When a middle-aged divorcée who has never identified so much as a House Sparrow teams up with a charming stranger for a birding contest, she quickly realizes she has found an extraordinary new hobby—and maybe the love of her life. Sarah T. Dubb’s debut rom-com novel, Birding with Benefits, satisfyingly weaves together the thrill of birding and the giddy rush of falling in love, grounded by a rich sense of place in sunny Arizona.

Short synopsis: Recently divorced Celeste is paired up with John for a bird watching event. Soon, due to some meddling friends they end up being a fake couple to help John become a wilderness guide.

My thoughts: I loved the “older in life” couple, I feel like we don’t get enough second chance at love stories.

This was a bit spicer that I was expecting (I mean it’s a book about bird watching), but I did like watching John and Celeste find their second chance at love.

Read if you love:
* Nature and birds
* Meddling friends
* Adventure
* Fake dating

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I love birds and am a birdwatcher, so I wanted to like this book, but it wasn't good on so many levels. The 40-year-old characters acted like teenagers, and it was cringe-worthy on so many levels.

A birding romance? Yes please!! This was a fun, light read. I loved this different take on a romance!

Newly-divorced, almost-empty-nester Celeste is finally seeking adventure and putting herself first, cliches be damned. So when a friend asks Celeste to “partner” with his buddy John for an event, Celeste throws herself into the role of his temporary girlfriend. But quiet cinnamon roll John isn’t looking for love, just birds—he needs a partner for Tucson’s biggest bird-watching contest if he’s ever going to launch his own guiding business. By the time they untangle their crossed signals, they’ve become teammates…and thanks to his meddling friends, a fake couple.

Celeste can’t tell a sparrow from a swallow, but John is a great teacher, and the hours they spend hiking in the Arizona wilderness feed Celeste’s hunger for new adventures while giving John a chance to practice his dream job. As the two spend more time together, they end up watching more than just the birds, and their chemistry becomes undeniable. Since they’re both committed to the single life, Celeste suggests a status upgrade: birders with benefits, just until the contest is done. But as the bird count goes up and their time together ticks down, John and Celeste will have to decide if their benefits can last a lifetime, or if this love affair is for the birds.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. I really loved this refreshing mature, middle-age (overy 40) romance story. The fact that it included being in nature and birding was a bonus! I also happened to read this while visiting the state of Arizona, so that helped set the scene. The characters felt like people that you could know in real life. They had real baggage and issues that could be relatable to many readers, especially if maneuvering life after 40, divorce or breakup, and/or parenting a teen. Nothing felt contrived and you could feel the real struggles these individuals had with feeling "not enough" or "too much" and how they could make a relationship work. I look forward to reading more from this author!

I absolutely loved this book. Celeste and John were complete opposites, but for some reason, they worked. Celeste left John at ease and able to think through his feelings and thoughts. John encouraged Celeste and enjoyed her enthusiasm. I truly loved watching Celeste and John fall for each other in this fake dating trope filled story. Fake dating isn't always the trope I lean towards, but I feel like Sarah did a great job in making this book not just feel like it was fitting a trope. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys this trope or romance books in general. I ended up listening to the audiobook and the two narrators were amazing. I am definitely going to be looking for books that they have narrated before.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books and Sarah T. Dubb for sharing this book with me.

I enjoyed this little bit steamy and fun romp into competitive bird watching. Who knew this was a thing and that it would be such a fun world to explore. With just the right blend of sweet and spicy moments this was a book that will be a great weekend escape. I loved that this book flowed with great ease and the banter supported the action and the character development. This was a fun fake dating done right story.

I loved the quietness of this book, the non-chaotic plot. The romance was intimate and not in your face…mentions of being together without having to constantly converse/appreciating the fact that they didn’t need to fill the silence when together. The plot revolving around birding-an activity in itself that involves being quiet and just appreciating the moment. The prose was beautiful. Opposites in personalities, Celeste (sunshiny and social) and John (a librarian lumberjack kind) enter into a mutual fake dating relationship. Both have the opportunity to have experience something fake to make sure there’s not room in their life for having something real, when in turn they do just that. What a beautiful story of second chance at love for middle age individuals. Thank you to the author and publisher for a copy of the book-my thoughts are honest and voluntary. 4.5 stars

Fake dating
Opposites attract
Banter that’s bantering

Birding with Benefits was a cute, cozy, fun read. If you’re looking for something fun with a few tender moments sprinkled in you will enjoy this one.
I wanted more for the overall story but I can’t quite put my finger on what was missing. The banter was bantering. The opposites were definitely attracting. The fake dating was cute. But something was just missing for this to become a new favorite.

While it wasn’t an instant favorite for me it is still a fun quick read that is perfect for a warm summer day. I do think a lot of people will enjoy the banter between characters, the fun side characters, and the overall story. I am very excited to check out what Sarah Dubb puts out next

I really enjoyed this book! It was an engaging read from start to finish, and I found it incredibly accessible. The writing was easy to follow, and I appreciated how the story kept me hooked without feeling overwhelming. Overall, it was a great experience, and I definitely recommend it!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the advance copy of Birding With Benefits! As a bird lover, I was thrilled to dive into this debut novel. The story started off charming and full of promise, and I was excited to see a book centered around birds and an exciting birding contest. However, as the plot unfolded, the focus shifted heavily toward the romance between Celeste and John, overshadowing the birdwatching aspect.

Rather than immersing me in the excitement of spotting different birds, the novel leaned more into steamy romance, which wasn’t what I was hoping for. Unfortunately, it lost the whimsical, lighthearted charm that drew me in, and by the end, it felt like it dragged on. While some readers may enjoy this spicy Hallmark Channel romance, this one just didn’t work for me.

This book was just okay for me. I had a hard time connecting to the characters and the story.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

I really enjoyed this one!!
The super-short summary is: Celeste thinks she’s been set up with John to pretend to be his new girlfriend. But, he really just needs a partner for a birding competition. For various reasons, they agree to do both.
The birding contest was a unique part of the story, and it was interesting to learn a little bit about the hobby (it’s made me add “learn more about bird watching” to my to-do list 😊). I liked that the two main characters were a little bit older than typical romance books, and especially loved that there was clear communication between them and never a moment where I wished they would just clear the air by talking to each other.
I’ve been in a long reading slump, and this book helped get me out of it!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC. This is my honest review.

I am grateful to have been given this as an ARC.
This book was a cute-enough read, but was not anything too special or memorable for me. I feel like I enjoyed it, but I will not be thinking about these characters again.

There was a lot to enjoy about this book. First off, I loved that the main characters were older. It was refreshing to read about adults who had lived a bit and brought wisdom and maturity to the story. That alone set it apart from many other romance novels. I also really liked the birding aspect—it was unique and added an interesting layer to the story.

That being said, something was missing for me. I didn’t quite connect with the male main character as much as I had hoped, and at times, I felt like the story could have used just a little bit more—more depth, more moments, more emotional resonance.

Overall, it was a pleasant and enjoyable read, but I didn’t quite feel that strong connection that makes a book unforgettable.

#ARC #netgalley

This is a charming and witty romantic comedy that follows the journey of a woman named Claire as she unexpectedly finds love and self-discovery through her passion for birdwatching. Dubb's writing is lighthearted and engaging, filled with humor and heart. The blend of romance and nature offers a refreshing backdrop for the characters' development, with the birdwatching theme adding a unique and endearing touch. The story is both fun and relatable, exploring themes of love, personal growth, and the joy of connecting with nature. *Birding with Benefits* is a delightful and feel-good read for fans of cozy, heartwarming stories.

Okay I was SO surprised by this one! I went into it thinking it was going to be another generic rom-com like the others I'd been reading, but this one stood out to me. It was incredibly sweet and sexy and fun! The concept of the birding competition is a bit silly but it only adds to the book's charm, and it doesn't dwell on any sort of bird language for too long, I was a bit worried it would. I looove a forced proximity story, the birding competition and the fake dating that's involved force them together so often and in the best ways! Each situation included funny and romantic moments - their dialogue was witty and often sexy, as both characters were trying to navigate a new relationship in their 40s. I will say though, the main character didn't always act like she was in her 40s. Overall, I loved this story and I would absolutely read another book from this author in the future! I'm looking forward to seeing what she'll do next.

A sweet and steamy romp about two middle aged strangers who embark on a birding competition....and more....together.

I wanted to love this cute fake dating bird watching romance but it felt like the story was light and the spicy scenes are never ending. I started off liking the plot but it felt like it quickly went to the side. The characters in this book were not very likable to me, there were so many eye rolls. The writing was good but the pacing towards the second half the book was so slow I really started to lose interest. This was my first book by this author and I think her writing might be a little too spicy for me I like a little more plot. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

I thought Sarah T. Dubb's Birding with Benefits was a great combination of humour and growth later in life. Celeste is a forty-something making a somewhat fresh start in getting in touch with herself and who she is outside of her marriage and motherhood. I enjoyed that while these characters were mature, they still embraced a silly side. The birding aspect seemed to me to also work as a metaphor for reflection. I did have a few issues with the communication, especially between Celeste and Morgan, but overall this was an enjoyable rom-com that I would recommend.
Thank you Gallery Books for the copy through NetGalley.