This is a fun one!

She is an author with writer’s block…she thinks her formula for a best seller is to have her heart broken. It’s worked in the past and she’ll try anything to get her creativity going again.

He has inherited a tour guide company on OBX that is headed straight to bankruptcy. If he doesn’t get a plan for cash flow, his dream of a successful company is over.

She has a plan…she pays him to break her heart…then they both get what they want. She gets a story and he gets to keep his business.

Let the fake dating begin!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC! I recommend it for sure.

Loved the ending.
I wanted to read this book because it’s set in North Carolina on the Outer Banks (OBX) and touches on the wild horses located around Corolla. After visiting the area, I am familiar with both the location and the horses. Both were treated accurately. Our two main characters are Aspen Lourde, a writer of one best selling fiction book that was based on her breakup with her boyfriend, and Brick Babel who has returned to the OBX to run a horse tours business he’s inherited from his grandfather. Side characters include Aspen’s sister Sierra who lives on the Outer Banks, and Brick’s best friend Kane who arrives late in the story, along with others who provide interest and color. Aspen is desperately trying to write a follow-up to her first book using the plot of a fake boyfriend, which turns into real feelings and then a break-up.
While the writing is excellent, the middle part of the book dragged for me. It seemed to repeatedly cover the same themes, with Aspen becoming more and more desperate to write the follow up to her first best seller. A plus is that Brick is also given a voice which I find lacking in other books. Knowing more about his history and his thoughts did add to this slow part. Once the plot has moved to the last quarter of the book the story picks up and brought me back into the story, and the ending is excellent.
Both main characters are well developed, maybe Aspen to much so, and the secondary characters detailed enough for the reader to care about them also. Along with a dog, who plays an important part, the parts about the horses ring true to their existence on the Outer Banks. This would have been a 5 Star read for me, except for the middle, which slowed down the story. I like Jennifer Probst’s writing and have already found the next book by her to read. And hopefully, she’ll write more set in the OBX.
I was given and ARC of this book through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Book of the Month by @authorjenniferprobst

Thank you Jennifer and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This was a great romcom pallet cleanser in between my fall fantasy books! It’s been a minute since I read a romcom so I was so happy to be back.

Struggling author Aspen moves to OBX for the summer to stay with her sister. She meets sexy heartbreaker Brick and decides he is just what she needs to get on track.

She agrees to help his business if he will break her heart so she can write another hit book.

Was this predictable, yes…was I mad about it…absolutely not! I liked their relationship, it was fun and light and sexy.

If you like:
Small town
Misunderstood MMC
Wildlife
Fake Dating
Love Deadline
Fun Side Characters

Give this one a try! Book of the month is out NOW and Audiobook is also available!

#bookofthemonth #netgalley #netgalleyreads #bookreview #arc #advancedreaderscopy #romcom #romcombooks #bookstagram #books #bookstagrammer #booksta #bookrecommendations #booklover #bookaddict

3.75 ⭐️

This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed it. First of all I love books about books and this book takes place on the Outer Banks of NC which is one of my favorite places!

This book follows Aspen, she is an author who had viral success with her debut novel and her last 2 books were not successful at the same level. Now she is desperate to write a best seller, but when she wrote her debut novel she was heartbroken and that is what fueled her book. She decides she needs a change of scenery and moves to NC for the summer to live with her sister. There she meets Brick, the playboy of the small town who has a reputation as a heartbreaker. Aspen decides Brick is exactly what she ;needs to get back to the success of her first book. She needs Brick to break her heart.

I loved Brick in this book. I loved his grumpiness and the guard he had up. I even enjoyed the ridiculous rumors about him, even though it was actually horrible for him. But they were so crazy it was amazing people actually believed them. Once Aspen got to know him, she was really able to discover who the true Brick was. He was kind and supportive and so very sweet. I know I would've fallen for him.

I had a bit of a harder time liking Aspen, she was really chasing the fame instead of writing what she wanted or was comfortable with. She didn't really seem to like writing during parts of this book. I did grow to like her character more as the book went on. I loved how she started to make friends in this small town, she helped people and she worked with Brick to help him with his business.

I did not like the third act conflict, but it goes back to the way I felt about Aspen in the beginning, her reasons for the conflict were really selfish and it kind of made me angry. The author did bring it back at the end and I was satisfied with how it ended.

I will also say this took me a minute to get into because it was told in third person and that always takes me longer to get into a book, but that is a personal issue. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I liked the romance between Brick and Aspen, and I loved Brick's character. There were parts of this book that were really funny, and it was surprisingly spicy. I also loved the setting and made me wish for summer days on the Outer Banks.

I am putting this down at 50% because I found myself skimming for the majority of what I have read so far. It is just not for me, though I hope it finds its audience.
It has elements that would appeal to me, such as the little nods to Disney characters and the main character being an author. However, the Disney references were so random that it took me out of the story and the main character was a bit insufferable so it didn't really matter what her occupation was. She felt very immature for her age and life experience. Also, the two main characters were instantly lusting after each other, which is not necessarily a bad thing but they also had a weird dynamic that didn't feel genuine.
I liked the setting on a coastal island with wild horses, the tour company element could be a fun way to set up more scenes, and if there was more to the Disney touches other than random names I would have ate that up.
Not for me, but I would still recommend this to someone looking for a lusty summer beach read.

Book of the Month has so many things I love in a book – stories about authors and writing, the Outer Banks, specifically Corolla (which is one of my favorite places in the world), and a small town filled with quirky characters.

I loved the plot. I love a good fake dating-ish story. Brick and Aspen had amazing chemistry and they both had previous experiences that were affecting them greatly.

While Aspen drove me a little crazy with some of her decisions, I enjoyed seeing her growth and healing at the end of this book. Her past was definitely affecting her and I felt really proud of her for overcoming that. I did get frustrated with the back and forth at the end.

Aspen’s first book is a best seller. But her second and third book leave a lot to be desired. She feels the pressure to write another hit. She comes up with a plan to fall in love and have her heart broken. Enter Brick, he has a reputation as a heartbreaker. They make a deal, and the outcome isn’t exactly what they had planned.

I love books about books and writers, so I jumped to read this. While I loved a glimpse into the writing process and Aspen’s dilemma, I found the character’s solution shallow. I really had a hard time getting on board with it. Too much in this book was unbelievable. A totally made up support group? Paying to have your heart broken? Totally understand writing what you know, but I have too much respect for writers to believe this. This had a little more spice then I usually read, so I can’t comment to the exact level. I did find it annoying that certain words or actions were repeated throughout. I bought into the friendship between Aspen and Brick more so than the relationship. I did enjoy the OBX location and the sister relationship. The book sets you up for the sequel. While the plot didn’t work for me, I did enjoy the writing and character development and would give this author another try.

Thanks to Blue Box Press and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for review. My opinions are my own.

4/5 stars

This book was absolutely so fun! I adored it. Fake dating (but also… real??) turns into feelings… excellent dialogue, great characters… I could go on and on…

I didn’t love the “support group” - the only reason this lost a star. Otherwise, fabulous read.

I found the book to be an entertaining romance. While Aspen's reasons for starting the romance with Brick was unusual, their connection was very real. I found the story a little slow to start, but I became invested in their relationship and knowing how it would work out. I enjoyed the story more with each chapter. I liked the supporting characters and am interested in what is in store for Aspen's sister. There were plenty of laughs and lots of emotions through the story. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

The beginning of the book was slow. It took me a while to get into, I almost DNF'D. This book was very predictable and over the top, pretty much too perfect. I think so much time was spent on building Brick's business, and not enough time was spent on the other characters. I would have loved more about Aspen's and the "arch nemesis", especially their conversation and when she was supposed to go to her office, but we never got the rest of the story there. I didn't find the romance between the main characters believable. It felt over the top, and in the end, it was too perfect.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, sweet, steamy and kept me reading. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next book by this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book of the Month
Author: Jennifer Probst
Source: NetGalley
Pub Date: October 22, 2024

Happy Publication Day to Book of the Month. While it is entertaining, I am weary of stories where the lead female character gets involved in a fake romance scheme to fall in love with the lead male character. I wonder if it is worth faking love to have your heart broken when things don’t go as planned. Finally, I wonder why this story features a romance author (the LFC’s profession) who contrives a real-life personal saga to break her writer’s block and have material for her next book. Is anyone that desperate? Book of the Month was an easy read and should be a successful release. I also know my feminist flag might be at full mast on this one. #romance #fake #writer #desperate #sizzle #instaLust #BookOfTheMonth @netgalley #theMakingOfABestSeller #romance #chicklit #booksaboutbooks
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I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley, and the authors for the opportunity to read this novel.
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#book #books #bookaddict #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookreviewer

I love a book about a book.

Started off a bit slow for me but I enjoyed it.
Cute summertime Romcom
I found myself rooting for Aspen and Brick. Yes, that’s his name. 🙄

That being said I’m looking forward to reading Sierra’s story.

First off I love Book of the Month and am an avid subscriber ! I enjoyed this book, but I think reading it until the bed is really important. Sometimes I was annoyed and frustrated and worried that the Mac would give up on her dream for a guy. The ending really made it worth it.
Aspen Lourde is a famous author because of her first book,
But after two flops she has to figure out how to get her writing mojo back. She doesn’t want to do a sequel because that’s what her readers want. She decides to go spend time with her sister in OBX and find someone to break her heart. Getting her heart broken is what worked last time. The person to do it is Brick Babel. The hot guy with a bad boy reputation. It doesn’t hurt that he makes her heart go crazy.

Thank you to Blue Box Press for the ARC opportunity.
3/5 stars
The plot and characters kept my attention. I enjoyed the OBX setting and how the story included local wildlife stories. It felt like there was an understanding of the area.
Curious about Kane and Sierra’s story!
Favorite Supporting Character: Marco

Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Probst, and Blue Box Press for the ebook. This charming and flirty rom-com is perfect for anyone who enjoys a lighthearted story with a touch of spice. If you're a fan of feel-good romances, you're sure to love this one!

4 Stars!
Aspen Lourde is a romance author living in New York. She loves her townhouse in the West Village, but lately could use a change of scenery, so she’s going to visit her sister for the summer. She’s suffering from writer’s block, and hopes spending time at the beach will inspire her to find her muse again. Her fans didn’t resonate with her new stuff, so while she’s in Corolla she needs to write something different. Something fresh and exciting that will land her a new contract. She wrote her last bestseller after a bad breakup. Back then the words had poured out of her effortlessly. Now she was struggling to feel anything real, and worried her creativity was gone. Maybe she just needed to feel the emotions of heartbreak again to get back on the must read list. Find a summer affair to solve her dilemma. The pressure is on to create something that translates to the pages of a book, and can become the new book of the month. She has to prove she’s not just a one hit wonder.

Then she crosses paths with the town’s most talked about bachelor, Brick Babel. He has a reputation for being a heartbreaker, and was pure temptation. The man should seriously come with a warning. She feels a magnetic pull, and a spark that can’t be denied, so she’s determined to get him on board with her plan. As she spends more time with this moody, unattainable, gorgeous guy they determine strict rules and boundaries. Soon their arrangement becomes complicated when an unexpected plot twist just might include love.

Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst is a heartwarming, grumpy/sunshine, fake dating romance about family, love and beautiful connections. It’s a fun, flirty story full of emotion, amazing chemistry and fabulous banter. I really enjoyed these characters and can’t wait for Sierra’s book! <333

Small Town romance ✔
Grumpy guy ✔
Dramady ✔

This has all the fun f eels .
A very popular, # 1 New York Times bestseller now has a major, stressful job of fulfilling one more contract, a third book to win over the hearts of the people and do what she did with her first bestseller.

The problem is, she's lost her mojo, she's in a funk and can't get out. So she decides to go to her sisters, get out of the city, out of her depressive life and take a break.

Her sister Sierra lives in a small, beach town. Everyone knows everyone. After having some much needed sister time, she decides what she needs to write that award winning book.

This is where the fun starts. In comes Brick, yes the name says it all. The love hate that starts winds up being a little more than they bargained for.

Not saying any more . Fun, steamy, did I say STEAMY?!! read. Love Aspens sister tho, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading Sierra's story!

10 stars! Thank you to Netgalley and Blue Box Press for this wonderful book.

4 Is Having a Fake Relationship Worth It Stars!

Imagine being a new author and having a massively successful debut novel which is based on your own disastrous love life and then not being able to come up with a follow-up book that will do as well or even better!?

This is the situation for Aspen Lourde and her solution is to go to the Outer Banks to try to be inspired… she gets inspired alright in the form of Brick Babel! He’s a book hero come to life. The only problem is that he’s not interested in anything Aspen proposes until Aspen finds his emotional Achillies Heel and Brick agrees to her plan.

When I dove into this book, it moved a little slow for me, but I knew that Ms. Probst would deliver on this one so I kept reading and I was very happy when we got into the heat of the story because Aspen and Brick start to really connect and what’s supposed to be fake takes a turn which isn’t something either of them were expecting.

I loved how their romance progressed and how each of them began to question what they really want out of life; especially Aspen. Is having another hit book worth more than finding a love that is unexpected and making her believe that love can be everything she always dreamed it could be? You’ll need to read this newest book by one of my favorite authors to get the answer and so much more in this wonderful book.

Intriguing and compelling story about an author researching her next book material.
Emotional and heartfelt this story takes a close look at the things we do in romance. The premise of the story is looking is fake dating as part of said story material but when things don’t turn out as planned well this story becomes something more than a romance.
Our heroine is willing to take some risks to get what she wants.
Is it worth it?

Are you compromising yourself?

Doing what you have to do to get what she wants is closely explored.
What happens you’ll have to read and find out!
Ad this read evolved and developed was so entertaining!

This was a real page turner with some unexpected surprises adding some umpfth to the story.