Pre-review/ Currently Reading:

So, is it me, or does it feel like there are a bazillion new releases this week? I wonder if it has anything to do with the 4th of July holiday having been last week. 🤔

I might have gone to my local @barnesandnoble yesterday for some bookish retail therapy to snag a few of this week’s new releases!! 🤗📚

Here’s what I got:

• Such A Quiet Place by @meganlmiranda. This is a suspense novel about a mysterious murder in a small and close-knit neighborhood.

• It Happened One Summer by @tessabaileyisanauthor. Amazing summer read and steamy romance about a fish-out-of-water heroine and a grumpy sea captain. Check out my review post on this gem!!

• How Sweet It Is by @authordylannewton. Fun romcom read. Workplace romance. She’s an event planner while he’s a famous horror author. 😱 I heard this one’s going to be a series too!

Congratulations and Happy Pub Day to all these authors!! 🎉🎉

It turns out that the Queen of Happily Ever Afters and the Knight of Nightmares might have more in common than you would think in this super cute Beach Read meets The Wedding Planner story.

Kate Sweet is an event planner extraordinaire known for making dream weddings come true. But at the last minute, her best friend drags her into planning the book launch for a bestselling horror writer. Kate’s introduction to Drake Matthews… could have gone a lot better. But injuries and chaos aside, Kate inspires Drake to take his writing in a new direction. And as they get to know one another, maybe they’re also getting to know what they want out of life?

Right off the bat, I totally understand why the blurb for this book suggests that it’s perfect for fans of Beach Read. There’s a very similar premise: Kate and Drake strike up a deal where Drake will let Kate do basically anything she wants for the book launch event so she can try to win an award and Kate will help Drake with research for his next book. You also have their first introduction as a complete disaster and Kate ends up injuring Drake and also flashing his neighbors. This absolute chaos from a normally super-organized person really sets this story up to have similar vibes to the movie The Wedding Planner. Although it’s not the most original premise, it did make a good set-up for an enjoyable story. Drake being a horror novelist gave an interesting twist on the plot, since a Halloween horror party is definitely different than the beautiful weddings Kate usually plans. Hearing about her crazy plans and how she manages to convince Drake to let her implement them definitely was amusing. With the small-town setting, we also get the usual cast of quirky, meddling family members and friends. I loved how involved everyone was and how invested they were in helping Drake be happy.

The biggest thing that kept this book from being a 5-star read for me was the third act break-up. Given that this is a romance novel, we all know that it’s coming. However, the cause of the break-up and the resulting reconciliation was really frustrating. Basically the first real test of their relationship was a complete failure. I think the groveling could have used some work too. However, ultimately these annoyances didn’t keep me from enjoying the book as a whole.

If you enjoy romantic comedies, I definitely think you should give this book a try. It’s fun, and funny, and a great summer read (even if it’s actually set in the fall). Although I don’t see anything announced yet about this being the start of a series, the ending pretty clearly hints that we should be seeing some more of the Matthews brothers, and I really hope that happens!

Unfortunately I couldn’t finish it, it just wasn’t for me.

It has a cute plot, but I just found quite a few moments in the book to be too over the top.

If you really love romcoms then definitely try it out.

The set up for this rom-com is a little bit 'opposites attract,' Truthfully, their personalities are so complementary to each other that the read is so sweet and pleasurable. Kate and Drake are a wonderful couple. The 'third act' break up is just enough conflict to satisfy but not break your heart. I would be happy to rec this book to patrons who enjoy banter, funny accident scenes, supportive families, and a single steamy scene.
Thanks so much for the ARC!

How Sweet It Is really lives up to it's title and will make you want to finish it all in one sitting. Kate is an event planner and when her best friend calls her in a panic, agrees to help plan a book launch. The only problem is the client is Drake Matthews, the famous horror writer who is the exact opposite of Kate's normal client. Chaos ensues after one of the funniest meet cutes I have ever read.

While I read this one during the heat of summer, How Sweet It Is would be the PERFECT fall read! I have had such a hard time finding romance books set in my favorite season, so this one was a breath of fresh air. I really enjoyed this one and will be recommending it to all my friends. I also hope we will be getting books for Drake's brothers because I need more of the Matthew's family in my life.

Such a fun, laugh-out-loud story and the perfect read for an escape! A fun, lighthearted enemies to lovers story. 5 enthusiastic stars!

This was a new to me author & this book was a sweet feel good read! I am looking forward to what’s next from her! This Rom-Com gave me fall and Hallmark type of vibes! Kate is our honest, lovely, witty, and creative heroine. She’s an event planner who agrees to help her friend plan a book party for a horror writer! Drake is our swoony, grumpy horror author that lives in a creepy esc Victorian mansion! These two have quite the meet cute….it’s a little rocky to say the least with all the entertainment! Drake has a case of writers block but meeting Kate helps open up his ideas for the secret romance books he’s doing. I love how these two balance each other out and that they actually talk to one another! All in all a wonderful read! This book does have some emotional topics.

I really enjoyed this book!! It was so fantastic and I loved getting to read it early thanks to Netgalley! Please pick this one up ASAP!!!

I really enjoyed this story. Kate is hired to work as an event planner for the king of nightmares himself, Drake Matthews, on his book launch. She is the queen of happily ever after, how is she going to pull off a Halloween horror night.

The chemistry between Kate abs Drake was palpable, even through the book. I felt their connection, I felt their love. I really was cheering for them and didn’t find the book to be overly cheesy or too much like some rom-com novels are.

I look forward to more by Newton.

The comedy of horrors for Kate when she meets Drake was so much second-hand embarrassment, but also funny and ultimately cute. Kate is all bubbles and light and Drake seems to be all ghosts and gore but they wind up to be just the right balance for each other.

I was so excited to read this one! As an event planner myself I thought this was be something I definitely resonated with. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat and I actually didn't even finish (although I'm going to try because I feel like there's a happy ending!) I couldn't get into the halloween stuff and it was moving a little slow for me. The premise was really great but It wasn't a hit for me.

Newton had me from Knight of Nightmares and Queen of Happily Ever After. Throw in a fall theme that had me dreaming of warm sweaters and boots and this book couldn’t go wrong. Newton’s debut has me dreaming of more perfect fireside books to read...after all Drake does have two more brothers and a single mom.
4.5 stars

You know you're in for a ride when you're laughing out loud within the first few chapters of a book. This story was such a treat to read--from the MCs meeting all the way through to the end--HOW SWEET IT IS didn't disappoint.

I enjoyed getting to know both characters as individuals just as much as I enjoyed seeing them getting to know each other. I thought Kate and Drake complemented each other very well and the author went to great lengths to establish and showcase their connection in a way that felt natural. Although thrust together into a situation none of them were prepared for, Kate and Drake made it work and ultimately formed a sort of friendship that slowly but surely grew into more.

That's not to say that the physical attraction between Kate and Drake wasn't mutual at first meeting, but neither one was looking for a relationship so it took them a while to come to terms with what was happening between them. I enjoyed their candid moments, their bickering and the subtle flirty banter. It was great to see them establishing their connection the more time they spent together. it helped tremendously that they always found themselves in some kind of situation that emphasized how well suited they were for each other.

I appreciated the addition of the secondary characters and what they brought to the page. The people of the small Upstate New York town and Drake's family made for some hilarious moments which added to my enjoyment of the story.

All in all, a fantastic romantic read and exactly the story I didn't know I needed to read.

If you’re looking for a super cute and sweet rom com check this one out, it was fun! Kate is an event planner who specials in weddings and Drake is a bestselling horror author, obviously an opposites attract situation going on. At first glance seems exactly what you would think of when you picture a horror writer, broody and living in a creepy Victorian mansion but I loved that there was much more to him than this. He actually has been secretly writing a romance novel, I mean how freaking cute is that?! Kate was also adorable and seeing them clash when Kate starts to plan his latest book launch was hilarious. This is more sweet than sexy, lower steam for sure maybe Hallmark with a tad bit more heat. This would be perfect to read in the fall if you like a seasonal read too, overall so cute and a great debut

This is an adorable read. Lots of humor between the main characters. I recommend this book 3 stars! There are a couple of scary parts that I skimmed over but otherwise funny! I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.


********************I received an ARC for my honest opinion.**************************

As a writer, I love reading books about other writers. I love reading romance and thrillers... So everything about this summary spoke to me.

It would be so fun to be an event planner, minus dealing with people of course... Dreaming up the fun and putting it into action. But somehow Kate is hooked into going from her usual weddings to crafting up a book launch. What she doesn't expect is meeting Drake and planning a horror book launch. It's certainly a far cry from fairytale wedding planning.

The chemistry between the two is undeniable and it of course throws a wrench into each's life plans... but what is life without a few twists along the way? Will then end up re-writing the ending to their own stories or continue on their separate paths? I'm sure you already know the answer, but you'll have to read to see how everything plays out!

It’s sweet! Honestly just extremely sweet and great for reading when you are feeling down or just want something easy on vacation! Ultimately I don’t know that I’ll remember this book in December when I go through my goodreads for holiday gifts

This was a cute story. Kate seems like a fun, ambitious person and Drake seems like a good guy, too. Together, though, they were kinda boring. The story started off strong, with parts that were very funny (how they meet) and sweet (meeting his mom), but then it just slowed down to planning the party and slowly getting together. I enjoyed reading this but probably wouldn't read it again.

𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗦𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗧 𝗜𝗧 𝗜𝗦 finds Kate Sweet, an event planner who specializes in creating the perfect happily ever after moments for her wedding clients, coordinating a book launch for Drake Matthews, a horror author known as the Knight of Nightmares, which will take place on Halloween. The two have one of the best meet-cutes I've read in a while, they go on a fabulous and sexy trip to Niagara Falls, and there's a book within the book that will totally suck you in. I loved that they immediately acknowledge their attraction (at least to themselves) and that Kate and Drake both have backstories that make their reluctance to act on that attraction understandable. It's such fun to read about two characters who bring out the best in each other - it's impossible not to root for them. And aside from the adorable couple, Newton gives us fantastic secondary characters in Kate's bestie, Imani, and Drake's brothers, Ryker and Zander (I hope we're getting sequels about all of them!).

Don't miss this sweet and steamy debut romcom by Dylan Newton. (Side note: She also writes paranormal romances so if that's your thing, check 'em out too.) I'm excited to read whatever she puts out next. Hopefully it will involve Ryker and Zander or Imani... oh, I already mentioned that, didn't I?

PS - I'd read the hell out of Drake's romance novel. Just saying.

Thanks to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for a copy to review.

I thought this book was really cute and sweet, a very pleasant lighthearted read! I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an adorable romcom vibe in their next read!