Sweeten the Deal by Katie Shepard
Narrator: Savannah Peachwood
Rating: 2.5 stars
Steam: 1 chili
Pub date: 10/17

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for my free book and PRH Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

Caroline and Adrian start in a reverse Pretty Woman arrangement, where Caroline pays Adrian for his company. She has recently inherited millions and gone off to college in Boston to pursue a business degree. As a sheltered, socially awkward young person, she has difficulty meeting people, so she signs up for a dating site where she pays for company. No funny business; she just wants someone to take her around Boston and show her the art scene. Enter Adrian: an out-of-work artist sleeping off a bad breakup on his college bestie’s couch. He needs cash fast, matches with Caroline on the app, and becomes her sugar baby. Despite the ten-year age gap (Caroline is 23 and Adrian is 33), they start to develop feelings for each other, but are they too different to make it work?

Do you ever read a book and feel like you missed a few chapters somehow? That’s how this book felt to me. There were a few times when I couldn’t figure out how we got from A to B. By the time Adrain was telling Caroline he was in love with her, I almost wanted to go back and find any evidence that he even liked her through this entire book.

And I’m very confused about Caroline. Is she on the spectrum? Adrian’s friend fleetingly mentions this, and it’s never brought up again. Or was she just sheltered to the point that she doesn’t understand how anything works? Either way, I think her naivety was incredibly overdone.

Everyone she meets is mean to her, except for one friend at school, Adrian’s roommate, and Adrian himself. There are constant jabs about her wardrobe and haircut, and she never seems to know how to act or what to do in any situation. I just wish I had a clearer idea about what we were working with so I could empathize more with her character. Her naivety made her seem almost childlike, making her relationship with Adrian feel super creepy.

And Adrian. Ugh. He’s such a snob and so whiny. I couldn’t relate to him, I didn’t like him, and I’m honestly not sure I even understand his decision about his career in the end.

I listened to this mostly on audio, and I while I liked the narrator, it would have been a much more enjoyable experience if there was a male narrator for Adrian’s POV.

Overall, this really didn’t work for me. But, this book has a 4-star average rating on Goodreads, so this is clearly just a me problem. I would encourage anyone who likes opposites attract, age gap, the Boston art scene, fake dating, and slow-burn romance to give this one a chance.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book!

This book was really fun and quirky. I liked the premise of fake dating, a sugar baby type situation, and the differences in the two main characters. The female main character, Caroline, was such a contract to the male main character, Adrian. I liked the contrasts between their personalities and general styles of engaging with each other.

I don't think this book will be for everyone, but, I loved the age gap romance. Adrian actually gave me Mr. Darcy vibes with his thoughtfulness and reservation, and Caroline's attitude was reminiscent of Lizzie. I thought this book was so well done! This is the type of trope that could easily have gone wrong, but Katie Shepard does it right in this story! I enjoyed every aspect of the story. Despite the inherent steaminess of the will they/won't they vibe between Caroline and Adrian, this is definitely a slow burn romance.

Overall, I enjoyed this one very much! I'm looking forward to Katie Shepard's new work!

Star Rating: 4⭐️

I really enjoyed this unique spin on the fake dating trope - a sugar baby arrangement where the younger woman is the sugar momma. This arrangement is more based in friendship for Caroline and watching the romance develop between Caroline and Adrian was really enjoyable.

This was my first read from Katie Shepard but will definitely pick up more from her in the future.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

4.5✨️

Wow, this book was an experience. I lived and loved it so hard! It also made me realize that my reading slumps of late have been caused by burnout on romcoms, with all the same vibe, banter and tropes. But this was so refreshing! Like that first rain after many hot days of summer. You love summer, but sometimes you need to cool off, you know?

Anyways. That's my rambly first impression as I just finished reading this in two sittings. Such an interesting and unique spin on Romance, I need more of them. Point me in the right direction and I will read it, no question asked.

If you want to put it into nowadays tropes boxes, we could say it's a super slow burn, age gap, angsty, dry humorous Romance.

But it's more than that. Beside the reverse Pretty Woman vibe, which was original and fun on its own, it also has this bohemian, artistic, out of the box vibe. I want to see it as a movie so bad!!!

No fuss, no muss, no drama, just two unlikely characters finding and needing each other in some low points in their life. The way their relationship progressed was so realistic and organic, it gave me butterflies. He is a recently single and broke artist, out of options to get out of the hole his career and personal life has sunk into.

She is a newly rich, sensitive, big hearted, sweet to the point of naive student who has been playing tennis and studying all her life, being sheltered, controlled and put into a cage by her family. She wants to live life but has no one do it with, no experience or social skills to speak of. He used to live the life, but now he has no finances to survive day by day, let alone live, go out and socialize. Hence their partnership starts. She has the money, he has the plans. And it slowly becomes more.

The culture referrences, the dates, the galleries, the struggling artist MC, the very subtle yet profound and tentative mutual pining (without the usual in your face horniness and one-mind-track speels), the growth, the communication, the clever, nuanced and poetic writing without the cliche bluster and loud voices, the smart and realistic characters... It all makes a great package.

I'm truly impressed and grateful for having experienced such a story. It may not be for everyone, it may not stick to tiktok trends, but it's a great story that I would wholeheartedly recommend. Actually, it's the kind of story that I'd recommend even to my non-reader friends, because there is so much for everyone in it. It's a balm for the soul and a tonic for the mind.

Thank you so much Berkley for the ARC and the opportunity to read this.

Okay, Katie Shepard, I see you!!

First of all, I loved how this book was set in Boston!

After inheriting all of her grandma’s money, leaving home from her begrudging and controlling family, and moving to Boston, Caroline is finally on her own and in charge of herself for the first time. Adrian is a struggling artist who really needs some income. He ends up making a profile on a “rent-an-escort” site in hopes of making some quick cash, and connects with Caroline, who joined the site to meet a “boyfriend.” By boyfriend, she really just wants a nice guy who will help show her around the city, be interesting, and make friends (she’s not actually looking for a boyfriend!).

So of course this unconventional “meet cute” leads to a friendship and romantic feelings!

I really, really liked Caroline’s character — she is so earnest to help and support others and discover who she is outside of her family. While she and Adrian make an unexpected pair, I think they really are so cute together.

Thank you @netgalley @berkleypub for my copy of Sweeten the Deal — this one publishes on 10/17!!!!

Thank you Berkley Romance (YES THAT'S RIGHT!!! I FINALLY GOT APPROVED!!!) for the ARC. IYKYK, my reviews are ALWAYS honest (yes, even when it's Berkley).

Writing: loved | Plot: LOVED | Ending: I actually didn't want it to end

SYNOPSIS

Caroline is a sheltered 22-year-old who's determined to make her grandma proud by living a "big life." Armed with a light 2-million dollars from granny's will, Caroline decides to "invest" in Adrian, a struggling artist who she hopes can teach her how to be a sophisticated lady.

MY OPINION

OOOHHWEEEEE!!!!!!! I legit stayed up to 1am two nights in a row to finish this baddie. Not only is this my first Berkley approval (mama we made it), but the cover is EVERYTHING, the premise is JUICY, and I legitimately LOVED IT. Now, do I think this will be for everyone? Absolutely not. This is what I call a "niche banger." It's not your typical contemporary romance written at a high-school level with sitcom banter and boss babe moments. In comparison to other romances I've read, the writing is elevated, the storytelling more thoughtful, the humour is dry, and the actual romance is subtle and most certainly a slow burn. If you want to assign some popular tropes to this I would say fake dating and age gap (he's 33 and she's 22).

Before I go any further, I want to make something clear: CAROLINE IS NOT NEURODIVERGENT . I've seen a trend where readers are trying to place every "quirky" or "unique" character on the spectrum regardless of what the author says. Can we stop? You can be socially awkward due to a sheltered upbringing, childhood bullying, or just a plain ole introverted personality.

I liked that Shepard poked fun at "armchair diagnosis" in regards to Caroline's lack of social skills and general naiveté in the book. She does a great job of making it clear that Caroline's behaviour is because: 1) she spent every free minute playing tennis (as someone who played at a high level—I've met a many Carolines in my life) 2) she grew up in a small town where no one leaves and everyone's in your business and 3) she was constantly put down by her family and told she's incompetent/doesn't know what she's doing/can't trust herself etc.

Ok, now moving on from my Ted Talk. I think this plot can be difficult to pull off, but pull it off she did. I absolutely loved Caroline. I loved how genuine she was. I loved how authentic her social anxieties were without totally overshadowing and consuming her humorous and playful personality. And I loved how Caroline didn't want to change her core personality, she just wanted to expand her interests and learn more about the world. Her open-mindedness to different interests was refreshing in a sea of FMC who make it their entire goal to be "not like those other girls."

And Adrian... *dreamy sigh* He gave me Fitzwilliam Darcy vibes in a good way. He just seemed... proper and thoughtful. A lot of the tension between Adrian and Caroline gave me the same vibes as the ICONIC "hand flex" scene from Pride & Prejudice (2005 version). It was very subtle and had me actually wanting to fling the door open and embrace the spice YEAH I SAID IT!!!! I WENT THERE!!! Anyways. I enjoyed the emphasis of romance in Adrian's POV and the exploration of self and friendship (and a lil romance) in Caroline's POV. They were well-balanced and skillfully executed despite being in third-person. This is the first male POV that didn't make me want to kick someone in the nuts at full velocity. Great job, Shepard!

This is one of the VERY few books I've read in the last two years that I legitimately didn't want to end. When I saw that % in the corner of my Kindle creep up, I actually felt sad. I would LOVE to see this as a movie and if the author is open to being paid in eternal thanks, I'd love a sequel. Just give me 10 pages idc. I NEED IT!!!!

Before I wrap this up, I want to reiterate that this book has a very specific audience. If Abigail Dean (Girl A, Day One) wrote a romance book, I imagine it would be something like this. Take that as you will. FYI if this premise speaks to you, may I suggest The Hook Up Plan on Netflix. It's a French series where the FMCs friends (unbeknownst to her) hire a male escort to help her get over a difficult breakup. Different premises but very similar subtle, slow burn vibes.

PROS AND CONS

Pros: solid plot execution (it could've gone sideways), wonderful characters, subtle slow burn romance that actually had me caught up, funny when it needed to be, thoughtful when it needed to be, I may have teared up a bit but no one will ever know the truth, for the first time in a long time I didn't want a book to end

Cons: this is very pretentious former college athlete wanker of me but it's Division II not Division Two (throw tomatoes at me)

Two wolves live inside me: One that wants to be a sugar mommy and one that wants to be a sugar baby ✨

The premise of this book sounded so fun, and I’m pleased to say that it held up pretty well! The age gap was a bit of a hurdle—one I’m not sure was fully cleared—but I still really enjoyed the romance. Even though there were some things I wasn’t fully sold on, this book felt like a fantasy. The vibes were right and the writing was nice, so I can’t complain!

When there’s a ten-year age-gap…I’d prefer the him not call her sweetheart idk it just feels so patronizing and a bit icky! She did hold the money and power which was nice, but yeah I was still a bit 👀 in the back of my mind. She was so sheltered because of her family, so it was both nice to have him be an adult with some things figured out but also just so clear that there were ten years separating them.

I definitely wanted to see his terrible friends get told off because they were SO mean to her!!! She’s such a good person because I was seething. I’m also like…I know he kind of reckoned with the person he used to be, but HOW was he ever friends with them?? He wasn’t a bad person at all, but he had some growing to do too, which I do think was accomplished by the end.

Overall, this was a really nice reset book! I wanted something light and fluffy with genuinely good people (surprisingly hard to find). It was my first book by Katie Shepard, and I’m looking forward to what she comes out with next.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 🌶️.75*/5

*The sex scene ended before we saw him climax on page, so it’s partially fade to black in my opinion. The foreplay was hot and pretty explicit, so I’m not sure why it ended when it did…definitely felt the whiplash there as I was really anticipating their connection.


Thank you to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley! All opinions are honest and my own.

Caroline is a young MBA student who has recently come into a lot of money but has lived a very sheltered life. When she moves to Boston, she places an ad on a website to get a fake boyfriend to show her around and learn how to socialize as a young adult.

Adrian is in his thirties and is a struggling artist. He’s recently been kicked out by his girlfriend and is looking to make some money. Adrian is shocked to learn his roommate has listed him on a fake dating website as a way to make some money.

Neither Carolyn or Adrian is sure what to expect from this relationship. However, it isn’t too long before they are both wanting to set aside the initial terms and try something a little more serious.

Fake dating can be a lot of fun, and in this case, I enjoyed the twist of it including a sugar mama and an older man. The female main character in this book was so naïve, and while I’d usually be annoyed with this, it was adequately explained. The age gap in this one wasn’t huge, only about 10 years and it was the typical older male and younger woman. The twist on normal tropes that I got a kick out of was that Caroline had some into a bunch of money and was looking for a “sugar baby” on the internet. It was also interesting how we learned later in the book that Caroline was neurodivergent, although mildly. I did find the slow burn aspect of this book to be mildly annoying, but when they came together the book really took off.

This was my second book by this author, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley @berkleypub, and Netgalley, @Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so fun.

In Sweeten the Deal, 22-year-old MBA student Caroline has just inherited $2 million and she wants someone to show her a way out of her lonely friendless life. So she hires a sugar baby in the form of a much older professional artist. Love ensues. It's awesome.

On the surface, this book has many similarities to The Kiss Quotient (one of my faves), but it is completely different when you read it. I loved this book. I enjoyed the author's first book in this series, but this one trily takes it to the next level. The characterization, the slow burn, the tension was all a plus plus plus!
It also has me eagerly anticipating her third book which is hinted at in this one. Currently my fave romance released in 2023,

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: death of a loved one (past), family tensions, emotional abuse/parental neglect, cheating (past)

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/ contemporary romance
-fake dating
-gender swapped twist on Pretty Woman
-She's his sugar mama
-age gap
-neurodiverse rep
-insta attraction

I really enjoyed this one (thank you Jessica Joyce for the rec). Caroline and Adrian are both at turning points in their lives. She's inherited A LOT of money and is on her own for the first time in her life. He's single, directionless in his career and in need of money. So he signs up for a sugary baby site.

This book was the perfect balance of a frothy rom come, I loved their banter. how Caroline called Adrian out on his tendency to mansplain (and mean well by it). They were such an interesting balance fumbling through admitting their feelings were real.

But also how this book just made me think about how messy money makes thinks, how messy the dynamic can be when one party has it and the other doesn't, and just power dynamics. This was just a great reading experience with also great social commentary and trusting that someone just really love and cares about you and wants what's best for you. Sweet, tender, and lovely.

Steam: 3

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the Advanced Readers Copy of Sweeten the Deal by Katie Shepard!

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. I found it distinctive and sweet and not completely predictable, though the bar is low with romcoms. Caroline is “neurodivergent” in some way, possibly with Asperger syndrome. Of course she is beautiful, but she has also never had a break or a friend until, to the great dislike of her family, she inherits $2 million from her grandmother who knew she really needed a win and to get out of her small Texas town. She’s decided to do her MBA at BU and sneaks out through her bathroom window after she’s just been coerced to signing over her entire new fortune to her father and uncle.

Her later love interest, Aiden, is a starving artist “older man” whose best friend signed him up for a rent-an-escort web site where Caroline has advertised for a paid boyfriend to show her how to be interesting and meet people. This delicate situation is made much more complicated when one of them doesn’t catch on to delicate social cues. What do you do when your only friends are the one who you’ve paid to be with you and his best friend/roommate? I felt for Caroline and couldn’t help but like her. She has a good sense of humor, even if it is hard to know right away whether she’s in over her head or having them on. The problems that arise between Caroline and Aiden are easy to understand and hard to take sides as it’s a very sticky situation (sometimes literally).

By the end, if you don’t really want to do something mean to her family and the other people who are mean to her, you are 1. A better person than me, but 2. Probably dead inside.

Not that I noticed much about Caroline that was farfetched, but if reviews of other recent romcom books with “neurodivergent characters” are any sign, I imagine that some people will berate the author for it somehow being unrealistic, even though everyone is unique and they never state what in fact makes Caroline struggle in social settings. If she wasn’t already socially awkward, Caroline can also blame her awkwardness on growing up in a tiny Texas town and being isolated as a bit of a tennis phenom for not knowing how to act in the sophisticated circles she tries to penetrate in urban Boston, especially in academia.

If you can handle all that, and are OK with a tear or two, I enjoyed this book so much more than I thought I would. I wrongly thought I had read something else by Katy Shepard and I had been hesitant to read this after I noticed that the author’s only previous book was rated pretty low. It is, apparently, the previous book in a series, so I may go back and read that since there was no designation of their connection that I could see. I hate reading books out of order and wouldn’t have done so knowingly, so I didn’t get the sense that much is carried over from the first book. Knowing who the love interests were then and how they enter into this story leads me to believe this was not a great sin that I’ve committed.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for providing an unbiased review.

The protagonists are 10 years apart in age, but MBA student Caroline Sedlacek loves having him as her "sugar baby," someone she pays to be her boyfriend and companion to show her around Boston, and to take her to shows, opera, museums, and other cultural events.

Caroline is not adept socially, doesn't know much about how to dress, attend events, or how to socialize, though she is smart in other ways. But she does have money to spend, having inherited two million dollars from her grandmother back in her small hometown.

We learn later in the book that Caroline is neurodiverse, having a kind of mild disability cognitively, thus her reliance on her sugar baby, Adrian, an artist down on his luck who needs funds urgently to pay rent.

I liked the ways in which Caroline, smart and savvy in business, helps Adrian get back on his feet as an artist who knows how to promote and sell his works. And of course, it's amusing at times how Adrian has to coach Caroline on the social front.

An entertaining and unusual rom com that will appeal to all readers.

Caroline has recently inherited a good chunk of money from her late grandma and decides to move out on her own for the first time at 22 to attend graduate school. Determined to make new friends and experience life, she hires a companion through an online escort service, Adrian, a struggling artist who recently ended things with his ex, to spend time with her.

This was so sweet! Caroline is implied to be neurodivergent so she’s a bit awkward and doesn’t get social cues in the situations that she gets into. In comes Adrian who’s there to spend time with her and explain things to her without judgement. Their relationship is incredibly wholesome and definitely a bit instalovey from Adrian’s side, but cute nonetheless that I can’t help but root for them. I adore the way he treats her.

Caroline is the kind of character you just can’t help but like - she’s kind, generous with her time (and money lol), and genuinely wants Adrian to succeed in his career. Her character development really shines by the end and I’m glad she finally finds her voice to stand up for herself from her estranged family.

My first Katie Shepherd book and it won’t be the last!

Sweeten the Deal by Katie Shepard is a flawless blend of gut-wrenching emotions, clever wit, raw vulnerability, and sheer brilliance! This delightful and refreshing twist on the Sugar Daddy trope makes it an absolute must-read. Prepare yourself for a delectable and gratifying literary treat that will leave you craving for more!

Dnf @ 20%

Just felt too simplistic and slightly judgement. Characters didn't feel fully realized but rather stereotypical version of people like this.

Sweeten the Deal
by Katie Shepard
Pub Date: 17 Oct 2023
Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley
Romance
Rating: 4/5

A fun read, Sweeten the Deal by Katie Shepherd makes you smile. It follows the story of Caroline who faces challenges in her pursuit of a happy life. The book is light-hearted and sweet, with lots of laughs along the way. It's a great pick-me-up on a rainy day.

Caroline is 22 years old, in college, and just inherited two million dollars from her grandmother. Despite the light-hearted nature of the book, Caroline is still trying to come to terms with her new reality of life without her grandmother and the responsibility of managing her newfound wealth.

A talented artist in his 30s, Adrian has recently broken up with his girlfriend. He lives with his college roommate, and cannot sell enough art to pay rent. He feels lost and desperate, leading him to pursue a risky job offering companionship through a legitimate online escort website. The two decide to form a business relationship so that Caroline can see Boston with an escort, and Adrian can make some money. While Caroline and Adrian intend to keep their relationship strictly professional, they quickly realize they can't deny their friendship. A journey of trust and love awaits them, but will they take the risk?

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me to review this heart-warming book. I look forward to reading the sequel.

#SweetenTheDeal

I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me a chance at reading this cute book.

I felt the story was rather interesting. You have a girl who has inherited this large sum of money from her grandmother. She is pretty but not quite dating material due to her neurodivergency to situations and experiences. She longs for companionship, so she brings up a escort-dating site where men act as companions / dates for rich females or males. There she meets Adrian, who is on the site due to a desperate need for cash or else he and his roommate end up on the street. The thing is she is 22 and he is 33.

So begins their relationship. He dating her for cash to live day to day, and she looking to have companionship and new experiences.

I had never read a book by this author but I enjoyed what there was to offer. I liked their slow burn relationship and the slow lean from trust / understanding to mutual love. I finished the book within a day.

The reason why I rated it down two stars is that the story itself felt rather simplistic. The best friend was the one who called out the FL for being neurodivergent (in a throwaway conversation with the ML). Otherwise, I am not sure if anybody would have picked up on it. I also felt like that there had to be more than the dates that seemed repetitive.

Still, it's cute for a beach read and I didn't mind giving this chance.

Welp, I wasn't expecting to fall quite so hard for this one but it charmed the heck out of me. Sweeten the Deal is about a 22-year-old former tennis player who's inherited a bunch of money from her grandmother. Caroline is awkward and never quite knows how to interact with people. She's never had friends beyond her overbearing family and her team and even that was always steeped in competition. Since she's learning how to fix problems with money, she hires Adrian, a thirty-something starving artist to be, well, her sugar baby. He's supposed to show her a good time around town (not that kind of good time) and expand her horizons related to art and food and the theater. The age gap is explored in a really thoughtful way and the slow burn plays out beautifully. Adrian's roommate is fantastic and I was thrilled to learn that he's the lead of the next book. I'll definitely be going back to read Bear With Me Now.

{4.5 stars rounded up - there was something about the third act conflict that didn't quite work for me and I feel like the story could have explored Caroline's neurodiversity a bit more}