Make It Sweet Paperback – Import, 23 February 2021

"She had slid into my life at one of the worst possible times, and yet now that she was here, the thought of letting her go was unimaginable."Hollywood meets Hockey in this brand new grumpy-sunshine, forced proximity standalone by Kristen Callihan (also comes with a one bed trope!). I love her writing and I could pick up literally everything she writes. Ngl, reading the book's blurb, I didn't feel like I would enjoy it but I'm glad that it wasn't the case at all! Lucian & Emma were totally a delightful treat to read. The tropes in this book SERVE. Sure, it was cheesy and sweet but I was smiling throughout the book."If you believe anything about me, believe I will always be the guy who stands with you, never against you.”Lucian Osmond, a talented hockey player suddenly decided to retire because of a severe head injury that put his life at risk. And now he's hiding away at his grandmother's estate in Rosemund because of losing both his passion and his fiance. What he didn't know however that, he had a talent greater than his sport- baking. Emma Marone, a famous actress known for playing a princess in a well known tv show had been at the top of her career but one abrupt call to kill off her character in the show, ran her out of her job. On top of that, she found her boyfriend of one year cheating on her. So, to seek some solitude, she just decides to head at her grandmother's friend's estate which obviously happens to be the place where Lucien is staying at.“Lucian Osmond, you wrecked me.” “Only fair. You’ve been wrecking me from the moment we met.” Emma was such a loveable character. She was supportive, caring, sassy, passionate about her work and had such a sunshine personality. She balanced out Lucien and his grumpiness for sure. Lucien at times was such a hard, stubborn as but I couldn't help but understand him and his frustrations, I loved him even more when he started to show how whipped he was for Emma. (Lucien noticed every single little thing about her and fed her some delicious treats) Both of the characters had went through something hard and their individual struggles were portrayed in a real and raw way. While the book was sweet and fluffy, it also dealt with real life struggles that some athletes and actors face.“To live is to adapt. We’re constantly reinventing ourselves. Don’t be afraid of failure or change, loves; it means you’re alive.”Overall, the tropes were wholesome and enjoyable. Some of the side characters especially Lucien's grandma were hilarious. The book started off real good with witty banters and a load of tension. The conflicts weren't stretched out much but it was angsty, amusing and entertaining. I loved Lucien & Emma's teasing, flirting and the fluffy nicknames they gave each other just made me melt like a hot puddle lol! I highly recommend reading it because I liked it more than Outmatched.

3.5 starsMake It Sweet by Kristen Callihan was an extraordinarily sweet and dreamy romance about two lost souls finding love and living the fullest all over again. If you are in mood of an uncomplicated love story with cuteness overload, this one is for you.Famous Tv star Emma has lost the biggest role of her career unexpectedly and her grandmother's friend Amalia has offered her a place to escape in her estate. She meets her grandson Lucian there. A famous hockey player who had to retire early after risky concussion injury recently. They feel an instant connection but Lucian's walls are miles high.I was really excited from the beginning because I could feel Emma and Luc's connection immediately. But soon I lost that feel. It was slow burn. So slow that it felt repetitive. Lucian is like an injured and cornered animal. Though he feels the brightness of Emma's soul and wants to move forward, he is afraid. Too afraid. I felt Emma was dealing her frustration and sadness better. I loved her heart. The best part of this story was the foodgasm. Yes Lucian is a sexy gorgeous hockey player who is a magical baker! The food is a crucial part of their chemistry and those descriptions made me drool..so pretty and delicious. Lucian and Emma made a sweet couple and the emotions were flowing freely. I wanted to see a bit more drama and the spark was missing a bit for me.Make It Sweet by Kristen Callihan was a feel good romance through and through. If you are looking for some simple uninterrupted warm time in your romance, this one is for you.I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

*ARC received for an honest review *Make It Sweet was the first Kristen Callihan book I read. And I really love it so much. It was a cute, sweet, beautiful & heartbreaking story.Emma & Lucian were two lost souls who met unexpectedly at a point in their lives where they had lost all of their hopes. They were the perfect grumpy hero meets sunshine heroine. The first part of the story was filled with so much angst. They both had chemistry since the moment they met. Over time it started developing into something more but the two were so stubborn that they kept each other at arms length in start in order to not hurt the other n because Luc thought Em deserves more than him. But their connection was so strong that no matter how much ever they avoid, it didn't go away. They both came to care about each other & become each other's support system. They healed each other. I loved their banters, the teasing n the pure connection they had.ALSO THE FOOD. PLS EVERY DISHES THAT WERE SHOWN MADE MY MOUTH TO WATER. IT SOUNDED SO DELICIOUS N BEAUTIFUL. AND WT MADE ME EVEN ME LOVE IT EVEN MORE WAS IT WAS MADE BY LUCIAN. A man who bakes - sign me up. 😋😋😋I loved the other characters too. Mamie n Sal were amazing n perfect. The way they predicted that the two lonely birds would fall for each n tried to play matchmaker payed off.Saint n Delilah were so cute. I haven't read their book yet. I can't wait. 😊😊Rommy n Tina were amazing too.Thanks for Kristen Callihan n team for giving me this arc n an opportunity to review it.

In the beginning, there was definitely fire between the leads. But it felt like the lengthier the plot grew, the dimmer it became. And by the end, the fire was as if completely doused and not a single spark was left. I've read and loved lengthier, slow burn, drawn out novels before, but they all had one thing in common, the circumstances were just, balanced, explainable instead of their own bullheaded-ness prying them apart as portrayed in this one. Who in their right mind runs from the person their heart wants? Indecisive, fickle ones. And they're not attractive.

A história dos dois é maravilhosa, ver as segundas chances deles é incrível. Amei ver a evolução, como eles se abriram um para o outro.Em Make It Sweet, iremos conhecer Emma e Lucian, que por suas razões, precisaram de uma pausa de suas vidas e acabarão em Rosemont, uma linda propriedade da avó de Lucian. O que eles não contavam, era com uma enorme atração entre eles e uma avó casamenteira. Mas Emma e Lucian tentam evitar ao máximo um ao outro. Mas quanto mais eles tentam se evitar, mais os dois acabam se aproximando.

Kristen Callihan baked up a treat with Make It Sweet! Make It Sweet was the perfect feel-good romance novel with complex characters, a great romantic build up and not too much drama.This book literally had so many tropes I love in it. First off, we have Lucian who is an ex-hockey player who is also an exquisite patisserie chef – be still my heart! As soon as I learned that about him, I knew I was going to be sold on this book. He’s dealing with a lot emotionally when we first met him as he was forced to retire from the sport he loves due to concussions. He’s really lost and closed off at the start, and angry at the world given his whole life has been flipped upside down and he has no idea how to define himself without hockey. Then we have Emma. She’s also in a similar place at the start of the book as she’s been unexpectedly killed off the TV show she stars in Dark Castle (think a Game of Thrones show) and found her boyfriend banging another woman on the same day. She’s adrift and not sure who she is anymore or what she’s going to do next. She goes to stay at Rosemont, the estate run by Lucian’s grandma Amalie, in order to figure out her next steps. Naturally, the two of them clash and end up helping each other heal through out the process.Lucian and Emma, coupled with the secondary characters, really made this book for me. The books told from alternative POVs from Emma and Lucien so we really got to get into their heads and understand what they’re feeling and how they’re responding to situations. They were also perfect for each other as they both needed time to heal and needed someone who could help them see their real potential even if they struggled to see it themselves. They both could see the real person behind the pain.I loved watching Emma break down Lucian’s barriers, even if he didn’t want to let her in. As an actress, I was worried she could be annoying (as those types of characters can be in romances) – but I ended up loving her. She was so incredibly strong, even if she didn’t think she was. Her voice was so well-defined and established and I felt I was really able to get a read on her – something I had struggled with Callihan’s Dear Enemy which exists in the same world as this novel. Lucian was also a complex character and I loved how he showed he cared through his baking. I loved being able to be in his head, even when he was hurting as you really got to understand him and his motivation.The chemistry between Lucian and Emma was palpable and the romance was off the charts. I loved that Callihan didn’t rush to have the two of them get together. Instead, she had a slow build and lots of scenes where they kept being drawn to each other like moths to a flame but weren’t able to take the final leap to come together. The pool scenes (there were a few!) were some of my favorites as they were so steamy and you kept thinking “this is it, this is where they get together” but that didn’t actually happen. It helped add momentum to the story where the chemistry builds and builds so when they finally get together it’s explosive and everything you wanted. There was also so much good banter as Emma knew how to get under Lucian’s skin and I love when that happens.I also really loved that the conflict towards the end of the book wasn’t something stupid – like failure to talk to each other – but felt incredibly believable as it tied back to Lucian’s struggles with identifying who he is without hockey. I personally sided with Emma and his whole family on his decision, but understand why he made the decision he did. I was also so glad to see him come to his senses and realize hockey isn’t what makes him happy anymore, but Emma is – it made the reunion that much sweeter.I think I’ve found a new favorite Kristen Callihan novel! I know this is a story I’ll be coming back to time and time again when I want to read a heart-achy (in the best possible way) romance with well-rounded characters that will leave me with a smile on my face.

Clear at least 24 hours on your calendar because the divine and in this particular case delicious Ms. Callihan has a new romance out - Make it Sweet. I kid you not that my husband knows that when Kristen has a new release that he'll have to get take -out for himself and the spawn because "I'LL BE READING " ( Yes that requires capitals to convey the depth of dedication and enjoyment I get from her wonderful books).This time we're treated to the delights of Lucien (but only to our heroine, "Luc" to everyone else), a professional hockey player in his prime forced into retirement by a traumatic head injury during a game. Not only a prime -cut of professional athlete, Lucien hails from a wealthy French-American family with a storied past in French patisserie creation ( a legendarily creative grandfather). At the start of the story he has hidden away to heal emotionally as well as physically on his grandmother's California grand estate Rosemont , where he works renovating the many buildings, but more importantly baking and cooking for the grandmother he loves deeply. Into this isolated idyllic environment his grandmother invites Emma, the actress granddaughter of one of her friends to stay while she heals from a double emotional disappointment. Emma has just lost her part in a "Game of Thrones/Witcher-like" epic television program known for killing off key characters. Emma also discovers her professional quarterback boyfriend screwing another woman when she arrives home early after the read-through of the script that sees the demise of her much loved character. Quite the set up right?!So, we have the wonderful little miss sunshine, too perceptive and empathetic for her own good thrown into "the beauty and the beast- like" environment of the emotionally -shut-down Mr. Grumpy (mixing my children's books allusions!). Lucien begins his process of falling for Emma with the dedication he puts into his culinary arts he secretly courts her with. It's worth the price of admission here simply for the scenes where Emma watches Lucien work dough!One of the great delights of Kristen's books is her vivid secondary characters and we have a plethora of them here; from the wisdom of his life-loving grandmere, to Sal the flamboyantly gay stylist (also basically Lucien's adopted brother), to Lucien's bearlike BFF and teammate. Kristen excels at characterization built through dialogue, and it's fully on display here! Treat yourself to this confection!

it's a sweet book and I recommend it

I love it so so much! I want more of this author!