Fans of Ashley's Denver-set romantic suspense novels filled with lawmen, bikers, PIs, and strippers, will be satisfied if not blown away by this solid second entry in her Dream Team series. Stripper Ryn Jansen dreams of being a house flipper, but regularly puts her aspirations on the back burner in order to financially support her niece and nephew. When security expert Boone Sadler--a "commando" Ryn knows through her colleague Evie, the protagonist of Dream Maker--learns that Ryn's sister-in-law uses Ryn's monetary contributions for massages and retail therapy rather than food and field trips, it sets the stage for Ryn to re-evaluate her familial relationships. Simultaneously, the bad guy who kidnapped Ryn in the previous book tracks her down once more, pushing forward a series-serving plot about Boone and his team's investigation of a crew of dirty cops. On top of the drama, Ashley devotes plenty of space to the light BDSM relationship that develops between Boone and Ryn, who don't take long to settle into domestic bliss. It's a lot to juggle and at times the story feels overcrowded, but series fans will be pleased to return to this high-octane world and check in with familiar faces. Agent: Emily Sylvan Kim, Prospect Agency. (Dec.)

A stripper gets mixed up in a feud between a bad guy, the police, and a team of Denver commandos. Ryn Jansen has never had any regrets about stripping because the financial independence has allowed her to pursue her real dream of flipping houses. Even though she was able to purchase the right house for her first flip, she's put the project on hold to financially help her deadbeat brother's girlfriend and kids. However, commando Boone Sadler, Ryn's crush, appears and offers evidence that Ryn's not-quite sister-in-law has been scamming her, using the money for facials and massages instead of the mortgage and groceries. Ryn is angry and embarrassed and uses his interference as another reason to steer clear of Boone; yes, she's wildly attracted to him, but she's never had good luck with domineering men. However, after being kidnapped and released by Cisco, a man accused of killing a cop, Ryn feels she has no choice but to ask Boone and his commando friends for help. Cisco didn't hurt Ryn, but he did want her to pass on a message: He's innocent, and dirty cops on the Denver police force are the ones responsible for recent unrest and violence in the city. The main romance arc between Boone and Ryn stays in the spotlight, but there are plenty of cameo appearances by beloved characters from previous series to keep Ashley's fans happy. Stream-of-consciousness prose and propulsive, action-packed plotting will please old fans and draw in new readers. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Ashley continues her steamy Dream Team series (Dream Maker, 2020), a spin-off of her Dream Man and Rock Chick series. Dancer by night and aspiring house flipper by day, Ryn Jansen has clear goals and dreams, but something is always standing in her way. Whether it's providing for her conniving family or getting kidnapped from a mall parking lot, she can't catch a break. But one thing is certain: she needs to stay away from commando Boone Sadler. A man that good-looking can bring nothing but heartbreak. When Boone approaches her with evidence that will catch her family in a lie, she finds herself unable to resist him. After all, Boone is a dom, so he is definitely the yin to her yang. When her troubles continue to snowball in the form of murder and dirty cops, she and Boone learn that trust is the only thing that will get them through. Ashley has another success on her hands, and fans of spicy romance will enjoy the introduction of a light dom/sub relationship in this latest installment.