Wow. Wow is all I can say after reading this great novel.

I recommend it for all romance fans. It is amazing. Don't go in with any expectations, I am confident you'll enjoy it.

Things I liked:
- It felt very fresh to me. The voice, the story, the plot felt very unique. It's not many times that the MMC is actually a horror writer
- The characters were lovely and well fleshed out. No manipulation at all by the author here, which is very rare.
- I ended up laughing many times while reading and also ended the book with a smile

Thing I didn't like as much - the ending felt a little rushed. I knew a HEA was imminent but it just felt good, not great - not an "Aww" moment exactly. It wasn't bad by any means, just not as great as I had envisioned.

Overall, a very solid 5 stars

PS - Also, how cute is that cover?

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and it doesn't impact my opinion in any way

This was so cute and sweet, It was a tad corny but it totally worked for this. This book would be a great palette cleanse in between heavier reads or a perfect beach/pool read!

This book was delightful!! Such a cute, light romance. Kate is an event planner and Drake is an author known for his horror novels. Drake has a reputation as the Knight of Nightmares. The internet is full of rumors about him sleeping in a coffin and other creepy things. His mansion is creepy and rumored to be haunted. Fans wait by the gates to see him or a ghost. Kate is looking for her next event to plan and hoping to win a coveted award. Kate’s parents are surgeons and her sister is in medical school. Her mom pressures her throughout the book to go into medicine. This is part of the driving force behind Kate’s desire to win the award and prove to her family that she is successful in her field. When her best friend asks her to help with Drake’s next book launch chaos ensues. This book has many humorous parts. The scene where Drake and Kate meet is laugh out loud funny. This book shows the difficult side of fame: trying to meet fans expectations, coping with constant attention and dealing with false rumors and people who try to profit off of your success. There is also an element of how to cope with self doubt. Kate and Drake have great chemistry. I loved how the book spent most of the time focusing on the relationship away from the bedroom. Drake’s brothers were great side characters. Would definitely read additional books by this author with them as the lead characters. Drake is keeping the romance novel he writes a secret. This book does a nice job of showing how romance novels are often treated by people as “less than” or not respectable books to write, read or love. The requisite problem thrown in the way of Kate and Drake having a happily for now ending was not what I expected. This book would be great fall release because of the horror novel component and the Halloween book launch event. Thank you to Net Galley and Forever for the digital ARC.

You know when you get instantly approved for something and you think to yourself "This has to be too good to be true"? Well, that's what happened for me with this pre-release novel from NetGalley. However, How Sweet It Is by Dylan Newton was not at all what I was expecting after thinking that! It was good! Like really good! I had a hard time putting it down, I would read a few pages here and there when I was supposed to be working, or when trying to fall asleep at night.

Drake and Kate couldn't be more polar opposites if they tried. Drake writes horror novels and is the "Knight of Nightmares", while Kate is the "Queen of Happily Ever After" who plans amazing weddings. Kate is signed on to plan his newest book release and ever since she arrives in his little town of Wellsville, just about everything turns into chaos for her! However, this makes for a very disastrous, adorable meet-cute. Neither of them are prepared for the direction their lives start to head in while working with each other.

Dylan Newton really seems to know how to tell a story and develop her characters - Both Drake and Kate were both such good, likeable people. Even that typical "something goes wrong so the characters can get back together"-thing that romance novels do, was handled so skillfully that I wasn't rolling my eyes when it happened, I was actually smiling for these characters! It wasn't just added drama thrown in for the sake of drama. And there was that elevator scene.. WOW!

This was a fun, easy read with an amazing romance story between two people who are more than just their careers, or more than just their good looks. They thrive off each other, grow into better people because of each other. I would highly recommend. 5/5 stars

In Dylan Newton's new rom-com, Kate Sweet is an event planner striving to win a prestigious award for her creative efforts. When asked to plan a book release for horror novelist, Drake Matthews, Kate jumps at the opportunity. She is sure this is the opportunity for her to win the award she has strived for her entire career.

If you haven't been to Western New York, Newton captured the setting perfectly in the book. I loved that Drake's mother was the owner of the local establishment, and Kate (an outsider) speaks to her openly, unknowingly. That is WNY.

If you are looking for a summer beach read or something light to take you away from the stress of the world, this is an endearing novel. I absolutely loved Kate's character from the beginning. It took me a little longer to relate to Drake's character, but that may have been intentional because the world misunderstands him in the book. There were several quirky characters that made this book enjoyable, as well.

Thank you Net Galley for an arc of this cute romance in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher, Forever, and Netgalley for the egalley of Dylan Newton’s novel How Sweet It Is.

HOW SWEET IT IS to find a book you can’t put down, even at night walking the dog on the front lawn.

📚 First off, I love books about books! Our hero, Drake Matthews is a bestselling author known for writing horror novels and also known as the King of Nightmares. His newest book is about to be launched and he’s past due dates for drafts on his next book because he can’t get another ( & completely outside of his normal horror) story out of his head.

👠 Everyone loves a good meet cute right? Well this is more like a meet disaster. From the moment Kate Sweet, aka The Queen of Happily Ever Afters steps onto Drake’s property to plan his book launch, everything that can go wrong goes wrong. Seriously, she stabs him with her high heel! It’s hilarious and I got a little second hand embarrassment for Kate. It felt super relatable and like something that would happen to me. 😂

♥️ This was a fun romcom full of heart and hilarity. In Kate’s business of event planning she likes to give her clients an “Aww moment” that they’ll never forget. I think The author gave a couple aww moments of her own in the story that makes this book stand out for me.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I was excited to revive an ARC for this book because it seemed like a book I would love. It had all the makings of a great story. A fun meet-cute, strong characters, lots of drama and a budding romance. While this book has received great reviews from others it just didn’t do it for me. Even with the set up of a classic romance novel it just fell flat. For some reason the story just wasn’t believable to me. The conflict was overdone and the romance was underwhelming. Obviously lots of people loved it so I think you should read it and decide for yourself!

What a sweet love story. I enjoyed it from the beginning to the very end. I do hope we get more from these characters. This was my first book from this author, but it will definitely not be my last. I can't recommend it enough.

Kate Sweet is an event planner. Not party planner, EVENT planner. Coming from a family if surgeons she's always felt as if they see her job as less than. She works hard and has made her event.planning business a true success. This year she has her eye on the top event planner award, and to help her best friend offers her the event of a lifetime. An author book launch. Only problem.is the writer writes horror novels, which couldn't be further away from her usual glittery sparkly events. The job would show off her versatility however so she takes it. That's how she meets the author Drake. And you'll just have to go pick up a copy to see what happens next! 😉

I adored this book! The characters were so well built they felt like actual people. The writing is witty and funny and the story is crafted so well you can't put it down. As a plus, its centered around Halloween! This may seem like a small thing, but when that's your favorite holiday you notice the only holiday anyone celebrates in a.novel is Christmas. It was nice to pick up a book that happens on Halloween.

Yes its a romance book so yes there's a happily ever after. But isn't that why we pick them up in the first place?! Aside from that, the story is well written with believable scenarios and superb character development for even secondary characters. Five big stars for this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Dylan Newton, and Forever Grand Central Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Event Planner, Kate Sweet is used to planning weddings. She’s very good at what she does but when her best friend asks her to take on a different type of event, Kate agrees. Little does she know, this event will be the event to change her life.
Drake Matthews is a best-selling writer of horror books. With his latest book being turned into a movie, his publicity company wants this promoted big and in spectacular fashion. The only problem is that Drake has a secret, one that could blow everything up. When the Knight of Nightmares and the Queen of Fairytales join forces, anything could happen.
How Sweet it is by Dylan Newton is an absolutely delicious book. Kate and Drake are personable, lovable and completely delightful. This whole story is just fun, with laughs through out. I loved this book and did not want it to end. I can not wait to read Dylan Newton’s next book.

I received this novel as an advanced reader copy through net galley. I truly enjoyed this contemporary romance. Drake and Kate had so much chemistry and I thought the idea of him being a horror writer was clever and fresh. Recommend this wholeheartedly as a quick, fun, read!

Kate meets Drake when she is hired to plan a launch event for his new book. She normally plans weddings, but wants to plan the event for a horror author to try and win an award she feels would justify her career choices to her parents. Both have issues from their past that may influence whether they give each other a chance.

Both are great characters and I liked how it is told from both of their points of view.

Looking forward to reading more from this author.

If a math textbook was marketed as perfect for readers of Beach Read, I’d probably read it. So obviously I was immediately sucked in when I saw that in the description of How Sweet It Is. After finishing it, I can see why it was marketed this way, there were definite Beach Read feels and similarities. Two individuals working on their craft and clashing somewhat.

How Sweet It Is had less of the rivals to lovers, but still had the tension associated with this trope which was fun to read. Kate and Drake were good protagonists, neither overly annoying or angsty, but I did feel like they were a little flat. The bones were there for really exceptional characters but the final bridge to great was missed. Drake had the marine background and the scary set up, there was more there that I wish we had delved into. His conflict with the producer seemed a little trivial in comparison to his past and what the author could have gone into. Kate similarly seemed a little two-dimensional. But what was given up for character development was made up in the scenes we get. They’re very fun and enjoyable – like the Halloween carving contest, and the side characters, even though you wish you see more of them are very memorable with Drake’s brothers and family. I do wish Kate’s best friend had been in there more, it seemed more of a Drake centric book for the side characters we got from Kate being seen only minimally.

Overall, it was a really fun read that leaves you happy and laughing along the way.

A cute love story between Kate Sweet, an event planner, and Drake Matthews, a horror writer. Kate is used to planning happily ever after weddings while Drake is the Knight of Nightmares. They begin working together on Drake's new book launch culminating in a Halloween event release.

How Sweet It Is tells the story of life, love, family, and career. As much as Newton wrote about Kate Sweet achieving the "ah" factor in her events, I didn't get that from this book. The plot was sweet, the characters banal, and the circumstances different but not extraordinary. It was a sweet book but nothing that stood out to me as a memorable moment.

Overall an easy, fun read. Great for the beach (or halloween!)
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Kate Sweet is an event planner known for creating dream weddings with the perfect “Aww!” moments. Drake is a novelist known by his fans as the Knight of Nightmares who needs someone to plan his next book launch. Their two world collide (literally and figuratively) and each day together takes them closer to their own happy ending.

I loved the heartwarming intimacy and playful banter between Drake and Kate. Dylon Newton’s writing draws you in with each chapter and the story was a fun, romantic, sweet escape. Also, I can definitely see a set up for another book – Imani and Zander. Fingers crossed because I am so here for it! I was so happy I was given the opportunity to read this book. Once I started I couldn’t to put it down.

I want to thank NetGalley, the author and publisher for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

Kate Sweet is The Queen of Happily Ever After, an event planner known for creating perfect weddings for her clients. Somehow, her best friend has convinced her to plan a launch extravaganza for bestselling horror writer Drake Matthews, aka The Knight of Nightmares. After a chaotic first encounter, Kate and Drake spend most of their days together, Drake (secretly) using Kate for inspiration in his next novel, while she plans the perfect event. All the while they’re trying to ignore their growing attraction to each other.

Dylan Newton’s debut romantic comedy does not disappoint, I swear I had a permanent smile on my face the entire time I was reading How Sweet It Is. I was lucky enough to come across this as a read now option on NetGalley. I loved how relatable Kate is, and Drake definitely was unexpectedly different than his horror writer profession would lead you to believe. Almost all of their encounters had me giggling out loud, and swooning.
How Sweet It Is played on a few different emotions, obviously I laughed a lot, and there was a specific incident that brought some tears to my eyes and a little wanting to strangle Drake out of frustration (but only for a second). All in all, I LOVED this book and it’s perfect to bring to a beach or poolside this summer!

A romance between a horror writer and an event planner, there were a lot of delightful details in the book (the event details alone), but the actual chemistry between the characters never felt completely there. I wanted more banter between the two, so that I could see how they changed each other.

I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Why are so many rom-com heroines redheads? From what I understand, redheaded people are somewhat rare, but you’d never know if from reading recent rom-coms. Also, so often writers feel the need to make their heroines petite. Other than those minor annoyances, I enjoyed this book. I liked the chemistry between the main characters. I also appreciated that the inevitable misunderstanding that always occurs 70-80% through rom-coms was fairly easily resolved in this book. I can imagine the author writing a sequel featuring the main character’s best friend.

This book is a cute contemporary romance between a horror author and an event planner, set in third person person past tense dual POV (my favorites) and with one open door sex scene.

This book is really fun! I loved the concept and the autumnal vibes--both the horror writer aspect and the setting (western New York state during fall) will make it a great seasonal recommendation for Halloween, especially for people who don't want something really spooky/scary. This plot is also fairly low stakes, so it will be a great rec for readers who don't like a lot of angst, and it hits all the typical romance beats, so it should satisfy most readers of the genre. Some side characters (Drake's brothers) were really fun and added some humor to the story.

Now for critique. The dialogue felt artificial in some places and immature in others (for example, too many exclamation points). The characters are likable but neither one really pulled me in or made me feel attached to them and their happiness. I think their backgrounds needed to be delved into a little more to get readers more invested (for example, explaining how Kate decided to go against family tradition to become a party planner, and more info on Drake being a hopeless romantic rather than just hinting to it). The plot lulled a little in the middle. Basically, this is a cute romance that just lacked a bit of oomph, making it a little forgettable.

Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this fun book.

This book y’all👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I can tell you this will be a favorite book of mine this month.

How Sweet It Is is such a sweet romance novel. It’s definitely a more tender and sweet story as opposed to super steamy in my opinion, but I loved the plot of this book. It’s an opposite attracts romance and I love how Kate and Drake meet.

Kate Sweet is an event planner - she mostly plans weddings. But when her best friend asks her to plan a book launch for one of her clients? How can she say no? Drake Matthews writes horror novels and his new novel is being adapted to a movie, hence the big book launch. But Drake has other ideas forming in his head that are only more inspired after he meets Kate. How will the Knight of Nightmares fare the plot twist of the Queen of Happily Ever Afters?

This is Dylan’s debut novel and I’m already ready to read more of her books. This one will be published July 13 and were told another book of hers will be out summer🙌🏻 (Please tell me it’ll be about one of his brothers?🙏🏻🤞🏻)

Thank you @netgalley and @readforeverpub for an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review. Go preorder yours now👏🏻