I had very low expectations given that I know nothing about birds, but this is the cutest thing ever and now I want to go on a hike and listen for bird calls.

🩷 fake dating
🛌 friends with benefits
↔️ opposites attract
🐦 birds

A second chance romance that was so sweet and realistic. I loved the two main characters, their character development and the dialogue was laugh out loud funny at time. The slow burn and spicy level was also great! A fun romance read for the summer.

Birding with Benefits by Sarah T. Dubb is a good fit for those seeking a heartwarming and humorous romance about self-discovery, new beginnings, and the unexpected joys of birdwatching.

Overall it was an okay read. I really enjoyed learning about bird watching and the different kind of birds. I loved the representation of an older FMC who was recently divorced. The MMC just felt average not bad but not memorable. I felt their first interaction was too rushed and felt forced, however as it progressed it got better.

The cover is absolutely gorgeous!! One of the prettiest I’ve seen this year. I wish I would have connected with the characters more,

2.75 ⭐️

I received this book as an ARC and I’m happy I did. I found myself literally laughing out loud and smiling while reading. I enjoyed the birding and that it wasn’t overwhelmingly technical but rather added to the story. I already am recommending this book to my friends to add to the TBR.

Birding with Benefits is a fun, well-written romance. I absolutely loved the birding backdrop to this love story featuring a refreshingly slightly older couple who must overcome their personal decisions to love each other. Plenty of steam with great emotional beats (which is not easy to pull off, but Dubb is great at it).

I loved reading about characters in their forties and I really appreciated a great male lead who is clam and gentle, not all rugged and alpha. There were a lot of really hot intimacy scenes that were 🔥🔥. I loved the title and I think I was hoping for something kind of like “Best in Show” but set in the birding world. I think it was a little bit of a missed opportunity to incorporate some of the truly outlandish behavior of some serious birders. Getting offended at the use of the term “hunt down.” Being mad at their spouse when they go to the restroom and cause them to miss adding a bird to their “life list” Etc. But having said that, I did appreciate this very unique setting that actually isn’t unique in reality at all — so many people enjoy birding so it makes so much sense to set a love story in that context.

In this adorable love story, two strangers meet in a fake dating scenario and naturally chaos ensues. I really enjoyed getting to know these main characters while they got to birding (which is a real niche hobby and fascinating) among other things. This spicy and sweet story is a keeper. From the cute front cover until the very last page this story kept me enthralled and I would read it again!

I received an ARC from NetGalley. I was drawn to the cover specifically because I love birdwatching. I am not usually a fan of romance heavy books so there were parts of the book that didn’t appeal to me BUT there were many more parts that really really did.

I loved the characters (main and side). The relationships felt real and they all made sense to the story’s development. The author did a wonderful job of creating situations and conversations that drew me in. I loved the setting and the descriptions of the birding adventures and honestly I would have enjoyed more of this and a little less description in the sex heavy scenes (again I am not a big overt romance fan - but if this is your thing than you are in for a treat).

Overall I would recommend this book and I will watch for other titles by this author in the future.

3.5

i’ve been in a bit of a slump, and while this book wasn’t AMAZING, i liked it overall. it had moments that were better than others, and i think the intimacy was done well. loved chris as a character, and would definitely read a book about him if one comes along. i never really felt an urgency to see what happened next with this book. i liked how quickly things got started, though.

#netgalley

THIS BOOK!!!!! Oh this was so much fun!! Such a gorgeous debut!!
We as a society need more contemporary romances with older main characters!! I was SOOO excited when I read Celeste was in her forties!! And divorcé who's sworn off love and has been trying to put her life back together and find herself is just such a fun romance trope. Paired with the fake dating and birding, this book was a blast! I can confidently say I have never read a book where the main character is a ~professional~ birder and I just loved how unique it was.
John and Celeste were both such fun characters and watching their feelings for each other slowly build and transform through all the time they were spending together felt so real. And their tension was insaneeee (in the best way possible)!!
I did find the third act conflict between Celeste and her daughter to be a bit over the top? Circling back to the whole Celeste is in her forties point, she was definitely not acting like a forty something here and it was pretty difficult to watch. I tried to give her some grace since she had dealt with a lot and was working through stuff but it felt just a bit too immature.
Other than that one note, the book was a blast!! And we bounced back very well! And the post third act conflict grand gesture made my heart MELT!! Overall a stunning debut from Sarah T Dubbs!! Will definitely be reading whatever comes next!


**Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!*

This was super cute. I was totally on board with the main characters within the first few pages. Fake dating can sometimes feel like a stretch, but this was done well! I loved those two together. My only issues were the side relationships (they both had best friends to process the relationship with) just weren’t interesting to me and the spicy scenes went on for 100 years.

I received this from net galley in exchange for a review.

Thanks to Gallery and NetGalley for this eARC!

Trope: fake dating

This was a fun one! I requested it on a whim because of the birding angle, and I'm glad I did. Both of the main characters (Celeste and John) are just really good people, and I loved the birding content (I think I'm in the danger age for getting really into birds, and I did recently see a bald eagle!). Also, loved the Arizona scenery, Celeste's sassy teen daughter, and Chris, the friend who set off the whole fake dating thing. Contemporary romance fans (or birders), especially folks who like, say, Christina Lauren, might really get into this one. I'm excited to see what Sarah Dubb writes next.

This was actually so fun. I’m not sure what I expected when I picked up a romance book surrounding -bird watching- but it was great.

John and Celeste are two very different characters but I found myself really rooting for both of them.

Reading other readers’ reviews it seems we were all skeptical of the birding aspect, because what a strange set up for a romance novel, but everyone has been pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

I just hope that when I’m 42 I can be having as much fun as Celeste.

I feel like I have an urge to go outside and look at birds now. Not sure I’ll pick birdwatching up as a hobby, but I think it could be fun to go appreciate them.

ARC from NetGalley and Gallery Books

2.75 stars out of 5.

This book was just an ok read, not great but not terrible. I didn't really connect with any of the characters and I found the pacing a little too slow for me. The book jumped into the meeting of John and Celeste to quickly and I don't feel the characters were developed really well. I did like the birding aspect of the book and thought that was really unique. Also, I really enjoyed the cover for this book, so cute!

In Birding with Benefits we meet Celeste, who is just getting her life back after her divorce. She was asked by a new friend if she would be his friends partner at a birding competition. Celeste agrees and then meets John at the first day of competition. John is the quiet type who is still getting over his last relationship that failed. Celeste and John partner together and also become a "fake couple" in the process. They have a lot of chemistry and strike up a deal, birders with benefits while the competition is on going. But will someone catch feelings by the end?

Thank you Netgalley and Gallery Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I've read enough contemporary romances where the author clearly knows very little about the characters' professions that, as a certified bird nerd, I was both excited and very nervous for this one. Fortunately, it didn't disappoint! The birding is solid, and this is a super enjoyable romance between two slightly older characters (John and Celeste are both in their forties, which is a nice shift from most romances featuring twenty-something characters). I definitely recommend this for fans of the fake dating trope!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

I LOVED this book from the first chapter.
It was so refreshing to read a romance about someone in their 40’s. Celeste is a recently divorced mom, and with an 18 year old daughter, is about to be an empty nester.
She says yes to entering into a fake dating relationship with John, a birder, and to participate in a birding competition with him.
John & Celeste could not be more different- and I related to different aspects of both of their personalities, and if I’m honest, I related a little more to John than Celeste, which was hilarious and welcome. I loved that they were both not your typical MC in a romance novel.
This was so sweet, funny- and surprisingly spicy! I also loved the friendship between John and Chris.
In the author’s note she mentioned she hoped to turn birders into romance readers, and romance readers into birders. I feel like she is well on her way to doing both.
Thank you to Gallery Books and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!
This gem is out June 4th!

4.5 stars from me!

Cute, cute, and more cute! Great title and cover. Dubb has crafted a fun book and I liked the story between the main character and her love interest. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Completely comforting, cozy, and creative! Two things I’m feral for lately: a unique setting/job/challenge for MCs (in this case, he’s a birder/bird watcher), and when the author crafts smoking hot scenes without describing the female character as lithe/tiny/barbie shaped + ripped/svelt/Ken shaped for men. Just like we want love for types of humans with all times of preferences, we want to read the love making for regular-shaped people!! *steps down from soap box*

John and Celeste are also both over 40, which is another unique feature that we are lacking in mainstream romance. Celeste is healing from a divorce where she lost herself to a pitifully selfish partner, and John folds right into the #hurtcomfort dynamic. The author skillfully includes Celeste’s teenaged daughter, but we spend most of the book reading about Celeste learning herself rather than featuring the struggles of single parenting. I also love a goofy side character and Chris is a home run in this arena! The sexy scenes brought the perfect mix of searing heat with a loving approach that even the characters couldn’t deny. Pitch perfect, highly recommend!

There was a lot that I really liked about this book... the older main characters was fabulous. I loved reading about adults who had lived and had a certain amount of wisdom and maturity. Honestly that alone was a breath of fresh air in comparison to other romance novels. I also liked the birding aspect... it was super unique and interesting to read about. There was just something missing though.... I didn't connect with the MMC as much as I wanted and there were times I wish the story just involved a little "more". Overall, it was a pleasant book and I enjoyed it! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.