Ok I LOVED that this took place in the Outer Banks!! I liked the book but I didn't love it. The seducing really gave me the ick, that man rejects her and I almost DNF. However I stuck around and the second half of this book really brought me back. I stuck around because I love books written about authors/books. If you do too, then try this book for yourself and give it a read.

4.5 stars

I really loved this one! Full of angst and emotion. Both MCs are dealing with trauma from past relationships. Aspen is endearingly awkward but refreshingly honest. No miscommunication here.
Brick is sweet and caring, perfect book boyfriend material.
I love the cast of side characters: the stoners next door to Brick, Dug the dog, and Brick's business nemesis, aptly named Maleficent.

Fake dating, dating the bad boy, small town.

Aspen Lourde is desperate to repeat the success of her debut novel after her second book was released to crickets. Her fans are only interested in a sequel and her sales are dismal, so she decides a change of pace is necessary and visits her sister in the OBX. While she’s there, she meets Brick Babel, whose tour company is struggling and whose reputation as a ruthless heartbreaker proceeds him. In a moment of clarity, she decides the only way to replicate her first novel’s success is to get her heart broken again - as that was the inspiration in the first place.
What’s in it for Brick? Aspen is willing to fund the facelift his business desperately needs. All he has to do is take her on some dates and eventually break her heart.
While I enjoyed parts of this one, primarily whatever is going on between Aspen’s sister and Brick’s friend - I felt kind of meh about the main couple. The switch from couldn’t care less to love happened so quickly for Brick and a lot of the plot seemed odd (the club of Brick’s former hookups that meets to complain about him??)
Overall, it was a quick, easy end of summer read and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys the fake dating trope!

Calling every woman "females" and making the premise a step down from prostitution that's pretending it isn't wasn't great.

Recommended: no
it made me feel icky

Thoughts:
Let me be clear: I would have DNFd this about 20% in if it weren't an ARC. I kept going to try to give it a shot but was really turned off of it really quickly. Let's review.

One huge immediate issue was the constant references to women as "females." Some quotes I really hated:

Every female in town was desperate to go out with him...

WOMEN, YO! NOT FEMALES! WHAT THE FUCK! This matters to me. "Females" like this feels derogatory and bro-y like drunk idiots in a frat house party who might date rape someone. It feels exclusionary for people who are women but aren't female. It feels just stupid, like someone randomly giving a Latin name for a normal word... and getting it wrong.

It's a female-run local company that donates a percentage to nonprofit women's shelters.

And even more baffling was that sometimes it DID SAY WOMEN? Right here in this very same sentence? So again -- what the fuck?? Also "female-run" surely is not something anyone has ever said. That's a common phrase and it's "women-owned" and even a quick google search for "female run business" only returned results using the phrases "women-owned" or "owned by women."

...and females crowded his once-private space

This just reads to me like he's surrounded by female dogs, or baboons, or something. It feels de-humanizing to me.

So look, I feel strongly about this. This is the reason I did not want to read this book, because it is said so often and it pissed me right off immediately every time I read it. There are 27 chapters and a search shows it appears 26 times in the book plus one time it says females (plural). So on average I was getting pissed off once per chapter. No thanks.

The final straw that made me go GROSS NO UGH THIS BOOK was the proposition that Aspen brings to Brick (his name is Brick. BRICK.). It's real close to prostitution while trying really hard to pretend it's not, where if you just admitted that's what it was and owned it that could be okay. It certainly is gross though. Dude needs money to save his business, his house, his car, everything, and she comes up like "date me and kiss me and I'll give you all that money." A great exercise here is to swap the genders and make it a guy coming up to a woman with a failing business and desperate financial trouble and saying the same, in which case it's very clearly disgusting and taking advantage of someone in a really repulsive way.

There was a lot of that in the book as I continued. It grossed me out and made me feel icky. I skipped every sex scene going "ew ugh no" and really couldn't cheer for them at all. The ending was a big ol fart too as there was no conflict. Just pride and time. What a dud.

I re-read the blurb before writing this review to see if it said anything about the deal they make and how I was okay with it when reading it, but it doesn't really beyond "contractual fling" which is vague enough that I did not expect it to play out as it did. EW. And look I LOVE the fake dating trope, but somehow this felt so blatant where it was 100% just her offering him money to do it that it was not something I was okay with.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC, now I know better. This is my honest review, clearly.

Book of the Month delivers an entertaining romance set against the stunning backdrop of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The setting is so beautifully and vividly described that I found myself wanting to pack my bags and visit immediately! Brick, the misunderstood hero, is a standout. His dedication to his family, friends, his dog, and even the wild animals in his home makes him incredibly endearing. I was rooting for him to find the love he deserves.

Aspen, on the other hand, was a bit harder to connect with. Her stubbornness and materialistic approach to her writing felt at odds with her otherwise generous and selfless nature. Despite this, the chemistry between her and Brick is undeniable, leading to some steamy moments where Brick’s take-charge attitude and dirty talk added spice to their romance.

The secondary characters also shine, adding layers of fun, angst, and intrigue to the story. My only critique is that the ending felt a bit abrupt. However, I'm excited to see where the story goes next, especially with Aspen’s sister and Brick’s best friend gearing up for their own romance in the future.

I like this and I'm glad it'll be a series. Is it serious literary fiction? No. Is it a delightful story with great characters? Yes. It's worth reading and I'm excited about Sierra's story as well. I hate the name Brick Babel though. It's too soap opera in the 80's.

If you’re a romance reader, Book of The Month has all your favourite tropes - small town romance, a business that needs saving, forced proximity, fake dating and a bad boy. Plus, all the spice you could hope for. It’s a unique plot and I enjoyed the glimpses in to being a writer. I enjoyed reading this book but I wasn’t fully invested in the couple. I found the dialogue from the love interest a little patronising/cringy at times. Overall though, I would recommend this to fans of the genre. I think it would make a good beach read.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review an advanced copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review.

2.8 stars
Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this like I thought I would. I just felt like the characters weren't as interesting or invested in each other as it seemed to be intended.
The worst part for me was that the book lacked emotion, it was all done in a way that didn't allow for much development, it felt like every big moment between them was over in 2 paragraphs, it felt shallow.
It felt as distant as the character seemed to feel about her recent 2 books.

This book had an interesting premise. The main female character seemed like a driven woman with some issues to face. The male main character is a gentleman. However, as the plot progressed, I just found myself slowly losing interest. I could not move past the reason for the two to start a relationship. I also felt that the plot felt flat. It might be because I have not read enough romance or I'm just not the target audience for this book. However, in the hands of the right reader, this book will thrive. I hope this book finds its way to a more experienced romance reader.

Book of the Month is an entertaining romance with a wonderful setting - North Carolina's Outer Banks - which are so beautifully and evocatively described that I'd love to pack and visit without delay! Brick is a wonderful, completely misunderstood hero and his dedication to his family and friends, his dog and the wild animals of his chosen home made me root for him to find the woman to love and complete him. I had a harder time liking Aspen, as she came across as an unreasonably stubborn, materialistic person with regards to her writing while being generous with her time and dedicated to helping others others. The chemistry between them is palpable, leading to steamy sexy times with Brick turning out the be quite the take-charge, dirty talker. Secondary characters add both fun, angst and interest to the story. I found the ending to be very abrupt but look forward to catch up with them again when Aspen's sister and Brick's best friend get their story next.

Thank you Blue Box Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was just silly. The premise was pretty unbelievable, and there were a lot of things that just seemed really far-fetched in this book. A support group that people created because of a man? Characters named Brick, Ursula, and Maleficent? Paying someone thousands of dollars to purposely break your heart?

It was out there for me, and sadly I didn't enjoy. But I appreciate the arc nonetheless!

It's been awhile since I've read a Jennifer Probst book and after reading this, I need to read everything of hers on my TBR pile! I loved this story! Aspen is a writer who hasn't been able to recreate the success of her first book. Her readers want a sequel and she wants to move on from that book because it was written because of her personal heartbreak. Brick has been left his grandfather's struggling business in OBX and when Aspen goes to OBX to spend the summer with her sister and try to finish another book, she meets the notorious Brick. Great book!

Thank you to Blue Box Press & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Okay I am an immediate sucker for any type of book with bookish characters in the story. So I loved Aspen and Brick together so much! I love that their story wasn’t only about them getting together but also them learning and discovering things about themselves!

Great premise and well fleshed out characters. Overall I found the FMC to be a little bit annoying and dramatic. This felt like a miscommunication trope that could have been more easily solved. I found myself frustrated with her POV. Overall 3 stars. Did not love, did not hate, just not for me. Curious about the sister's story though!

This was a great story and I really loved the unique plot line. Aspen the struggling writer just needs her heart broken to write her next best seller. Brick and his bad reputation is just the man for the job, even getting money to complete renovations for his tour company.
Once these two meet and agree to summer dating terms, including Aspen’s heart breaking, the fun begins. and sparks fly. Aspen is such a sweet and charming character, and can you blame the town for befriending her. There were so many funny moments, including her book signing. Also the side characters really made his book special and showed how loved Aspen truly was.

Brick was your typical hot bad boy, that really wasn’t a bad boy. I felt for him when Aspen moved back to New York to finish her book and left him and his broken heart. The ending was worth it.

I can’t wait for Sierra & Kane story next!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. This story is about Aspen who is a writer. Her first book was a great success but the sequel just isn’t happening. Her agent has suggested she get away for awhile nd find some inspiration. After all, her first book was about her journey through getting her heart broken so she decides to visit her sister who lives on the beach. While she is there, she meets Brick who is trying to save his grandfathers business which he inherited. So, Brick has agreed to give Aspen the inspiration she need to write her sequel and Aspen has agreed to help Brick financially with saving his grandfathers business. Sounds like a great plan. Right?? But, will they be able to stay within their agreement and not allow their feelings get in the way? You might want to add this to your list of want to read to find out what happens. You will not be disappointed in this interesting heartfelt romance.

Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst is a romcom about a writer who's first book was a bestseller, but who is having trouble reaching that same level with her subsequent books. Her solution is to hire someone to break her heart so that she can reach the same level of emotion she had when writing her first book.

Aspen Lourde is the struggling writer, and Brick Babel is a tour operating with a failing business that he's hoping to rejuvenate.

While I initially thought this premise sounded like it could be fun, the execution fell a bit flat for me. I did end up enjoying the book by the end but there were things that really bothered me in the beginning of the book that I just couldn't brush off.

Very early in the book Aspen's actions and attitude left a bad taste in my mouth. When she first approached Brick and he brushed her off, she was shocked that he didn't immediately respond to her advances given his reputation in town. She was so sure that she was attractive to him and that he should respond, that she just kept going after him, and finally, when she couldn't get him to respond naturally, she proposed an arrangement between the two of them. I felt like this smacked of harassment, and wouldn't be acceptable to readers if the situation were reversed.

The attraction between Aspen and Brick also felt very forced to me. I don't know why, it just didn't seem like a natural progression. Maybe it was because of those first scenes where Aspen was so pushy, I don't know.

I did come to enjoy the story more after a certain scene (I don't want to spoil it) which had me literally laughing out loud, it was so funny.

I loved some of the side characters, especially the owners of the souvenir shop next to Brick's business. They really made the book more enjoyable for me.

My other big beef, and it's a me problem because I'm sure it doesn’t bother a lot of people, but I despise when women are called "baby" by a love interest, and I can't tell you how many times Brick called Aspen baby. I had to grit my teeth every time I read it.

All that said, the book wasn't terrible but it wasn't a great fit for me. I do think lots of people will enjoy it. I'm more interested in reading Aspen's sister's story and will probably be watching for that.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I wanted to read this book because of the title and the first sentence of the blurb—so bookish: about the book and the writer's life. The book about book is so popular lately, I thought I didn't want to miss out on this one and yesh, I was satisfied with Book of The Month ✨

This book fulfilled my current needs: a book for refreshments. In my terms: romance which makes my stomach full of butterflies. But this book did more. Its wittiness made me laugh so hard, especially at the moment when Aspen was high.

This book was too hot to meet 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ I don't usually read this kind of spicy book. A little bit shy to read in public while hoping people won't sneak my phone 😣 But I enjoyed the spiciness 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

The serious insight from the book is about marketing. How Aspen seemed so versatile. Not only wrote well, she also understood marketing strategy well. A little bit unfair to me, I mean... how could someone be so easily loved and master many things at once? ☹️ Don't you envy her? I do!

I only need 2 days to read this book. It's fast-paced and page-turning. I kept wanting to know what Aspen and Brick did.

I had my imagination of their ending. Not completely right but the real ending of the book took a little U turned to make it happen. And, somehow I thought how Brick made things work in the end was too simple. I meant if you were really hurtful, would you be moved just like that? That easy? If he was me, I wouldn't.

But I'm happy for the ending. Probably will research Jennifer Probst's works after this because I was engaged with her story.

This was just fine for me. Maybe I’m not not a good romance girl because I cringed quite a bit. Male mom character calls female main character baby- makes me gag. Make it stop. But also, the story was sweet and the setting was dreamy, so I’m torn!

I always enjoy books involving books and this one is Aspen, a writer with writers block, goes to the Outer Banks to stay with her sister for inspiration. Aspen needs a heartbreak for inspiration and focus on the town bad boy, Brick.

I really Brick as a character and how he resisted Aspen and to me it was weird how aggressive Aspen was in the beginning. They strike up a deal that benefits both of them and really start enjoying each other's company and falls for each other.

I thought the side characters added a lot of humor to the story. The one part of the story I found odd is the women that formed a support group for dating and scorned by Brick. This was just a bit far fetched and petty for me.

Overall, a fun story that has a happy ending and I can feel the next story between Aspen's sister and Brick's best friend and I am excited for it.

Thank you @getredpr @1001darknights_blueboxpress for a copy of the book.