This book was sweet. I was given the updated version of the Audiobook from NetGalley. I was not paid for my review.

I enjoyed this story. It was well written but unfortunately it did not give me butterflies. I did not feel connected to the characters like I LOVE to feel when I read a book. It was sweet and the narrators did a wonderful job. I just don’t think this book was for me.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for this arc!

THIS is what a rom-com should be. Emphasis on the com. There were so many fun scenes with references to fandoms that made me giggle out loud. I love when I can connect to a story through other stories I already love. This felt so cozy and easy to get lost in.

Finn and Millie were the cutest little nerds to fall in love with. All of the friends/family/co-workers were also nicely written. I'm so glad this is the first in a series, becuase I need more of these characters asap.

Fans of early Ali Hazelwood will definitely love!

4.75 ⭐

Thanks Netgalley for this audiobook!

I physically read this book back in 2023 and really enjoyed it. I was excited to see that it was getting a audio book and not to mention one of my favourite narrators was on it! Jason Clarke can do no wrong in my eyes!

This book was everything I remember it to be. Witty, Cute, Sweet, Emotional and with the perfect amount of spice. I really love that this is about two people who work in a museum. Its just different from the small town or sports romances that are so popular right now. Reading it is like a breath of fresh air. Not overly complicated plot but it pulls at your heartstrings. From the beginning you hope that the main characters just find their happy.

Great narration and great story! I recommend giving this one a listen. I also love Jillian's Christmas book "Wreck My Plans" which kind of a follow-up to this one and is her BFF Lena's story!

I love a good Stem Romance! This was definitely a cute premise and loved the characters and interactions. I think where this story was lacking was it felt a bit "stereotyped nerd" at times. I still really enjoyed. I can't wait to read the next book!

Audio.

Really good romance novel. I like the depth of the characters and their backstories. While there was a lot of steam, I didn’t feel like it took over the novel. The development of the characters and their honesty with each other made me want to keep reading.

The narration by Jason Clarke and Victoria Connolly is amazing. Their voices perfectly capture the characters and I love the dual narration.

This one wasn't for me. There was certainly potential for the characters to be interesting and their dynamic to be convincing, but sadly I found neither to work for me. I know better than to demand realism from my romcoms, but I felt the 'feud' between Millie and Finn could have been better fleshed out, or lasted a little longer. As is, their changes of heart about each other don't really feel earned.
A bright spot of this novel was Millie's family group chat, and I am glad this is part of a series that will likely include more of that.
The narrators were both extremely capable, but like other reviewers, found Finn's voice actor to be mismatched to the character. The narrator sounds like Nick Offerman (of the famously sonorous voice!), which really felt at odds with the kind of fastidious nerd (for lack of a better word) Finn was meant to be.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the chance to hear and review this audiobook in advance of its publication!

This book was compared to an Ali Hazelwood book, but I would say that's pretty far off. the only similarity is that the FMC works in STEM but her work is not a central focus of the plot.

The actual focus of the plot though, was great. The characters are flawed and funny and have great chemistry. I was rooting for them and the adorable girls the whole time!

also, this book was spic! don't be fooled by the cute cartoon cover.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this advanced copy of the audiobook.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me and ultimately I decided not to continue after the 50% mark.
There were a handful of things in the story that didn't work for me, but since I didn't finish, I will not be providing any further comments. (Please note that my rating is only for the first half of the book, as I cannot submit a review without it).

However, if I could make a small suggestion, that is to always double check if the voice actors match the vibes of the book? I'm not saying they're not good, because they both are very talented actors, but the intensity of the male voice wasn't a great fit for the fluffiness of this romcom in my opinion, and was probably more suited for fantasy, sci-fi or even dark romance.

✨ ARC Review✨

Rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this book! It was a fun and interesting read. I loved Millie and Finn! The little girls were so perfect :)

Thank you to Netgalley for a free audiobook version.

I loved this book. It had a lot of romance and humor. I literally laughed out loud with the family group texts. That was definitely my favorite part of the book. The main characters were also very likeable. I would definitely recommend this book.

Although the pacing of this book in the beginning threw me off, I quickly began to see how the story truly focused on these two characters overcoming their past and traumas, together as opposed to them coming together. And I really enjoyed the journey it took me on!

I'm VERY glad I was able to listen to the audiobook vs reading a physical copy as I think the narrators did a stellar job in conveying the exact emotions of each scene.

Give me Butterflies is an absolutely adorable STEM romance book! Thank you NetGallery for access to this audiobook. It gave me definite Ali Hazelwood vibes with the STEM theme, but had a fresh and different writing style.

It was about an uncle who just took in his two nieces after their mom passed away. He had to go from being fun uncle, to man who is coping with his own challenges while trying to bring up two adorable little girls! Meanwhile he meets a woman and sparks fly… but she is off limits for work! Or so they originally thought!

Throughout the story you go through the roller coaster with the couple experiencing challenges with family, prior relationships, work promotion, and their own romance. There is a solid banter and spice through the text. I also like how it is a little women’s empowerment working in STEM.

I highly recommend this audiobook. Well read and great story!

I really enjoyed this book! While I wasn’t a big fan of how the author writes smut, I commend her for writing a story about a man who takes in his nieces and puts them above everyone else. I also really liked Millie’s family dynamic & the lack of a third-act breakup. I fucking hate those haha. mostly, I'm excited for Fable’s story! I can already feel the tension.

I had such a fun time reading this book! I love a good grump x sunshine, workplace romance.

Millie was interviewing for her dream job. Mr. Grumpy Pants, Finn, was a part of the hiring committee. I loved following the development of their relationship. This might not be a popular opinion, but I enjoyed reading about the children in the story and their role in the relationship of Finn and Millie.

I loved the narrators, Jason Clarke and Victoria Connolly, who did a wonderful job! I did an immersive reading, and it was the way to go because I was able to hear Jason's voice.

🎧 Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 (3.5 rounded to 4 stars)
🌶️🌶️/5

I really wanted to love this book, and while there were definitely parts that I enjoyed, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. First off, the family relationships and dynamic were great. The way the characters supported each other felt so real, and I loved that. The romance was sweet, albeit a little on the mushy side for my taste. It was cute, but the grumpy-to-sweet transition felt a little rushed, and I could have done with more of the initial tension. The “grumpy” part lasted all of five minutes, and then it was just straight-up sweetness.

However, despite the steamy moments, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the whole book was a bit anticlimactic. The big obstacle to their romance is removed so easily that the drive of the story sort of fizzled once that was done. There are emotional layers later on, but I just wasn’t as invested as I wanted to be. It felt like there were too many elements packed into the plot, and some of the important ones, like the STEM aspects, were really glossed over. A few random butterfly and constellation facts didn’t do it for me when I was hoping for more depth.

Finn’s character was probably the hardest for me to get a grip on. He went from being this huge grump to suddenly the sweetest guy, and I didn’t really feel like I got the “why” behind it. I was definitely into the sweet moments, though, especially his relationship with his nieces—it gave such a great sense of found family, and I loved that.

There were a couple of things that just didn’t quite land for me—like the whole hiring process at the museum. I didn’t fully buy into it. Also, the “villains” were a bit much. But, no third-act breakup, so that was a plus.

Overall, this book wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t quite for me. It felt a little jumpy and lacked the deeper connections I was hoping for. It’s not a book I’ll be thinking about long after finishing it, but I do see a lot of potential in the author’s writing. I’ll be curious to see what’s next from her!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I adored this book! I read this one because I was in the mood for something sweet for Valentine’s Day. I got sweet, but I got spicy too… and I loved every minute of it!! This book was so sweet and fun, but had some more serious topics discussed too. There was so much I adored about it, but Millie's family group text messages were definitely one of my favorites! The banter between them was also fantastic! Once I picked this book up I couldn’t put it down. I look forward to reading more by this author.

I recommend this for all romance readers, but especially if you like:
*Women in STEM
*Grumpy/Sunshine
*Fun Banter
*Workplace Romance
*Single Guardian
*Dual POV
*Spice

Jillian Meadows captivated me with these characters! The story was cozy and delightful. The conflict between the main characters was not as deep or drawn out as many romance books; I considered this both good and bad. I appreciated being along for the ride with this lovely story but at the same time would have been happy to have a little more of the "will they / won't they" arc.

The characters are lovable and the writing was cohesive. The male narrator on the audio had an intense and firm tone at times; almost making the MMC sound possessive when I didn't think that was necessary. Just a minor thing though!

After all, we're all here for the dorky science nerd who turns feral in the bedroom ;)

Full disclosure: I received this book via Audio but ended up purchasing the Kindle edition. The narrator for Finn just wasn’t doing it for me.

That being said… once I switched formats I really did enjoy this book! Finn and Millie’s story was the perfect balance of finding eachother yet still having outside forces to reckon with and problems to solve. I love a good romance book with side plots.

Give Me Butterflies Millie is an entomologist interviewing for a department director position at the museum where she works. Finn happens to be an astronomer working in the same museum as Millie. After the death of his sister, Finn gains custody of his two twin nieces. Finn is on the museum's hiring committee. Millie and Finn get off on the wrong foot. When Millie accidentally bumped into Finn's car. After that incident, Millie just thought of Finn as a very unfriendly and stoic person.

However, her opinion of him changes when she sees him interacting with his nieces at the museum. The children let it slip that Finn is a terrible cook. Millie's best friend happens to be there when this happens and volunteers to teach Millie how to cook.

Millie and Finn grow very attracted to each other, but both are nervous about taking the next step because they have hangups from past relationships. When Finn decides Millie is the one for him, he patiently waits for her. Millie lost her confidence because of a verbally abusive ex-boyfriend.
I love that he patiently waited for Millie to have a relationship with him and helped her regain her confidence. The tension in this book was off the charts. I gave it five stars. Trigger warnings for the death of a loved one. Verbally abusive ex-boyfriend, who is still in the picture. Neglectful parents.
Updated: I first read Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows when it was published independently. I had the pleasure of listening to the Audiobook from NetGalley. The narrators, Jason Clark and Victoria Connolly expressed Millie and Finn's emotions. I enjoyed re-reading this book on audio.

5 stars
Audiobook review

Ahhh, I loved this story! I was supposed to listen to at least 5 chapters and call it a night but I just had to keep going until I had to get some sleep lol.

I loved the chemistry, banter, and respect between the main characters. I loved how these two opposites were able to become colleagues to friends to lovers. The little girls were so cute too!

I appreciated that the author represented mental health and addressed toxic traits/relationships.

The narrators for this story were great voices to bring to life these two main characters.