This one majorly went on the back burner since I was focused on library reads. I got this as an ARC through Net Galley (Thank you!) and was excited for it based on the blurb. It didn’t live up to the hype for me though, the story’s pacing was off and the ending felt counterproductive to the main character’s storyline. A cute read but wishing for more!

I LOVE! A! ROM COM! This was so so cute! I fell in love with this couple immediately and was totally hooked by their love story! I'm excited to read Ryker's book next!

hank you NetGalley and Forever Romance for the chance to review this ARC.

4.5/5

If you enjoy second chance romances , and the one-night stand tropes you'll enjoy this!

This was a really fun read.
The banter and the writing here were delightful.

Imani was a great lead I really liked her.

Zander was a joy to read he was funny and overall a fun lead!

Overall this was a great read, I can't wait to reread it!

Imani heads back to small town Wellsville to help her grandmother recover from surgery. She plans to help her grandmother and avoid Zander, a one-night stand she had 9 months ago at her best friend’s wedding. Things don’t go exactly as planned…

I loved “How Sweet It Is” so I jumped at the chance to read “All Fired Up”. After meeting Imani in the first book, I wanted to see where her story lead. Once again, Dylan Newton did not disappoint! This book is lighthearted and sweet. It is a perfect summer read with a cool drink and spot in the shade.

I cannot wait to read Ryker’s story next!

I want to thank NetGalley, Dylan Newton and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

I know so many people that loved this book but unfortunately I just couldn't click with it. I loved Zander and his zest to live life to the fullest and I hope Ryker is getting a book because there is a good story in there but I just couldn't connect with Imani and the scenes with the parrot did nothing for me. I have been in a bit of a slump so I take my review with a big grain of salt because I know so many people that adored this one!

Many thanks to Forever Romance & NetGalley for the gifted digital ARC!

Steam Rating: PG13 with one open door somewhat steamy scene - more of a slow burn with a lot of sexual tension but not in an annoying agonizing way but in the perfect slow burn way

Romance Tropes: one-night stand, second chance romance, relationship timing

Content Notes: cw: panic attacks. pregnancy, workaholic, men's health - bipolar disorder, loss of parent, house fire, survivor's guilt, emotional scars

Review Takeaways:

One of the biggest takeaways from reading this book is a renewed appreciation for living in the present but with an understanding of the importance of planning for the future.
Your partner in life should be someone that you're attracted to but also someone that sees you, appreciates you, and loves you for who you are. Someone that brings out the best in you and you bring the best out in each other. A partner in love and life. Supporting one another's dreams and encouraging one another to make it happen.
Overall: I really enjoyed it and will absolutely be interested in reading her other books. I liked the storyline and the characters and the romantic build up.

Favorite Quotes:

Life is less complicated if you tell the unvarnished truth and don't try and make every moment a perfect version of itself.
Working with clay is much like life. If things become off-balance, you don't have to throw it away.
He'd shown her the ways she could soar if she only trusted in the now with all of her mind and all of her heart.

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I get a small commission so I can buy more books to review! Full disclosure here.

I enjoyed this a lot but still book one was just so bloody good it’s hard to beat! But enjoyed the two leads trying to figure it all out! Liked that we also go a pottery 🥰 for the male lead.

Thanks so much to @hachetteaudio for this ALC 😘😘

I love love and I loved this book! Even more than How Sweet It Is. Gigi, the parrot, Kate & Drake, ughhh yessss. Zander and Imani are perfection. Can’t wait for the next one!

I was first introduced to Dylan Newton's books when I read How Sweet It Is which introduces us to the main characters in All Fired Up, Zander and Imani. Even though the first book introduces us to these characters All Fired Up can be read as a stand alone book.

Newton is an amazing romance writer. The romantic tension and the witty banter really drew me into the story. The topics in the book did get intense at times and there was a focus on mental health issues but the topics were well written and made the characters more realistic.

I really loved reading about Zander Matthews and Imani and also getting a peak into the married life of Kate and Drake Matthews who were the main characters of How Sweet It Is. I can't wait for Newton's next book that will focus on the Ryker Matthews which will be released in the summer of 2023.

I absolutely adored How Sweet It Is and All Fired Up was one of my most anticipated new releases. While I really enjoyed All Fired Up, I didn't love it quite as much as How Sweet It Is. Imani is in town to support her grandmother as she has surgery and is taking time off from her extremely busy job. She and Zander hooked up at her best friend's wedding, but haven't spoken since. They keep being thrown together since Imani's best friend Kate is married to Zander's brother, Drake (who is also Imani's client.) Zander is one of my favorite kind of male lead. He's so funny and will do anything to support Imani. They keep getting closer and then Imani would push him away. They both had struggles to work through and I appreciated how that was handled. I adored the hot balloon ride. I cannot wait for the 3rd book in this series!

Reading All Fired Up is my second time reading a Dylan Newton book.
I am all in and HOOKED!
Newton writes with a perfect balance between swoony/love and outright funny. Zander Matthews will be placed on my very VIP list of book boyfriends and remain there forever! I love every single one of her characters, even Gigi, Imanis grandmother. Gigi is hilarious and a quick wit with dirty comments that make for laugh out loud comedy. Did I mention there is a bird that cusses? Do yourself a favor and read both of Dylan Newtons novels, How Sweet It Is and All Fired Up!

Thank you Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed the second book in the series. Like the first one, it's a sweet and funny romcom. My favorite character turned out to be Imani's grandmother. She's a HOOT!

A second chance, enemies to lovers, small town romance with lots of heart and plenty of laughs? YES PLEASE! A fun follow up novel from Dylan Newton, this one follows the love story of Zander and Imani, characters we met in " How Sweet it Is." Fun and flirty, this was breezy read that I enjoyed.

Thank you Forever and Netgalley for my copy.

I absolutely adored Dylan Newton’s first book, and I somehow loved this one even more!!! I finished this one in a day, and I was so sad when it ended. This is a quick steamy read filled with fun banter and cute, snarky grandmas! This cover was perfect for this story, and I loved how much we saw Kate and Drake from the first book. Zander was perfect, and I know Ryker’s story will be just as amazing!

Thank you so much Forever for my gifted copy!!

All Fired Up by Dylan Newton

The banter and writing in this book between almost all of the characters had me laughing out loud repeatedly. I adored all of them so much.

I want to hang out with Imani’s grandmother so badly! My goal in life is to be like her at that age. She was hilarious and said anything that came to mind. I also almost spit out my coffee every time her bird yelled, “bitch” 🤣 it killed me.

Now we focus on Zander. What a dream boat! His love for Imani was loud and clear with every action he took. The respect and care he had for her was off the charts. Everyone deserves to have a Zander in their life.

Here is yet another book to add to your summer romance reading! ❤️

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

I can’t wait for Ryker’s story! 😍

All Fired Up is a small town, romantic comedy of opposites attract. It is the second book in the series and can be read as a stand-alone. The author does include enough backstory that I didn't feel lost, but I would recommend reading the first book before this one. It is told in a dual point of view.

Imani and Zander have a one-night stand after his brother’s wedding. Zander wants more, but Imani is a workaholic and not ready for a relationship, They don't live in the same city, so it's not hard for Imani to avoid Zander. This works until her grandmother Gigi invites her to stay for the summer as she recovers from surgery. Imani is happy to help, but that means being back in the same small town as Zander. He is ready to seize the opportunity and play the long game, being there for whatever Imani needs when she’s home to help her grandmother after surgery.

Zander and Imani have completely different life philosophies. Live your life in the moment or plan for every contingency? These different philosophies make for some bumps along the way. I love how they learn from each other - Zander to plan for his future and Imani to let go of her rigid schedule and enjoy the now. They are good for each other and I rooted for them to find their happily ever after.

There is much that is fun and engaging about this book. You'll find yourself smiling, if not laughing out loud, at the shenanigans, including inappropriate comments from a pet parrot and a hilarious, glittery pink t-shirt encounter. The story also addresses serious mental health issues like PTSD, survivors guilt, anxiety, and depression. There was a good balance of funny and serious. These layers made the book feel realistic, relatable, and not too heavy.

3.5/5 stars. Although there was much to love about this book, some of the humor was maybe a bit too juvenile for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was the cutest book, and I absolutely loved it! Dylan Newton has become an auto buy author for me after reading How Sweet It Is. I knew I was going to love her newest book too, and I am glad to say I did!

The author does a great job at making books easy to read and with a good flow. I loved the main characters in this book, and all the side ones as well. The grandma was so sweet, and her talking bird was hilarious. All the characters were so easy to like. If you’re a fan of opposites attract and small town romance, you will love this book. If you’re looking for a fun, easy romance book to read, I highly recommend checking this one out!

Read this if you love: pottery and slow burns.

This book is a good beach read. Imani’s grandmother is very funny and the foul mouthed bird was entertaining. This book does have some heavier topics like death of a parent, PTSD, and other mental health struggles.

This was such a cute read! A solid 4 stars for me. Zander had my heart from page one. There was humor, spice, and romance. Can't wait to go back and read Kate and Drakes story and Ryker's next year!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

I really enjoyed the glimpses of Imani and Zander in How Sweet It Is, so I was looking forward to seeing how their story turned out!

This one had some more serious themes compared to Dylan’s first book, this one portraying PTSD, anxiety/panic attacks, grief, and survivors guilt.

Zander is so sweet and swoony, doing so much to show Imani that he cares about her and pays attention to her needs. He is convinced they could really work together, having a real relationship after their one-night stand. But he sees that Imani is hesitant and wants to let her take the lead, even wit all her back and forth, as they spend time together and see if there could be more for them. They also had great banter! 🔥

It was fun to see Kate and Drake (from How Sweet It Is) in this one, and once again, the side characters like Imani’s grandma and her parrot, and third brother Ryker (excited for his book), added so much charm to the book for me!

The end seemed a bit rushed and unrealistic, which was really the biggest downside for me.