I started this - I read about 30% - and I really had no desire to read more. Kate (the Queen of Happily Ever Afters) is an event planner tasked with planning Drake’s (the Knight of Nightmares) book launch. However, I came back to it a couple of weeks later, and I finished it. This was fine, but it wasn’t a “I can’t put this down” type of book. I think I might have liked it more if I read it in October? It definitely has a Halloween/fall-vibe.

Thanks to @NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for my ARC!

My Review:
This was such a fun read. One of my favorite summer books. I think the fall would be a great time to read it too. I was getting goth vibes at certain times, followed by the opposite vibes. The romance was sweet, cute, and very laughed out loud so many times!

NetGalley Advanced copy received in exchange for honest review.

Rom-com meets Halloween. Event planner extraordinaire Kate finds herself planning a horror book launch for Drake.
What follows is a mixture of comedy and romance moments.
Characters will make you laugh. Nice easy read.

Forever did it again with another romance that blew me away. I love rom com feeling books and this one did not disappoint. In fact it was just perfect in the flirty, laughs, fun, and romance.

Kate Sweet is a high end wedding planner that is determined to branch out and finally win a coveted award that she misses every year because the man awarding does not really like wedding planners. Cue her best friend with a chance to branch out from weddings and help plan a book launch for Drake Matthews, the Knight of Nightmares. Of course to prep for the meeting, Kate researches Drake a little and slightly scares herself with his mysterious ways. Cue one mishap after another as she pictures a real nightmare of horror. As Kate messes up the initial meeting, she is determined to win back Drake Matthews and provide him with a book launch fit for the Knight of Nightmares.

Drake and Kate are both such great characters. I love how Newton also tied in Drake's passion of writing with his own military passion. Drake also felt like a real character. He felt like a man with different sides, emotions, and goals. Kate was able to weave her way into his life and he into hers. I loved the relationship that built between the two as they dealt with their own career goals and plans for their futures. I loved the Niagara Falls scenes and the ending was perfect too. I LOVED this romance and it has hit the top of my romance charts.

4/5 stars

I really loved this fall feeling romcom full of laughs, heart and steam. The meet cute between event planner Kate and horror writer Drake was downright hilarious and had me cracking up at the different shenanigans that occurred. This opposites attract romance also had plenty of slow burn chemistry and an unexpected small town feels since most of the story takes place in Drake's hometown. I'd also say that if you're looking for a fall themed romance read, then this is it! I loved all of the fall feels with the main character Drake being a horror writer, a small town fall carnival, book launch set on Halloween, and a lot of little things that gave off so many fall vibes. Overall, I really enjoyed this fun and steamy fall romcom and I would not say no to seeing stories on Drake's brothers in the future!

*Thank you so much to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It’s just so good!
Great characters falling in love make it a fun read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for my honest review.

I tried to read tho one but I could not get into, I may try to read it again at some point but compared to other Forever titles it just was hard to get into at this point.

This book was like a warm beverage for the soul. I was sucked in and could not put it down! The concept was so unique, I loved this book.

This book was a super cute romance with very relatable characters. I couldnt put it down! It was not your typical love story which made it pull me in. Highly recommend!

How Sweet It Is by Dylan Newton is an absolute delight and hit my soul in the most wonderful kind of way. While I have been in a little bit of a blah reading slump, this book just broke right through and lit up my reading life. Seriously it contained several of my favorite elements wrapped into a bookish package of excellence. And honestly, this is one of my favorite romances that I’ve read this year.

Dylan Newton’s How Sweet It Is follows Kate Sweet, an event planner known for her magic moment at each wedding she plans. Kate wants to win a prestigious award called an Evplex which is for event planners.However to do that she needs to branch out from planning weddings. In comes her best friend Imani who works at a publishing house and in need of a favor. Imani needs the book launch planned for mega famous horror author Drake Matthews, the Knight of Nightmares. And so, Kate rolls up her sleeves and begins planning his Halloween launch. It will take place in the small Western New York town where he lives. And although they get off on the wrong foot, sparks fly between Kate and Drake.

I loved this book. It is set in AUTUMN in WESTERN NEW YORK. Literally my favorite time of the year and my backyard practically. I wish more romances were set in Autumn. If only the cycle that has authors publishing a Christmas theme and then a summer theme instead alternated to include a fall theme. This book was excellent for the season sitting. I also loved how professionally successful both Kate and Drake are. Both clearly are dedicated to their careers and not in an annoying or cliche way. The chemistry between Kate and Drake was chef’s kiss. Oh and after reading this, I kind of would like to read Drake’s historical romance book.

In all seriousness, I am so excited to just push this book on people because it absolutely rocked. I am really looking forward to whatever Dylan Newton writes next — particularly if it’s taking place in Western/Upstate New York!

This book is adorable. The relationship between Kate and Drake is the perfect slow burn as the event planner clashes with the "Knight of Nightmares" author to pull off a book launch. There is so much communication between the couple - even when they're still getting to know each other - and it's so appreciated. Kate and Drake have a natural flow that really works.

"How Sweet It Is" is so fun - it's a breezy read that would be great for the fall/Halloween.

The Queen of Happily Ever Afters working on a Halloween event for the Knight of Nightmares - what can go wrong?

A lot, apparently.

Kate needs to organize a show stopping book launch for famous horror writer Drake Matthews so that she can finally win the award she's always wanted; Drake needs to put pen to paper and write the romance novel that has been haunting him so that he can finally focus on his next horror novel. Their first meeting? Not so meet-cute, and Drake immediately nixes all of Kate's launch ideas. Soon, however, Drake realizes that Kate provides him the inspiration he desperately needs for his book, and he agrees to let Kate handle the event her way. In exchange, he gets to spend time with her, write his book, and move on with his life.

Kate and Drake are both going through something similar - they've both decided to shrug off the familiar and do something unexpected. While primarily focused on planning weddings, Kate knows that Drake's book launch will propel her career to the next level. Can she plan a Halloween-themed book launch? Drake, meanwhile, already a bestselling horror author, doesn't know how the world will react to him writing a romance novel. Will anyone even read it? These fears from both characters are realistic, and also very relatable - it's easy to get stuck in one's comfort zone, and I applaud Kate and Drake for deciding to put in the work and try. Because at the end of the day, that's where it all begins, isn't it?

I loved how Kate and Drake's relationship unfolded. They started off as enemies and just as quickly became colleagues, then friends, and then they became each other's sounding board. I couldn't get enough of how supportive they are of each other, and how much they believed in each other's capabilities, despite only having just recently met. They also challenged each other, but at the end of the day, they were there for each other, The transition of their friendship to a romantic relationship was so well done and organic. I'm such a sucker for a sweet romance, and Newton delivers! Oh, and Kate and Drake's chemistry? Scorching!

I didn't expect how much How Sweet It is would make me laugh - Kate and Drake teased each other nonstop and had great banter, and they also had a knack for being caught in accidental compromising situations. Set in a small town and complete with a so-called haunted manor and a town fair, the wonderful setting and supporting characters like Drake's mom and brothers enriched the story. Also, I'm hoping against hope that Drake's brothers eventually get their own books!

All in all, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from How Sweet It Is, but I loved every single page of it! I read it in one sitting, and I couldn't get enough of Kate and Drake. This is my first Dylan Newton book, but it definitely won't be my last!

How Sweet It Is by Dylan Newton is an over-the-top rom-com about the queen of happily ever afters falling for the knight of nightmares. Kate Sweet is famous in the event planning community for creating the perfect “ahhh” moments for her clients as she sends them off on their honeymoons. When her best friend, a publicist for an A-List author, asks her to take over planning a book release, Kate sees it as her way of finally cementing her name in the community. What she doesn’t plan on is the author being the king of horror, Drake Matthews. Miscommunication, a little sexual tension, and a lot of attraction make for an equally sweet and funny fall romance.

I really enjoyed this one. Kate is the perfect balance between believing in the happily ever afters she creates and being a tad cynical. She’s worked hard for her job and puts all her time and effort into it. What she doesn’t want is to be the laughing stock of the community, and she absolutely refuses to return to med school and follow in her family’s footsteps, no matter how many times they bring it up. I love how crafty she is. She can take the most mundane thing and turn it into a work of art for her events. This book launch not only stretches her imagination, but shows the work she is capable of on a daily basis for her clients.

Drake Matthews is a doll. I adore him! I love that the author includes his perspective in the story so we do have some alternating POV. Drake is a successful horror writer. With his newest novel about to release and his next novel’s deadline already past, he is in a bit of a rut. Drake has writer’s block, and the story that is wanting to be told is NOT the horror he is known for, but a historical romance based slightly on his grandparents’ love story. Insecure about his ability to write a romance and his own romantic life after a duplicitous relationship, Drake hides the story from everyone, except Kate.

The catalyst that brings these two together is sweet and funny all at the same time. Leave it to a mom to poke her nose in 😉 Drake is against having an all out “circus” for his new release, and Kate is desperate to plan it in the hopes of winning an award for event planning. The two strike a deal: Kate will help Drake with his new book, and he will let her do whatever she needs to win the award. There is a lot of witty banter between these two and that really helps drive the plot along. I love seeing them interact, and I really like how the two work together.

Final Thought: How Sweet It Is is a sweetly hilarious tale of two opposites who have more in common than meets the eye.

This book gave me all the fall feels. It hit all the beats of some of my favorite seasonal films - big city event planner who is a literal and figurative thorn in the side of a reclusive author. The story was a surprise and a treat to read. The blossoming relationship between Kate and Drake with the backdrop of small town upstate New York is just what I needed even when it's sweltering outside.

This story was laugh out loud at times, but also felt like the emotional beats were earned. Kate and Drake are surrounded by family and friends who are developed enough that you are wanting to learn more about them and their lives. I really loved how Drake had a secret project and Kate becomes his muse. We are not just one thing - everyone has different facets to their personality and these characters are emblematic that we are the sum of all our parts and not just one piece that we happen to be good at.

I'm looking forward to reading more from Dylan Newton.

2.5 stars - I’m really sad to say this book didn’t work for me. I didn’t connect with the characters and didn’t really buy their connection. The storyline was just not for me either. The writing was great and a lot of people loved this one so I encourage you to check out more reviews because I’m definitely in the minority here.

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Okay! Just finished this. I have to say that this book as everything a good romance novel needs. Characters that you like, funny moments, cute moment and a slow build love story. The reason why i am only giving 3 stars to it is simply because i felt that there was no real challenge… no difficulty… everything falls into place and things are predictable… with no suprises.

I thought this was such a cute debut romcom that would actually be perfect to read in October for Halloween! Some parts of the book was a little predictable, but I still liked it. Kate and Drake’s chemistry was good, and I feel like it had the perfect amount of steam factor without going over the top. I would def recommend you all grab this to read this fall while drinking your PSL or apple cider!

Thank you to @netgalley for the e-arc and @readforeverpub for gifting me a paperback copy!

This was a really fun debut novel. Kate and Drake were a lot of fun and I thought this was well-written. I will definitely be reading Dylan's next book!

First of all, I want to apologize for the delay in sharing my review here on Netgalley - I didn't realize that I didn't link my blog post/review here after posting about the book on my blog in July. :3 Anyway, thankyou so much for giving me the chance to review the book!

I knew I would love reading How Sweet It Is from the moment I first laid eyes on the book's cover. I am happy to report that my prediction was a thousand percent right! This book was a package of everything I love in a rom-com - adorable characters, a cheesy yet heart-warming storyline and an opposites-attract romance (believe me, this trope is the key to the best kind of romantic comedies) How Sweet It Is follows the life of event-planner Kate as she gets hired to arrange the book launch of popular horror author Drake Matthews.

From Kate and Drake's very first meet, everything was going hilariously wrong, and I lost count of the number of times an incident made me laugh out while reading their story! Their conversations had the perfect amount of banter. Boy-oh-boy, their chemistry made me swoon! 💚 I was rooting for them from the very beginning of the book, so I loved how everything played out in their love story. I have always been fascinated by books where the male and female leads are completely different from each other because that makes it more interesting to see how the characters merge their lives together, you know? How Sweet It Is was no different. There was a lot of drama, laughter and comedic scenes, and I enjoyed every moment of being a part of Kate and Drake's journey towards love! 🥰

I can't wait to see what Dylan Newton has in store for us in the future, given that her debut novel is absolutely delightful! :') Bookworm friends, if you're looking for a book that will make your gloomy day take a 360 degree turn, How Sweet It Is will be perfect for you! Be prepared to drown in a sea of giggles and swoon-worthy romance!

Cute rom com with steam. Nice family dynamics and careers Intersecting. Typical miscommunication issues but overall a quick enjoyable story