Reviews

Sweeten the Deal by Katie Shepard

Only show reviews with written explanations

coveredbychristine's review

4.0

3.5 but rounding up to 4 because the writing was flawless and this troupe was well done and not over the top.

Thank you Berkley Romance (YES THAT'S RIGHT!!! I FINALLY GOT APPROVED!!!) for the ARC. IYKYK, my reviews are ALWAYS honest (yes, even when it's Berkley).

Writing: loved | Plot: LOVED | Ending: I actually didn't want it to end

SYNOPSIS

Caroline is a sheltered 22-year-old who's determined to make her grandma proud by living a "big life." Armed with a light 2-million dollars from granny's will, Caroline decides to "invest" in Adrian, a struggling artist who she hopes can teach her how to be a sophisticated lady.

MY OPINION

OOOHHWEEEEE!!!!!!! I legit stayed up to 1am two nights in a row to finish this baddie. Not only is this my first Berkley approval (mama we made it), but the cover is EVERYTHING, the premise is JUICY, and I legitimately LOVED IT. Now, do I think this will be for everyone? Absolutely not. This is what I call a "niche banger." It's not your typical contemporary romance written at a high-school level with sitcom banter and boss babe moments. In comparison to other romances I've read, the writing is elevated, the storytelling more thoughtful, the humour is dry, and the actual romance is subtle and most certainly a slow burn. If you want to assign some popular tropes to this I would say fake dating and age gap (he's 33 and she's 22).

Before I go any further, I want to make something clear CAROLINE IS NOT NEURODIVERGENT . I've seen a trend where readers are trying to place every "quirky" or "unique" character on the spectrum regardless of what the author says. Can we stop? You can be socially awkward due to a sheltered upbringing, childhood bullying, or just a plain ole introverted personality.

I liked that Shepard poked fun at "armchair diagnosis" in regards to Caroline's lack of social skills and general naiveté in the book. She does a great job of making it clear that Caroline's behaviour is because: 1) she spent every free minute playing tennis (as someone who played at a high level—I've met a many Carolines in my life) 2) she grew up in a small town where no one leaves and everyone's in your business and 3) she was constantly put down by her family and told she's incompetent/doesn't know what she's doing/can't trust herself etc.

Ok, now moving on from my Ted Talk. I think this plot can be difficult to pull off, but pull it off she did. I absolutely loved Caroline. I loved how genuine she was. I loved how authentic her social anxieties were without totally overshadowing and consuming her humorous and playful personality. And I loved how Caroline didn't want to change her core personality, she just wanted to expand her interests and learn more about the world. Her open-mindedness to different interests was refreshing in a sea of FMC who make it their entire goal to be "not like those other girls."

And Adrian... *dreamy sigh* He gave me Fitzwilliam Darcy vibes in a good way. He just seemed... proper and thoughtful. A lot of the tension between Adrian and Caroline gave me the same vibes as the ICONIC "hand flex" scene from Pride & Prejudice (2005 version). It was very subtle and had me actually wanting to fling the door open and embrace the spice YEAH I SAID IT!!!! I WENT THERE!!! Anyways. I enjoyed the emphasis of romance in Adrian's POV and the exploration of self and friendship (and a lil romance) in Caroline's POV. They were well-balanced and skillfully executed despite being in third-person. This is the first male POV that didn't make me want to kick someone in the nuts at full velocity. Great job, Shepard!

This is one of the VERY few books I've read in the last two years that I legitimately didn't want to end. When I saw that % in the corner of my Kindle creep up, I actually felt sad. I would LOVE to see this as a movie and if the author is open to being paid in eternal thanks, I'd love a sequel. Just give me 10 pages idc. I NEED IT!!!!

Before I wrap this up, I want to reiterate that this book has a very specific audience. If Abigail Dean (Girl A, Day One) wrote a romance book, I imagine it would be something like this. Take that as you will. FYI if this premise speaks to you, may I suggest The Hook Up Plan on Netflix. It's a French series where the FMCs friends (unbeknownst to her) hire a male escort to help her get over a difficult breakup. Different premises but very similar subtle, slow burn vibes.

PROS AND CONS

Pros: solid plot execution (it could've gone sideways), wonderful characters, subtle slow burn romance that actually had me caught up, funny when it needed to be, thoughtful when it needed to be, I may have teared up a bit but no one will ever know the truth, for the first time in a long time I didn't want a book to end

Cons: this is very pretentious former college athlete wanker of me but it's Division II not Division Two (throw tomatoes at me)

whatkelseywrote's review

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

elemee's review

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

emcroll's review

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5.0

"Sweeten the Deal" by Katie Shepard serves up a delightful concoction of opposites attracting in this charming contemporary romance. The premise revolves around Caroline Sedlacek, an MBA student with an imbalanced personal balance sheet—rich but lacking in life experiences, and Adrian Landry, a struggling artist seeking a fresh start. Their worlds collide when Adrian, listed on a thinly veiled escort site, finds Caroline as his unexpected sugar daddy. The ensuing arrangement promises a little culture for Caroline and much-needed cash for Adrian. Despite their age gap and differences, they discover that what they want and what they need may be two distinct things.

I'm handing this book a solid 4.5 stars, fueled by the irresistible vibes and a captivating premise. While it may not be a life-changing read, the book offers an enjoyable escape, delivering on the promise of a fun, contemporary romance. As an accounting aficionado, I particularly appreciated the infusion of business talk from Caroline, adding a unique flavor to the narrative.

Caroline's character, earnest and slightly naive, adds a refreshing dynamic. My only wish was for a deeper dive into her backstory to further enhance the reader's connection with her. The banter between the characters is a definite highlight, providing moments of levity and charm throughout the story.

With a mix of fake dating, age gap, and reverse sugar baby tropes, "Sweeten the Deal" keeps the contemporary romance flame burning. The limited spicy scenes, paired with an open-door approach, offer just the right amount of heat. As the story unfolds, the anticipation for Tom's (Adrian's roommate) tale adds an extra layer of excitement. In the end, Shepard delivers a sweet and engaging read that leaves readers eagerly anticipating the next chapter in this series.

thephdivabooks's review

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4.0

Katie Shepard’s novel Sweeten the Deal throws all gender norms and stereotypes in the trash for a sweet, juicy, and unique contemporary romance that was simply refreshing and fun to read. The writing and banter was elevated from the average romance novel (no criticism intended to any novel, just something I noticed about this). I found the story to be subtle and more elegant than what I expected.

Caroline is a sheltered, 22-year-old MBA student who is driven by making her grandmother proud of her. When she inherits $2 million from her grandmother, she suddenly becomes aware by how much she has sacrificed in relationships with others in service of her goals. She doesn’t have friends, a boyfriend, or many experiences outside of school and tennis.

Adrian couldn’t be more different from buttoned up Caroline. He’s a struggling artist with no money, not home of his own, but a wealth of talent and creative energy. If only he had money to fund a gallery, he could finally make something of his passion.

When is roommate lists him on an escort site, he ends up assisting Caroline. Young, naïve, and uninterested in intimacy, Caroline is nothing like he expected. But perhaps she can learn to open herself to culture and creativity while he can get the cash he needs. These two have nothing in common, but it soon becomes clear that they may be exactly what each other needs.

I found it interesting that Caroline wasn’t written as the typical, neurodivergent character whose “quirkiness” is a symptom of her struggles she’s looking to overcome. Instead, Caroline knows exactly who she is, and she’s just looking to open up to more experiences that she shied away from in the past due to her goals.

Caroline has a bright and sunny disposition and a caring soul. I thought she often read older than 22 years, despite her admitted lack of life experience. Caroline is a character who thinks first before leading with her heart, so part of her story with Adrian is about testing the waters in leading with her heart and curiosity rather than pragmatism and intellect.

Adrian was bringing romance and passion, while Caroline is bringing a desire for self-exploration. The two were balanced and somehow compatible. At times gender reversal in romance can feel forced or broken, but it didn’t at all here. There was a symmetry to their dynamic that I can’t quite explain—you’ll have to read it.

An intelligent concept delivered with elegance that is unique to the genre. Feel-good, heartwarming, refreshing, and engaging—this was one of the better romance books for me and I loved it!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.