Dreamover by Dani Diaz

Oh, young love! Amber and Nico have been best friends since the third grade, along with the other member of their little trio, Drew. During the last week of eighth grade, all three of them go on a field trip to Funnerland with the rest of their class. Their good friends Stella and Grace (who happen to be a couple as well) hang out with them as they enjoy the beach and boardwalk.

While Drew, Stella and Grace snooze on the sand, Amber and Nico hit the arcades, where they eventually (and adorably) admit their feelings for one another. The summer that follows is the best of their young lives, as they sink into the wonders of young love and first romance. Amber wistfully wishes that that summer could last forever.

Alas, high school is both imminent and inevitable. The upperclassmen make fun of all five of them, and Nico withdraws even further into himself. But perhaps of more concern for their friendships is the way that Amber and Nico begin cutting themselves off from the rest of their friends. Texts go unanswered, and group hangs devolve into one absenting themself to spend time with the other. Their friends try to be understanding, but the tension is still there.

Amber and Nico are happy to continue their tradition of sleepovers from back before they were romantically involved, tho their parents still do keep a weather eye on them. But one night, after a particularly intense video game session, the couple falls asleep on the couch in the basement. They wake to find themselves in the video game, and set off on a series of adventures that, at first, seem like everything they’ve ever wanted. As real world concerns filter into their dreams, however, the young lovers’ fears and insecurities will come to the forefront. Will they and their relationship be able to survive what they discover about one another?

This gentle romance convincingly explores the complexities of first love, as Amber and Nico try to figure out who they are as individuals and as a couple. They are, realistically and annoyingly, so wrapped up in each other that they absolutely let their other relationships slide, even as they worry about the future. Dani Diaz depicts their friendship and romance and the obstacles they face with deftness and compassion.

Mx Diaz’ art is wonderfully suited for this tale. The linework starts out a little roughly but definitely improves as the collection continues. The colorwork throughout is lovely: I hazard that this was all drawn by hand with inks and alcohol markers? The characters are cute and distinct and diverse, and it’s hard not to feel for all of them. That said I wasn’t a huge fan of Amber’s jokes about violence. Sure, she’s a ninth grader and likely not super cognizant of the real world corollaries — tho I imagine that she did learn a lesson about that in the dream world, alongside other important truths.

Overall, this was a satisfying slice of life romance with a smartly used dollop of magical realism. I loved most of all how it promoted the importance of friendship and communication: valuable lessons for anyone, whether in love or otherwise.

Dreamover by Dani Diaz was published January 14 2025 by Top Shelf Productions and is available from all good booksellers, including