"Nine Month Contract" by Amy Daws
I absolutely loved this book! It felt like a fresh take on the romcom genre, keeping me hooked from start to finish. The plus-size representation, blended families, brotherly love, found family dynamics, and rustic farm life all made this story incredibly appealing. I’ve already recommended it to so many friends because I know they’ll love it too!
It’s definitely spicy—getting there around 20% into the book—but it’s so well-written that every moment feels earned. I’m a sucker for a strong female lead, and this one is no exception. She’s tough, scrappy, a total smart-ass, and everything I love to read about. And let’s be honest—the burly mountain man? Not too bad to read about either!
Content warning: A major theme in this book revolves around IVF and surrogacy.
I received this book as an ARC from the publisher—thank you so much! Hoping to stock this in the store soon!

Nine Month Contract
By Amy Daws

This is the story of Wyatt, a mountain man who wants a baby and Trista, the chosen surrogate. But it’s not Wyatt who chooses Trista, it’s his niece, Everly. For me, Wyatt’s family and in particularly, Everly play too much of a role in their love story. The story would be half its length if it was about the MCs. There were ick factors for me with the family and way too much information about farm animals as pets. Trista says Wyatt doesn’t know enough about her but I know everything about the animals and a gross ex girlfriend. I wanted to like the main characters but they were loving but emotionally stunted. There were spicy times and endearing times but non pertinent characters and a niece narrator that just bogged it down for me.

Two and a half stars from me. Thank you NetGalley and Canary Street Press for an advanced digital read.

thought I’d enjoy this one, the premise sounded different and had a lot of potential. A single guy wanting to be a dad and finding a surrogate? Interesting, right? But the more I read, the less I liked it.
The whole surrogacy setup felt weird, and the family dynamics were even weirder. Trista got on my nerves, Wyatt had some controlling moments, and the pacing was all over the place, dragging at first, then suddenly skipping huge events.
In the end, this just wasn’t for me.

I've tried to pick it back up multiple times, but after I had to read the word 'rizz' for a second time I'm going to have to bow out.
I have read other books by this author and really enjoyed them, but I fear that this book is just not for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was just... eh, okay.

It really had potential, but as it went on, I started liking it less and less. Wyatt wants a baby with zero strings attached, so his niece takes it upon herself to find him a surrogate. Enter Trista, who moves onto his property, and while trying to get pregnant (via home insemination, yikes), tension builds between them. The surrogacy trope was just not for me and made me feel a bit ick at times.

And honestly? Trista drove me crazy and Wyatt had his moments, but he also came off a bit controlling, and his whole family gave me weird vibes. Also, the pacing? Painfully slow, until suddenly we’re skipping months, including the actual birth.

But between the awkward surrogacy-turned-romance, the forced body image conversations, and some *seriously* cringey moments, this just wasn’t for me.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC.

⭐️: 4.5/5

After an uneventful search for a surrogate, Wyatt has all but lost hope, until his niece steps in. Running into to Trista on the street in front of the surrogacy agency may be Everly’s Uncle’s best chance of single dad dreams. A nine month contract that ends with everyone happy 😉

❤️ Single Dad Wannabe
🖤 Surrogate
❤️ Rural Mountain Town
🖤 Grumpy X Sunshine
❤️ Goat Daddy
🖤 Age Gap

There is just something about a curvy FMC romcom that I just absolutely love. This was the perfect mesh of funny, emotional and spicy. Wyatt was a grumpy possessive heart of gold MMC, which is an absolute favorite of mine. He was contrasted by Trista the strong willed ray of sunshine. The banter between these two and the rest of the characters in the book was fantastic. The family dynamic amazing and the interactions between brothers was hysterical. I love a romcom that can also rip you apart, Trista’s story definitely could, would and did. I can’t wait to see what’s in store next for this family!

I found a Month Contract, okay. I think I was hoping for more, of what, I'm not sure, but it felt like the whole time I was reading, it kept falling flat for me. I wish we could've gotten more of Trista & Wyatt's backstory sooner in the book instead of just dropping near the end of the book. It made it hard for me to connect with both of them. Overall, the story was good, but I just wished we could've gotten more.

As a book that generally has very positive reviews, I was exciting to give this book a try.
Having this single man wanting to become a father, hiring a surrogate to help him achieve his dream was really interesting to me, its a concept that I've never seen explored before. Also I was really interested in the FMC, a woman who wanted to become a surrogate but with a BMI too high, was rejected from working with an agency. Her struggling with her weight and still being offered this position to work privately and despite whatever she has going on in her personal life she and the father of the unborn baby build a relationship.
However, reading the book and learning about the weird relationship between the three brothers and the woman than ALL three of them were in a relationship with, hearing their lack of sex positivity with the mmc's niece. who is 18 years old and upon revealing to her family that she is not a virgin had a less than positive reaction. Add into the factor that the mmc wanted a child to fill the hole in his heart that his dead father left and how just annoying this fmc was, I did not enjoy this story.

I thought this book was quite creative. I don't think I've ever encountered a romance centered around a surrogate pregnancy arrangement before. That is how Wyatt and Trista begin their relationship journey. And it is one heck of a trip, since they both have a lot of emotional baggage that led them to this set of circumstances. Wyatt lives in a somewhat isolated mountain compound with two of his brothers, and this is where Trista comes to live as the surrogate for Wyatt's baby. She is involved in animal rescue, and plans to open a wildlife rescue facility. She seems to get her start while living on Wyatt's mountain, bringing home all sorts of additional creatures. Each chapter heading keeps count of her pregnancy timeline as well as how many animals have been added to the household - a clever feature that keeps the "countdown" in the reader's mind. Nine months almost doesn't seem long enough for Trista and Wyatt to sort themselves out and reach their HEA, but it does happen. I will be interested to see how this series proceeds.

This was not the book for me. I wanted to like it so much, like I though the premise was so interesting but it ended up falling a little flat for me.

There were a few odd analogies that were not for me & kind of took me out of the story. I also don’t enjoy a plus size woman referring to herself as a cow ?

It just wasn’t for me. There are many Amy dawn books that I love though!

not my cup of tea.

i can appreciate that the man wanted to be a single father and initiated the surrogacy process (not a spoiler). i’ve only ever seen this situation in reverse where a woman decides to be a single mother. surrogacy can be a touchy subject but i feel like it was handled very well here.

unfortunately i didnt feel any sort of connection between these two and was not invested in their romance.

also not a fan of how she spoke about herself. there’s some lines here that are completely unnecessary. like.. repeatedly referring to yourself as a cow is kind of wild? 😭 why are we still doing this in 2025?

Unfortunately I will have to dnf this book. I didn't think I would be as bothered by the topic as I am. I think if maybe there hadn't been SO MUCH about the actual surrogacy process I think I could've read it but it just kept going on.

It was also not clear from the warning at the beginning of the book if the author also did research into the ethical concerns surrounding surrogacy during their writing process, and I couldn't stop thinking about it.

I received Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws for free in exchange for an honest review. I have to say I really loved this book. It got me started on reading other of this author's titles. Very good author! Funny and lighthearted read. I highly recommend.

5 BRIGHT SHINING STARS!!

Wyatt + Trista I adore you… okay and meddling Everly, too. We all thank her for her service here!

I LOVE a pregnancy trope and knew when I saw that the burly mountain man falls for his curvy, spunky surrogate that I would be swooning.

The breakfast on her doorstep. The constant support. Wyatt couldn’t help but fall for Trista and all the animals she brought on the mountain haha I would read a whole series about these two!!

This is my first Amy Daws book, and I am now a huge fan! In the first book in the Mountain Men Matchmaker Series, we are introduced to Trista a quirky, emotional unavailable, animal lover looking to become a surrogate and Wyatt a burly mountain man that lives up on a mountain with his two other brothers. Wyatt has decided he would like to become a single dad, so his niece Everly is tasked with finding the perfect woman willing to be his surrogate. What ensues is a hilarious story involving family dynamics, childhood trauma, forgiveness, healing, found family, a possible breeding kink and barn full of animal sidekicks. Can't wait to read the second book!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing the E-ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

A cute romance, covers a few tropes rugged Billionaire, Broody mmc, curvy fmc with a mouth. Following Wyatt and Trista, Wyatt is looking to become a father even if he has to go it alone. In his quest he decides to find a surrogate, after searching and going through interviews with 12 he's all but given up hope. His niece talks him into giving her a chance to find him one during her process she finds Trista who had been turned away from the agency. After meeting and coming up with a contract it looks like everything is on course. This story does a good job delving into the mental set backs many people go through. Trista battles self-consciousness, self doubt, and several others.

I received this ARC from publishers via Netgalley

#NineMonthContract #NetGalley.

Amy Daws is such a fantastic writer and this book was so fun. I really enjoyed the characters and their story dynamic. There were times I just wanted more. Not a lack of story just that I was enjoying it.

I am totally obsessed with 𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙝 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩 by Amy Daws! This book is everything I never knew I needed in a romance—heartwarming, steamy, and full of emotional depth. Trista and Wyatt's story is a thrilling rollercoaster adventure. When they enter into a surrogacy agreement, they are both focused on their own goals. However, they soon realize their connection is undeniable, and what begins as a business arrangement quickly evolves into something much deeper.⁠
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I loved watching them navigate their complex emotions. Wyatt's tough exterior hides a vulnerable side, while Trista's humor and passion are the perfect counterbalance. The banter between these two characters is fantastic, and the slow-burn tension is just perfect. Amy Daws skillfully balances humor with emotional, heartfelt moments, making this story a joy to read. The family dynamics, especially in Wyatt's Family, added much richness to the narrative. I found myself smiling through many parts of it. It's touching, funny, and just the right amount of steamy. If you enjoy a small-town romance filled with spice and a lot of heart, you absolutely need to read this book!

If you like the sort-of strangers-to-lovers, forced proximity, accidental (actually, it's a surrogacy but in the same realm) pregnancy, then this is the book for you!

Wyatt is the definition of a mountain man. Like, he literally lives on a mountain with his brothers. He's getting to his later 30s and he realizes his time to have a baby is very quickly dwindling. He doesn't have a girlfriend or wife and it's hard to adopt when you're single, so he looks into surrogacy.

Just when hope seems lost, his nice Everly finds Trista, a curvy, adorable FMC who was just denied by an agency to be a surrogate.

A makeshift contract is made and Trista moves up the mountain in order to have Wyatt's baby in the most unconventional way.

There are a few parts that are a little too descriptive, but they are easy to read through.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of Nine Month Contract in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first Amy Daws read and I can tell you this with certainty, it absolutely will not be my last. I loved her writing so much and this series is shaping up to be a great one! What I assume is the first book in this soon to be series, Nine Month Contract did not disappoint in storyline, characters, or humor. Trista is a lover of all things animals and it’s been her dream to open her own rescue center for animals not accepted by your average shelter. Humans have failed her all of her life, but animals have never let her down. Sadly, opening your own shelter comes with a large cash requirement, which Trista happens to have none of. What Trista does have is a body scientifically constructed to have babies, even though she doesn’t actually want to be a mother. What she does want is to make a lot of money quickly.

As fate may have it, Trista literally runs into 18 year old Everly Fletcher, outside of a surrogacy agency. Trista was just rejected by the agency for being “too big” and Everly was on her way there to do some snooping of her own in order for find a surrogate for her grumpy, mountain man of an uncle who wishes to become a dad.

Everly has a hidden agenda in that she doesn’t only want to find a surrogate for her uncle Wyatt, she also wants to find him the love of his life in the process. After all, it’s going to take a strong woman to put up with Wyatt Fletcher. A bit of a social recluse, Wyatt lives on his own literal mountain in Jamestown, CO with two of this three brothers. He owns his own sustainable construction company and appreciates the silence that the mountain brings. No matter how successful or peaceful his life is, at 38 years old, he realizes that he wants nothing more than to be a father. After having worked with an agency for months, he can’t seem to find the right match…that is until he meets Trista.

The arrangement is perfect. Trista gives him a baby, he gives her the money required to start her rescue, a place to live temporarily, and an education on what being a family really means. Can Trista really keep her guard up long enough in order to see the contract through, or will Wyatt break through all of her carefully constructed walls in hopes of making her see what’s right in front of her face?

I cannot say enough good things about this book! I loved it so much that I found myself laughing out loud one moment and crying the next at all of the sweet spots (as a mom, there were some parts that really got me here). This book is definitely heavy on the spice, so if that’s your thing, then you’re in luck. If that’s not your thing, it may be a bit heavy for you as this book does play with “normal” social constructs a bit, but we are by no means entering into Credence territory here. IYKYK. If you are a lover of tropes like small town romance, age gaps, grumpy MMC, curvy girls and baby mamas, then this book is for you! I’ve already got Amy’s next installment of this series pinned in my Goodreads for when it releases and I couldn’t be more excited. Please run out to get this one as it was a hidden gem for me!