"Book of the Month" is definitely an interesting premise.

The story centers on Aspen, who is desperate to write another best seller, after taking the literary world by storm with her debut novel. She is convinced she needs inspirational heartbreak to achieve success. Enter the town playboy, Brick, and chaos ensues as feelings begin to arise.

While, I liked the concept of the story, I found myself checking out a little while reading it. I did finish the book but it didn't hold my interest as much as I would have liked.

Thank you to Blue Box Press for selecting me for this ARC.

This book had a really interesting blurb and premise. Aspen needs an inspiration and I am drawn to stories wherein the protagonist needs to escape to the quiet rural settings (North Carolina) and away from the hectic busy life (New York). Brick, our MMC, has just given up on anything and would need a spark again. I was hoping for an endearing love story, finding inspiration and hope in this book.

Sadly, I have to DNF this at 23% as the number of times I've read the word [orgasm] is too much. Realizing this might be a very spicy romance book that is not really my cup of tea. I can see how this book will surely appeal to certain audience and lovers of contemporary romance with sizzling spice.

Thanks to #netgalley and #blueboxpress for a #gifted digital arc!

A fun read… the title doesn’t really reflect the story. Interesting trope and lots of emotions expressed including ,ore spicy scenes I skipped. Interested in reading the next one.

This one didn't work for me. I found the main character to be unlikeable and hard to root for, and all the bookish things about the plot felt a little gimmicky instead of part of the story. I did finish it, but I was definitely enjoying less and less as it went on.

I was wary of this book, but the first chapter did a great job of setting up the story. I read about a FMC who was sad, desperate, and ready to do anything to get her writing career back on track. The problem was that after that "set-up," we suddenly find out that the FMC is headed to visit her sister in North Carolina (it felt a bit abrupt, even though I'm sure the author was just trying to get to the "real story" in the book). But that's where my problems began. All of a sudden there is a huge amount of "telling" and no showing. The FMC, as the narrator, is literally "telling" the reader all about herself, her personality, her appearance, her sister's backstory, her sister's appearance, her parent's appearances, etc... It completely took me out of the story. If these things had been revealed organically instead of as a weird info-dump, I could have connected with the plot much better. I was not impressed, and found that I didn't care about the characters or what they were doing.

4.5 stars Thank you NetGalley for this copy! What a fun rom com of a story! I loved Brick and Aspen and of course Dug! The story had lots of spice and a wonderful storyline about choosing happiness; growing from pain and being true to yourself. I look forward to reading more of her stories and can’t wait to read Kane’s and Sierra’s story out in June!

Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst is a super cute and fun romance. The book follows Aspen Lourde, a romance author who’s been struggling to write anything good after her big debut. She’s totally stuck and needs inspiration, so she heads to the OBX to clear her head and find some new ideas and over there, she finds her muse and offers him to date her, and break her heart so she can bleed the pain into the pages.

Aspen and Brick both grow so much, and the fake dating moments (that are barely fake) are honestly adorable. It’s perfect if you love those slow summer romances where the tension builds with every scene and the end was satisfying. The only thing I dislike is the third-act breakup. It was very unnecessary. But overall a good book, I enjoyed the read.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was silly fun and low stress. There were a couple annoying moments that felt like shoutouts in a very obvious way, but I felt like it was easy enough to move past. I’m interested enough that I want to know the story between Sierra and Kane and will probably read that too.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for this ARC!

DNF - I attempted to start this book and it just did not hold my interest. This may be a book I come back to in the future.

thank you to netgalley for the e-arc. if the author could fit in any more references to "her big nose", i wouldn't be surprised. i thought this was a poor attempt at a romance book, it was more of an act of desperation. hated both characters.

Cute, quick romance! Being a frequent visitor to the Outer Banks I loved that this was the setting for this story. This book felt so light and balanced. There were no slow parts or over developed portions. This would make a great beach/summer read. The spice was not overkill and the perfect amount.

This is a lovely story of someone discovering themselves. It’s poignant and funny and entertaining all at the same time.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I was super excited to read this book by Jennifer Probst because I have found all her books enjoyable. I was slightly disappointed in this one because it felt like i read this before. Like I saw the movie, something familiar.

But overall I wouldn't deter this from reading other of her books.

Enjoyed this one! I really liked the main characters and their story. I also loved the character growth

I enjoyed this romance novel. Was it predictable and full of obvious tropes? Yes. Was it over the top cheesy at points? Also yes. But did that somehow make it more of an easy, enjoyable read? Absolutely. This was an quick and easy read and a great book to take on a vacation (I took it with me camping). Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Blue Box Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars.

Romance - 3.5*

Aspen is in a slump. She wrote a best-selling novel as a fictionalized version of her real-life relationship. She relocates to the Outer Banks looking for inspiration and to spend time with her sister. On a night out with friends, she meets the local bad boy. The friends tell her stories of his supposed escapades and Aspen decides he would be perfect material for her next book. She approaches Brick and offers to pay him to date her and break her heart.

Brick is trying to run the tour business he inherited, but things are not going well. He made the mistake of dating one of the locals and now stories about him run amok. When Aspen approaches him about her crazy idea, he says no. He doesn't need more wild stories about him when he is trying gain customers. Eventually, his pocket demands he give Aspen's request some consideration.

They become friends and find common ground, which eventually leads them to a relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this novel.

Aspen Lourde needs inspiration to write her next bestseller. She’s staying with her sister for a change of scenery and hires the local lothario to make her swoon and break her heart. But what happens when things get too real?

Is the premise contrived and ridiculous? Yes and the characters know that. The people involved acknowledging that makes it more fun than if they played it full of sincerity.

Probst takes her time getting spicy but lays enough groundwork to warn you it’s coming. The door opens slowly and does not close. The sexual tension is there and starts to rise as the two get to know each other. The writing overall was fine. Decent dialogue, the plot doesn’t meander. I have one bone to pick though.

The foreshadowing was heavy handed. I could see the conflict of Aspen returning to NYC, how her comic would prove important, etc. Setting up the next book in the series was so obvious it hurt. The readers are smart enough to figure it out. Don’t beat us over the head so much.

Would I be willing to visit these characters again? Yes. Did I enjoy this? Mostly. It was good, not great. Will I read the next one? Probably but I’m not in a rush. Overall, 3.5

What I liked: A romance author overcomes writer’s block by having a fake dating summer fling with the small town’s infamous heartbreaker

What I disliked: Aspen’s insecurities made her into an annoying main character. She really needs help coping with all her baggage

This was a surprisingly emotional story. I didn’t love the set up, with Aspen thinking that heartbreak was the key to writing another popular book, but it worked better than I thought it would.
Since this is a romance, you know what’s going to happen in the end, but there were some twists along the way. I liked that Aspen and Brick said what they were thinking - I am not a fan of miscommunication - and I liked that they looked inward to understand why they acted and reacted the way they did. There was also just enough of a tease to interest me in the next book of the series.

Book of the Month plunges readers into the world of Aspen Lourde, a once-celebrated author grappling with writer’s block and the pressure to replicate her past success. Driven by a desire for another bestseller, she hatches a plan to engineer a heartbreak, seeking inspiration from Brick Babel, a local heartthrob with a notorious reputation. The premise, while utilizing familiar tropes like fake dating, is elevated by Aspen’s relatable struggles with creativity and self-doubt.

The narrative skillfully blends romance with themes of self-discovery and the pressures of artistic creation. The picturesque setting of the Outer Banks adds a charming backdrop to the story, and the supporting characters, particularly Aspen’s sister and Brick’s dog, contribute to the book’s overall warmth. While some reviewers pointed out occasional cliches and repetitive phrasing, the emotional depth of the characters and their relationships ultimately won them over.

Despite some minor flaws, the book’s engaging characters, compelling setting, and heartfelt narrative make it a satisfying read. The author’s ability to create relatable characters and explore their emotional journeys is a testament to their storytelling prowess. The book’s ending, while potentially divisive for some, provides a satisfying resolution that reinforces the importance of authenticity and self-acceptance. The book is enjoyable, and the characters are memorable.