*Thank you NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advanced copy of Nine Month Contract in exchange for a fair and honest review*
Where do I begin? I begin by shouting from the rooftops that I love, loved, LOVED this book! When the first line is "You f*cking f@ckers", I'm already hooded. lol! This book was unique, witty, and laugh out loud funny. While being absolutely hilarious, it covered some surprisingly deep topics. It was able to walk the line of remaining light-hearted and entertaining while simultaneously interspersing some heavy subjects like parental abandonment, toxic family relations, cycle breaking, sibling rivalry, body negativity, and surrogacy.
These characters were developed superbly. They seemed to jump right off the page—or rather, from real life into the pages of this story. The characters were all so relatable and lovable. I hope there are follow-up books because I am already dying to read books about Calder, Luke, Everly, etc.
While I, personally, do not have experience or much knowledge regarding surrogacy, I feel like this was represented appropriately. While I have noticed there was quite a bit of negativity in the way it was portrayed in the reviews, I did not have those feelings. I feel like this was just so REAL! I apologize to those that were offended and took it too seriously, but for me it was fine.
I am over the moon with the representation of a full-figure FMC! This book shed light on the not so pretty realities of being a bigger girl while still maintaining a positive spin. It was able to capture the very real insecurities and struggles of an atypical body type. I also loved the raw and truthful realities of... intimacy. Not just in relation to body size, but the ugly truths of reality! Such as shower sex! This was so factual about how it is a struggle for a bigger person in a small shower stall and for the first time ever, a book verbalized the truth of WATER MAKES A HORRIBLE LUBRICANT! Anyone who has attempted relations in a shower knows what I am talking about!!
And speaking of lube, let's talk peppers. This book was hot, hot, HOT! It is romance, so obviously there should be some spice. This delivered. So very spicy in the best of ways without being trashy or overboard. There was still plot and story to carry it, but plenty of spice to keep you hot and bothered.
Above all, this book made me laugh out loud more than any other I have read! I read lots of Lucy Score, Meghan Quinn, Pippa Grant, etc., however, none of them have made me laugh like Amy Daws did!

***POSSIBLE (mild) SPOILERS***



Just to give you a tease, these were a few of my favorites "I want him in my mouth, between my legs, and in my ass. Honestly, I would take him in my ears if it was a thing. It's not a thing...I've checked. I should probably speak with a therapist about those intrusive thoughts, too, because they are ten shades of f%cked up.", "All the fantasies I've had about this woman are finally coming to fruition, and I'm not going to let a little things like oxygen get in the way of enjoying myself", "LIfe has been handing me a sh!tload of lemons lately, and no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to find a way to make some freaking juice." And those are only a few of the many laugh out loud moments I found myself in.

In closing, I loved this book. I am so grateful to have received this ARC because it introduced me to Amy Daws. This is my first book of hers that I have read but I can guarantee it will not be my last! I have plans to devour her entire catalog after the good time I had reading this one!

This book checked a lot of boxes for me. It was an easy read and I really enjoyed it.

You have Wyatt, a grumpy mountain man who longs to be a dad but has some serious baggage when it comes to a past relationship that has left him feeling like he would rather be a single dad than try the traditional way so he decides to use a surrogate. His medaling niece decides it is her final job before she goes off to college to help him not only find his Mama Bear but also a chance at love. Enter Trista, a lighthearted and funny woman with past trauma of her own who loves animals of every kind and who needs the money Wyatt is offering to be a surrogate to open an animal rescue. They instantly hit it off and decided to give this surrogacy a shot while Trista stay on Wyatt's mountain with him.

While so many parts of this book were laugh about loud funny, especially the way Trista keeps bringing animals home with her and bulldozing poor Wyatt with them, there where parts that were truly emotional. Seeing the growth between Wyatt and Trista both together and as individuals was amazing. Wyatt knowing how to be loved and Trista struggling to except it was so sweet and I was here for every second of it.

Definitely will be recommending this to the rom-com girlies and if mountain men are like Wyatt and his brothers, sign me up!!! I will be reading the next books about his two brothers that share his mountain!!

You absolutely cannot go wrong with an Amy Daws book! Her stories are always such a page turning experience that just suck you in and make you feel like YOU.ARE. THERE. Seriously, I was cracking up throughout this entire book while shedding some tears as well. Trista is such a dynamic character, and you can't help but fall in love with her all while your heart breaks for her too. And Mountain Main - bless him for his patience and understanding. Everly is of course the family favorite, and I remember her dad's book.

These always feel like quick and easy reads for me, mostly because I just can't stop myself. The character development is perfect, and this is a unique story line I don't think I've seen elsewhere yet. Oh and don't forget there is plenty of spicy too! So if you want to be all up in your feels over fictional characters - grab this one ASAP!

ARC from NetGalley in exchange for review.

5/5 - I’m not sure I have the words. Amy Daws has done it again. Another one out of the ballpark. I always love her books. Can’t wait for more!

We follow a grumpy/sunshine relationship that consist of our "damaged but super lovable" surrogate, Trista, and our "hot anti-social lumberjack", Wyatt. After having no luck with the professionals in the field they happen to become acquainted and decide to"have a go" at this surrogacy thing with a private contract. This is where forced proximity will work obviously work it's magic.

There are things I think the author did well! Wyatt's family was so wonderful and supportive. I loved the small town picture she painted.

There were parts of this story that had me sighing and I feel they need to be acknowledged:
-The surrogacy angle felt icky. What in the "backwoods ideas" are we doing? Did we talk to real surrogates? Yes, right? Let's talk to some more.
-Her continued reference of her being "a cow". Not only are we using a deep level of inner fat shaming (she says men don't stick around because of her weight) but then compare ourself to a cow because we are a surrogate? Oof
-The backstory of Wyatt's trust issues...WHAT? How did we come up with this? Unwillingly sharing and then a pregnancy that turned out to be none of theirs. It didn't feel like it fit with the rest of the book, a wild card.

Ultimately this book wasn't really for me but hopefully the rest of the "Mountain Men" Books can bring a positive spin.

Amy Daws writes a sweet little grumpy lumberjack in Wyatt who is just looking to be a Dad, and traditional surrogacy doesn't seem to be the cards. Trista is strong and independent and a bit all over the place.

This is a slow burn, and I mean REAL slow. I loved how it all tied together, and Everly is the niece of Wyatt and the real MVP of the book. Cute and fun, and there are goats!

It's a small-town romance with a side of quirky drama.
Grumpy/Sunshine
SLOW burn
Rowdy family
Nosey niece
Found family

Nine Month Contract is a RomCom that had me laughing out loud. Wyatt wants a family, but he does not have a girlfriend or wife and is a recluse. He lives on a mountain with his brothers. Wyatt has not had any luck with the adoption agency he hired, so his niece Everly decides to help him by placing an ad for a surrogate. Trista answers the ad; she wants to use the money to open an animal sanctuary. Throw in a pet pig and all of the animals Trista brings to the farm and this book will leave you with warm fuzzy feels. It's not all smooth sailing, Wyatt and Trista have many challenges on the road to their happiness, but they are stronger for them in the end. While this is a stand-alone story it is best read after Last on the List about Wyatt's brother Max, Everly's father, and where we are introduced to the Fletcher family. I can't wait for the next book in this series. Thank you, Amy Daws, Canary Street Press, and NetGally for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. #NineMonthContract #NetGalley

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin trade for the opportunity to ARC read this book!

I flew though this book and had so much fun along the way. I think any book that begins with a prologue like this:

"Help Wanted: Grumpy Mountain Man seeks baby momma to grow his seed...
(cont.) Also, must be cool with brotherly neighbors...and no, that isn't code for Why Choose."

Is an automatic must-read for me because I'm already laughing on page one.

Trista and Wyatt are our MCs. Trista is an outspoken, plus-size woman who is turned away from a traditional surrogacy program but runs into Wyatt outside said facility. Wyatt is looking for one thing and one thing only: a surrogate so he can have a baby of his own.

This book had me laughing so often that a ranch cup won't ever look the same to me, nor will a child's Tylenol syringe. It also had spice, banter, and so many sweet moments. I love that Trista kept adding animals to the farm and Wyatt just went with it.

Romcoms are my jam, and I had so much fun with this one!

Tropes:
🤰 Surrogacy
🐐 Farm life
✨️ Forced Proximity
☀️ Grumpy × Sunshine

This book was one of the funniest books I have read in a long time. From puppy pee, to turkey basters Amy Daws had me Laughing out Loud one too many times.

Okay this quote is five stars for me:
<i>"You know..inseminate me like a cow. Turkey baster style. You can buy the kits on Amazon. The pull the semen up into the syringe and shoot it up my bajingo."

Everly the niece of Mountain Man Wyatt wants to find him a baby momma (who he thinks is going to pop him out a baby and leave) Everly has other ideas. And she is adorable. I love the whole family. Trista was amazing and honestly a little too hard on herself so many times. Her insecurities were a little annoying but not enough to annoy me because heck, having insecurities is normal.

I loved Wyatt and the whole family. I can't wait to enjoy the next book in the series.

Thank you Netgalley and Canary Street Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My ARC was provided by the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing via Netgalley. I loved this story, a re-read for me. Wyatt is a rugged recluse. He keeps to himself and loves his space as a grumpy mountain man. His niece is looking for a woman to be her uncle’s baby surrogate. Yet the man has more love to give than anyone and when Trista’s crazy enters his life, he definitely will never be the same. Trista is a tornado. 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. This family is pure perfection. I love how much they love and care for one another. They don’t care what the world has to say and they are fine with who they are.

The banter is fun, the hero is really grumpy with a whole lot of sexiness. And the surrogate theme is certainly a very dear subject for the author.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc.

Okay I guess I have to mark this as “finished” to review, but I ended up DNFing a little over half way.

I’ve heard such good things about this book so I’m beyond disappointed with it.
I don’t usually like pregnancy trope, but the premise sounded cute so I gave it a shot. The premise is cute, but the writing is awful and so cringey.
The cringe first stuck out to me when the first chapter from the nieces POV used the word “rizz” multiple times and then the excess use of the phrase “low key”. It was high key cringe.
Then, throughout the entire book, the FMC refers to her vagina as her “banjingo”. Sorry, but if you’re not mature enough to say “vagina” you’re not mature enough to bring a child into this world. Regardless of why you’re bringing said child into the world.
Why is it anytime there’s a plus sized FMC she’s a hot mess that can’t “adult”? That’s another thing that got to me. 🙄

Also, throughout the entire book (thus far) she is vehemently against being a mother, but I have a feeling she’s going to fall for Wyatt and then obviously they’re going to raise a child together. So that’s just annoying. Don’t make her so anti being a mother and then force her into motherhood 🤷🏼‍♀️

Anyway, obviously this book wasn’t for me so I will not be leaving a Star review on goodreads because I don’t think the rating deserves to be hurt because I personally didn’t like what, obviously, many others have liked.

This book was a fun and easy read. The notion of hiring a surrogate through unofficial channels is crazy by itself, but also having her live on your property? The chemistry between Wyatt and Trista must have been unreal to agree to all of that. I enjoyed the journey of Wyatt and Trista both opening themselves up to each other and those around them. The importance of family and community was a big point in this book. The only part I didn’t like was some specific slang and pop culture references that I’m not sure will age well. Overall, this book was equally sweet and spicy. Boy, was it spicy. The daydreams the characters would have were enough to cause a blush. I recommend this book to romance readers who enjoy books with a healthy dose of spice.

This was the first book by this author I have read. It was definitely an interesting and fun book to read. I will read the next two books when they are released. Thank you Netgalley for this arc.

I didn’t expect to fall in love with this book as much as I did, but I may be a little obsessed with the Fletchers now.

From the start, Trista was such a relatable and comforting character for me. Her journey of processing her childhood trauma throughout the book, both on her own and with a little help, was so lovely to see and made me cry more than once.

Wyatt is the most perfect mountain man and such a loveable character and an absolute sweetheart of a man. He is truly the blueprint for a loving and supportive partner, even with his craziness.

Chapter by chapter, each character wormed their way into my heart and I truly fell in love with each one. Their personalities and interpersonal interactions were so fleshed out and well done. They truly felt like a family.

The running tally of animals on the mountain at the beginning of each chapter was my favourite detail in this book, and I loved the ever-growing collection.

If Wyatt and Trista ever get a continuation to their story, I would read it in a heartbeat.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin trade publishing for this ARC!

Wyatt is ready to start a family, but has a hard time finding a surrogate, His niece Evelyn posts and ad advertising for one. good story

🔥 NINE MONTH CONTRACT by Amy Daws 🔥

💡 Wanted: One-night baby-making agreement… turns into so much more.

✅ Grumpy Mountain Man (who secretly has a heart of gold)
✅ Sunshine, Sassy, and Curvy FMC (with cowboy boots & a wild streak)
✅ Forced Proximity (because, of course, she moves in with him!)
✅ Small Town Shenanigans (including nosy, meddling brothers & a pet goat!)
✅ Surrogacy Agreement… Gone Off the Rails (Oops, they actually like each other?)

This was just supposed to be a baby contract.
✔️ No strings.
✔️ No feelings.
✔️ No actual baby-making (hello, science!).

But from the moment Trista storms into Ford’s life, she turns his carefully planned future upside down. The wild, untamed energy she brings is exactly what he was waiting for. Only problem? He’s falling for her.

🥵 Cue unexpected tension, undeniable chemistry, and a whole lot of slow-burn steam.

💬 “The second she walked in with those cowboy boots and that wicked smirk, I knew she was trouble. Trouble I wanted.”

🔥 If you LOVE:
✔️ Grumpy x Sunshine banter that will have you grinning like a fool
✔️ An age-gap romance packed with undeniable chemistry
✔️ A cinnamon roll hero wrapped in a grumpy mountain man exterior
✔️ Quirky small-town vibes & hilarious side characters
✔️ A swoony, steamy romance that will melt your heart (and your Kindle! 🔥)

… then NINE MONTH CONTRACT is an absolute MUST-READ.

📚 Tag your book bestie if you LIVE for a slow-burn, grumpy/sunshine rom-com that will have you laughing & swooning in equal measure! 💋🔥

#NineMonthContract #AmyDaws #GrumpySunshine #SmallTownRomance #AgeGapRomance #CurvyFMC #SurpriseFeelings #SlowBurn #SteamyRomance #ForcedProximity

Nine month contract was a 3 star read for me. I love a good grumpy+sunshine trope and add in the mountains it's easy picking but this book while good did leave somethings to be desired and left behind some personal icks as well.

Trista the curvy MFC is constantly referring herself to a cow and I understand she was trying to stay unattached and it plays into her size insecurity but it's grates on my nerves to read "I'm a cow" on a loop.

Wyatt the MMC is the typical broody Mountain man.
Who doesnt share what's his or information easily.
He's overbearing and ignores the request for space far too often.

What saved this book for me was Wyatt's family. I found myself wanting more of them and less of Wyatt and Trista story. They are so loving and open and protective and supportive of each other. It was fun to read. I hope the other books to come in the series includes more of Wyatt's family.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin trade publishing for this ARC.

This book had me kicking my feet giggling! It was hilarious. I LOVED the rom com aspects of this book so much! It truly was like a refreshing breath of fresh air to read this book. Especially after all the books I have been reading lately. This book was the perfect book to lift my spirits, and put me back together again! It is a great pallet cleanser book. I can not wait to read more by this author, and to add her books to my trophy shelves!

DNF’d at 31%. The writing style just wasn’t for me at all. I do like the overall concept though, and some of the dialogue was entertaining. I just didn’t really like the main characters that much if I’m being honest. I had higher hopes for them and plus size representation in a book.

This was such a fun rom com. I loved it from the first page with the humor, the grumpy mountain man (Wyatt), the family and all the animals. Trista was a strong FMC and always stood her ground and I love that she didn't put up with any BS.

The brothers had such a great relationship and I love how strong their relationship was with Everly, their niece.

The story is entertaining and there were was tender moments as well. I can't wait to read the next brother's story.

Thank you @htp_hive for a copy of this book.