Loved!!! I'm always curious about how authors write/their process so Aspen as the FMC, writing romance books was so fun! And of course her inspiration needs to come from her life - insert grumpy, good looking Brick. Loved the OBX setting with the wild horses and sea turtles - a perfect summer romance setting. The spice was unexpected and that made it even better! I cannot wait for Sierra and Kane's story!!!

This book was very surprising in how good it was. I have never read a book by this author before so I went into this with no expectations. I was very pleasantly surprised throughout the whole book.

This book follows Aspen, a writer who became famous after writing a best selling novel based on a relationship that ruined her. Now she’s being pressured to write a sequel and in her brain she can only do it if she experiences the same level or heartbreak. Enter Brick and a fake dating scheme. I absolutely adored these two together. The romance and banter had me laughing and wanting more. I cannot wait for the sequel that follows two side characters.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for providing me with a copy.

Unfortunately, I DNF'd this book at 35%.

I was super excited when I received this book. A story about an author trying to get her mojo back. Outer Banks, NC for the setting. Fake dating. Writer's life. This should have been great, but I couldn't get into this. At 292 pages, I started this book on a 5 hour flight, assuming I'd be able to enjoy and read the whole thing in that time. 2 hours into the flight I was 15% in because the writing style kept putting me to sleep. No joke. Every time I'd start reading this, within 5 pages my eyes would start lolling closed. If you suffer from insomnia, maybe reading this book will help?

Usually I can tough through, but I also found the FMC off-putting and unlikeable. I kind of liked Brick (the MMC), but how Aspen propositions him to fake date is toxic and kind of prostitution-y. I just couldn't find things to like to stick with this any longer, and I have so many other books that capture my interest that I would rather spend my time on. I'm glad there are some readers who really enjoyed this, I'm just not one of them.

I really tried with this book. I wanted to love it based on the description. But I cannot deal with the way that no one sees Brick as an actual person. (Kane probably does, but he hardly counts at this point.) I made it over halfway before I gave up, and Aspen is still treating him like a cardboard cutout. She has feelings for him that scare her, sees more in him than others see, and is going to manipulate him again. Even if she realizes her mistakes and apologizes, Brick needs to get away from this person. I can't see how this can be salvaged.

💙📚💙
📖Review
5🌟
📖Book 67/100
📚Book of the Month
💫Genre:
Fiction/Romance
✍️Author:
Jennifer Probst

📝Synopsis 📝
Aspen is in a rut since she has to deliver a sequel to book 1 which was a big hit. She leaves the big apple to see if she can find some inspiration for book 2 and temporarily moves to a small town with her sister. She meets the notorious bachelor, Brick, and she gives him a proposition he can’t refuse. Will he break her heart and inspire her to write her sequel or will she remain a one hit wonder????

My thoughts 💭
Oh my goodness, I loved this one and read it again because I loved it that much!!! Don’t let that sweet innocent cover fool you😆 This book’s plot was on point, and it had plenty of romance❤️‍🔥 Brick is the definition of the perfect fictional book boyfriend🫣 I also enjoyed all the side characters so much which is why this book sucked me in for a second read! It’s my first book I’ve read by this author, and it won’t be my last since I’m dying for a sequel with Sierra and Kane….Aghhhhh

Thank you NetGalley and Blue Box Press for this eARC given for an honest review!
🏷️🏷️🏷️🏷️
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Thank you, Blue Box Press and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of Book of the Month.

I loved this novel! It was a quick fun read and sure to help pull anyone out of a slump. The characters were likeable, and the dog stole the show. The setting was beautiful, and I felt Probst did a great job transporting the reader into the story. Who doesn't love a book about books, too?

Aspen needs to write a successful book. Like yesterday. Her debut was a bestseller about heartbreak which basically came straight from her own floundering love life. What could be better than a change of scenery to get her mind solely on writing the best book possible? While staying with her sister, she meets Brick. Brick is the local heartbreaker, and his reputation confirms the title. There's even a club that meets weekly to Brick bash. After meeting Brick, Aspen strikes up a deal. He needs money to save his grandfather's business, and she needs a broken heart to write the bestseller she knows is inside her. If Brick will break her heart, Aspen will give him the money needed to renovate the business. When real feelings start to emerge, will they be able to reign it in for the sake of the deal or will everything fall apart?

This was a quick, easy read. It gave such a realistic and interesting viewpoint into authors lives. It made me appreciate and respect them even more, because of all the struggles they go through beyond writing the actual words. I read Jennifer Probst before and I love her writing, it's addictive and also you can tell she is a seasoned writer - everything feels flawless and natural.

But. The only reason I don't give it a higher rating is because I didn't quite connect to the main characters and their story. Something felt off because of the way their whole arrangement was set up and it made me question if their chemistry was real or fabricated. I enjoyed the trips and everything Aspen and Brick did together, how they fell into the community space which had that small town found family vibe. Brick was such a contradiction but I loved him! He really was the best part of the story.

But I didn't vibe with it all until well into the second part and though that was beautiful, it didn't make up for some of the more cringy scenes at the beginning...

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I look forward to Jennifer's future books :)

This book was a total breath of fresh air! It is a quintessential beach read, and not just because of the setting (the Outer Banks, booking my trip now). It featured a glamorous, quirky, and slightly flawed heroine and a gorgeous, sensitive and emotionally wounded leading man and their motley crew of funny and sweet friends and family. We had a villain, emotional baggage, sisters who love and support each other, dancing on the sand in the moonlight and cute little animals. What more could you ask for?

I think this would be the perfect summer vacation book. If you’re a fan of Mary Kay Andrews (particularly her earlier books) but want a little more spice, definitely pick this up! This book is not going to suck you in and stick a dagger in your heart only before healing you and spitting you out on the other side. It goes deep enough that you care about the characters and anticipate the ending (which we know will be perfect), but stays on the lighter side of dramatic. It will make you smile, provide an escape from reality, and make you root for the characters. You just know everything is going to be ok, which we definitely need these days. And, it leads perfectly into a sequel that is already on my TBR! This is the first book I’ve read by Jennifer Probst, and I was delighted to see how prolific of a writer she is. Add this to your beach bag, and thank me later!

The premise of this story sounded interesting and I was excited to read it. However, it just fell so very flat for me. I didn't care for either of the main characters and I found the sex scenes and words used to describe body parts very off putting.

The best part of this book for me was the parts about writing and publishing a book. If not for that the book would have easily been a 2 stars.
Inwas tired of this story and the characters at about halfway through and just wanted it to be over. It seemed to drag to a very predictable ending.

Some may enjoy this story but for me it's a hard no.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.

Life as a writer isn’t all that golden! Aspen Lourde was at the top of the bestseller lists and tanked with her next two books. They were both better in her opinion, but the fans loved her first book and are demanding a sequel. At her agent’s suggestion she heads to her sister’s, who lives in the Outer Banks. Hopefully inspiration will come. Unfortunately writers block is the same problem like in NY. Believing heartbreak was the whole reason her first book was so successful, she comes up with a plan to have the town’s Gigolo to do just that.
Brick is trying to make a go with the tour company his grandpa left him, Ziggy’s. Unfortunately it was already a losing cause when he inherited it and the house is mortgaged to the hilt. Plus the bad rap he’s gotten about being the town’s heartthrob, heartbreaker has gotten out of hand and based on falsehoods. So when Aspen offers to pay him to have her heartbroken, it’s something that he can’t afford to pass up on. He has his own rules that it’s a loan, but sometimes the heart doesn’t follow what your minds are telling you.
Fun inside look to what I am sure many writers struggle with. Great banner between the characters, a bit on the steamy side. Can’t wait for the next book and what’s the story between Kane and Sierra.

Book of the Month was cute and fun. I liked that Aspen is a writer going through a slump, trying to find her way out. Her idea is completely ridiculous, but also makes sense. It was easy to see as she was spending time with Brick that they were going to fall for each other. He's not at all what he seems, or what the town portrays him as.

I loved how Aspen worked to help Brick, in more ways than just financially as she gives him suggestions on ways to turn his grandfathers business around. The cast of characters surrounding them was fantastic too, can't wait for the next book with Aspen's sister!

I felt that this book was longer than what it really was. There wasn’t any real big blowups or problems that the two main characters had to work through. It kind of felt like it was slow in the middle. There was a lot of backstory and plot development, but I kept waiting for the shoe to drop.
This book follows Aspen in brick, Aspen is a best-selling author and brick inherited his late grandfather‘s dilapidated business. This has fake dating in it, and it seemed like a very reverse fake dating trope to me where in this story, the woman is established and she’s monetarily, helping out the mail, which I did enjoy.
Towards the last half of the book it started to show some conflict. Some ain’t some warmness of the future and the ability to let go and hope that things go in your favor. I really enjoyed the ending of the book. Both of the characters felt extremely mature. They didn’t seem petty or hold grudges, which I always appreciate in a book. I can’t wait for this authors. Next book called the reluctant flirt that comes out in the summer because I can’t wait to read about the next two characters story.

I hate third act break ups, even more when they feel so out of character. Overall, I liked the story and how Brick and Aspens relationship developed but the ending was a little rushed and predictable. This was my first book I've read by the author but I do not think it will be the last.

I liked the concept and the cover, but when you see her struggling I wanted to cry and felt just so bad, I felt that we needed more of her past because we kind of move over that book that made her famous and the person that she is now, which was crazy to me that we didn't see a little more of that.
I hate third act break ups, even more when they feel so out of character, also a thing that other me was that the guy didn't like her at the beginning and was so mad at her, but when she wants to pay he was all over her.
It felt so fake and invasive, I felt weird. It was kind of interesting but I expected a little more. The cover gives me summer vibes but it was kind of okay and sometimes it felt like we were going on circles with the storyline.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book

I chose this book because it's set in the Outer Banks, one of my favorite places. It’s my first time reading Jennifer Probst, and I’m excited to explore more of her work. This story features the classic fake relationship trope, with the goal of breaking Aspen’s heart so she can write her next novel. It was a fun read, and I’m already looking forward to the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to think this was cheesy but I really enjoyed the love story and kept returning to my kindle to finish. While cheesy it is done so well, a great beach read.

Oh - I was so giddy to receive this Arc! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jennifer Probst for this Arc - I truly appreciate it!!

Firstly - can we just say that this cover is gorgeous! The colors - the title - just everything is beautiful.

Secondly - the characters are amazing, and the romance felt so pure and beautiful. Aspen, the FMC, is a writer struggling to get herself back on the best sellers list - but she has a really interesting way to try and do that. She comes to the conclusion that she was the best writer when she was heartbroken after a breakup so she sets out to date & get her heart broken. It was an interesting approach, but I thought it would make for a fun read (I was not disappointed!)

Brick the MMC (and oh how I LOVE his name) is known as the heartbreaker of the town and he's in a bind - he's out of money, and his building that houses the company needs some drastic renovations that he can't afford. Enter Aspen! She has the perfect deal for him - he breaks her heart, and she provides the funding! What follows is a hilarious story that is wholeheartedly wholesome and fulfilling.

“This was a man who could force her to feel things she hadn’t in years.
This was a man who could shatter, wound, and damage her emotions.
This was a man who could storm into her life and cause complete wreckage.
Dear God, he was perfect.”

She’s desperate for another bestseller… and she’ll go to any length to get it. Even if it means sacrificing her pride to chase the hottest bachelor in town and get him to break her heart…

This was a hot and heavy romance that only seemed to skim the surface of the characters, unfortunately. I was little like
hmmm at the swiftness with which Brick Falls for Aspen. It was so abrupt it actually pulled me out of my immersion into the storyline to go-uh huh. 🤔

I would have loved to explore the emotional damage done to Brick a little more. I feel like I just never got to really know the characters beyond she’s a author with writers block and he’s a woman destroying Greek God of a man. I did enjoy it, although it took me much longer than usual to finish.

Thank you to Netgalley, Blue Box Press, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

If you need a break from holiday stressors, Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst is a great respite and a delightful read

When Aspen Lourde can't find inspiration for her next book, she sets out to get her heartbroken while on vacation with her sister. But, both Aspen and Brick, the local tour-guide heartthrob, end up learning more about life than anticipated after their agreement.


Click here to check out the book today.

Jennifer Probst's Book of the Month is a delightful summer read that blends romance, humor, and a dash of self-discovery. The story follows Aspen Lourde, a once-successful romance novelist who's struggling to recapture her past glory. Desperate for inspiration, she hatches a plan to fake-date the charmingly rugged Brick Dalton, a local businessman with a reputation for breaking hearts.

Probst's writing is witty and engaging, filled with banter and chemistry between Aspen and Brick. The author skillfully balances the lighthearted moments with deeper themes of self-doubt and the pressure to succeed. The setting of the Outer Banks provides a picturesque backdrop for the story, adding to its summery charm.

While the premise of a fake relationship is a well-trodden trope, Probst adds a unique twist by exploring the blurred lines between fiction and reality. Aspen's struggle to write a new book while navigating her feelings for Brick creates a relatable and heartwarming narrative.

Overall, Book of the Month is a fun and enjoyable read. It's perfect for those looking for a lighthearted escape with a touch of romance and introspection.