Thanks to Netgalley for the digital ARC for my honest review!

I cannot believe this is a debut novel! It's so good!! It has everything a romance book lover wants.
Two wholesome main characters. Witty banters. Great story and unique in its own way. Great character development. My heart is all over the places when I got to the ending of the book. Easily top3 romance books for 2021 so far.

I need to read it again and make more notes!!
Definitely will talk more about this book on my podcast when it's published!!

This drew me in instantly... as an avid reader my favorite thing to do is meet my authors. This book hit my happy!
Kate is an event planner and was hired to do a huge book launch for horror writer Drake Matthews (insert my drool here)

While their initial meeting was on shaky ground, Kate and Drake find they actually have more in common and what hides behind the horror writers door is not what Kate expected.

I could not put down this title. The heroine is smart, determined, and incredibly good at what she does. The hero is strong, smart, and giving. It is a romance that will sweep you up and never let go.

This book is, as the name suggests, really sweet. A badass career woman event planner and successful horror writer. I love the opposite natures of their careers and the clash when they come together!

Drake is a horror writer and the Knight of Nightmares and Kate is the Queen of Happily Ever Afters! Such a sweet concept!

The meet cute in this book is outrageous!! It’s so funny and out of control and my favorite part of the book! Just when you think it’s done, the crazy keeps going!

Drake turns out to be less of the gothic guy I originally pictured him as for this opposites attract book, but really he’s just a cinnamon roll.

I felt like the attraction was a bit rushed, but overall, this is a great romcom and debut!

Enjoyed reading this one and will be checking out Dylan’s next book!

This book was gifted to me by the publisher, review is my own.

3.5
This was a quick and feel good romance about two unlikely people coming together. Kate and Drake are basically opposites working together to launch Drakes new horror book. Kate is a wedding event coordinator branching out in her planning. SO many mishaps come up between these two that were laugh out loud. The book is sweet and not too heavy on the steamy side. It also had lots of fun side characters. I also enjoyed that it wasn't too unrealistic. If you are looking for light and fluffy with not much to really think about this is the book for you.

Horror and romance are two of my top genres and this book combined them both wonderfully. I loved hearing about Kate's methods to creating wondering events including the "Awww" moment. I really felt that ultimately her goal was that her clients had a good day. Yes, she wanted to look good and professional but it was equally as important that it was memorable for them. When Drake finally let her plan, she showed the utmost consideration for him as well as his home which was one of the things that endeared her to him.

I also enjoyed the vulnerability that came through Drake as an writer. I'm not sure if the author intended that to be a bit of a glimpse into herself, but it came across very authentic in the worry about rejection especially in trying out something new. It is always scary to put your work out there even if you're already established. And that came across well.

I also really liked the tongue in cheek meta-jokes made thorough out the novel. Again, I'm not certain if they were intentional but either way they were brilliant. This is also a slow burn romance with one of the more believable third act conflicts that I've read in a long time. This was a cute read that I would highly recommend especially for this like myself who find themselves enamored with these two genres.

I received an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I read this in Galley via NetGalley. Weddings planner Kate Sweet is known for the Awwww! moment that she helps bring to each unique event, usually a special gift from the groom to the bride, but wants to branch out her business to be eligible for an industry award. The opportunity to plan a book launch for a popular author falls into her lap, and it turns out to be none other than the Knight of Nightmares, horror author Drake Matthews. He doesn't want his event to turn into a circus, and Kate is working in a genre that's 180-degrees from her usual romance comfort zone. The attraction is immediate, their meet-cute is a bit disastrous, Drake's past intrudes, Kate's family has unreasonable expectations that she will ditch the "party" planning scene and finish a medical degree and join the family practice... plenty of conflicts to overcome. Drake's military background helps to flesh him out (literally - Kate google-stalks her client and finds an photo of Drake in just a swimsuit with abs of steel!) and provides background, motivation, and even a subplot involving some old letters between his grandparents.

Author Dylan Newton writes with wonderful attention to detail: of Kate's outfits, Dylan's writer's imagination, the minutiae of event planning details, and a flyover description of Niagara Falls. Drake's Victorian home, which has been in the family at least 2 generations, is almost a character itself, with a personality of it's own. Drake's career sets up a wonderfully creepy opportunity for the protagonists to be locked into a crypt together, a fun variation on the forced proximity trope. The happy ending is very sweet indeed, and with 2 more single Matthews brothers at the end of the novel, this reader hopes sequels are in the works!

#HowSweetItIs #NetGalley

This book was cute and hilarious.
I love meet cute stories and this was hilarious.
I adored Drake (and his family). That interaction with a fan was so heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.
Kate was a bit chaotic but the good kind. Drake was not your typical "famous writer" whos an arse which was also a breath of fresh air. I really liked them both as main characters.
The sexy times were tasteful which is always a plus.
This was compared to Beach Read and although I can see why, this went beyond and became a caricature of characters and instead of sweet, it was cheesy. That I didn't like.
This was an adorable rom-com is the perfect for summer time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks netgalley for a copy of How Sweet it is.

The title & cover drew me in unfortunately that is all I loved about this book. There were a few highlights that were cute but overall I had a hard time getting through the book. The main characters for me were really hard to like. I also felt the story was slow & I struggled to keep invested in it. Everytime I felt it was getting better, something would happen causing me to roll my eyes & lose interest again.

How Sweet It Is by Dylan Newton is a hilarious and charming story! It has one of the best meet-cutes I’ve read in a long time, although meet-disaster is probably a more accurate description. If you love laugh-out-loud romcoms, you should definitely give this one a read!

It’s about event planner Kate Sweet, also known as the Queen of Happily Ever Afters, and horror writer Drake Matthews, the Knight of Nightmares. Kate is helping a friend by planning the book launch for Drake’s latest novel. But their worlds are turned upside down right from their first meeting.

The writing is fantastic with perfect humor, witty banter, and romance! Kate, Drake, and all the secondary characters are so lovable, and they each have their own vulnerabilities. I especially enjoyed the camaraderie between Drake and his brothers and hope that they get their own books soon!

Bonus: There is an adorably mischievous menace of a dog, who may or may not be responsible for their meet-disaster!

Double Bonus: There is a special treat for historical romance lovers!

This book was aptly named because it was such a sweet romance. The heroine, Kate Sweet, is a successful event planner who has created a name for herself in the wedding industry as the Queen of Happily Ever Afters and giving couples their perfect “awwww” moment. But soon Kate finds herself having to plan the perfect “ahhh!” moment when her best friend, who is an author’s publicist, needs her help planning the perfect spook-tacular Halloween event for a best-selling horror writer’s newest book launch.

Drake Matthews is known as the Knight of Nightmares, his 10th nightmare-inducing horror book is about to launch and has already been picked up for a movie when his publishers decide they want to do a full-out spooky Halloween event at his Victorian home to celebrate. Drake has an almost cult following because of his books with claims of his house being haunted and that he lives the spooky life his books are about...but of course none of that is true and he is just a nice, low-key guy who appreciates his fans and would rather spend time with his family & supporting local veterans (he was a former Marine, along with his brothers).

Kate only knows what she’s seen about Drake online, so their first meeting goes terribly and Drake can’t stand the over-the-top spookily-cliched event Kate has planned. But at the same time, he’s drawn to Kate and is inspired by her for the newest top-secret book project he’s working on. Drake makes a deal with Kate, she can come back to start working on mew plans for the event with his daily approvals if she will also help him on his writing research (which includes trips to mausoleums and Kate acting out scenes for him).

I loved the forced proximity we get in this book and thought Drake was just the sweetest. I loved how awkward he would make things with not knowing what to say/how to act around Kate but knowing how perfectly a hero in his book would act/what they’d say. Their meet cute moment was incredibly chaotic and things not going smoothly just continued with Drake and Kate. Kate was a very “everything happens according to my planner” type of heroine and how her life just got so crazy with nothing going the way she planned once she met Drake was fun. I never understood why they were using Drake’s house for the event and opening his house up to fans when he was clearly not comfortable with how “spooky” the publishers & Kate wanted to make the event, I felt bad for his character with those moments. I also wasn’t a fan of the conflict and horrible people from his past involved in the book towards the end, but I did enjoy the sweet romance (maybe wanted a bit more from that) and some of the funny-romcom bits in this read. There are hints of one of Drake’s brothers possibly getting a romance in the future and I would check it out because I did enjoy Drake and his family.

Thank you to the publisher (Forever) for an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest thoughts & review. How Sweet It Is comes out July 13, 2021.

How Sweet It Is, is the perfect title for this book! I loved the setting, the characters, and the details Dylan Newton put into it. It take me just a bit to get into it but once I did, I loved it! I can't wait to read the next novel by Dylan Newton.

Calling all rom com fans! Stop everything you're doing and mark your calendars for July 13! Or better yet, navigate to your favorite place to buy books and pre-order @authordylannewton debut novel How Sweet It Is! Event planner Kate Sweet has a big wedding get canceled and pushes outside of her comfort zone to do a favor for her best friend: organizing a book launch for the famous (and handsome!) Knight of Nightmares author Drake Matthews. As they work together on a Halloween-themed launch that Drake doesn't even want, sparks begin to fly among the chaos of planning a last minute event! I laughed out loud basically every other page in this book and the character development was thoughtful and perfectly executed. I sped through this delightful story in a day and a half. 5 plus stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

One of my book weaknesses is a dual POV and this one is done exceptionally well even being written as a third person narrative. At times there can be a disconnect reading third versus first, but this author seamlessly made it feel as if this was a first person narrative by giving the reader insight into their emotions.

Kate is the Queen of Happily Ever Afters, who is determined in her career aspects and unapologetic in her path to achieve them. Drake is the Knight of Nightmares, but he’s nothing like the monsters in his books. He’s quiet, kind, and relishes a quiet night in rather than being in the spotlight.

I was a bit surprised by the level of steam in this book only because the story was very PG-13 in comparison. There was a small disconnect between the characters we knew outside of the bedroom and inside. The shift gave me whiplash and took me a moment to catch up.

This book is the epitome of a feel-good RomCom with tender moments that make you swoon and characters that you root for. Between the laugh out loud moments, to the quiet moments of tenderness that charmed your heart and made you smile. Overall this story was really enjoyable with enough sweetness without it being too overpowering combined with characters that were a joy to read. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Pub for this ARC

Lovely rom-com about Kate Sweet - a wedding planner - who gets asked by her best friend to organize a book launch. For Drake Matthews no less, a famous horror author. Drake is not impressed by her ideas but finds she is an excellent muse for his work in progress (a romance) and Kate wants a special award, so they decide to work together.

Overall lovely romance. I had a bit of lag in the middle but it soon picked up for a great ending!

What a sweet book! Very funny.
Kate Sweet is an event planner. She ends up planning a book launch for the famous horror writer Drake Matthews. The Knight of Nightmares meets the Queen of Happily Ever After.
Total opposite people meet and have crazy, silly things happen to them.
All of the characters were likable. Loved the fact that the brothers all came from a long line of military family and that included them too.
Hoping Dylan Newton follows this book up with books for Kate’s best friend and the Matthew’s brothers.
Quick easy read that I couldn’t put down!
Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

'How Sweet it Is,' by Dylan Newton is just as sweet as it sounds. After hopping around from book to book, and reading a few thrillers, it was nice to read a light, funny novel.

This book has exactly what you would hope for: a meet cute, a hard working woman, funny side characters. I don't necessarily know that this book stood out from other rom-coms I have read lately, but it was still a nice read.

I've heard speculation that there may be spin off books from each of Drake's brothers- I would definitely be interested in following Dylan Newton and reading what comes next.

This book was delightful! Our heroine, Kate, is a cheery, capable, optimist and Drake is a dashing leading man. I loved watching them get to know and admire each other in this opposites attract romantic comedy.

Let me start by saying I LOVED this book. (Is there a stronger word than love I can used here?) I am obsessed with this book? That might be more accurate.

Plot Summary: Kate Sweet is an Event (not party) planner and is known as the Queen of Happily Ever Afters. She is known for planning the perfect wedding where the bride and groom get an "Aww Moment" at the end which they will always remember. When one of her weddings for the falls cancels freeing up her calendar, her best friend Imani (who is a book publisher) convinces her to help plan the book release of one of her clients -- Drake Matthews. Now Drake is a famous horror novelist and known as the Knight of Nightmares. To say the Queen of HEA and the Knight of Nightmares have an interesting first encounter is an understatement. Her attempts to make a good first impression on her new client are thwarted as a series of hilarious events lead her to "scale him like a "koala on a Eucalyptus tree." But that's just the beginning of the antics these two find themselves in. Drake then finds himself inspired to take his writing in a new direction but first they both have to survive this book launch.

Review.: This book was hilarious and the banter was perfection. I couldn't stop reading.. As an uber fan of romcoms this one is the perfect balance of complex characters that you peel away the learn more about as the story progresses, witty, smart banter, and romance. I want to eat Drake Matthews up! I LOVED him. He was sweet and kind, yet damaged and a whole, complex character (with perfectly defined abs). Then there is Kate who was HILARIOUS and also so complex in her own right. From her deadly stilettos to her need for perfection I could picture her as a real person. All of the side characters were wonderful as well and I cannot wait for what will hopefully be lots of additional books about them all.

In short, the only thing I did not like about this book is that it doesn't come out to the public until July so I cannot start immediately buying it and gifting it to friends because I know so many people who will love this one! I cannot wait to read more from Dylan Newton! I hope to get to read everything she writes.

This book was delightful! Kate agrees to help her best friend out and plan the book launch for the latest Drake Matthews book. Drake, nicked named the King of Nightmares (for his scary books) maintains a mysterisous persona; rumors abound about his crreepy house and lifestyle. Kite shows up to his house determined to make a great impression only to have the whole thing end up as a total disaster. She’s sure she is fired but she’s determined to save the account for her friend (his publicist) at least.

The story is funny, charming, swoon worthy- everything you want in a romcom!