I'm all in on books with MCs in their 40s. Its such a seldom occurrence that I often wonder who the hell are the publishers trying to sell books to nowadays. This story gave me a new appreciation for birding and setting boundaries. Thoroughly entertained.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

First off, thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for this eArc!

I have to say, I read a lot of romance books that center around topics that aren't familiar to me or that aren't within my interests, and usually it works completely fine for me. I got through 40% of this book and just found that the birding / environmentalist academia themes were so strong that it was almost totally inaccessible, and overall not as enjoyable to me as I wanted.

I will say: I do quite like the writing style, and I like that it was roping in niche topics in general, I think this would have been a blast for someone with more interest in this area. The characters were complex, the fake dating had some fun moments, and it had older MCs (which I really enjoy these days.) I liked the main characters and their personalities in general, and they had decent chemistry despite being wildly different (honestly their differences made things funnier and more charming.)

Ultimately, I wouldn't say that I don't recommend this book. I think its just one that people will enjoy more if they are better able to screen whether it is FOR them or not. It just didn't end up being for me.

Since her divorce, 42-year-old Celeste has enthusiastically been embracing new experiences. When an acquaintance asks her to partner John in a birding competition, she mistakenly thinks he means pretend she's his girlfriend which sets off what could be a mutually beneficial situation - Celeste's interfering colleagues will stop trying matchmaking while John's ex and former birding partner will see he's moved on.

Quiet, unassuming John and Celeste are opposites but complement each other, though at times Celeste came off as a bit too 'manic pixie dream girl'. I get being ‘too much’ was her trigger after her ex-husband made her take up less space, but she lacked self awareness that she would overtake her daughter and John’s lives.

Pace-wise I also found it a bit slow with it mostly instalust consisting of constant descriptions of them noticing how hot they thought each other were instead of allowing for a bit more of a slow burn. Once th sex scenes took over it started to basically paper over any real plot development. Also, I think the fake dating premise felt like shoehorning a trope for the sake of it. Celeste is in her 40s, just use your words to reinforce your boundaries with your meddling colleagues.

I did, however, come away with such an appreciation and knowledge for birding. To me this was the highlight of the book.

Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

The true measure of this book is that I wanted to go sit in my backyard and watch birds for days afterwards :) But, the bird watching is a bonus to watching our MCs slowly fall for each other, while our FMC wrestles with what it means to fall in love and stay true to yourself. I wouldn't exactly say this is a grumpy-meets-sunshine so much as it is an introvert basks in sunshine, but I am here for it.

Celeste's out to re-discover her joy. After a marriage where she was constantly admonished for being too much, all the time, she had turned inward. Now divorced, her bathroom mirror is peppered with post-its reminding herself to take chances and enjoy opportunities. So she agreed to partner with someone she never met to take part in a birding contest, something she had never done before. Her partner, John, had won the event before with his ex, who would also be competing. An enjoyable debut rom com with a good bit of spice, but the best part of it for me was learning about birding and birds.

This book was slow for me to get into but I really enjoyed the pacing, the depth of the characters and how the author wove the story together!

A huge thanks to Gallery Books for sending the gifted copy of BIRDING WITH BENEFITS by Sarah Dubb. What a fun read! And how unique to pair birdwatching with guy-watching. Be sure to read the Author’s Notes and Acknowledgements at the back of the book. Sarah is no novice to either birding or romance, and it shows in her well-crafted narrative.

Sarah’s debut novel is a rom-com featuring recently divorced, Celeste, as she starts living for herself. She’s smart, snarky, and speaks her mind clearly, slinging a four-letter word if the occasion warrants. A friend asks her to partner with John, a birding expert, for a bird-watching competition, and the action begins. Feathers flutter when John’s ex shows up unexpectedly.

This story is engaging, steamy without being crude, and full of the emotions of a woman out on her own for the first time. I loved everything about this book and hope that the author is already penning her next five-star novel.

This was such an enjoyable romance book.

I've actually never heard of birding as a hobby, and it seems so peaceful - this book made connecting with nature fresh on my mind as we enter into summer and I love that.

Written well, featuring one of my favorite tropes (hehe, fake dating) I'd recommend this as a light-hearded, adventurous, emotional read. It feels "coming-of-middle-age (see what I did there?).

Thank you for the gifted copy and the e-copy!

I did enjoy this book, a great effort for a debut author. Overall I would rate this 3.5. I do enjoy birding and for those with no interest in birding this book may not be as entertaining. The book has some open door love scenes that seemed more a check the box add in than a necessary plot point. I thought the author did an excellent job in character development with the male lead but the main female character was not as likable to me.. I found her too much of a hyperactive extrovert.
I will look for the author’s next book as I think she has a lot of potential as a fiction or romance writer.

This love story was unexpected as I absolutely fell head over heels for this romance. Birding with Benefits is a debut novel from Sarah T. Dubb, and its worth the investment.

A divorcee commits to fake-date a birder to help him win a local competition. The emotional depth of these characters builds to a lasting romance. I truly appreciate the middle-age representation, and their communication on the relationship baggage that's blocking their heart.

A mature, witty romance - highly recommend.

Thank you, Gallery Books

Fantastic, fantastic book! I appreciate that the protagonist and love interest were older and navigating different moments in their lives than most romances feature. MORE CHARACTERS IN THEIR 40s AND 50S IN ROMANCE, PLEASE!! I am so ready to start birding now after reading this book, too—something I never knew I needed in my life. I love how this story included friendships, family, and relationships as part of the full arc, rather than focusing only on the romantic arc. Real life includes all of these things and I love experiencing these aspects through Celeste's eyes and mind.

Birding with Benefits was such a cute, light romance perfect for the summer.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

I liked the premise and the setting of the book, which started out very well. However, I would have liked more about actual birding and the birds in Arizona and less of the steamy scenes between the two people who meet for a six week birding event. I found the book became boring and repetitive and less interesting, both as a novel and as a romance.

This was an interesting perspective for a introvert/extrovert romance. A misunderstanding and some miscommunication results in our main characters meeting up and forming a plan. I feel like this would translate really well as a cute movie on tv. As a book, it was ok. I’d give it 2.5 stars.

I learned about a new thing called birding! I honestly didn’t know that it was a real thing and I learned the difference between birding and bird watching lol.

Started off strong but felt like it started dragging a bit in the middle and the end. My complaint is that the dialogue and thoughts felt a bit clunky and more young adult than actual older adults talking. And the constant flashback towards being teenagers threw me off. They don’t have any experiences from their 20s, 30s? You’re telling me these people are in their 40’s 🤨? Would have liked to see better communication and maturity from the characters. It felt almost like the author wanted to age up the main characters into their 40s but they came across as young college kids.

John seems like a sweet guy who is working on accepting that there’s nothing wrong with his quietness. Celeste is a recently divorced mother learning how to be single at first then how to fall in love with someone who appreciates her loudness and quirks. She’s learning how to not quiet herself down to make other happy. But also how to accept new love when it comes her way. They both have insecurities, but who doesn’t. Together the two fit. A cute life romance. Overall I’d say this was a decent, quick read.

Birding with Benefits was my first novel by Sarah T. Dubb and I loved it. Both main characters were great and well thought out. I would definitely read other books from this author. Great summer read.

You know the saying “there’s nothing new under the sun”?

Nobody really want to believe it’s true... even though, deep down, most of us know that it is.

We’ve all rolled our eyes about books, shows, and movies, for the “been there, read/seen/heard that before” scenario.

A movie about cop partners? Cue every cop-buddy-trope comparison out there.

A show about a charismatic serial killer? Someone’s gonna make references to lotion, baskets, and fava.

The toughest of them all, though? Rom-coms... where tropes positively thrive.

Enemies-to-lovers. Opposites attracting. Someone needs rescuing. Pretend relationships. Friends-to-lovers. Forced spending time together. False or mistaken identity. Rich person falls for poor person. (Et cetera, etc.)

But here’s the thing...

Just because you’ve seen a thing done before... doesn’t mean someone else can’t come along and put a whole new spin on it.

Sometimes—thank goodness!—magic still happens... as in newbie-author Sarah T. Dubb’s entirely-delightful Birding with Benefits.
____________________

When outgoing, risk-taking, 42-year-old Celeste—who has been happily, fully embracing her “FINALLY, I gotta do ME!” Era for the past couple years, post-divorce—meets an amusing guy at a drink-and-paint event (no, don’t jump ahead, this isn’t about THAT trope), she winds up agreeing to help him out.

Or rather, to help John, a friend of his, out.

Which is how she winds up at a nature park, ready-and-willing to play the unknown John’s new girlfriend... in front of his ex. (Helping someone get over an awkward, in-person first encounter with a bitter ex? Celeste is only too happy to assist.)

Except... the charming guy painting next to Celeste left out one tiny (but important) detail: John is an experienced birder (someone who takes the spotting-and-identifying of birds very seriously)... and is expecting to meet someone to fill in for said charming painter friend—in a role that used to be held by the bitter ex—in a major pairs’ birding competition.

A competition that—if he won—could launch John into the exciting new business of his dreams.

Celeste likes the local Tucson, Arizona outdoors as well as the next person... but she’s never given much notice to, well, birds.

But changing one’s life, mid-stream (or maybe, mid-flight, because, birds), and trying to make a dream come true, well... those are things “Celeste 2.0” can get behind 110-percent!

So just like that, Celeste is a budding birder... with shy, handsome, middle-aged John as her teacher-slash-partner.

It’s no great surprise when sparks begin to fly... but with each carrying a heap of past relationship baggage—her, a long marriage, and him, the nasty breakup of a toxic relationship—neither is looking to start anything permanent.

But for, erm, temporary benefits?

Well, surely that couldn’t hurt anything, right?

Right?!?...
____________________

So, let me be honest. I’m not a frequent romance reader—and by that, I mean, straight-up romance, with a capital R, where the love story is really the whole story.

But.

Something about Birding with Benefits screamed “This is YOU!!!”, so I sat down with it cued up on my Kindle.

And really, really LOVED it.

Yes, it ends up more or less exactly where I—and probably you—expect it will. (That’s not a bad thing. It’s the getting there—the journey—that makes any good story worth reading/watching, after all.)

The author beautifully depicts Celeste’s experience. Finding herself again—after spending years with someone who’d long ago stopped appreciating and valuing her... then vowing never to risk surrendering that hard-won identity for a relationship, ever again—really, really hit home.

Dubb also proves herself a master at drawing believable, meaningful relationships. Whether it’s that of Celeste and her BFF... Celeste and her teenage daughter... John and his best friend... or the one that grows between Celeste and John as they gradually become acquainted, each feels real and special.

And speaking of Celeste and John (because I know some of you are waiting for me to get to “the good stuff”)...

BwB comfortably straddles the line somewhere between sweet, tender rom-com yumminess... and sweaty, titillating “smexy” times between the sheets (on the workbench, against a tree...). Plenty of warm fuzzies... and warm other regions, to be had here.

If you’re a regular romance reader, you should obviously pick up a copy of Birding with Benefits, stat. (Also, if you happen to be a birder, because there can’t be that many novels based around the topic.)

But, if you’re more like me, and don’t usually gravitate toward straight-up bodice-ripping romance—but you do absolutely love a witty, cleverly-written rom-com with appealing characters and a lot of heart—then you should also consider putting this one high up on your list. It’s a real treat.
~GlamKitty

Birding with Benefits inspired me to go BIRDING! To appreciate moments of stillness and just listen and observe my surroundings. Celeste is in her early 40's and a recent divorcee with a daughter that is approaching high school graduation. Celeste is rediscovering herself and open to trying new things and loving life, but NOT into being in a relationship.

She ends up meeting John at a park to be his fake partner, which she assumes meant as a fake date. It turns out that he needed a BIRDING PARTNER, but she already made the moves that made them look like they were in an actual relationship. So that's how the situationship begins!

I enjoyed reading their journey as a couple as well as her relationship with her daughter, Morgan.

Spice Level 🌶️🌶️ !

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun one - with an odd take on romance - birding with benefits (great title). The cover is what caught my eye. This was an easy romance - easy to digest - perfect for the summer. Plenty of spice, fun and sweet characters. Overall a great read. Looks like this is a debut from this author - awesome debut. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

3.5 stars rounded up! I wanted to read this book because I love a good romance book and I love someone who loves birdwatching and I wasn't disappointed! This book took some time for me to get into but I enjoyed the 'opposites attract' dynamic between Celeste and John. I appreciated their character development as they both opened themselves up to more after getting burned by past relationships. Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sadly, I was never able to fully engage with the story or characters, who felt far younger than what they claimed to be. I did not care for the instant attraction. There was no character development, so I was unable to connect with or care about the outcome. I did enjoy the birding angle, as that's not something I typically read in books.