The premise really hooked me with this one and I think this might have been the case of trying to read the book at the wrong time? This book tried too hard to have the FMC "not be like other girls." A bit boring for me. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to be an early reader. All thoughts are my own.

Aspen wrote a best seller after having her heartbroken. With her fans clamoring for a sequel she takes refuge with her sister. Then she meets Brick, who has a reputation as a heartbreaker. What better way to write another best seller than having her heart broken again. Unfortunately, Brick’s reputation isn’t real, their feelings for each other are but Aspen can’t see beyond needing her heart broken.

Aspen is a bestselling author whose debut novel received rave reviews and a devoted following. However, her next two books didn't achieve the same success. With her fans clamoring for a sequel and her publisher focused on sales, Aspen feels she needs to experience emotional turmoil to recreate the magic of her first book, which was inspired by her own heartbreak. Meanwhile, Brick is trying to revive the struggling local tour business he inherited from his grandfather. Since arriving in Corolla, he has gained a reputation as a heartless womanizer, leaving a trail of broken hearts.

Aspen sees Brick as the key to unlocking her creativity and proposes a simple business arrangement: he will romance her over the summer, leaving her heartbroken so she can write another angst-filled novel, and in return, she’ll help fund his failing business. However, neither of them anticipates developing genuine feelings which definitely puts a wrench in their plans.

With a slower start, this book is much more than just a typical romance. Filled with a plethora of popular romantic tropes (fake dating, small town summer romance, etc), the romance aspect is almost secondary to the journey of self-discovery these characters encounter. One of my favorite aspects of small-town romances is they’re always filled with a cast of quirky and fun secondary characters, and this story was no exception. I’m interested to see who will be featured in the second book for this series!

3.5 stars rounded down. Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Aspen is suffering from major writer's block and decides to spend the summer with her sister in hopes of finding inspiration in the form of love... or heartbreak. Cue the town bad boy with a heartbreaker reputation, Brick. Unfortunately, Brick wants nothing to do with Aspen or her games. That is, until she makes him an offer he can't refuse - help with his failing business. They've both been burned by love, but maybe their scheme can lead them to the forever kind of love. This was a super fun read and I loved their banter and chemistry. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Jennifer Probst, Blue Box Press, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange of my honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

I adored this sweet, spicy romcom.

Aspen and Brick, like Mallory, deserve a sequel!

If you also enjoy a good, spicy romcom, I would certainly recommend checking this out.

This is the first book I’ve read from the author and I can’t wait to check out more!

I thought this book was cute and the story was fun. I liked the flow and how she made an impact in their small town. It was a really like for me and I'm sure it'll do really well.

Jennifer Probst has been a favorite author of mine for a long time, but I almost didn't read this. I seem to have picked up several books where the storyline was about an author trying to write another successful book. I'll admit that I'm not enjoying them as much. But I'm glad I stuck with this. Probst once again brought the characters to life. I enjoyed their bantering, as well as how real they were. Turned out to be a great storyline. I look forward to Aspen's sisters story!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This is my voluntary and honest review.

Raise your hand if you’d like to escape to a beach town when things aren’t going right in your life - right? Me too! Novelist Aspen escapes to a small beach town in the Outer Banks in an attempt to cure her writer’s block. Since her hugely successful first novel was rooted in autobiographical heartbreak, she must need … another heartbreak? It’s the only method she can think of, and she finds the perfect solution in the local tour operator.

Although he’s built quite the love’em-and-leave-‘em reputation for himself in town, in reality Brick is trying to dig his company out of debt and just isn’t interested in dating. Until Aspen presents an offer he can’t refuse - she’ll help his company if he’ll break her heart.

I felt like this book dragged, and despite a great setup, the characters didn’t click for me. And we had a third act breakup that didn’t make any sense. I’ve liked this author before, but this one didn’t work for me as well as her others.

I have to say I had a bit of love-hate going on with this one. I have never had that with a Probst book before this one. Overall, I really enjoyed this read.

This book took quite a while to get into and even when it did, the FMC just didn’t sit well with me. She wasn’t too likeable. I love this concept, but it didn’t quite work for me.

Aspen is a best selling author. Her debut novel was so well received, it reached an almost cult status. So of course, her next two books were disappointing. While her fans clamor for a sequel to her first beloved book, her publisher pushes for sales.

Aspen just wants to recapture the magic.

Trying to rescue the local tour business her inherited, Brick is a bit of a mess. He's gained quiet a reputation, and it ain't a good one.

Feeling that the only way to find her way back is to recreate devastation, Aspen in drawn to Brick. And so she offers this: romance her for the summer and them leave her heartbroken. This will get her creative juices flowing and he will get some much needed cash.

But neither of them counted on developing real feelings for the other.

The beginning felt slow and the instant attraction rushed, but once the reader got more information, it started to come together. I loved the colorful group of secondary characters who brought a lot of humor to the story.

A lively and engaging story of a writer searching for idea content for a bestseller and a guy she hopes will create the story within her. Aspen wrote an emotional bestseller but her two next books flopped. She thinks that if she recreates the emotions that triggered her first book, it will happen again. Enter Brick-desperately striving to revive his grandfather’s business and a willing player in Aspen’s plan. Brick and Aspen make a deal to both of their advantages but a contract does not guarantee the outcome.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Once a literary superstar, Aspen Lourde can't seem to write another bestseller like her first and only which was based on her own real life heartbreak. Aspen decides to escape the city for the summer and head to the Outer Banks with hopes that the change of scenery will help her draft her next book. She also believes that she needs to fall and in love and get heartbroken once again in order to deliver another best selling novel. Brick Babel is a down on his luck local heart throb whose tour company is on the verge of bankruptcy. Once Aspen learns that Brick's tour company isn't doing well she offers him a deal: romance her for the summer and then break her heart so she'll have the inspiration to write her next best seller. Of course, he's desperate to save his tour company, which was his grandfather's legacy, so he agrees. What starts as a business transaction quickly gets out of control when Aspen and Brick start falling for each other.

I really loved the story line, the fake dating aspect and the beach town setting but, unfortunately, I didn't love the main characters. Overall though, this was an enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series when it's released!

The Book of the Month is a fun romance with likable characters. I loved the atmosphere of OBX, beaches, wild horses, and of course our main characters Aspen and Brick!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

really cute and a perfect refreshing read - I thought the premise was fresh and the entire story was very captivating.

This was a cute, fun read. I liked how it was told from both points of view and the setting. If you're looking for a fun "fake romance" book, then I recommend this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

This was a cute, fun read. I chose it because I like the author and have read some of her other books. If you're looking for a fun "fake romance" book, then I recommend this one.

With her back up against the proverbial wall, Aspen has no choice but to submit a best seller by the end of the summer or she'll be dropped by her publisher and probably her agent. She's desperate to recreate the work that made her 1st book the top seller, award winner and book of the month pick. So much so that she settles on local moody bad guy Brick to help her feel the emotional heartache that made her first book so easy to write. IN the meantime, he is trying to keep his grandfather's business from failing and his reputation, smeared through the town by his ex, isn't helping his cause. With Aspen not only helping him financially but sticking up for him among those who keep spreading lies, it feels like all things in his life are clicking together. All he has to do is break her heart -- that was the most significant part of the deal. But is it really what they both want in the end?

#arc
#netgalley
#bookofthemonth

A great read. I liked how it was told from both points of view and the setting. Can't wait for the next book

This was a cute little love story and I enjoyed reading it. The characters were very likable, and I liked the overall plot. This was a good refreshing read.