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!

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