Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws
Mountain Men Matchmaker series #1. Contemporary romance. Small town. Can be read as a stand-alone but for completeness, this is a spin-off of Last on the List from the Wait With Me series. Additional troupes include grumpy-sunshine, 10-year-age-gap, and curvy-FMC.
At thirty-eight, Wyatt Fletcher knows what he wants from life. And that’s family. And a baby. Wyatt misses his father’s wisdom and guidance. He’s envious of his older brother Max’s family. It’s time. Sure, his brother putting an advertisement in Craig’s list for a surrogate was supposed to be a joke, but it was actually fortuitous. But twelve interviews later, Wyatt isn’t having much luck in finding the right woman.
Everly Wyatt, Wyatt’s 18 year-old niece literally runs into a woman at the fertility clinic and after talking, decides Trista Matthews is the perfect woman for Uncle Wyatt. She sets them up on a date at the Mercantile.
Trista Matthews needs to move and wants to open a wildlife rescue facility. Earning the money as a surrogate, and being able to live temporarily on the mountain is perfect for her plans. She’ll live in the renovated barn and have a place for any rescues she saves. Once she has the baby, she can walk away without any qualms. That’s what her parents did. And her sister. It’s normal in her experience to be able to walk away.
So Wyatt and Trista sign a contract and take the next steps, separately, to get her pregnant.
And then they tentatively become friends and maybe a little lust is involved.

Even before this story fully ended, I downloaded a dozen more of the author’s back catalog.
The irreverence of the advertising is ridiculous yet sets the tone for the mountain man that wants his mountain retreat but also wants his family close. Perfect setup.
Can’t wait for the next in this series in June.

This was the wildest story and yes I'm now all about reading the past and future brother stories.

When neither of them fit into traditional families, Trista falls into the lap of Everly, the overly invested niece of Wyatt, who has been desperately looking for a surrogate to carry a baby for him. The agency they both were looking through rejected them both- both, more or less, on the basis of being single. Instead, Trista and Wyatt strike up a deal and the rest is comedy, and romance, and hilariously overinvolved family history. Their story is exactly like you think it's going to be and also better to read and experience it. So much fun.

#arc
#netgalley
#nincemonthcontract

3.5 stars

Well, this should be interesting. Hopefully, I can get my thoughts into some semblance of order for this review. I’m going to start with the most obvious thing…surrogacy. The author notes she had sensitivity readers which included people who were surrogates and those who worked with a surrogacy agency. But, everyone is different. As someone who hasn’t needed such services, I cannot speak for those who have or do. I will say there were certain things in the story that gave me pause as to whether this would bother someone who is in that world. So you do you and go in with an open mind and heart, but make an informed choice before reading this book.

From the moment Trista is on the page, she comes across as a confident woman who doesn’t take crap from anyone. Not that she’s gruff or rude, she just knows her worth and doesn’t bother with those who don’t want to give her her due. Getting to know Trista as the book progresses, it becomes clear she holds a lot of bad feelings about herself…mostly because of how she was raised. Trista has put in the work to boost her confidence, but those old wounds still fester and she is often disparaging herself without even realizing she’s doing it. Wyatt notices though, and he calls her out and corrects her often.

The feelings in this book are all there. I got butterflies and was rooting for Trista and Wyatt to find happiness. They are so good for each other, but Wyatt has a ton of baggage, too. The contract they have for the surrogacy just complicates things further. While surrogacy is the point of this story, I found myself wishing their conflict could have been something else. But nothing else would have made sense for their story. Wyatt wanted kids and wanted to do it on his own. Trista never wanted kids and never wanted any sort of relationship. At the very least, the whys of Trista not wanting kids and changing her mind by the end of the book made sense for her character. It wasn’t a forced thing, it all had to do with her past and preconceived notions of parenthood.

Okay, I can feel I’m all over the place here. Basically what I want to say is that I greatly enjoyed the love story and character growth in this book. I never felt fully comfortable with the story being about surrogacy and there also being a breeding kink running through their interactions. Also, I am begging authors to stop having gender reveals in their books. I understand that in the real world, parents are going to be curious about the issue, but haven’t we learned enough to know that gender reveal parties are not a good idea for a multitude of reasons? Anyway, this is a new-to-me author and I’ll be going back to read more from her. I see there is a series that includes Wyatt’s older brother, so maybe I’ll start there. Something with a different plot so I can see if I like this author as much as I think I might without the other stuff getting in the way.

Grumpy mountain man interested in being a single dad? Check

Potential surrogate who loves animals more than people? Check

Two people destined to find each other wildly attractive and fight the temptation? Check and check

Wyatt and Trista are good compliments for each other. I loved how they described each other with Wyatt being “five minutes ahead” and Trista being “five minutes late” making each other right on time. Wyatt waited and waited patiently for Trista to catch up by slowly understanding her struggles and hang ups while showing up for her in the little ways and big ways no one else ever did. Trista carried a lot of hang ups from her past and rightfully so but that made it hard for her to accept Wyatt and to trust that his actions were genuine and that he wasn’t going anywhere. You knew Wyatt was a goner for Trista because she kept bringing more and more animals to the mountain and while he grumbled to keep up appearances he gladly welcomed them because they made Trista happy.


I’m definitely interested in Calder and Dakota’s story next in this series about the Fletcher Boys up on their mountain.


Thank you publishers and netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Happy re-release day to Nine Month Contract! Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Let’s start with the good: the spice? Scorching. The last 10-20%? Sobbed. Like full-on, ugly-cry levels of emotion. The heartfelt moments snuck up on me in a way I wasn’t expecting, and I genuinely loved how it all came together at the end.

Now, the not-so-good: this book gave me the ick about 70% of the time. Cade is the ultimate grumpy mountain man, but his inability to communicate made me want to chuck my Kindle across the room. Trista is a firecracker, which I usually love, but their dynamic often left me cringing instead of swooning. Also, everyone in this book needs therapy—immediately. No exceptions.

And then there’s the ending… Mexico? For them? Absolutely not. That felt so out of character, and while I see the setup for the next book, it just didn’t land for me.

Will I read the next two books in the series? Oh, absolutely. I have questions, and I need answers.

This was one of my first pregnancy/surrogacy themed romance books, and it was so fun! Some moments were absolutely cringey, but it was funny and interesting watching Trista and Wyatt navigate this new chapter of life together. Wyatt’s family also had strong roles and I think that sense of community amongst the chaos really helped this story be so great. Definitely spicy for those who are interested, and so many laugh out loud moments to round out the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the early copy!

"Nine Month Contract" by Amy Daws is a delightful romance novel that had me hooked from start to finish. The chemistry between the protagonists is palpable and Amy Daws does an excellent job of developing their relationship in a way that feels both realistic and engaging. The storyline is unique and refreshing, with just the right blend of humor, emotion, and passion. The characters are well-developed and I found myself rooting for them throughout the book. Daws' writing style is both witty and charming, making it a pleasure to read. I couldn't put it down.

I felt a little underwhelmed with this one. I usually love grumpy x sunshine but I felt like this one was just missing something.

I absolutely love Amy Daws' humor and this book was loaded with it! This is such a fun read, especially if you love a chaotic animal lover that just can't say no to animals in need mixed with a grumpy mountain man who'd rather not have a full farm in his backyard. It's such an interesting take on the single dad trope and I love the tension that the forced proximity & her incessant need to save every last animal caused. And the cameos from her Wait With Me series was so fun! Loved the curvy girl & tall girl representation! There was one really questionable quote in the middle of the book, but I do think the level of chaotic in that quote did fit Trista's character however, I think it was taken a little too far.

Overall, I really loved this book & I can't wait to read about the rest of Wyatt's brothers!

Thank you to Canary Street Press, NetGalley, and Amy Daws for sending me an early copy!

10 Bajingo Stars!!

If you follow my reviews, you know that I’m a lover of ALL THINGS Amy Daws and her books are an automatic 1-click for me. The moment she started hinting at this book I knew it was going to be a book that would make me laugh and smile and swoon. What I wasn’t expecting was to feel a little bit of heartbreak because Trista is a woman that’s had a hard life and she has an inner mantra that literally broke me sometimes. I so wanted her to see herself as more than the surrogate she was hired to be; that she could have love and rely on someone and not be disappointed. It was a struggle for Trista and Wyatt in this book but Amy Daws DELIVERED with this book!!

I devoured this book. I snort laughed more times than I can count. Not only does Trista struggle with not believing she can trust anyone, there’s a turning point in her inner turmoil when she has a conversation with her sister. We learn so much about what her life was about in some of the most intimate moments and when Trista reveals to Wyatt what her life was like growing up my eyes were clouded with tears. This girl is all sorts of complicated and independent and no one can blame her for how she feels.

Ms. Daws does a wonderful job of showing Trista’s growth in this book. It was perfectly played out and not over the top and fit with how her life is changing. And Wyatt, with the help of his brothers, realizing that it’s okay for him to love this woman. That a previous relationship didn’t ruin him for a relationship he just wasn’t ready until he met Trista!

Another thing I LOVED about this book is seeing Everly almost all grown up. It’s a little bittersweet. But it’s fabulous that she’s still her little matchmaking self!

This book is filled with everything I love Ms. Daws’ writing… witty banter, sizzling sex, emotions that I didn’t know I needed to feel and a story that I can’t help but love. I can’t wait for Calder’s story!!!

Omg, this book cracked me up! It had me giggling and swooning non stop. It was such a good book. It was a perfect romcom.

Wyatt was a grumpy mountain man that wanted to be a father. He didn’t want the wife, just wanted to be a dad and have a child. But no one at the surrogate agency fit what he was looking for and he was out of options.

Trista, she is a free spirited animal lover. She had me cracking up most of the book. She needed money to start an animal rescue and decided surrogacy would be the way. She didn’t want to be a mom, she just wanted to help animals.

Wyatt’s niece ended up setting the two up for surrogacy. Instantly the two had amazing banter. Trista kept bringing in new animals and Wyatt was not a fan, but he couldn’t tell her no. It was the funniest and cutest thing ever. There was an instant attraction between the two, but of course neither one of them wanted to act on it. This was a contract. There was an expiration date. But as time went, they couldn’t deny the attraction and connection for much longer. And he called her Lucky, melt me!

If you want a book that will crack you u and that has some good spice, this is the book for you!

4⭐️
2.5🌶️

I really enjoyed this book, seeing how Wyatt was ready to be a dad and the relationship progressing with Trisha being more than just his surrogate. The relationship amongst Wyatt and his brothers was hilarious and fun to see, I loved the conversations with them.

In Nine Month Contract, Wyatt is a single guy looking to start a family. The problem? His gruff, mountain man persona and extreme standards aren’t really helping him find the perfect surrogate at the Denver agencies. His niece, Everly, is determined to help him find the right person for the job. And when she meets Trista on the street outside of that same agency, Everly knows she’s just what her uncle is looking for.

I’m not going to lie, I don’t think the surrogacy trope is really my cup of tea after giving it a go. But I’ll try anything once! It was definitely a unique take on a romcom. I loved Trista and found her relatable in a lot of ways. I thought Wyatt bordered on TOO controlling and grumpy, but I loved his big family and his relationship with his niece. I’m not mad I read it, but it didn’t really hit all the marks for me. I am pretty intrigued by Wyatt’s brothers’ stories up on Fletcher Mountain, so I might still keep going with this series!

Give Nine Month Contract a try if you like :
▫️Grumpy / Sunshine
▫️Forced Proximity
▫️Small town romance
▫️Surrogacy / pregnancy

I liked the premise of this book. Cute out of towner set up with gruff mountain man by his little sister when they meet outside of a surrogate office. I enjoyed the relationship built between Trista and Wyatt. What I didn't enjoy were the spicy scenes. I love a good spicy book but the writing just didn't jive with me. It felt like Trista was being pressured into things more than she wanted rather than coming off as a bossy grumpy male main character. I didn't love it. Not posting on socials as I wouldn't recommend this book.

I know I’m cutting it really close to pub day on this ARC. So!! Thank you to The Hive, HTP Books and Amy Daws for an ARC in exchange for my honest review of The Nine Month Contract!

First of all, the Fletcher brothers? Swoon! I pray that this isn’t the last book featuring these mountain men and that all of the brothers get their own book! Because their dynamic was definitely entertaining. The entire Fletcher family was entertaining. From their little matchmaker Everly, to her stepmom Cozy and the Fletcher boys dear sweet mom, Johanna. I fell in love with the entire family! The found family trope on this one did not miss!!!

Now on to the real meat of the story right? Wyatt and Trista. It starts off bumpy cause Wyatt is a real grump. Like communicates in grunts kind of grump. And Trista?! She’s like warm sunshine but has attachment issues. Throw ‘em together in a weird surrogate situation and you’ve got a recipe for an overprotective mountain man romance! But also add animals, cause why not?!

Overall, it was a very entertaining read. 10 out of 10, would do again!

I loved this story. Wyatt decides he wants to be a dad, and his niece, Everly, decides to help him find a surrogate. Enter Trista. She ends up living on his farm with him, bringing home tons of animals. Lots of hilarious scenes but lots of heart also. As Trista's due date approaches, they both catch feelings. Total opposites attract, but in a great way.

This was not the book for me. There was way too much profanity and spice. In all honesty, I skipped over the spicy parts of the book. The FMC is insecure and self deprecating and the MMC is a control freak and you just want to tell both of them to get over themselves. The insemination dynamic was definitely not what I was expecting. I thought it would be done in a clinic instead of a DIY at home project. I did like the family dynamic though and it did make me laugh in a couple of places. I love the way the family accepted Trista as one of their own. If you like a slow burn romance and spice, and profanity doesn't bother you, then read this book.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This is a fun heartwarming read. Wyatt ( Mountain Man), Trista (Lucky) and Everly are on a wild search for Surrogate Mother. Wyatt wants to be a single dad with the heap of a surrogate. Everly wants to help her favorite uncle fulfill his dream of being a father but she wants more for him, a wife that is the love of his life. Trista wants to be a surrogate to fulfill her dream of owning her own animal sanctuary that she will build with the money she earns growing a baby. Throw in three brothers and a wonderful mother a beautiful mountain and it makes for a terrific read. I was given an advanced reader copy by NetGalley and I am freely sharing my review. I would like to thank #AmyDaws and #Canarypress for the privilege to read this hilarious book

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
   🌶️🌶️🌶️

This book is everything I needed! The character chemistry was perfect and I loved how much this story made me laugh/giggle. Everyone needs a goat daddy! This was my first Amy Daws book and it definitely won’t be my last!

If you’re looking for :
•Age Gap
•Small Town
•Pregnancy
•Grumpy X Sunshine
Definitely add this one to your list!🔥

A really slow start, I almost DNF’d this but I’m surprisingly glad I didn’t. While it took a bit, it was a fun enough read.