ARC Review: All Fired Up

All Fired Up by Dylan Newton
Publication date: 17 May 2022

I am here for ALL of the Matthews brothers! After falling a little bit in love with Drake in How Sweet It Is, I tumbled head over heels for swoony, go-with-the-flow Zander. Several months ago, after the wedding of Drake and Kate, Zander hooked up for a one (two) night stand with Kate’s bestie, Imani. And then…she ghosted him.

Now Imani is back in town, supporting Kate as she nears the end of her pregnancy and preparing to help her grandmother Gigi after knee surgery. Side note: Gigi is hilarious and inappropriate and everything I hope I am as a grandmother some day. She also has an African Grey Parrot named Lancelot, who is full of sass and has a filthy mouth and I would like him to come home with me now please.

So Zander is still holding a torch for Imani, and Imani is trying to keep him at arms length in the friend zone, but we all know that never works as planned. I loved watching the personal growth of both of our main characters, and Imani’s anxiety disorder, PTSD, and panic attacks were genuinely represented, and I very much appreciated that. There is room for serious topics in a lighthearted romance, and I’m always pleased when it is done well.

Just a note if you have not read How Sweet It Is: although All Fired Up would be fine as a standalone, I recommend starting with the first book so that you get a better feel for the supporting characters and the setting. Although these books are not presented or marketed as a series, they very much are. And I’m so looking forward to book three!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.