Thank you to Netgalley for this e-copy of this hot romance featuring the story of Aspen and Brick . Aspen was only able to write a bestseller after her heart was broken by an ex . With 2 follow up flop books Aspen is pressured to do better. She relocates to the Outer Banks from NYC to find inspiration . Thee she meets Brick , a local heart throb with a bad reputation who runs a tour company which is foundering . Aspen makes him a proposal - seduce her and then break her heart and she will help him do renovations to his company . All works too well until they really fall in love . How will this end? Read the book and find out .Great romance.

A little more unexpectedly racier than I had anticipated, this book was a quick, fun, and light read. It was a romance novel set between two characters that seem unlikely fits in the beginning, and what puts them together is not your usual romance formula, but you do cheer for them at the end. I enjoyed it, more than I expected to.

Loved the premise of this book! The characters were interesting. The chemistry between the two main characters is so good! Fun, easy read. Great summer read.

such a unique book!! loved it so much. Thankyou to the Author, the Publisher, and Netgalley for this ARC inexchange for an honest review!🥰💗

The story balanced heavier themes with lighthearted moments, thanks to the community engagement and a lively cast of secondary characters. Brick, the male lead, was a gruff yet endearing hunk whose hidden tenderness made the story feel authentic and enjoyable. Aspen, the female lead, was initially hard to connect with, but as her character developed, I found myself rooting for her.

Part romantic comedy, part steamy romance, this book struck the right balance and delivered a heartwarming story. Brick and Aspen’s romance was sweet and lovely, and I’ll definitely be checking out more books by this author in the future!

* 3.25 stars *
While I did grow to like this book, it was a bit of a struggle at first. I felt really offended on Brick’s behalf with so much of the town (and even neighboring towns) spreading rumors about him all based on a woman claiming to be his fiance coming to town after him and causing scenes. No one thought it was weird and shady… they just took this random persons word that he just walked out on her, then somehow became a heartbreaker when he was upfront telling his dates that he didn’t want anything serious and it was his fault they fell in love and were destroyed by him after one date. Come on, can we have better women characters than that. Wow, rant is over now. I’m not sure why it set me off so much at the beginning but I felt justified in my anger when Brick finally told Aspen the truth of everything and she crashed one of the support groups. Besides the reputation nonsense, I enjoyed Brick and Aspens banter and ease with each other. Marco and the guys were hilarious side characters and I couldn’t stop laughing with the book signing scene!

Cute book. I will read anything that is about books. It was a little slow at first, but worth hanging in there to the end.

Aspen is a one-hit wonder author in need of a best seller. Brick Babel (what a name!) is in need of funds to save his grandfather's tour business. What if Aspen and Brick could both get what they want and have a little fun along the way over the course of a summer in the OBX? What could possibly go wrong? Jennifer Probst spins a great rom-com set in the Outer Banks that had me laughing out loud at times (the book signing!) and heartbroken for the main characters in others. The supporting characters, including a trio of stoners and a mutt named Dug, are as captivating as the main characters and the location. A great read that has me already looking forward to the next installment!

BOOK OF THE MONTH is a fun, flirty, feisty romance full of heart and humor. A must-read for Probst fans and a perfect vacation book!

This book felt longer than it actually was. There weren’t any major blowups or problems for the two main characters to work through, which made the middle feel a bit slow. There was plenty of backstory and plot development, but I kept waiting for that big moment to hit.

The story follows Aspen, a best-selling author, and Brick, who inherited his late grandfather’s run-down business. It includes a fake dating trope, but it felt like a reverse version where the woman is established and financially helping out the man—which I really enjoyed!

The second half picked up with some conflict and warmth, touching on themes of hope, letting go, and trusting the future. I loved the ending! Both characters came across as mature—they didn’t hold grudges or act petty, which is always a win for me. I’m super excited for the author’s next book, The Reluctant Flirt, coming out this summer. I can’t wait to dive into the next story!

I found this book to be very slow, and I read the storyline often. I wanted the dialogue and banter to pick up but it drug on throughout the story. There was a good end and a happy ever after.

Aspen Lourde, a once-successful romance author struggling with writer’s block, moves in with her sister in the Outer Banks, seeking inspiration for a story worth telling. She strikes a deal with local heartthrob, Brick Babel, asking him to fake a romance to fuel her next book, but as their staged fling deepens, real emotions begin to complicate things. As Aspen’s novel edges toward truth, she faces the dilemma of whether to write her story or protect her heart.

I enjoyed how Aspen’s story progressed throughout the book, slowly feeding readers the background of how she used her first love to fuel writing her first novel, along with her relationship with her sister, Sierral. Aspen and Brick were cute together, if a little cheesy (the sea turtles), but I would have liked to have Brick a little more rounded out character-wise, and I wouldn’t have said no to more Dug(!) scenes. Overall, it was a sweet, heartfelt romance, with a beautiful Outer Banks setting, and I can’t wait to read the next book, which will hopefully focus on Sierra and Kane, Brick’s current roommate.

Jennifer Probst's Book of the Month is a heartfelt exploration of second chances, healing, and the transformative power of storytelling. This romance novella brings together two deeply flawed but relatable protagonists, offering readers an emotionally satisfying journey.

Book of the Month is a charming, feel-good read that celebrates the magic of books and the connections they inspire. Jennifer Probst has crafted a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever found solace, inspiration, or love within the pages of a book.

I'm sorry, but this was a DNF for me. I just couldn't get into the story. I made it to 60% or so, but had to stop when a sex scene needed over 5 pages. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a good love/sex scene, but I felt this was way overdone.
Thanks for the advanced copy. I didn't leave a review on Goodreads. Perhaps one day I'll pick it back up and finish.

The author has achieved something interesting and readable here.

Main character Aspen is herself an author in need, who somehow manages to find "...a fresh hook. A twist on an old type. Something different but familiar."

And author Jennifer Probst does too.

"She wasn't living in a romance novel. This was real life, and it was messy. Ups and downs. The type of relationship she didn't understand but wanted to."

"Book of the Month" by Jennifer Probst is the perfect summer read! It gave me Emily Henry vibes for sure. It was my first Jennifer Probst but it won't be my last. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this heartfelt romance. It was spicy and sweet, and kept me entertained. The ending felt a little rushed, but the epilogue tied it together and left me feeling satisfied. It seems like there's going to be another book about the sister which I am absolutely looking forward to.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Four stars only because Brick was a winner from start to finish. Aspen was hard to like, to be honest, but he more than made up for it. Where can i sign up for a horse tour with him?

I was so happy to get to read this book. I love bookish books. Author Aspen needs to write another best selling book to follow up her first hit only her best seller was a result of her own heartbreak. For inspiration she heads to the Outer Banks of NC to visit her sister where she sets her sights on the town playboy to get him to break her heart so she can write her next best seller. Brick Babel just inherited his grandfather's failing tour company and is not looking for a relationship so he ignores Aspen's advances. When she finds out his company is in near bankruptcy she offers to help him out in exchange for a fake relationship with breakup drama and all. What they don't expect is to actually fall for each other, but Aspen is insistent on ending things once her book is finished. The side characters in this book are hilarious and there are a lot of funny hijinks throughout the book. I literally laughed out loud in some parts.

This was my first time reading a book by this author. I really enjoyed it and can't wait for the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun, small town romance with fake dating. I though Aspen and Bricks chemistry was Oskar, but the pacing was inconsistent.