Ok, this debut book almost made me go grab a pair of binoculars even though I have a fear of birds. I even watched a birding movie after this read. 😂 (If you live this book go watch The Big Year)

Celeste is a lot. She’s also divorced and stumbling around to figure out who she is without a husband and a daughter that will soon be leaving the nest. (That just fit too perfectly. 😂)

Enter John who is a quiet woodworker and bird aficionado that needs a partner for a competition.

Together they find birds, pretend to date, and push each other out of their comfort zones. These complete opposites might be what each other need but aren’t looking for.

This meet cute romcom is a quick and quirky read that will leave your heart full. And who knew birding could be so STEAMY!!! 🔥🔥🔥
My eyes were leaking at the fry scene!!! They really do make everything better! 🥹🍟

Thank you Netgalley & Gallery Books for a gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review. 🫶🏽

👉🏻Read if you like:
•Fake Dating •Love after Divorce •Competition •Characters in 40s •Single Parent •RomCom •Opposites Attract

___________________________________________________
Reviews posted to Goodreads and Instagram on 6/4/24

This book was a complete joy from the very first line- I was hooked from the jump. Celeste and John had such depth, such chemistry, and it was so fun to see them become friends and then more and then fully give into falling in love. The way that birding and nature set the scene for this story to unfold was really lovely.

I thought the book was very strong at the beginning but around the 80% mark it felt like the main character regressed and had to get advice from a much younger character which I thought was odd. The ending muddled up the book for me. I did really enjoy the topics of birding, as a non-birder I found the descriptions to be detailed enough that I could understand what types of birds they were talking about without it feeling like an encyclopedia.

⭐️rating: 4.5/5

This is a debut?!? What an absolute delight to read!

Birding with Benefits was so fun, I ate it up like there’s crack in it. Reading this is like eating Girl Scout cookies, you just can’t stop! I almost read this all in one sitting, I was so hooked.

The pining and the sexual tension are incredible. My goodness, chapter 15 got me all hot and bothered…from just KISSES! And it just gets better from there🥵 Just like Tessa Bailey made golf sexy in Fangirl Down, Sarah T Dubb has made birding sexy. Who knew?!

And, just like all my favorite books, there’s a good amount of depth and emotion in the characters that makes the story even better. They had to get over themselves a bit, but it’s always such a relief when they do. You never stop learning and growing, everyone is a work in progress, and these characters are a great example of that.

All in all, I loved this! It was so fun to read, I’m sad it’s over now. But Sarah’s definitely now on my list of authors to watch. I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next! Highly recommend!

Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you Gallery books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis: Celeste is almost an empty nester and misunderstands a request to be a partner for a bird watching contest.

What I liked: I really liked the characters being In their Middle Age rather than so young. It was nice to see characters entering a different stage but still looking for love. I like that Celeste was interested in learning more. One thing I didn’t necessarily feel the chemistry between Celeste and John so the love story feel a little flat for me.

Thank you #partner @GalleryBooks for my #gifted copy of Birding With Benefits!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐓. 𝐃𝐮𝐛𝐛
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

★★★★★

I will admit that I was first drawn to the cover of this one. Yes, I judged a book by the cover (in a good way) and I’m so glad I did! I absolutely loved this book! Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and I loved how this one included a later in life romance. The entire premise was just so fun and while it was a romance, it had so many great messages about finding yourself and finding where you belong and I loved it. Celeste and John were great complete opposites but oh so fun together. This book belongs in your pool/beach bag!

🐦Fake Dating
🐦Opposites Attract
🐦Later In Life Romance
🐦Bird Watching
🐦Forced Proximity
🐦Self Discovery

Posted on Goodreads on June 4, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around June 5, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on June 5, 2024
**-will post on designated date

This was a fun read, and I love the cover! I thought the way the story started out was great, and the bird watching aspect was a unique plot. I loved the way John would watch Celeste discover new birds. He was in awe that she felt the same way about bird watching as he did. He was so patient with her, and helped her learn. John and Celeste had an instant connection and attraction, but it was great seeing them slowly fall for each other on a deeper level. It was nice getting to see characters who were a little bit older- in their forties, getting another chance at love. I thought they were so cute together, and really enjoyed this book.

Read if you enjoy:
✔️Fake dating
✔️Opposites attract
✔️Bird watching
✔️Characters in their 40s

Thank you @gallerybooks for my advanced copy!

Birding with Benefits is a sweet and steamy romance following Celeste, a recent divorcee and her journey of living life to the fullest as she begins fake dating John, an avid bird watcher and agrees to become his partner for a birding competition. As the two get closer, Celeste and John find themselves falling for each other but are unwilling to take the next step as they are healing from their previous relationships. I loved this romance and how both John and Celeste grew for themselves. They truly brought out the best in one another and it was so sweet to read about them slowly falling despite their hesitance. The romance was light, airy, and fun being centered around birding and I loved diving into a world I knew almost nothing of. Sarah T Dubb did a wonderful job with this warm and inviting romcom and I will absolutely be exploring her next book!

Read If You Like;
🕊Later in Life Romance🕊
🕊Sweet and Witty Dialogue🕊
🕊Forced Proximity🕊
🕊Fake Dating🕊
🕊Opposites Attract🕊
🕊Birds, Birds, and More Birds🕊
🕊Friends w Benefits🕊

I received a ARC of Birding with Benefits from Netgalley. I loved that Celeste is rediscovering herself post divorce. She decides to do things she wanted to do that she would have if she wasn't a young mum. She is a excellent mother and friend. When she misunderstands the "favor" she is John's fake girlfriend while they enter a bird competition. I never wanted to start watching birds more! I find myself now taking the time to hear and look for birds in my area.
Over half way through the book they both develop feelings that are more than platonic, however Celeste is having reservations on going all in. The book gets quite spicy about 3/4 in and reading them take the time to get to know themselves while finding themselves was very rewarding. I recommend this book!

4.25 stars!

When I started Sarah Dubb's BIRDING WITH BENEFITS, I barely knew the difference between a robin and a blue jay, but now, thanks to a charming romantic comedy, I do. In their forties with plenty of past relationship baggage, Celeste and John are unlikely partners in a birding competition. She's in it for adventure and the fake relationship with a man who has zero interest in the relationship and total focus on the birding business he seeks to build following winning the competition. Throughout their progress through the competition, I learned about birds and the couple learned about one another, being ultimately forced to decide if they're in it for the short-term pleasures or the long-term relationship -- yes, typical rom com, but uncommonly well done. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5

I went into this book completely blind, with zero expectations, having snagged this based on the cover! I mean, just look at it! 🫦 This cover has quickly become one of my favorites!

I can’t express how fantastic this book was in my eyes! I was totally caught by surprise!

I was drawn in by the characters being in their 40s, which was such a breath of fresh air! We need older heroes and heroines in romance! Plus, with age comes maturity and less of that dreaded miscommunication trope! 😜

This romance also hit me directly in the feels! Our MCs were both struggling with how to move forward from past relationships that left them feeling less than enough. Both Celeste and John had been accused of being too much or not enough for their partners, but with each other, things just fell into place. These two were just perfect!

Not only was this a stellar romance, but I feel like I actually learned something! Every time I picked up this book, I could hear the birds chirping outside my window and felt like I was competing in the Bird Binge alongside Celeste and John too. I feel like I have stepped away from this book with a newfound appreciation for birding! Now to go pick up some binoculars!

With all that said, this book needs to be added to your TBRs! Just trust me on this, you will NOT be disappointed!

Thank you to Sarah T. Dubb (@sarahtdubb) and Gallery Books (@gallerybooks) for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Okay! So this started off great. I could tell from the first dew chapters that I'll be enjoying it thoroughly and I did. For the most of the first half of the book.

I loved the idea of the characters being in their 40s and finding love again. I loved the idea of Birding especially the way these two main characters were thrown into the mix.

But somewhere, down the line, the friends-with-benefits thing took a lot of space and it just became about that. The steam was too much but that's not the problem for me. The problem was that there was this random fight thrown into the mix between Celeste and her daughter and to overcome that she instantly slept with John. I mean, this was a pretty dramatic and emotional scene and there could've a lot of emotional bonding between Celeste and John here... but no.

Anyways, I really enjoyed the vibe of the first half of the book.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Celeste and John are a cute, slightly older couple who bond over birds in a book seemingly made for aging millennials whose friends and partners are all suddenly aging into the birding demographic. (This is not a criticism of Sarah T. Dubb and her sweet debut of a bubbly (newly) single mom and an introspective birder who has dreams of starting his own guiding business. Add a splash of fake dating, friends-to-lovers with a deadline and you get a fun, not-that-serious time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

.
Birding With Benefits has a very simple premise and a pretty simple story but the characters had some depth which added interest and fun to the story. Celeste’s ex left her with some insecurities that she is fighting hard to overcome. Yes, she was a little too exuberant at first but her character grew on me and I enjoyed her antics even if it was a severe departure from my own comfort zone. I’m probably a little more like John, quiet, and comfortable in his skin. Not needing to live up to anyone’s expectations except his own. I did really like how their personality quirks brought out something in each other, for John a little bit of silliness, and for Celeste a little bit of stability. They were a good match.

This author did a great job of creating two likable characters and explored this opposites attract theme to its limits in a new and interesting way. Who’d have thought you could find love while birding? I enjoyed both the silly aspects of their first-meet, but also the journey as they helped partner each other through some new changes in their lives. All in all an enjoyable book!

-sunshine fmc x quiet mmc
-fake dating
-forced proximity

3.5/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🌶

thank you to netgalley & gallery books for this arc!!

celeste is on the path for rediscovering her single self after her divorce. she’s pure sunshine & chaotic energy - i loved it. john is a quiet, thoughtful man who is trying to build a career as a birding guide. he needs a partner & celeste thinks he’s looking for a different kind of partner during a run-in with john’s ex. BOOM. fake dating!!

i actually really enjoyed this. it was so unique. i can’t tell you the number of times i said “i want to go bird watching”. i wanted more romantic scenes of john & celeste falling in love in nature. they had a lot of chemistry though!!

I unfortunately DNFed this book after reading 50%. I loved the premise but I couldn’t get into the characters enough to keep reading.

Birding with Benefits by Sarah T. Dubb is a wonderful debut!
I found myself drawn into the story very early on.
The characters are well rounded, well developed and kind with big personalities!
A sweet, funny and marvelous book that had such heart.

Thank You NetGalley and Gallery Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

A romcom about birding? I am still so confused on how the author made birding so sexy. Haha but she did! The banter,
chemistry, pace and spice of this book was great! I found birding to be an incredibly odd setting for a contemporary book and yet it works!

Also, I loved that this story was about a woman in her 40s. She had experienced divorce, had a teenager, was finding herself and worried about her naked 40 year old body. Celeste was so relatable and lovable.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book…and who knows, maybe I’d enjoy birding too!?

Celeste is a divorcee who is on a mission to find herself after losing herself in her marriage. She covers her mirror with post it notes full of advice, tries new hobbies, and generally putting herself first for once.

When she agrees to help out a friend of a friend, she's a little fuzzy on the details but knows there's something to do with an ex girlfriend and being a partner. Celeste enthusiastically plays the role of new girlfriend when John, the man she's helping, introduces her to his ex girlfriend. However then she learns that he only needs a partner for the bird watching contest, not a fake girlfriend.

Celeste knows nothing about birding, but is more than willing to learn since she's looking for new adventures. John wants to win the contest so he can start his own bird guide business, and Celeste volunteers to let him practice on her.

Neither are looking for a relationship, but as Celeste and John spend more time together, they realize the chemistry is undeniable and transition from being friends to birders with benefits until the contest is over. But they have to figure out if their partnership can last beyond the contest.

This book is so great! It is steamy, and I love that Celeste is in her forties and her daughter is about to graduate high school. Celeste and John are opposites (she's outgoing, he's reserved) and make such a great match. And the birding aspect was really interesting and unique!

BIRDING WITH BENEFITS is out tomorrow so make sure you get a copy!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Gallery books for my ARC!

“She supposed that, on paper, she and John weren't a great match either. She was loud where he was quiet, an open book where he was private. And yet when they were together-on the trail, reading on his couch, or together in bed-there was an easy fit, like that satisfying click when a puzzle piece snaps into the right spot.”

This story is about this girl, Celeste, who is basically Marie Kondoing her life after going through a divorce, so she’s going after things that sparks joy- one of those things leads her to going to meet a stranger, John, in the park to be his “partner”. Except she thinks he needs a romantic partner in order to make his ex jealous but what he actually needs is a partner for a 6 week long bird watching contest. (Obvi they do it)

Their birding adventures were so fun and full of flirting, teasing, stolen kisses, and quite high fives. I ate this story up and will be reading anything by Dubb going forward.

“Whatever was happening between them was way more than chemistry. It was biology—as ever present as breath and skin.”