind of magic did you do? This book was SO GOOD I physically cannot belive this is the same author that wrote "dicknotized". The only characters I liked in icebreaker were JJ and Henry so when this book was announced I immediatly wanted to read this, I started reading PRAYING that she wouldn't ruin Henry and safe to say Hannah made me love him even more. NO insta-love, NO smut until 50%, and NO sex until 70% 😦 . I know I probably have low standards for Hannah Grace but I was constantly comparing this to the deal by elle kenedy that has a similar plot and I rated 4 stars and if you liked that one you’ll probably like this one too. I think this is my new favorite hockey romance 🤭.
₊˚⊹♡ Anyways this review is for the girls like me that rated icebreaker a 1 KEEP YOUR MIND OPEN, I promise it's worth it. When it comes out READ IT it's such a wholesome read.
⭑.ᐟ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒:
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦
She is a bookworm, a fellow romance reader, a swiftie, and an aspiring writter. She is the eldest daughter and she constantly stuggles with putting everyone else's needs before her own. People pleasers core, she literally rearanges her whole schedule just so she can accomodate her exboyfriend who is also a hockey player. She is everything to me 🙂↕️🙂↕️, and by far the most likeable fmc of this series.
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ 𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘺
THE PERFECT MAN, not only does he keep a box of stuff in case any girl stays over (which includes cramps pills and hair ties) but he is actually the sweetest man ever. He is neurodivergent and he struggles trying to filter himself so he won't hurt people but he tries SO hard to understand Halle, and even comforts her when she cries even though he's highly uncomfortable with other people crying. He buys her a necklace with his initial on it 😭😭 (yes they share initials but she said it was for him). I could talk about Henry all day long but I don't want to give any spoilers so I'll just say this man has all the love languages, touch, words of affirmation, acts of service, you name it and he does it. I'm quoting my update but he is a man raised by two woman and IT FREAKING SHOWS.
⭑.ᐟ 𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐓:
Halle gets broken up at the beggining of this book by her best and only friend named Will, why you may ask? because she won't have sex with him and he as the andrew tate listener that he is decides that he deserves better 💀 (I FUCKING HATE WILL). Anywho, with the break up Halle realizes that all of the people she thought were her friends were actually only Will's, tired of feeling sorry for herself she decides it's finally time to do something for herself. So she enters a writting competition with the prize of a free course in New York. She's writting a romance book, BUT she realizes she hasn't expirienced any of the things she's writting about so she's stuck.
At the same time my man Henry is struggling in one of his classes, as he neurodivergent and the teacher's style doesn't work for him so he's struggling. Dangling a position as captain in the hockey team and keeping his grades perfect as his coach won't accept anything less, Henry is left feeling overwhelmed. He is dragged by Aurora to a bookstore to buy leadership books to help with his dilema. There he meets Halle while she hosts her romance bookclub (SHE RUNS A ROMACE BOOKCLUB 😍😍). She offers to help him with his class as she has a neurodivergent sister and knows easier ways to help them learn, and he (as the beautiful man he is) offers to help her too because he doesn't want to "abuse her kindness", so in exchange he will help her write her book by giving her the expiriences she lacks.
"Thank you for being on my team, Henry.” “Thank you for giving me the love I could never picture.”
“And how does it make you feel? Now that you can picture it?” He’s quiet while he thinks. “Like I’m living in my daydreams. So, pretty damn happy.”
⭑.ᐟ 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒:
I did NOT expect to like this as much as I did, Hannah Grace you have truly redeemed yourself. This was sweet and wholesome and it is truly impossible it belongs to the same series as icebreaker. I know I shouldn't compare but it's hard not to when the same characters I used to hate are here being nice and normal. Henry and Halle were wholesome, they were sweet, they understood each other and took care of one another, and more importantly THEY COMMUNICATE 🎉🎉🎉 *applauses*. I HATE SMUT SOOO MUCH, but the way it was written in this book made me not hate it and also it was actually a pretty heartfelt scene 😭, he doesn't pressure her into anything like her ex and he is the most patient and attentive man ever. To the bio he goes.
I can't say much without spoiling so I will end it here, this is your sign to add this to your tbr immediatly.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 3 stars
-`♡´- spoiler free | Thank you edelweiss and simon and schuster for giving me the opportunity to read this one month before it's release in exchange of my honest review
⭑.ᐟ 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎:
AHHHH I have so many thoughts and I'm going to try my best to put them all in a coherent way. The first thing I want to adress is Hannah Grace what kind of magic did you do? This book was SO GOOD I physically cannot belive this is the same author that wrote "dicknotized". The only characters I liked in icebreaker were JJ and Henry so when this book was announced I immediatly wanted to read this, I started reading PRAYING that she wouldn't ruin Henry and safe to say Hannah made me love him even more. NO insta-love, NO smut until 50%, and NO sex until 70% 😦 . I know I probably have low standards for Hannah Grace but I was constantly comparing this to the deal by elle kenedy that has a similar plot and I rated 4 stars and if you liked that one you’ll probably like this one too. I think this is my new favorite hockey romance 🤭.
₊˚⊹♡ Anyways this review is for the girls like me that rated icebreaker a 1 KEEP YOUR MIND OPEN, I promise it's worth it. When it comes out READ IT it's such a wholesome read.
⭑.ᐟ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒:
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦
She is a bookworm, a fellow romance reader, a swiftie, and an aspiring writter. She is the eldest daughter and she constantly stuggles with putting everyone else's needs before her own. People pleasers core, she literally rearanges her whole schedule just so she can accomodate her exboyfriend who is also a hockey player. She is everything to me 🙂↕️🙂↕️, and by far the most likeable fmc of this series.
𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ 𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘺
THE PERFECT MAN, not only does he keep a box of stuff in case any girl stays over (which includes cramps pills and hair ties) but he is actually the sweetest man ever. He is neurodivergent and he struggles trying to filter himself so he won't hurt people but he tries SO hard to understand Halle, and even comforts her when she cries even though he's highly uncomfortable with other people crying. He buys her a necklace with his initial on it 😭😭 (yes they share initials but she said it was for him). I could talk about Henry all day long but I don't want to give any spoilers so I'll just say this man has all the love languages, touch, words of affirmation, acts of service, you name it and he does it. I'm quoting my update but he is a man raised by two woman and IT FREAKING SHOWS.
⭑.ᐟ 𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐓:
Halle gets broken up at the beggining of this book by her best and only friend named Will, why you may ask? because she won't have sex with him and he as the andrew tate listener that he is decides that he deserves better 💀 (I FUCKING HATE WILL). Anywho, with the break up Halle realizes that all of the people she thought were her friends were actually only Will's, tired of feeling sorry for herself she decides it's finally time to do something for herself. So she enters a writting competition with the prize of a free course in New York. She's writting a romance book, BUT she realizes she hasn't expirienced any of the things she's writting about so she's stuck.
At the same time my man Henry is struggling in one of his classes, as he neurodivergent and the teacher's style doesn't work for him so he's struggling. Dangling a position as captain in the hockey team and keeping his grades perfect as his coach won't accept anything less, Henry is left feeling overwhelmed. He is dragged by Aurora to a bookstore to buy leadership books to help with his dilema. There he meets Halle while she hosts her romance bookclub (SHE RUNS A ROMACE BOOKCLUB 😍😍). She offers to help him with his class as she has a neurodivergent sister and knows easier ways to help them learn, and he (as the beautiful man he is) offers to help her too because he doesn't want to "abuse her kindness", so in exchange he will help her write her book by giving her the expiriences she lacks.
"Thank you for being on my team, Henry.” “Thank you for giving me the love I could never picture.”
“And how does it make you feel? Now that you can picture it?” He’s quiet while he thinks. “Like I’m living in my daydreams. So, pretty damn happy.”
⭑.ᐟ 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒:
I did NOT expect to like this as much as I did, Hannah Grace you have truly redeemed yourself. This was sweet and wholesome and it is truly impossible it belongs to the same series as icebreaker. I know I shouldn't compare but it's hard not to when the same characters I used to hate are here being nice and normal. Henry and Halle were wholesome, they were sweet, they understood each other and took care of one another, and more importantly THEY COMMUNICATE 🎉🎉🎉 *applauses*. I HATE SMUT SOOO MUCH, but the way it was written in this book made me not hate it and also it was actually a pretty heartfelt scene 😭, he doesn't pressure her into anything like her ex and he is the most patient and attentive man ever. To the bio he goes.
I can't say much without spoiling so I will end it here, this is your sign to add this to your tbr immediatly.
October 20, 2024
“This might be my favorite romance book, but we’re my favorite love story.”
This book was so good! This was a sweet and heartwarming romance about love, mental health, friends, family and being true to yourself. Daydream follows Henry, a hockey star who is struggling with one of his classes and can’t fail since he’s the captain of the team. Henry runs into Halle at a bookstore when she is setting up for her book club. Halle and Henry make a deal if he helps her with her novel she will help him with his class. The deal is that they can’t fall in love.
I became immersed in this story from the very beginning. The plot was intriguing and the pacing was nearly perfect. The writing was engaging and easy to follow. The characters are relatable and complex. I really like Halle, she is friendly, a bit shy but opens up when she gets to know people, sweet, selfless, and caring. I can relate to Halle because similar to her I am shy with new people. Halle’s character development was great, she became more confident in herself and realized that she doesn’t always have to put other people before herself. I love Henry, he’s such a cinnamon roll, a green flag character, sweet, charming, friendly, and loyal. Henry’s character development was well done, I enjoyed seeing him find his motivation and what works for him when school is overwhelming. I loved how considerate he is of Halle and her feelings. I really liked the side characters especially Aurora, Russ, Cami, and Emilia. I enjoyed the interactions between Henry and Halle and the characters from the other books. I wasn’t a fan of the drama with Halle’s ex but I’m glad that she stood up for herself. The tension between Halle and Henry was great, but I felt like a spark was missing. I liked that their relationship developed over time, but I was hoping there would be more time with them together. There were a few romantic scenes that made me smile and giggle. I really appreciated that the author discussed anxiety and included neurodivergent representation. The ending was sweet and I’m glad it had a happy ending.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, great characters, neurodivergent representation and awesome character development.
This book was so good! This was a sweet and heartwarming romance about love, mental health, friends, family and being true to yourself. Daydream follows Henry, a hockey star who is struggling with one of his classes and can’t fail since he’s the captain of the team. Henry runs into Halle at a bookstore when she is setting up for her book club. Halle and Henry make a deal if he helps her with her novel she will help him with his class. The deal is that they can’t fall in love.
I became immersed in this story from the very beginning. The plot was intriguing and the pacing was nearly perfect. The writing was engaging and easy to follow. The characters are relatable and complex. I really like Halle, she is friendly, a bit shy but opens up when she gets to know people, sweet, selfless, and caring. I can relate to Halle because similar to her I am shy with new people. Halle’s character development was great, she became more confident in herself and realized that she doesn’t always have to put other people before herself. I love Henry, he’s such a cinnamon roll, a green flag character, sweet, charming, friendly, and loyal. Henry’s character development was well done, I enjoyed seeing him find his motivation and what works for him when school is overwhelming. I loved how considerate he is of Halle and her feelings. I really liked the side characters especially Aurora, Russ, Cami, and Emilia. I enjoyed the interactions between Henry and Halle and the characters from the other books. I wasn’t a fan of the drama with Halle’s ex but I’m glad that she stood up for herself. The tension between Halle and Henry was great, but I felt like a spark was missing. I liked that their relationship developed over time, but I was hoping there would be more time with them together. There were a few romantic scenes that made me smile and giggle. I really appreciated that the author discussed anxiety and included neurodivergent representation. The ending was sweet and I’m glad it had a happy ending.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, great characters, neurodivergent representation and awesome character development.
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