SUCH an adorable romance! I love that it's centered around careers in STEM!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Huge thank you to NetGalley for this arc. Not gonna lie, I thought the cover was really pretty and then ended up loving this! I’m a sucker for a workplace romance/found family which this has!!

In this story, we meet Millie, an entomologist, who is interviewing for a promotion. She is determined to get this opportunity, the only thing or person standing in her way is Finn, the grumpy head of the interview committee. When Millie sees Finn interacting with his nieces whom he just got guardianship over, she realizes there may be more to him than meets the eye.

This was such a cute read! I was pulled in from the beginning. Ughh, learning about Finn’s custody situation really tugged at my heart. He was such a good parent and I really felt for him. The author did such a good job developing his character and showcasing the reason behind his ‘grumpy’ exterior. Millie was the ray of sunshine he truly needed. This book made me laugh and tear up as the plot developed. It was like a warm hug all in one.

Best of all, no third act break up! I’m always worried going into a book about unnecessary drama, but honestly the story flowed nicely. I’m excited the next book and the holiday novella👀

The plot had a lot of potential, but the execution didn’t quite hit the mark for me. This was supposed to be a slow burn, but everything moved way too quickly.
Also, it felt like the book was built around tropes rather than letting the story develop naturally. this is an issue because it made the characters’ actions feel forced and superficial, lacking any real authenticity.
Believe me, I REALLY wanted to like this, as it included elements I usually enjoy, but unfortunately, for the reasons above, I couldn’t even finish it.

This book is perfect if you are looking for a book that will make you feel happy, its cute and sweet. Millie and Finn work in different departments at the museum. At first they seem to have a dislike for each other but as they get to know each other and spend time with Finn nieces, everything changes for them. This book made me feel happy as I was reading. You know how some books make you feel anxious? This does the opposite. I loved how well Millie fit in with Finn's girls. Finn was such a sweetheart as well. I only wish they had not gotten together so quickly. I think it needed a bit more of buildup and tension. The writing was easy to get into and I will definitely check out Fable and Theo's story. Thank you Netgalley for the the ARC.

There is nothing worse than when a trope is mishandled. Finn is suppose to be this grump with a frown but the next chapter he is has a crush on her the FMC, Millie. What happened to Mr.Grump? Where is the build up, the angst, the conflict? Unfortunately I had to DNF at 30%. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Ali Hazelwood fans look no further for your new favorite read!! Jillian writes the cutest nerdy romance following two science museum employees.
This book made me feel all of the emotions. I cried at the grief Finn feels. I laughed at the unfortunate situations our main characters kept finding themselves in. I screamed at Millie’s terrible trauma from her ex. Mostly I fell in love with the characters and their story. This is one of my favorite romances I’ve ever read.

Ps: serious fandom name drops!!! Catan, Star Trek, Star Wars, ACOTAR, Percy Jackson- I was nerding out the whole book

A breath of fresh air in the world of literary love stories is Millie and Finn's romance. Their relationship stands out as a testament to the beauty of the ordinary in the midst of the frenzy of high-stakes, action-packed romantic dramas. They are relatable people navigating the challenges of a typical life, not idealized characters created from a template of perfection. Their quest for love is characterized by their straightforward, common objective of living life to the fullest rather than by grand gestures or fortunate coincidences. Their genuine bond serves as a comforting reminder that love can sometimes find us in the small moments of life. Their story's depiction of mental health is handled delicately, providing an engaging and educational narrative.

This book is the very definition of all the feels and I could not love it more. Bonus points always for characters in a unique profession. I am now fully on board with museum romances. 😉

I’m so glad I got to revisit the revised version of this book, coming out next year. It gave me an even deeper appreciation for Millie and Finn and the quality of Jillian Meadows’s writing.

There was a quote that popped into my head after I finished this book. “Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes.” This is the very definition of what Millie and Finn each do in their own way with the negative people in their lives, and it was nice to see the mature way they grew together and supported each other.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. The revised edition of Give Me Butterflies comes out in January 2025!

4.5 stars!!

this was such a beautiful debut and it had me in tears all throughout. millie and fin were so sweet and this was such a good story about loss and past relationships. the found family and characters were so sweet and it made my heart just ache.

this cover got me from the moment i saw it and i am SO happy i loved it. jillian is now one of my must read authors and i will be reading anything else she writes.

🦋 Give Me Butterflies 🦋

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5


Mille and Finn ☀️🦋🌙✨

I loved this book so much. I stayed up all night reading it and was hooked by the adorable relationship between the two main characters. They were so sweet and loved their relationship so much. The girls in this book were so sweet and I love how much Finn cared for his nieces.
If you love sweet romance with complex characters and relationships this is the book for you.

Tw:
Grief is the main one. Finn loses his sister and has to take care of his twin nieces
Death of the page.

💕Tropes💕

Grumpy/Sunshine ☀️
“Enemies” to friends to lovers ✨
Strong FMC 🦋
She takes care of him when he is sick 🌙
Single “uncle” 😚
Adorable banter ⭐️


Thank you net galley and the author and publisher for giving me an advance reader copy. My opinion is my own and not affected or influenced by net galley, publishers or author. 🩷

Millie and Finn's romance is a breath of fresh air in the realm of literary love stories. Amidst the whirlwind of high-stakes, fast-paced romantic dramas, their relationship stands out as a testament to the beauty of the mundane. They are not characters crafted from a template of perfection; they are relatable individuals navigating the complexities of an ordinary existence. Their journey towards love is not marked by grand gestures or serendipitous coincidences but by the simple, shared goal of making the most of life. The authenticity of their connection is a heartwarming reminder that sometimes, love finds us in the quiet moments of life. The portrayal of mental health in their story is handled with a delicate touch, presenting a narrative that is both enlightening and deeply human. It celebrates the found family, the breaking of vicious cycles, the unexpected beauty that can emerge from grief, and the profound act of self-forgiveness. This book is more than just a romance; it's a poignant exploration of love's power to heal and transform.

Yes. Just a million thousand yeses. I loved so many moments of this book it’s hard to narrow it all down. Millie and Finn are such a realistic romance read pairing. There’s always a love for the chaotic and fast paced crazy plot line romances, but there’s also something special about two characters who are just two people trying to exist in an average life. Seeing two people fall in love because they’re just trying to make the best out of life and they happen to find each other was so satisfying. I think the mental health representation in this book was done flawlessly, it’s intense and scary when the time comes for it but it’s also super mundane which I think most of us coping through anxiety will gladly admit is what anxiety feels like 95% of our days. It’s found family and it’s breaking cycles and it’s beauty in grief and it’s forgiving yourself for getting it all wrong and it’s a wonderful love story.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“You don’t have to be the loudest in the room to be the strongest.”

Millie is the sweet (but anxious) entomologist at a museum interviewing for her dream job as the lead for the entomology department. Of course then she crashes into a man & spills coffee all over him, proceeds to nearly break that same man’s nose later on & the cherry on top, crashes into his car. Oh & said man just so happens to be on the board in charge of her interview!

Finn is a grumpy astronomer who is actually an undercover cinnamon roll. He is the guardian of his two twin nieces after the death of his sister. Listen, I never thought that I would fall in love with a soft, nerdy hero but consider me verryyyy wrong. Finn is the ultimate cinny roll boyfriend! & the twins?! So sweet & adorable & I absolutely turned to mush over their relationship with Finn & also Millie!

But as much as I adored Finn, Millie & the twins, I’ve gotta say it was the friendships that really had me swooning over this book. What an amazingly supportive group of friends! There was some serious “touch her & die” vibes that you don’t see very often in friendship groups - but it was THRIVING in this book & I ate.it.up.

There is absolutely nothing I don't love about this book. Highly recommend!

“Strength isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s a quiet power that isn’t so obvious to the world.”

READ IF YOU LIKE:
🦋 single guardian (to his twin nieces)
🦋 museum romance (she's an entomologist, he's an astronomer)
🦋 grumpy/sunshine
🦋hilarious family text messages
🦋dancing to Disney songs
🦋 found family
🦋 therapy rep

Thank you so much Jillian for the ARC to review!
Gives me butterflies lives up to its name by, you guessed it, giving me butterflies. It was such a sweet story and surprisingly spicy! I liked the academic setting and all the family night scenes with the girls!

Already looking forward to Theo (firefighter!!) and Fables story in book 2!

3.5 stars - A sweet and heartwarming STEM romance with a bit of spice and a lot of love. First off I just have to say, the natural history museum setting was perfect and I adored the fact that Millie is an etymologist. From page one it's clear that she's a warm and funny person, and her relationship with her family was so entertaining that I honestly wish we saw them a bit more (maybe in book two!). Pairing Millie with Finn's stoic character made for some great grumpy/sunshine moments, but I do feel like a bit more build up to the relationship would have been fun - the grumpy didn't last that long!

When it came to the more serious events in the novel, I felt like they were handled well and added both depth and emotion to the book. Millie and Finn each had something they were working through, and it was lovely to see them lean on one another and realize they didn't have to go through everything on their own. Overall this was an endearing story with some delightful characters and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to ARC read this book!!

First off, the book cover is absolutely GORGEOUS ARE YOU KIDDING ME. Then I saw that it was a STEM romance and I was like SIGN ME UP.

Okay so this book is exquisite. It’s cozy, it’s sweet, it’s cute. 🦋🌱🌌

Watching Finn and Millie grow together was just *swoons* beautiful.

I absolutely loved the pop culture references with Star Trek and Star Wars🥰 and I also LOVE board games so the board games rep was fun to read.

I wasn’t expecting to finish this book and have such a full heart with very wholesome feelings. I feel like I can’t accurately express how lovely it was to read this book. It has left me feeling warm and soft.

The spice was perfect and tied in well with the plot. The themes of grief and abuse was well written and made me connect so much more emotionally to the characters.

I recommend this read 10/10✨📚

Give Me Butterflies is a heartwarming workplace romance that beautifully weaves together the themes of found family, the grumpy x sunshine dynamic, and a sweet “he falls first” love story. The plot centers on Millie, an entomologist vying for a promotion at her museum, and Finn, the head of the astronomy department who also happens to be on the interview panel. As their paths keep crossing, Millie discovers that Finn's gruff exterior hides a man overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for his two nieces after his sister’s passing. What starts as a friendly connection quickly deepens, leaving Millie torn between her growing feelings and the complications of Finn being on the committee deciding her career future.

This book is simply delightful! Millie and Finn’s relationship blossoms in the most heartwarming way, built on mutual support, respect, and genuine care. Their dynamic feels refreshingly healthy, as they navigate both personal and romantic challenges with understanding and trust. I loved how Finn, initially appearing grumpy and distant, is revealed to be dealing with loneliness and grief. The story does a fantastic job of exploring Finn’s struggle with becoming a guardian to his nieces, while also diving into Millie’s anxiety and fear of losing herself after a difficult past relationship.

Jillian Meadows has done an incredible job with her debut novel. The character development, emotional depth, and tender romance completely exceeded my expectations. I’m eagerly looking forward to more from her in the future!

I love reading about women in STEM, so when I came across this book in NetGalley, I immediately requested it, so before any review, thank you NetGalley and Avon · Harper Voyager for this arc!

There are definitely things I like about this book, however the list of things I don’t like about it is much longer.

The things I liked:
The idea the author had for the book was interesting, a good one
The FMC is an entomology curator, which I’ve never her of in a book
Finn being his nieces guardian was great—I love a good single uncle situation.

Starting with the fact that I could not connect with either MC, it made reading the book a massive struggle.

One thing that drew me to request this was the single uncle aspect of the book, but this man was the most incompetent person I’ve ever read about. How can a man with a PhD not know how to cook pasta? You just have to read the instructions.

The idea for the plot was good, but I don’t believe it was well executed, specially when it’s marketed as a slow burn but the pace was fast. On top of that I fear the author incorporated too many thing and most of them got lost in the way, like they weren’t getting properly resolved.

I’m sorry to say this but why make the issues with Millie’s ex a big part of the plot, when the way it was resolved was underwhelming to say the least—let that man fucking suffer!

The issue with Finn’s parents bothered me too, simply because after enduring months of abuse from them after his sister died, he just one day decides—after they insulted Millie—that he’s had enough, as if the last eight months have not been enough for him and his nieces.

I always believe the victim, and I will always position myself with the victim, but why, my dear Millie, did you not fucking block your abuser? Specially when she kept complaining about him bombarding her with messages that clearly distressed her to the point of panic attacks.

A note- Is he Italian, like is there a part in the book where it’s mentioned whether he’s Italian or not? because it gave me the ick anytime he said something in Italian.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley. The ARC was given in exchange for an honest review

The premise of this book was absolutely adorable, and as a fan of STEM romances, I was excited to dive in. While there were some sweet moments, I found it hard to fully connect with the characters. The dialogue at times felt a bit stilted, and the story leaned more toward telling rather than showing. However, the concept itself was delightful, and I'm sure others may enjoy it more than I did.

*Give Me Butterflies* is a heartwarming romance set against the backdrop of a natural history museum, featuring Finn’s guardianship of his nieces. The book truly shines when Finn reveals his feelings for Millie, especially in the memorable cookie dough scene. Despite its charm, the novel has some issues. The pacing feels uneven, with Finn's sudden shift from grumpy to affectionate coming off as abrupt. The subplot involving Millie's ex-boyfriend feels unnecessary and wraps up too easily.

Millie, an endearing entomologist, is both attracted to and frustrated by Finn, the head of the astronomy department. Finn’s gruff exterior hides his grief and the challenges of single parenting, and his nieces help Millie see the caring man beneath. Their romance is sweet and relatable, though Finn sometimes seems almost too perfect. The story's slower pace might feel dragging, but the everyday details and text exchanges add richness.

The novel doesn’t feature major action or a strong antagonist, and while Finn’s parents and Millie’s ex are portrayed as excessively negative, the book excels in character development and overcoming toxic relationships. The ending provides a hopeful glimpse into their future without a typical third-act breakup.

If you appreciate detailed character growth and a slow-burn romance with some steam, *Give Me Butterflies* is worth reading. The upcoming book in the series will focus on Millie’s sister, Fable, and her best friend's brother, promising more romantic tension.