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.

So, I'm going to be completely honest here. I did not like this book. I didn't even finish it. When I read the description, it sounded interesting. Very different from anything that I have ever read. But it just fell so very flat. It has promise, and there are some sweet parts to it. But it just wasn't good. I really wanted to like it, but I don't. I can't really explain it, other than to say that it just gives me an icky feeling. Pretty much everything about it is just weird and makes me feel weird. 2.5/5 for me, simply because it does have promise. I would not recommend. But please note that this is nothing against the author!! Just the book!

I was not totally sold on the surrogacy trope. The at-home DIY insemination kit was a bit ick. But Wyatt’s family is rowdy, hilarious, and honestly so freaking sweet. The last few chapters had me in my feels. As a whole I will give this a 3. There were things that didn't work, but the family dynamics and sweet niece Everly had me sold.

okay, i genuinely don't know what to say. not speechless because it was that AMAZING. I guess more speechless because it was a whirlwind to read.

I actually enjoyed this book. The story was funny and watching the dynamic between Trista and Wyatt was actually cute. You have a grumpy guy who wants to be a single father and a burst of energy of a mess that just wants to open up her own rescue and needs the money to do that.

I can see how this story might not be everyone's cup of tea, especially since it touches upon a sensitive topic like surrogacy. However, I do think there are some good aspects to this story.

What did I like? It was funny as hell. I think some things were kinda outrageous to read, but I think Amy captures the awkwardness between Trista and Wyatt well. From the rambling to being flustered, I'm sure when two strangers decide to go through this process, especially the way that Trista and Wyatt did, then there are going to be some awkward moments to navigate. I also liked the aspect of Trista finding her found family in this story. The way everyone showed up for her and even Wyatt, our grumpy mountain main, being the biggest cinnamon roll for her was heartwarming to read. You can tell how much everyone loves Trista, and you can for sure tell how much The Fletchers will always support their family.

What I think could have been done better? While the story was a fun read, I do wish it touched more upon the seriousness behind surrogacy, even if it was in a more "light hearted" manner. And, while it was great to see the romance develop between Wyatt and Trista, I think at times you tend to forget that it's a part of a plot or even question if it was needed because of how wrapped up you can get between the romance aspect of the story. Lastly, since Trista found her found family in this story, I wish there was just a bit more of her showing up for The Fletchers than just the snippets we got at the end. I think it would have added a bit more to the story that gave it also more "seriousness"

Overall, I think it was a fun read if you want something to just lighten the mood without the technicality aspect. However, if the topic of surrogacy isn't for you, then I suggest sitting this one out.

Thank you Netgalley, Amy, and the team for the opportunity to read this eARC! I love being able to provide my thoughts and hope to hear what others have to say.

I'm not sure how to feel about this book. To start with, the writing style was not for me, I don't think. There was a lot of young modern slang language that I am not accustomed to reading in an adult romance novel. I don't need to here that someone rizzed up someone else. . .they sort of cheapened the story for me.

The romance itself was OK. There was a bit of instantaneous love, which isn't my favorite. The main characters were both a bit too intense with their different feelings for me to be invested. She is too independent for him to do anything to help her because she had a terrible childhood and he was way too intense whenever another man was even mentioned.

I did enjoy all of the animal sidekicks.

🦇 Nine Month Contract Book Review 🦇

❓ Mountains or the ocean?

🦇 "Help Wanted: Grumpy mountain man seeks baby momma. Job is an incubator position only. Surrogate must be impervious to grunting as the form of communication and nosy brotherly neighbors. Rustic mountain range housing available upon request." The wanted ad his brother posted didn't help Wyatt find a surrogate, but his niece certainly did. From the moment Wyatt met Trista, he knew her wild, opinionated nature stood out from all the rest. They can survive this nine-month contract so Wyatt can start a family, or will raw emotion make things messy?

💜 I'll admit it: the curvy FMC and lumberjack on the cover caught my eye. Let's break it down:

✨ Characters (5/5): Curvy, headstrong, self-sufficient FMC with big opinions + a grumpy, quiet, family-focused mountain man? Gimme. Trista and Wyatt are never just a few character tropes on the page. The entire cast is vocal, unique, and fun (Everly, Wyatt's niece, steals the show so easily that she has her own POV chapters, which come off as awkward given the age difference between her and the MCs). Good thing, too, since two of the brothers are getting their own books. Wyatt's tendency to take care of the people he loves with a fierce loyalty is precious. I didn't love Trista's "I'm a cow" mantra to disassociate herself from the process, especially since the phrase conflicts with her body positivity. Loved that, despite being outwardly confident, Trista's upbringing has left her with insecurities that Wyatt helps her work through.

✨ Plot and Pacing (3/5): The story starts off a little slow; it's not until Trista's on the mountain that the pacing picks up. Despite that, the plot certainly sticks out, though the execution is a bit...icky. I need to wash my brain out of the whole ranch cup thing. I did love the chapter headers, counting the number of animals on the farm. However, the third act is wholly unnecessary; I kept waiting to hit the epilogue, which would have worked better with vignette moments.

✨ World-Building (3/5): Loved Trista and Wyatt's little life on the mountain, but needed more descriptive language for the story overall.

✨ Romance (4/5): Outside of its humor, the slow burn romance is Nine Month Contract's strongest element. There's yearning, there's jealousy, there's 'we shouldn't but I can't stay away.' Seeing Wyatt navigate the fortress Trista's put around her heart is sweet and heartfelt. The found family component is comforting--but I wish we'd seen Trista one-on-one with the other women in the story more often.

✨ Mystery/Suspense (2/5): I expected there to be a bit more tension regarding both MCs backstories, but both are easy enough to piece together given constant hinting.

✨ Tone/Prose (3/5): There are quite a few analogies and word choices that amplify the ick. The humor in this rom-com is so strong, but also SO much awkwardness in the first act that nearly led to a DNF. I love Trista's voice and her reliability, but I had to put this one down a few times.

🦇 Recommended for fans of Tessa Bailey and Meghan Quinn.

✨ The Vibes ✨
🐷 Contemporary Romance
🏔 Friends to Lovers
🐴 Grumpy/Sunshine
🌲 Small Town Romance
🐐 Found Family
🪺 Curvy FMC
🐤 Age Gap

🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #NineMonthContract

💬 Quotes
"Being in love with someone makes change feel exciting, not sacrificial.”

"I feel like you hear me better than anyone I’ve ever spoken to."

"I’m in love with you, lucky number thirteen. You’re not my second choice or thirteenth choice. You’re my only choice.”

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

To be candid, I find myself quite conflicted about this narrative. It is certainly not a story that will resonate with everyone, as I am unsure of my own feelings regarding the themes of surrogacy, which some may find uncomfortable. Nevertheless, the book possesses several commendable qualities that I would like to highlight. Firstly, I appreciated how the cover effectively encapsulates the essence of the characters described within the story. Now, let’s discuss the characters. I believe they were exceptionally well-developed, relatable, and emotionally engaging, making them feel fully realized rather than mere plot devices. Additionally, I enjoyed the originality of the plot and the diverse representation it offers. For example, it includes portrayals of plus-sized women, individuals aspiring to become parents, and various aspects of surrogacy. However, there are elements that leave me feeling conflicted. These include the exploration of a breeding kink, the nature of the contractual agreement between the characters, and the conclusion of the story. In summary, while I found the writing enjoyable and commendable, I don't think this book entirely aligns with my personal tastes. I would, however, be interested in exploring more works by this author in the future.

I was provided with the arc of this book by Canary Street Press and NetGalley in exchange of an honest review, thank you! ✨

5⭐️

I was bawling with the last chapters of this book 😭❤️‍🩹✨ oh God, Trista and Wyatt are just going to live rent free in my heart from now on, their story was so beautiful and so raw and heartbreaking but also heartfelt🥹 I felt so sad about Trista’s past, I just wanted to hug her and tell her how beautiful she is, how strong and resilient she is and how worthy she is, because my girl was just perfect!! And Wyatt, my oh my that man just made my heart so full with all his acts of love and his protectiveness ❤️‍🩹 and all the family!!! The whole family found trope here was just chef kiss, and also all the animals in there 😂 I definitely want to read Dakota and Calder’s book like yesterday 🙂‍↔️

**Book Review: *Nine Month Contract* by Amy Daws**

*Nine Month Contract* by Amy Daws is a fun, steamy, and heartwarming romance featuring a fake relationship with a twist. The story follows a broody footballer, TJ, who needs a green card to stay in the U.S., and a quirky baker, Harley, who agrees to a marriage of convenience. What starts as a business arrangement quickly turns into something much more as their chemistry becomes undeniable.

Amy Daws does a great job balancing humor, emotion, and spice, making this an engaging read. The banter between TJ and Harley is entertaining, and their gradual emotional connection feels genuine. If you enjoy sports romance with a marriage-of-convenience trope and plenty of heat, this book is a great choice.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5) – A swoon-worthy and fun romance with heart!

I went into Nine Month Contract expecting a fun, steamy romance with a unique premise, but I came out feeling… conflicted. While the book is undeniably engaging, it also has a lot of elements that left me uncomfortable, both in terms of the story’s ethical implications and the romance itself.

Let’s start with the surrogacy angle. I don’t know much about surrogacy in real life, so maybe this is just me, but the way it plays out in this book feels ethically murky. Trista isn’t just a surrogate—she’s literally the biological mother, since they use her own egg in a DIY artificial insemination situation. The book seems to frame traditional surrogacy agencies as overly restrictive and controlling, but those rules exist for a reason—to protect both the surrogate (who is, quite frankly, being used for her body) and the intended parent. Trista keeps comparing this setup to a lesbian couple using a sperm donor, but those things are not the same, and the casual way it’s brushed aside made me uncomfortable. The author did consult actual surrogates, so maybe it’s just my perspective, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that the book was oversimplifying something that is, in reality, extremely complicated.

Then there’s the romance itself. If you’re a fan of insta-lust, you might enjoy it, but personally, I wasn’t sold. The relationship feels almost entirely based on sexual attraction, with very little emotional depth. Wyatt is supposed to be the classic grumpy hero, but in reality, he comes off as a walking red flag. He’s possessive, controlling, and at one point, he explicitly tells Trista that he doesn’t like boundaries—and this is in a sexual context, which makes it so much worse. Meanwhile, Trista is a boundary queen when it comes to him, but constantly ignores his boundaries, like when she keeps bringing farm animals into his barn despite him repeatedly asking her not to. They don’t challenge each other in a way that leads to growth; they just seem genuinely bad for each other. By the end, I was actually hoping they wouldn’t end up together.

Trista as a character was another struggle for me. She’s written as confident and body-positive, which is great in theory, but the execution felt off. She’s constantly telling herself (and us) how much she loves her body, how she knows she’s beautiful, etc.—but at the same time, she frequently puts herself down or implies that other people should see her as lesser because of her size. Instead of true body positivity, it feels like a mix of overcompensation and internalized fatphobia. And on top of that, her personality leans heavily into the “quirky, immature, not-like-other-girls” trope, which made her hard to connect with. The constant use of “bajingo” instead of vagina? I cringed every time.

There are also some weirdly bad details that made it hard to take Trista seriously, especially when it came to her career in animal rescue. The rabbit husbandry facts were so off (bathing rabbits? keeping them in cages overnight?) that it made me doubt whether she actually knew what she was doing, which was a problem since that’s supposed to be such a core part of her character.

Finally, I have to mention the underlying misogyny that creeps into the book. It’s subtle, but there are moments where Trista (or the narration) makes comments that feel very “cool girl” adjacent—like she’s trying to be sex-positive but ends up reinforcing some pretty negative stereotypes about other women instead. It doesn’t seem intentional, but it’s definitely there, and it made certain moments feel more off-putting than empowering.

I wanted to like this book. The premise was intriguing, and I was hoping for a fresh take on the grumpy/sunshine dynamic. But between the questionable surrogacy setup, the shallow romance, the weird body positivity that loops back into fatphobia, and the characters’ lack of growth, it just didn’t work for me. I don’t think I’ll be continuing this series, especially since the next books seem to follow characters who are just carbon copies of Wyatt.

If you’re looking for a steamy read and don’t mind some ethical gray areas, you might enjoy this one—but for me, it was a miss.