I am SO HAPPY that I finally got to this book!! I ended up listening to the audiobook and I can't wait to gush about it to everyone. The cover is absolutely adorable and the story warmed my heart. I love a grumpy single dad and Finn was PERFECTION. The way the title is the perfect fit for this book makes me so happy. I thought the story progression was done super well. This was also spicier than I was expecting and I was not mad about it. Highly recommend & can't wait to check out more from this author!

Thank you to Avon & Harper Voyager for giving me the opportunity to be an early reader. All thoughts are my own.

Give Me Butterflies is a decent enough romance with relatively low stakes and a single guardian trope that I think a lot of readers will eat up. Unfortunately, this fell a bit flat for me at times. The pacing was a bit weird - it felt like a ton of time was passing between the characters' interactions or plot developments, but in reality it would only be a few days or a week at most. I also found that the original introduction to Finn and Millie was very superficial and immediately resolved. Essentially, they have a few bad interactions, so they dislike each other based off their first impressions, but these strongly held opinions about each other are very quickly changed/doubted with little contention or reasoning in between. It made the beginning of their story seem pointless and I felt like they could've just met for the first time in the beginning rather than having the weird "omg I hate them" to "wait I think I like them" switch that was too quick. Due to the above mentioned points, I didn't find myself completely immersed in the story, but I didn't completely dislike the characters or the story. I think Give Me Butterflies is just middling when it comes to romance, but I'm sure there are people out there who would obsess over Millie and Finn's story.

Thank you to Avon, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

This is a story with a little bit of everything to melt your heart. The characters are absolutely fantastic. I love the dynamic between them. The rapport that continues to build and change as the story progresses is absolutely wonderful. The plot is a very interesting one with different layers that appealed to different parts of me. I can see going back to thi story. I was left the a very happy feeling and big smile at the end of this story.

Again with the cute illustrated book cover. Meadows rights an cute love story.

I love a good grumpy x sunshine trope and this one did not disappoint.

I liked this one so much I bought my own copy.

I adored this book!

Two people dealing with their own traumas. Millie, who is finding herself and her confidence after ending a relationship with a man who loved to tear her down, to find subtle and overt ways to break her down until she didn't know who she was anymore. And Finn, who's sister died and left him to raise her twin daughters. Who has no idea if he's doing anything right, his own parents only an example in how to withhold and berate.

When the two collide at work, literally, Millie spilling her coffee all over Finn, it's only the start of their orbit of each other. Both work at a science museum, him in astrology, her in entomology. Millie is less than pleased to find that Finn is on the interview panel when she's applying for the head of department position, wearing the same glare as when she spilled coffee on him, and accidentally ran into his bumper...

Unbeknownst to Millie, Finn's glare is his way of hiding his attraction. When his girls, Avery and Eloise, come for the science camp and Millie manages to get them to come out of their shells, he isn't ready for the moment to end. His mention that he doesn't know how to make cookies and invitation was just a gamble, but it turns into a tradition - Friday nights, cooking with Millie. Watching the girls bond, getting meals and treats much better than he could have provided, but more than that, the dance parties and coloring, watching them come alive. The trust and openness.

I love the game nights. Finn being prepared to buy Millie a library. His devotion to his girls, but also to Millie. The very real setbacks along the way.
There were moments that both had to deal with as an individual, before they could go back to being a couple, and I felt like that was a very real way to handle things. The communication was great, it had it's stumbles, but came back strong.

This is a book that was just pure joy to read, even when I wasn't having the best time physically, which made me appreciate it even more. From the sneak peek chapter, I will admit I'm a little bummed that we're not getting a Fable and Theo book next ,but I will read anything Jillian Meadows writes! I'm excited for the next book regardless! .

Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows completely stole my heart. This is the kind of romance that feels like a warm hug — comforting, swoony, and impossible to put down. I absolutely loved that it’s a wholesome workplace romance with a perfect mix of grumpy x sunshine, he falls first, and a soft, heartwarming found family dynamic.

One of my favorite things about this book was the sciencey side of it. Millie being an entomologist was such a fun and refreshing detail, and her passion for bugs brought such a unique charm to her character. Finn, on the other hand, is a grumpy astronomy head who serves on the interview committee, and I loved how their worlds collided in such an unexpected and sweet way. Their connection felt so organic and full of tension, and the academic setting added a really fresh backdrop to the romance.

Finn falling first had me melting. The way he softens for Millie, while still being his gruff, guarded self, was everything. Their banter was hilarious, their chemistry was undeniable, and the emotional growth between them made the romance feel so earned and satisfying.

Jillian Meadows also did a beautiful job weaving in themes of belonging, vulnerability, and healing. The found family element was touching, and every character felt real and lovable in their own way.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books, and Jillian Meadows for the ARC. Give Me Butterflies is smart, tender, and delightfully nerdy in all the best ways. If you love STEM heroines, emotionally repressed astronomy guys, and all the cozy, heartfelt romance tropes, this one is an absolute must-read.

Omg, this book was amazing! You can’t tell me that Finn and Millie are not soulmates, their love for each other was so pure. Don’t get me started on the girls, I couldn’t get enough of Avery and Eloise! I loved how Finn and Millie’s relationship blossomed and the deep bonds she formed with the two girls. I loved how supportive Finn and Millie were to each other, no matter what dilemma was occurring. I’m mad at myself for not picking this book up sooner!

3.75 🌟
"Give Me Butterflies" is a cute, easy read with a dash of quirkiness. Millie is an upbeat ray of sunshine, compassionate entomologist who is over coming a deeply toxic relationship, while Finn is the grumpy, nerdy head of the astronomy department, who recently became the sole guardian of his sister's twin daughters. The pacing seemed a bit disjointed, with Finn going from not ever talking to Millie to "tracing her collarbone and neck" in a matter of pages. Finn falls fast and it's definitely an "insta love" but this is still a fun read. I'm excited to read Millie's sister's book next!

What we get
Dual pov
Women in stem
Grumpy×sunshine
He falls first
Nerdy hot guy
No third act breakup 🙌
Open communication and therapy!
Single dad/guardian

What might not work for you
Insta love leading to insta nicknames🫣
Very little drama=felt long

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

It has taken me way too long to review this book. I read this back in January and it was easily a five star read for me. In fact, it likely will be one of, if not the, top favorite books of the year. I loved everything about this story. Give Me Butterflies tells the story of Millie, an entomology curator, and Finn, the head of astronomy, who both work at the same museum. Millie finds herself up for a promotion but Finn being on the interview committee might mean disaster for her. What begins as a grumpy x sunshine romance soon turns to the sweetest, most endearing relationship ever. Finn is dealing with a lot of personal sadness, which is what Millie interprets as his grumpiness. But when his walls begin to break down and the two of them form a bond that is like none other, there's no stopping them. This is one of the most incredible romances I've ever read and I never want Jillian Meadows to stop writing books. As someone who often forgets what they read days later, the fact that these two have stuck with me all this time says something for sure.

Thank you to the publisher for my eARC.

I absolutely loved this book! I loved both characters, their grumpish/sunshine tropes, their careers, and their personal lives. I love how they started as friends who were attracted to each other and their path to romance felt believable and real. I thought the beautiful cover was such a great compliment to a fun story!

Millie loves bugs. Yes, the creepy crawly little creatures that most people do not enjoy. She loves them so much that she is an entomology curator at the museum in town. There she is able to share her passion and love with everyone. However, she’s not able to share it with her grumpy space loving coworker, Finn Ashford. But there’s more to Finn than meets the eye, he’s juggling a job, grief, and raising two little girls. That’s a lot for one man to handle. At the rate him and Millie keep crashing into each other, literally, things are bound to happen right? Only time will tell.

Give Me Butterflies was a cute quick read! I think I definitely like science romance book more than I realize because this was giving Ali Hazelwood vibes. Both Millie and Finn are very passionate about their work and I love how Killian Meadows was able to tie both of their passions into their budding romance. *If you know you know*

Aside from their passions, being able to see/read how both Millie and Finn overcame their internal struggles gave them more depth and rounded out their characters even further. I love when main characters are able to work through their personal struggles and they don’t always have to rely on their love interest to do so.

However, at times I felt that Millie’s character overanalyzed and stressed about some things a little too much at times. It sometimes took away from her growth as a character. Plus the romance seemed a little rushed to me but that also could have been because there was a couple weeks with a time jump, so maybe there wasn’t any rushing at all. But the spice definitely helped make up for it.

Overall, this was a cute read that made me giggle throughout. I’m excited to see where the author takes this series and explore the different Oaks sisters.

This book was cute. A quick and easy read.
Millie & Finn were good characters, both vulnerable and guarded in their own ways. The relationship they form is a slow-burn that is fast-paced if that makes any sense. I loved the found family aspect of this book and the relationship Millie formed with Finn's nieces. Did not love that Millie's abusive ex was a part of the plot/conflict.

Soft, tender, and filled with quiet charm—Give Me Butterflies is a gentle start to the Oak Sisters series that left me smiling. Julian Meadows brings a comforting warmth to this small-town romance, with just enough emotional tension to keep you hooked. The chemistry builds slowly, but when it clicks, it feels earned and genuine—perfect for readers who love a slow-burn, character-driven love story.

There were a few moments where the pacing dipped or I wished for a bit more spark between the leads earlier on, but the emotional payoff was sweet and satisfying. It’s clear this book is laying the foundation for deeper stories to come, and I’m excited to follow the rest of the Oak Sisters as the series unfolds.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. A cozy, heartwarming read with room to grow—3.75 stars!

Great book! Loved the character growth and I am always here for healthy relationships. Even though it's a romance novel, I love learning about new careers!

Grumpy x sunshine, workplace romance, found family! What else could you ask for? I loved this book so much and I can’t wait for the series to continue!

This is a pretty typical forbidden workplace romance, grumpy/sunshine, single "dad" conglomeration. It ticks a lot of boxes and for the most part, it executes them pretty well. Finn is the grumpy tenured museum director who's become the guardian to his twin nieces after his sister's untimely death. He's still reeling. Sprinkle on top some gaslighting parents and he's one miserable MF'er.

Also, the author's choice to reintroduce said gaslighter toward the end of the novel was unnecessary and actually detracted from the story. It was silly and on the heels of the gratuitous third act break up was overkill.

Altogether this was a sweet, fluffy read and I will move on to the second book in the series, focusing on Millie's sister.

This was so soft and wholesome and amazing, I had such a great time reading it!

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I wanted to love this one. I loved that it was dual POV my favorite rom coms are normally the ones that do that because I love watching the hero fall in love with the heroine while we get his point. I loved Finn and I loved being in his point of view. I just never warmed up to Millie.

This was a very sweet, emotional romance with interesting characters and a believable story. I like that Meadows doesn't include a typical third act breakup and instead focuses on the growth of the 2 characters. Eloise and Avery were a delight and I loved their relationship with Millie. The side characters were charming and I would read a book featuring any of them. This was truly a wonderful romance that I highly recommend.

This book was....fine. I was really excited to read a woman in STEM-centered romance, but I found that the plot and setting barely took place in the museum and was mostly focused on the FMC getting to know the MMC's nieces. It was adorable, but I think I went into this with the expectation of it being something other than it was.