Book of the Month had all the elements I usually love: it’s a book about books, dives into the publishing world, has a fake dating trope, and explores themes of grief for both main characters. On paper, this should have been a win for me. But in execution, it felt more like a Hallmark version of what it could have been. The story touched on their grief and struggles, but it didn’t go as deep emotionally as I’d hoped, and everything seemed to fall into place a bit too easily.

Aspen and Brick were likable characters, and I enjoyed the premise of their staged romance, but their connection felt rushed, and the romance didn’t have the emotional depth to make it feel truly real. For readers who enjoy light, feel-good romances, this book could be a great fit. For me, it was an entertaining read, but I found myself wanting more complexity and depth to fully connect with the story.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

I honestly did not like the main character, Aspen, and the lengths she would go for her next novel.

I would have much rather had the entire story in Brick's perspective, as I found him endearing and likable.

As a big fan of books centered on authors, I was thrilled to dive into this one. With a struggling writer, a picturesque North Carolina beach town, and a charming local trying to save his family business, it seemed to have all the right ingredients. And there were some standout elements—I really enjoyed the male main character (Brick) and the delightful business owners next door.

However, the story didn’t quite deliver as I’d hoped. I found it difficult to connect with the female main character (Aspen) and struggled to understand her motivations. The premise of her needing to live out every fictional situation before she could write about it felt like it undervalued the role of imagination in the creative process, making her actions feel forced. There seemed to be a dozen ways she could have solved her problem that didn’t involve hiring someone to break her heart. Additionally, a few plot points felt unresolved, leaving loose ends that left me wanting a more cohesive ending.

While there were some enjoyable aspects, I ultimately finished this book feeling underwhelmed.

Aspen needs to write a sequel to her best selling novel Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover - quick! So she hires the local bad boy, Brick to be her muse. Lots of witty banter and plenty of spice lead to love and now Aspen has to make a choice…love or her book. Really enjoyed this story and all the characters. Set in Outer Banks the connection with nature felt real.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As a reader I love anything with a reader or author. Seriously it feels so right.

This was my first book by Probst and I really enjoyed it. The author did a great job with descriptions and details of the setting. I felt like I was in The Outer Banks (minus John B). I love any romance story with a sense of community which this one contained!

I am not a fan of the FMC. She just gave me the ick, but we love Brick.

This was a fun! It was nice to keep it sunny and summery while it gets cold outside. I think the setting really is the best, and she was great at describing it, making it feel like a character on its own.
The story was sweet and spicy, funny and heartfelt. It was the perfect summer read, or book to keep you warm for the upcoming winter!

This was a delightful read and now I want to go to the Outer Banks and see some sea turtles hatch. Brick and Aspen are great characters with a fantastic cast of secondary characters to provide some laughs. How can fake dating ever go wrong? My only question is, did he pay the money back because he broke the rules.

Jennifer Probst's "Book of the Month" is a captivating romance novel that follows the story of two strangers who are brought together by fate. As they navigate through unexpected challenges and confront their pasts, they discover a deep connection that transcends time and space.

The author skillfully weaves together themes of love, redemption, and second chances, creating a touching and heartfelt narrative that will resonate with readers. Probst's vivid descriptions and well-developed characters make it easy to immerse oneself in the story and become emotionally invested in their journey.

Overall, "Book of the Month" is a beautifully written and emotionally engaging novel that explores the complexities of human relationships and the power of love to heal and transform. It is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance and those looking for a heartwarming and uplifting story.

Book of the Month is a summer rom-com that takes place in OBX. Aspen Lourde is desperate for another bestseller and terrified of becoming a one book wonder. Though she’s published other books since her debut they have not had the same success. In a final Hail Mary attempt to recapture that first book magic she decides she must get her heartbroken again to tap into those emotions that led to the success of her debut.

Aspen heads to OBX to visit her sister for the summer and she soon meets the town bad boy, the ultimate heartbreaker. She convinces him to enter into a contract with her to break her heart but along the way their emotions start to take over.

This was adorable and I loved the characters, love story and setting. Thank you to Blue Box Press and NetGalley for my copy; all opinions are my own. Out now!

Thank you to NetGalley, Blue Box Press, and Jennifer Probst for providing this advance reader copy (ARC) of the book. My honest review is below.

I have a headache. Trying to like a book because you like the authors previous work is exhausting. I've picked it up and put it down several times and just can't get into the characters. I don't find Aspen likeable, she's a neurotic mess with no discernable moral compass. Her pursuit of Brick as a way to get a book out of a relationship is bad, that she wants a bad relationship is worse. Brick may be handsome but he's not likeable either. Surly and disinterested in most things going on around him and he's not nice to his dog. How these two characters are supposed to come out smelling like roses is a mystery. I skipped to the end to see if I was just being picky but no, it's a cliché that doesn't ring true. My opinion is the book is a mess from page one.

#BookoftheMonth #NetGalley #JenniferProbst #BlueBoxPress

What a fun book. I had a good time. I enjoyed the setting and really could picture OBX. Fake dating and romance. Definitely a quick read.

I struggled with getting through this. Aspen heads to her sister's house at the Outer Banks to try to recover the magic of her first book after two flops. She decides she needs to enter an agreement with the town hot single heartbreaker - she pays for his business upgrades, and he gets her to fall for him and then breaks her heart.
Sounds to me like a recipe for disaster, but I wanted to see how it played out. Brick hot a bad reputation from the town, so he's not the playboy he was made out to be. Aspen is so convinced in her ways and fairly unaware, so she deliberately makes choices that don't lead to happiness and fulfillment.
The love scenes were a bit awkward. I did love how Aspen had such a big heart to make friends with everyone and help them, and how she stood up for Brick. And I do want to read book 2 - I'm intrigued by what happened with Kane and Sierra.

Any book that takes place in the OBX is one that automatically catches my eye and this was no exception. The author gave great descriptions of the Carolina shore that had the beachfront calling me back there to my favorite spot. There were many places she referred to that I have been so that was fun! The community engagement brought some lightness to what could have been a heavy story. The backup characters also helped to keep it from being too heavy as well.
The male lead Brick, was a gruff hunk who was hiding a tender teddy bear side behind his angry mask. He made the story enjoyable and believable. This was part romantic comedy and part steamy romance and it struck the right balance for me.
The female lead, Aspen, was kind of hard to like in the beginning, but I warmed up to her as the story progressed.
This was my first by this author and I will definitely be looking for more by her in the future.
Thanks to Blue Box Press and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Aspen is a writer who had the unbelievable luck of writing a bestselling novel right out of the gate. Her readers flock to her signings…but all they are interested in is that first novel. Even though Aspen knows her next one is technically better, it doesn’t have the power of the first one, and no one is buying it.
The trouble is, that first novel came from her own heart… her own agony and he own breakup. She created a character that so many related to, that’s what they want to read. But Aspen got over that heartbreak, and now her writing has lost its spark. And the deadline for her next book, the one she has to succeed with, looms.
Convinced by her agent to get out of the city, Aspen heads to the Outer Banks to spend time with her sister and let the beauty of the beach nurture her muse. Along the way, she determines that the only way to get her mojo back is to fall in love and get her heart broken … again. Then she meets breathtaking Brick Babel, the local bad boy.
This was a different kind of romance, with the pitfalls of novel writing, the fragile environment of the Outer Banks and dealing with emotional fallout of both past heartbreak and reputations. Anyone interested in writing will find it fascinating and may want to take notes! But the writing is great, and I was thrilled to learn that there is another book following this one. Thanks to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for the introduction to Jennifer Probst’s work. Book of the Month was released October 22, 2024.

Fake dating has become a new favorite trope of mine so I was really excited to ump into Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst. While I found Aspen a bit annoying throughout the entire book, I really enjoyed Brick's character. The times where I enjoyed Aspen the most were when she was with her sister, Probst did a great job at writing their sister relationship. The ending was a bit too predictable for me, but it did get to where it needed to go so props for that. This was my first Probst book and I'd definitely read another one.

Thank you Blue Box Press for the gifted copy.

What a fun read! The characters and the plot were fresh, exciting and relatable. Exactly what I needed!

Fake dating is one of my more favorite tropes. You are always guaranteed to have buildup and tension between the characters. That being said, I was surprised with the spice level! This was a fun, quick easy read!

Fake dating is probably the trope I have the hardest time taking seriously. It has to be done really well for me to like it. Book of the Month has fake dating and it’s done ok. Brock gets money for his business and Aspen demands he breaks her heart so she can write another mega hit book. It’s a very strange agreement.

Once I got past the agreement I liked the book. None of the characters are perfect and the conflicts are kept within a reasonable amount of drama and get resolved and a way that feels nice.

I have enjoyed the author’s books set in Italy and was intrigued by the title of this one. I’m not a spicy romance fan, but I did enjoy the story overall. I’m clearly not the target audience,

This novel follows famous writer Aspen Lourde as she struggles to reclaim the popularity of her first novel. Readers love it so much that her follow up books aren’t hitting the same. Aspen decides to head back home to the Outer Banks to try to spark/recreate the same magic she had when she was writing her first book but that also involves getting her heart broken.

This was my first time reading Jennifer Probst and every time I picked up this book it was so hard to put back down! I loved this book, the story and the characters were so strong that I wanted to know what happened next. I loved the concept of this viral writer trying to navigate how to recreate that magic and then also figuring out so much more about herself as well. It didn’t feel like a lot of other romance type novels there were very predictable. Some romance stories fail at building the very real characters around the main characters but this one doesn’t. So many of the supporting characters are also relatable and stand on their own in the context of the story. It felt well rounded and I was wanting to read more. The end teased another book which I am excited for!