I don’t usually read romance novels, but I’m so glad I read Birding with Benefits! A delightful story about two people at a transitional point in their lives. I loved the romance as well as the birding storyline - I learned a lot! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC - I would recommend this to anyone who loves a descriptive smart novel.

This was a sweet, feel-good book all about discovery. If you love birding, romance, and quiet brooding lumberjack librarian types, this is the book for you! Seriously, I didn’t know how birding could be romantic, but Sarah T. Dubb produced the perfect mashup I didn’t know I needed. From the meet cute to the final chapter, I was rooting for both Celeste and John.

Thank you to Sarah T. Dubb, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!

Birding With Benefits ARC
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Birding with Benefits is a story of discovery, exploration, and letting go. I wasn’t sure what to expect from a birding romance, especially with older main characters, but I really enjoyed it (and I’m always down for a fake dating trope). Both Celeste and John are believable characters with their own quarks. They’re both holding themselves back from things that could make them happy and Celeste has to face her own hypocrisy. I enjoyed seeing how the characters helped each other grow and develop along the way. I really did enjoy the birdwatching throughout too, and the way the author described the peace that can come from observing your surroundings. I would definitely read another book by Sarah Dubb!

Please this book was SO GOOD, I am melting from the wholesomeness and the slow-burn 😭 it's very peak "let's date to get it out of our systems" to "uh oh, I'm falling in love"

Also this book will make you want to (re)take up birding, the hobby of bird watching is dealt with so much care and warmth for new birders.

TWs - cheating (past), divorce (past)

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I think this book was written for me!! I’ve never seen a romcom about birds before, and I absolutely loved it! Birding with Benefits was a fantastic debut romcom, and is a different kind of second chance romance that focuses on finding love at the right time with the right person. There was lots of inclusivity through side characters, and I hope I’ll see more of them! It’s spicy, funny, and most importantly features real birds which is very cool to me!! If you’re also a total dork, or are just open to learning new things while you read, you have to add this to your TBR for release day on 6/4!

Well this was just the softest warmest hug of a book. I initially requested this book because the absolutely beautiful cover and the title (amazing), and the fact that this was based in the Southwest. I didn't know in the beginning that it was based on middle-aged characters, which I think fit so well! Both of the characters are adorable, soft people who just want someone who understands them. The author's writing is easy to digest and simple enough. I will say, the pacing was a little off and there was like a LOT of sex in the book which, if you take so much as a half step back is a little...weird to think about for middle-aged characters, but all in all this is a very unique, quirky, and warm book and an excellent debut! Thank you to Gallery and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley & Gallery books for the ARC of this book.

WOW WOW WOW. I loved this niche birding romance so so much. It's got a quiet & thoughtful main male character, a spunky, adventurous older (by romance standards!) main character who is a divorcee and mother. It's got birding! Realistic & fun, count competition style birding. It's good woodworking & all the 'wood' jokes you can want from a romance novel. It's heartwarming, but the romance is full of spice. At the end the author's note says something like, if you came to this book via birding I hope you leave a romance reader, and if you came for the romance, I hope you leave a birder. And if you love both (like me), this is a book for you!

Definitely going to be a favorite romance of the year. Off to preorder it and shout about it to my friends.

Things I love in a romance novel:
- Unique/niche interest plot
- Older main characters (in their 40s here)
- Solid friendship element to the storyline that also adds value to the secondary characters
- Chemisty and palpable tension
- Spice and steamy scenes that enhance the story (and are hot)
- Characters who communicate, even if they aren’t perfect at it

Things this romance novel has:
- All of the above

Celeste is on a journey of self discovery after ending a marriage that made her a shell of a person. This means trying every new hobby she can find and rolling with unexpected adventures life throws in her path. Enter John and birding. She thinks she’s showing up for a morning in nature to play John’s fake girlfriend as a favor to a new friend but lands herself in front a man who has no clue what’s going on. He’s expecting a new partner for a birding contest, not a romantic partner. Not one to shy away from an opportunity to learn something new, Celeste is all in and up to the challenge. Between faking feelings for their fellow birders and long hours spent together over the course of the contest, both Celeste and John find more than either of them wanted or expected.

I loved this book so much. It’s very clear that Sarah T. Dubb is genuinely familiar with birding. I have no experience, but everything involved in those scenes feels so natural. I love a niche interest that feels thoroughly researched in a novel and it’s even better when it’s one the author has firsthand knowledge and experience with. This is not a book that uses a unique hobby as an attention grab and then barely features it in the story. Birding really is a major key plot point. The descriptions of the skill, the pictures painted of nature, and the guiding lessons for a beginner birder all lends itself to so many intense moments between Celeste and John. Who knew birding could be sexy?

Celeste and John both had baggage from their past relationships that weighed them down in their lives. I loved how their ‘birding with benefits’ gradually helped them heal, even when they didn’t realize it was happening. It’s a medium slow burn between the two of them. The chemistry is immediate but the tension builds over time — and it’s excellent tension. When it finally reaches its limit, the fire definitely burns. The sexual relationship never takes away from all the other things Celeste and John are building and working through. It creates an intimacy between them that makes it more difficult to deny that while intentions may have been good to keep it casual, it’s not as easy as they thought it might be. I really respected and appreciated the conversations and actions taken when it was time to face feelings. Choices might be frustrating, but words convey the emotions that make it make sense when it needs to.

Another thing I appreciated was Celeste’s relationship with her daughter, Morgan. I thought it gave Celeste’s character a well-rounded growth arc. It showed that it wasn’t just her thoughts and feelings about romance that might benefit from her self-discovery journey. I also have to shout out Chris and Maria as amazing friends to John and Celeste respectively. The conversations among friends and the advice and support offered in all directions was beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The most niche rom-com I have ever read and I absolutely loved it!!! John and Celeste are brought together by happenstance - John needs a partner for a birding competition and Celeste is newly divorced and looking for a year of yes and a fresh start! I loved the mid-life characters and their spark and romance - I couldn’t put this down (and I also loved the birding aspect!) - highly recommend!!!!

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were likable and lovely, the writing was well done, and the storyline felt fresh and new. The female main character, Celeste, feels like a wholly likable and more adult version of Jessica Day from New Girl. The quirkiness is just enough that she’s a fun and new character, but not so much that it’s painful to read. John is a cinnamon roll of a man, and you couldn’t help but cheer for his mature and emotionally well rounded takes. I found myself 75% of the way though pretty quickly, and intentionally dragged out the remainder of the book to try to enjoy it longer.

In all - I really enjoyed this book and I’m excited to read more by the author.

This book was freaking adorable. I came because of the cute cover and clever title, and stayed because Celeste and John had amazing chemistry, great banter, and were all around fantastic characters.

I really enjoyed reading about quote/unquote older characters (in their early 40s) and how they gave love another chance even though they both were hurt in the past. Also the birding aspect of this book? So cute! I thought it’d come across as trying to hard but it was so well done and low key has me wanting to try birding.

This is an incredible debut that had me kicking my feet in glee and I cannot wait for what she writes next!

Birding is sexy, and nerds are in! Give me a gentle, sexy, smart lumberjack/librarian male main character any day! The Meet Cute was so hilarious and there were lots of slow burn and steamy moments too! Did I read this book because I’m in my bird watching phase of adulthood? Yes. Did I expect it to be sexy and entertaining as hell? No, and it was such a pleasant surprise! So fun!

Birding with Benefits

A romance about birding might seem like an odd fit but, just like birding, there is much to be discovered here if you take the time.

I love a book with a super niche topic, whether it be a career, a disability, a hobby, etc. When these topics are well researched, they not only lend an air of credibility to the book, but I also learn a little something along the way. I also love a book with middle aged protagonists. As someone in my mid 40s, it’s great to read about someone whose struggles and life experiences are similar to my own.

Celeste is so relatable, trying to figure herself after losing herself to marriage and motherhood. And John, well, I think I have a thing for lumberjack librarian types now.

I do wish parts of this book had been a little more fleshed out, but overall this was a solid read - the first book I’ve read by Sarah T. Dubb, but hopefully not the last.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book.

Setting: Arizona
Theme: “Start with discovery, and go from there.”

Celeste: middle/high school English teacher, recent divorcee, single mom to a daughter who spends her weekends with her dad. Always told that while her energy and enthusiasm is appreciated, she is just too much.

John: recently single after he caught his longtime girlfriend snogging another academic and birder, jobless and toeing the line of being a birding guide and a carpenter after choosing not to pursue the academic route like all his other friends/colleagues.

Okay folks, this is a deep dive on birding. Whether you’re expecting it or not, you’re about to get a crash course into birding, and be able to identify so many species in the Tucson, Arizona region. (And if you pronounced this like in What We Do In The Shadows, let’s be friends!!)
You’ll also learn what different packs/groups are called. I learned a group of butterflies is called a kaleidoscope and I think that’s the most perfect and beautiful name for them.

And of course, there is the benefits. The friends with benefits, the birding with benefits, the we are just fake dating but I am highly competitive and get caught up in the moment…

The closest scene.
OMG the wood shop.

The chemistry these two share is off the page. I appreciate how this story takes us through two adults navigating their insecurities despite existing friendships, careers, success in and out of their careers.

When Celeste and her daughter Morgan have a fight where Morgan brings up the divorce, oof. My chest hurt. It was so real, and crude, but above all, honest.

This debut novel from Sarah T. Dubb marries her knowledge and love of birding and writing. It is full of hope, self discovery, and love. An absolute treat!

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for this opportunity to read Sarah’s debut.

This book surprised me. I found myself giggling nonstop at the adorableness it all and I knew I was hooked. The dialogue was funny. The plot was fun. The spice was spicy. The MMC was absolutely swoon-worthy. The characters were easy to root for. What more could a girl want from contemporary romance??

Favorite things:
- The meet cute at the beginning. Hilarious, a little bit sexy, and just plain fun.
- The birding. It was so cool to learn about it and it all felt very realistic (love that the author is a birder herself). It definitely inspired me to pay more attention to the birds in my neighborhood.... Plus, who knew it could be so hot?!
- The spice. In particular, the kiss by the mural and the closet scene live in my head rent free now.
- The relationship between Celeste and her daughter Morgan.
- The MMC, John. The sexy lumberjack librarian vibes. The quiet confidence. The THOROUGHNESS. Plus, we love an enthusiastic consent king.
- Celeste's journey of self discovery and growth.
- The side characters. Chris and Maria were both great foils for the main characters and very entertaining to read.

All in all, I reallllly loved this one. Highly recommend.

Birding with Benefits is the story of a woman named Celeste who is on a journey to find herself again after being lost to her marriage which has recently ended. This book is a lot of fun and it was extra enjoyable for me to read a rom-com that is more of a mid-life story. I liked the friendships with the side characters as well, those felt realistic and charming.
Overall, It’s funny and heartwarming and more 🌶️🌶️🌶️ than I expected! (Not in a bad way)

Okay, let’s just go ahead and talk about the birding. Get that out of the way. A romance book about birding seemed… odd! But let me tell you, I loved it! It worked so well. I’ve always thought of bird watching as a hobby for older people, you know, something to do once you move to your lush 55+ community. However, after I've learned a few things about it from the steamy, quiet, brooding, introspective, male lead character, John, I'm starting to think us non-birders are missing out on all of the fun.

John has a dream to establish a bird guiding business in the stunning rocky, cactus-filled desert landscapes of Tucson, Arizona. He believes that winning the local birding competition will be the perfect opportunity to get started. However, after going through a breakup, he finds himself without a partner and unable to participate in the contest. This is where Celeste comes in - a fun-loving, adventurous woman who becomes the female lead character and agrees to help John out.

After her divorce, but before meeting John, Celeste decided to live life to the fullest without any commitments. She avoids anything or anyone that may hinder her free spirit or hold her back. Although she is a little eccentric and difficult to predict, she is a delightful person who you could easily consider as your best friend.

In a series of events with a romantic comedy feel, John and Celeste team up for the birding competition, leading to a complicated friends-with-benefits arrangement with many ups and downs and mixed emotions. Things get spicy and fun as they build a mutual love… for birding.

Wow, what a fun and interesting read! I highly recommend it for anyone looking to live life big, love bigger, and see a few birds!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC of Birding with Benefits by Sarah Dubb. This book is a must-read for romance (or bird) lovers! This debut has so much heart, and I loved every minute of it. This book has it all -- characters who are on a journey of self-discovery, witty banter, spicy steamy romance, the woes of parenting a young adult/teenager, birding fun, and more. Highly recommend if you're looking for a book that will make you smile,

Everything about this book screamed that I would love it:

3rd person POV

Middle aged couple

Birding (I'm a serious outdoors kid)

Back-on-the market getting their grooves back

This really dragged for me, the story was heavy on exposition, rather than dialogue or activity, to its detriment. I often felt like it was a chore to continue.

I think, perhaps, the fact that it's marketed as a romance, not strictly as women's fiction, threw me. If you're looking for romance, this will likely fall short because the amount of time between the couple, versus the time on their own, really lends itself to being in the women's fiction realm. I love a story of self discovery, but this tended to drag and be too explicitly a focal point for a romance.

2.5 stars rounded up because a debut novel is tough work.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The second I saw this cover, I knew I had to read it! Fun and easy and was able to read in one sitting. Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advanced copy! Publication date June 4, 2024.