his is the second book published by Dylan and I overall it was an enjoyable read.

Fun romance, lovable characters, found family and meddling grandma. One thing I thought was really well done was portraying the level of stress the female MC was under. When I was reading I thought I just ran a marathon, because she had so many things going on in her head and in her life.

I just didn't really connect with the story and certain situations didn't make sense to me, how they unfolded. I also would have liked to go deeper into certain topic, especially in regards to the male MC

I would still recommend if you're looking for a quick and fun romance. And I am still looking forward to book #3 which promises to be interesting (brother 3, amputation and veteran)

I was so intrigued by this cover when I first saw it. My parents fell in love while hot air ballooning so I was very interested in a book with something similar! I love books where the guy falls first and Zander was a great love interest! I'll definitely go back and read the "first" book.

Imani Lewis is an overworked, successful book publisher and she is returning home to take care of her grandmother and throw her best friend a baby shower. She plans to spend a little down time as well while her grandmother recovers from surgery. She has a few big decisions to mull over and now is the perfect time. Well it would be perfect if Zander Matthews didn't come back into her life. She had spent an amazing weekend with him a year prior and had ghosted him. She knew she would see him, being her best friend's brother in law and biggest client's brother. But she didn't realize how much he would be a part of her life this summer.

Imani and Zander live their lives as complete opposites. She lives by rules and schedules. He flies by the seat of his pants. She has a hard time finding the fun in life. He has all the fun.

Imani's loss of her mother has left her with the need to meticulously plan everything in her life so that nothing will surprise her again. If she is in control of every aspect of her life she won't lose anyone. She has also become everyone's care taker. If someone needs her, nothing will stop her from doing everything they need.

Like Imani, Zander helps everyone around him, he is the go to guy If something needs to be done. And he happily will take on as much as they throw at him. He lives life to its fullest.

The world that Dylan has created is so wonderful. Every character adds to the depth of the story. Everyone from Gigi to Kate to Lancelot to the May-I crew and many more, all make an impact.

I loved everything about this book. It is a wonderful story of second chances and discovering who you are and who you want to be. I highly recommend this book to everyone! My only complaint is that I can never read it again for the first time.

Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. I was also part of a traveling ARC, which I was provided for my honest review.

All Fired Up by Dylan Newtown is the 2nd novel in her “Matthews Brothers series” and has us falling in love with Zander and Imani. While I did read “How Sweet It Is” by Dylan Newton (the first novel in the series) it’s not necessary to have read it prior to reading this story.

Imani is a “Type A”, workaholic, who loves a to-do list and spreadsheet, while Zander enjoys living in the moment and seizing the day. Imani has taken a leave of absence for the summer to come and care for her Gigi (who’s having surgery), which also just happens to be in the same town where Zander lives and who she hooked up with at her friend’s wedding the previous year (and then she immediately ghosted him). As soon as the two reunite the chemistry between them is undeniable. Imani is in major denial regarding her feelings for Zander, and Zander is a total cinnamon roll, and I just adored him! It was great being able to reconnect with Kate and Drake (from How Sweet It Is) and Imani’s Gigi is so sassy and full of shenanigans herself – you’d wish she was your grandmother.

If you love dual POV, slow burn, and a little spice then I definitely recommend this book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the author (Dylan Newton) and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

All the stars for this opposites-attract romcom. Our two lovers spent one wild night together. And then nothing. No contact at all. Until they end up back in the same town for the summer. But they both have some things to figure out about their own lives before they can go all in on a romantic relationship with each other. Full of soul searching, family fun, and a bit of heat, All Fired Up will have you rooting for Imani and Zander from beginning to end. And yes, every much loved character from How Sweet It Is makes their own appearance, including Kate and Drake. I love this town and the Matthews family and can’t wait for Newton to write more!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Quick Summary: All Fired Up was all heart and the very best kind of sweet heat!

My Review: All Fired Up by Dylan Newton was a charmer. This book ticked my boxes for humor, playfulness, chemistry, drama, growth, and healing. It had main characters that I liked and a supportive cast that I could invest my attention into, such as Ryder, Tuck, and Gigi. It also had some unexpected texture, particularly associated with parental figures who were no longer present. Through Z and I's losses, it gave me a better idea about what shaped them and made them into who they came to be.

The Clinchers: Three clinchers sold me on this story.

1) The Pink XL scene (bahahahaha)
2) The Parrot on Repeat (the sweet heat upstairs)
3) The Hot Air Balloon (Surely, the friend was providing a heads up...because that was close!!!)

My Final Say: I love stories that have romance and passion, and this one certainly had that. More than that, this story had heart and humor.

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: NA to A

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher, and to NetGalley, who provided access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have expressed are my own and have not been influenced by the aforementioned in any way.

I loved Dylan Newton's debut, How Sweet It Is, so I was thrilled to hear this next book in the series was coming out. This series continues to be very sweet, funny, and un-put-down-able.

I love this cast of characters. Imani is someone you'd want in your corner. She's so great with Kate and Drake and her grandmother. She's the mom friend who always has her Mary Poppins bag with her for whatever you could need. Zander has this care-free reputation, but there's really more to him that meets the eye. He's one of the most loyal book boyfriends I've ever read. He is GONE for Imani and will do anything to prove that he's worth her time. You will fall in love with Zander.

Both MCs have been through trauma in the past that helped shape who they are and not necessarily in a positive way, but they end up helping each other see what they want out of life. They really need each other, in that aspect and it was fun to be along for the journey. Imani is a work horse who really needs to stop and live in the present while Zander is too much in the present and should focus on his future and they both help each other get to that realization
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I love the other familial relationships in this book. Imani's relationship with Gigi, her grandmother, is sweet and I love how spunky Gigi is. The Matthew's brothers and mom with their advice, teasing, and tough love is heartwarming, but also deep, at times. You learn quite a bit about Ryker's back story, which sets us up for book #3. We get to see our MCs from Book #1 go through the ups and downs of pregnancy and birth as a small side story.

There is a lot of hilarity that comes from Gigi and her sweary African Grey Parrot, Lancelot.

I thought the addition of Dylan's grandmother's Gulya (goulash) recipe and how to play May-I in the back of the book was a nice touch for readers.

Can't wait for Ryker's story, coming next year.

Thank you to Forever (GrandCentral Publishing) and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars

The hot air balloons on the cover had me obsessed from the beginning! Imani needs a break from normal life. Zander needs to get his together. After a romantic weekend hookup a few months before, the two are thrust together again..and have a hard time staying apart. Can they overcome their issues and find a happily ever after? This book will take your mood up, up, and away!

I loved reading this book. Told from alernating POVs you really get to see the wheels turning and feel all the feelings with the MCs. Ups, downs, twists and turns uncover characters with deep backstories and real, relatable problems. A little bit of spice goes a long way and the author doesn't make you wait forever for the resolution, which is great. This book wasn't problematic like other romcoms but was just good fun to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Grand Central Publishing for the advanced copy for this review.

This one really pains me to write because I wanted to love it so much and there were a lot of great things about it, but it just wasn’t a home run for me.

👍🏻Things I loved:

I loved picking back up with characters and the town I already knew from How Sweet It Is.

Zander is a gem of a man and is way too good for Imani, IMO.

Imani’s grandmother is a doll and I want her as my GiGi! She’s both hilarious and tough.

The dang bird 🦜

👎🏻Things that didn’t work for me:

Imani was hard for me to root for. She treated poor Zander terribly, constantly telling him he was only worth a fling because he didn’t have regular business hours? She came across as snobby and generally rubbed me the wrong way.

I loved Zander but he kept acting like a dog that likes to be kicked. I wanted him to realize his worth and stand up for himself instead of giving Imani chance after chance. I do love that he grew up a bit towards the end and made something for his future, but I wish he’d realize that he was already worthy enough before that. My heart broke for him every time someone said he wasn’t enough. 💔

The traumatic birth at the end seemed a bit unnecessary to me. It could have been left out or been less dramatic and would still have worked. Kate was already a bit annoying in this one (i loved her in the first book so I blame her being pregnant 😂) but it wasn’t Kate’s story and kind of turned into that towards the end.

🙏🏻Overall, it wasn’t my fav, but I still enjoyed reading it. I also can’t wait to read about the last Matthew’s brother!

I absolutely loved this story!

I laughed so much and completely fell in love with Imani and Zander. I was rooting so hard for them and wanted them to figure things out. They really complemented one another and worked well together. I enjoy when characters can learn and grown from one another. I also LOVED Gigi and her Lancelot. LOL

Additionally, I appreciated how the author brought back Kate and Drake. It was nice to still hear from them and see what they were up to and it was nice to see Imani and Kate continue their friendship. That made this world feel so real. I hate when characters lose their friendships as books continue.

I cannot wait to read book #3!

Well Dylan Newton worked magic again! This second chance, interracial, witty romance quickly left me feeling all the feels! I loved Imani helping her grandmother recover from surgery, I quickly connected with her from the very first page. The banter between Imani and Zander is *chef's kiss*. They are characters that will stick with me for a while! I truly enjoyed the way Dylan Newton wrote the mental health into the pages of this one with the panic attacks/PTSD. I also really enjoyed getting a look at Kate/Drake from How Sweet It Is!

Utterly delightful romance!

Full Starred Review: https://www.booklistonline.com/All-Fired-Up/pid=9761909

Imani is headed back to her hometown for the summer to help her grandmother heal from surgery, and help her best friend Kate prepare for the birth of her baby with her novelist Drake. Only one problem, she now has rot face her one night stand from the night of Kate’s wedding, well maybe a few more than one night. Zander has never truly forgotten or gotten over the beautiful Imani, and is determined to get him to go on a date with him. Zander has never been a big planner though, and Imani doesn’t want someone that lives life flying by the seat of their pants.

Ahhhh loved this fabulous story of Zander and Imani! I loved How Sweet It Is so I had full expectations that I would love this one as well, and I was right! I adored the banter that Zander had with not only Imani, but with his brothers as well. We learned so much about Imani through this book that just made me love her even more, but also want to wrap her up in a big old hug and tell her everything is not her responsibility. This book was so fantastic and I cannot wait for Ryker’s story!

3 stars

The fact that I finished this book almost a week ago and forgot to review it says a lot about how much I enjoyed this.

This opposites-attract romance between type A Imani and laidback Zander was just....okay. I think that this book really relied on the fact that the couple had a two night stand several months prior to the beginning of this book to develop the relationship, making a fair amount of their scenes feel more telling than showing. It is fairly repetitive particularly in the first half of the novel, leaving some of the subplots that help to bring about the happy ending feeling underdeveloped as well. I honestly really enjoyed the side characters like Kate and Drake (whose romance I am actually really excited to read now) and there is one memorable scene with a bedazzled shirt that I did find particularly funny, but I didn't particularly care about the central couple's romance as much as I would have liked.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

All Fired Up - Dylan Newton
4.5⭐

PLOT - Inami Lewis is up for promotion but before she decides to take it up she is back in her hometown to visit her grandma who would be undergoing surgery during the summer.
Inami is looking forward to this break but she also has to face Zander Matthews with whom she had a one night stand the night her best friend got married to Zanders brother (book 1).
Zander wants to have a 2nd chance with Inami but she prefers her life to fit a plan and according to her type A personality as against Zander who lives in the moment.
But they hv an easy friendship and attraction but what happens when things get all fired up?

MY THOUGHTS -
I equally enjoyed this one like her book 1...there was drama, pining, laught out moments and ofcourse introspection.
The dual POVs which I love along with a well written plot and great characterization.
A lot of topics like stress eating, mental health of caregivers are emphasised.. something not seen in many books.
This can be read as a standalone but i highly recommend you read both the books...can't wait to read book 3!!

3.5/5 stars

I love books that follow a tangential couple from book one. This can also be read without reading book #1, while Kate and Drake are important to the plot, knowing their story isn't. Imani and Zander were a great couple, I actually didn't mind the 'second chance love' of their story.

I did struggle with the classic 'couple breaks up at the 75% mark' because I find this trope overdone and uninteresting. But I wasn't surprised that it was there, it almost always is for romance novels.

Overall, a good romance novel for anyone looking.

This is a book in which the characters learn to change their lives in order to be happy (and no, the change does not depend on a person). Imani needs help in realising what it is that will bring her joy in her life. She also needs to work through her anxiety of the past. Zander, too, is encouraged to reflect on his life and what would be good for his future. This novel had me smiling and left me with that feel-good feeling at the end of it.

4.5 rounding up to 5! Great second chance romance!

I was unsure of this one going in because book one was just ok for me. This one totally redeemed this author for me! I absolutely loved it! The characters, the story, the ending...all of it! I will say I love the The Matthews brothers far more than the female leads. I simply can not wait for Ryker's book!

#BookReview All Fired Up by Dylan Newton

Who doesn’t love all the Matthews Bros?! This book is the second from Dylan Newton, this time featuring the youngest brother Zander (or Zamboni as Gigi calls him once or twice).

This book, like its predecessor has its hilarious moments and there are quite a few – Lancelot the parrot, some ill-fitting clothing, etc.

But this book also deals with serious issues – like Imani who is still trying to come to grips with the death of her mother when she was younger. A typical Class-A over achiever, Imani uses that to hide from her trauma, and it’s starting to catch up with her as the book progresses.

If you’re a fan of dual-POV, interracial romance, imperfect – but loveable – characters, and your favourites from Dylan’s first book How Sweet It Is, then you will love her second Matthews brother’s book.

After reading this I am looking forward to reading Military veteran and middle brother Ryker’s book next.

Thank you to @NetGalley @ReadForever and Dylan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this one!

The emphasis on the important of emotional and mental health and the benefits of artistic expression felt very personal and well done. Additionally, Zander was just great. I absolutely loved him.

For those looking for an emotional small town romance without a lot of smut, this is a great option that I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.