Thank you to Forever Pub for the #gifted copy of the book.

I loved Newton's first book How Sweet it is so I was excited to read this book. I loved seeing Imani and Zander fall in love. It was better than I could have ever expected. I can't wait to read more of her books!!

Thank you Netgalley and Publishers for an ARC and an ALC of All Fired Up in exchange for an honest review.

There's nothing inherently wrong with this novel but being more than halfway through the novel I still wasn't emotionally invested for this couple and their supposed chemistry. Also, I wished I realized this was a companion novel/sequel prior to reading it as I am interested in the already established couple prior to this epilogue/continuation of their lives.

Ironically, I'm also interested in the story for the ex-marine brother that we've yet to get a book for. So, although All Fired Up did not work for me, I think I'm still intrigued by the author's writings enough to try another one of her novels in the near future.

Note: The ALC narration is fantastic and truly no criticism needed about the narrating. I primarily used the audiobook to get through this novel and don't believe it would've otherwise held my attention.

Format - Audio and paperback

Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️💫

Spice- 🌶

Series- Standalone but connected to “How Sweet it Is”

Troupes- second chance, one night stand, slow burn,

CW-Panic attacks, death of a parent, loss of limb

I had I bit of a hard time with this book. I started reading with the Audiobook and again had a hard time connecting with the narrators, the emphasis wasting hitting right for me to connect I think. Once a picked up the paperback it was better, but I still was just not gripped by this book.

It has some heavy topics loss of a loved one, PTSD, and survivors guilt. And they were handled with care. But the way in which these were presented was caring for me.

Imani as a character was kind of flat and not as likable as I prefer my MMF to be. She is a martyr and normally I’m fine with this trait as long as it’s recognized and dealt with, but its not. Imani didn’t feel like she had a lot of growth over the course if this book. It felt like Zander had to come all the way down to her level to make this romance work. And that’s not for me.

I hear the first book from Newton is very good and am looking forward to trying it out. I am also interested to see how Ryder finds his HEA.

All Fired Up
by Dylan Newton
Narrated by Emma Love; Max Lloyd-Jones

I received a digital copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great listen - loved the dual narration and the narrators. Our heroine is type A organized with a can do attitude and a Mary Poppins bag of everything one might need. Our hero is a chill, live in the now, Adonis like, ax throwing, pottery making veteran.

This is a great opposites attract/forced proximity rom-com. I loved the way the cover tied into the story line. This is a great example of how sometimes we can get in our own way and can learn from others who are different how to temper our own over strong tendencies.

I can’t wait for the next brothers story. 5/5

Loved this small town second chance romance that was a perfect summer read. I really enjoyed the alternating narrators. And i was totally swooming over zander, definitely my newsest book boyfriend. Full of sweet moments, laugh out loud moments but yet tender and sweet.

⭐⭐⭐/5

• second chance romcom
• dual POV
• does touch on heavier topics

So apparently this is the second book in a series. I didn't realize that and hadn't read the first book. 🤦‍♀️ Maybe that's part of why I couldn't really connect with these characters (and that damn bird just annoyed me). There were some cute and funny moments. Overall, it was just okay for me.

🗣️ Thank you to @netgalley and @hachetteaudio for the opportunity to read and review this book via audiobook! All opinions are honest and my own.

I liked this one, but there was nothing that really made this contemporary romance stand out to me. I enjoyed that the main character was a book publisher, and I laughed at the opening story but that’s all that really stuck out to me. I would recommend this to those looking for a light love story.

I’ve been hearing so many great things about this book – and about the author, Dylan Newton, in general. I was excited to dive into this one and I can easily say it was most definitely worth it.

A sweet romcom laced with second chance, it’s always been you, opposites attract, and small-town romance all rolled into one. Zander is the book boyfriend of dreams with big romantic gestures and the smallest indications of how much he cares (he bought her lactaid pills so she could enjoy her milkshake without her even having to ask, you guys!!!).

From the hot air balloon ride to the pottery making, the title of this one is swoon-worthy from the very first page. Zander and Imani’s chemistry vibrates off of the page and I can easily see why they couldn’t keep their distance, no matter how much Imani tried to.

If you haven’t read this one yet, I highly recommend it. Genuinely, it was just filled with heartwarming moments that made me want to hug every character.

I wasn’t responding well to the writing style or characters from the beginning but I decided to give it some time, maybe it was just me, personal preferences. But about 31% in with the “there was an impromptu rave, in his pants” bit, written with all romantic seriousness, I snorted and was done. I can’t. This just isn’t the book for me. DNF.

Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for my gifted review copy.

I read almost this entire book in one sitting and it was so fun! This author was likened to Abby Jimenez and I can see why- such relatable characters, friendship, a sweet romance, and lots of subtle life lessons. I enjoyed this sweet and fun romance and the reminder of living in the moment being my favorite storyline.

The two narrators did a wonderful job bringing this story to life and I highly recommend reading this title via audiobook as well.

I was also excited to see the announcement of a sequel - I’ll definitely be back to see where the author takes these characters next!

This was the cutest book, and I absolutely loved it! Dylan Newton has become an auto buy author for me after reading How Sweet It Is. I knew I was going to love her newest book too, and I am glad to say I did!

The author does a great job at making books easy to read and with a good flow. I loved the main characters in this book, and all the side ones as well. The grandma was so sweet, and her talking bird was hilarious. All the characters were so easy to like. If you’re a fan of opposites attract and small town romance, you will love this book. If you’re looking for a fun, easy romance book to read, I highly recommend checking this one out!

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I really like this book as it had a slow build-up with great characters and a lovely ending.

I absolutely adored this book!!
Fantastic characters that
made me giggle.
Felt like a hug.
All around feel good read.

This book is a great read for summer - a cute small town romance with some fun characters and a Hallmark-esque plot.

You will love this book if you read How Sweet It Is, the author’s first book in the series. The main characters from that book play an extremely prominent role in this book, and while knowledge of their story isn’t needed to enjoy or understand All Fired Up, it would definitely be helpful! This book is definitely something you will like if you have read & enjoyed anything by Katherine Center or Alison Bliss.

I really liked the audiobook version - the narrators were well suited to reading Imani and Xander's parts. The plot was easy to follow. The quirky secondary characters made me smile! In my opinion, Imani’s grandmother GiGi and her snarky parrot Lancelot had some of the best scenes in the book!

Thank you to @readforeverpub for the finished copy, @hachetteaudio for the advanced listening copy, and @netgalley and @readforeverpub for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a delightful escape! All Fired Up has all of my favorite qualities found in a RomCom:

**Small town
**One (two) night stand
**Best Friends Brother-in-law
**2nd chance romance
**Crude parrot

I highly recommend not eating or drinking during most of this story, as the witty parts come when you least expect it, especially the unfiltered bird! A stand alone book, but it's the second book about the Matthews brothers, and I'm definitely going back to read How Sweet It Is now.

Imani is a workaholic and takes the chance to get away when her grandmother needs help while recovering from knee surgery. Little did she expect to cross paths with the man she had a two-night stand with a year ago...let alone finding out he's her best friend's brother-in-law.

Zander Matthews never thought he'd see the woman who rocked his world then promptly ghosted him, but her she was, in his home town, and he's determined to remind her just how great they were together.

The audiobook was perfectly narrated, bringing the characters to life in a way that makes you feel as though you're hanging out with close friends. I enjoyed the story so much and will gladly read it again in the near future. If you enjoy witty banter, meddling friends and family, and a sassy parrot - this is the book you need!

This was so cute. I loved the duel POV. I loved the side characters. The bird! I laughed every time it said BITCH. The audio for that part was perfect for that. On the woman’s voice POV, it echos. It’s kinda hard to focus on the book when the audio book is having a weird echo. It didn’t do that on the guys POV. I enjoyed it nonetheless.

All Fired Up by Dylan Newton is her sophomore effort, following last year’s How Sweet It Is. This book made me smile and gave me all the warm fuzzies, and it also made me a tiny bit teary, too. Funny how that works.

Imani Lewis is a workaholic, her job as a publicist taking center stage. But all that changes when she decides to take a leave of absence over the summer to help her grandmother recover from knee surgery. Without the frenetic pace of the publishing world, she gets a chance to slow down and smell the roses.

Zander Matthews is the opposite—he lives his life to the fullest, in the moment. He tries to be fully present in the now, but this outlook on life means he isn’t overly concerned about planning for his future.

After one hot and steamy weekend the year before (at her best friend and his brother’s wedding), Zander has never forgotten Imani, and with her arrival in town, he’s determined to see if they can make a relationship work—but for his plan to succeed, he has to find a way out of the friend-zone.

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the advance audiobook. Emma Love and Max Lloyd-Jones provided an excellent narration. I love the two-reader format for books with dual perspectives, and these two did a fantastic job.

All Fired Up is the perfect read for fans of Abby Jimenez, Emily Henry, or Sally Thorne. Newton writes with humor and heart, and she also captures the reality of PTSD and anxiety with compassion and understanding. Imani and Zander really do bring out the best in each other, and I was their biggest cheerleader to the very end.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Forever Pub for my advance review copy.

I love the Matthews brothers so I had to pick up All Fired Up.

This is the story of Zander and Imani after a one night stand. I think that technically is second chance romance?!?! While they are complete opposites their chemistry is undeniable.

This one was just ok for me. The subplots were a little distracting and overall I was bored. What I liked most was the epilogue to Kate and Drake’s story 😆

So this is a bit of a bummer for me... I was so so excited to receive this one as an audiobook ARC and couldn't wait to get into it. It started out pretty solid and I was intrigued by the characters but once I was halfway through, it started to fall a bit flat. I liked Zander and his constantly upbeat personality and the way he pursued Imani steadily without being overwhelming and I mostly liked Imani as well. The problem I had was that while Imani is into Zander, she gives him no clear indications and honestly jerks him around a bit. She tells him it's not happening and then she makes out with him etc. Even by the end she puts absolutely no effort into the relationship. If I was Zander I would have cut my losses... And while Zander definitely needed to get a reality check, the final conflict in which Imani pushes him away didn't sit right with me. She was completely right to call him out on his immaturity, but the way she did it was honestly a bit cruel and unnecessarily hurtful. Overall it was a fun book, but for the above reasons not really for me...

I received this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored Dylan's last novel How Sweet It Is, so I was stoked when I got approved for All Fired Up on @NetGalley. This story follows Zander Matthews, a live for the now kinda guy and Imani, a workaholic book publicist who is up for a promotion that should be her dream job....but she is coming to learn that there is more to life than being paid well but overworked. After having a one night stand a while ago, the two run into each other when Imani comes back to town to take care of her grandma after surgery and visit Kate, her pregnant best friend. Both MCs have some personal growth to do if they want to become the best version of themselves ready for a real relationship...if only they can get out of their own way first.

I was happy that Kate and Drake from the first book made an appearance in this story, but I do think that each novel can be read as a stand alone (kind of like Jasmine Guillory novels). I loved the hot air balloon sequence in the book and thought Imani and Zander had great chemistry. While second chance romance isn't usually my preferred trope, I really rooted for the two to reunite and enjoyed that the story was told from both of their perspectives.

If there is a follow up book featuring Ryker (Zander & Drake's brother) I will definitely check it out. I read the digital version of the book while listening to the audiobook. I thought Emma Love, Max Lloyd-Jones did a good job bringing the characters to life.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever publishing for my ARC for review purposes. All opinions are my own.