3.75. This was a cute STEM romance. For my Iowa Stater’s, the setting reminded me of Reiman Gardens! I really enjoyed the overall arch of the book but I think I struggled with the enemies to lovers aspect. Had this had a trope combo more to my taste I think I would have rated this even higher. The side characters (kids, extended family, & friends) were all excellent in this. I see this author has a wintery book out too, definitely going to seeking that out. Would recommend for fans of Ali Hazelwood!

This was amazing!! I stretched out as much as I could reading this because I equally looked forward to it but also didn’t want it to end. This has all the swoony and sweet romance vibes but also a little bit of angst. I loved these characters. Millie and finn are both passionate about the work they do and I loved the museum setting where they got to meet and connect.

If you a romance lover this is a must read. It hits all the beats. Tropes that don’t feel like tropes because the characters are so earnest and the plot so engaging. Some of my favorite microtropes of this are caretaking when sick, meet disasters, hilarious family group chats, and he falls first “I’ll wait for you” vibes. But that doesn’t even encompass all that I loved (as those would truly be spoilers) but it gets even better.

The spice is also top notch.

CW: death of a family member (it is historical but grief is an interwoven factor), abusive ex

Thank you to Avon for the eARC!

"That's all we can offer anyone in our lives-- not perfection, but the promise of doing the best we can."

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for access to this eARC.

LOVED LOVED LOVED this book. This book follows a sunshine-y entomologist and a grumpy astronomer. Millie had a childhood full of love for insects and science that led to her career as an entomologist. She works as a curator at a science museum, and when the opportunity to run her own department, she is determined to not let anything distract her. Enter Finn, the grumpy and annoyingly handsome astronomer. Finn seems to have a permanent scowl, but he struggling with his job, his grief about losing his sister, and trying to take care of his nieces. And he can't allow himself to get distracted, especially by Millie. They want nothing to do with each other, but avoidance is impossible. As they get to know each other, Millie learns that not only is her job on the line, so is her heart.

"I don't need the sun when you're here, stella mia. You're the brightest star in my universe, and I've been orbiting around you since you poured coffee all over me. I could spend the rest of my life watching you shine."

"F*ck the stars, baby. All I see is you."

I loved this book! Jillian Meadows is one of my new favorite authors. This is perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and is a swoony STEM romance.

4⭐️
This book was so sweet—I loved their little family dynamic and their entire relationship. They were so understanding and loving toward each other, and it made my heart melt.

Millie’s family group chat was chaotic and hilarious, exactly how I imagine a family group chat should be.

<b>This is my favorite quote!<b/>
“I don’t need the sun when you’re here, stella mia. You’re the brightest star in my universe, and I’ve been orbiting around you since you poured coffee all over me. I could spend the rest of my life watching you shine.”
If a man said this to me, I’d simply lose it!

5! I adore a single-parent romance, and from the moment Millie and Finn were introduced, I was completely hooked. While enemies-to-lovers isn’t always my go-to trope, it was executed so well that by the end, I found myself laughing at their interactions. The chemistry between Millie and Finn was undeniable and electric. I love the “he falls harder” dynamic, which made their connection all the more satisfying to watch unfold.

What I really appreciated was the slow-burn nature of their relationship. The author took her time developing the characters before diving into their romantic relationship, and it paid off in a big way. You could feel their emotional growth as individuals, which made their eventual romance feel earned and realistic.

The writing was engaging, the characters were well-rounded, and the plot kept me hooked from start to finish. And now, I can’t help but wish for a spinoff centered around Millie’s sister and her childhood friends-to-lovers story! I would be all over that without hesitation. I highly recommend this book if you’re a fan of slow-burn romances with great character development and undeniable chemistry. I can’t wait to see what Jillian Meadows comes out with next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, Jillian Meadows for providing me with this E-ARC in exchange for my review.

I will now be buying everything Jillian Meadows ever writes. Finn and Millie have a special place in my heart after reading this ARC. The way they fell in love with each other truly gave me butterflies.

First of all, I love love love this concept. The nerd in me was instantly enthralled at a romance featuring the Director of astronomy and a curator of etymology at a museum. And I’m so happy to say Jillian did not disappoint!! I love all the little puns and inside jokes sprinkled in this book.

This story truly was beautiful in its depiction of how the right kind of love, true love, feels like coming home. Your partner is your biggest supporter and your shoulder to lean on when things get tough. You strengthen each other and go out of your way to make the other feel secure. This love story is the perfect pallet cleanser for those looking for a book that feels like a warm hug. Not only will you fall in love with Finn and Millie but their loved ones too! There are some moments where I was tearing up because of how sweet this story is. I hope you add this to your TBR for 2025, I promise you’ll be glad you did!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

My review was posted to Goodreads on 12/20/24.
My Instagram review will be posted on 01/03/25.

"Give Me Butterflies" is a delightful read that captured my heart from the very first page. Jillian Meadows expertly weaves a story that combines romance, healing, and the warmth of family. Finn, the broody science guy, reveals a tender side when he’s with his twin nieces, adding layers to his character that are simply enchanting.

On the other hand, we have Millie, who is navigating the difficult path of rebuilding her life after a toxic relationship. Her determination to find herself and secure a promotion as head director in her department makes her relatable and inspiring. However, things get complicated when she starts to develop feelings for Finn, a member of the hiring board for that very promotion.

The cooking lessons are a charming touch, and it’s here that we really see the connection between Millie and Finn bloom. Their playful back-and-forth is delightful, and watching them dance around their feelings while also prioritizing the happiness of the little girls is a joy. Meadows perfectly captures the essence of family dynamics and budding romance, making it tough to put this book down.

I felt like I was right there with Millie and Finn, navigating both their personal struggles and their growing affection for one another. The writing is engaging and heartfelt, striking a lovely balance with the children's involvement. I'm already excited for the next book in the series and can't wait to dive back into this beautifully crafted world! Highly recommend to anyone looking for a sweet, feel-good romance. 🦋📚

Thank you, Avon and Harper Voyager for allowing me to review this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Grumpy & sunshine + workplace romance + no third act breakup!

Millie is in the process of interviewing for the entomology director position at the museum, & refuses to be distracted by her grumpy coworker.

Finn is juggling being the astronomy director at the museum, navigating his own grief after losing his sister, & raising his twin nieces.

When Millie’s interview process starts with a few accidental run-ins, things go in a direction neither could have predicted.

Read if you love…
- no third act breakup
- grumpy (him) & sunshine (her)
- found family
- single guardian of his twin nieces
- anxiety, grief, & therapy rep
- dual perspective
- workplace romance
- open door
- caretaking
- texts & emails & handwritten notes on page
- nicknames
- cooking lessons
- board games & dance parties
- book shopping
- he falls first

This freaking book. It’s swoony & spicy & hilarious & empowering & wonderful, & I don’t know how I’m supposed to function after finishing it. Please drop everything & put this debut at the top of your TBR!

The mix of tropes absolutely slayed.
The nicknames were perfection.
The banter was top tier.
The healthy communication was excellent.
The way grief was handled was well done.
The friend group & found family was spectacular.
The open door scenes will make you blush.
The family group text is hilarious.

Eloise & Avery were just precious & hilarious.

Millie learning to just be & to trust herself and love herself again, after an emotionally/verbally abuse relationship, was just wonderful & empowering.

I have no comprehensive words for how I feel about Finn. The man has nicknames for Millie and the kids in Italian which made me swoon every damn time. The way he talked to and about Millie will make you melt. But also he was deeply relatable coming from a family with emotionally distant & verbally abusive parents.

And don’t even get me started on the cookie dough scene!

Everything about this book is just perfection, and you need to read it immediately!

Content warnings: grief - loss of a sibling & mentions of cancer; emotional abuse & gaslighting, past; emotionally distant & verbally abusive parents; on page anxiety symptoms & attack

Millie and Finn are hot and sweet and absolutely wonderful! I loved them when they were indie, and I love them more now. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Tarah DeWitt.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager/Avon for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
There's something that draws me about books of women in STEM. It's the science, yes, but also the personalities you see from people who choose to make such areas of study their careers. I connect to it on a cellular level because of my medical occupation. When books come along and show strong women who make their way in science, it makes me truly happy. I feel not so alone in loving the geeky parts of my career.
Before I dive in, know there are trigger warnings that come with this book: abuse, loss of a loved one, grief, sexual content, anxiety.
The most interesting part of this story for me was the setting. I have not read STEM books that take place in a museum. And, at first, I wasn't so sure about how it truly fit in. But watching Millie do her thing and show her love of entomology was inspiring. My favorite museums to visit are science museums but I never truly thought about how this part of the science actually fits into that.
I enjoyed Millie's character. She was a bit timid and also at a point where she was more interested in who she was and how that fit into her career than love. But you never know when love will hit you from out of the blue, right? She's also a bit untrusting, understandable given her background with her ex (who I was ready to punch in the face, mind you). This also manifests as severe anxiety at times in the book and the author did a good job with showing this. There's one scene where is literally paralyzed by it and I think the author really understood how to relay this to the audience in a sensitive way.
Finn, oh Finn. I really liked his character so much. Even more than Millie. I love his loyalty to his nieces. How he revolves his world around them while still struggling to come to terms with his grief over his sister. He's so focused on them he doesn't think there is room for anything else. Or that he even deserves it. Of course, his background with his parents and their abusive behavior explains much of this. He doesn't want his sister's girls growing up in the environment he had to endure for so long. He and Ellie have much in common when it comes to having endured abuse and I think this is what gives them more of a connection than not. The only thing I had issue with was his instant attraction to Millie. It was a bit over the top for me since it happened right away. I do get that perhaps he had a thing for her to begin with but this wasn't shown as well as I would have liked considering they had been working together for a while.
The side characters were great. I loved El and Ave, Finn's nieces. And Millie's parents, they were just amazing. They incorporated Finn and his nieces so easily into their lives, opening their hearts and doors without need of an explanation why and giving Finn the found family he needed. I do wish Kyle, the abusive ex, would have gotten more of a comeuppence in this story. He made me so very angry and, while I can understand not all characters can easily break out of the abuse cycle (which makes the story more relatable), I felt like there needed to be more of a confrontation with him. I feel like that would have made Millie's load much lighter in the long run.
The pacing of the story is well done. I didn't feel like it was slow. The author wove into the story things that helped to move the plot along well. I enjoyed the grumpy/sunshine vibe this book had going for it which was well done with the dual POV. While Mille's character had endured some life changing stuff, she's still happy and loves what she does and the life she has created. Meanwhile, Finn puts off a grumpy vibe right from the start. Though you can also see he has moments of sunshine peeking through which only become more prominent the more time he spends with Millie. The banter between the characters made the story fun at many moments.
Overall, I was impressed with how the author tackled the serious topics in this book while still infusing romance and character growth. There was good depth to the story and it showed the author understood her audience and the topics she chose to use, approaching them in a realistic and healthy way. This was a great first novel for this author and I can see she will quickly become a favorite of mine in the future. Fans of Ali Hazelwood will enjoy this story very much. I'm excited to see the future books of this series as they explore Millie's sisters.
3.5 stars rounded to 4

***Trigger Warning: Loss of a loved one***

This was cute. It reminded me of an Ali Hazelwood book. But I don't think I would want to reread this.

Give Me Butterflies is a dual POV grumpy/sunshine workplace romance. Millie loves her job as an entomologist and is up for a promotion, but the museum grump could stand between her and the job she wants! Finn has little time for anything besides work and raising his nieces, but Millie slowly finds her way into his life and heart. It’s a slow burn from coworkers, to friends, to lovers!

I loved this book and could hardly put it down (R.I.P. my attention span at work!) I loved Millie’s optimism and the depiction of her anxiety on page. I thought Finn was absolutely fantastic, the right amount of grumpy and a doting uncle. I liked the found family aspects and appreciated the authors use of CW/TW at the beginning.


Read dates: 12/15/2024- 12/16/2024
Goodreads review: 12/16/2024
Instagram review: 12/17/2024
Blog review: 01/21/2025

This was a wholesome and sweet STEM romance with a grump x sunshine pairing. The MMC is navigating through life after the recent death of his sister and parenting her two young children. the FMC is an entomologist curator at the same museum as the handsome astronomer. The banter was cute and fun and the book all in all was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this eARC.

eARC Review: Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows
Pub Date: January 21, 2025

Oh my HEAVENS this boooooook!!!! (What if that's all this review was?)

I was utterly charmed by the chemistry, banter, and depth of this book. This was my first read by Jillian Meadows but it absolutely convinced me to devour any and everything she has written and will write in the future.

My thoughts are so all over the place I don't even know what to say - just trust me and read this one, kay??

I adored Finn and his nieces that he's raising. I'm a pretty solid hater of kids in romance books but man these kids were written so well and I loved seeing how Millie bonded with them and Finn. Their found family just got my little heart. This book deals with some heavier emotions - grief, recovery from an abusive relationship - but still has incredibly sweet and spicy moments. It's the perfect blend for me, as someone who likes a little grit in their romances.

This was one of the easiest 5 star romances that I've given recently - special shoutout to MC who told me that I would love this one - she wasn't wrong!!

Thank you to Avon for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Rating/Recommend
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Yes

Content Warning: Mature content. Multiple Open Door scenes and adult language.

My Thoughts

Loved this book. It was just so cute. I’ll be honest Finn threw me off in the beginning because he was giving major red flag vibes but he was quickly redeemed. Don’t even get me started on El and Av. Those girls are the sweetest. Also, I really wanted Finn to confront Kyle. Like Kyle deserved a bitter end. I wanted Millie to be more confrontational to him but her soul is too good!

If you like contemporary romance, mental health and grief/loss representation, and spice you’ll love this.
Grumpy x Sunshine. Found Family. Nerdy Banter.
The characters are in their upper 20’s and early 30’s which is a nice change from all the college romance.

I’m always a little skeptical when books are marketed as “perfect for fans of {insert popular author here}!” but I’m a huge Ali Hazelwood fan so decided to give it a shot and WOW I was not disappointed. Women in STEM, slightly steamy, a slight enemies-to-lovers vibe- this book checks all the boxes. Finn is an amazing male lead with that “grumpy on the outside but soft for her” personality we all LOVE. Millie is recovering and healing from an abusive relationship and anyone who has been there knows what a mind fuck that can be. This story managed to tackle some really heavy subjects in a realistic and healthy way while also delivering a light and easy to read romance. I flew through this in less than 24 hours and can’t wait to see what else Meadows has in store for us in the future!

Finn is navigating life upturned for him and his nieces, who he is unexpectedly raising on his own, Millie is bravely finding herself again after recently leaving an abusive relationship. They work at the same museum, even though they are in different departments. These two gave me all the feels and emotions. I just love them both so much, on their own and together, The little girls are written perfectly, and the family they all build together is just the sweetest. Finn and Millie start with a bit of non-communication which causes them to be wary of each other. But once they decide to be friends, the mutual feelings won’t be denied, They still have some issues to overcome, but they are all realistic and handled in mature ways, I can’t recommend this contemporary romance enough - grumpy/sunshine, workplace, STEM, found family, overcoming abuse, supportive friend group. Millie and Finn choose each other in spite of odds against them. I can’t wait to read more from this author. All the stars!
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review, All opinions are my own ,

I really loved this book. I think I was expecting to get to know the characters a little better on their own before they were thrown into their first ‘date’, maybe. I thought I was going to struggle with pacing, but Jillian Meadows proved me way wrong. I loved it from this moment on. I loved the girls and the relationship Millie built with them. I loved the time Millie and Finn took to become friends before jumping into anything else. I love how they were there for each other and gave each other space to heal from their own traumas. I just would have loved to see a little more of Millie at work because it seemed like such a cool job! But I really really loved this book. I can’t wait til it comes out! Wreck My Plans is next!

Thank you for the early access!!

I just finished this book. It was very very good !

I was very surprised to learn that this is Jillian’s Meadows first book. It flowed very well and was so realistic that it was easy to travel to the world inside the book each time I opened to it’s pages.

There are some adult scenes, but if those were removed or made G-rated, it would be an even more excellent read and enjoyable for all those who love a good romance. I especially like the interactions of Millie with Avery & Eloise. The dialogue was easy and natural and made me laugh.

This book publishes Jan 21, 2025, so get in touch with your local library and ask them to hold it for you!

I LIKE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!! Can't I just review like this? 😳

I mean, almost all topic the writer brings on the book: women in science, trauma, love, etc. I also enjoy the romance—include the spiciness 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️, ofc!!!! It's the main reason I read the book,

I'm sorry, I could express my excitement better than this BUT I LIKE THIS BOOK SO MUCH 😍 except the LGBT issue 🙏🏻