Such an easy, bingeable read I got through this book quickly which was amazing! Loved how cute this story was really enjoyed it in between some heavier reading

I’m rounding up for a few reasons:
1) Zander
2) this book is absolutely bingeable
3) the audio was great
4) Zander

I hated how mean everyone was to Zander, especially Imani (even if unintentional), but by the end I came around and loved her. It just took me a while and made me sad in the meantime but like I GET it okay???

But also Zander 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) ​and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.
I was completely enamored with the world depicted in How Sweet It Is, and my anticipation for more of the Matthews brothers knew no bounds (and dare I hope for one more featuring the youngest brother)!

One of the aspects I adore about this series is the cozy atmosphere it exudes, creating a delightful and light-hearted experience while simultaneously addressing weightier themes such as anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD, and the loss of a loved one. Dylan Newton's writing is truly superb, effortlessly captivating me from the very first page.

However, I must admit that I didn't find myself adoring this installment quite as much as its predecessor. Imani and Zander, the main characters, embarked on compelling personal journeys, and I appreciated their arcs. Initially, I could genuinely sense the attraction between them, but as the story progressed, that spark began to fade.

For me, the primary issue with their romance was the excessive blame placed on Zander, leaving me with the impression that neither of them made life-altering choices for their own benefit, but rather because of each other. Imani frequently engaged in a push-and-pull dynamic with Zander, subsequently holding him accountable when things went awry. While I found the representation of anxiety and panic attacks commendable, it was exasperating to witness a character who failed to take responsibility for her own actions, right up until the very end.

In summary, this was an enjoyable read, albeit not my favorite by this author.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me advance access to this title. I really enjoyed reading this story and look forward to reading more from this author. As a reader, I am really motivated by character driven stories and I found myself quickly becoming immersed in these characters’ lives. Full review to come.

3.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐💫
I enjoyed reading All Fired Up, just not quite as much as How Sweet It Is.
This one was cute, fun, and charming, but that special spark was missing from the romance for me, and I didn't quite fully fall in love along with them.
Still, I'm definitely interested to see what may come next from this series.


______

*Complimentary copy for review provided by Forever Romance. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.

I was very excited about this title, but I have had difficulty getting into the book. I have currently marked as DNF, but will be reattempting in the future as I am a mood reader. However, from what I did read I really enjoyed. I think the main problem for me was the book didn’t instantly hook me and I felt like I was having to work a bit to get started on this story. I am excited to try this book when I am in a different headspace and will be updating my review.

Such a cute story! I loved the characters in this book! I loved their story and the development. I really felt connected with them. I really hope we get more from this series soon!

Imani and Zander had a one-night stand after her best friend’s and his brother’s wedding. When Imani comes back to town to care for her grandmother, they agree to be just friends.

I liked this better than How Sweet It Is, and I’m looking forward to reading book #3!

Another delightful read from Dylan Newton! This sweet romance follows Imani and Zander, the best friend and brother of the How Sweet It Is MCs. Those characters appear throughout All Fired Up, but it can still be read and enjoyed as a stand alone. Imani is a fabulous heroine and the book is a great combo of sweet and spicy.

The sequel to How Sweet It Is was one that was on my TBR immediately after I learned it would exist. I liked this a lot but I didn’t love it the way I loved the first.

Hello,

Apologies for the late notice, but I have decided not to review this title.

While I am certain it's obvious by now, I wanted to also clear this off NetGalley, so it's not showing as open for either of us.

I look forward to continuing to work with you in 2023 and beyond.

Laura

4.5 stars
Loved this one!! I read How Sweet it Is and really liked that one but I can’t tell which one I like more!

I always love the dual POV and getting into Zander’s head was my favorite. He was amazing! Gentle and sweet with a hard Marine exterior. His banter with Imani and his brothers was great and I loved that he did something different like owning a pottery studio.

Gigi was freaking HILARIOUS! All her one off comments made me laugh out loud and THAT BIRD. HA.

The only hangup was Imani. She was judgemental and just thought when someone else didn’t have the same view of life was just doing something wrong which I didn’t like. I also thought the ending was too rushed and some things were left unfinished!

I cannot wait to read Rykers story next!!

All fired Up is a standalone novel that is connected to How Sweet It Is.
I ended up liking this one more than the other one. I found the characters in this one much more likable too.

I really like the way the author wrote about mental health issues. I think it was done with great care.

Overall the book was cute and had everything you’d want in a romcom.
I look forward to the next one.

While I enjoyed this book, I didn’t read How Sweet It Is so I feel like I missed out on the beginning of the love story. I understand this was marketed as a stand along, and while I suppose it is, I wish there some more introduction to the characters. Otherwise it was a cute quick read.

Overall, this was a fun read. I didn't enjoy it as much as How Sweet It Is, but it was nice to get Imani and Zander's story.

I thought they both had good character development by the end, and their journeys to get there were full of laughs, tears, heartfelt moments, good chemistry, and slow burn tension. I liked how they let the relationship slowly develop, even though they'd already had their weekend tryst earlier on.

Imani's grandmother was a solid side character, and her shenanigans and one-liners were great. And the added silliness of Lancelot the parrot were fun, too.

Good for fans of: one night stand to lovers; slow burn; grand gestures; character growth; and quirky pets and fun side characters.

I enjoyed this book even though it was predictable. It was a sweet story filled with warmth, humor & swoon-worthy romance. The opposites-attract banter going on between Zander & Imani was fun.

When book publicist, Imani's grandmother invites her to stay for the summer as she recovers from surgery, Imani happily agrees. But being back in the same small town as her one-night stand may not be quite the relaxing break she envisioned. Zander Matthews knows from his time in the Marines that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. But he’s never gotten over the beautiful woman who blew through town a year ago, then disappeared.

All Fired Up just didn’t work for me. The writing was clunky and uncomfortable, the characters were one-dimensional and off-putting, and there are a shocking number of homophobic jokes for a book being published in this day and age. A total miss for me.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really liked How Sweet It Is so I was excited for this sequel. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me. While I liked both characters individually, I just didn't feel their chemistry. I actually started reading this about a year ago and made it about 35% in before stopping, which I never do. I picked it back up a few days ago and I remembered why I put it down - it just didn't hold my attention that well. It's a cute story and a nice light-hearted escape but I just found myself not too invested in the story.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

All Fired Up is a charming romance exists in the same world as How Sweet It Is, this time following Zander (Drakes Brother) and Imani. While it did read well as a stand-alone, Drake and Kate are both prominent characters in this story and I feel like having read their love story first would have added a lot to this book!

As a kid I attended a hot air balloon festival nearly every year, so I did really love the hot air balloon scene/festival! However, this love story felt like it was missing something to me. I didn’t dislike Imani and Zander, but All Fired Up doesn’t do anything new or exciting that I haven’t seen in similar books before. Overall a charming, relatively quick read!

I finished this one up last week after reading it on and off for like a month. I definitely enjoyed it, but it didn’t live up on the first one (How Sweet It Is) in my opinion. I didn’t feel the chemistry between Imani and Zander until the very end and felt like some of the problems in this story were unrealistic. The ending however was swoon worthy and completely made up for however I was feeling about the rest of the book!