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A review by sammiesshelf
All Fired Up by Dylan Newton
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the eARC of this book!
This book was a cute, fairly lighthearted romance. There are some dark topics like war injuries, PTSD, and bipolar disorder, but they are not the main focus of the book.
I adore Zander. He was so wholesome and just seems like a genuinely humble and nice guy. I found it super endearing how persistent he was with Imani, and how he cares for everyone around him.
However, Imani was pretty annoying to me. Her character wasn't particularly annoying for any reason, but there didn't seem to be a real reason that she and Zander couldn't be together. There was clear chemistry, and he had explicitly told her he was in it for the long haul knowing she lived in NYC, and yet she always just said "It can't happen." It is somewhat implied that it is because of her busy schedule and being stressed all of the time, but she never actually explains what is keeping them apart. Instead, she repeatedly attacks Zander's go-with-the-flow lifestyle and says that is why they can't be together. Although his lifestyle did need work, in my opinion, it didn't make sense for that to be their main obstacle.
Aside from this, I adored Gigi and Lancelot and think they were perfect for comedic relief. They always chimed in at just the right (or wrong) times and cut the tension. Who knew an old woman and her husband's parrot could be the real stars of a romance?
Overall, this book was enjoyable and a nice easy read. Definitely recommend it for all lovers of rom-com and small-town romance!
This book was a cute, fairly lighthearted romance. There are some dark topics like war injuries, PTSD, and bipolar disorder, but they are not the main focus of the book.
I adore Zander. He was so wholesome and just seems like a genuinely humble and nice guy. I found it super endearing how persistent he was with Imani, and how he cares for everyone around him.
However, Imani was pretty annoying to me. Her character wasn't particularly annoying for any reason, but there didn't seem to be a real reason that she and Zander couldn't be together. There was clear chemistry, and he had explicitly told her he was in it for the long haul knowing she lived in NYC, and yet she always just said "It can't happen." It is somewhat implied that it is because of her busy schedule and being stressed all of the time, but she never actually explains what is keeping them apart. Instead, she repeatedly attacks Zander's go-with-the-flow lifestyle and says that is why they can't be together. Although his lifestyle did need work, in my opinion, it didn't make sense for that to be their main obstacle.
Aside from this, I adored Gigi and Lancelot and think they were perfect for comedic relief. They always chimed in at just the right (or wrong) times and cut the tension. Who knew an old woman and her husband's parrot could be the real stars of a romance?
Overall, this book was enjoyable and a nice easy read. Definitely recommend it for all lovers of rom-com and small-town romance!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Pregnancy
Minor: Vomit, War, and Injury/Injury detail
There is an explicit description of Imani's mother's death (Fire-related) and her struggle with bipolar disorder. The detailed description is pretty much confined to just one instance, but it is referenced throughout the book.
Imani does also suffer a panic attack as well as a PTSD-like episode in this book. They don't last long and are mainly just used to reveal information.
Kate's birth is described a good bit, and there is talk of birth complications: The baby has the cord wrapped around its neck twice and she is rushed into an emergency C-section It isn't super gory, but if that will trigger you, probably avoid it.
There are a few mentions of vomit, one of them is literally the first line of the book. The first description is pretty descriptive, but the others are not.
And there is mention of war and war injuries since all three Matthews brothers were Marines and one of them was injured in combat.