Having the opportunity to dive into an early copy of Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws. (Thanks Netgalley/Harlequin) This upcoming Harlequin book explores surrogacy with a mountain man through the lens of a fiercely independent FMC. I found the story captivating, the intimate themes to be 🌶🌶🌶, and lots of needed family love. [[I too come from a family that was not very big on the emotional or physical love. Do you know how hard it is for me to depend on anyone but myself?]] This book was a quick read and the story was just downright adorable. I love that Trista brought all these animals and expanded Wyatt's life. I surely felt a connection to Trista. When she called herself a cow it didn't mean she was calling herself fat. I felt it reflected the surrogacy situation in a way that made sense to her. She works at a vet office. She put her body up for breeding, like a cow. I cried so hard for Trista at the end. She got her forever home and it hit me with all the feels. Acceptance of yourself is hard. Acceptance from another family is just as empowering. I will most likely be reading what else these Mountain Men brothers have going on in future reads! Thanks Amy Daws!

I was intrigued by the idea of a surrogate and a leading man as the driver of the of the relationship. I still really liked the idea and felt it could have been adorable. We meet two very unlikely people, Trista an animal lover seeking to earn some extra money to open her own rescue shelter and Wyatt a grumpy mountain man seeking the right woman to help him achieve his family dreams of becoming a dad. These two are brought together with a little family help and embark on an agreement to provide a baby in return for some life support. One rule these two agree on though, don't fall in love, this is just a contract. What ensues is crazy life on a farm with rescue animals, grumpy brothers, extra loving family, and a change in heart between a grumpy mountain man and a sweet spunky woman. There were just a few things for me that were a turn off. The spice for me, was a bit too much so if you love a good spicy read this may be a perfect read for you. The other part that was bit tough for me was Trista constantly calling herself "A Cow", for anyone with body image issues that was difficult to read, and she did it throughout the entire book.


Thank you Amy, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for my eBook. It was not expected for me to leave any positive reviews. These opinions are 100% my own.

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC of this story in exchange for my honest opinions ✨️

Nine Month Contract is seriously a one day read! I could NOT put this book down!

~ Grumpy meets Sunshine
~ Big Mountain Men
~ Hilarious and loving family

Oh and you can't forget the spice ❤️‍🔥🌶🌶🌶

Trisha has big dreams of opening her own pet rescue one day and meets Wyatt for the opertunity of a lifetime to make her dreams a reality. The job? Being his surrogate to make his dreams of becoming a single dad come true..

At first it seemed a little weird going into this trope but honestly I couldn't be more invested of what was going down.


The character development and pacing of this book was perfection. Wyatt's family was so welcoming I felt like I was there on the mountain with everyone. I could not stop laughing, aww-ing and crying. I seriously need follow ups for Luke and Calder now!

100% recommend and can't wait to purchase a physical copy for 💯

This is a soft DNF for me! While I really enjoyed the premise and the characters were compelling, I found the ultra-modern language to be disruptive and cheesy, and it made it impossible for me to continue reading. I’ve never read “rizz” in a book and it just took me out of the story completely.

I’ve been a fan of Amy Daws for a while, and this book is right up her alley. What starts as a forced proximity quickly turns friends to lovers. I really enjoyed the premise, the plot, and the the FMC Trista. Trista had me laughing and she was so relateable. The spice was the perfect amount of heat! I had a few issues with the MMC Wyatt, mostly his extreme protective and possessive nature. Overall, I couldn’t put Nine Month Contract down.

Nine Month Contract is a delightful rom-com that had me absolutely melting over grumpy mountain man Wyatt and wishing Trista, a true ray of sunshine, was one of my closest friends.

The unique and unconventional take on the single dad trope immediately pulled me in, but it was the combination of other beloved tropes and the spice 🌶🌶🌶🌶 that kept me engaged until the very end. I especially loved that the third-act breakup was "soft" and short-lived—just enough conflict before they realized how madly in love they were! Also, can we give Amy Daws a standing ovation for the inclusive representation of a curvy FMC?

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, it was just a perfect, cozy read and can’t wait to read more about the Fletcher brothers!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Amy Daws, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Canary Street Press for access to this ARC!

If Hallmark movies were slightly unhinged, had steamier scenes, and featured a plaid-wearing, grumpy-but-soft-on-the-inside mountain man, this would be it.

Our heroine? She’s got a plan. Our hero? He’s got…lumberjack energy and a contract that says they’re going to be playing house for the foreseeable future. And of course things get complicated (read: deliciously messy).

Final verdict: If you love romance tropes thrown into a blender and served up with banter, heart, and just enough chaos, this one’s for you. Pack your bags—we’re moving to a fictional small town, and we’re never coming back.

In the Nine Month Contract, we are introduced to an unconventional love story between an intended father and his surrogate. While I initially was intrigued to read more about this storyline, I have to admit that it fell a little flat for me. The intended father seemed overly possessive and explosively angry in an unbecoming way and the surrogate spent a significant portion of the story fighting off his advances until it appears she simply relented. The language that the surrogate used to refer to herself throughout as just being a 'cow' and to be 'bred' just made me uncomfortable at times.

Love this! This was my first book by this author but i was hooked! Read it in one night and am certainly going to be feeling the lack of sleep tomorrow! I loved the characters. I laughed, i teared up, and i got butterflies :) Recommend!

Really loved this book. I devoured this book in less than 24 hours. Such a fun/sweet/funny read. I didn’t know how I would feel about the pregnancy/surrogacy trope but it was done well and I just loved the characters. I just adored Wyatt. Oh and there’s lots of pets! Definitely recommend

Prospective single father looking into surrogacy & a fierce curvy woman looking to use financial gain from being a surrogate to fund her dreams. What could possibly go wrong? Or what could possibly go so right?
She loves animals, he lives on a mountain, so what better place to bring all her furry friends that are in need of help. Wyatt’s family is an absolute riot and it makes this read a fun time.

Dnf’ed at 20%. Not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a spicy read with a found family element. However I feel like the storyline was a bit lacking. I wish it had been explored more in depth. Trista and Wyatt had lots of chemistry but when it came to Trista and Wyatt's back story and reasons for their relationship issues it was brushed over quickly. It wasn't very comedic, it was more on the romantic side of the rom-com.

Such a fun read! I've never read a rom com with a surrogacy plotline before, so it was an interesting premise from the start. I know that this isn't how surrogacy actually works and I suspended my disbelief, but I see how some others who left negative reviews weren't able to do so and didn't like this portrayal of surrogacy. No matter what, it's a fun grumpy sunshine novel and I loved the family that Trista found on the mountain, along with all of the animals she gave a home to.

What a funny cute novel!

Every other Amy Dawes novel that I've picked up, I have enjoyed, and this was no different!
I've been reading a lot of pregnancy trope book recently and dare I say I'm starting to enjoy this trope? Jury is still out.

This was laugh out loud funny at times and heartwarming at others.
I love a grumpy x sunshine, and this delivered. When the grumpy MMC turns out to have a heart of gold? Even better.

I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for the next book in the series!

Addressing the surrogacy plot and other negative reviews:
I can see how this book may offend some or find it inappropriate regarding the surrogacy plot line.
I personally have a medical background and understand, yes that is not how real life works, but this is a book. And while how they went about the surrogacy is not typical, technically, anyone can start a family that way, and it is not illegal. *shrugs* it did not bother me, unlike some other reviewers.

Thank you to NetGalley, The Hive, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC.

Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws is a hilarious and heartwarming romantic comedy that grabs you from page one. With her trademark blend of humor and charm, Daws delivers a story that's both funny and touching.

The plot starts with a comedic twist and keeps you entertained throughout. The protagonists' quirky relationship is full of laughs and tender moments, making it a joy to read.

Daws' writing style is light-hearted and engaging, with humor that keeps you smiling. Her characters, especially the "cinnamon roll" MMC, are sweet, caring, and completely endearing.

This book had me laughing out loud and swooning over the characters. Daws has a talent for creating chemistry and infusing humor into every scene.

It's a perfect blend of humor and romance, guaranteed to leave you smiling. Highly recommended for a feel-good, laugh-out-loud read.

Let me start by saying that pregnancy trope is usually NOT my thing. But I saw this adorable cover, saw this gorgeous plus size girlie (who doesn’t like seeing themselves reflected in the books they read) and simply had to read it. Not only did I love it, BUT THERE WAS A GOAT! I’m obviously still not over the excitement of Millie the Goat! Also a possessive hot “lumberjack”! YES please!

Another thing about this book is that it’s not a typical pregnancy storyline but rather a surrogacy one. I know that might be triggering for some folks so just putting it out there.

Wyatt, Mountain Man #1, decided he wants to be a dad without the complications of a relationship. Except finding the right surrogate isn’t all that simple. His niece Everly takes the matters in her own hands with some ulterior (matching) motives. Wyatt lives on a mountain in a self-sustainable cabin he built himself, he chops wood and has a goat named Millie! (You’re already ready to grab this one aren’t you?) Enter wild, unpredictable Trista and her love for ALL animals…

I inhaled this one! My only “complaint” is that I don’t already have book 2 in my hands 😂 I enjoyed both the romance AND the spice but most of all I enjoyed Trista’s humor (thank you, it’s all the trauma). She absolutely cracked me up. I can’t wait to read more about Wyatt’s brothers, I’m fully committed to this series no matter what tropes it brings. (Book 2 definitely sounds like enemies to lovers)

Please note that this one is being released next month in gorgeous sprayed edges! In my opinion definitely worth a pre-order.

Thank you Canary Street Press & HTP for my ARC! This one was a perfect February read 💕

From the very beginning this book had a choke hold on me. It was funny, but it gave depth. I love a good mountain man story and this book did not disappoint. Trista and Wyatt were so intoxicating. I finished this book in one sitting. You not only fall in love with Trista and Wyatt but you fall in love with Wyatt's whole family. I can't wait for the next book in this series. Amy Daws did an amazing job.

I was really intrigued by the premise since I’ve never read a surrogacy romance before. I do think the subject-matter is a bit too intense for a rom com, but I decided to give this the benefit of the doubt and suspend my disbelief for a bit.

I know there is an audience out there for this, unfortunately it’s just not me. Wyatt is a super grumpy and possessive reclusive mountain man that I really think a lot of people will love. Our FMC, Trista, is a bit of a hot mess, but definitely has a huge heart as shown by her love of animals and general disposition. This is supposed to be fun, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity rom com, and not to be taken too seriously, but the humor was not for me. I couldn’t get over the way Trista and Wyatt talked to each other and especially her inner monologue. She erred on the side of insufferable in the quirky spectrum, and Wyatt just seemed really overbearing. It was sweet how much he cared but he should have just met her where she was at. I also feel like it was rude of her to bring so many animals to the mountain and all the other hijinks. I know it was supposed to be all in good fun and show how much he couldn’t resist her, just wanted to make her happy, blah blah blah, but i didn’t like it. Their chemistry was really lacking, and didn’t seem to really extend beyond the physical, There’s also the issue of Wyatt’s brothers and his niece, Everly, who they all really adore. None of them were necessarily bad characters, I just didn’t understand why Everly had her own POV chapters and it really turned me off in the beginning. As someone who normally loves series about brothers, Calder and Luke didn’t stand out to me or feel like super compelling characters that would make me want to try the future installments.

So yeah, all in all I give props to the author for trying something new, but I also think this would have worked fine as a surprise pregnancy trope.

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Loved this story of a grumpy mountain man’s niece playing matchmaker while looking for a woman to be her uncle’s baby surrogate. Add in an animal shelter for lots of random farm animals and suddenly I couldn’t put it down. Both characters have some painful issues from the past and the only thing that would have tipped it over the edge to 5 stars would be if those were more fully explored in a vulnerable way in the story, allowing us to better connect to the characters.