This is a fun light rom-com great for a beach read ! I love that the main characters are in their 40s but they felt a bit younger in the writing especially Celeste. The book deals with divorce, mother-daughter relationships, fake dating , and self discovery with new love .

I really enjoyed the nature aspects of the story and the birding facts . The characters were likable and infuriating at the same time—full of heartwarming moments, quirky and some humor and for those of you who enjoy steamy there’s some of that too .

Newly-divorced, our almost-empty-nester heroine is finally seeking adventure and putting herself first, clichés be damned. In "Birding with Benefits” by Sarah T. Dubb, readers experience a delightful romantic comedy that will leave you smiling and yearning for your own "year of yes."

Meet Celeste Johanssen. She’s a middle school teacher in Tucson who embarks on her personal journey of self-discovery. When she agrees to play "partner" to the soft-spoken birder, John Maguire, she thinks it's all part of a fake girlfriend charade. But John has other plans, because he needs a partner for the annual Bird Binge birding competition. Their crossed signals lead to unexpected adventures, both in the Arizona wilderness and in matters of the heart.

Dubb's writing captures the beauty of birdwatching and the thrill of newfound love. Celeste's transformation from a cautious divorcee to an adventurous spirit is heartwarming. John, the shy birdwatcher, is a cinnamon roll of a character—gentle, patient, and passionate about his feathered friends. Their chemistry is undeniable, and as they explore the desert landscape, they discover more than just birds.

The pacing is perfect, allowing readers to savour the unfolding romance while immersing themselves in the vivid descriptions of Arizona's natural beauty. Dubb's prose is both witty and heartfelt, making this debut novel a delightful escape. Whether you're a seasoned birdwatcher or a novice, "Birding with Benefits" will leave you longing for wide-open skies and the thrill of unexpected connections.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, and Gallery Books for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I didn't finish this book. I couldn't get into it. I found it wasn't holding my attention. I also felt that I had read this book before. I don't think I actually did but I definitely read a book with a very similar plot many years ago.

This was a very enjoyable read!

Both MCs are around 40.
Celeste is on a post-divorce mission to say yes and try new things.
And John ends up being one of those things.

The reason for the fake dating is amusing. It eventually turns into “let’s keep it casual”. And we all know how well that works out in Romancelandia!

There was a lot more on page birding than I anticipated, but I am from a family of (casual) birders and the birding was absolutely one of the aspects that drew me to this book, so I really enjoyed reading all of John and Celeste’s birding adventures.

But it’s not just birding! There’s bowling, a costume party, and hanky panky in a woodshop in the spirit of that pottery scene from Ghost. Celeste and John have a lot of fun together in and out of the bedroom!

My only gripe is how often it’s mentioned that both Celeste and John need a connection with a person, that they aren’t made for casual sex. Which in general is fine, but it was mentioned frequently enough that it started to feel preachy.

Overall I really enjoyed this low-angst open door Romance and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun contemporary featuring 40+ MCs!

Thank you to Gallery Books for an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This book is really steamy and for some reason I wasn't expecting that. The cover quote from Christina Lauren calls it "blazingly sexy" (which I didn't see until now). I wasn't particularly interested in that at the moment and skimmed most of those parts.

There's a fair bit of time spent birding, which one would expect in a book called "Birding With Benefits" (also the "with benefits" should have alerted me to sex). I love that a more niche hobby got it's own book.

I really liked both Celeste and John.

This cover is fantastic!

I would definitely read more books by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Simon & Schuster Canada through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Simon & Schuster Canada.

4.5
A fun, quirky Rom-com and middle aged John & Celeste. I enjoyed this read, the birding aspect of it and all. Hit home in a few ways for me and I love a book that can do that for me. Very well done! The honesty between these two, was so mature and real.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, and Netgalley for the chance to read and rate this ARC. I’m so glad I went after this one!

As both an avid romance reader and bird enthusiast this book felt MADE FOR MEEEE! This story follows Celeste and John, two strangers thrown into fake dating for the convenience of getting people off their backs in real life about being single. Celeste is divorced, a mom to a 12th grader, and happy with never dating again! John is a recently single, unemployed quirky birder in need of a new birding partner for an upcoming local competition. A mutual friend sets the two up, and we have our book! This story made my heart sing. It had all the elements of a romcom I enjoy, PLUS ACCURATE BIRD INFORMATION?! Incredible. I almost just wish we got even more nuggets about Celeste and her daughter’s relationship as that aspect really had my heart too.
* Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada via Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!