Cute and fun with a bit of sexy for good measure!! Well written and fun book! I enjoyed how the characters developed and how the relationships were central to the story. The main characters were solid and endearing but the author engaged us with the extended community and setting. Well done!

Aspen, an author, worries that she's a one hit wonder when it comes to writing her books. Burnt out and left out of options, she heads out of New York to visit her sister in North Carolina in search of inspiration for her next book. She's on the hunt for something fun, something to strike inspiration for a new book. In comes, Brick Babel, the town's horndog.
After being told repeatedly to steer clear of the bad boy who would only crush her heart,
she realizes this is exactly what she needs.
Having him break her heart, and cause havoc on her emotions- that is exactly what will help her write a best seller.
Aspen proposes a deal that the two have a fling that ends in heartbreak, and in exchange Aspen helps Brick's failing business.
I think this is what makes the story so funny, and refreshing. It's not your typical meet-cute, not your every day romcom. I laughed, and felt for the characters throughout the book.
I loved it.
Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me the chance to read this story.
This review will be shared to my Goodreads account.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book! As soon as I started it I was immediately invested and sucked in! There was a great romance storyline, definitely gets spicy. The female MC and male MC were both extremely likeable once you got to know them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. This was a hard one for me to get in to but I did end up enjoying it.

Aspen and Brick are both trying to figure things out in their own way and end up helping each other.

Some pacing was a bit weird and some language was a bit repetitive but it was a fun and easy read.

Aspen is desperate for another bestseller. So much so that she is willing to get her heart broken in order to write another Book of the Month. In order to complete the job, she enlists the help of the town’s most notorious heartbreaker, Brick. In this book, we follow Aspen as she goes through her own struggles not only in her writing journey but also her own life. While there were some things that threw me off, I did overall enjoy the book. As someone who is not a writer, it was interesting to read this book and almost get into the mind of one. Not to mention, I also liked the mmc and how lovable he was! It was refreshing to read a book that’s a different writing style and plot from others that I have personally read. Thank you so much to Netgalley for this advanced copy!

Aspen has written a best selling book that was the book of the month. But that was several years ago and her subsequent books haven't done as well. The premise of the first book was based on her broken heart - even though she didn't let that be known. Her readers want a sequel to that book but she can't get into that headspace again. She has been given an ultimatum to write that book or she won't be getting another contract. Aspen decides to go to her sister's home by the ocean for rest and hopefully a heartbreak to help her write the book. She's out with her sister, Sierra, and her friends when she sees Brick. Everyone warns her off of him because he's nothing but heartbreak. Now she sees her opportunity. When she finally talks to him, he pretty much ignores her. Brick has moved back to take over the tour company that his grandfather willed to him. It's almost to go under and he needs an infusion of income since the banks won't loan him any money. Aspen goes on a tour and he still ignores her - only out of his own preservation since he's attracted to her. He has a terrible reputation that really isn't deserving. Aspen sees a way that will help both of them. She offers to finance his business if he will date her, make her fall in love with him and break her heart so she can write her book.
I liked this book. It shows that you have to do what makes you happy no matter what everyone else wants. I was given an early copy to read and review by Netgalley. I'm leaving my honest review.

Holy cow! I loved this book. The premise is a bit silly, but I love some good silly storylines in a romance book. And good golly Brick is so stinking hot. I pictured him as Glen Powell the whole time. His dialogue was amazing. Overall I thought the book was great and I was kicking my feet so much. The only problem was the third-act breakup felt a bit out of left field. The way the build-up was happening, I didn't think that she would actually leave and go back, it just felt like throughout the book she had learned that she loved Brick and she didn't need to be crushed to write a good book. And then out of nowhere, she was like nope I'm leaving see ya. Agayou loved the book so much wish the third-act breakup was different.

Aspen is desperate to recreate the success of her first book after two consecutive flops. She decides to visit her sister in the Outer banks to get some fresh perspective. Writers and beaches just make sense. Aspen sets her sights on Brick, the small town heart breaker who Aspen decides is the perfect inspiration for her next book. Brick is wary though. He’s sick of being made out to be the town bad boy. Aspen and Brick strike up a deal. Aspen helping Brick with his business, and Brick providing the heartbreak that Aspen needs to inspire her next best-seller. But what if it’s not just Aspen who’s at risk of getting hurt here? What if no one has to get hurt at all?

I really enjoyed the concept of this book! Super cute idea, and the setting is nice and peaceful. I also think the writing style is very captivating. But it just wasn’t for me. Aspen going after Brick so hard was just cringe. And there was just a heavy “not like other girls” vibe. They were eating dinner and Brick was thinking “wow she’s so great for not being on TikTok or taking a photo” idk just stuff like that rubs me wrong. Let’s not yuck other peoples yums.

Grumpy sunshine
Fake dating arrangement
Beachy vibes
Small town
WILD HORSES!

If you like beach romance books that are hot and heavy with grumpy men this one’s for you. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just okay for me. I felt like I had a hard time pulling for anyone for the first half of this story, and it kind of dragged on at the beginning. The second half was much better where I found Aspen to be much more believable and self aware, however I still felt like the book was lacking something. I can’t quite say what it was but this book just never really pulled me in the way that I hoped it would.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book! I found this book so enjoyable! There was a great romance storyline, definitely gets spicy. The female MC and male MC were both extremely likeable once you got to know them.

Really cute read. First book I’ve read by the author. I didn’t love Aspen (female lead), but she wasn’t awful. Just felt like she was too predictable. Loved Brick…handsome, rakish, funny, loyal.

The ancillary characters were also fun, especially Brick’s business neighbors!! Excellent comic relief.

I would recommend this book, and I will read the sequel.

OMG! This book was amazing, what I always expect when reading any book by Jennifer Probst!

Aspen, a published author, wrote a best seller called Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover. She wrote it after her fiancé left her standing at the altar, and left with one of his students. Let’s backtrack a bit so you’ll understand what happened. When Aspen was in college, she knew she wanted to be a writer. One of her professors showed an interest in her and convinced Aspen, they were right for each other. However, it had to be kept a secret, since he was a professor and she was his student. Somehow he took advantage of her vulnerability and convinced her to help him write his book, and put her plans to write hers in the back burner. In hindsight, he never loved her. It took a long time to get over him. Writing the book was part of her healing. After that she wrote two other romance books, but they didn’t do well. Now her editor wants her to write a sequel to Fifty Ways. Aspen has tried, but her muse is gone, packed up and left, sort of speak. Deciding a change of scenery will be good, Aspen goes to visit her sister in the Outer Banks.

Brick inherited the tour business from his grandfather. Little did he know at the time, it was rundown, with not much traffic coming in. He’s at the end of his rope trying to make a go at it. Sitting at one of local bars minding his business, he’s approached by this sexy woman, trying to start a conversation with him. Not to be rude, he said as little as possible, and then left. A few days later she comes into his business and makes him an offer he can’t refuse. She will fund his dying business in exchange for a fake relationship. Aspen needs to have her heart broken again so she can write the sequel to her best seller. Brick just has to break her heart.

What transpires after they both sign on the dotted line, is wonderful, joyful, and heartbreaking.

I would give this book 10 ⭐️! I highly recommend it!

The premise of this book sounded really interesting but it fell a little flat.
I felt like the characters had little depth to them which was why I couldn’t fully connect with them.
It also was insta love which is not something I am a fan of, which is another reason I couldn’t connect to the story or characters.
There were some things with the writing that took me out of the story. For example, the use of words that are used today like “fire” which just took me out of the story.
Overall, I didn’t connect to the story and characters.

Oh. My. God. This has got to be ... I actually don't really have words to think on this yet except that this is going to be one of my top recommended books for a VERY long time, if not always.

Jennifer! Not only does the title of the book LITERALLY fit perfectly, the story was perfect! I was IN this book the whole time. The characters are perfect and jumped off the page! And there's going to be a sequel? :sobbing: I'm not even going to go into detail too much because this book is going to be a HIT and I will just ask anyone reading this review to add it to your TBRs right now.

I want to thank NetGalley and bow down to Jennifer Probst and her team for gifting me this opportunity to read this book! It truly is MY Book of the Month!!!

📚 Book of the Month
✍ Jennifer Probst
📖 Contemporary Romance
⭐3/5
🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️.5

➡ Her debut novel went viral but everything she's written since has flopped. Desperate to recreate the heartache that propelled her to literary stardom, Aspen Lourde decides to escape the silos of her NYC life and spend the summer visiting her sister in Outer Banks, NC. While there, she convinces resident heartbreaker Brick Babel to break her heart for inspiration in exchange for the money to reinvigorate his grandfather's local tour company. But Aspen doesn't anticipate how quickly her feelings will get involved and when Brick realizes Aspen's heart is the only one he doesn't want to break, they may both be in for more than they bargained for.
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🙏 Thank you to Blue Box Press, NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy of Book of the Month. All opinions are my own.
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🎯 What I loved: The setting of this book was great! I haven't read a lot of books set in the Outer Banks and I loved the incorporation of the wild horse herds and conservation efforts in the area as part of the storyline. There were some really fun side characters that gave the book a 'found family' feel and some moments that definitely made me laugh. Any book that authentically details how hard it is to find the heart of a story as a writer gives me the feels and that was likely the major highlight of Book of the Month for me. The author heart is strong in this one.

🙅‍♀️ What I didn't: The blurb of this book had me totally intrigued but I didn't love Book of the Month the way I was hoping to. I typically enjoy fake dating tropes but couldn't understand what Aspen was trying to get Brick to do...I'd think it would be impossible to actually fall for someone that you're paying to date you? Besides the bizarre premise, I wasn't a huge fan of the writing. I think that the author was aiming for a Beach Read meets Book Lovers combo but the banter and romance felt forced and there was a lot of bizarre mentions of 'orgasms' without any actual chemistry. And I get that these people really liked Duck Donuts but with the amount of mentions in this book, I'm convinced that they must be kicking the authors some royalties.
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Read if you love:
*books about writers/authors
*fake dating
*just for the summer/planned short-term relationship
*found family
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See also: Book Lovers, Just for the Summer, Meet Me in the Margins

This book was a refreshing and captivating read! Aspen Lourde’s journey from a struggling author to finding unexpected love is both entertaining and relatable. The premise—using a staged heartbreak to inspire her next bestseller—pulls you in, and the dynamic between Aspen and Brick is electric.
The way their fake romance slowly turns into something real is beautifully done, filled with humor, tension, and heartfelt moments. Jennifer Probst does a fantastic job of blending romance with deeper themes about self-discovery and the cost of success.
Overall, "Book of the Month" is an enjoyable and satisfying read that’s perfect for anyone who loves a story about love, creativity, and finding oneself.

Thanks to Netgalley and Blue Box Press for an ARC - Review is my honest opinion!

After seeing this book pop up several times on book lists, newsletters, etc. I got a read now copy! The cover was eye catching, title is good, and plot intrigued me. As I read, my rating/review fluctuated - there were times I was sucked in and enjoying it. I liked a bit of the grumpy/sunshine vibes and fake dating arrangement. I liked some of the mystery behind our MMC as well. But then he went from anti-relationship to what felt like insta-love and I thought the spicy scenes felt a bit cringey (sometimes there is just toooo much talking). Then the 3rd act break up just didn't land for me. So I waivered between a 3.5 rounding up and a 3.5 rounding down. (We need HALF STARS! #storygraph)

Story ends with the opening for side characters to get their own book - so if you liked this one then you'll be happy to know there is more!

I'm not mad that I read it - just not an insta-love for me.

I enjoyed the story overall. I felt at times it dragged along with too many details. Aspen has had a best selling book but the last two have not done well. Perhaps a new environment will help so off she gies to spend tbe summer with her sister on the Outer Banks. Will it be enough to help her write a best seller? Brick Babel needs a miracle to save his tour company from bankruptcy. Will meeting Aspen change both their l8ves for the better?
The characters are great! Ivwas rooting for Aspen and Brick to get their lives together. Marco and his friends keep everything on the light side and add a fun touch. Of course Aspen's sister, Sierra does her best to be supportive and encouraging. I would recommend this book..

This book was cute! It follows the story of Aspen and Brick. Aspen is an author with writers block who goes to stay with her sister in the OBX for the summer and decides she needs to have an affair to get her creative juices flowing. Brick has developed a reputation in the town for breaking hearts. This was a cute, easy read. Nothing spectacular or amazing or that I would read again, but if you’re looking for an easy summer beach read this is a good option!

Aspen is an author. Her first book, written after an intense breakup, became a bestseller. Her next 2 published books were lacking emotion according to sales and opinion. Trying to pen her 4th book and get back on the charts, she heads to stay with her sister to enjoy the beaches of NC as well as plots to romance a local for a short fling. Her thought is if someone were to break her heart again she could get past her writers block. Brick is a local bachelor who runs a struggling wild horse tour company. He is rumored to be the most eligible although hard to get man in town. Others warn he often leaves heartbreak behind after even a first date. They join together in a plan to break Aspen’s heart for her writing and to save Brick’s business with much needed renovations.

A fun, sweet summer read. Thanks to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for this early release copy.