Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

Review: Henry Turner and Halle Jacobs are my everything! 

 

“Daydream” follows Henry Turner, the captain of the hockey team, and Halle Jacobs, and aspiring author, as they strike a deal amongst themselves to overcome their respective challenges in a difficult year. In exchange for being Henry’s private tutor to help him maintain his good academic standing, he will give Halle new experiences to beat her writer’s block. They just need to stick to their rule book. Simple enough…right? 

 

First and foremost — Hannah Grace, just in case anyone hasn’t told you this yet, “Daydream” WAS worth waiting for! It is beautifully written and will be held close to my heart from this point forward. 

 

As an eldest daughter, I heavily related to Halle and her people-pleasing tendencies. The loneliness that stemmed from taking on so much and putting everyone else first truly made my heart ache. 

 

Henry faces many obstacles of his own, like the pressure he puts on himself to be a good team captain. I appreciate the way Grace portrays his neurodivergence. It felt realistic and she handles it with care, which is so important in terms of representation. I enjoyed reading from his perspective and learned a lot from how he views the world and processes conflict. 

 

I adore Henry and Halle’s dynamic. Henry puts Halle first and Halle, having a sister with an ADHD diagnosis, makes every effort to understand Henry and his needs. She is very observant of his body language and gives him space when he needs to sort through his feelings. I especially love the pacing of this book surrounding Henry and Halle’s physical intimacy. Halle had a lot of anxiety surrounding it due to her previous relationship and Henry was so patient with her. He made sure to be respectful of her timeline, ask for consent, and check in with her. Throughout the book they maintain a healthy relationship by being open and honest with each other. Not only is it heartwarming, but it contributes to their insane chemistry!