I really enjoyed How Sweet It Is, the first book in this series by Dylan Newton, so I was very excited when this one came out!

Imani and Zander spent one night together many months ago after her best friend's wedding. Both went back to their lives, but now Imani is back in her hometown to help her grandmother out following surgery and she's bound to run into Zander. Well, maybe she'll repeatedly run into Zander! Zander hasn't forgotten the night the two of them spent together and now that Imani is back in his life, his plan is to prove to her that she needs to give them a chance. The question is, will she give in to him?

Zander and Imani couldn't be more different. Imani is loyal, dedicated, hard-working and isn't quite happy with her life, but isn't sure exactly what she needs to do to change it. Zander on the other hand, lives in the moment. He's more spontaneous, doesn't worry as much about the future and he's got a great sense of humor and quick wit.

The chemistry between Imani and Zander was blazing! It jumped off the page at you and the connection between them is so wonderful. I think their differences really help to balance them as a couple and make them that much stronger. There are some serious issues that are focused on in the book as well and I feel like Newton did a wonderful job with handling those. These additions made the story feel very real and relatable.

This was a really great rom-com and one that I would highly recommend!

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

Happy Pub Day to Dylan Newton and her newest release! If you enjoyed her last book, How Sweet it Is - you will love this one too! I find Newton’s writing so easy to read with great flow. Zander is a dream man (hot, handy, artist!!!). The book is feels very light, but there are some heavy topics blended in.

Read it if you love::
•small town romance
•opposites attract
•duel perspectives
•guy falls first
•sweet and funny Grandmas
•annoying talking birds
•such a great ending!

I am here for ALL of the Matthews brothers! After falling a little bit in love with Drake in How Sweet It Is, I tumbled head over heels for swoony, go-with-the-flow Zander. Several months ago, after the wedding of Drake and Kate, Zander hooked up for a one (two) night stand with Kate's bestie, Imani. And then...she ghosted him.

Now Imani is back in town, supporting Kate as she nears the end of her pregnancy and preparing to help her grandmother Gigi after knee surgery. Side note: Gigi is hilarious and inappropriate and everything I hope I am as a grandmother some day. She also has an African Grey Parrot named Lancelot, who is full of sass and has a filthy mouth and I would like him to come home with me now please.

So Zander is still holding a torch for Imani, and Imani is trying to keep him at arms length in the friend zone, but we all know that never works as planned. I loved watching the personal growth of both of our main characters, and Imani's anxiety disorder, PTSD, and panic attacks were genuinely represented, and I very much appreciated that. There is room for serious topics in a lighthearted romance, and I'm always pleased when it is done well.

Just a note if you have not read How Sweet It Is: although All Fired Up would be fine as a standalone, I recommend starting with the first book so that you get a better feel for the supporting characters and the setting. Although these books are not presented or marketed as a series, they very much are. And I'm so looking forward to book three!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes great characters just need to get out of their own way and Dylan Newton delivers readers that in All Fired Up.

This opposites-attract story brings us closer to Imani (Kate's best friend from Dylan's earlier book How Sweet It Is). There's undeniable chemistry between her and Drake's youngest brother Zander, but Imani is holding back.

I liked that this could work as a standalone book, with fun, new characters like Dylan's sassy Grandmother and even more inappropriate parrot! But I really enjoyed catching up with the characters from How Sweet It Is.

I am looking forward to reading Ryker's story next! Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for providing me with an advanced copy and the opportunity to provide my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Forever and Dylan Newton for the gifted copy of All Fired Up! All opinions in this review are my own.

In the sequel to How Sweet It Is, Kate's best friend Imani is trying to forget the amazing nights she had with Zander Matthews. Enough time has passed that it shouldn't be a problem, but when Imani is staying in town to take care of her grandmother, she is finding it hard to forget him.

First of all, oh my god Zander Matthews! It is truly a wonder that Imani is able to keep her wits about her around him. I did like that Zander was the one to truly fall hard first and spent a lot of time trying to convince Imani that he was more than just a go with the flow guy.

I also love how All Fired Up builds on the first book. Even though Imani and Zander are the focus this time, Kate and Drake are still very much apart of it. I can't wait to see what is still in store for the final Matthews brother!

My thanks to Forever Publishing and Netgalley for an advanced copy of All Fired Up.

3.5 stars rounded down. This book was a perfectly refreshing palate cleanser romance. It is part of a series, which I discovered midway through, but can definitely be read as a standalone. The premise of this was strong-- one night stand with your best friend's brother in law, small town summer fling, fun cast of characters.

There are some fun antics in this book-- Imani's grandmother Gigi is a hoot, along with their foul-mouthed bird. There are sweet small town vibes and while this is mostly fluffy, there are some heavier themes of grief and mental health. Imani's mental health struggles were well handled and there are some discussions of PTSD. I appreciated that Zander let Imani take the reins on their relationship and I always love when the guy falls hard first.

This is a bit of a slow burn and because it's written in third person, I didn't totally buy the chemistry between Zander and Imani. Also, this would've been the perfect opportunity for a Ghost moment and it didn't happen! I also thought the third act breakup was a little harsh with a kind of abrupt ending.

Overall, this is a good mom-read and while it won't really stand out in my memory, would be the perfect book to bring to the beach with you this summer.

This was as cute as I expected!⁣
⁣
I was lucky enough to receive an e-ARC and audio ARC and got to go back and forth. I always enjoy the narration when they have dual narrators. It made me smile and laugh while listening and was just what I needed. ⁣
⁣
Imani is a workaholic visiting her bestie and her gram who is having knee surgery. Zander is her besties’ husbands’ brother and always seems to be around.⁣
⁣
The banter and chemistry between these two is laugh out loud funny. Imani tends to be tightly wound and Zander is laid back and loves a good joke. Zander helps get Imani out of her head, but also is so sweet and seems to have the whole town wrapped around his finger. He would give the shirt off his back to anyone who needs it. ⁣
⁣
Don’t get me started on grams, she was HILARIOUS. She had me cracking up. ⁣
⁣
Thank you for the gifted ARC. I adored this one!⁣
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Imani is a workaholic and a list maker. She’s headed to spend the summer taking care of her feisty grandmother who needs knee surgery. Her fairly recent newlywed best friend, who lives in the same town as grams, is pregnant with her first baby. She’s bound to run into Zander, her two-night stand from her best friends wedding, who is also her best friend’s BIL that she basically ghosted!

I haven’t read the first book in this series but enjoyed this one. I loved Imani and her best friend; I could relate to them a lot in personality and habits! Grams was also THE BEST. She was always encouraging Imani to get out there and follow her heart! Super feisty and fun to be around, plus her cooking.👌🏼 The parrot was a cute and slightly annoying addition. 😅

And then there’s Zander. The kind of guy who goes out of his way to help others, who lives in the now, and is crafty and handy. I loved that he turned to his brother for advice and took it! I also loved that he knew what he wanted, went after it, even in a back off way. I really loved how the author incorporated Marine life into his and his brother’s story as well.

Imani and Zander’s banter and spark was fun! But they also learned from each other and had character growth. Your partner should make you a better person and that definitely is something that’s incorporated in this one. I really enjoyed the hot air ballon scene!

I tend to go into books blind so coincidentally a lot of things were EXTREMELY relatable for me while reading this, as a pregnant woman nearly ready to pop, who visited her sick grandmother, and danced growing up and through college. Definitely a cute book that brought out the feels!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

All Fired Up is the second book in the Matthews Brothers series, following up on Kate Sweet and oldest Matthews brother Drake’s story from How Sweet It Is. This time it’s the youngest brother Zander’s story with Kate’s BFF Imani.

After an incredible two-night stand at Kate and Drake’s wedding, the pair went their separate ways. A year later, Imani is back in town to prepare for Kate’s baby shower and her grandmother Gigi’s surgery. Zander is quick to welcome her back and pick things up where they left off, feeling a strong connection with her and wanting to date. Imani, on the other hand, wants to just be friends, feeling overwhelmed with taking care of Gigi and work and the anniversary of her mother’s death. Believing that Zander’s happy-go-lucky, take life as it comes attitude isn’t conducive to a real relationship, Imani tries to resist Zander at every turn. But his steadfast support and friendship makes it difficult. As the pair continue to spend time together, they see that maybe there is hope for them after all… because opposites attract.

Sweet, a little steamy, and a great representation on why mental health matters. Cannot wait to read Ryker’s story!

All Fired Up by Dylan Newton was on my must read list. You see, Newton cemented her way on my list with How Sweet It Is and the whole upstate New York in autumn setting which is my ideal. As it turns out, How Sweet It Is was not a fluke. I also genuinely enjoyed All Fired Up. This book is also set in Wellsville, which is in Western New York, near Buffalo during summer. I won’t lie, I am hoping maybe the book featuring the third brother is set during winter or spring. Give me all the upstate seasons!

All Fired Up by Dylan Newton was on my must read list. You see, Newton cemented her way on my list with How Sweet It Is

Newton’s latest, All Fired Up, follows Imani, a high powered publishing publicist. Imani is hyper organized and always on the go. She is consistently putting out so many fires at once. As she is promoted, the pressures continue to rise. However, this summer she finds herself in Wellsville taking care of her grandmother who will be recovering from surgery. Imani is forced to slow down a little bit.

Kate from the previous book is pregnant and due with her baby over the summer. At Kate’s wedding, Imani hooked up with Drake’s brother, Zander. She had planned to not let it go anywhere — especially as Zander has a more lackadaisical approach to life than Imani does. The chemistry is too intense to ignore, though. And so, Zander and Imani end up exploring the feelings between them.


I fully liked All Fired Up. Dylan Newton had me falling for Imani and Zander. Both characters have their strengths and their charms. I could find things to relate to for each of them. Imani’s care for her grandmother was so sweet – by the way. And Zander was someone everyone in town could rely on and people came to for help. Also, there’s a parrot who is kind of funny in the scenes he is in. The adult scenes were decent too — not too overwhelming and made sense in context. This book is such a fast read and was one I looked forward to winding down with. I cannot wait to see what’s next from Dylan Newton — particularly the book about the third brother.

First I was not aware this book is the second in a “series” and now I want to go back and read the first one and then re-read this one.

9 months after a one night stand Zander and Imani are reunited. But this time things are all fired up!

Such a cute romantic story that I never wanted to finish the book! And can’t wait to read more by Dylan Newton.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for a copy of this book. This is my honest voluntary review.

***BOOK REVIEW***

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: All Fired Up
Author: Dylan Newton

I really enjoyed All Fired Up. I mean who doesn’t love a Matthews Brother!

I felt for Imani and all the issues she was overcoming and Zander is the perfect book boyfriend. So understanding and willing to everything and anything to get the girl 😍

Lancelot was my favorite character, he was funny and you never knew what that crazy bird was gonna do next.

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for a copy of All Fired Up for an honest review

I absolutely adored this installment of the Matthews brothers series! Imani and Zander are so meant to be and watching them (her) figure it out and find there way to each other was a complete joy. This was such a fun ride through the second chance romance trope with the perfect amount of spice and I can't wait for Ryker's story.

After a one-night stand with Zander, the youngest Matthews brother, Imani intends to think of that weekend as a momentary lapse in judgment and put it behind her, despite feeling a connection with him. However, when Imani takes off from work to help Kate, her best friend, and Gigi, her grandmother, for the summer, she doesn’t expect to run into Zander so soon. Zander was crushed when Imani ghosted him after their one-night stand and her presence in his small town is all the chance he needs to convince her that they could have something real together. All Fired Up by Dylan Newton was such an adorable read that will have readers smiling the whole way through.

This romance was exactly what I needed. It was certainly the perfect read to start off the warmer weather. Plus, All Fired Up is primarily set in Buffalo, NY, which gave it an extra bonus since it's nice to see books set in New York without the setting be New York City.

I haven't read a book by Dylan Newton before but I came to the realization quickly that this book can be read as a companion novel to Newton’s As Sweet It Is, which follows another Matthew's brother falling in love. While I can't speak on what happened in that book, Newton updated us pretty quickly on where readers were in the story.

Newton’s decision to give the two love interests a history with their one-night stand, which happens off-page, and give Zander unrequited feelings in the beginning of the book is not something I see often in romance. After all, it’s the buildup of the relationship that readers love. However, Zander’s feelings allowed the story to hit the ground running with cute gestures and longing glances right away. And while I don't think it would normally work, it definitely works in All Fired Up without taking away the development of the romance. Newton’s writing made the relationship believable without being cheesy.

Speaking of cheese (haha), Imani is lactose intolerant. I appreciate the representation as I am also lactose intolerant. It was a great detail to add as I've never come across another book character with such intolerance. Newton built her characters on little details that truly made all of them, even the side characters, feel real and human.

There’s even a pet parrot who talks. In terms of pets, readers have come across dogs and cats but parrots are rarer to come by in contemporary books. Every scene with the parrot in it brings me so much joy. He provides some great comic relief that will have you laughing out loud!

This was such a lovely book! I can't wait to read more from Newton in the future. Just thinking about the book, several days after finishing it now, it still brings a smile to my face.

Overall, All Fired Up is the perfect book for the summer. Newton’s lovely writing coupled with amazing characters makes this book fantastic for fans of romance. You definitely do not want to miss this cute read!

Hyper organized? Always planning for any possibility? Feeling responsible for the people you love and never asking for help? Dealing with grief and loss of a parent (or not dealing with it, as the case may be)? Afraid to open yourself up to a partner? Terrified by loss of control?

Check, check, and check.

I connected so deeply with Imani's character. She's dealing with family obligations and trying to make a big decision about her career, and along the way she has stopped prioritizing her own dreams and desires. She got a glimpse of what could be during a weekend with Zander, but then panicked and never called him again - so when she finds him back in her life when she returns home to help nurse her grandmother through knee surgery, she's unprepared to face him, or the sizzling hot connection between them.

Zander has a lot in common with Imani - at their cores, they're both trying to cope with grief without asking for help - but it manifests very differently. He lives for the moment, pursuing whatever brings him joy and resisting putting down roots that would only hold him back. However, his desire for Imani makes him rethink this carefree approach to life.

I loved that both characters were so realistic in their flaws. Sometimes romances lean too heavily into one messed-up character and one hero, but Imani and Zander truly end up saving each other and helping each other grow into better people. Beyond that, the sexual tension was off the charts - I was rooting for them to overcome all their barriers to reconnect physically, because whoa, it was spicy! Best of all, the story doesn't shy away from humor - I laughed out loud at many points (the sparkly pink crop top! the sneakers during the hospital scene!).

Easily one of the best all-around romances I've read recently - highly, highly recommend.

I’m going to start off my saying that I really liked Dylan’s first book 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘚𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘐𝘵 𝘐𝘴. I read it last October and it was cute and the perfect Fall read.

That being said, I did not gel with this book. I wanted to DNF actually. It started off strong for me, but went downhill quickly. I wanted to like it, but felt zero connections with the characters and honestly didn’t care for Imani. I thought she was really rude to Zander and I have no clue why he was interested in her and kept trying. If the roles had been reversed then he’d be known as a horrible guy. So why was it okay for her to do that to him? 🤔

I also felt like there just wasn’t much of a story. It finally picks up a bit in the last 25% of the book. The jokes fell flat and the chapters were long. I needed more of a background story for both Imani and Zander. I needed more from the author to understand them. Oh!! And if I had a $1 for every time the word “nipple” is said (most of the time it wasn’t even during a steamy scene) then I’d be rich! 🥴🤦🏻‍♀️

The only character I found myself interested in was Ryker, which I guess is a good thing because his story comes out next year so maybe I’ll give it a shot.

DNF at 55%

This book just wasn’t for me. At 55% I literally looked at my husband and said “I just want it to be over”...figured that was a good sign to not force myself to finish it.

Imani as a character drove me crazy the longer she was on page. She was frustrating, immature and selfish to the point that I was actively disliking her more and more every minute. Imani had a lot of things that she needed to sort out in her life before she could start doing something for herself but the journey to get there was too painful for me to stick around long enough to see how it would play out.

Zander is such a cinnamon roll hero and would probably bend over backwards for Imani even though she’s nothing but rude to him for most of the first half of the book. I found myself questioning why he was even interested in pursuing something more with Imani because there wasn’t much chemistry there and she treated him really poorly.

Also, this included one of my biggest book pet peeves - this is the second book in a series and it’s mentioned literally nowhere in the blurb, promotions or any of the pages before the story begins. Even though it could be read as a standalone, these two characters are introduced in How Sweet It Is and the MCs from How Sweet It Is play a big role in this story (as least what I read of it). I really dislike starting a series in the middle and would have loved to know that I should have read the first book before diving into this one.

Last summer I loved How Sweet It Is, the debut romance by Dylan Newton, and I was so excited to get an ARC of her follow-up, All Fired Up, which involves characters from the previous novel. Zander, the love interest in this one, is the youngest brother of Drake the novelist from How Sweet It Is, and he runs a pottery studio called All Fired Up. Zander has a joie de vivre, and I loved reading about the reasons for his positivity. Imani, Drake’s publicist and best friend of his wife, the event planner in How Sweet It Is, is in upstate New York for the summer helping her grandmother recover from knee surgery. Zander and Imani have intense attraction and a previous history, having hooked up at Drake and Kate’s wedding, but they are attempting to be friends while Imani is in town. The book includes some hilarious parts, like the foul mouthed parrot, and some really sweet parts, like the hot air balloon ride and creating replacement vintage tiles for Imani’s grandmother’s fireplace. And there are some steamy scenes, too 🌶️
Have you ever made your own pottery?
I grew up attending a day camp with a really awesome arts program that I later worked in as a craft instructor - making candles, mosaics, lanyards, etc. My friend Susannah was in charge of the pottery program, and I had so much fun learning how to make pottery - some works looked a lot nicer than others, but my mom has most of my creations in use around her house! Susannah is now a lawyer, and a few years ago we both worked in the same town (in MA, not NJ where we are from!) and shared some students on our caseloads, so we attended IEP meetings together, 12+ years after last working together! Isn’t that crazy? Anyway, she has her own Etsy shop with her pottery (The Tiki Queen), and I kept thinking about her pottery when I was reading All Fired Up!
I really enjoyed this one - many thanks to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. All Fired Up comes out on Tuesday, 5/17 - and if you haven’t checked out How Sweet It Is, I definitely recommend that one, too, but you don’t have to read them in order!

3.5 ⭐️

I did not read Kate and Drakes story, so I missed some back story. However, I still loved Imani and Zander. Their story was sweet, I loved how their relationship built. There were some parts that felt rushed, like with Gigi or Kate, but overall, I enjoyed the story and will read both Drake and Ryker’s books.

This was such a good book! I loved How Sweet It Is from the same author, and this story was just as great! It gave me exactly what I expect from a contemporary romance.

It's about a publicist named Imani who takes some time off from her hectic career to stay with her Grandmother and help out as she recovers from knee surgery. But that also means being back in the small town where she had a one night stand at her best friend's wedding with a guy named Zander. He is a former marine and a handy guy who had never quite gotten over Imani since their night together. He really doesn't want to get hurt again but he strikes up a deal with Imani. He will help her fix up her Grandmother's house, which is in need of some repairs, as long as they stay firmly in the friend zone. That, of course, is easier said than done!

I really loved the chemistry between the pair and their flirty banter. There were sweet moments paired with funny moments and a couple of steamy scenes. If you read How Sweet It Is, in this story we get appearances from Kate and Drake, which was really fun! I really enjoyed this book and hope you'll pick up!