I *LOVED* this book. Book three in the Maple Hills series, Daydream is the story of Henry and Halle. We first met Henry in Icebreaker (book one), where he was the adorable-but-awkward (in the most relatable ways) roommate/teammate/friend to Nate. His deep loyalty and weirdness continues in this book, and he’s one of the best dude characters I’ve read in a really long time.
Henry is a junior at this point, the hockey team’s captain, and an artist. Halle is the oldest sister, the daughter who basically plans everything for her parents because they ask her to, a people pleaser, an aspiring author, and the ex-girlfriend of a buttface who plays hockey for another school. Henry meets Halle sort of by accident when he ends up in a bookstore where Halle is setting up for her romance book club. Henry and Halle get to talking, and they realize that Halle’s favorite professor is the same professor who teaches the one and only class Henry is struggling with. Halle agrees to help Henry (kind of tutoring but not really), and, in return, Henry decides to help Halle with all of the experiences she thinks she’s missed out on. Their relationship starts as a deep friendship, and grows from there.
I related to both Halle and Henry in so many ways, and it was really cool to see some of my feelings written in to characters so well. Henry has trouble reading social cues, sometimes says what’s in his brain without thinking about it and realizes later that he probably shouldn’t have said it, has a VERY low tolerance for loud noises and people being obnoxious, and can’t be surrounded by people all the time. Halle has trouble saying no, has a super hard time making friends as an adult, overthinks things all the time, worries about things she’s said or done or will say or do, and sometimes gives in to what she sees as peer pressure without meaning to. They have an excellent balance together, and it was awesome watching Henry be such a good guy for both himself and Halle, and seeing Halle support and be there for Henry.
I would 10/10 recommend Daydream. You could totally read it on its own, but you’ll gain a lot from reading Icebreaker and Wildfire first (Icebreaker was way better than Wildfire, but they’re both pretty good). There’s a super good introduction to Henry in Icebreaker, plus you get to really meet Nate and Stassie, who are amazing. This has minor hockey elements, but it’s really more about art and reading and love than hockey, which was kind of a nice change of pace for a hockey romance (which I read a lot of). Happy reading!
Daydream: A Novel (The Maple Hills Series Book 3)
4.4 | 884 ratings
Price: 10.99
Last update: 08-31-2024
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Top reviews from the United States
Maggie B
Henry gets his own story
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2024
a.kyoung
cute read!
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2024Anne
super sweet, slow burn book
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2024Shaya
Hannah Grace said she wants her books to be comfort reads, and with Daydream, she’s done it again!
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2024