A review by hellodiana
Sweeten the Deal by Katie Shepard

  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I had a pretty good time reading this book and I really liked the female lead, but there were a few things that I couldn't get past.

First, Adrian treats Caroline poorly for no reason when they first meet after matching on the sugaring site. How are you gonna survive a service job with that attitude?? And I still wasn't convinced he was good enough for her by the end. Will their relationship last? Up for debate.

Caroline is very clearly coded as autistic and probably had ADHD but this is never explicitly stated in the text. We don't even know if the character herself knows. The story could have really benefited from exploring her neurodivergence more. All we get are ableist aggressions from her family, which we also dont get a resolution for.