This was a quick, easy read. It gave such a realistic and interesting viewpoint into authors lives. It made me appreciate and respect them even more, because of all the struggles they go through beyond writing the actual words. I read Jennifer Probst before and I love her writing, it's addictive and also you can tell she is a seasoned writer - everything feels flawless and natural.

But. The only reason I don't give it a higher rating is because I didn't quite connect to the main characters and their story. Something felt off because of the way their whole arrangement was set up and it made me question if their chemistry was real or fabricated. I enjoyed the trips and everything Aspen and Brick did together, how they fell into the community space which had that small town found family vibe. Brick was such a contradiction but I loved him! He really was the best part of the story.

But I didn't vibe with it all until well into the second part and though that was beautiful, it didn't make up for some of the more cringy scenes at the beginning...

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I look forward to Jennifer's future books :)

This book was a total breath of fresh air! It is a quintessential beach read, and not just because of the setting (the Outer Banks, booking my trip now). It featured a glamorous, quirky, and slightly flawed heroine and a gorgeous, sensitive and emotionally wounded leading man and their motley crew of funny and sweet friends and family. We had a villain, emotional baggage, sisters who love and support each other, dancing on the sand in the moonlight and cute little animals. What more could you ask for?

I think this would be the perfect summer vacation book. If you’re a fan of Mary Kay Andrews (particularly her earlier books) but want a little more spice, definitely pick this up! This book is not going to suck you in and stick a dagger in your heart only before healing you and spitting you out on the other side. It goes deep enough that you care about the characters and anticipate the ending (which we know will be perfect), but stays on the lighter side of dramatic. It will make you smile, provide an escape from reality, and make you root for the characters. You just know everything is going to be ok, which we definitely need these days. And, it leads perfectly into a sequel that is already on my TBR! This is the first book I’ve read by Jennifer Probst, and I was delighted to see how prolific of a writer she is. Add this to your beach bag, and thank me later!

The premise of this story sounded interesting and I was excited to read it. However, it just fell so very flat for me. I didn't care for either of the main characters and I found the sex scenes and words used to describe body parts very off putting.

The best part of this book for me was the parts about writing and publishing a book. If not for that the book would have easily been a 2 stars.
Inwas tired of this story and the characters at about halfway through and just wanted it to be over. It seemed to drag to a very predictable ending.

Some may enjoy this story but for me it's a hard no.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.

Life as a writer isn’t all that golden! Aspen Lourde was at the top of the bestseller lists and tanked with her next two books. They were both better in her opinion, but the fans loved her first book and are demanding a sequel. At her agent’s suggestion she heads to her sister’s, who lives in the Outer Banks. Hopefully inspiration will come. Unfortunately writers block is the same problem like in NY. Believing heartbreak was the whole reason her first book was so successful, she comes up with a plan to have the town’s Gigolo to do just that.
Brick is trying to make a go with the tour company his grandpa left him, Ziggy’s. Unfortunately it was already a losing cause when he inherited it and the house is mortgaged to the hilt. Plus the bad rap he’s gotten about being the town’s heartthrob, heartbreaker has gotten out of hand and based on falsehoods. So when Aspen offers to pay him to have her heartbroken, it’s something that he can’t afford to pass up on. He has his own rules that it’s a loan, but sometimes the heart doesn’t follow what your minds are telling you.
Fun inside look to what I am sure many writers struggle with. Great banner between the characters, a bit on the steamy side. Can’t wait for the next book and what’s the story between Kane and Sierra.

Book of the Month was cute and fun. I liked that Aspen is a writer going through a slump, trying to find her way out. Her idea is completely ridiculous, but also makes sense. It was easy to see as she was spending time with Brick that they were going to fall for each other. He's not at all what he seems, or what the town portrays him as.

I loved how Aspen worked to help Brick, in more ways than just financially as she gives him suggestions on ways to turn his grandfathers business around. The cast of characters surrounding them was fantastic too, can't wait for the next book with Aspen's sister!

I felt that this book was longer than what it really was. There wasn’t any real big blowups or problems that the two main characters had to work through. It kind of felt like it was slow in the middle. There was a lot of backstory and plot development, but I kept waiting for the shoe to drop.
This book follows Aspen in brick, Aspen is a best-selling author and brick inherited his late grandfather‘s dilapidated business. This has fake dating in it, and it seemed like a very reverse fake dating trope to me where in this story, the woman is established and she’s monetarily, helping out the mail, which I did enjoy.
Towards the last half of the book it started to show some conflict. Some ain’t some warmness of the future and the ability to let go and hope that things go in your favor. I really enjoyed the ending of the book. Both of the characters felt extremely mature. They didn’t seem petty or hold grudges, which I always appreciate in a book. I can’t wait for this authors. Next book called the reluctant flirt that comes out in the summer because I can’t wait to read about the next two characters story.

I hate third act break ups, even more when they feel so out of character. Overall, I liked the story and how Brick and Aspens relationship developed but the ending was a little rushed and predictable. This was my first book I've read by the author but I do not think it will be the last.

I liked the concept and the cover, but when you see her struggling I wanted to cry and felt just so bad, I felt that we needed more of her past because we kind of move over that book that made her famous and the person that she is now, which was crazy to me that we didn't see a little more of that.
I hate third act break ups, even more when they feel so out of character, also a thing that other me was that the guy didn't like her at the beginning and was so mad at her, but when she wants to pay he was all over her.
It felt so fake and invasive, I felt weird. It was kind of interesting but I expected a little more. The cover gives me summer vibes but it was kind of okay and sometimes it felt like we were going on circles with the storyline.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book

I chose this book because it's set in the Outer Banks, one of my favorite places. It’s my first time reading Jennifer Probst, and I’m excited to explore more of her work. This story features the classic fake relationship trope, with the goal of breaking Aspen’s heart so she can write her next novel. It was a fun read, and I’m already looking forward to the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to think this was cheesy but I really enjoyed the love story and kept returning to my kindle to finish. While cheesy it is done so well, a great beach read.

Oh - I was so giddy to receive this Arc! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jennifer Probst for this Arc - I truly appreciate it!!

Firstly - can we just say that this cover is gorgeous! The colors - the title - just everything is beautiful.

Secondly - the characters are amazing, and the romance felt so pure and beautiful. Aspen, the FMC, is a writer struggling to get herself back on the best sellers list - but she has a really interesting way to try and do that. She comes to the conclusion that she was the best writer when she was heartbroken after a breakup so she sets out to date & get her heart broken. It was an interesting approach, but I thought it would make for a fun read (I was not disappointed!)

Brick the MMC (and oh how I LOVE his name) is known as the heartbreaker of the town and he's in a bind - he's out of money, and his building that houses the company needs some drastic renovations that he can't afford. Enter Aspen! She has the perfect deal for him - he breaks her heart, and she provides the funding! What follows is a hilarious story that is wholeheartedly wholesome and fulfilling.

“This was a man who could force her to feel things she hadn’t in years.
This was a man who could shatter, wound, and damage her emotions.
This was a man who could storm into her life and cause complete wreckage.
Dear God, he was perfect.”

She’s desperate for another bestseller… and she’ll go to any length to get it. Even if it means sacrificing her pride to chase the hottest bachelor in town and get him to break her heart…

This was a hot and heavy romance that only seemed to skim the surface of the characters, unfortunately. I was little like
hmmm at the swiftness with which Brick Falls for Aspen. It was so abrupt it actually pulled me out of my immersion into the storyline to go-uh huh. 🤔

I would have loved to explore the emotional damage done to Brick a little more. I feel like I just never got to really know the characters beyond she’s a author with writers block and he’s a woman destroying Greek God of a man. I did enjoy it, although it took me much longer than usual to finish.

Thank you to Netgalley, Blue Box Press, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

If you need a break from holiday stressors, Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst is a great respite and a delightful read

When Aspen Lourde can't find inspiration for her next book, she sets out to get her heartbroken while on vacation with her sister. But, both Aspen and Brick, the local tour-guide heartthrob, end up learning more about life than anticipated after their agreement.


Click here to check out the book today.

Jennifer Probst's Book of the Month is a delightful summer read that blends romance, humor, and a dash of self-discovery. The story follows Aspen Lourde, a once-successful romance novelist who's struggling to recapture her past glory. Desperate for inspiration, she hatches a plan to fake-date the charmingly rugged Brick Dalton, a local businessman with a reputation for breaking hearts.

Probst's writing is witty and engaging, filled with banter and chemistry between Aspen and Brick. The author skillfully balances the lighthearted moments with deeper themes of self-doubt and the pressure to succeed. The setting of the Outer Banks provides a picturesque backdrop for the story, adding to its summery charm.

While the premise of a fake relationship is a well-trodden trope, Probst adds a unique twist by exploring the blurred lines between fiction and reality. Aspen's struggle to write a new book while navigating her feelings for Brick creates a relatable and heartwarming narrative.

Overall, Book of the Month is a fun and enjoyable read. It's perfect for those looking for a lighthearted escape with a touch of romance and introspection.

This book started out with an interesting premise but lost me when Aspen desperately threw herself at the very uninterested Brick repeatedly until she eventually threw money at him to get his attention; he kept saying it wasn’t because of her looks so she bought him so she could set herself up for heartbreak. With all this you get flat characters that had no real chemistry and didn’t work well together. I couldn’t get myself interested to continue the book.

Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst is everything you want in a romance novel—sharp, witty, and filled with that slow-burn tension that keeps you hooked until the very last page. Aspen Lourde, once the literary world’s golden girl, is now facing the dreaded sophomore slump. Desperate for a bestseller, she heads to the Outer Banks in search of a muse and finds herself tangled up with the town’s notorious heartthrob, Brick Babel. Brick is as rugged as his name suggests—gorgeous, a bit wild, and just the right amount of acerbic to make their chemistry absolutely electric.

The dynamic between Aspen and Brick? Perfection. It’s that push-and-pull where every acerbic line Brick throws at her only pulls her deeper into his world. Aspen’s quest to create her next big hit by faking a romance with him is hilariously complicated, and Probst writes their banter with such skill that you can feel every spark, every barb, and every unspoken feeling. As they navigate this fake relationship for their own selfish goals, the lines blur, feelings get tangled, and suddenly, the stakes are so much higher than just a book deal.

But it’s not just romance—this book also dives into the pressure of creative blocks, the vulnerability of putting yourself out there, and the unexpected places inspiration can come from. Probst brings the Outer Banks setting to life, creating a perfect backdrop for a summer of love, laughter, and unexpected growth.

Five stars, no question. If you’re looking for a romance that’s as acerbic as it is heartfelt, Book of the Month is a must-read. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing me with an advanced copy of Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Blue Box Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Every authors dream is to write a book so good that everyone is buying it, talking about it, and obsessed with it. Every authors nightmare is that no one will buy your next book because they are so hung up on your first book. This was Aspen's reality. No one would move on from the book she put her whole soul in to write and now her publisher is breathing down her neck to write one just like it.

Aspen sets off to stay with her sister to try to write her next best seller. Her plan is to fall in love again and have her heart broken again. Local tour guide and heartbreaker, Brick, is the perfect man for the job.

This was a fun book to read. There were some funny moments and some heart breaking ones as well. Great if you like the grumpy/sunshine and fake dating tropes.

Aspen is a best selling author, but hasn’t gained any traction on her last two novels. Her publishing company wants a knockout book, wants her to dig deep with angst and feelings for her characters… but Aspen doesn’t know how to write such characters without proper inspiration. She needs her own love life to spark before she can write a spark for her characters.
Brick’s tour company is failing. What he thought was a successful business left to him from his deceased grandfather, was actually a tour business in the brink of collapse. Brick needs an overhaul. Enter Aspen.

Aspen and Brick strike a deal: her help for his help in the romance department. What starts as a great plot line steeply plummets with no real chemistry between the characters. I wanted to love this book, but I just couldn’t connect with Aspen or Brick.

Thank you Jennifer Probst, NetGalley, and Blue Box Press for the ARC of this novel.

This was a cute read that was easy to read and brought back memories of trips made to the Outer Banks.

Lots of great side characters that helped keep your attrntion.

Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst was such an enjoyable read! Although the fake dating trope faded quickly, I loved the mix of a romance-skeptical MMC and a writer’s block-stricken FMC. The beachy vibes, charming side characters, and intriguing plot kept me hooked—I just wish I could dive into Aspen’s books myself!