What a terrific romantic story. The story is funny, touching, sexy and a wonderful way for two people to get together and fall in love. I love the careers that the author pick for the characters, for some reason it add a touch of wonder to the characters. I also love the supporting characters who are funny and supportive especially when Millie starts getting bother by her ex. I love Millie's loving and supportive family who supports her but also supports Finn and his little girls. The story will make you smile while you read it.

I want to thank Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon and NetGalley for an advance copy of this terrific happily ever after.

Thank you SO MUCH to Avon and Harper Collins for giving me the great pleasure of reading this book early. All thoughts are my own!

I devoured this books in almost one sitting, same with Jillian’s other book Wreck My Plans! I actually finished both of them in less than 24 hours because I was deep obsessed with her writing. I adore these books with my whole heart, and I genuinely want to live in this world with these characters.

Millie is an extraordinary character. Following alongside her as she navigates through this book was so lovely and rewarding. She was already amazing at the beginning, but watching her journey as she grew into herself and found the strength to fight for her dream job on her own was amazing! I loved her very natural integration within Finn and the twins’ lives. She brought so much love with her as she built a bond with them all individually. The way she cared for Finn and supported him while he was adjusting to being the girls’ caregiver and the way she cared for those girls made me so emotional.

Finn is a that kind of MMC that makes me angry I’m single. He wears glasses and scowls COME ON. He’s an amazing guardian for the twins, and he pours so much love and care into their lives. He protects them with such a fierceness that I literally was crying. His journey dealing with the grief from his sister’s passing and transitioning into being his nieces’ parental figure was tender and real. That man loves Millie so much. He was so supportive of her throughout the whole book, and he loved her in big and small ways. The mixer?? The flowers?? The SOUP??

I loved the lack of a third act breakup so much. I genuinely think it was so good for this particular story and these characters to not have a conflict between Millie and Finn near the end. The conflict with Millie’s ex was more than enough for me. I loved how deep Millie and Finn’s connection was and how naturally it progressed. Their relationship is literally spectacular. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!

Jillian’s books are full of family and love and warmth!! She writes these stories that are deeply rooted in the love of family and friends. Her writing really grips my heart and keeps me so invested in these characters. I cannot wait to see what Jillian writes next.

I really enjoyed this woman in STEM romance from Jillian Meadows. It did start a little slow for me, but as it went on I realized that it was a single dad (well, Uncle, but who's counting) romance and I really started to fall in love with the characters. I enjoyed getting to know Finn and Millie and all of their friends. And Finn and Millie's romance was very swoon-worthy - it had all of the tropes I like (i.e. he falls first, he cooks for her, ooh - and cookie baking together!) and then some.

I very highly recommend this book by Jillian Meadows and I look forward to more!

I received an advanced copy of the rerelease of this book, this is my own opinion.

I love the new cover of this one!

Give Me Butterflies has
🦋annoying coworkers to lovers
🦋adorable children
🦋cute dates
🦋crappy family (his)
🦋crappy ex (hers)
🦋a handful of spicy scenes

I’m not sure what’s wrong with me, but I do love a grumpy man. Although, the real Finn isn’t as grumpy as Millie first believes. This book touches a bit on grief after the death of a sibling (off page) and a verbally abusive ex (who does reappear later) but is mostly likely and fluffy.

The Kylo Ren references and the way this is written gives me a sort of fanfic vibe (complimentary) so I think if you like Ali Hazelwood esque books, you’ll like this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

Such a great first novel! The characters are engaging and have so much depth. The story flows very well and of course a beautiful Happily Ever After

Overall, I loved it. It seems like it’ll be a really sweet series to read.
Plus as the oldest of three daughters… I’m invested.
There has gotta be a slightly OCD veteran with PTSD and TBIs that needs Tess because she’s the only one who can handle him. Those men need older sisters, don’t know why, just a fact. 😂

Romance ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Laughing 😂
Crying ❌
Kicking Feet 🦶
Action ❌

3.5 ⭐️ | This is a really sweet romance with some emotional depth and a very swoon-worthy man. I very rarely say this but I think this could have been a little longer to spend more time in the pre-lust period when Millie thought Finn was a grumpy asshole. We moved so quickly past that phase that it felt like a trope for the sake of a trope. The relationship development was relatively fast for my taste.

Overall the writing was well done and Jillian knows how to write a hot nerd book boyfriend. This is a very solid, quick romance read so I would recommend it if you want something sweet (& a little spicy) with lower stakes. I enjoyed it enough that I will likely check out future books by this author. Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

📣 check this one out if you’re looking for a soft contemporary

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 do you call them lightning bugs or fireflies? I call them lightning bugs but my husband & my kids call them the latter.

Emotional heartstrings will likely get pulled with this one, people.

Jillian Meadows’ Give Me Butterflies gave me major Tarah DeWitt Savor It vibes—it’s funny, warm-hearted, soft, sweet, & sexy.

It’s apparently the author’s debut, which makes it particularly impressive, given that this book really comes out the gate firing on all contemporary romance cylinders.

There’s a grumpy astronomer, who’s actually a single dad of two nieces whose mother has just passed away. A cute & sunshine entomologist, who’s chasing her career goals after rescuing herself from a toxic ex. A couple of disastrous meet cutes. & some Tessa Bailey “he is absolutely wild for her” undertones.

Although I had a slight issue with the pacing, overall it’s a satisfying contemporary where the leads take the time to build a family together 🩷.

4.25 🩷. Out 01/21.

CWs: toxic ex & mom, grieving loss of sister.

[ID: Jess holds the ebook in front of a wall with a white, orange, & mint floral design.]

Cute and romantic, I loved how sweet of a romance this was, with some science involved. The heroine's job is a dream, and I love how she connects with the hero's two nieces. If you adore single dad/ single parent romance, then you'll love this one. A full review is coming to my Goodreads and Bookstagram.
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for this arc!

super cute!

Thank you to Avon Books for sending me an e-ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

This book really warmed my heart and left me smiling! Millie and Finn’s story hit so many of my favorite tropes—grumpy x sunshine, found family, and even a "he falls first" dynamic. It had the perfect mix of depth and sweetness, making it a truly memorable read.

I adored Millie! She’s so strong in such a quiet, relatable way, recovering from an emotionally abusive relationship with the unwavering support of her friends and family. Her journey of healing felt authentic, and her determination to chase her dreams was inspiring. I couldn’t help but root for her the entire time.

And then there’s Finn. I absolutely loved him! Sure, he’s grumpy, but the love and care he shows his nieces melted my heart. He’s juggling so much—grief, responsibility, and his role at the museum—but underneath all that is a man who feels deeply and loves fiercely. Watching his walls come down as he let Millie in was such a treat.

I also loved how Millie and Finn balanced each other out. Their chemistry felt natural, and their banter was so much fun. The nieces added such a sweet touch to the story—it was adorable to see Millie and Finn work together to make a little family for those girls.

The book tackled some heavy topics, but it never felt overwhelming. The emotional moments were balanced beautifully with lighthearted ones, and it all came together in such a comforting, wholesome way. My only small complaint is that I wish we’d seen more of Millie’s professional journey and how she fought for the director position.

Overall, this was a heartwarming, emotional, and cozy read that left me feeling all the feels. Highly recommend it if you love sweet romances with depth and a bit of found family magic!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Millie and Finn were gorgeous together and the family they made with his nieces were sweet. For a debut novel I think Jillian Meadows should be proud of herself. However, I do think if this book has been picked up for a traditional publisher, then it needed a heavier edit. You could’ve cut 70 pages and the story would’ve been sharper.

The first 40% was a real slog as the pace dragged down, with the repetitious scenes of Millie coming over to Finn’s house to bake with the twins. Also, while I’m so glad we didn’t have to sit through endless chapters of ‘enemies’ and Millie quickly learned Finn wasn’t that grumpy nor hated her, the early lust/attraction meant there was nowhere to go so it dragged. Hurdles, such as the job stuff was dispensed with quickly so it just felt like being old repeatedly they’re lusting or yearning after each other. I really hated that Finn was useless to not learn to cook or deal with the household stuff that of course the sunshine-y woman comes in and fix for him and his nieces. It’s not that hard to follow a recipe or a video demo of cooking basic meals!

This book also delves into themes such as grief, domestic violence, but many of these threads were never quite fully realised or resolved in such a cartoonish matter (i.e. Millie’s ex-boyfriend). Perfectly fine and enjoyable but it really did lag in pace with plot threads never quite fully realised or put in to create tension but didn’t work. Despite it all I’d still be keen to read future books by this author to see how her writing develops with an editorial team behind her from the start.

Thanks to Avon/Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was such a beautiful story that I didn't know I needed. Millie is an entomologist and is working for a promotion at work. Finn is her grumpy coworker she she keeps accidentally running into in the most embarrassing situations. Including the fact that he's on the hiring committee.

Watching these two find their way to each other was such a heartwarming experience. It was so real and raw, and an emotional rollercoaster with every moment that brought them closer to being together. As Millie finds herself more comfortable with Finn and the girls, her past sneaks up on her. But this time, Finn is there, and she's more confident in herself too.

Good grief I think I died a little with how good this was!

Honestly everything about this book was amazing, so let's start at the beginning. The tension between these two was amazing and the fact that she's a total girl boss? I loved!! Millie really is such a lovable character for so many reasons, but I think I adore her self-awareness the most. Even though she finally realizes (!!!) that Finn isn't thattttt bad, she really wants that job promotion. Throughout the entire book, she always prioritizes her career in the best way. Now, that doesn't mean that she's totally only thinking about herself, but she's very aware of what her situation looks like, especially for a woman in STEM.

Now, Finn. I loved him so much, and beneath that broody exterior, he really is a sweetheart! His devotion to his nieces is so admirable that you just have to love the guy. Not to mention the fact that he's a big 'ole cinnamon roll!

The writing was flawless, the plot was extreme quality, and the characters (yes, even our side ones) were well thought out and lovable too. Just writing the review of this book makes me want to read it again....

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the special edition earc!

loved this! I am truly a sucker for a STEM romance, and I love a strong FMC. The romance through the story was really good and the dual perspectives were a perfect choice for this type of story. The plot moved along as it should and I didn’t get bored with the predictability of the story as can sometimes happen, especially with a contemporary romance. I appreciated that each character had a major conflict in the book, instead of just one. I also appreciated the discussion of different types of abuses in relationships, as verbal and mental abuse can be difficult to spot and talk about. The dynamic between the two girls and Millie was great, as was the honest struggle that Finn was dealing with as he was grieving and trying to become a parent. It all wrapped together really well and I couldn’t put the book down.

A cute fluffy STEM romance that balances nicely some more deep topics like mental health and the characters having real issues to work on in their lives.
I enjoyed the characters and setting.
The pacing was a bit rushed initially though.

Rating: 2.5

To say that this is a grumpy/sunshine romance is misleading. He could be considered "grumpy" in their first couple of interactions but after that he's not grumpy or rude at all. The romance also happens way too quickly.

Thank you NetGalley, Avon, and Jillian Meadows for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I LOVED this one and it’s one of my favorite romances now. I originally requested it because of the cover, but I’m so glad that I did.

This one follows Millie and Finn, two curators at a science museum, but it feels different to some of the STEM romances I’ve read before. It’s really unique, romantic, and heartwarming. There are some serious topics, one being that Finn has nieces that he’s adopted after his sister passed away. This part of the plot was so sweet and it was so cute seeing the two main characters take care of and love them.

If you like romance books, run to pick this one up! Also the author’s other book, which I read after this one, and may have even enjoyed a little bit more. I can’t wait for more from her!

I love a good STEM romance and the cover definitely drew me in. The story follows two rival museum workers. Millie is in the Entomology department and Finn is in Astronomy. It was a good romance that delves a bit into some more serious topics, like domestic abuse and loss of a family member. But, the author does a good job of balancing the story. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a STEM romance, or just a cute workplace enemies to lovers. (Thank You to Netgalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the ARC)

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

"I don't need the sun when you're here, stella mia. You're the brightest star in my universe, and I've been orbiting around you since you poured coffee all over me. I could spend the rest of my life watching you shine."

4.25 stars

This was such a cute, fun read with some nice nods to mental health and taking care of yourself.

I really enjoyed both characters. Millie was smart, compassionate, and had some quirkiness to her. Finn started out grumpy and dickish, though that lasted for like a couple chapters which was a little strange, but he was also a marshmallow and was giving me Clark Kent vibes 👀

I think the pacing was a little off here. Finn went from 0-100 pretty fast, which is still enjoyable to read, but I got halfway through and was wondering what else could possibly happen for the last half.

But even though it felt a little long I still really enjoyed it and I'm really excited to see Fable and Theo 😍