Brick.

Snoopy.

Honey pie.

Honeybee.

These are the nicknames that retired hockey player Lucian (Luc/Oz) Osmond and actress Emma Maron come up with for each other in this incredibly tender, sweet, sexy book.

Honestly, when Kristen Callihan hits it out of the park (and she mostly always hits it out of the park), it’s just so good and breathtaking, I can hardly figure out the words to give it due credit.

This book has some of the hallmarks that make a contemporary romance work for me.

The two main characters for instance:

Lucian is gruff on the exterior and hiding a soft, tender interior. He has been forced into retirement after sustaining one too many concussions as a professional hockey player. While his brain may be healing, he himself is struggling to redefine himself beyond the parameters of the sport he holds so dear, questioning his self-worth and seeking solace in his grandmother’s estate in California, where he loses himself in baking and cooking to find his peace.

Enter Emma, star of the hit show Dark Castle. Unceremoniously fired from the show when her characters gets axed (literally) and then coming home to find her live-in professional football player boyfriend fucking another woman, she finds herself in need of an emotional reset and when her grandmother’s friend invites her to seek that refuge on her estate, Rosemont, she finds herself unexpectedly falling for the broody, handsome grandson of the owner, Lucian.

While both of these characters are broken and in need of healing, vulnerable and uncertain of what the future holds, they are in no way weak (despite what Luc believes of himself) and each gives as good as they get. This brings us to the banter and my GOD does Kristen Callihan deliver on banter. Their exchanges are in turn witty and acerbic, sharp and sweet, sexy and tender. And when Luc unintentionally begins to woo Emma with his baked goods, both Emma and I are done for. It is the sexiest foreplay - seriously, who wouldn’t want a sexy, ripped former professional athlete spending hours upon hours everyday crafting the most delectable pastries to tempt your palate. As far as coded seduction techniques go, this one is a winner.

Luc and Emma have some help in the form of secondary characters to stumble their way to their HEA. Aside from Luc’s aforementioned grandmother, (Mamie to Luc, Amalie to everyone else), there’s Sal, the stylist with a penchant for makeup who resides on Amalie’s property, Luc’s former teammate Brommy who knocks some sense into Luc, and his two cousins, Tina and Ant, who show up for a visit with the family. Macon Saint, the hero of Kristen Callihan’s last book and Emma’s costar on Dark Castle also shows up as does Delilah, his love interest, and we get to tag along with Emma and Luc to their wedding in Malibu, a delightful treat for fans of Dear Enemy.

But it’s the banter and slow simmering sexual tension that give this book the edge. Not everyone likes slow simmering sexual tension, I get it. And while Honey Pie and his Honeybee have some close encounters of the sexual variety, they don’t have actual sexual intercourse until about 75% into the book. And I know that’s a dealbreaker for many. But in this instance, it works, helping to highlight the want, the need, the absolute desire each character has for the other and the way it builds and builds and builds. Both Luc and Emma have hang ups, fears that hold them back from going for what they truly want, and Luc especially allows his despondency over losing his career to temporarily blind him to what’s right in front of him. But these two stubborn, willful, annoying yet endearing characters do find their way back to each other and the romance between them is, much like Luc’s delectable pastries, sweet, a little sharp, and utterly delicious.

This one was a total winner in my eyes.

I absolutely loved this delicious story. It’s everything I love about a romance novel. It’s very sensual, very playful, but at the same time full of longing, hope, and redemption. It’s a slow burn that masterfully builds the tension between the hero and heroine and the payoff sure is sweet.

Emma and Lucian meet while both are feeling down and lost, and together they bring themselves back to life. The spark between the two is immediate as they both hide out at Lucian’s grandmother’s estate, but each has felt an earth-shattering loss recently and neither thinks they’re in the right place to start something.

They start to relax their guard as their friendship grows, and eventually they can’t resist each other any longer. They don’t “fix” each other but they make the path to happiness a whole lot clearer. I loved how they brought out the best in each other, and acted as a source of light and hope to each other. The slow burn turns into a raging fire when they finally succumb to their feelings and I absolutely loved it. Their relationship is so heart-wrenchingly sweet, and so were Lucian’s confections.

The desserts themselves were their own character, and the love and care that Lucian put into their creation was a beautiful thing to behold. He poured his heart into them, and let them speak of his care for Emma when he couldn’t use his words to do so.

I was giddy reading it. I never wanted it to end, but I couldn’t stop flying through the pages. All the stars, hearts, and pastries for this beautiful story!

Ooooohhhh, you guys? Kristen Callihan delivered the good stuff with Make it Sweet. The tender, sensual, deeply layered, decadently emotional good stuff.

I adored Emma and Lucian's story. Their chemistry sparked in a way that caught my heart's attention immediately, and I was effortlessly charmed by their banter which was the perfect balance of smart, flirty, and affectionate. The connection they had felt so organic to me - their relationship was a slow, scintillating burn going from antagonistic, wary strangers, to reluctant friends, to lovers, in a way that swept me up, captured my heart, and kept me on the hook as they found their way toward love.

I loved how Emma and Lucian's hearts were drawn to each other. I loved how their internal goodness shined so brightly through their brokenness, even as they couldn't feel it within themselves. I loved how they brought each other to life, how they lit each other up, and how completely positive and healthy their relationship was. Even when they couldn't get out of their own way. Even when they had to make their own mistakes. Even when it hurt. There was always an undercurrent of love in every interaction between them - even the angry ones - and man, but that just made the story feel so much more powerful to me.

And, can we talk about the role of food in this story? Holy moly. It was a romance in and of itself. The descriptions and passion behind the way the food was prepared and delivered, the role Ms. Callihan gave it was that of a love language and it was so perfectly executed. I felt it. I craved it. And I loved the way it weaved itself into the storyline, adding another layer of depth in the most satisfying way.

In the end, Make it Sweet was a powerful sort of love story. It had so much more depth than I was expecting and it hit me a little differently - in the best way. I loved every single second I spent with these amazing characters. This was a practically perfect reading experience -- brimming with romance and swoony sentiments. Sizzling with heat and infused with just enough emotional complexity that I felt like I knew these characters. They became my friends. I cheered for them and ached for them and let my heart fill to bursting for their happily ever after. It was just good stuff and I'm a little sad that it's over. Hoping that there is so much more where this came from. An effortless and enthusiastic five stars - definitely recommend!

Where a lot of contemporary romances are very light on the actual romance, this one is the real deal, tropes and all. I appreciated that the characters had great chemistry. While hockey players are not a particular interest of mine, a hockey player turned baker is much more fun. The writing about the patisserie in this book was lovely! For me, the downsides were that the forces keeping the couple apart, namely toxic masculinity and an evil ex, were really very tired for me. Can we just get some therapy already for these men? In the bleak moment, the way Luc truly undoes all the progress he's made made me really question whether he was ready for an HEA? That said, it was still a very fun read with some great side characters, too.

3.5 STARS

Despite a very popular and well-liked actress, Emma is having a no good, very bad day. As Princess Anya on the wildly popular Game of Thrones type of show, DARK CASTLE, she was at the top of her game until the axe fell…literally on killing off her character. Since the show has six more months until the finale, she is sworn to secrecy. If that huge blow wasn’t bad enough, Emma returns home early to find her Pro football player boyfriend being very unfaithful. Offered a chance to hide out on a beautiful California estate by a friend of her grandmother’s, Emma jumps at the idea of peace and sanctuary.

Another refugee from fame so to speak is the owner’s grandson, Lucian Ormond, whose hockey career came to an end in a nearly deadly way. Hockey was the be all, end all for Lucian so he is having a hard time dealing with the loss and is adamantly not interested in an actress in bad straits herself no matter how charming and beautiful. Lucian has other talents besides being on the ice. His great grandfather was a famous French pastry chef whom taught Lucian all about making luscious, scrumptious breads and desserts. As an actress, Emma normally eschewed such decadence, now however, she finds a lot of comfort in the intense and explosive flavors. Emma is amazed to learn her grumpy, standoffish neighbor at Rosemount is the man behind the treats.

These two very wounded people do a complicated dance around one another until they begin to take the tentative steps towards a relationship never wants but seem to cannot resist. Living in the fish bowl world of fame for both Emma and Lucian has made them very cautious about who they trust. Whether they can move forward together remains to be seen. Lucian’s attitude towards not being able to play the game he loved as well as Emma’s career upset plays heavily in their relationship causing some major bumps along the way. A pastry chef hockey player is definitely something very different with the two careers seeming to be polar opposites.

As usual with this author, the writing is often witty and pithy with characters who are well developed. This story has quite the steamy side as well as lots of major angst and emotional challenges. The descriptions of Lucian’s pastry will make readers’ mouths water wishing they could enjoy them right along with Emma. Ms. Callahan seems intent in playing on all her readers' senses in this romance.

Make It Sweet was such an enjoyable read for me! Take a retired hockey player who is trying to find his way and an actress that is in between roles and you have a wonderful friends to lovers romance.

Lucian Osmond was at the top of his game when he was sidelined with yet another concussion. Input from the doctors said it was time to hang up his skates and while he knew it was the right move, he still wishes with everything in him he was on the ice with his teammates. Heading west to live with his grandmother, Lucian spends his days in the kitchen with his other love, baking, while still trying to find his way after hockey.

Emma Maron is an actress who was just let go from the role that she not only originated, but made her such a star. It was not something she was expecting and since she can't talk about it, her grandmother suggested she head to Rosemont, the homestead of a friend of hers, to rest and regroup. Emma has also just broken up with her boyfriend, who she realized was cheating on her. Needless to say, she has a lot to process.

Lucian is drawn to Emma immediately when he meets her and he begins to woo her through his tasty treats from the kitchen. She doesn't realize it's him at first, but in time she figures it out. The two fight their attraction for quite some time, but they finally realize that it may be worth taking down their walls to explore what is happening between them. Can they make it work between them?

There was so much to love about this story. I enjoyed all of the baking jargon, as I've never read a romance quite like this one. I liked how Callihan laid out the struggle that Lucian was having. I have no doubt that is exactly what any professional athlete facing the end of their career prematurely would go through. I liked that Emma was so supportive and was able to "get him" in a way not many others could given her acting background.

Definitely a sweet treat to pick up and enjoy!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Not sure what specifically drew me to this book, as I haven't read this author before. But I'm glad I did. Emma's an actress, Lucian is a hockey player, but they both are at a crossroads in their life and coming out of sucky relationships. It's in between fluffy and angsty. The physical chemistry was immediate with these two and their thoughts in the beginning were almost ridiculous, there was definitely an attraction. The other stuff built at a steady pace.

I loved the food foreplay, he wooed her with his baking and I was into it. I loved a lot of the side characters, and I slowly fell in love with Luc and Em. I admire that she's not afraid to fight and be honest and vulnerable. I was surprised to find myself crying more than once, and this had more to it than I went in expecting. I really enjoyed it and will for sure read more by her in the future.

Headlines:
Grumpy guy
Pastries and baking
Inuendo and double entendre for days
Funny and sweet

Make It Sweet was a satisfying contemporary romance with two protagonists steeped in fame but crashing to earth. This was a dual POV story and that really brought a richness to the narrative.

These characters were opposites in many ways and wary of one another but there sure was was chem-is-try. Once I got over the initially irritating cream innuendos…they made more sense as time went on, I was sold on this story. There were definitely shades of Game of Thrones context for the heroine Emma and I liked that visualisation in the background. Luc had struggles with his career and he was the type of man who found it hard to open up.

I think we read a lot of contemporary romance where the heroine is trying to ‘find herself’ and I enjoyed this turn of tables where it was the hero finding his direction.

Back to the chemistry I alluded to earlier, this read had quite a bit of heat and coupled with the baking context that made for some funny loaded banter and dialogue. I did settle into this and eye rolled/laughed my way through. I found it all endearing on the whole. I will add that Kristen Callihan knows how to write that kind of scene.

This standalone was a great romance, with a rich storyline, good side characters in addtion to the main characters and a lovely culmination. I just loved where it ended and it wasn’t an obvious ending.

Thank you to Montlake for the early review copy.

I didn't have very high expectation for this book but it was fantastic. Poor wounded Lucian who doesn't think he is worthy since his injury and Emma being unsure of her career fit perfectly together once the let go of their baggage and grew together. This book also had a super high spice level that I wasn't expecting but was nice. Also Lucian was a pro baker the only thing that could've made this book better would've been to have the recipes that he made throughout the story available.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

Okay so I knew that diving into this beauty I was going to instantly fall in love. And oh dear did I fall HARD! These characters are just out of this world amazing, with that being said, their chemistry is off the charts in a way that has you drooling and turning every single page for more and more.

I wish Kristen would write more through out the year to be honest, but the fact that she gives us at least one or two novels a year gives me so much hope and makes my heart flutter because I know that her writing is just one of a kind and every single character can be sympathized with, especially those who struggle emotionally.

3.5/ 5 stars

Make It Sweet is a sexy contemporary romance. I would also consider it a sports romance as hockey is an important part of the book. It can be read as a standalone. However the main characters from Dear Enemy have a small part in this book.

The book has a dual POV. The female POV is Emma (27 years old - 1st person POV). She is a famous actress. The male POV is Lucian/Luc/Oz (28 years old - 1st person POV). He is a hockey player.

The prologue started off quite intense with a lot happening. It was a very good set up for the rest of the book.

The setting for this book was mostly at Rosemont, an estate in California owned by Lucian's grandmother Amalie. It was a really great setting.

My favorite things about the book: I loved Lucian's grandmother. She was so fun and funny. And I loved the baking aspect of the story (one of the characters is a great baker).

This book was cute, fun and very sexy. It was an enjoyable book. It was a very quick read. However I just wanted more. The couple was good. But most of it was too predictable.

The last part of the book was definitely the best. There were actually scenes that I was not anticipating. And overall the book left me with a good feeling. But the epilogue was too sexy for me, which is a pet peeve. But I think that many readers will enjoy it.

This book is quintessentially Kristen Callihan - mega famous characters dealing with trauma and difficult topics, turning to each other first for companionship and support as they grow as people. Lovely relationship with hot, steamy scenes and delectablly deep characters.

Make it Sweet is just that. A sweet friends to lovers romance. It was very exciting that some of the characters from Dear Enemy made appearances.
Sadly Make it Sweet didn’t work for me. Emma and Luc’s romance lacked depth and I wasn’t invested or interested in them. Maybe it’s because it revolved around the same topics and it got repetitive fast.
The side characters in particular Luc’s grandmother and her assistant Sal were great additions but not enough to keep me interested.
Luc enjoys cooking and sadly it took to much focus away from what I really needed. More character and story development.
I’m a huge fan of this author so of course I’m disappointed that Make It Sweet wasn’t the book for me. Still I’m very excited about what’s to come from this author.

4/5 Stars

** I received this as an E-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!**

I had such a great time reading this. I loved it. I really enjoyed the writing and didn't want to put my book down. I liked the chemistry between the two main characters. I also wanted to eat all of the food mentioned in this book, everything sounded so good. My only complaint is that it felt too long and too short all at the same time. I think there were a few parts that could've been cut out and more added at the end. The end just felt very abrupt to me. Overall I had a great time and would recommend it!

Make It Sweet is sickly sweet, but in an uplifting way. Lucien and Emma have both received some hard knocks in life. He had to give up his hockey career and she is at an impasse in hers. They have an inauspicious beginning, but attraction flares quickly. I loved the intensity they felt for each other. Lucien is a total hottie so he was my favorite. He almost ruins everything, but had to realize what he had to lose to come to his senses. It was nice to read a love story that is fulfilling.

I love everything Kristen Callihan writes, so I was excited to read her newest book Make it Sweet. This is an enchanting story about two people who meet when they are both going through unexpected career change,s that leave their world tilting out of control.

Luc and Emma both come to Rosemont to licks their wounds when their careers go in unexpected directions. Their first encounter is momentous and they immediately dislike each other and don’t bother to hide it. Gradually, they come to admire each other and there is a lot of chemistry flowing between them. They do their best to ignore their growing feelings, but it is hard with all the sexual tension between them.

Luc is a former professional hockey player, who had one too many concussions and couldn’t take the chance of any more head injuries, so he reluctantly retired. Luc broke my heart. He is a tortured soul and is having a difficult time adjusting to his new life without hockey. Luc has many layers. He is reserved and has a tough exterior but inside he is soft and enjoys taking care of others.

Emma is shattered when she learns she is being let go from the popular TV show she stars in. Emma is beautiful and successful but she doesn’t have a big ego and her success hasn’t gone to her head. She is sweet and protective of those she cares about.

Luc and Emma meet at Rosemont where they both come to decompress and lick their wounds in private. I liked all their encounters and verbal foreplay. They are immediately attracted to each other but pretend they aren’t. This is a beautiful slow burn love story that is at times, is heartbreaking and at other times, lighthearted. Luc and Emma are good together and help each other heal. This beautiful sensual story brought out many of my emotions and left me with a good feeling. Satisfying and delicious.

Favorite parts of the book was every time Lucian blames Emma I've only wanted him for his cream. So the ending was perfect to me. I truly enjoyed this book and hope they're going to be others to follow with some of the other characters from the book.

A hockey player who bakes? Don’t mind me, I’m just still over here on the floor swooning. Seriously, though, Lucian is amazing. I wanted to knock some sense into him at times, but I love him so much. And Emma is just completely wonderful. Throw in the amazing side characters and you’ve got a book I can’t recommend enough!

There was just something about these characters and the story line that I could not just connect with. I liked that the hero loved to make these fantastic sweets that sounded delicious but this book just did not do it for me. I am a fan of Callihan, so I was disappointed in myself for not enjoying this. I guess I'm just used to those rockstars of hers. I appreciate the opportunity to read this title.


Arc provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it loved it, just simply Loved it!! Omg I didn't expect this one. The plot, the characters, the fantastic chemistry, the romance and ofcourse Callihan's writing made it such a huge hit! I am a Kristen Callihan fan and it was definitely one of my favorite book by the author! Just read it people. That's my recommendation. Simply loved it and can't gush about it enough.