Dreamers' Destiny

by Tempeste O'Riley

Liam Grady is the owner of the Feathered Quill, a quirky little bookstore in Asheville, and—though he doesn’t realize it yet—a dream walker. His last relationship failed almost a year ago, and he’s not had the interest or nerve to pursue anyone he’s met since.

Cameron Danu is a tattoo artist from rural Georgia. Cameron is left without a job after his boss, José, is forced to close the shop after a heart attack. When Cameron learns José has set up an interview for him at a small tattoo parlor in Asheville, he hopes for a fresh start in a new town.

Fate brings Cameron and Liam together, and they realize they’ve met before—in their dreams. A chance encounter and a winged tattoo might lead them to their destiny—if fear doesn’t turn their dreams into a nightmare.

Genres: M M Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Contemporary, M M Paranormal, LGBT, Gay

200 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 13, 2016

About the author

Tempeste O’Riley is an out and proud pansexual (t)man whose best friend growing up had the courage to do what he couldn’t–defy the hate and come out. He has been his hero ever since.

Though new to writing M/M, his has done many things in his life, though writing has always drawn him back–no matter what else life has thrown her way. She counts her friends, family, and Muse as his greatest blessings in life. He lives in Wisconsin with his children, reading, writing, and enjoying life.

Tempe is also a proud member of Romance Writers of America® and Rainbow Romance Writers. Learn more about Tempeste and his writing at http://tempestebooks.com.

Reviews

[Jewel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. I really wanted to love it. Sadly, I did not, at all.

Dreamers' Destiny was off to a bang of a start. Quite literally. It starts with Cam and Liam having sex -- in a dream. Hawt hawt sex. I liked the beginning quite a lot, and not just because of the sex. When each character woke up from their dream, you could feel their loss. It was tangible. 

Cameron and Liam have been meeting in their dreams for over a decade. Until recently, their dreams were mostly sexual and while frequent, the dreams didn't happen every night. The past few months, though, Cam and Liam have been together every night in their dreams and every day they each mourn the loss of the other, neither knowing that the other is actually real.

Once they meet their chemistry cooled for me, for a while at least. Their interactions felt forced and uncomfortable. I suppose that would be natural after discovering your dream-time boyfriend is actually a real guy. Still, it was awkward for longer than it needed to be, I think. Liam seemed to me to try too hard, when Cam already liked him and wanted to get to know him. It was weird going from "dream Liam", who was sexy and confident, to "awake Liam",  who second guessed himself, and Cam, constantly. Actually, they both second guessed themselves and each other so much it got a bit tedious.

There were a couple secondary characters that I think had a negative impact on Liam and how he handled the new unknown, and they certainly affected my enjoyment of the story. His aunt Dianne (Di), and her friend Nosha, who are both into Wicca, convinced Liam to try to learn how to control his dream walking gift. The problem I had with both Di and Nosha is that they, especially Nosha, were self important and preachy toward Liam, who does not practice any religion and doesn't really believe it, either. And Di is pushy and managing with Liam and really thinks he needs her to run his life. It's their interference, I believe, that is the root cause of Liam's insecurity and feelings of failure when it comes to Cam.

Also, honestly, the whole Wicca angle kind of bored me. I love my paranormal novels, but when they veer into the New Agey, they tend to lose my interest, and that definitely happened here. And once it went too far down that path, I started skimming.

I do think that Dreamers' Destiny had a really interesting premise and I wish the execution of it would have been more my speed. Sadly, this book didn't really work for me.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars Rounded Up to 4 Stars

This is a story of two guys knowing each other for years, falling in love, yet they never actually met. How does one do that? Well, I could say it was via a long term Internet relationship, but no these two fell in love via dream walking. Liam Grady has loved Cameron Danu for years but he never thought he was real. When Cameron moves to Asheville, N.C. It is by chance the two meet in person and that when the story takes off. How do you get to know someone that you have been intimate with several times yet never really touched? Well that is what these two MC are faced to deal with -- however, less than two dates later they are back in bed with each other only this times in person.


This is a unique story. I have actually read books about dream walking and connecting with others on the ethereal plane. The author takes this concept and adds to it while creating a romance story that is super sweet. There really is not a lot of hesitation between Cam and Liam once they get past the shock of finding out they are both real. There is a brief period of Cam being shocked, but he always still loves Liam. These two quickly move into having a real relationship and declaring their feelings. They also come together to battle an evil dream walker who is harming Liam. The question is will they ever stop this dream walker or will it be too much for Cam to deal with?

Overall, a good story. I felt it was just a little to simple and not very deep. But a solid 3.5 star story.






❥❥**´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•`*ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jaime from Alpha Book Club

[Jodi Ciorciari-marinich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about Liam and Cameron. Liam is a dream walker and has been dreaming about the same man for years. He meets the man of his dreams ,Cameron, and at first they don't get along but eventually they come to realize they are meant for each other. It was a good story and I could follow along with it. I enjoyed the chemistry between Liam and Cameron especially in the dream scenes. In the end they fight to be together. I felt the story moved alittle too fast for me but overall a good read .
Received an arc for an honest review. Reviewed for Alpha Book Club

Gave 3.5 review but rounded up to 4

[Chris, the Dalek King · Rating 2 out of 5]

For 15 years Liam and Cam have been dreaming about each other. Countless nights they have shared together, in each other’s arms and in each other’s bodies. Yet each morning when they awake they are alone again. Both men are sure that the dreams are simply that, dreams…until they see each other across the packed floor of a club and everything they knew is thrown into chaos. Despite having been with each other for years in dreams, reality is a much harder hurdle to tackle. Not only is the idea of Dream Walking a new concept for both of them, but the every day minutia of life means they are having to learn each other all over again. This time for real, and hopefully for keeps.

So…the cover to this book is awesome. It is the reason I asked to review this book. The blurb ain’t half bad either. Magic, long-time lovers who have never actually met, tattoos a-plenty; it sounds like a recipe for one great book. Unfortunately somewhere along the line someone dropped about a cup of salt into the mix, and while the outside is all nice and shiny, the inside leaves a lot to be desired.

Look, I really wanted to like this book. And that first scene…man that was freaking hot. I am not usually one who likes to jump into the sex right off the bat, but that first scene was great. I was all set to have a story filled with wonderful chemistry and not a little bit of magic. But when the first scene was done and the story progressed, the chemistry faded away to nearly nothing. They still had sex, and they still had magic, but there was no life to any of it. The dialogue between the two characters was overly saccharine at times, and the pet names only served to irritate me since I couldn’t really feel any of the chemistry between them that had them so madly in love with each other that they were moving in together (and getting married!!) within a matter of weeks. They had been having those dreams for 15 years so it shouldn’t seem all that sudden, but by their own admission they had been doing little more than fucking in those dreams. Their relationship seemed to have so little basis outside the bedroom that I just couldn’t buy this rush to the alter at all.

For a book based on the idea that magic is real, this story felt extremely unmagical. Which was really odd. Like Liam is walking in other people’s dreams…I should not be feeling that the calm acceptance of magic by everyone (even those outside the sphere of the coven) was ludicrous. If the magic is real, it should feel real. Not like everyone needs to be having weekly appointments with a licensed therapist.

And that ‘attack’ that was supposed to lead to the climax of the story came out of fucking nowhere. Which is a big no-no for me. Add to it that the bad guy had no real page time–-or any connection to the main story–-and I was left totally confused as to why it was even in the story to begin with. It felt incredibly shoe-horned into the plot.

However my biggest issue was with Liam and his aunt. That relationship was extremely unhealthy bordering on creepy. Not only does his aunt basically treat him like a child unable to run his own life or business, but the way she seemed to objectify gay relationships bordered on a fetish that was damn creepy when you think that a lot of it was aimed at her nephew. The whole fag-hag (god I fucking hate that name) persona is tired and cliche to begin with, but I never once understood why she was involved in his life that that extent. If there was some kind of reason for it, maybe it would have not bothered me so much, but it just seemed like she enjoyed hanging around her gay nephew so she could leer at him and make suggestive jokes. Creepy.

This book didn’t work for me on several levels. The most glaring being that it never seemed to want to put in the effort to sale any of what it was offering up. It was overly descriptive about things that had no real importance, but then skipped over things that absolutely needed to be seen. It rushed the plot, had scattered and nonsensical characterizations, and veered a bit too close to offensive with its remarks on what were “women’s things” (those silly little creatures!). By the end of the book I was buying none of it, and more than wanting to return for a refund if at all possible.


This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.25 stars

Liam Grady and Cameron Danu have been sharing a dream love for more than a decade. Since their late teens, each has had recurring sexy dreams of a lover—one who ages as they do over the years. These dreams are nearly as real as their waking lives, and each man has strong feelings about his dream lover.

Liam has lived in Asheville, North Carolina, most of his life. He’s great friends with his Aunt Dianne, who is near his own age. Like her parents, Dianne is Wiccan, and very Earth-centric. She’s long wondered if her priest, Nosha, can help Liam with his dream issues. When they finally meet, Nosha explains that Liam is a Dream Walker, one who can enter the dreams of others. He also may be a Dream Weaver, but will need to train himself to control his ability if he wants to remain safe—and not harm others. One big revelation is that Liam’s dream man must be real, according to Nosha.

Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.

[The Novel Approach · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, let’s talk about the cover. I loved it! Right then, I wanted to see what was in store for me. Then I read the blurb and was extremely excited when I saw it appeared to be a magic driven story, and to see how the dream walker angle would work. I am always intrigued to see how an author creates a magical world and the different spins that may be in store for me on the concepts.

The first several pages were hot, hot, hot, and I was looking forward to the rest of the story after reading how Liam and Cam interacted in their dreams. I mean, if it was that hot in the dreams, I expected it to be scorching when they met. I liked both Liam and Cam as characters. I always enjoy how Tempeste O’Riley goes out of the box with her characters, and not all are the same. Liam dresses and acts very conservative, and he is very sweet and endearing, until its sexy times—then he is all kinds of alpha. Cam is an artist whose canvas is the human body, and he is more extroverted, easily talking with those around him. I liked that both characters were surrounded by family and friends who were up in their business. I know how that feels, so I could totally relate!

Though I enjoyed the book, it didn’t capture and hold my attention as I thought it would. I think this is because, based on the blurb, I was expecting… more, and it fell short of what it could have been. The plot had a lot of potential, but the focus of the story seemed off, or at least it didn’t focus on what I had hoped it would.

I was expecting magic and dream walking to play a decent sized role in the story, but I found it really didn’t. It explained how the two MCs knew each other and had essentially been together for years, and gave an opportunity for a dangerous situation to arise, but other than those two main instances, the dream walker and magical aspect of the story felt more of an afterthought. Because of the lack of building on the dream walker idea during the story, for me, the dangerous situation kind of missed the mark as it sort of came out of nowhere. Liam finds out he is a dream walker, and we are informed he is training, but only really get a couple of pages of one session at the very beginning of his training. All the rest of his training, and most of the conversations regarding anything to do with the dream walker aspect of the story (except when Cam or Liam tell people that Liam happens to be a dream walker, but no further detail of what it means to be a dream walker), are off page and only scanned over with no real context. I didn’t get a feel for what being a dream walker really was because it wasn’t expanded on, and more or less, was skipped over. Then when the danger does occur, a solution is mentioned, random tidbits are thrown out explaining how it could have happened and how it can possibly be corrected, and alluding that these topics had been discussed during Liam’s training sessions—training sessions that the reader is informed were occurring but never put on page in anyway and never given any information on what was said or happened at them.

The majority of the book was Liam and Cam getting to know each other and getting past their individual insecurities and talking with other characters about their feelings and growing as a couple in the waking world. I liked this aspect and didn’t have a problem with it, as I truly I did like them as a couple. But because of the blurb, I kept waiting for more of the magic, more information on dream walking, more indication of the upcoming danger the blurb suggested to… and it just didn’t happen for me.

I liked the book, but I just couldn’t love it. And had the book’s blurb not had me expecting more of a magical aspect with Liam being a dream walker, and danger, I would have probably been able to enjoy the story a lot more—because it is a cute and sweet read with likable characters. But because of the blurb I was constantly looking for the more that never really came, and was really let down by the dream walker and magical aspect of the story I had been looking forward to.

Reviewed by Lindsey for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...

[Veronica of V's Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was written for Joyfully Jay Reviews and can be accessed here: http://joyfullyjay.com/2016/05/review...

4.25 Stars.
Liam Grady and Cameron Danu have been sharing a dream love for more than a decade. Since their late teens, each has had recurring sexy dreams of a lover—one who ages as they do over the years. These dreams are nearly as real as their waking lives, and each man has strong feelings about his dream lover.

Liam has lived in Asheville, North Carolina, most of his life. He’s great friends with his Aunt Dianne, who is near his own age. Like her parents, Dianne is Wiccan, and very Earth-centric. She’s long wondered if her priest, Nosha, can help Liam with his dream issues. When they finally meet, Nosha explains that Liam is a Dream Walker, one who can enter the dreams of others. He also may be a Dream Weaver, but will need to train himself to control his ability if he wants to remain safe—and not harm others. One big revelation is that Liam’s dream man must be real, according to Nosha.

Cameron has recently moved to Asheville to take a new job at a tattoo parlor. While out one night, he believes he sees his dream lover, Liam. Their dreams begin to change when Cam comes to Asheville. Instead of their straight-up sexy erotic dreams, Cam and Liam begin dreaming of mundane life together—cuddling and sharing domestic tasks. It marks a turning point for each man, and signals them to find their fated mate. Liam, wanting a permanent connection to the man of his dreams, appears at Cam’s tattoo studio. Their meeting is, well, disastrous is not too strong a word.

Cam freaks the heck out, and Liam is heart-broken to be rebuffed. Dianne intervenes, and it’s a good thing! They decide to get to know one another in the waking world and a friendship blossoms. Given their long dream history, attraction is a given. They have trouble separating the dream world with real life—for a little while, anyway. This was a real dilemma they needed to overcome. I liked all the spiritual elements that were discussed as I have little exposure to Wicca; the inclusion of an alternate religious experience was interesting.

There is a bit of conflict from an outside entity—another Dream Walker who makes attacking Liam his mission. The motivation here seemed exceptional, and not in a good way. While the rationale for Liam’s attack was bizarre, to my eye, the resolution was good, allowing a deeper connection between Liam and Cam, while also prompting Liam to train and hone his skill in Dream Walking/Weaving. There are some amazing sexytimes in this book—both in the dream and waking world. And, the book is a solid HEA for Liam and Cam. It was so sweet for these kind souls to get linked, and inked, permanently.

[Wicked · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book nearly broke me and not in a good way.

Wicca, dream walkers, tattoo artists, books, all of these elements should have had me loving the book. I was excited for the concept and it's not often that Wicca gets any page time in the m/m world.

Instead, this book took me over two week to get through. Two weeks! I read about a book a day, sometimes more but this book sapped the desire to read right out of me. I ended up dancing around when I (forced myself to) finished it but not because of the fantastic ending, because it was finally over.

I've thought about why I didn't connect with the book and I honestly don't know if it was any specific thing but more a combination of a lot of things. The characters weren't all that engaging, the plot was set up to be something but it fizzled greatly, and the side characters were sort of a caricature of what side characters should be. No one made me fall in love with them and other than extremely hot dreamscape sex, I have no idea why the MCs fell in love with each other. It also had a bunch of really convenient set ups for future books with random things that were thrown in for what couldn't be any other reason that to set up future books. It got on my nerves. Then, on top of all of that, I was annoyed with how freaking annoying the Wiccan aunt was. As a multi generational pagan, it pissed me off.

The cover is absolutely gorgeous though.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come with blog stop

[Morgan Skye · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a nutshell, Liam and Cameron have been sharing dreams since they were teens. As they grow older the frequency and eroticism of the dreams increases until they are happening nightly (almost). Just when both men are feeling like no “real” man could replace their dream lover and thus both are feeling a bit nutty for feeling like this – they meet.

Unfortunately, in the real world, neither knows how to act with one another and this causes strife. There is also some danger in the form of a witch who is attacking Liam in his dreams and through him, he attacks Cameron, too.

**

There were parts of this story that I absolutely loved. I loved, loved, loved the whole idea of these two soul mates meeting and finding one another later in life through dreams. It was crazy sexy, unique and magical. It really worked, though it sounds complex, it felt plausible (in a magicky way!)

I liked the individual MCs. Liam is a nerdy, introvert who has to be forced into social situations and Cameron is the opposite. They fit very well together.

What didn’t work for me was the difference between dream Liam/Cameron and real life Liam/Cameron. I don’t understand – or it wasn’t made clear – why they are so different with one another in real life – once they’d accepted the whole dream walking scenario – they are so close with one another in their dreams and so stand-offish with each other in real life. It didn’t make sense, or I missed the explanation.

I also felt like the added drama with the other witch was either not fully developed enough and needed more explanation and/or wrap-up or it needed less. As it stands it was pretty unsatisfying in that I didn’t really get a full grasp of what his motivation was and what was going to happen to him now and why he was targeting Liam and how it even worked….

That was my other complaint – I didn’t feel like I left the story with a great understanding of dream walking v dream weaving and I would have loved more on that topic. Maybe (dare I say it?) a bit less sex and more magic!

I loved the magical, wiccan elements and the deft way the author wove religious tolerance into the story.

All in all I really enjoyed this book and only a few things kept it from being a 5 of 5.

(OMG I LOVE the cover and I want to see that tattoo in real life! I can always spot a Reese Dante cover – she’s exceptional!)

4 of 5 stars

[Diverse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a Tempeste O’Riley fan. I have been since the very first time I read one of her books. Her writing is always laced with happiness and possibility. Dreamers’ Destiny had all of that, and some magic.

The start of this book opens with a… banging… literally. The two MC’s are in the midst of a fan yourself worthy sexual experience lol. I knew they were the MC’s from the blurb. No intros that they are but you just know. Thing was, where chapter one took us really set the tone about the magic of this book. It was an exciting opening and it makes you latch on if only to get answers.

Liam and Cam are linked… have been for over a decade through dreams. It’s when the dream becomes real that the drama unfolds. I don’t want to give any plot away but I will say it was quite exciting at times. The creativity behind the idea of this story was great.

I thought it progressed a wee bit fast for me and though it was exciting, suspenseful for a little while, and entertaining, I thought nothing paused long enough to immerse myself in the moment. I would have liked it to have slowed down a little there.

Other than that it was a terrific story and AWESOMELY entertaining.

[Grammy 1]

Tempeste, this story should be a series…..I certainly would read more…..I loved the premise, I loved the characters, I loved the secondary family, it was sweet, sexy, and fun!

Imagine you had been dreaming about a lover for years and years…..The dreams were very hot. He knew your wants and needs like no other. No one could compare. This is what our author brings to this charming story.

Liam Grady lives in Ashville, and is the owner of The Feathered Quill a local book store. Cameron Danu is a tattoo artist, who through the illness of his boss relocates to Ashville to join another shoppe…..Fate????

Wben these two young men meet, it is certainly difficult to go backwards in dating…Think about it. They have been lovers for years, but they have never spoken a single word and have no idea who the other is, except for the lust under the covers.

The premise is appealing, the story sexy hot, yet poignant…Tempeste never disappoints.

Review by Gloria Lakritz
Sr reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild.

[Dianne Hartsock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a delicious read! Cam is a darling, wearing his ink as a symbol of his love for his dream man. And Liam, honest and straightforward and magical. A sweet and intense love story with friends and family who have their back through everything. So romantic with a very satisfying ending.

[Elaine White · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book – Dreamers Destiny
Author – Tempeste O'Riley
Star rating - ★★☆☆☆
No. of Pages – 200

Cover – Gorgeous!
POV – 3rd person, dual POV, but sometimes omnipresent
Would I read it again – No

Genre – LGBT, Paranormal, Witch


** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK, BY THE AUTHOR, IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW **



*This review may contain spoilers*


Okay, this is going to be a hard one, so I'm just going to jump straight in. I was looking forward to reading this since the day I asked to review it. With that gorgeous cover, a Wiccan character and a book store owner, all mixed up with dream walking, I was desperate to get started. And, now that I'm finished, all I can honestly say is that I was disappointed.

I HATE a few things in this book, things that were instantly thrust at me, the second I began reading. And, I mean the second. Here we go :

starting a book with sex. It's a total no-no for me, because I have no clue who these characters are, I don't care about them or their sex lives and, frankly, I've been given no reason to care about them. So why should I care or enjoy anything about two people I don't know getting it on right from line one?
starting with a dream. This is probably a spoiler, but it's also a no-no of mine. I never, ever want to read a book that is going to lie to me. Not making it clear when a dream is a dream, is as good as lying. Especially when it's at the start of the book and I don't know or care about anyone yet. Implying something is real, when I don't know whether it is or not, is frustrating and makes me mad. Hence, not a great start to a book that I was really, really looking forward to.
word choice. This is another pet hate of mine, but there is nothing sexy about the words 'stabbing', 'rod' or 'channel' in a sex scene. Nothing.


Quite honestly, I had no issue with the style of writing or the plot, but the execution left something to be desired. I really liked Liam, as a main character, but he was – sadly – the only character I did like. Raven and Nate, who were intriguing and whose part in the story was completely ignored (which I'm assuming is due to them having their own story?) were the only minor characters I liked and there was, by far, not enough of them in the book.

I find it difficult to say, because of the declaration by the author that Dianne was based on a real person, but I didn't like her. At all. She was kind of creepy (fake-leering at her own nephew!) and too over-bearing and pushy for my tastes. She continually tried to control Liam's life and business, even when he told her to back off, and wouldn't take no for an answer. I get the whole “worried aunt” persona she's meant to exude, but I just didn't like her at all.

Sadly, the same could be said for Cam. For me, he's a really weird character and not one that I want to follow into his POV. When Liam tries so hard to protect Cam and give him exactly what he asked for, even at cost and harm to himself, Cam is nothing but a judgemental asshat, who expects him to be a mind reader, while getting uppity about his choices. I also find it a little ridiculous how many times this guy “screams” in bed! I mean, there's an over abundance of sex scenes as it is, but he screams at least once in every single one, and most of the time it's for something small. So, either he's hell of a sensitive to small stimulation or it's an over-exaggeration. Either way, it didn't feel believeable.

Overall, the characterisation wasn't done well. There was a lot of confusion and inconsistency within the main characters personalities. It was like they were having constant mood swings, the changes were so severe. Cam is needy as all Hell in the dream sequences, but self-assured and commanding in real life. While Liam is the opposite. It's unbelieveable for them to change to much between the two lives that are supposed to so closely mimic their real lives. At times, Cam is femme and a twinkish character one minute, then he's butch. Liam flits between overbearing and demanding in the dreams, then pathetic, naïve and helpless in real life. I get that characters can be diverse in their emotions and range of personality quirks, but this was excessive. It was like they were two different people in their dream lives.

P.S. It takes 50% to find out how old Liam is. Hmm... Not to mention that Cam and Liam both talk, act and read like teenagers/college guys, rather than people in their early thirties.

Oh, and can I just say there was TOO MUCH sex? Way too much. The story didn't need it, benefit from it or in any way progress because of it. It was excessive. After the first few, I skimmed through them and only stopped for dialogue or when it was over.

And, it's either a difference between UK and US or the author has some seriously warped ideas about tattoo artist's work hours. Because, going by the book, Cam often works into the evening, past eight o'clock, and then goes back to work again after dinner breaks. This is bordering on excessive and ludicrous.

The timeline was very inconsistent and confusing. We weren't told when time had passed (two days or a week) until well into a scene and it made reading and figuring out what was going on really difficult. Half the time a simple “two weeks later” at the start of a chapter would have settled it, but that information wasn't given until really late on, when it was almost pointless.

It would have been nice – and helpful, considering the point above – to have the dreams and main story separated. This is usually done with Italics, but there was no separation here (hence the pet hate at the start). Each time Cam or Liam ended up in a dream sequence, I had to spend at least half a page figuring out whether it was real, a dream or just a completely random event, because it often wasn't made clear until the dream was over or halfway through, by which point I was already confused.

Some inconsistencies:
switching of pet names
timeline
POV – when it becomes omnipresent
humming and hawing about the relationship they're already in

And, I have a few unanswered questions. Like, when searching for a “permanent” reminder of their relationship, not one of them thinks about a tattoo? Why does the waitress rhyme off their order to them, after they'd already decided? This was neither necessary or done in a way that made sense, because they'd just finished reading the menu's, so they knew what they were ordering. Why does Bass put up with Cam at work, when his personal life constantly gets in the way and interferes with his work? What happened to Nate and Raven? What happened to Dianne and Nosha? Both are made out to be very important to the MC's, but the issues are never resolved. (I've checked and this is billed as a standalone, not part of a series) Will Cam ever explain the dream walking to Bass, like he promised? What happened to the bad guy, after the binding?

I didn't like the way it was constantly implied and outright mentioned that men weren't supposed to talk about their feelings. Not only is this chauvinistic, but it's not the only instance either. Later, it's said that taking pictures at a wedding is a woman's thing:
“Pictures are always for the womenfolk, even when it's not their wedding or their child's wedding.”

I don't like the way Nate is discussed. Sure, he has a disability, but describing it as “twisted legs” is very dismissive and as though that defines him and means he's somehow “less than” the other characters. Though Liam goes on to support Nate, it felt false and didn't tally at all with the perception shown in the written text.

~

For me, the relationship was the main focus of the story, but it fell short. There was no progression of the relationship, no “I love you” declaration. Everything just happened in an instant because they've known each other in their dreams for years. But that doesn't translate to real life. They made very little attempt to get to know each other after finding each other in RL, before jumping into a relationship. Even then, the acceptance of having met each other in their dreams was too widely accepted by everyone who found out about it, sceptics and cover members alike.

I found the danger to be second to the relationship, and then became glossed over after the initial attack, until it was time to deal with hit. While important events were also skimmed over – Liam meeting Sarah and Dan, Cam meeting Nate (both of which never happened on page and were never mentioned!), Liam getting his first tattoo and so much more.

Overall, the romance has promise, even if it does happen a little fast, but I can't get over all of the little inconsistencies and confusions. There are just too many issues, which is really disappointing, because I'd really been looking forward to it. But leaving me with so many unanswered questions is a major failing and I can't excuse that.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ohne etwas davon zu ahnen, teilen sich der Buchhändler Liam Grady und der Tattoo-Künstler Cameron Danu ihre Träume. Viele Jahre schon treffen sie sich in gemeinsamen Träumen und diese erscheinen ihnen so real wie das wirkliche Leben. Nur, dass sie am nächsten Morgen wieder jeweils alleine in ihren Betten aufwachen. Doch dann führt der Zufall sie zusammen.

Cameron nimmt einen neuen Job in der Stadt Ashville an und will sich dort ein neues Leben aufbauen. Doch schon nach ein paar Tagen läuft er Liam über den Weg. Dieser führt in Ashville eine kleinen Buchladen und hadert mit seinen Träumen, die ihn am nächsten Morgen so einsam und verloren zurück lassen. Denn ihre geteilten Träume sind zutiefst erotisch, intim und gefühlvoll.

Die Wirklichkeit ist jedoch dann ganz anders. Liam kann sein Glück kaum fassen Cam tatsächlich gegenüber zu stehen. Cam hingegen ist scheu, verängstigt und verwirrt. Und er weist Liam zurück. Liams Geschichte ist unglaublich und für Cam einfach nicht zu begreifen. Denn Liam ist ein Traumgänger und -weber. Mit solchen unrealen Dingen will der Einzelgänger Cameron nichts zu tun haben.

Camerons Zurückweisung und Trennung tut beiden Männern nicht gut. Vor allem Liam leidet darunter, der alles versucht sich aus Camerons Träumen fernzuhalten. Doch eine Dauerlösung ist dies nicht, da Liams Gesundheit darunter zu leiden beginnt.

Dreamer’s Destiny ist eine entzückende, herzerwärmende und romantische Liebesgeschichte, die eben einen leicht paranormalen Touch hat. Dieser hat mich persönlich jetzt nicht gestört und hat ja auch einen nicht unerheblichen Teil des Plots ausgemacht. Liam und Cam sind Einzelgänger und ihr Sozialleben gestaltet sich eher dürftig. Ohne die Träume hätten sie vielleicht nicht zusammengefunden.

Durch die Träume – die sich über 10 Jahre ziehen – sind sie einander jedoch vertraut. Doch die Herausforderung ist es eben sich auch in der realen Welt zu finden und kennenzulernen. Mir gefiel der ruhige Aufbau der Geschichte sehr gut. Es gibt auch einige wohlmeinende Mitmenschen, die Liam und Cam ein wenig auf die Sprünge helfen. Die Protagonisten sind gut ausgearbeitet und ausreichend beschrieben. Obwohl Cameron erst abweisend und ruppig agiert, ist er trotzdem zutiefst sympathisch und die Autorin erklärt das Verhalten ihrer Helden ja auch verständlich.

Als sie einem Happy End zusteuern, verwandeln sich ihre Träume plötzlich in einen Albtraum. Und dieser wird plötzlich erschreckend real und gewalttätig.

[Nikyta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed on The Blogger Girls

3.5 stars

Liam and Cam have been meeting each other in their dreams for years. When Cam moves to Asheville, he unknowingly moves to the same town as Liam and when Liam decides to get a tattoo, he ends up in the same tattoo shop Cam works in. Unfortunately, Liam’s had time to get used to thinking Cam might be real because of his dream walking abilities but Cam is blown away that Liam exists. And not in a good way. Unfortunately, Liam takes Cam’s rejection to heart and before he knows it Cam’s trying to save Liam from himself. Will they be able to make a relationship work especially when there’s a dark force trying to get rid of them?

I really enjoyed Liam and Cam in this one. I loved that they were complete opposites but not the typical stereotype. Like how Cam was the tattoo artist who you’d probably think was a beefy guy but he’s compact and thin while Liam was the bookish one but obviously more butch than Liam. Which is totally bad to think but I loved the contrasts between them. Together, I found them so adorable. I loved that they saw each other in their dreams for years.

I found the concept of this story very intriguing but I had a few issues with it. For one, I was a little sad that we didn’t get to see Liam training to control his abilities. I found the whole dream walking aspect so interesting but it wasn’t as explored as I would have liked. Add to that, there was too much sex for me and I also felt like the ending was really sudden. I would have liked more build up to who the bad guy was instead of it being such a random person that was instantly known. I also did not like that the whole issue with Liam and alcohol was fixed so quickly. I feel like there should have been more of a struggle for him.

In the end, I still enjoyed this one but I felt like it had a lot missing to it. I loved Liam and Cam together and I absolutely adored the concept of this story. I hope this isn’t the last we see of them because I really want a story about Bass!

[Tam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I didn't dislike it and as many have said it starts out hot hot hot, but once the two guys meet it's all angst and drama and self-sacrifice. surely there is some medication he could take to stop dreaming other than 40 oz of vodka killing his liver. "I am a martyr killing myself for the man I love... in my dreams."

I also found the interfering aunt annoying. He's in his 30's, owns his own successful store but dies whatever she tells him with regard to the business. I hate those pushy female characters who the hero just smiles and follows directions because they are the one true friend they've always had. Sigh.

I also wasn't sure why he needed training. He only ever went in Cam's dreams. But even before he wanted to stop they said he needed training. For what? To go in other people's dreams? And the bad guy attacking Liam and Cam was kind of a stretch. *shrug*

I like paranormal but the mystical type in this book doesn't really do it for me. Depends on your interests I suppose. so it was ok and kept me reading but I would have been just as happy with a shorter book that cut out the bad guy sub-plot and less familial interference in a competent grown man's life.

[Aya · Rating 1 out of 5]

Books, tattoos, dream walkers, and an urban backdrop. Sounds like a recipe for success. I was really looking forward to the read and perhaps my expectations were too high. I thought the basic premise was a solid one but in the end things just didn’t come together.

The story started off promising and then when the mystical elements were introduced things got… not so mystical. Things seemed to get ridiculous rather than drawing me in with world building. I felt like I was being coerced into trusting and believing Nosha and Dianne without having a rapport with them. More is divulged about the two halfway through the story but I thought it was too little too late. I’m also not sure why Steve, the barista even got a mention. The occult element I was very much looking forward to but it might as well not have existed. I found that particularly odd considering the basis of the MCs relationship was founded on dream walking. The world building was certainly lacking.

There are also unnecessary details and verbose dialogue, but then there are also mentions so brief when the moment called for more context. For example, on one of their dates there was a two page run down of the dishes on the menu as well as the individual components of those dishes, but we don’t get any detail about what they discovered about each other or what they discussed on this monumental date of theirs.

Eventually the characters seemed to lose their unique voices. A lot of the BDSM elements sounded like checking of a list rather than being seamlessly worked into a story. There was no cohesion, the parts read like they were written by different people than haphazardly slapped together.
The story started off well but basically went downhill from there with brief moments of reprieve where the story and writing seemed to pull itself together before dispersing again.

[CB · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very entertaining read with some great characters. Not sure if there are more books out with related characters, if there are not yet there probably will be as some of the secondary characters definitely should have their own story!

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I say MEH! It's an OK book but needed to be longer or even have a sequel. It's well written, the plot is great but it just needed more oomph.

[Lena Grey · Rating 3 out of 5]

“In dreams I walk with you...talk to you...you're mine all the time. We're together in dreams...But just before the dawn, I awake and find you gone. .It's too bad it only...happens in my dreams...” ~ Roy Orbison (In Dreams)

Liam Grady and Cameron Danu have been dreaming about each other for years and know more about each other than anyone else. It has interfered with their waking hours because no man can ever imagine another man who could measure up to their lover who only meets him when he is asleep. What they are not aware of is that the person they are in love with in their dreams is not just a fantasy, but a real flesh and blood person.

Liam and Cameron have never met in “real life” because Cameron lives in another city. When he gets a new job and moves to Asheville, NC, where Liam lives, that's when they first get glimpses of each other from across a crowded room in a club. Both are so freaked out, they don't connect at the time. Liam accepts the possibility of his dream lover being a real person before Cameron does. After talking with his aunt, Dianne and her Wiccan priest, Nosha, Liam learns he's a dream walker, a person able to “walk” into other people's dreams and interact with them. With this knowledge, Liam is anxious to see if Cameron is, indeed, the man he's loved for years. He finds Cameron at work, intending to get to know more about him. Unfortunately, Cameron's mind can't so easily accept that the man he's always thought of as just a fantasy is now standing right in front of him. Liam interprets Cameron's reticence as rejection and goes into a tail spin. He starts drinking to stop from dreaming about Cameron, thinking somehow he's been forcing himself upon the other man and hurting him by doing so.

After a month of drinking, Liam's aunt comes to Cameron, begging him to try to convince Liam that he doesn't hate him and, if he doesn't want to be Liam's real life lover, to at least be his friend so he will stop drinking. Cameron is upset when he finds out his hesitation to be with him is the reason for Liam's drastic behavior and he goes to Liam and gets him back on the right track. Convinced they are going to be okay, they decide to start dating and are surprised that just like in their dreams it seems comfortable, even natural to be together. Their honeymoon doesn’t last very long before Liam and eventually Cameron are the victims of psychic attacks that leave them physically wounded.

The premise of this story, i.e., lovers meeting first in the dream world then getting together in the real world, is an interesting twist. Liam and Cameron are interesting characters with distinct personalities and strikingly different tastes, Liam, although a dream walker, is a conservative dresser and owns a bookstore; while Cameron is anything but conservative having multiple tattoos and piercings; but in their hearts, they are soul mates. If you like learning about Wiccan customs, dream walking, and dreams becoming real, you may enjoy this story. Thanks, Tempeste, for making Liam and Cam's dreams come true.

NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded up to 3.5 stars.

This is a sweet, fast read. There are no huge insurmountable angst issues. No Big Misunderstandings. No past traumas plaguing the present. No past boyfriends coming to lay claim. Cameron – “Cam” – only maintains contact with his sister and her husband, Quill with his Aunt, so there isn’t any rejection drama.

The story really revolves around three things – Quill’s dream-walking, Cam and Quill finding each other after years of dreaming, and the dream attacks/Wiccan background.

The Dream-Walking. Different! Nice touch – kudos! But, flip side was I was not always clear on what was dream and later, reality. And perhaps I missed this explanation, but I wasn’t clear on how Cam and Quill started dreaming about each other, only that they had been going at it for years.

Cam and Quill. Again, kudos! to Cam’s reaction with first meeting Quill. It certainly wasn’t all hugs, kisses and insta-love. Cam was, understandably, shaken and he rejected Quills advances. As Cam began to wrap his head around the idea that Quill was indeed, a person, I appreciated his internal struggle. I liked the insistence of dates to get to know each other rather than basing the whole relationship on dream-sex.

Wiccanism/Dream walking. Again, nicely done with the use of Wiccanism outside of a fantasy novel. Where I struggled was the impetus behind the dream attacks, and I’m being purposely vague here to avoid spoilers. The reasoning didn’t quite work for me. I would like to have seen more interaction with Quill and the Coven before the shit hit the fan – at least have explored one coven meeting.

The unrequited love between Quill’s Aunt Dianne and Nosha, the coven priest, could have been firmed up more as well.

Lastly, I also questioned how dream-nightmares could inflict physical harm. Mental I could understand, but a nightmare inflicting bruises and deep cuts started to push the bounds of belief suspension given the parameters of the rest of the story.

Dreamer's Destiny is an enjoyable story easily devoured in a very lazy afternoon or as beach read. Light and sweet with a great cover!

Overall, a unique perspective on meeting ones soul-mate through dream walking, there are things worth fighting for, and friends can be found in unusual places if you just look.

Review is cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews
Copy of the book provided by the author/publisher for a fair and honest review. Thank you!

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review An Alisa Review:

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Liam Grady is the owner of the Feathered Quill, a quirky little bookstore in Asheville, and—though he doesn’t realize it yet—a dream walker. His last relationship failed almost a year ago, and he’s not had the interest or nerve to pursue anyone he’s met since.

Cameron Danu is a tattoo artist from rural Georgia. Cameron is left without a job after his boss, José, is forced to close the shop after a heart attack. When Cameron learns José has set up an interview for him at a small tattoo parlor in Asheville, he hopes for a fresh start in a new town.

Fate brings Cameron and Liam together, and they realize they’ve met before—in their dreams. A chance encounter and a winged tattoo might lead them to their destiny—if fear doesn’t turn their dreams into a nightmare

This is another wonderful story by Tempeste O’Riley. I have enjoyed her contemporary romances and was excited to read a paranormal by this author.

Liam and Cameron have been meeting in their dreams for years and when they actually see and meet each other in the real world it throws everything into a tailspin. When Liam learns that he is a dream walker and dream weaver he begins to learn about his gift while getting to know Cameron in the real world. When someone begins to attack them in their dreams they have to work together to get to the other side unharmed.

This was an emotional story and it was nice being able to feel both Liam’s and Cameron’s feelings on what was going on. The different points of view were helpful in understanding the characters. They both had to struggle with keeping their dream world and the real world separate from the other and when the dream world begins to invade into the real world they work together with the help of friends to get everything back on track.

This was a great story and I loved how their relationship came together. Everything wasn’t perfect for either of them and they each had to learn how to be there for the other. Their sex scenes in their dreams were hot, but once they actually knew each other they got even better. The story had a great conclusion with them looking towards the future after they conquered the man from their dreams.

Cover art by Reese Dante is wonderful and depicts one of the main tattoos in the story. Plus, a man with tattoos is always great to look at.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | ARe

Book Details:
ebook, 200 pages
Published: May 13, 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 9781634772136
Edition Language: English

[ItsAboutTheBook · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review can be read at It's About The Book

I didn’t particularly enjoy this book, so I’ll keep it short. Liam Grady and Cameron Danu dream of each other. They’ve had vivid, passionate dreams of each other for years, and are more than a little enamored with their respective dream man. Liam and Cameron then find out they’re real. Liam had a bit of time to warm up to the idea before Cameron found out. Cam didn’t take it well and asked Liam to never see him again and stay out of his dreams. Since Liam is the dream walker it’s up to him to stay out of Cam’s life completely. After not being able to do so, he decides to drink as a means to stay out of Cam’s life. He becomes a drunk. For a month. After meeting each other again, they decide maybe they want to give a real life relationship a try. Things are working out really well until someone starts attacking Liam in his dreams. Eventually Cam is attacked, too.

I found the premise of this book interesting but didn’t like the execution. Whereas I appreciate the attempt to show explicit consent in a sexual relationship, I feel it wasn’t done well. Liam is plagued with guilt as though he had raped Cameron. The word rape is never used and the issue of consent is danced around. We’re presented with the idea consent is black and white and full of grey areas at the same time. When Liam does finally admit to friends and family why he spent a month drinking himself to blackout every night he’s met with condemnation for having been drunk. Bear in mind, it was one month. One. Month. Liam is regularly reminded he was a loser for a month for the rest of the book. Is he worthy enough to train with the only person who can show him how to stay out of other people’s dreams? Only if he doesn’t fall back into his slovenly drunkard ways!

I think I could have overlooked, or at least been less bothered by the one month drunk and the not quite dream rape had I liked something else. Unfortunately I just didn’t find things in this book I liked. Liam and Cam were themselves okay, but the supporting cast just wasn’t my thing. Both supporting female characters were sassy and in your face. Actually, most of the female characters felt that way to me.

I’m sure this book has an audience, but I do not consider myself part of that group.

[JenCW · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. I give it 4.25 stars.

I'm not going to rehash the story line too much here. The story starts with Liam having a really hot intimate encounter, but then he wakes up and realizes it was another dream. He's been dreaming of the same man for over a decade, but the dreams are coming more frequently and it's effecting his waking life.

Cam just moved to Ashville and is settling in when he thinks he sees his dream lover in a club. It rattles him, but he's even more shocked when he comes face to face with Liam in the real world.

I felt for both men in this book. They have dreamed of each other for over a decade, and now those dreams are infringing of reality. Just because you dream of someone does not mean that you know them in real life, right? Liam has a head start understanding what is going on between them, but Cam is caught completely off guard and hurts Liam.

Their interactions once Cam calms down from the shock make sense. Tempeste did a great job creating the confusion and distrust over dream versus waking interactions. They have an established "relationship" in their dreams and it's easy to fall back into the routine, but they need to learn about each other in the waking world.

I liked the premise of this book, and I really liked a number of the supporting characters. I would have loved to have seen more of Liam's spirit guide, Angus. I hope that we see a book soon with Nate, Liam's friend, maybe paired with Raven? Cam's boss and Laim's aunt were also great additions. My one small complaint is that the nightmare protagonist was a little bit of a surprise and out of nowhere. There were seeds planted early in the book, but were left until late before bringing those elements back in.

Overall, a wonderful read and I look forwardto reading more of the author's books.

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an unbiased, honest review*

[Caroline Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE

Liam and Cameron are getting the award for strangest relationship ever from me! Without having ever met this pair know an awful lot about each other, are actually probably well on their way to being in love with each other and have been having sex for years. Weird right? Well, this may have all taken place in their dreams but they have been constant companions in those dreams, together, for many years.

When Cameron Danu’s life is turned upside down and he has to move and start a new job the dreams suddenly up in their frequency and then there is that horrifying moment when his dream becomes reality. He doesn’t just bump into a guy who looks like his dream lover, nooooo, he bumps into the guy that IS his dream lover. He then has to go for coffee with this guy called Liam, who he doesn’t know and has only just met but who he has been having naughty and pretty dirty sex with since he was a teenager!

Liam is a dream walker and the story touches on how this works as he is taken under the wing of a Wiccan priest. As Liam tries to grapple with what is happening to him and to also deal with Cameron’s initial rejection he doesn’t cope so well and hits the bottle to prevent him dreaming. His sheer despair is what brings Cameron back to him and it’s interesting to watch them try to build a friendship in the real world when they already have so much more than that in the dream world.

As with any good there is bad and for Liam these come in the form of nightmares where he can be physically hurt. It will take everything he’s got including Cameron and his new found faith to save him from the darkness and leave him to be happy with the man of his dreams.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free for an honest review.

I was unsure about this book to start with. I by mistake read some of the reviews which weren't great. But the blurb read like it would be a fantastic book. Well I should have trusted the blurb. I really enjoyed this book.
This book was well written. Flowed really well. Pulled you into the story and made you want to read more. I read this book in one sitting I was enjoying it so much.
I haven't read any other book like this. Magic isn't a topic that I really believe in so have never really wanted to read about it. But dreams are a different matter there is something about them that makes you think that dream walkers and weavers could exist like Liam in this book.
I loved Liam and Cameron as a couple. They were and their relationship was believable and also the timeline. Because even though in the physical world they hadn't known each other long in the dreamworld they had.
The supporting characters were really strong too. And in my head I had about another 3 or 4 plot outlines going around for different characters in this book. Which I think makes it a really good read.
I enjoyed the fact that there was some mystery in the book as well as the romance. This was a well rounded well written read to me.
This author is new to me but I will definitely be looking for more books.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all have dreams that seem real. But, what if the person in our dreams turned out to be real? That is what happens to the two MCs in this story. Cameron and Liam have been having wild, crazy, sex filled dreams of each other since their teens. Every night they come together for a night of passion and sex. Until Cam moves for his job and Liam walks into the tattoo parlor where he works and they are both shocked that the other is real. How have they been dreaming of each other? Liam is a dream walker. Their familiarity with each other allows them to hop into bed with each other after only two dates. But, with dream walking comes a threat to Liam and they must fight that evil, together.

I found this story to be fast paced and sweet. Even though Liam and Cam have been intimate for years, the fact that they meet and go on two dates before falling into bed is plausible. The added element of danger kept the story from becoming just about these two men meeting and created a reason for them to bond together and having something to fight for/against.

All in all, this was a great story that kept me interested and wanting to know more. While I thought the pace was a little fast, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment and worked out in the end.

*copy provided for review.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dreamer's Destiny by Tempeste O'Riley is an angst filled, mystery, with hot men and even hotter sex. You might even want a tattoo after reading this one too.
Liam has been dreaming of the same man for a very long time now. He knows exactly what the man looks like in his dreams. When he goes to a tattoo parlor to get a tattoo of the ink he sees on his dream man. Guess who he meets? His dream man! Liam is all for having him be real and loving him outside the dream. However Cameron is a bit shier and less accepting at first. I liked the shy quiet nature to Liam. He is a book store owner. He does not even know his gifts are real, he just think he has hot dreams. But what he gets drawn into is much more than he ever expected.
Cameron loves his dream man. He always has. He is a tattoo artist, has a ton of ink himself. But when he sees his dream man for real he is stunned unsure of how to proceed.
I liked the pace of this book, the characters do not seem forced. I liked the dream walker aspect too. I would love to see that put into a series. I can see this concept really going places. When you want a romance that is a little different this is the one to pick up. I am so glad I did.


Five Shooting Stars

[Pam Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting take on MM Romance, at least for me. The story line was good and the characters were well developed. Two men have been dreaming about each other since their teen years, but feeling they were only dreams, fantasies. A decade later, they end up in the same town seeing each other in a club. Both are shocked, not understanding what is happening, but yet knowing they were each other's soul mate. Liam Grady digs deeper to find out what is going on and through his aunt, finds out he is a dream walker, weaver. Cameron Danu who is a tattoo artist is bewildered and doesn't understand what is going on between the two. Is their dream world selves better than the real world? The two want to find out, but not without outside forces trying to destroy them. The wicca group is something Liam has heard about through his aunt, but now he is just about to be thrown into it. Liam is not going to let anyone hurt Cameron, his soul mate. Go on their journey as they find themselves. This story is HOT both inside the dream world and the real world.