Wyatt Fletcher wants nothing more than to be a dad, but he doesn’t want a relationship. He’s got his heart set on finding a surrogate and being a single dad after swearing off of romance after a disastrous broken heart. Trista is the thirteenth potential surrogate he interviews, and she’s honest from the start that she’s interested in the gig for the hefty payday. Trista dreams of opening an animal sanctuary but she needs the funds for it. When they sign a contract and Trista moves to Wyatt’s mountain home, they’re both unprepared for the reality of their situation.

Nine Month Contract is book one in a new series by Amy Daws, Mountain Men Matchmaker. It’s also her first series to be traditionally published! I’ve read most of Amy’s backlist and am so excited to see her getting broader exposure. (Side note: please, I beg of you: read the Harris Brothers)

This was super fun! I loved the unique set-up and the immediate chemistry between Wyatt and Trista. There’s just something about a super grumpy burly mountain man hero that I love. Trista had so much sparkle and resilience that it was impossible not to love her too!

I highly recommend this one, especially if you love:
🐐 Goat daddy loner mountain men
🤰🏻 Ambitious, no-nonsense curvy heroines
🐐Charmingly meddlesome families
🤰🏻 Small town shenanigans
🐐 So many farm animals
🤰🏻 Surrogate x baby daddy dynamics

This book was soo deliciously good! I love a spicy romance and this book truly served. Amy Dawes is an OG in this space for a reason!

This book was so much fun! Trista and Wyatt's surrogacy journey is so fun! Throw in a meddling niece, mountain man brothers, and a constant stream of animals arriving on the farm, shenanigans are abound!

So I read the Wait in line series and was excited for this continuation. I really enjoyed seeing some of the past characters and this book was funny. Looking forward to the next one.

Thanks to Canary Street Press for my advanced copy of Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws. This is book one in the Mountain Men Matchmaker series.

This book was different than what I usually read with a surrogacy pregnancy aspect. I did like the small town romance and this book reminded me a little bit of a Tessa Bailey.

It was fun to read, but not sure I want to read surrogacy romance in the future. I do want to read more in the series because I liked the brothers.

I am a sucker for a accidental pregnancy/single parent trope and this novel was such a fun spin on those tropes as it is a intentional pregnancy so the MMC can be a single parent.

Wyatt has always wanted children, but after being burned in the past by partners, he decides to take matters into his own hands and look for a surrogate. When no one at the surrogate agency meets his qualifications, he starts to doubt that he’ll be able to make his dreams come true. Then in comes Trista, wild, outspoken, and maybe a bit too into animals. The two strike up a deal that would be beneficial to all…. But maybe they’re both looking for a little more than originally thought.

I thought this book was so fun as Wyatt and Trista are very confident people and their interactions continuously prove that they have met their match. While there were points that Wyatt felt a little too controlling/obsessive for me, I do believe that the author did a great job explaining how his past experiences have shaped them. I also loved the animal trackers throughout the book as Trista continued to bring home new friends.

I would recommend this to fans of brooding MMCs, headstrong FMCs, and readers who enjoy a little spice.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC for review consideration!

This book is about Wyatt. He does not desire to be married or have a girlfriend, but he does desire to be a father and is on the hunt for a surrogate. Trista is looking for money to build an animal rescue so she fits the bill of a surrogate perfectly and she can house her animals at Wyatt’s barn. There were some things I liked about this book and lots I didn’t like. I did like the brothers in the book. They are hilarious. In fact, Wyatt’s entire family dynamic is amazing. They are supportive, funny, and dynamic characters. I also enjoyed the animals that are being fostered. They all have interesting personalities and become hilarious secondary characters. What I don’t enjoy….the first five chapters read as though I’m missing something. It was like there was another book before this in the series and I missed already existing storylines and dynamics be tween character. However, this is the first book in the series so it was very confusing. I got the ick during the pregnancy process. They didn’t want to be intimate to become pregnant but than had no issues as soon as she was pregnant. It didn’t make any sense. I also disliked the constant fat phobia. The female main character makes it known that she is plus sized but embraces it, yet in the same sentence calls herself a cow. She calls herself a cow repeatedly and it completely put me off the book and felt super toxic. However, if you like the pregnancy trope, found family, and a possessive male main character, then give this a read.

Spicy, Hilarious, and Full of Heart!

Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws is an absolute delight! It takes the grumpy/sunshine trope to new heights with a rugged, no-nonsense mountain man and a fiery, independent heroine who instantly steals the show (and his heart). Trista is everything you’d want in a leading lady—bold, funny, and impossible not to root for. And Wyatt? Well, let’s just say his growly exterior hides a whole lot of swoon-worthy depth.

The banter is sharp, the chemistry is off the charts, and the small-town setting (complete with nosy brothers and a scene-stealing pet goat) adds so much charm. It’s the perfect mix of steamy romance and laugh-out-loud moments, making it impossible to put down. If you love Meghan Quinn or Tessa Bailey, you need this book on your shelf.

Slight spoilers ahead, read with cation!

I had seen this book online and thought I was an intriguing idea for a romance novel. Usually the serious topic of surrogacy isn’t seen in the genre, at least to my little, but growing knowledge of the genre. My interest was piqued, and I requested it on NetGalley. Thankfully they allowed me to read it before it comes out soon this month.

The author, Amy Daws, puts a disclaimer at the beginning of the book, which is always lovely. In the book world we like to give warnings and care about others feelings. It was nice to see her mention that it is a touchy subject that is serious and needed to be taken seriously even though we read books to escape. At least I do…

This book follows different points of view. You see the main protagonists Wyatt Fletcher and Trista Matthews. The loveable and energetic niece’s perspective pops up, but I swear it’s necessary. The main trope of grumpy and sunshine is definitely seen throughout the story. When I first started the book, I was instantly finding it hilarious. It could be the three brothers that live on a mountain a la Seven Brides for Seven Brothers* that are constantly getting on each other’s nerves and jabbing each other, but I love it.

Without giving too much away you will see the characters go from just doing a business transaction to falling in love. It’s all about the journey getting there though. The reader sees the good and the bad with these dynamic characters. It’s a romance novel, so it’s going to do what a romance novel does, while also showing the growth within the characters themselves. Slightly spoiling it Trista learns to accept love and care from someone whom she normally would push away, and Wyatt learns to lessen his giving. Mainly a big spoiler is that the Fletcher family loves to give and does so without anyone asking. Backstories are very important in this story. When one learns to let go of his or her past hurt then he or she can move on.

I loved this book! The characters were funny and well developed. The side characters were funny as well. The story felt realistic and natural. The references to Real Housewives of Salt Lake City had me dying as did the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers* too. I thought of that musical while reading one of the first couple of pages of the book. Though proceed with caution if you decide to watch the musical…its problematic and outdated. In general I loved this book. I started rereading it after I finished it since it was so good. I highly recommend this book and hope there is more to come from the Fletcher family.

* The musical is highly problematic and very outdated*

This book was absolutely amazing. I couldn’t get enough of the Fletcher men. This story and characters were absolutely amazing. My emotions were all over the place. I was so rooting for Wyatt and Trista. Their connection was absolutely off the charts. Definitely can’t wait for more Fletcher brothers.

💚Nine Month Contract💚
By Amy Daws

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- Review posted to Goodreads, BookBub, and TheStoryGraph on 3/11/25
- Review to be posted to Instagram, Amazon, and IG on release date of 3/18/25

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“But the more she invades my space, the more she invades my thoughts. It’s becoming a problem.”
🤭🤭

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The second I read the blurb of this one, I knew I had to get my hands on Amy Daws’ upcoming rerelease. Obvi I’m a huge fan of all things pregnancy, but a witty, spicy tale of surrogacy for the giant grump of a mountain man? Giiiirl, say less! GIMME!

Nine Month Contract had me actually laughing out loud on several occasions. Stuffed to the brim with playful banter and hilariously relatable moments, even the chapter headers were amusing and had me giggling the further along I read. I don’t typically reach for books with big romcom vibes, but this was straight up fun!

Humorous bits aside, I found the message of learning to lean on others and accepting unconditional love and care to be a real treat. I related so much to Trista in this sense, when you feel like even the kindest of gestures must surely come at a price, so why not just deny all help and take care of yourself instead? Holy moly have I been there and back! Watching her grow with the reassurance of her seemingly prickly safe haven of a partner, Wyatt, had my heart positively melting.

Now fair warning- Trista refers to herself as a cow many times throughout her pregnancy journey. I can certainly see how that could read as rather off-putting to some, especially given that our FMC is a badass curvy gal, but I personally found it insanely relatable. Seriously, I called myself the very same more times than I could ever count back in my baby-making days 😂

Overall, I quite liked this take on a grumpy/sunshine surrogacy story. The pace was nice and the character growth was satisfying. I very much look forward to checking out Amy’s other work!

Why you’ll love Nine Month Contract
💚 Small Town Romance
💚 Dual POV
💚 Surrogacy
💚 Grumpy/Sunshine
💚 Curvy FMC
💚 Age Gap
💚 Found Family
💚 A Small Army Adorable of Animals

Big thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press and NetGalley for the early copy! These are my honest thoughts 🤗

If you're in the mood for something fun, quirky, and full of chemistry, Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws is a must-read. It's about a grumpy mountain man named Levi who needs a surrogate to help him become a single dad. His brothers, in their usual way, post a ridiculous ad to find the perfect woman for the job—only for Trista to walk into his life.

Trista is wild, opinionated, and wears cowboy boots—basically everything Levi never knew he wanted. Even his pet goat loves her, which is saying something. As they start their unusual journey together, trying to make a baby under some very awkward circumstances, Levi realizes he wants more than just a surrogate.

It’s funny, sweet, and packed with steamy moments. If you enjoy a story where opposites attract and emotions run high, Nine Month Contract will keep you hooked from start to finish!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing!Overall I really enjoyed this. It brought out so many emotions and I found myself laughing and crying at times. However there are situations that I do not have experience in and do not know how other people will react. It reminded me of a rom com from years back that is just silly and you take it for surface value.

Grumpy, mountain-man Wyatt is ready to become a father, but finding a surrogate for a single father is proving more challenging than he expected. That is until feisty, determined Trista enters his life. She’s saving money to open an animal sanctuary and has ZERO interest in becoming a parent. It seems like the perfect “get in and get out” contract until sparks start to fly.

This SPICY rom-com hit the spot. Trista and Wyatt are both deeply flawed, yet utterly likable, and the surrounding cast of characters from mischievous nieces and neighborly brothers to a full barnyard of quirky animals will keep you rooting for a happy ending. I’ll be looking forward to the upcoming Mountain Man Matchmaker stories.

Hunky mountain man seeking a surrogate to be a single dad. I got the opportunity to review and really liked it. I love the relationship between them and all their animals. lol It’s a really cute book and there was a part I was sniffling at.

Do you like grumpy Mountain Men? Are you looking for a book with a plus size FMC? Well, this is the book for you! Wyatt and Trista's relationship didn't start off in the most conventional of ways, surrogacy by Tylenol syringe, yuck. But man did they fall in love hard and fast, and I was HERE FOR IT. The overprotectiveness that Wyatt portrayed could be really frustrating at times, but in the grand scheme of things it was also very sweet. I loved that no matter how many animals Trista brought to the farm, Wyatt just couldn't seem to say no to her. I would have loved for the books to show more of the second half of the pregnancy but I'm still happy with how the story worked out.

This was my first introduction to Amy Daws, and I have to say that she'll be one of my go to reads from now on. I'm obsessed with her writing style and the fact that she's not afraid to write a Plus Size FMC is all the better! I can't wait to read the next book!

If you have a chance to pick this book up, I highly recommend it.

You will also be able to find my review by 13 March 2025 on my TikTok @Katieslitlounge

this was so delightful. the wit and sarcasm was top tier. this family is so full of love they don't know what to do with it. can the Fletcher family adopt me?

Nine Month Contract is a charming and steamy small-town romance that hits all the right notes for fans of grumpy/sunshine dynamics. The story is fun, witty, and packed with chemistry as the protagonist, a gruff mountain man, unexpectedly falls for his surrogate, Trista, a wild, opinionated woman who’s perfect for him in every way. The humor and quirky moments with the hero’s brothers and pet goat add an enjoyable touch, while the tension between the leads grows in unexpected and steamy ways. The pacing is quick, and the romance is sweet, making it an enjoyable read for anyone looking for a lighthearted and spicy story with heart.

interesting book about the fletcher men on the mountain and the one who wants a baby .his niece ends setting him up with a surrogate and they eventually fall in love. But there was some past trauma with all of the men sleeping with one woman. Loved the brothers

I can truly see why people would like this book, Wyatt really wanted a kid and that’s what he got… This book was a soft DNF for me. I just don’t think I was the target audience and that’s okay.