I loved this, right away it had me grinning and wishing they would get together, fun and cute read overall.

Silly at times, but full of heart, this commitment-phobe meets mountain man romance will have you smiling and cheering them on. I enjoyed counting the farm animals with each chapter :)

Hm.. This story kept me reading, until it didn't. I almost had to DNF around 50%.

There's a lot of wit and inner thoughts in this story and I did laugh out loud at quite a few parts.

But, I liked every character in this story except the two main characters. Wyatt was insufferable and Trista was just a dummy, in my opinion! Both were so insecure in their own ways and it got cringy and even pathetic at times.

My biggest gripe with this book was the psycho MMC, Wyatt. His crazy possessiveness was NOT CUTE like this story tried to make it out to be. It was abusive and gaslighting constantly. He was creepy AF the whole book. I can't even wave enough red flags in his case. Just, wow. Do some people really think that level of controlling behavior is "hot?" If so, I'm here to tell you - NO. It's not. It's toxic AF and not normal. I've read other "she's mine" trope books and they were fine. This one just didn't work for me. Wyatt was way over the top and well into crazy psycho obsessed territory. Think of the book and Netflix series 'You' by Caroline Kepnes. Yeah.

I "nothing'ed" Trista. For a bit of the story in the beginning I was really feeling the strong curvy girl vibes. But then the way she just suddenly turned submissive and let Wyatt control her with his psychoness, even while admitting that he's crazy, I immediately lost the "you go girl" I had towards her. I honestly didn't expect the submissiveness from her because the whole beginning of the book she isn't the submissive type to let anyone try and control her headstrong mentality that way. I was ready for her to light him up when he started talking his crap. But nope. She kind of just bends over. Literally lol 🌶. I felt her character was suddenly written as the opposite of what she was in the whole first half of the book. It was confusing and unexpected.

Wyatt was a spoiled rich kid who has always gotten what he wanted and if he didn't then he just takes it. And this book makes that seem like it's a "hot" thing for a "mountain man" to do. It didn't settle well with me. I think this story would have worked out better for me if Trista humbled that dude over and over again.

I was also bummed that this was partially a story about a curvy girl feeling insecure about herself and thinking no one "like Wyatt" could ever be interested in someone like her. *eyeroll*. Darn, I was ready to read a book about a plus sized girl who OWNED her space and didn't take ish from anyone. Trista kept saying she "loves her body" yet her actions throughout the second half of the book are 100% the opposite that. Words are words. Actions are a different story. And again, her sudden character flip halfway through the book is why this was confusing for the reader.

Not my favorite.

Thank you publisher and author for the copy of this book.

I tried. I really did, but this one is a DNF for me. It gave me the ick so bad.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Trista and Wyatt's story was unique and unconventional, it was different from other stories I've read recently but it was still a cute and easy read. I loved the banter, the angst, the steam, and the sweet moments. I loved how they took care of each other. I loved the animals and the shenanigans they get up to in the barnyard. Trista is compassionate, sweet, and feisty with a twisted sense of humor. Wyatt was an alpha grump who is caring and protective so it was easy to fall in love with him and his love language definitely was acts of service. His family's dynamic was very relatable and loved the dynamics between them. I can’t wait to read the other brothers stories!

I absolutely loved this book! I couldn’t put it down and read it in one day.
I thought this book was funny, sweet and steamy. The characters had great chemistry and you really wanted to root for them.
Their chemistry was off the charts and the banter was just amazing.
A great read with humor, steam and great characters.

“I was lucky to receive an advance copy from NetGalley, and I absolutely couldn’t put this book down! The brothers and their niece completely stole my heart—I adored them, and I can’t wait to dive into their stories next. The banter had me giggling, while Trista’s journey brought me to tears. Though there were a few moments that gave me the ick (like the way the mattress was described), they didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment. Small-town romances are quickly becoming a favorite of mine, and this book was a perfect example of why!”

4⭐️ 2.5🌶

To say I was hooked within the first page is... an understatement! That ad for a surrogate?? Outlandish!

And truly, that set the tone for the whole book -- outlandish and hilarious. If you can turn a blind eye on some of the unrealistic and over-the-top elements to set the plot up (an 18yo parent trapping her uncle and a complete stranger/surrogate using her own egg thinking she'd have no emotional attachment to the baby or the baby daddy while essentially living with him/non-accurate depiction of surrogacy/calls herself a cow), then you'll have a really fun time!

I went into this book wanting to have a fun time and it absolutely delivered on this front ten fold! The banter, the dynamic between the brothers, the animals and just the overall choas of it all had me laughing more times than I can count. It was absurd in the best kind of ways and yes, the grumpy mountain man was hot as hell.

Surrogacy
Small Mountain Town Romance
Curvy FMC
Age Gap
Grumpy/Sunshine
Found Family
(MANY) Animal Companions / side characters

One thing that bothered me a bit was the constant reminder that the FMC was curvy, or fat as she calls herself. As a curvy woman myself, I find it disheartening when the focus is constantly brought on that as if it's the only thing that defines them. And it had nothing to do with her thinking she was even bigger due to the pregnancy but all to do with just who she was as a person and I found that to be a real bummer.

From the first page and the ridiculous ad I was hooked. Wyatt’s reaction to the ad and his treatment toward his brothers was hilarious and terrifying. Even though they love each other fiercely, the ad might have pushed Wyatt over the edge.

Wyatt is ready to be a father, but he has decided that he isn’t ever getting married, so he has been trying to use an agency. Unfortunately, after twelve candidates, they turn him away. Trista is trying to be a surrogacy but the agency turns her away. When she meets Wyatt’s niece outside the agency she is offered a job that is too good to be true.

I enjoyed the banter, friendship and brotherhood in this book. Surrogacy is a serious life choice and some might feel a rom-com about it is disrespectful, but I found the book to be more about the relationship between Wyatt and Trista. Yes, she was his surrogate, but even from their first meeting there were sparks and even though they tried to deny them, they realized they wanted more.

I liked the fact that both had baggage that they were dealing with and neither really knew what to expect from the situation. They relied on each other, even though she fought it tooth and nail, and his past comes back to show him that what he thought he wanted at one time wasn’t what he thought it was.

I loved this book and can’t wait to find out what happens when the next brother falls. I received an ARC and this is my honest, voluntary review.

2.75/5⭐️
- she’s the surrogate for his baby
- grumpy x sunshine
- small town romance

I liked the idea of this story and it started out promising but as the story went on I found myself enjoying it less and less. The use of the word ‘rizz’ was only used twice but threw me out of the story both times. Besides that it was a fun time in the beginning. I liked the family vibes for the most part.

Wyatt wants to have a baby but doesn’t want a relationship or have to share custody at all. He decides he wants a surrogate to have his baby. When he goes to the surrogate agency he meets 12 different women and decides none of them are right. So his niece, Everly, gives herself the job of finding him a surrogate outside of the agency. Someone he will hopefully fall in love with.
When Everly comes upon Trista, who had just been rejected from being a surrogate for ‘not being the right weight’ Everly tells her about her uncle looking for a surrogate and Trista ends up taking the job. She’ll be living on his property while trying to get pregnant (using home insemination methods) while being in close proximity tension builds between Trista & Wyatt.

I’m not going to lie. Trista got on my nerves. I liked that she’s spunky but sometimes I feel like she was a bit too hard headed. She fought Wyatt about any of the nice things he’d do for her, even if it had to do with his baby she’s carrying. And I loved that she loves animals so much, but I feel like she kind of took advantage of his facilities and when he’d get mad (since it is his place) she would act like she didn’t understand why he’d get mad.
Wyatt was fine. He would do and get sweet things for her and totally seems like he’d become a good father, but he was definitely a bit controlling and possessive at the same time. It had its moments that I enjoyed it, but I just didn’t love this book <3

NINE MONTH CONTRACT – Amy Daws
Mountain Men Matchmaker, Book 1
Canary Street Press
ISBN: 978-1-335-42588-1
March 18, 2025
Romantic Comedy

Fletcher Mountain, Colorado – Present Day

Wyatt Fletcher has decided he wants to become a father. There is one slight problem: he is not married or looking to hook up with a woman permanently. Wyatt is working with a surrogacy center but so far has not found the right woman. His family is aware of what he is doing, so on a lark, they post a wanted ad in the local bar. Of course, this makes grumpy Wyatt even grumpier. His niece, Everly, even gets involved. She happens to meet Trista, who is leaving the surrogacy center after being rejected. She seems feisty and opinionated, and Everly thinks she would be the right choice for Wyatt.

Trista meets Wyatt and offers her services. Of course, the money involved will help her get situated financially but she is intrigued by what she sees in Wyatt. He is grumpy and not very talkative, but he seems like a good man. She agrees to move into the apartment above his barn, where they will try to conceive. The thing is the conception involves syringes and not having sex between them. They get the deed done in a few hilarious scenes involving booze. Trista is pregnant, now they have to wait nine months all the while living near each other—and growing increasingly attracted to each other.

Right from the start in NINE MONTH CONTRACT, we see Wyatt and Trista clashing. He wants everything to go the way he wants it, while she wants to remain as independent as possible. Trista was raised basically on her own with her sister with their parents emotionally disconnected. She doesn’t feel she will ever find love because she doesn’t trust the process. This is why she wanted to at least experience the birth of a child. She loves animals and even has a pet pig. As she works at an animal rescue, she is constantly bringing home to Wyatt’s ranch an assortment of animals. He already has a goat, so the more the merrier, right? Wyatt might be grumpy, but he still has a “sweet” side, such as when he drops off a breakfast treat for her every morning on her doorstep.

Readers will smile at the interactions between Wyatt and Trista. While they don’t come right out and say they’re attracted to each other, it’s clear in their actions and thoughts. Trista isn’t used to someone taking care of her, while Wyatt isn’t used to being around a pregnant woman. They spend about half of NINE MONTH CONTRACT dancing around their lust for each other and finally reach a compromise. Readers will have to dig into this tale to find out what they decide. Let’s just say their chemistry is smoking hot and their feelings for each other grow stronger every day. Trista’s contract says she will hand over the baby to Wyatt after it’s born. Is there a chance she will stay longer?

NINE MONTH CONTRACT is a flat-out funny and entertaining tale right from the start. Wyatt and Trista have been burned by their past and now it’s time for them to finally find love…together. Don’t miss this fascinating tale.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

I really didn’t like the story line for this book. Surrogacy and a woman’s choice to not have kids should be respected. Especially with fertility struggles being a concern for many people. I won’t be recommending this book to anyone and I hope the author considers feminism and woman’s rights before writing a story like this again.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC of Nine Month Contract in exchange for an honest review. Most importantly thank you Amy Daws for my new favorite Mountain Men.

Grumpy meets Sunshine
Small Town Romance
Strong and Curvy FMC
Surrogacy

I really was so unsure based off of the tropes if I would like this book but I found myself thinking about the characters and all their antics frequently. This book is spicy but what really takes the trophy for the banter, 12/10 sass and it was delicious. Wyatt is such a grump but also it's not the kind of grump that leaves you with the ick. He is relatable as are his brothers. As a HEA reader I want it light and fluffy but I also love a character network that isn't perfect because no family truly is. Trista's back story left me both in my feels but also and most importantly had me rooting for her. Her inner monolog is so relatable as a fellow curvy girl and I appreciated the realness of her development as she is on her own path beyond being a surrogate.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trad Publishing for this advance copy of this book!

Okay so I’m disappointed in this book. I truly wanted to love this book and I was so excited for it when I got it from NetGalley. However this book missed the mark for me personally. Now it was by no means a bad book but I didn’t buy the chemistry of the FMC and the MMC. Wyatt was way more open despite him being the grumpy one and Trista never really opened up enough for the relationship to flourish in my opinion. She didn’t even start opening up until the end of the book and by that point I wasn’t invested in their relationship anymore. I also found it very weird that the niece was so invested in finding him a surrogate on Craigslist. That was a little stressful for me but it was funny so I liked that it was included.
Wyatt was a gruff dude but the fact that really wanted to be a dad and was gonna do whatever necessary was adorable. Now he was a bit too possessive for my liking but the fact that we wanted to take care of Trista and her millions of animals made me smile a lot. My only issue with this book was honestly Trista and their relationship. The pacing of their relationship felt off, Trista just annoyed me a lot, and I didn’t feel connected to their relationship.
However, it was not a bad read by any means. I was never bored, I kept reading because I was so invested, and it was overall really fun and silly. For me it was a 3 star read but I feel like for the right person this could easily be a 4 or even 5 star read. I would love to read the other brother’s books once they’re published!

Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws is a silly and delightful book that follows Trista, who answers an ad posted by grumpy mountain man Wyatt’s brothers looking for a surrogate for their big brother. Wyatt is looking to become a father, but he hasn’t had any matches going through traditional surrogacy agencies. Trista wants to become a surrogate to fund her all-animals-included rescue shelter, but she was rejected due to her weight. Wyatt and Trista find hope in each other that they thought lost after their rejections.

My personal opinions: The beginning is slightly corny but it does immediately grab your attention. I also love the counters that are at the beginning of each chapter! I absolutely love Everly’s spunk, I don’t love the slang use as much but I guess it’s realistic as she is 18. Once Trista moves into the barn, their chemistry is undeniable. I got immersed and forgot to take notes as I sped through finishing this, but the ending was so indescribably sweet. The gender reveal/baby shower party scene and the hospital scene had me crying like a baby. Overall I loved this book more than I was expecting!

This book is perfect for rom com readers and lovers of found families. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for allowing me to read this e-arc!

Nine Month Contract is a humorous, yet tender romantic comedy that hits all the right notes from the unique beginning to the swoon worthy ending. When a 40 something, self-declared bachelor, loner gets a call from his 18 year old niece that she found him the perfect surrogate to have his child, he is skeptical at first. But after Wyatt gets to know Trista and spends some very close quarters time with her, he realizes that he sees her for far more than just the woman carrying a child for him. If only she will let herself be loved and love him in return. Great story with lots of spice and lots of laughs.

Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws is an enjoyable read that blends romance and humor with a lighthearted premise.

Daws does a good job of creating chemistry between the leads, and the pacing of the book keeps things moving along smoothly. While the plot doesn't offer many surprises, it's still a good read.

I will say, Trista was making it hard for me to like her. I understand her traumas but despite Wyatt showing her how much he cares, it made it seem like she was ungrateful. And how dense do you have to be to not see that he cares & likes you?! Also, people can care but she is so closed off that it became rather annoying.

Additionally, I felt that there was no relationship established between her & the baby bc throughout the story, she for sure just felt like a surrogate. So for the ending to have her be a full blown mother… was just a little interesting. I think we could’ve done a better job w/ creating some mother/ baby relationship throughout the story.

Overall, it's an easy, charming read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the ARC.

I thought this was cute, funny, and an interesting introduction to Amy Daws. I liked the chemistry between Trista and Wyatt and his family made the story much richer. However, I did have a hard time with some of Trista's internal monologue, why in the world baby foreskin softness was brought up is beyond me. And it is always a bit off putting to me when a grown woman is using made up words for her vagina, Ultimately those choices brought the book down to 3 stars for me.

eARC review: 2.5
I don't feel one way or the other about a pregnancy trope and the blurb sounded really intriguing. There are definitely some funny and cute moments. I loved Everly and the rest of his family, and how they took to Trista and showed her how loving a family can be.

There are definitely some cringy words and phrases used throughout the book that gave me the ick. The reasoning for Wyatt not wanting a relationship and his past experience also gives red flags. I get this is just a story but the way they went about the surrogacy feels very unethical. And I get that Trista would want to keep her self as separate from the baby as possible, but constantly referring to herself as a cow was just sad, and the way she is always relating herself to animals felt weird.

I don't know, just not for me, but you might like this if you are into:
-grumpy MMC
-curvy FMC
-age gap
-unconventional pregnancy
-animal friends

This book is AMAZING. I knew I would laugh, I feel Amy Daws has effortless humor I just vibe with, but I didn't know I was going to cry. I shed literal tears by the end of this over the journey of the FMC finally accepting the love she deserves and the MMC being right there ready to give it to her.

So many things to love about this book, the animal count at the top of chapters and how this grumpy man got so soft (I mean he always was but don't worry I won't tell anyone) to allow it, the caregiving especially throughout the FMC's pregnancy, and how much I believed in their relationship.

I don't always love surrogacy in romance (as much as I love unexpected pregnancy/pregnancy trope) and yes you have to suspend your disbelief for this setup BUT I felt like Amy did sell it well as the FMC has not had a prior pregnancy/birth so therefore she does get rejected by the formal surrogacy agency and they arrange their contract on their own. So I just wanted to say my hesitations were completely cleared up and I was able to vibe with the story.

The meddling family trope I also loved. And coming from me- as much as I love the Bergman brothers series I low key hate that family when it's not the indiviual's book, well Everly and her family can meddle with me any day I LOVE them.

Thank you to the hive and Canary Press for the eARC.