I just want to drink hot chocolate all day, but that guy with all the muscles and the killer tan is super distracting. As a new business owner selling gourmet hot chocolate to tourists and locals alike in our little beach town, I don’t allow for distractions. My plans are set and they don’t include a man. But things heat up faster than I can handle when a bronzed lifeguard pursues me in the most … handle when a bronzed lifeguard pursues me in the most delicious of ways. Mix in a stalker determined to throw me off my game and an ass-kicking Squad of friends…well, then you have a comical situation. If it was happening to someone else.
I may appear to be a damsel in distress, but I can save my own self, thank you very much. And I might just keep that hot lifeguard as the whipped cream on top of my sweet dreams.
Sweet Dreams is the first book in a series of small town romance novels with a splash of humor. If you like strong, sassy heroines, witty banter, and happily ever afters set at the beach, then you’ll love Marika Ray’s Beach Squad series.
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I loved reading this book. It made me smile. I like how strong and vulnerable Esa is…a perfect sweet blend – just like the hot chocolate she loves so much!!! And Ivan is the perfect whip cream on top!….perfect for her.
A good steamy weekend beach read!
Esa, owner of a gourmet hot chocolate shop, and Ivan, a lifeguard, make an instant connection when Esa gets stung by a jellyfish when running on the beach. As the story progresses a stalker emerges, guilt and stubbornness abound, but love eventually finds a way. With Snarky heroines and protective heroes Sweet Dreams is a nice weekend read for lovers of steamy romantic suspense.
Wow! This book is my first by Marika Ray …definitely will NOT be my last! You have no choice but to be pulled in right from the start.
You begin by meeting Esa and her quirky best friend Bailey as they are running down the beach and Esa is stung on the foot by a jellyfish. That brings in our sexy, turquoise blue eyed lifeguard, Ivan, stepping in to save the day. You will get to meet Brinley who teaches a self defense class and becomes the 3rd of Esa’s Beach Squad (Esa, Bailey and Brinley). There is also Jaz , an employee of Esa’s; Jack, a Police Detective as Esa finds herself in a bit of drama and John, the Private Eye who is employed by Ivan’s parents to protect Esa.
I loved the occupation of Esa. She owned a hot chocolate shop, Chocolate Dream, where she makes her very own variations of hot chocolate. Yes, you read that right… she made and sold hot chocolate and if that wasn’t original enough she did it at Huntington Beach, CA. Right on the beach.
There are twists and turns in this contemporary romance that you just don’t see coming but make you want to cheer on Ivan (our hottie lifeguard) and just keep reading.
This book will keep you up late reading just so you can finish that one last page. I very much enjoyed reading it and the other three books in this series are definitely on my list to read.
This book is a Contemporary Romance and does contain some sexual scenes and cussing but does not in any way take away from the overall context of this book.
A great, must read by a new author of which I highly recommend!
Rating: 5*
Highly recommend both this book and Marika Ray as an author to read!
Great summer beach read!
ONE LOOK, ONE TOUCH AND TWO BECAME ONE!!!
A beautifully written, even paced, easy to follow read with twists and turns that keep you captivated from the first page and held prisoner till the very last word. Your attention is so focused you’re frozen to your seat nor take your eyes from the page. With a rollercoaster of emotions and unpredictable you don’t see coming till it hits you head on. With a strong bond between the main characters and past events that need working through they grow even closer. I really have to applaud Marika with how smoothly effortless she made the scenes so realistic you felt you were seeing everything first hand. She really did an amazing job bringing this read to life.
Sweeter than all the hot chocolate in the world, Sweet Dreams is the epitome of feel good, melt your heart romance. Sprinkled with a bit of mystery Esa and Ivan’s story will have you longing to be lounging on a beach full of hot lifeguards while reading. I lost count of how many times I said “awww” while reading this. Between fantastic friends, wonderful family, and Ivan himself I was in a constant state of warm and fuzzy feelings.
Esa was a total sweetheart. Fiercely independent and tackling the business world like a boss doesn’t stop her from having a heart of gold and making everyone around her feel loved. Having lived through her fair share of heartache yet overcoming it all, Ivan is exactly the man she deserves! Ivan is quite literally perfect. Not only is the man ridiculously hot, he’s also exceptionally sweet and off the charts romantic.
This is the book that brought my to Marika and I am so glad to have stumbled upon it! Ivan and Esa have a love story that’s sweet and sexy at the same time. Esa’s business was unique and her passion for it all-consuming for so much of her life. She doesn’t think there’s any space in her plan for a relationship, despite her best friend (& roommate)’s view that it’s exactly what she needs.
When Ivan comes into the picture, he shakes her up and she finds herself questioning the plan she once thought was perfect. When she is the victim of a stalker and her past comes to haunt her, can Esa lean into the support Ivan in offering? Better read and find out!
I enjoyed this sweet romance with a little mystery thrown in to keep everything moving. Esa and Ivan make an adorable couple that complement each other well. I enjoyed this first book in the series and look forward to reading more from the Beach Squad!
This was a really good read. This well written books offers up a just right blend of romantic comedy with a bit of tension and suspense. Esa and Ivan were quite likable and I enjoyed their chemistry. I also liked the route that their evolving relationship took. I think it fit these characters perfectly. Both characters have some baggage and that was a big plus for me. I think that this makes things realistic, relatable, balanced and entertaining.
Esa is a strong entrepreneur with a history of an abusive boyfriend. Ivan is a hot lifeguard, with a past he’s trying to let go of. These 2 hit it off quick, and oh my is is steamy. Throw in a stalker, and you’ve got yourself a fantastic read.
I’ve read much of this fabulous authors newer stuff, now it’s time to enjoy her earlier books. I highly recommend you do the same!
I would have liked to give Sweet Dreams 4.5 stars. Plus any author who quotes Vanilla Ice songs should get bonus points. This was the first book I’ve read by Marika Ray and it’s definitely a stand alone novel, but I’m looking forward to reading more of the series.
I liked the characters, especially that there was a strong female lead carrying a little extra weight without weight being a big deal in the relationship (no weight loss required). Having two nice guys in the story line always makes me suspicious that one of them will turn out to be the bad guy, so that made the plot more interesting. I really appreciated that the characters were straightforward, without all the dishonesty/misunderstandings that often appear in romance novels.
I would recommend this book to people who like romantic suspense with strong female characters.
This book was super sweet with a small side of suspense and LOTS of hot lifeguards! It definitely belongs on your beach reading list.
Ready to hit the beach? Marika Ray’s got you covered! Find your next beach book boyfriend here!
I absolutely love the “Beach Squad” series by Marika Ray. She brings us to sunny California where the ocean breezes are calming, the sunsets are magical and romance is in the air. “Sweet Dreams” is the first book in the series and I so enjoyed the tender moments between Esa and Ivan.
Esa is a small business owner who travels around Huntington Beach on her cute seafoam green and white bicycle. She lives with her best friend Bailey and they enjoy running on the beach where the handsome lifeguards are always close by. Ivan came to her rescue one day and for him, it was love at first sight. He wanted to spend time with Esa so he could show her that he was a stand-up guy and that she could trust him. Esa wasn’t so sure that this was the right time to start dating, even though Ivan was easy on the eyes and made her heart flutter. Esa agreed to meet Ivan for a non-date just to test the waters to see if he was as nice as he appeared to be.
As they got to know each other, strange things began happening to Esa that allowed Ivan to become her protector and her hero. His only goal was to hold her tight and keep her safe. Esa realized that she could lean on Ivan when she was worried, sad or afraid. He was a dream come true and she hoped that nothing would shatter her bubble of happiness.