First you Dream

Familyl Forever #3

by Aliyah Burke

A rash decision can become the best ever.

Race car driver Cody Gamino has come from Europe to the United States for one thing. To race with the incredible Xin. Their one night together means more to him than he expected and suddenly, it's not just about racing together, but about being together too. Forever.

Racer N'Jelle 'Xin' Marx turns to a handsome man she met outside a bar, just to forget for a night. Six weeks and two pinklines later, she is questioning the decision she'd made that night. When he shows up at her job, revealing to her who he truly is, and snatches it out from under her, she doesn't have the fight in her any longer. She leaves.

Cody isn't one to give up and when he learns of his unborn child, he digs in even more. Will these two, used to life in the lane, learn to slow down and see what is before them? Will they recognize what they have to lose?

Genres: Contemporary

129 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 22, 2022

About the author

A USA Today Bestselling author, Aliyah Burke is an avid reader and is never far from pen and paper (or the computer). She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached http://aliyah-burke.com/blog/contact/
Facebook, twitter, Instagram, or via email.

She is married to a career military man, and they are owned by 4 Borzoi. Her days are spent sharing her time between work, writing, and dog training/showing.

Reviews

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

When i first picked up this book i didnt realise that it was part of a series. I will be looking to get my hands on the other books i this series soon. Thats for sure

Back to this one Xin & Cody have a stormy relationship. When one night together ends with Xin getting more than happy memories. For Cody to come back into her life, turn it upside down and oust her from her position driving as the number one race car driver. I loved the relationship between the both of them. The banter they had was cute in places as was their dynamic. Sad in parts but all in all a great read

[Butterbean · Rating 2 out of 5]

I pretty much found myself hate-reading this book because, with the exception of Cody's agent and Xin's father, everyone in this book were either weird or cartoon-level of stupid. I hate that I had to keep up with the names of five people whose name starts with an X. The heroine's real name is N'Jelle, but for some reason, she gets the nickname Xin, so she ends up matching with her long-lost cousins and half-sister (the women of this series) by happenstance. Also, these women wouldn't leave her alone for about 1/3rd of the book! One of them even broke in her apartment to size up Cody post-coital.
The inconsistencies and the unreasonable conflicts in this book were ridiculous. Xin is hostile with her father and his family because she felt abandoned by them....even after they told her countless times that they knew nothing about her existence before she crashed some party. She even have the nerve to try to chastise her father about not using protection and leaving her mother after she got knocked up after a one-night stand with Cody! 🙄
Then you have the book telling me that she wont have the chance to race while pregnant because the season was over in one paragraph, but the next time this couple fight, Cody is in her face about her wanting to race while pregnant????🤷🏾‍♀️ And for goodness sake, why wont they tell us where Cody is from? We're just told that he raced in Europe and he has a European accent.
Xin and her big-mouthed stalker have more sex to where they fall in love. More interesting stuff happens, but it's mostly explained and then the book ends. I gave it two stars since I was able to finish it quickly. If you want to read a better written romantic story about a black woman racer check out Full Throttle.

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story felt like more story. I would definitely read a cross-over follow-up encompassing the kick-ass couple from Code Name: Papa!

FINAL NOTE: I absolutely loved the heroine's occupation!

Highly Recommended: Read It!

[IRLover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tiny racer brings Xin and Cody together🥰😘🥰

Cody had his eye on the sexy and hot professional racer Xin from the moment he laid eyes on her😍.  Xin had spent her entire life getting to where she was in her professional racing career, one steamy night with Cody forever change her life☺️. 
 
Xin had a lot to deal with in the span of a few days.  She learns about tiny racer, her stepsisters barging into her life, the dad wanting to see her and Cody taking top position causing her to make a drastic change in her racing career😱.  Whoa the fact that she was able to manage all that in relative stride shows how strong and capable she is🙂.  It wasn’t meant to be funny but when Cody’s plan failed I laughed🤣.  I swear men just need to be honest and they could avoid all the unnecessary BS.  Anywho, he was in over his head especially when he learned about her little secret and that intensified his need for control😖.   
 
It’s understandable how Xin was adamant about keeping thing status quo not wanting to cower down to misogynistic views😏. I’m just glad that Cody had a level head and was able to explain the importance for her to back away even if for a little while.  In the end they both got what they wanted❤️💗❤️
 
This was a short fast paced story but there was a few points that was unclear and felt a bit rushed to the end.  Her friend Richard was a bit of a mystery. I’m guessing he had something to do with Xin getting into the life but it was elaborated on.  Just glad the Xin took Xafaa from him and that Cody took to her without hesitation💗. Also, there was never any mention of Cody having the talk with Xin about what she overheard when on the phone with Dry.  So yeah just a bit more info about these 2 areas would have been nice😉

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book three in The Family Forever Series and it is Cody and Xin's and omg it is definitely a must read. When Xin finds out who her father is she confronts him and then walks away not knowing that she would be followed by the women in her family who would be determined to be part of her life wether she wanted them to be of not as they were pushy woman. Xin had a one night stand only to find herself pregnant and then finds out that the man that is the father of her baby also takes her job as a racing car driver so she quite and joins another team. Cody spent the most amazing night with Xin the woman that he has wanted for so long and now he wants more but when she quite because of him Cody knows that some how he has to make things right with her but as Xin is feisty, stubborn and strong he knows that he has his work cut out for him if he wants to be in her life but when he finds out that she is pregnant with his child all bets are off but Xin will not be told what to do and fights back but what will the outcome be for to especially when some things are revealed that Xin didn't know about. Omg the chemistry between Xin and Cody was so hot and intense that you could feel it sizzling of the pages of this book and I couldn't put it down as it was so addictive and I can't wait to read more books in this series. Aliyah Burke is an amazing author and writer and her books are definitely worth reading and she is fast becoming one of my go to favourite author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Babara-Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

****1/2
AN OBSESSION LEADS TO LOVE!

I found this new to me author on booksprout and I will definitely read more of her books!

European Race car driver Cody Gamino first laid eyes on sexy race car driver Njelle Xin Marx when he saw her get out of her car taking her helmet off and doing a fist pump in the air on television after a win and he was hooked!

That image was his incentive to sign on with her team when the owners son Douglas Shainer approached him....

Njelle has a lot of baggage to sort through after her one night-stand with a gorgeous but familiar looking stranger and her new found family after the life she had as a foster child.......

Cody knows Njelle is his forever woman and he will do everything in his power to make her see that especially when he finds out the one night he had with his beautiful goddess had consequences.......

Will Njelle allow Cody to take over her independent life?
Will she ever forgive him for the truth he withheld regarding their first encounter?
Will she accept her new sister and cousins as they have her?

A lovely emotional story about acceptance, forgiveness and love!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ljay · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this is the last in a 3-book series and it was features another "X" in the family, Xin. Xin's story was really one of pain, loss, perseverance and ultimately, forgiveness; and what she found in that forgiveness. Xin was stubborn and sometimes that got in the way of things, but I liked her. She really mostly did the best she could with trying to cope with new family, Cody, who she never thought she'd see again (baby daddy) and her past suddenly coming alive again. Cody came in like a freight train with his feelings and emotions blasting through. He was high-handed at times, and a bit sneaky with how he came in there, but his motives were true. There were bits of the story I wanted more fleshing out of concerning Xin's childhood, but her reactions and feeling of faithlessness in anyone but herself to depend on started there and really hit an emotional note; and it was one Cody had to come to understand. It guided all her actions. Also, the Triple X posse on the scene was something else! Stay on their good sides!

Overall, this was a decent read. It had heart to it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[CLorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

First You Dream is book three in the Family Forever Series by Aliyah Burke. I have read all the “X” stories with the exception of Xandra’s. Each story builds on the one before and Ms. Burke just increases the wow factor with each book. The story starts with N'Jelle "Xin" Marx meeting with the three other Xs as she confronts them about their family connection. Reeling and hurt, she falls into the conveniently placed arms of Race car driver, Cody Gamino. Cody has come to the US for the sole purpose of meeting and racing with Xin. Unbeknownst to her, she is his obsession. Unfortunately, his plan does not go as he would have liked, and he finds that the woman he loves does not want to have anything to do with him. I found Xin to be more complex than the other three ladies (she definitely has more baggage) but Cody is determined to help her carry the load that life has given her. I really enjoyed this story and Cody was one of my favorite heroes!! There was one place (Kenny) where I would have loved more details, but that situation did not distract from this gripping story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Hawkeye K · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a moment to get into the story because I thought I had missed something at the beginning with the family drama in the bar. I soon realized in the first few pages that there was a lot of drama and unknown agendas at play. That is what turned this into a really good story with some fantastic characters to keep an eye on. N’Jelle is a racecar driver extraordinaire going through family drama who meets a man she should have recognized as a fellow racecar driver when she slept with him. Their one night stand lead to more than her losing her lead position on her race team to him but also she now has a tiny racer courtesy of him. What’s a racer to do. A lot happens in this story that weaves and builds the tension all the way to the finish line. As much as I enjoyed Xin, Cody and her sisters, I would love to see what happened to Dry. Sometimes I feel like he was the glue for Cody in this story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews]

One night is sometimes all you need!

Xin and Cody are both race drivers, although Xin has faced more adversity than Cody, simply because she is a woman and black. When her personal life becomes complicated, she has a one-night stand with Cody, not knowing who he is. Then things really hit the fan.

This is a fast-paced novel that I think would have read better for me if I’d read the first two books in the series. It jumps about a bit as well. The family situation was a complete blank to me, but I felt as though I should know some of it. And the crew Kenny was with? Who were they?

Cody is also a jerk for 90% of the book – arrogant and high-handed, thinking his way is the right way. I was happy when he got his act together and started behaving like a human, instead of a misogynistic ***!

This erotic story is full of drama so if that’s what you’re after, that’s what you’ll get.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Racer N'Jelle 'Xin' Marx has just met the father she never knew and she left the meeting in need of something different. A one night stand with a handsome man was just the thing until she tests pregnant six weeks later. Then she is called in by the racing team management to be told the team had a new top driver and she was demoted to second. Even worse, it was the man she had spent the night with. Race driver Cody Gamino had moved from Europe specifically to race with Xin but he did not expect her to quit the racing team. When Cody finds out that Xin is pregnant he wants to support her, but Xin has had a tough life and she does not trust easily. Can Cody get her to trust him?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[BreakingtheEpigraph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this story engaging from Xin's interaction with the three women until she is face to face with the mysterious stranger she had the one-night stand with and sees Cody Gamino again in her boss's office.
One thing I did not understand remains unresolved for me—the interaction with Richard. Richard made a threat to both Xin and Xafaa. Since the resolution wasn't played out on canvas, I assume it was resolved off.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Rated 4.5

[Willie-mai · Rating 5 out of 5]

First You Dream by Aliyah Burke is book three in the Family Forever series. It was well written and great character development, great word building and storyline. The chemistry between the main characters Cody and Xin was palpable. Both characters were stubborn and set in their ways but couldn’t fight the attraction between them. I would highly recommend this story and the other two books in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mylene Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two racers. One lead driver, top position. A one night stand, a positive pregnancy test and far too much family. Forgiveness is needed. Love and understanding too. Will Cody and N'Jelle get to the finish line and their HEA?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dee Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great addition to the series. Passionate and fierce, Xin and Cody have to fight to get to their HEA. A great family that backs each other no matter what, but also tell each other the hard truths. Fast paced with some unexpected twists, steam and great writing.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brenda Moser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book three in the series brings Cody and Xin's story. A one night stand brings an unexpected surprise. It's a story of love and forgiveness , has a few twists along with some steam and is an entertaining read. It's well written , moves quickly and smoothly and I enjoyed reading.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my won and freely given.

[Jocelyn Whaley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've only read one of Aliyah Burke's books and that was years ago. So, when I saw this one, I wanted to read it. I was glad that I did. I was not disappointed. First You Dream was a wonderful read. The interaction between the main characters was exciting to watch. My only regret is that I came in on the tail end of the series. One I will quickly rectify.

[TELA666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read Xaya' book so knew the 3 other x girls but I felt lacking when in came to Derrick and Kenny. More background would have helped. Overall I liked the plot and characters. My only negative is Cody' obsession with meeting Xin.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Victoria Ziglor-smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man That Was Good

Okay, now that’s why you my shero, I loved this series. Sister’s and cousin had it going own, as they say some bada$$es. I loved that they showed love to Xin and made her feel like she was apart of there family. Cody was true male, it made me smile that he came to the U.S. just to work with Xin. I love it all, okay what’s next I ready bring it on.

[Manisha Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a good read the characters Cody and N'Jelle have great chemistry. This book is a page turner it's a most definitely read .

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marie Snyder · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was decent short story. It could use a little fill so it doesn't jump so much. Good story line though and characters.

[Selina Durio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

The Triple X threat is now a Quad X threat! Xin is a great example of the strength of a woman that has had to fight for everything.

[Peace · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

[Nancy L Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could have been a lot more action at the end with her daughter. Especially after the threats that were made.