How Sweet It Is

Everyone needs stories like this!

Stories that make you feel good and happy and have two really cute characters that fall in love with each other, yes please! And the fact that it's based around Halloween is just so much fun and spooky at the same time. I love how the author's love of Stephen King and romance translated into this book, you can tell there is a real love of horror books and historical romance while reading it.

I always enjoy reading debut novels, they really set the tone of the writing style of the author and give you a glimpse of their future books, and right from the beginning, I really enjoy Dylan Newton's writing. The characters, the story, the setting, I felt like I was right in that mention with them on the first visit! And there was a vintage theme that reoccurred throughout the entire story which I love to see! Anything vintage that has to do with remembering the past is so special.

The characters in this book are so fun and entertaining. You have Kate, the event planner. Outgoing and loud and always brings a party where she goes. And then you have Drake, a horror writer that's trying to branch out, is super awkward but super cute at the same time. You'll fall in love with these characters and their personalities, just like I did!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publication for the earc in return for an honest review.

What an adorable rom-com! This was a delightful and fun read set in an idyllic small town in upstate New York. Event planner Kate Sweet has an opportunity to plan a book release for a popular horror writer, Drake Matthews, but must travel to his home town of Wellsville, in order to do so. Right from the start, Kate and Drake have chemistry and excellent banter. Filled with adorable moments, Kate works hard to make her book launch event a success and Drake works hard to complete his secret writing project. Finding inspiration through his moments spent with Kate, this unlikely pair truly complement each other. So many fun and romantic moments make this a quick read and a great escape novel. Newton gives her readers a perfect glimpse of small town living while crafting two very entertaining characters with depth. Perfect for fans of Christina Lauren, I will definitely be looking forward to the next romantic read by Dylan Newton. Thank you netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

What a delightful read! First of all I adored this cover. I have been reading rom-coms lately and 'How Sweet It Is' is EVERYTHING you would want in a rom-com. Dylan has crafted a funny, super hot, quirky hero and a cute, successful, driven heroine, who despite the dichotomy of their careers achieve a perfect happily-ever-after. I loved the fact that this book was very descriptive about the setting and how easy it was to visualize. Even though I'm not from NY I could still adore the tiny snippets of imagery that are beautifully laced throughout this book. Dylan had truly re-search for this because its evident in this book. I also appreciated the contrasting nature of the personalities of the two protagonists, as they each have varied personal struggles and strengths that I feel are broad enough for most people to relate to. I really loved Drake's relationship with his siblings and the mention of Marines. I would recommend this book to someone who loves light, medium paced, warm and cozy read.

Thank You Netgalley and Forever Publications for this E-ARC

Oh, this was good. This was so good. As soon as I read the description for How Sweet It Is, I added it to my ‘2021 releases’ goodreads shelf so I could keep an eye on it for when it comes out in July. But then it was added to NetGalley, and I could not wait to dive into this story.

Both Drake and Kate are wonderful characters. Honestly, everyone in this book is. Dylan Newton did such a great job explaining everyone in a way that allowed me to form a visual of them in my mind (which I love to do as I read), and gave each character such a fun, unique personality that they all stood out so well. Specifically, I loved every moment with Drake’s brothers, Ryker and Zander, and would love if there were companion novels to go with this book just to see more about them.

I feel like I don’t say this often with romance, but this book surprised me. It’s expected for a romance novel to involve a ‘complication’ before a happy ending, and I had a couple guesses on what could happen - I was wrong. And I love that I was wrong, because I loved the character development that happens because of the complication. Sometimes, it feels like a book just has a complication just to mix things up a little bit. That wasn’t the case here. I feel like it really helped define Drake as a character, in an extra way.

I don’t mean to just gush this entire review, but I have to add one more thing - the romance. Oh, my word. I loved that it wasn’t rushed, but was clear from the beginning that Drake and Kate were intrigued by each other. I also really liked that despite that there obviously was a physical attraction, it was so much more than that. They truly brought out the best in each other, and parts of themselves that had been hiding away (knowingly or not) for so long.

This was a fun, romantic, incredible read. I highly recommend picking it up when it comes out, and I know that I will be purchasing a physical copy for myself to keep on my shelf for rereads. I can’t wait to read more by Dylan Newton.

Thank you to Forever & NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this 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👏🏻

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.

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.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5 stars

Such a cute, breezy romance with an excellent storyline. How Sweet It Is is about Kate Sweet, a rising event planner who is asked to help with the book launch event for the hugely successful horror writer, Drake Matthews (think Stephen King-level horror fame). Drake is tired of being known as the “Knight of Nightmares” and, after meeting Kate, finds himself inspired to write something completely different.

I just loved this storyline. Also, the autumnal vibes combined with Halloween and old Victorian houses just spoke to me. This was a fun romance that was full of meet cutes, hijinks, grand gestures, and banter. Fans of Lauren Layne and Tessa Bailey will love this read!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Full review to be posted closer to release date.

This book is absolutely amazing. I genuinely smiled the whole time I was reading this! Dylan Newton absolutely has a hit here!

If you're a fan of strong female characters, swoon worthy writer guys with adorable dogs, small town settings, fall and Halloween, fun stories, and fantastic side characters then this is the book for you!

You honestly can't help but root for Kate and Drake, both together and separately. They are such fun characters who grow so much on their own that it's just so fun to watch them get to know each other and wonder if they can bring their very different lives together.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy! This story was so sweet and cute and a much needed break and distraction from my thriller type books I usually read. Kate is such a lovable character in this book and she seems so cute and fun. I loved watching the relationship develop between Kate and Drake throughout the book. I will definitely recommend this book to my romance novel lovers.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever publishing for the ARC!
All opinions and thoughts are my own.

This book was a total impulse read for me and I’m SO happy I gave it a chance. What drew me in was the synopsis. A wedding event planner and a horror book writer? YES PLEASE!!

I fell in love with the characters instantly. Their first encounter was more of a meet-disaster rather than a meet-cute and it had me rolling.
I usually don’t care for insta-love tropes in romances but this was the exception. Their romance was absolutely adorable and I enjoyed everything about it.

If you’re looking for a good pick me up book to read, this is it. I found myself reading it slowly because I didn’t want it to end!

Dylan Newton just made it to my auto-buy author list. I cannot wait to read more from her!

This book isn’t a romance that just calls itself a Rom-com, it’s a legit romantic comedy. As in, I laughed (okay, I cackled) a lot!

This debut book was sweet, like the main character Kate Sweet, an event planner known for her magical weddings. Kate is tasked with creating an epic book launch for famous horror writer Drake Matthews, the Knight of Nightmares. In order to get what they both want, these two seemingly different people need to trust each other and work together.

Complete with a trip to the mausoleum, a spandex tin man suit, and an epic meet cute that leaves Drake maimed by a shoe, this book entertains.

I read this in one sitting, and although there was nothing in the plot that surprised me, it was just the escape I needed. I’m looking forward to reading more from Drake Newton, and I already miss the characters and charming setting.

Thank you to @netgalley and Forever Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK! It was such a great read and gave me the warm fuzzies that I love to have while reading a romance novel! Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down and it was hard not to enjoy. An event planner who is known for her happily ever afters meets a horror author who is known as the "knight of nightmares", and the two are a very interesting but compatible mix! You can't help but fall in love with the characters and want them to both be successful and happy! I loved Kate and Drake, and you definitely will too! If you like any kind of romance with a cute, fun twist, then this is the book for you!! Thank you to @authodylannewton, @readforeverpub and @netgalley for an advanced copy of this book! I am SO glad I got the chance to read it! Looks like I have another favorite author to add to my list!

This was definitely a super SWEET read! It was quick, fun, and overall entertaining! An impressive debut! I’d definitely pick up more books in this series. Hopefully, we get the brothers’ stories. Way to go Dylan Newton!

<b>Here’s what I loved:</b>
Great characters - Drake and Kate are both professionals thrown together (literally) for a job. I enjoyed getting to know them
Funny moments
Super fun secondary characters
Great storyline

So why the missing star? They way these two meet is a train wreck. It skirted just a smidge past funny once the hits kept coming. The writing was surprisingly good for a debut, but there were a few odd phrasing choices. And the wrap up with “bad guy” just didn’t fit, IMO. Mind you, these are all personal preferences and highly subjective opinions.

At the end of the day, the book is well written and super engaging read. I really enjoyed it and would recommend to readers looking for a sweet romance!

4 solid stars

Summary:
Event planner Kate Sweet is famous for creating the perfect happily-ever-after moment for her clients’ dream weddings. So how is it that her best friend has roped her into planning a bestselling horror writer’s book launch extravaganza? But the second Kate meets—or rather, accidentally maims—the drop-dead-hot Drake Matthews, her well-ordered life quickly transforms into an absolute nightmare.

Drake Matthews is tired of the spotlight and tired of his reputation as the Knight of Nightmares. He's a nice guy! But he’s not prepared for Kate, a fearless agent of chaos in steel-tipped stilettos, or for that sweet sting of attraction he feels for her. She’s inspiring him to take his writing in a whole new direction—one that no one expects. Because now Kate and Drake are changing up the rules, and this plot twist might just surprise everyone . . . including themselves.

My Thoughts:
So cute and adorable. That's what I felt when I finished reading this book!
Kate was the epitome of femme fatale- lovely, charming, go-getter, honest and witty. Drake is such a nice guy even though his claim to fame is " knight of nightmares" he is a romantic at heart. This is such an adorable, light-hearted rom-com that also showcases the character's inner fear of failing, trust issues, and being judged. There are also a lot of moments that truly laugh out loud.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Forever/ Grand Central Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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.

A stellar debut novel. This romantic comedy delivers. The premise is fun, the pacing is on point, and the tension and relationship building creates a satisfying read. Believable chemistry and relatable characters. I really enjoyed this book.

You guys. This book - Pure rom com goodness. I loved it so much.

Drake is a horror writer with a reputation he can’t shake and is known as the “Knight of Nightmares” but is really the nicest guy ever and also my new favorite book boyfriend.

Kate - an event planner who is the “Queen of Happy Ever Afters” who is driven to succeed and shine in her chosen and well loved career despite her family of surgeons pressuring her to join them.

Helping out a friend, Kate agrees to plan a book launch for a famed horror author in his maybe-haunted house. This book had me smiling from their initial crazy meet cute through the mix-ups and chaos that seemed to follow them all throughout the book. and I loved every minute of it. It was cute and funny and charming. It also took moments to shine the spotlight on very important causes such as Veterans and victims of abuse throughout the book.

Drake’s mother, brothers and grandma along with Kate’s best friend Imani round out a lovely cast of supporting characters and I truly would love to see more about each of them. Can we please make this happen??

This entire book was an Awww moment for me and, if you are a rom-com lover like me, you should definitely preorder for this summer release. It will be a perfect beach day read!

All the stars and so many thanks to @netgalley @readforeverpub for the arc. All glowingly positive opinions are my own.

Thank you to Forever / Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced free copy of this super sweet book ( pun intended)

I loved this book. I feel like a lot of times when I read a book I favor one character over the other. But for this book I loved both so much. I loved them as a couple.

Again I love that dual narration because we get to see what’s going on in both their heads. You get to see how they are each processing this new relationship.

It was also refreshing to see a guy just want to date a girl. Yeah I guess there was the obstacle that they work together, but they knew that wouldn’t be forever and they were just into each other.

This was @authordylannewton’s debut and I’m sold! I will for sure be reading any other books she puts out! She knows how to write chemistry.

This book comes out July 13th! Do yourself a favor and preorder it!

5/5🌟

I breezed through this book in one sitting and I absolutely adored all of the elements of the story! The characters' meet cute was hilarious and full of tension and chemistry from the get go. The author was able to describe their senses with so much detail, and it made the whole reading experience 10x better.

The development of the characters feelings throughout the book was really well written and honest. I feel like some romances unrealistically depict falling for someone, but in this book, that was not the case! Kate's personality is so lovable and it's really easy to identify with her emotions because she's so relatable! I also found myself admiring her throughout the book; she's a super hard worker and good at what she does, and she's a strong, independent woman and we love to see it!

Drake, the love interest, is just an absolute cutie. He definitely falls under my never-ending list of perfect book boyfriends. He's sweet and kind, understanding and respectful, (ladies I know the bar I'm setting is very, very low just work with me here) and overall I loved how great his chemistry with Kate was and how he worked through his feelings for her.

The whole plot of the book was very interesting and I loved the forced proximity in the sense that they had to see each other every day for working on their projects. Overall, this was a great read and I highly recommend it to romance lovers!

4.5 Stars

This book really surprised me in the best way. The unique premise caught my attention and I spent most of the book smiling and laughing.

Drake’s character had so many swoony moments and traits. Kate is a heroine after my own heart with her love of spreadsheets and having everything planned to perfection.

“There’s my favorite punctuation,” he said, kissing the spot to the left of her lips. “I think you’ll always give me pause, Kate Sweet.”

This debut romantic comedy definitely checked off a ton of boxes for me. I finished this beautiful book in one day. Cannot wait to see what else this author writes!

This is a gem of a romcom ! I absolutely loved it so much I basically finished it in one day. The story is perfection with humor, endearing side characters and the main characters are likeable and relatable. I honestly can not believe this is a debut book for the author. I can not wait to read her next work. Sign me up for summer 2022.

Also I have to say the steam between Kate and Matthew …. Yes very nice !

Coming from a family of doctors, Kate Sweet has a different niche. She is an extremely poised wedding planner, and she loves her job. With eyes on a prestigious award, Kate jumps on an opportunity to plan a book launch event for the Knight of Nightmares, Drake Matthews. With a goal of his own (to write a romance inspired by his grandparents’ own love story), he sees Kate as his muse, including scenes from real-life interactions with her. Work together for mutual gain? Sure, why not?

What an adorable rom-com debut! Newton narrated a fun read, packed with humor, swoon, and chemistry. A bit of slow build, but the entertaining scenes she sprinkled throughout Drake and Kate’s story added character and contributed to their romantic development. The supporting characters, especially Drake’s mom and bothers, we’re great, too. I also couldn’t help but play Love Me Like You Do by Ellie Goulding in my head during one scene.

Okay I loved, loved, loved this book! I cannot explain just how sweet it is (see what I did there?!) A rom-com between an adorable event planner and a misunderstood horror book writer - what a unique coupling! I don't think I've read a more hilarious meet cute moment in a book either. There's also quite a bit steam in this one. I definitely recommend this book to rom-com lovers. I can't believe this is a debut novel - Ill be adding Dylan Newton to my must read authors list. I also really hope she's planning a companion novel between Imani and Zander, I have a feeling that would be another fun couple!

Thank you to Forever Publishing and Netgalley for the digital Arc of this book. All opinions remain my own as always.