Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

MY REVIEW: Book of the Month is a rom-com that will tug at your heartstrings; Aspen goes on a journey of how to live for herself and take control of her own happiness. This novel is funny, romantic, and I loved the beachy-vibe of the coastal OBX town.
I loved the dynamic between Aspen and her sister, Sierra; it was an honest relationship that reminded me of me and my younger sister. Brick’s male friendships were refreshing, in the sense that Probst showed us the more positive side when discussing female/male relationships. The edition of the Badass Bitches Club was really fun; it made me laugh about the way females connect to one another… because it’s so true!!
I felt like I always knew what would happen next… the only thing I did not see coming was the Epilogue, which was a gift!

3.5/5!!!!! (rounded up!)

I loved it!
At first I thought the premise could be tricky based on the blurb, but when i got into it I quickly realize how interesting it was.
Aspen thought she wanted something, but she completely stumbled into something even better even when she kept herself somewhat guarded. But for Brick, it was so much, he allowed himself to just be himself without just playing along what narrative others put forward and make life happen for himself thanks to Aspen's help and presence in his life
I think they both brought out the best of eachother even if it took time to actually see and admit it to themselves, I mean them both being somewhat stubborn to a fault was kinda on brand for them

Also I want the story about Sierra and Kane...pleaseee 🥺

I liked being in the Outer Banks for the setting! The characters had great chemistry and I enjoyed the banter. The book did feel slightly too long. Overall I liked it!

I personally quite enjoyed book of the month, it was a super cute and fun read. I loved the beach vibe, characters and the overall vibes. Both main characters were wholesome and fun to read about. I also really enjoyed Brick as a character, on the outside he seems like a player and cold person but really on the inside he is a soft and gentle character. Some issues I had with the book was that I feel that the male characters were written weird at times, I do not think that any person thinks certain things or in that way. I will just say "Primitive" as an example haha. But overall I thought this was an easy read and exactly what I was in the mood for.

I have a bit more in a review on my bookstagram!

3.5 stars

This book was a surprise. I will give the synopsis below, but what really struck me with this rom-com were my feelings while reading. I so did not see a few things coming and I cried more than once. Maybe not crocodile tears, but I had a few droplets fall. I admit that several times I didn’t know whether the direction the story would take would lead to our main character Aspen getting her happy ending. It went deep in some places and also veered in a direction I thought “oh my gosh am I reading this to watch her heart get broken in the end?” I can tell you that this book is a beautiful journey. It’s funny, it’s romantic, and set in a gorgeous location where the aesthetic is really its own character itself. For those worried about an HEA-the ending is very satisfying. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange of my honest review. 3.5⭐️Fun easy summer reads. First time reading from this author, at the beginning of this book felt really slow and I struggled to push through 20/25 % things got better after. Well written, The story was one or those that caught your attention and sometimes was meh, I enjoyed it, it was really funny, love the characters, Aspen makes me mad at times specially when she chooses the book over love. I recommend it.

While i definitely think there is an audience for this book- unfortunately that audience was not me. The only reason I didn’t DNF was the subplot revolving around publishing books and writing. I did skim pages and pages of seemly unimportant detail though. The romance didn’t work for me because it felt forced (which is kinda the point in the plot) and the MMC did nothing for me. The alternating POV meant we got to see things from his perspective and even that didn’t help flesh him out. The man was boring. The most interesting thing about him was that women are interested in him. I thought the prose was good but the story was just not it for me.

Book of the Month.. or the YEAR? First off, let me say I love this author. Second, I loved this book.

This story had spice, which surprised me. It was also very well constructed, with well developed characters. Dialogue was on point, and some of the book just felt relatable.

If you’re looking for your next read, look no further. 📖

Thank you @netgalley and the publisher for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. And thank you @authorjenniferprobst for putting your mind on paper!

I like the concept of this book but it wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get into it and I DNF’d it at 21%.

I am sincerely thankful to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed reading this book; however, the biggest thing for me was it was hard to relate to the FMC. There was just something slightly off that I just didn’t always vibe with. I did really like the MMC though, so that’s really what helped balance this out.

It was such a quick read, and especially loved reading it on the brink of summers end. It felt fitting. I loved the storyline as well. It will be a great beach read.

I was really into this one at first. The opening chapter is very engaging and I immediately connected with the character and her plight. But, after that, it slowly trailed off until I was mostly skimming. I did like the storyline about her being a writer and struggling to write that next book. I can only imagine how stressful it is as a writer to have agents and publishers breathing down your neck. But, the situation around the guy was a little creepy and I found the dialogue to be a bit forced and unnatural.

Aspen Lourde thinks she is a one-hit-wonder in the world of romance writing. Her first book Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover was a huge hit. Only problem...it came from a place of her own heartache. While in college Aspen started a relationship with her English professor Ryan and right after graduation he proposed. Next thing she knew he left her at the alter, left for California with another college student and she never saw him again. From this pain Aspen was able to pour her heart out into her book and it went viral. Her next two books have not done as well and Aspen is convinced it is because she needs to experience heartache again. Aspen decides she needs a change of scenery and leaves New York City to head to Corolla, NC in the Outer Banks where her sister Sierra lives. Maybe spending the summer at the beach can refresh Aspen.

Quickly Aspen sees Brick Babel, the local heartbreaker of Corolla and thinks he would be a summer fling to break her heart. Everyone warns her of Brick but Aspen doesn't care. She tries multiple times to get his attention to no avail. When Aspen finds out that Brick's touring company is having financial problems, she makes him a deal....she will pay off his debt if he has a pretend summer fling with her. It takes some convincing but Brick reluctantly agrees.

Of course the more time Aspen and Brick spend together, she starts to see a side of him that no one else seems to know and pretty soon their fake relationship is becoming all too real. The chemistry these two have is just off the charts. Everything in life is going so perfect Aspen isn't sure how things are going to end. She needs this new book, a sequel to the first, to do wonderful or her career may be over. Just when it looks like there will be a happy ending in Aspen and Brick's future, everything comes crashing down and their worlds fall apart. It will take a lot of soul searching before this pair realizes that the happiness they need is not in a book, but in life.

I just loved this steamy, fake relationship story. I just adored Brick....he was such a fun, sweet guy who was totally screwed over. I really enjoyed Aspen's world. It was fun to peek into the life of a writer....it's not all candy and roses! Together these two just worked and I'm glad they found their happy ever after. I really loved all the secondary character....Sierra, Dug, Marco and Kane. They added such a fun vibe and I cannot wait for Sierra's story next!

Aspen's first book was a best seller and she hasn't been able to capture the same interest in her last two books. She thought she needed heart break to help her capture the same feelings in her sequel. While spending the summer in the Outer Banks with her Sister, Sierra, she develops a plan. She pays the town's heart breaker to date her and make her all in love. Brick is opposed at first, but goes along with the plan as long as the money she gives him is a loan. He wants to use it to update the business his grandfather left him. Given the circumstances, are the feelings between Aspen and Brick real? Will they end up together or stick to the deal to break up at the end of summer? You will have to read this well-written novel to find out what happens.

A cute premise but the FMC, Aspen, was a little boring and seemed pretty judgmental about other women's actions. I enjoyed the MMC, Brick, and felt he was much more likeable and believable. When they were getting along, they were a fun couple but again Aspen made it hard to believe Brick would keep trying, other than he really needed the money. But even he was wondering if it was worth it at one point. Be aware there are some spicy scenes! The side characters made the story for me. I was honestly getting a little bored reading this until they were brought in to liven things up.

This is my first book by Ms Probst. It was an easy read, perfect for vacation, especially since it was set in a beach town. Aspen seemed to have a one track mind regarding writing her another best seller. Brick was trying to honor his grandfather’s legacy and downplaying his undeserved reputation when Aspen came to him with an unconventional solution to both of their problems. It did help that they had an instant attraction to each other but was it enough for a happily ever after for them?

I had to check: Yep. I still hate romance.

Bestselling New York Times author Aspen Lourde has a problem. Her books aren't selling. Though her first book soared off the charts for its gritty tale of heartbreak, her last two books have felt uninspired. And she knows why. She has no romantic inspiration left to fuel a bestseller. See, her first book was almost purely autobiographical--and she has no romantic angst left to produce another. So when she travels to North Carolina to stay with her sister for some summer inspiration and meets the small-town heartbreaker, Brick Babel, her plan begins to fall into place. All she has to do is convince him to go along with it--the plan to seduce her and break her heart, that is. When he finally bites, their fake summer romance is right on track--until the part where they both catch feelings for real. Will Aspen get her bestseller, or will she lose both inspiration and Brick along the way?

Okay the only thing I liked about this book was its hook. I'll admit, I fell for it and caved into requesting a romance because of it (I hate romance). And the writing style wasn't BAD. It was just extremely filled with cringe and eyebrow-raisers. I actually thought a man wrote this book because of how many times Brick described Aspen as a plain girl with "nothing extraordinary" about her. Like, literally every chapter where he thinks about their previous interactions. "Why am I so interested she's not even my usual type and isn't even that good-looking."-Brick, basically. I felt extremely uncomfortable with how quickly he went along with her insane idea and how he instantly sexualized her within two seconds. Literally the only thing he talked about. Or thought about. Or dreamed about. Except for when he was thinking about how much he hated his dumb dog named Dug (His words, not mine).

One of the only things I enjoyed was the book publishing talk.

Again, I should've known, blah blah blah. I hate romance, blah blah blah. Also I should've known just by the description of Brick (His name??? Hello???). Typical small-town romance book description all about sculpted abs and his tight shirt that clung to them and his always-messy hair... Barf. I like my main characters nerdy.

2 stars, thank you to the publisher for this e-arc.

I wanted to love this so badly, it had so many great aspects and tropes, but it fell a little flat for me. I didn’t love the FMC as much as I wanted too, and I really didn’t vibe with her initial thoughts.

This book was honestly a surprise for me. I was expecting your typical romantic comedy, which it was in a way. But it felt like it was deeper than your average rom-com. I really liked Aspen and Brick's dynamic how they kept coming back to each other and finding that the contract was more than just a contract. Very Lora Jean and Peter Kavinsky of them. I loved the OBX setting and the side characters were awesome. I'm so happy to read that there is a Sierra/Kane book coming.

However, I did feel like Aspen was trying too hard to be focused on the crutch of her past relationship when she was hypocritical about the other women in the story being the same way. She also had too much of a tidy ending. Not that I wanted her to fail but it almost seemed very unrealistic that she got everything she wanted.

Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst is a Rom Com with great characters. Aspen, the female main character, is a writer. I loved reading about her process, how she was a hermit when writing, and where she got ideas. Brick, the male main character, is a beautiful misunderstood man. Together they make a fun couple with lots of ups and downs. The book is pretty spicy, but mostly tasteful. I can’t get used to some of the crude language in the spice, but I know that’s what’s the “norm” now, and it’s what sells. Otherwise, the story had me rooting for them all the way through, in spite of Aspen’s open intention to fall in love and break up so she could write her next bestseller. The premise was new and interesting. I give it 4 stars!

ever read a book that you desperately want to love but it just doesn't quite hit the mark? the fmc, aspen's start was a bit rocky for me, and her chaotic and panicky energy had become overwhelming. however, the entire opposite of her was the mmc, brick, who carried this whole book.

the plot was fairly predictable. the writing style, i observed, was too redundant. the supporting characters added so much flavor and entertainment to the plot. the major characters, particularly aspen, felt uninteresting and immobile until the conclusion. however, i admired Brick's growth and how his feelings seemed to shift throughout the story.

thanks to netgalley and blue box press for the e-arc. i voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. all thoughts and opinions are my own.