I liked this book but it wasn’t my favorite. I felt that sometimes the story dragged and that the characters could be whiny and annoying.

There were some things that were a little hard to swallow regarding the premise of this book. It took me a little bit to get over the name Brick but once I got used to it, it was fine. I really enjoyed the horse scenes and them watching the turtles, it really set the scene for me! The 3rd act breakup felt super rushed and I wish we got to feel the impact of losing each other.

I like romance novels and this was intriguing to me. Making a deal to get your broken was a different take on the genre. I knew the fake romance would likely become true love and then the breakup would prove to be more than Apsen or Brick could handle.
It might have been predictable, but that is fine by me. This book was exactly what I wanted - romance, some humor without too much drama. Great for the lounge chair and a sunny day ;)

Also - i liked the tease of Sierra and Kane. As i was reading their first encounter in this book, the seed was planted. I need to know how these two know each other ... and what happens next!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this title. The fake dating thing bugs me... This whole book gave me a lot of ick honestly. 1 star

I absolutely loved it. So many pieces, I loved the sisterly bond, I loved the fact that Brick cared so much for his Grandpa's legacy, home and dog. I really think I want to visit the OBX!! And the Mustangs and the turtles. It was just a fun, warm story!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Blue Box Press for the chance to read this book in advance.
DNF 40%
I was super intrigued by the premises, but they didn't meet my expectations.
Despite Aspen was a very relatable character, I didn't liked how the plot has been managed.
It's a little bit poor and materialistic, and I found it clear since the first appearance of Brick. Unfortunately the rest of the story was equally flat and I wasn't enjoying it. Probably the author's style isn't my cup of tea.
A real pity.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this story.  It was so much fun to read from an authors perspective in a fictional world.
Aspen is a best selling author. Having writers block, she visits her sister in OBX. It's there, where her true story begins. Instead of living in NY, alone and in her own head, here she's out with her sister and locals. Enjoying life. But that doesn't help her writing.
Brick came to OBX to take over his grandfather's business after he passed away. Many rumors have started after his ex shows up and tells her tales. He doesn't bother trying to fix his image. Which leads to some crazy rumors.
When the pair meet and Apsen comes up with a ridiculous plan to help write her next best seller. She brings Brick into the mix with a deal he can't pass up.
Super funny,romantic, heartbreaking and crazy. This book will leave you loving everything about it.
4.5 stars.

This one was cute. I really enjoyed the plot of entering a relationship to experience heartbreak and cure writers block. I really loved Brick off the bat and knew there had to be more to him than meets the eye. This book was sweet and steamy, and enjoyable from start to finish.

The Jennifer I’d been missing! Loved the author’s return to romance. The tone was fresh and the plot was innovative - brownie t-shirt shop scene made me lol. Thank you NetGalley for the chance. Without giving spoilers, can’t wait for the plot of book 2 and those characters’ love story as book 2 in this new series (?).

The plot was entertaining and enjoyable. The pacing felt good and the approach to the fake dating felt a little different. I like the idea of the town's “bad boy” dating an author. While I didn’t mind reading the book, there wasn’t anything that stood out to me, which means I don’t have much to say about it. The characters were a little lackluster and the writing style wasn’t the right fit for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I loved the premise of the story about an author trying to find her muse again and write another bestseller. I love books about books, but I wish I had also loved the relationship in this one.

Separately, Aspen and Brick had beautiful stories that would have made great general fiction books, but together, the romance sometimes fell flat. For about half the book, I couldn't fully believe that Brick was actually attracted to Aspen, given the numerous mentions of her "not being his type."

Once I got past the "not my type" comments, the middle part of their relationship was cute, and I loved the way they supported each other.

Then we reached the third-act breakup... The reason for it was well-developed and believable, but the resolution felt a bit rushed. One of the characters did a seemingly sudden 180 after confronting another character about the issue at hand and then all wrapped up in a perfect bow, without actual forgiveness seeming to happening.

I enjoyed this one! The heroine is believable; the love interest is (minor spoiler, here) a genuinely great guy and not some controlling jerk; the side characters are great; and the love story hits several fun tropes along the way. It doesn't hurt that the Outer Banks is one of my favorite places on earth and home to more than a few important memories, along a whole spectrum of emotion.

It always feels a bit uncomfortable reading a romance book about an author, though, because it makes it harder to really bury yourself in the fiction--or maybe that's just me. I waste brain cycles wondering what's autobiographical, in a way I don't if the book is about a scientist or a teacher or a real estate agent. Which is probably unfair. Still, this one made me extra uncomfortable because the whole premise is that the author needs to Go Through It in order to write her book, which is a love story. I feel like I'm seeing something I shouldn't, even when it's lampshaded for me like it is here.

If that's not a problem for you, and you like f/m romances that share both characters' perspectives (one chapter from hers, one from his, all in third person), this is a fun read that offers several laughs, written with love for a beautiful place and the creatures who share it.

I went into this book unsure about the premise. I’m usually not a fan of fake dating, and then the added layer of giving someone money in turn was kind of off-putting. However, I really enjoyed the characters. Their chemistry was strong, although the sex scenes made me cringe a bit. I find the terminology used by authors to describe male and female body parts so odd (ex. In just one page she uses mound to describe her vulva and then her breasts). In the end, the story was predictable, as I expected.

This one took me a wee bit to get into. In the beginning, I kind of didn't like the lead female too much. She seemed a little desperate to recreate her success and in doing so really lost focus. Once I got into the book more I began to like the character more.

As for our lead man, he was gruff, gorgeous, and nursing some deep anger issues. However, he was a teddy bear at heart. I also felt he brought some good qualities out in our lead female.

My favorite part of the book was the description of the Carolinas. Having never been I felt the author took me there. I could picture it all in my head.

Overall for me, this book was a slow burn. It wasn't one I had to read several times I put it down and forgot about but I did finish it and it was good. I would like to read more by this author to see if this is a one-off for me.

First of all, Thank You Netgalley for the ARC granted one more time. I have to start saying that I admire with lots of praises authors who can deal with stories about books wirtten insed its books, because its' being created two stories at the same time, and just for that reason the narrative becomes complex. But good writers can develop stories making them seem it was pretty easy and this one is exactly like that. The characters were well built and with layers of scrutiny so the reader can relate with their believable existence (in the story, of course haha) the grumpy x sunshine and small town romance were super delightful to follow up and I have appreciated the journey all along between the pages. I have to mention that this contains spicy scenes and a lit bit of drama that is happily solved in the end.

Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A wonderful read about an author with writers block willing to do anything (or anyone) to get some inspiration. Aspen Lourdes writing is not going so well., her debut novel was an instant best seller but her 2 latest book sales are struggling. She decides to take a trip to her sisters house by the beach hoping to gain some inspiration when she spots the towns bad boy with a history of breaking hearts. There's even a support group for his pas conquests. Aspen is convinced this man can break her heart and inspire her to write her next great novel.

I adored this book so much! The magical p**** trop was hilarious and I cannot wait to read the next story....Sierra and Kane ❤️

Thank you Jennifer Probst, NetGalley and Blue Box Press for the ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading “Book of the Month” by Jennifer Probst. It is a romantic story with lots of “meat and potatoes”. The book encompasses love, loss, friendship and family. The characters have a way of worming themselves into your heart, as well as your head. It’s about new beginnings, and taking a leap of faith toward your goals in life. Although it’s an easy read there are lots of thought provoking issues. I give this book a big thumbs up! I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I did. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.
Irene G.

I enjoyed this early reader copy from NetGalley--it's a cute seaside romance with a beautiful Outer Banks setting. I enjoyed the descriptions of the beach, wild horses, and being on sea-turtle watch! Aspen is a sweet character who sees past the stories everyone tells about Brick. It seems a little far-fetched that she "needs" a heartbreak in order to write a decent book, but it works for the story. Definitely on the spicier side, so avoid that if it's not your cup of tea.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for the advanced reader copy.

I thought it would be the premise that would be hard for me to go along with but it ended up being the main character who was tough to connect to and made me dislike this book. A disappointing read.

3.5 STARS!!

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. I started thinking that the author was writing her own story in a manner of speaking.

Desperation reeked out of the pages and that caused the female lead to her panicky situation and actions. I felt the beginning was really rocky for me. I was not sure about the FMC at first with her scattered idea but she warmed up to me quite a bit.

The male lead was a gruff hottie who was hiding a lot of anger but underneath was a sweetheart. He made this story believable and enjoyable.

The author brought us amazing descriptions and details of the Carolina shore which had the ocean calling my name. I loved the community engagement which brought excitement and fun into what could have been a heavy story. The secondary characters were fun and also brought levity.

The ending made this book along with the MMC, Brick. He was such an awesome character in comparison to Aspen. Towards the end, she became a jerk – selfish and self-serving. Brick made it all worth it.

Overall, I enjoyed Book of the Month! Probst takes a tough dive into desperation and brings us an emotional, steamy story that gives us the happily ever after they deserve!