This book had me giggling from the first line of the Prologue… I am now an Amy Daws Fan!

As a NICU Nurse by night, and a Book Seller and Reviewer by day, Here is my ARC Review of Nine Month Contract in SBAR Format (how we nurses give report on our patients)…


SITUATION
Wyatt has decided it’s time to settle down and start a family… but as a single dad. After being rejected by the adoption and surrogate agencies, Wyatt accepts the help of his 18 year old niece, Everly, to find the right woman for the job.

Trista wants to start her own wildlife rescue center however her life is a mess and she needs to make a lot of money quickly in order to do that. She decides to become a surrogate to make some big money, but gets rejected by the agency for being too curvy.

BACKGROUND
Setting: Fletcher Mountain, Jamestown, CO

MMC: Wyatt, 38 yo burly, grumpy mountain man, tall dark quiet type that wears a lot of plains and can swing an ax

MFC: Trista, 28yo, curvy, independent animal lover who is always 5 min late and not afraid to get dirty mucking pens or helping her vet friend, Avery.

Wyatt and Trista are perfect for each other, but both have baggage that makes them resistant to getting into a romantic relationship with others for fear of getting hurt.

ASSESSMENT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I went into the book completely blind knowing nothing about Amy Daws and this series andI am so thankful that ARC reading introduced me to this author and book
I literally was laughing out loud after just the first line of the prologue
The characters were so real and relatable, not perfect or cliche
The portrayal of the insemination process was so funny, because it was so true to how it really feels (as someone who went thru infertility treatments).. Daws did her research for sure.
Tropes: Age gap, He falls first, Found Family, grumpy x sunshine, Touch her and die, pregnancy, MINE.
Has both spice and emotional connection
It has BUFFALO PLAID SPRAYED EDGES… say no more!

RECOMMENDATION
I would highly recommend that you read this book if you enjoy a romantic story that will make you laugh but is also a little rough around the edges. Is the HEA outcome a little predictable… sure… but the story of how they get there is totally worth the read.

Fair warning: This author does make use of curse words to embrace the rugged and unrefined personalities of the characters as well as detailed descriptions of their intimate experiences to bring the story to life. I personally enjoyed every minute of it and did not find it cringy or unnecessary to the story at any point.



https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7425553087


https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nine-month-contract-amy-daws/1145307925?ean=9781335425881

https://www.instagram.com/p/DHrZ4C2hsbt/?igsh=MTJ3ZzRoZzEwdmtldA==

Reviews submitted 3/26/25 on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads and my Bookstagram @BooksByTheGarden

This book was absolutely delightful! It follows Wyatt and Trista’s journey, with plenty of meddling from Everly—Wyatt’s spirited niece. From the very start, Everly is on a mission to find a surrogate to help Wyatt have a baby, setting the stage for a heartwarming and hilarious RomCom.

Wyatt is the epitome of a rugged mountain man, perfectly content with his solitary life—aside from the occasional trip to town with his brothers. Trista, on the other hand, is a feisty, lovable collector of wayward animals, just trying to get her life together. Little does she know, she’s about to stumble into the perfect future in the most unexpected way.

I adored this story and couldn’t put it down! Now, I’m eagerly counting down the days until book two.

A little too insensitive to the struggles of women imo I might just bee too sensitive. Touchy subject to romcom.

I really enjoyed this book!
Wyatt and Trista are made for each other - they just don't know it, until they do. But Everly knows it the moment she meets Trista!
I LOVE the Fletcher family dynamics in this, and I loved how they immediately adopted Trista.
The banter was witty, the MMC was just Grumpy enough, and the FMC was feisty and independent in all the right ways.

Nine Month Contract is the first in "a mountain main matchmaker" series. There are 3 brothers who live on a mountain. This brother, Wyatt, is seeing a surrogate so he can have a child without a relationship. His niece finds him a surrogate, and the story moves on from there. This is extra spicy and has a riveting if predictable plot.

Ideal for readers who enjoy heartwarming, humorous romances with quirky characters, emotional depth, and unconventional paths to love and family.

Amy is one of my favorite authors EVER! Each book is a hit. She has a way of writing that immediately captures you by the first few pages. This was such a beautiful story. You’ll always find lots of romance but humor as well within her books.

This author is new to me, but I will be keeping an eye out for anything else they publish. I loved the story and the characters. The pacing of the story was great and the characters were relatable.

Amy Daws is a familiar name, but I haven't read any of her work.

The prologue certainly drew me in, LOL Grumpy mountain man Wyatt is determined to be a dad. Being a parent, a single-parent in his case, is not a walk in the park. I appreciate that his character considered what will be single-parenthood for him once he finds a surrogate. Enter sunshine, animal-loving Trista, about to make his fatherhood dreams come true. Trista is a force of nature, and she has Wyatt wrapped around her finger. Totally his type, LOL. Trista is independent and determined to reach her goal of creating an animal sanctuary.

I haven't read a romance where surrogacy is very centered to the plot, so this aspect was interesting. Don't know much about the surrogate process either, but the way it happened in this story seems unethical. I was also bothered when Trista refers to herself as "a cow." Yes, she's being paid, but it wasn't like her reasons to agree to be a surrogate was dishonorable. By calling herself that name, she's degrading herself and undermines the surrogacy. But anyways...if you don't think too deep about the plot, this isn't a bad read.

>>> Grumpy x sunshine
>>> Small-town
>>> Meddling niece (her POV was unnecessary, but she's a fun character)
>>> Brotherhood
>>> Pregnancy/surrogacy
>>> Animal sidekicks

I'm excited to continue on reading this series and see the other Fletcher Mountain Men fall in love.

Thank you to @Harlequin for the e-arc!

The way I giggled the entire way through this book is so fitting! The characters couldn’t be more different, yet it worked. They both had baggage that made it difficult for them to fully open up to each other.

I’m a sucker for the found family vibes and this book gave them in spades. I couldn’t get over how precious it was how open and giving his entire family was to her.

Trista was a hot mess, but SO FUNNY. Her random rants were hilarious and the way she had Wyatt wrapped around her finger from the first week…SWOON.

I love the grumpy x sunshine trope in this story. It was so well done. But their inner dialogue was anything but grumpy 🥵 I could not put this book down. Millie the goat was the BEST part, I swear. A mountain man and a goat, how perfect 🥰

If you need a hilarious romance book that makes you feel all the feels, this should be in your tbr. AND there are two more single brothers for the next books?! SIGN. ME. UP. The Fletcher family gives me all the best vibes. Can’t wait for more.

This was basically a smutty, lumberjack, pregnancy fever dream, and I genuinely don’t know how else to describe it. It had all the over-the-top tropes you’d expect—gruff, rugged hero, an extremely unrealistic pregnancy (sorry) and enough steam to fog up a forest cabin. But somehow, it felt like a fever dream I couldn’t quite wake up from.

It wasn’t necessarily bad—I can see why some people would eat this up—but it also wasn’t exactly great. The pacing felt rushed, and the plot barely existed beyond the tropes themselves. I’m torn between appreciating the sheer commitment to the fantasy and feeling like it missed the mark. Definitely an experience, though.

There were some aspects of this book that I really enjoyed. I found Trista funny and never knew what she would say or what crazy internal monologue she would have. Wyatt was exactly what I would expect from a grumpy mountain man. I felt like their relationship worked and I liked the chemistry.

My biggest struggle was that even though this was the first in the series I constantly felt like I was missing something. I realize there are other books that have some connection to this series, but I wasn’t expecting it quite like this. It felt like I was jumping into the middle of a series, not starting at the beginning.

I think I’ve determined that surrogate romance is not my thing, and because of that this book wasn’t my favorite.

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC.

Wyatt lives a loner life on the mountain he bought and built cabins on with his brothers. He has everything he could want except a baby to raise on his own. When his attempts with a surrogate agency keep ending in disaster, his niece decides to take things into her own hands and find him not just a surrogate but someone he can fall in love with. Enter headstrong Trista who is convinced she doesn't need anyone and does not want a family but needs money to launch an animal shelter for all the animals she wants to save. They start with clearly delineated guidelines, but the more Trista and Wyatt interact, the more they see the other has everything they didn't know they needed. But can Wyatt convince Trista that letting others help and love you doesn't have to lead to disappointment?

I'm sadly just giving this one 3.5 stars because while I get where it's coming from and appreciate the messaging, I found Trista a little difficult to mesh with. She has a very solid and understandable reason for not wanting children, but her constant disassociation with her pregnancy and insistence that she's a cow were offputting. It made the miracle she was performing for Wyatt feel cheap. So even though she has an excellent character arc and Wyatt and his family are a dream, I was constantly pulled out of the story with annoyance at her dismissiveness. It's not enough for me to disregard the entire story, just enough not to make it a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the read!

I really enjoyed the main characters! There were so many fun and sweet moments, and the romance definitely had its steamy side too. The dynamic between the couple was engaging, with a nice balance of humor, and a bit of spice

Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws delivers everything I crave in a romance: humor, heart, and a slow-burn connection that sizzles off the page. At its core, this story beautifully explores the concept of found family, weaving together moments of vulnerability, laughter, and love in a way that feels authentic and deeply satisfying.

Wyatt, the grumpy, broody mountain man with a heart of gold, wants a baby — no relationship, no strings attached. Enter Trista, a sunshine-filled force of nature, who signs up to be his surrogate. Their dynamic is pure magic. The push-and-pull between Wyatt’s guarded nature and Trista’s warmth creates a slow-burn romance that kept me glued to the pages. Wyatt’s protective streak — complete with a “look at her and you’ll die” attitude — is the kind of guilty pleasure I can’t resist, and it pairs perfectly with Trista’s fierce independence and love for animals.

Amy Daws masterfully balances humor and emotion in this romcom. The witty banter had me laughing out loud, while the tender moments tugged at my heartstrings. The steamy scenes? Absolutely worth the wait. Wyatt’s “acts of service” love language made every quiet gesture speak volumes, and Trista’s strength and compassion shone through in every interaction.

What truly sets this book apart is the sense of belonging that forms around Wyatt and Trista — a found family that’s as heartwarming as the romance itself. Wyatt’s brothers, his loving mother, and especially his 18-year-old niece Everlee add so much warmth to the story. Everlee plays matchmaker in her uncle’s love life, and her bond with Trista adds another layer of connection that makes this unconventional family even more endearing.

If you’re looking for a story that makes you laugh, swoon, and maybe shed a tear or two, Nine Month Contract is a must-read. Amy Daws has crafted a tale that’s equal parts hilarious, emotional, and undeniably steamy. While I wished for a bit more depth in some areas, the heartwarming found family and the chemistry between Wyatt and Trista make this a romance worth diving into.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — A heartwarming grumpy-sunshine romance with humor, heat, and a family you’ll wish you were part of.

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

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! I was really excited about the concept of this book. The twist on surrogacy was what drew me in, but it was actually the reason I ended up struggling with the book. I couldn't deal with the FMC constantly referring to the surrogacy as inseminating a cow, and honestly, I just didn't jive with her as a character. I really enjoyed Wyatt and the rest of his family dynamics, but didn't care for the FMC.

Well, the premise of this story was intriguing enough, however as much as I wanted to absolutely love and laugh over this book, there were a few things that ended up throwing me off.

This book follows Trista, a curvy spunky, full of sunshine lady, who is a little down on her luck and in need of funds to support herself and her animal rescue centre, is in desperate need of a job. This leads her to considering surrogacy to give her the necessary funds achieve all that she needs to.
There, fate brings her to Everly who is on the hunt for a surrogate for her beloved uncle, Wyatt.

Wyatt is the resident grump who growls and grunts more than he speaks, but also owns a pet goat and has a soft spot for those in need. He is a man who is looking to have a child to fill the void inside him, and to provide a beautiful, happy to addition to his rowdy family, after suffering the loss of his father.

WELL, the two meet, and all I can say is that small town, grumpyxsunshine goodness ensues!


My thoughts:

I could see that the author, Amy wanted to provide a new spin on the breeding trope (a trope which I genuinely am on my knees for), and also provide a realistic setting for this in a small town romance book! While there were many hot, spicy, and steamy scenes, I didn't feel like I could connect totally with the surrogacy angle. I can appreciate that the author stated they did their research, and that this is a fictional world, but I did struggle to see this reflected at times in the book.

There was also a moment where the author starts comparing the softness of a bed to the foreskin of a newborn. (yes. this happened.). I can understand how she wanted to really encapsulate how quirky and sunshine-y Trista is, but this line really made me consider whether I wanted to continue or not.

I'm not quite sure why the decision was made to continually refer the whole surrogacy process to an artificially inseminated cow and have this narrative consistently mentioned in Trista's internal monologue. I do understand that there is a niche for this trope - but the setting for this book didn't seem like it was quite right. Something about "You're a cow" makes it feel a little off putting in a romance novel.

Those issues aside, I did finish the book and enjoyed some of the other aspects - found family, family dynamics, the humour, and the absurdity of some of the comedic scenes. Trista and Wyatt are sunshine x grumpy defined, and if one truly could look past the above issues, I could see this be a reasonably enjoyable read!

Plot and writing: 2.5/5
Spice: 3.5/5
Overall: 2.5 rounded to 3 stars ⭐

Thank you to Netgalley, Amy Daws, and team for generously providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Top 10 favorite book I’ve read ever! I absolutely loved this book. I literally was giggling thru out the whole book. The niece mastermind helping her uncle find love, the grumpy mountain man meeting his match in the crazy animal loving surrogate. I could not put this down and can’t wait for Amy’s next book to see what the niece has in store for her other uncles !!!

This is a cute, fun book. I loved Wyatt and his family, the emotions and humor, the animals and the way Wyatt and Trista worked out their issues in the end. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens with the other brothers.

i don't typically read anything to do with pregnancy but this was sooo cute!!

╰┈❥trista
i really liked her. she is such an animal lover. she works with a vet and wants to save all the animals. i love that she slowly starts bringing more and more and more animals in (even though wyatt does not like it) the chapters have a count of how many animals she has and it made me smile

╰┈❥wyatt
he's such a grump but underneath he is really such a teddy bear. and an acts of service king.
some examples of things he did without being asked!! just because he wanted to:
he drives all the way to town from his PERSONAL MOUNTAIN to get her fresh pastries!!!! fresh breakfast delivered every single day!! fridge always stocked!!! leaves snacks everywhere for her!!!! professional cleaner for her apartment! a brand new bed specifically made for good sleep and pregnancy. cleans her car. always makes sure its filled with gas. and this is just a small fraction of the things he did that i loved. their romance was sweet.

♡the found family aspect was beautiful! wyatt has a wonderful, supportive, loving family and trista, quite literally, has no one. i loved seeing her get the love and support she deserves. i hope that the other brothers are getting books. i would read more books in this world.

things i didn't like:
×the word crazy is used a lot and i hate that.
×the fmc is plus sized and it was honestly annoying (this is coming from a fat woman lmao) it was constantly talked about, talked down on and she referred to herself a cow all the time. she would say she loved her body then turn around and bash herself