I hit a bit of a slump yesterday. I tried reading three different books, and by the time 10 pm rolled around, I was about ready to give up. I wasn’t tired though, so I tried Newton’s book as my last attempt… and I couldn’t put it down! I finished at 2 am and it was such a cute and perfect read.
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Basically this is an “author and event planner romance” where the characters are real, the circumstances are hilarious/swoon worthy and the romance is slow burn. I laughed. My fingers tingled (this is my “tell” that a book is getting me in the feels) and at times I had to pause because I was getting such second hand embarrassment . Some of the situations the characters faced were so funny/awkward 😂
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RATING:
Overall: 4 ⭐️
Writing: 4.5 ⭐️ (easy and enjoyable)
Characters: 4 ⭐️
Romance/steam: 1.5 🔥
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If you’re looking for a quick and fun rom com, I do recommend this! Hits all the desired tropes (awkward meet cute, miscommunication, grand gesture) that I want in this genre.
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Kate Sweet is a successful wedding planner also known as the queen of Happily Ever Afters. Her best friend Imani ropes her in to plan a book launch event for a bestseller horror writer Drake Matthews also known as Knight of Nightmares. As soon as Kate and Drake meet the situation goes out of hand in a funny and nightmarish (is that even a word, it better be) kind of way. I like how things progress from there and both the main characters work for each other’s benefit. One is trying to plan the best book launch and win an EVPLEX and the other is overcoming his writer's block and gathering inspiration for the next project.

It is a sassy, sweet, laugh-out-loud, entertaining, and refreshing book. I could read it so fast and it was perfect to pull me out of a slump. This book is majorly set in New York upstate and Niagara Falls and I loved the author’s description. Some other parts that I loved a lot are the tomb scene and the fair with The Wizard of Oz theme.

I loved this debut so much and you will love it too if you like:

1. Small town settings,
2. Amazing main characters with incredible chemistry,
3. Meddling family members,
4. Quick, easy, and entertaining read,
5. A lot of laugh-out-loud moments.

Thanks to Forever Pub for my arc of this title.

One sentence review: What do you get when you mix an event planner with an author who writes horror novels - a fantastic romance that would be absolutely perfect for October reading!

Okay that is really two sentences but got to love creative dash-work! 😂

But seriously, I loved this book so much.

What did I like?

- Main characters that are rich in depth, so likable, and with really great jobs that you get in depth looks at. How can you not love a Stephen King-like hero?
- Side characters that you can't help but love. Seriously cannot wait to see the books that spin off from this one!
- Because of the hero's celebrity in this one, he's basically Stephen King, you get some really great scenes that I felt were really unique to this book. And Dylan Newton really has such an eye for detail and bringing these things to life.
- This book brings the steam but it is pretty concentrated to the end and would be easy to skip over for those that don't like the steamy parts.

So long story short, I highly recommend this one to all the romance lovers out there. If you are craving a little fall in this endless summer heat - this would be the perfect title for you.

Okay, I seriously cannot believe this book was the author’s debut rom com book. After finishing this amazing book, I was so ready to purchase every rom com this author had ever written because not only is her writing style AMAZING but the storyline? I swooned. Legit swooned and was biting my nails into the early hours of the morning because I could not get myself to stop reading it even though I’d be going into work two days in a row sleep deprived. But! I have no regrets.

How Sweet It Is tells the story of event planner extraordinaire Kate Sweet otherwise known as the Queen of Happily Ever Afters & Drake Matthews a horror book writer known to everyone as the Knight of Nightmares. Match made in heaven right? Well.. not so much (at first at least). But when Kate’s longtime best friend Imani reaches out to her pleading for Kate to take on the book launch planning event of one her writer clients who just so happens to be the Knight of Nightmares himself? Kate, whose never read a horror book or seen a horror movie before is understandably skeptical but of course ends up agreeing to take this event on.

What ensues has got to be the most original meet cute of any rom com ever. When I say I nearly died laughing to myself in the middle of the night.. I could not get enough of these two! The quick way these two connect (even though one of them quite literally passes out on the other), how they easily form a friendship that slowly but surely turns into more. The road to romance for these two is so not easy though, because with a past relationship & the insecurities that both these characters carry, it’s not an easy feat getting these two together.

In the end though, of course they make it, but the road leading up to their much deserved happily ever after is definitely one of the best I’ve read in a while.

I received an ARC via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Kate Sweet has bucked the family tradition of being in the medical field and instead is working towards being a top event planner. Kate is busy creating her clients' dream weddings, but at her friends insistence she focuses on planning a bestselling author's book launch extravaganza. It's time to turn in all the fairy tales on their end and embrace all things horror.

Drake Matthews is known as the Knight of Nightmares, darling author of the horror genre. His upcoming book has been optioned by a huge movie studio for a movie, so Drake is dreading all the hoopla. He would prefer not being in the spotlight and would like to leave the Knight of Nightmare title behind. In fact, he's itching to explore different genres of writing.

Their first meeting is a hilarious debacle ending with a trip to an urgent care. But as Kate and Drake work together they find their connection is inspiring them to make alterations to their lives and careers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

How Sweet It Is by Dylan Newton follows Kate Sweet, an event planner known for creating a "happily-ever-after" moment for her clients. When a gap in her schedule appears, her best friend asks Kate to take over a book launch for the "Knight of Nightmares," Drake Matthews. Drake is tired of his pigeon-holed image of the Knight of Nightmares and is suffering from writer's block... until he meets Kate and his world is turned upside down. This rom-com had humor as well as serious topics. The relationship between Kate and Drake is a slow burn... you know what will happen at the end but not how they will get there.

I look forward to the next book by Dylan Newton based on one of Drake's brothers!

Thank you so much to Forever and Netgalley for letting me read an eARC of How Sweet It Is! And happy release day to it (which means that y'all can 100% go out and grab it after reading my review)!
How Sweet It Is 4/5 Stars

Summary from Goodreads:
What happens when the queen of romance falls for the king of horror--you get "a hilarious rom-com comp," perfect for fans of Beach Read. (Kirkus, starred review)
Event planner Kate Sweet is famous for creating the perfect happily-ever-after moment for her clients’ dream weddings. So how is it that her best friend has roped her into planning a bestselling horror writer’s book launch extravaganza? But the second Kate meets—or rather, accidentally maims—the drop-dead-hot Drake Matthews, her well-ordered life quickly transforms into an absolute nightmare.
Drake Matthews is tired of the spotlight and tired of his reputation as the Knight of Nightmares. He's really a nice guy! But he’s not prepared for Kate, a fearless agent of chaos in steel-tipped stilettos, or for that sweet sting of attraction he feels for her. She’s inspiring him to take his writing in a whole new direction—one that no one expects. Because now Kate and Drake are changing up the rules, and this plot twist might just surprise everyone . . . including themselves.
"Fans of The Hating Game by Sally Thorne, Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert, and Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur will adore How Sweet It Is!" --The Nerd Daily

This book was so freaking cute! I loved that Kate was an event planner because I feel like a lot of times, people don't give event planners the respect they deserve and as someone who's helped plan my team's part of giant corporate events in the past, events are no joke! The way that this book starts out with Kate at one of her weddings and sets the scene throughout showing the level of detail and precision that goes into her events and the way that she's able to pivot at roll with the punches was amazing. I really enjoyed that. I also really loved Drake- I feel like he was the perfect love interest and I loved how much attention to detail he paid when crafting his stories- definitely something that him and Kate had in common. I also really enjoyed getting to know the Matthews family (are we getting spin off books for the other two Matthew brothers? I'd definitely grab those in a heartbeat!) and Imani and even the Sweets (even though Kate doesn't always seem to have the best relationship with them). The general plot of the book was super cute and even though parts of it were pretty predictable (the conflict for one), it didn't change my enjoyment of the book at all. The pacing was also really great- there were never points where I felt bored or uninterested- which is why I was able to finish this book in a matter of hours! All in all, I highly recommend How Sweet It Is for any of your fun, contemporary romance needs!

A sugary sweet office romance between a hot, nerdy horror writer and his event planner turned muse. A completely adorable and idealistic small town romcom with a perfect meet cute and a plot packed with mishaps that that make me wish for a movie adaption!

Kate Sweet wants nothing more than to win the coveted event planning award, so when her best friend drops a job to plan an epic book launch for a famous horror writer, Kate jumps at the chance. What starts out as a crazy, whirlwind adventure ends up leading Kate and Drake to a friendship that goes deeper than surface level.

The best part of this book is the wacky events that swirl around Kate and Jake. At every turn there always seems to be crazy fans, someone tripping, or a klutzy incident that drives these two together. This is an entertaining and adorable read with lots of minor characters always helping in the background. I really loved the flirty situations that always surrounded these two and how pets and family were involved. Now can I just get a love story for both of Drake’s brothers?

If you are looking for a fun beach read, look no further! This book will have you laughing out loud from start to finish. It is filled with a lot of heart and memorable characters set in a small town. I recommend checking out this bingeable rom-com, especially if you are a fan of enemies-to-lovers type plots!

Event planner Kate Sweet gets roped into planning the ultimate book launch party for the infamous horror author, Drake Matthews. Kate does her research on the Knight of Nightmares and determines that he is a grouchy and unapproachable author with a huge fan base (and terrifying dog) before ever meeting him. Their meet-cute is beyond hilarious and downright disastrous as the two polar opposite personalities collide and form a professional working relationship. Kate has her eye on a coveted event planning prize; Drake wants to prove he's more than just a horror author. I found myself rooting for happy endings for both characters!

The plot is perfectly paced and the storyline was adorable (and yes, somewhat reminiscent of Beach Read but unique enough to keep me interested and guessing as to how it would turn out in the end.) I loved Kate's and Drake's interactions as they got to know each other and the chemistry that is there from their first encounter. I enjoyed how the book had a healthy mix of comedy with some deeper topics spread throughout, too.

“Instead of an ‘Aww’ factor, just make it an ‘AAAAAHH’ factor!”

Forever puts on these wonderful Crowdcasts and IG lives, and I love listening in on what the happenings are around Forever and GCP. Estelle briefly touched on How Sweet It Is once, and I was in stitches thinking of the story. I knew the moment it came ready for review, I needed it.

This is a sweet story featuring our girl Kate Sweet, the best wedding even planner, and Drake Matthews, The Knight of Nightmares, best selling horror author. Kate is contracted by her best, Imani (also Drake’s publicist) on giving him the best book launch ever. While they didn’t start off on the right foot, they strike up a deal to help each other.

This book is just the sweet, wonderful, kind romance I need! It was fun having a horror writer as the male lead. My thriller heart was so happy. He makes them go to a mausoleum and has Kate sit in a coffin. Their chemistry was so sweet and I just gushed while reading. I loved that we got to meet the entire Matthews fam, and get to know Drake and his secret. Kate is an amazing MC and I loved her so muc. She was fearless, creative, sassy, and a chaos coordinator. I cheered for her so hard.

Lastly, I saw that last page that said I get Zander and Imani’s story next Summer. I’m so excited for their story and to hopefully get to see my favorite Matthews brother, Ryker. I absolutely love authors notes and acknowledgments and I thought it was so fun that Dylan Newton edited this book in the actual Wellsville, her hometown, and the setting of the book. It’s little details like this that sucker me into a good romance story for the end.

Overall, gushing! How Sweet It Is is just that, sweet. There is some cussing and a bit of steam at the end, so if you’re looking for a squeaky clean romance, you may want to try somewhere else. For fans of strong MCs, great friendships, and those that love a little horror with our romance, this is the one for you. Thank you so much @foreverpub for the gifted copy. I adored How Sweet It Is so much and it’s out today!

What a fun storyline! I was immediately interested when the matchup in this story is "the Queen of Happily Ever Afters" and "the Knight of Nightmares" ...what's not to like about that? I really ended up enjoying this book a great deal. It was a fresh spin on opposites attract that really worked for me.

Right off the bat, you feel like Kate and Drake are very different people. Of course, their initial meeting doesn't help when everything goes wrong that possibly can. It leaves them both a little unsure about how this book release can work out when they are both literally "on separate pages." With Kate being a successful event planner who is known for her 'happy ever afters' and Drake being a renowned horror author, it appears that they couldn't be a more unlikely pair. Kate was the only member of an "all medical" family that opted out of med school. It didn't seem to matter that she was an extremely successful event planner. For that reason, she always seemed to be trying to prove herself. Drake was the oldest brother of three. He felt responsible for his siblings and mom. Once the horror novels took off, he felt the need to keep writing them in order to provide for his family. In addition, he believed the public only liked him for that persona. It also didn't help that he'd been badly betrayed by his previous girlfriend, leaving him with extreme trust issues.

The chemistry between these two simmered through the pages until it finally couldn't be suppressed anymore. Of course, Drake's trust issues cause problems and Kate just naturally finds chaos that has to be managed - - all of which makes it challenging for this couple. Can they find their way through the fog of misunderstanding and hurt? Will the Knight of Nightmares be able to find his own HEA and in turn give one to Kate as well? You'll have to read the book to find out.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

DNF. Unfortunately, this book is not for me. While I think the story has promise, it quickly became clear that it was just too cheesy for me and not something I wanted to read.

4 out of 5 stars!

As a highly successful event planner, the heroine decided to help her best friend with a book launch event. The author is the hero, and the first meeting was definitely a titillating experience for both of them. As the two worked together, their attraction to each other deepens as they faced career choices, familial pressures, and personal struggles during the story progression.

I enjoyed this rom-com debut of two people falling in love in a book publication and small-town world. I enjoyed the strong secondary characters, especially the hero's family and the heroine's best friend. The main couple was enjoyable to read, though there was an action by the heroine that irritated me. I didn't even mind the annoying secondary characters because they didn't hinder the overall story. In conclusion, it's an entertaining read and I look forward to reading more Dylan Newton books in the future.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own.**

Wow, the premise of How Sweet It Is is so cool! Immediately a romance between an event planner and a horror writer, an uncommon combination for sure, pulled me in. Then the cheesiness and book details kept me hooked!

First off, the details regarding Kate's event planning, particularly in relation to the book launch, and Drake's writing process, were so interesting. While non-readers will certainly still be able to understand and love the story, will likely have a special meaning for book lovers, especially those knowledgeable about the publication process. This part of the story felt very authentic, and I think showing the impact that authors, even of horror books, can have on their readers is a good reminder to writers that their work matters! Also, there are some great mentions about respecting privacy that are great to remember.

Their adventures were certainly funny, but I also appreciated the logistical discussions that the two had and how Drake didn't need to be some hyper-masculine, fearless, and unshakable guy for Kate to fall in love with him. Kate's reluctance to get into a relationship was truly explored and her dreams weren't entirely thrown away for love. However, at some times it felt like there was a bit of a power imbalance between them since Drake was kind of Kate's boss. I didn't enjoy Drake's POV, which tended to lean into creepy and objectifying, but at least he was mostly considerate and seemed to really care about her. Despite this, I still enjoyed the majority of this book and would certainly recommend it to others. That being said, the reason for the third act break up really bothered me. Though it highlighted some major problems in their relationship, they didn't truly seem to be fixed by the end of the story.

How Sweet It Is is a sweet romance that you won't want to miss, especially if you love supportive families and writing!

Content Warnings: blood, fainting, sexual assault (no on-page descriptions but is discussed multiple times), amputation from military injury (past, off-page)

Halloween and spooky season is my favorite and this one has me wanting to rip down my 4th of July decorations and get my porch full of pumpkins, mums and skulls.
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Kate Sweet is an event planner AKA The Queen of Happily Ever Afters. Her next big event is a book launch event for Drake Matthews AKA the Knight of Nightmares.
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Kate doesn’t feel equipped to be dealing with the dark persona the internet has projected Drake to be. There are so many lol moments, including her best friend, and his publicist doling out this advice. “Instead of an aww factor just make it an AAAAHH factor!”
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Kate’s obsessive planning and spreadsheets speaks directly to my OCD heart and let me tell you I simply adore Drake. I love how he may be the king of horror novels but I desperately want to read his romance novel. I wish that was a real book! I also love the relationship between Kate and Drake. This book was so much fun as they inspire each other to be their best selves! This also had some real heartwarming moments, especially when Drake visited with some fans and his humble attitude when he says, “It’s nice to be important but it’s more important to be nice.” Solid advice for every single day.
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Thank you @readforeverpub and @netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review. This one is out today!
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Dylan Newton has made a MAJOR fan out of me!! This debut novel lives up to the title and is just the SWEETest read! Truly a remarkable laugh out loud opposites attract rom com that I finished in one sitting and will most certainly have me revisiting … MULTIPLE TIMES!

An event planner who's career is defined by "Happily Ever Afters" and "Awww" factors is tasked with planning an event for the horror author dubbed the "Knight of Nightmares" what could possibly go wrong?? This novel takes us on a journey full of laughs and tender moments with the incredible characters Kate Sweet and Drake Matthews. When these two collide (quite literally) they both learn theres more than what initially meets the eye!
The dynamic and chemistry between Kate and Drake had me completely hooked from their first encounter. I am no stranger to chaos and awkward moments and just totally ATE THIS UP! The way Newton develops the romance between Kate and Drake is remarkably done with such an ease and flow that makes the reader truly fall in love with the couple. They not only evolve as a couple but also individuals and that is one of my favorite aspects in any romance novel!

I said it once and I’ll say it again BIG Dylan Newton fan here and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!(IF it was the stories of the other Matthews brothers I certainly would not be opposed to that AT ALL!!!)
Rounding up 4.5 stars to 5 stars because it was just truly a story I didn't even know that I needed that was so heartwarming and just a fun read!!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest review.

What a WONDERFUL surprise this book was. Seriously, the most adorable rom com I have read in a while. Not only did it make me laugh hysterically at some points, but the characters went through realistic struggles. There was a real depth and emotion! The whole premise for this book was just too good for me to pass up. I mean, the Happily-Ever-After Wedding Planner and the Knight of Nightmares horror author?! I am here for it. And then when you find out Drake's current goals, it gets even better. I also love the awkwardness between these two after that meet-disaster. On top of all of that, all the Halloween vibes were amazing! Honestly, just go pick this one up and dive into the goodness!

My first impression - fun, charming, and swoony. The description clinched it for me, and in the reading, I wasn’t disappointed.

Kate Sweet is a highly professional event planner, with some family issues.
Drake Matthews is a horror writer who has new aspirations.

Kate’s best friend asks for her third favor from Kate in their decade-long friendship and Kate agrees to help, signing up to plan a book launch event to celebrate Drake’s new title.

Add in Drake’s adorable dog, some stiletto heels and you’ve got a meet-cute that is original and really enjoyable.

In the case of this book, my first thoughts on it turned out to be correct, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. This story was truly sweet and a joy to read.


Special thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for an advance reader copy of this novel. All opinions shared are influenced by nothing other than my own reading experience.

3.5*

How Sweet It Is was an entertaining, relatively light and easy read.
I enjoyed the premise of the author and the event planner, I don't think I've come across those two careers together in a book. And as a self-proclaimed bookworm, and a wannabe event planner (one of those jobs you dream about as a kid), I loved the whole idea of going all-out for a book launch.

The "meet-cute" between Kate and Drake is probably the most memorable part of the book- it was awkward, funny, and just this side of being too over-the-top. Talk about starting out with a bang! Once they were able to move past that unfortunate incident, I liked how things progressed from there, with Kate and Drake (I just realized their names rhyme), working together for both their benefits. They had some good chemistry and I enjoyed their banter, and the build up as they each realized there were growing feelings between them. I was happy that there wasn't a lot of back and forth, although I do wish there had been a little more to the resolution after the misunderstanding. But I was very glad that part wasn't long and drawn out. And the epilogue was really sweet!

I have to wonder if there might be stories coming for Drake's brothers. I wouldn't mind spending more time in this world.

Overview: This follows a event planner (Kate) who's focus is weddings and happily ever afters. She gets thrown into planning a book launch for a horror author (Drake) and madness ensues from there. I was laughing out loud at the story, couldn't put it down, and new this would be a 5 star book from 50 pages in.

Plot: Every plot point and scene is there for a reason, everything was well though out. There were no boring parts, or scenes that didn't make sense. Everything flowed together and made it really easy to keep reading. The story takes place over a long enough timeline that I can truly believe that the characters fall in love.

Characters: Kate and Drake are my new favorite couple. The chemistry is there from the first time they are together and even with just one bedroom scene the sexual tension is some of the best I have read. The back stories helped each character come alive and their internal/external struggles made them relatable. I feel like these are real people that I could meet.

Writing: The writing is phenomenal. Each sentence and scene flowed into the next, there was no awkward sentences. Everything was easy to read. With two perspectives I can sometimes take a page or two when the perspective switches to get back into the story. Not here. I was kept in the story from chapter to chapter and each perspective change.

I loved this book and keep reaching for it to read more even though I'm finished. I would recommend this to anyone who likes romance books, chick lit, rom com movies, or anyone who just wants a good book. This is easily on of the best romance books I have read and I don't think I will ever stop recommending it. We get a hint at the end that there will be another book coming out in 2022 following different characters from the story and I will reading that as soon as I can get my hands on it.