This story revolves around Aspen, an author trying to end her author’s block by getting into a relationship for the sole purpose of getting her heart broken. The premise of the story was great, but I think the book was filled with too much stereotypes to really make the story special and original.

The main male character was a guy named Brick and he was described as a guy who does not talk a lot, who is impassible when faced with multiple women’s advances and who keeps his problems for himself. I thought that his name was a bit “shove it in your face” because his personality is literally a wall… of bricks.

Aspen is a successful author (for a single novel) which makes her able to pay for Brick’s expenses. She asks him to fake being in a relationship with her without lying to her about his interest which I found a bit confusing. He accepts and automatically wonders about sex with her. For a guy in his 30’s, I found that a bit immature. Also, she likes him after a single date knowing that he is faking with her, a situation that I found lacked chemistry and showed her as a naive and gullible woman.

I think this book is a great beach read, but I think it is mainly because it is kind of average. You will not want to read so much that you miss out on your trip, but you will be entertained when you decide to take a small break.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst started a bit slow for me, but quickly became a fun read after the first few chapters.

In this book, Aspen is chasing the writing muse of her first book that became a sensation and that she wasn't able to capture in her follow-up novel. She knows that this is her last chance to prove to her publisher, her readers, and most importantly, herself that she still has it. She thinks she has to be living what she writes about, so she goes to the Outer Banks and plans to live a summer worth writing about. Enter Brick - he's the man of romance novel dreams and Aspen knows that he's the key to her finding her muse. Brick, however, rebuffs her advances and she resorts to guaranteeing that a fake romance and him "breaking her heart" at the end of the summer will create the buzz he needs to save his family business and give her the inspiration needed to write her novel.

Neither expects to fall for the other and once I got through the first couple of chapters, I fell write into the story and the characters. I love the trope of fake relationships and this was a joy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I am a self-admitted book worm, and I have been the majority of my life. The genre that I can never get enough of is romance. Here lately, in addition to romantic suspense books, I am still a fan of traditional romance. Because of this, I was extremely excited to read this book.

I am sometimes hesitant to read books from a new author, because it sometimes takes me a while to get used to their writing style. I am thrilled to say that this booked hooked me from the very beginning. I ended up having to make myself slow down because I realized I was reading it too fast! I loved both of the main characters, and the secondary characters grew on me as well.

Not to be a spoiler, but I am glad that there is going to be another book in this series. I just hate that I will have to wait a whole year to read it. All in all, I really loved this book, and I am very disappointed that I am done with it. I recommend this book, and cannot wait to see what is next from this author. I definitely plan to read some of her past works.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

"Book of the Month" had some of my all-time fave tropes! It’s a mix of rom-com that contains fake-dating that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Plot: Aspen Lourde, a once-successful author, is struggling to find her next hit. Desperate, she heads to the Outer Banks to snag Brick Babel, the town’s infamous heartthrob, for some much-needed inspiration. Her plan? A fake whirlwind romance to stir up drama for her book. But as the fake romance spirals out of control, real feelings emerge, leading to an unexpected twist.

Characters:
- Aspen: The quirky author who’ll do anything for a bestseller. She’s determined and relatable, with a charm that makes you root for her.
- Brick: The moody, heartthrob who’s initially resistant but eventually gets drawn into the chaos. His character is intriguing, though I wish we’d seen more of his backstory.

Writing: The dialogue is sharp and funny, blending humor with deeper themes of personal growth and the search for inspiration. It’s engaging and adds a layer of depth to the story.

Overall, "Book of the Month" is a delightful read that combines romance, humor, and a touch of drama. Perfect for fans of heartfelt and entertaining stories!

I believe this is my first book by this author. I saw it offered on Netgalley and grabbed a copy, mostly because of the location of the story...the Outer Banks. I've been there and I currently live in the Southern Outer Banks. This story sounded like something I'd definitely enjoy reading. I was not wrong on that thought!

First, let me just say how much I enjoyed all the characters and their names! Brick Babel, the town lothario, or is he really? That name though, LOL, LOVED it! Aspen and her sister, Sierra. Their parents must have been travelers. Brick's best friend, Kane. Good looking and with a great name too! Marco, a weed enthusiast in business with his two best friends and Brick's neighbor. LOVED him! This story was off to a great start. For me, this was one of those stories that you take to the beach and/or curl up on the couch in front of the fire on the weekend and read, read, read. I have to say, I found this book thoroughly enjoyable. The dialogue was delicious, the location sublime, and the action was at times fast, fun, steamy and angsty.

The one thing that bothered me was the ending which is why I dropped a star from 5 to 4. I'm not going to lie, I was a bit disappointed at one point very near the end. However, that's not to say the ending wasn't great. I just saw everything playing out a bit different, but then again, I didn't write this beauty so...Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst is a definite two thumbs up from me. Don't miss it!

I have enjoyed a few from this author, so when I saw this title on Netgalley, I grabbed it. While I did like it, I didn't love it, and here's why...

Aspen is a writer who needs another best seller. She is a bit obsessed with this - and I get it, it's her livelihood. This obsessive streak moves into other aspects of her life as well. Chasing after Brick, (a guy who shows little interest in her) was a little hard for me to attach to, but they definitely have chemistry. I struggled to stay connected to the pages (a little) halfway through, but I was okay with the resolution to the story.

My ending thought? 3.5 stars. Not a bad read, but IMO, not the next best seller.
I appreciate the complimentary copy of this book, and voluntarily leave my review.

A bit convoluted as a plot and also not very believable, but still a book that is fairly easy to read even if I would have appreciated some congruence.

Un po' convoluta come trama e anche poco credibile, ma comunque un libro che si lascia leggere piuttosto facilmente anche se avrei apprezzato una certa congruenza.

I received an advanced complimentary digital review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you Jennifer Probst, NetGalley and Blue Box Press for this ARC. It in no way affects my review.

Aspen Lorde is an author who achieved incredible success with her first book. Unfortunately, her highly acclaimed book was semi-autobiographical about the heartbreak and betrayal that resulted of her first love. Aspen is now under a looming deadline to produce another book with the same fervor with no new relationship and no inspiration to draw from. In despair, Aspen goes to her sister's house in the Outer Banks to isolate and hopefully grasp the words she needs to start and finish her next best-seller.

Brick Babel is Corolla, NC's surly bad boy with a "love 'em and leave 'em" reputation to match. He's gorgeous, broody, and has a long list of broken hearts trailing behind him. A quick summer romance with heartbreaker Brick is exactly what Aspen needs to wake up her muse and finish her book. When Aspen realizes Brick's grandfather's tour business is in danger of going under, she comes up with a plan for Brick to make her fall in love with him over the course of the summer and then ruthlessly dump her: she gets her story and in turn, she saves his grandfather's legacy.

Firstly, I really liked Aspen. I LOVED that she was described as perfectly average. Not ugly, not a great beauty. Very tall, no bombshell curves. She's frustrated with her new book and still holding on to insecurities from her disastrous relationship that resulted in her claim to fame. She's shy and awkward, an introvert that would rather hole up in her comforting house rather than go out and meet people. What this results in is a relatable character the reader is immediately drawn to and champions.
Brick and Aspen's growing relationship and comfortability with each other felt organic and natural regardless of their deal. They had great chemistry from the get-go but their growing trust and affection for each other, although each being horribly burned, was beautiful.

Can we talk about the setting please? The Outer Banks holds a special place in my heart so I may be biased but I loved that it was set in Corolla, NC and the wild horses played a minor, yet important role. It was easy to find similarities between Brick and Aspen and the wild horses: both sets wanting to be free to live their lives as they see fit yet mistrustful of those around them that seek to harm.
Between mentioning the loggerhead turtles, and Duck Donuts, I was instantly transported to one of my favorite places on Earth and it was a nice mental vacation!

For fans of rom-com, and the healing power of an inspiring relationship, I highly encourage this book. This was my first Jennifer Probst book and I'm putting more of hers on my TBR!

Simple, easy read if you want something predictable. A formulaic plot with little depth. Enjoyable if you want something light.

This book was kinda slow in the beginning. I struggled a little to get into it but when I did get into it, like six chapters in, I was hooked. I love dual POV books and this one is no exception. For me personally it's so much easier to understand the characters when we get dual or even multiple POV thoughout the book.
I adore Aspen and Brick (even though i do find his full name a little funny) and I love how they built their relationship from literally nothing. Their relationship isn't usual, it's anything but, and I don't think I've read any book with a similar premise (which is why, I think, it was so hard for me to really get into it). At first I found it unbelievably ridiculous and unrealistic, which it kinda is, but that doesn't mean it doesn't make for a great story.
I thought this would be more like the fake dating stories I'm used to where they try to hide their affection until it spills out, which I love, but somehow this was so much better, healthy communication (mostly), and right decisions (mostly). And from the moment I got into it I devoured every letter.
I love the ending. I think the last chapter would be enough to conclude the story of AspenAndBrick but I love that the author decided to give the readers a conclusion to Aspen herself.
I wasn't sure what to expect from the ending because Aspen's books weren't romance books with a HEA and I was so happy when they got back together and when the epilogue showed they stayed together and were both happy. I'm a sucker for HEA or at least HFN, what can I say.
All in all, absolutely amazing book, loved it and I was genuinely upset when I realised it was ending. I'm glad it wasn't a spontaneous ending and I had time to ready myself for the ending. I'm giving this book 4 stars, mainly witholding the one because it was hard to get into.

This was really bad. Formulaic, boring characters, didn't capture me at all. Should have DNFed but given the author I thought it would get better. :-( Ugh.

Jennifer Probst does it again. Loved this beach read. Aspen Lourde is a writer who has lost her muse. Her first novel was written after a horrible breakup and she feels she needs to repeat those feelings to write another bestseller. She hires Brick for a summer fling and to break her heart. But as usual nothing goes as planned.

All the feels of a great romance. Couldn’t stop reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so fun and romantic. I really enjoyed my reading experience.

I picked this because of the title and the description - I am a book of the month member and am always curious of the backstory on the authors and how the club impacts an author. Aspen's desire to be successful in her career is relatable to many women - we are often told and believe something must be sacrificed to be successful in industry. Unfortunately Aspen believes that her personal love life is the thing to sacrifice. Brick helps her find her confidence and helps her figure out what she's really looking for when defining success. In return, Brick also gets a hand in rescuing his business (cash influx is key here) and learns how to lower the guards he has put up around his heart.
I struggled a little bit with the names of the various characters - it was a little distracting. But I loved the side characters of Sierra, Marco, and Dug. They really brought humor to the story and helped highlight the hidden sweet spots of Aspen and Brick. It felt like a fun summer read and a nice forced proximity romance - with lust and sex mixed in (a little earlier and more often than I had expected!). I'm not sure if this is the romance read for everyone, but it was enjoyable. Jennifer Probst wrote a story that made me want to keep going even when I wasn't fully connecting with the characters. I would consider picking up one of her books in the future.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

5⭐️
4🌶

Tropes:
📚Fake Dating
📚Summer fling
📚Beachy romance
📚He falls first
📚Small town

A broody, local man. A down-on-her-luck author. A contract to help fix both of their lives. This book was everything.

Aspen can't seem to write a book to follow up her debut novel. Brick can't seem to get his grandfather's failing business back off the ground. So Aspen decides to strike a deal with Brick. She'll pay for what he needs to revamp his business if he will break her heart so she can write another bestseller.

Brick DELIVERS. I loved him from the beginning. He just wanted to be left alone, but once he agrees to Aspen's plan, man does he commit. The MOUTH on that man. 🔥🔥🔥 Aspen didn't know what she was getting with him. Aspen does a lot of growing. I was proud of her for finding herself and gaining her peace. But a bit disappointed with the journey for her to get there. My man Brick should have asked for more grovel.

The side characters were awesome. Marco and his gang had me laughing. And everyone knows a dog like Dug- so ugly they are cute.

I absolutely adored this book and am looking forward to the next one, which had better be Sierra and Kane.

I loved the cover of this book and the title - I'm an admitted BOTM junky. I looked at previous titles from the author and for me, they would have kept me away as too romance-y, whereas this cover made me think it was bridging romance/rom-com/women's fiction.

In the end, the romance was a little more spicy than I normally read, but I was impressed with the sexy use of consent. Just read it. You'll see what I mean. I have teenagers and we've talked a lot about consent - and I feel like Probst managed to insert it into sex scenes and actually make it sexy and yet relevant.

The plot was intriguing, but I felt like I knew exactly where it was going. I was right, but I still enjoyed being along for the ride. The characters are lovable and easy to root for, and it's a fun read that has you feeling beach vibes and Duck Donuts cravings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for the ARC of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

The story was fun and makes for a good, quick read! The main characters didn’t really resonate with me but the plot and story were good. I enjoyed this book, but it didn’t leave much of a lasting impression.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)

Book of the month is a cute book about writer Aspen. After experiencing succes writing her debut novel, she is in a slump. Enter smalltown heartbreaker Brick Babel.
I liked the way the book was written. It read away easily. The plot was cute, though it had some clichés. I also prefer it if mutlitple POV are made known by stating the name/switching them per chapter (instead of just randomly after a couple of paragraphs).

I am also very curious about Sierra’s story after this.

In Book of the Month, Aspen leaves New York for a small beachside town to visit her sister and to find a heartbreak that she hopes will inspire her to write another bestseller. She hires Brick the local heartbreaker who seems to be perfect for the job. The chemistry is instant and the romance sweet, and I liked reading about Aspen's experience as a writer and in the publishing industry and her relationships outside of the romance. I found the second half of the book less enjoyable, maybe because it felt more trope-y, everything seemed to resolve itself a little too easily, and the dialogue sometimes made it hard to distinguish between characters. But at least they got their happy ending sigh 😔

Aspen (lol) is a writer with a "one hit wonder" type book a few years back based on her life.
Her more recent books did not perform as well, and apparently this is because they are not autobiographical. She goes to Corolla in the outer banks, connects with her sister, and learns about the hot guy heartbreaker, Brick Babel (lol) who inherited a "wild horse tour company"(?) from his Grandpa....are you ready for this.... Grandpa Ziggy. I can't with these names. Okay one more- a literal character named Maleficent who drives a pink hummer. I am deceased.

Beautiful cover- if I looked at the covers of the authors other books I would skip them because it looks full of S M U T. This is my first Jennifer Probst, she is a good writer who has a plethora of romance titles under her belt. But this cover is lovely and drew me in- what was inside was representative. Good banter and dialogue, the characters were a bit boring but seemed to have easy and relatable conversation. I also like a "fake courtship" arrangement and main characters who are writers.

Because Aspen is experiencing a slump she seems unhappy with the marketing, the publishing industry, social media marketing, goodreads reviews. I can't help but feel a bit attacked?
The cynicism about her own industry came through- does this author resent us readers?

The ending was very romantic, although there was a bit of unneeded drama with the MMC getting butt hurt for a dumb reason.

Thanks to netgalley and blue box press for the ARC. Book to be released Oct 22, 2024.