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.

4 stars

Loved the premise of a man looking for a surrogate to start his family and falling in love with her. This book is a fast read and a good time. Really enjoyed the family dynamics and hoping for Luke and Calder to have books too! Solid book by Amy daws!

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️😳this unusual take on the single dad trope (an intended single dad and his surrogate) was both sweet and super spicy-perfect for a quick, light read that still managed to tackle some difficult subject matter with care and humor. Trista and Wyatt’s story is part of a larger Fletcher Mountain Man interconnected series, and it was great to see the brotherly affection throughout the book knowing that future books will cover the other siblings. I loved the funny way to mark chapters/time (you’ll have to read it to see!) and found both main characters endearing. I’m grateful to The Hive for the chance to read this eARC (ebook out now as well as audio!) and have my eyes set on the paperback with the amazing sprayed edges!

I really enjoyed this book! Took me a bit to get into the surrogate aspect but I eventually fell in love with Trista and Wyatt. This was such a feel good book about found family. Definitely a must read. Can’t wait to read more from the series

This was a great contemporary read!


Tropes
Grumpy/Sunshine
Small Town Romance
Age Gap
Curvy FMC

A friend recommended Amy Daws to me awhile back and I am so glad it finally made its way up my TBR! This book had me cackling from page one. I wasn't sure what to expect from a surrogacy romance book, but this was 10x better than what I could have imagined! The animal count at the top of each chapter was gold. I want to go and run an animal rescue on the mountain with them all too! I'm obsessed with Fletcher Mountain. I cannot wait to read about Calder getting brought to his knees in the next book! Also Robyn, you are the worst. The End.

Thanks for a copy of this read from NetGalley, I'm now hooked on Everly's mountain men.

3 stars! 🌟 Huge thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing & NetGalley for the ARC! 💌

Okay, okay, so Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws was… interesting?? I’m all about grumpy-sunshine, small town vibes, and big family dynamics, but this one just didn’t hit all the sweet spots for me, and I’m honestly a little torn.

Let’s start with the basics: Wyatt is a grumpy mountain man looking for a surrogate. That’s where we get the whole surrogacy thing—and I’m gonna be real, this trope just isn’t my cup of tea. Like, props to the author for trying something fresh, but for me, the way it was handled (especially with that whole DIY insemination scene) felt a little too out there and a bit... icky.

And don’t even get me started on Trista, the curvy FMC. Listen, I get it, she’s independent, and I’m all for strong women. BUT, like, WHY does she keep calling herself a cow?!! 😩🤦‍♀️ That was such a major NOPE for me. I just wanted to shake her! Also, why was there so much focus on the "breeding kink” thing? Like, is that really what we’re calling it now? I could’ve done without those comments, tbh.

But here’s where I did enjoy myself: the family dynamic! Wyatt’s family is rowdy, hilarious, and honestly so freaking sweet. His niece, Everly, is a total gem and the real MVP of the story. Like, her matchmaking game is on point!! 🥰 She has this way of weaving love and laughter into everything, and I was here for it! Also, Wyatt’s grumpy exterior? Total softie for Trista once he gets to know her (I mean, come on, his pet goat loves her too!!). Their moments of awkwardness and banter made me chuckle more than I’d like to admit.

That being said, the romance took too long to develop. Like, it was slow. I’m talking snail pace, especially when it came to the push-pull between them. There were lots of moments where I just wanted them to get it together already. But I have to admit, by the end, I was like, okay, this was cute. The final chapters made it worth it for me—Trista finding her family with Wyatt and the gang was honestly really wholesome. 🤗

Trope overload (with some that definitely didn’t work for me):
🌲 Surrogacy
💕 Grumpy/Sunshine
🌲 Small Town Romance
💕 Age Gap (Wyatt is 38, Trista is 28)
🌲 Curvy FMC
💕 Slow Burn (SO slow, though!)
🌲 Rowdy Brothers
💕 Found Family

CW:
- Insecurities (Trista’s self-esteem issues)
- Breeding kink mentions (not my vibe)
- Lots of spicy scenes (skip-able if you’re not into that)

Overall, I’m giving it 3 stars because while the last bit of the book really got me in the feels, I just couldn’t vibe with a lot of the stuff earlier on. But if you're into small town romance with a dash of quirky family drama, you might enjoy it more than I did! ✨

Perfection all around!

I love an unorthodox pregnancy and this one starts with hilarious craigslist add posted by his joker of a brother. But the family's wacky style of being in each other's business will charm the pants off you! Wyatt wants to be a dad and takes a very bold step to work with a surrogate agency. But they just can't get past the fact that he isn't looking for a wife. His meddling family take fate in their own hands to find the perfect woman. Trista was rejected as a surrogate because of their BMI policy, but she's healthy, willing and best of all - not interested in being a mother.

Wyatt and Trista sign a contract and her self-starter attitude gets them over the line to conception. I was so curious how they were going to get through such an awkward situation. But Trista is such an amazing and unique personality, she really guides the scene and it was funny and exciting. And kicks off fantasies Wyatt definitely shouldn't be having about his professional surrogate.

I love how the author honored the seriousness of surrogacy before awarding the readers with a romance. I felt as smug as Wyatt's brothers as the two of them grow closer, test their boundaries and fall in lust. He masters that breeding fantasy. I really can't blame them when they're living in the magical setting of Wyatt's private mountainside, barn full of her rescue animals and conveniently renovated loft. She tries to resist his help and nurturing but who can withstand fresh croissants every morning! The pacing was perfect until Wyatt admits his feelings at the very end and she folds a lot faster than I expected. But it feels like the next book will pick up where we left off perfectly and I'm excited to continue.

Obsessed. 4.5 stars rounded up here!

Thank you Canary Street Press for the eARC of this one via NetGalley! These are my honest thoughts!

OKAY so I think I've read one other Amy Daws book before, but it was many years ago... and I'm here to tell you, I love this mountain men series and I'll be back for more Amy Daws!

The first thing that made me love this story was the cover.. but sometimes that's the best part of the story. That is NOT the case with this book!

Things I loved:
- Freaking Everly and her meddling
- The uncles taking Everly to a Taylor Swift concert
- Everly using Craigslist to try to find Wyatt a surrogate so he can start a family
- The chapter titles
- The.... transfer? LOL (iykyk)
- Trista being absolutely chaos, and Wyatt being absolutely quiet, and it WORKING for them
- ALL THE ANIMALS
- The eco-friendly and sustainability subplot
- The tension that builds throughout the nine month contract
- THE JEALOUSY and possessiveness and protectiveness - which heals something in Trista
- ALL the little acts of service that Wyatt does
- The baby kicks
- All the family shenanigans
- Found family

I'm SO excited for book two! This one is out March 18th!

Fun, feisty and full of animals. This is a broody/sunshine(ish), soon-to-be single dad romance. Trista's upbringing has left her with a lot of trauma. She's adamant about not having a relationship or starting a family, but needs money, so she decides to be a surrogate knowing she'll get the funds she needs while helping someone and won't have to face motherhood herself. Wyatt is determined to be a dad, yet after a devastating situation many years ago, left him not trusting someone with his heart. Like Trista, he has no desire to be in a relationship. He knew right away when he met her that she was the one to give him a baby. Little did he know, his invitation for her to stay on his property during the pregnancy not only included her, but a slew of animals. There are many hilarious moments. There are also several teary eyed moments. Both happy tears and sad tears. While this is a stand alone, it is a spin-off of another series so if you've read Last on the List, you will know some of the side characters. This is an easy to read, hard to put down book. It pulls at the heart strings (as I mentioned.) Over all it's a light hearted read, but there is some weight with the characters emotional/mental well being. There is some sexual contact, suitable for mature readers. Alternates between POVs.

*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.

I really liked the premise of this book. I did have a hard time connecting with Trista, however. She was not bad, but I couldn't connect with her issues. I enjoyed all of the other characters and will look for the next book in this series.

This was a cute little rom-com about a non traditional surrogate relationship that eventually blossoms into something more. Trista and Wyatt meet as Wyatt wants to become a single dad, but the traditional surrogacy route is proving difficult for him. Trista wants to surrogate for some additional cash, and runs into Wyatt's niece outside of the agency who sets up a meeting. I thought it was a little different to have a 3rd POV from the niece's viewpoint, but it did provide some additional insight into her motivations.

I wanted to like the FMC a little more but her internal monologue was so self-deprecating and she continually referred to herself as livestock and it was a little bit off-putting at times. She did resolve that by the end of the book which was nice to see. The MMC was a quiet, broody mountain man who is gruff on the outside but soft on the inside. He did many nice things for Trista and is a caretaker.

Overall a cute, 3.5 stars rounded up. Thank you Netgalley and Canary Street Press for the ARC!

DNF at 65%

There is nothing wrong with this book, it’s just simply not for me. The characters are a bit too much for me, but if you like reading about pregnancy and surrogacy you would like this!

I’m trying to be better at prioritizing books I enjoy, so I reached a point that I needed to stop.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a review copy of this book. All opinions my own!

Amy Daws' *Nine Month Contract* is a hilarious and heartwarming grumpy/sunshine romance that delivers all the feels. This audiobook, which I paired with a physical copy, was an absolute delight! Daws has crafted a story that's both laugh-out-loud funny and deeply emotional, making it a perfect pick for fans of Meghan Quinn and Tessa Bailey.

Wyatt, a grumpy mountain man, finds himself in need of a surrogate, and his meddling brothers take matters into their own hands by posting a rather unconventional "help wanted" ad. Enter Trista, a quirky and vibrant woman who answers the call. From the moment they meet, their chemistry is undeniable.

Trista is an absolute gem of a character. Her inner monologue is a riot, filled with relatable thoughts and hilarious observations. Her love for animals, which leads to a delightful menagerie at Wyatt's mountain home, adds another layer of charm to her personality. And her "I'm a cow" mantra? Pure comedic gold! I found myself laughing on nearly every page.

Wyatt, despite his gruff exterior, is a genuinely good guy who's trying to build a family. Their dynamic is perfect grumpy/sunshine, and their interactions are filled with witty banter and undeniable sexual tension. The pregnancy trope, which can sometimes feel overdone, is handled with sensitivity and humor. The relatable pregnancy symptoms and Trista's honest portrayal of the experience made it feel authentic and engaging.

The supporting characters, including Wyatt's meddling brothers and the various animals, add to the charm of the small-town setting. The romantic moments are both sweet and steamy, culminating in a truly satisfying resolution. The moment when Trista finally breaks down and Wyatt tells her to tear up the contract, leading to some amazing sex? Perfect!

*Nine Month Contract* is a feel-good romance that will leave you smiling long after you finish. Amy Daws has created a world filled with lovable characters and a story that's both funny and touching. Four glowing stars! I can't wait for the second book!

A single man in his late 30s really wants to have a baby, so his niece helps him find a woman to be his surrogate which leads to the two falling in love.

I had a lot I didn't like about this book. I found both Wyatt and Trista to be infuriating at times. In fact I won't lie, I almost DNFed this book multiple times. Wyatt saying the line "I don't like boundaries. Boundaries feel like secrets." was nearly the nail in the coffin. This man felt way too much like he liked to be in control and it was gross.

Trista came off annoying a lot but her pain actually felt more realistic to me because it had to do with having parents that didn't love or respect her. Wyatt's reasoning didn't really make sense and was never fully explained. A previous woman didn't excuse his actions.

What I found redeemable about this book was Wyatt's niece Everly. I liked her efforts to get Wyatt a surrogate and someone for him to fall in love with, she was sweet and interesting. I liked the relationship between her and her uncles. I also liked Wyatt's mother and how she wasn't overbearing. Same with Everly's step mom.

(Book provided to me for free by Harlequin and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)