This book had potential and I heard good things but the 2 main characters were awful. Firstly, you could play a drinking game for everytime Trista said "I'm a cow" The entire book was her complaining about her size. Meanwhile Wyatt was just cringy. Sir you are almost 40 years old and jealous of your own brothers. And then what was the purpose of the petting zoo? There's no way Boulder Health Codes would allow all those animals up on the mountain.

i thought it was okay, it just didn't really grab me. i love amy daws so this isn't usually an issue but this one was just a miss on my end.

Amy Daws is my go to, feel good and always laugh out loud author. I am so excited for this new series and Nine Month Contract is the perfect beginning. Wyatt knew one thing - he wanted to be a dad and we know becoming a single dad is hard, finding a surrogate willing to stay in the mountains with him, nearly impossible. Then there is animal loving Trista, wanting a place for her menagerie of animals. But not to diminish real life issues, this book adds humor to both their lives.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this! This book was the perfect lil rom-com to read on spring break. I absolutely loved the FMC & thought the premise of the book was very unique! The animals were absolutely precious. I loved the amount of body positivity, but also the honesty of having insecure moments in your body. Also, who doesn’t love a super protective, grumpy mountain man with a heart of gold & a soft side? And he’s a Swiftie?! Loved it 💕

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

The premise behind this book was really interesting! Grumpy reserved Wyatt is looking for a surrogate. Trista is the independent fmc who answers the ad posted by Wyatt’s brothers and niece. One thing I really enjoyed about this novel was the characters. The entire dynamic between Wyatt’s family made this an enjoyable read.

The things I didn’t particularly like revolve around the way women were referred to in this novel as well as the moments centered around surrogacy and insemination.

Great and funny book, quick and light hearted read. I loved reading this and it was worth the read. I would definitely recommend this to friends.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin/Canary Street Press for the review copy.

This book was such a romp. Love a mountain lumberjack who is ready to be a father and looking for ways to make that happen without the strings of a baby mama/relationship. He’s such a fool for Trista from the minute they meet, going against his long-led rules and boundaries to do anything to make her comfortable and happy. The little moments of vulnerability were so sweet to read and their chemistry was piping hot.

I buddy-read with two friends, and one theme we noticed when listening to the audiobook was the repeated use of calling herself a “cow.” It may have been less noticeable if we were eye-reading, but it felt excessive when listening, especially in conversation about her as a plus-size pregnant woman. Granted, it did tie back to some other insecurities she held, but it was uncomfortable to listen to repeatedly.

Overall,I’d recommend this book. It balanced humor with serious topics like family issues & mental health, and I found it to be overall enjoyable.

I loved this book and could relate with Trista on so many levels! I loved that not only was she tall but also curvy. There were so many laugh out loud moments but also a lot of moments that will pull at your heartstrings. Wyatt is so broody but Trista seems to bring him right to his knees. I went back and forth between the audiobook and the kindle version for this and the audio was amazing! Can't wait to read more about these mountain men!

Book Review 📖♥️🐐
thank you so much partner @htp_hive @htpbooks @canarystreetpress for the free eARC.

Nine Month Contract
by AMY DAWS

About the book 👇🏽

Help Wanted: Grumpy Mountain Man seeks baby momma. Job is an incubator position only. Surrogate must be impervious to grunting in the form of communication and nosey brotherly neighbors. Rustic mountain range housing available upon request.
I wanted to pummel my irritating brothers when they posted their own version of a wanted ad to help me with my life.

But I can't fault the results once the right woman lands on my lap.

Becoming a single father is not a decision I made lightly. Which is why when I interview Trista, I know she's perfect.

She's wild, she's opinionated, she wears cowboy boots. Even my pet goat loves her... She's the exact type of person I was holding out for.

And to my great horror, I realize on our first night of attempting this baby making dance... I want to do a lot more than just make her my surrogate.

I want to make her mine.

🐐♥️ My thoughts:

All the stars! I binged it and literally stayed up way past my bedtime to read this. I was sleepy but not sleepy enough and thought reading would help me… no, I was giggling A LOT and I had the best time with this story! Pregnancy tropes of any kind are usually not my cup of tea but maybe I’m starting to change my opinion on that because I loved this one. Wyatt and Trista were soo good together and I really enjoyed their dynamic. I just love a grumpy man and he just unraveled for a spitfire of a woman. I’ll never grow tired of a bearded grumpy mountain man that speaks in grunts. If you’re looking for a book that’ll have you kicking your feet in laughter or a book that’s binge worthy… this spicy romcom is the one you need to pick up! I can’t wait for Seven Year Itch (book 2)!

Happy reading 📖 🐐♥️

Overall this was pretty fun. I liked just as many things as I disliked. There was a lot of antics and humor that had me cackling. Sooo many animals with their little quirks.

Trista was a fun quirky heroine. She's independent and really does her own thing as she wishes. Which totally clashes with the overprotective growly mountain man Wyatt. I loved how Trista blurts out things on her mind yet she's also afraid of vulnerability. I liked how Wyatt was really sweet but he sure could get a little psycho and care *aggressively* hahaha. I liked the build up of their awkward friendship/surrogacy to friends with benefits.

There was also a touching found family aspect. Wyatt's family was so warm and welcoming to Trista from the start. It was so cute how they got her back and showered her with love.

Now, unfortunately here are the things I didn’t quite like: the characters did end up kind of being annoying for me. Especially Trista. She just didn't really make sense. I don't think her character arc gelled well with me. Despite her denying it, she does have a lot of insecurities and I don't think she really worked on them by the end. She was childish a lot of the time too. I think I had issues with how both characters handled the third act conflict.

My personal pet peeve with books is also when they use too current slang, and this book had it. It came off cringey. Even if it makes sense for a teenage character to reference tiktok trends, it's just a no for me. I think it would be been fine without.

Though, I had fun, I was a little disappointed because I liked the other Amy Daws pregnancy trope book. But this one didn't hit the same.

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

i loved this so much!!! such a cute story and an awesome concept! i’ve never read anything like it, and i love the more mature theme representations of childhood trauma, plus size insecurity, and mental health!! so so cute and i can’t wait for the next one!!

I *really* wanted to enjoy this book. A solid premise, plus-size representation, an evocative mountain setting, and a gruff hero with a pet goat? Sounded like a guaranteed fun time!

But, unfortunately, not so much... I found the character voices and "chatty" tone rather grating, and genuinely did NOT like the matchmaking niece, who rang extremely false/unrealistic for an 18-year-old on her way to college -- Everly came across as MUCH younger -- and I found myself skimming quickly through her POV chaps.

I did finish this, though by the time I was 65% through, I found myself wondering why I was still reading, since I honestly didn't care all that much about the characters. Again: truly disappointed I didn't enjoy this more.

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this story, some parts were just a little weird to me so I gave it 4.5 stars instead of 5.

I loved all of the characters and I loved the relationship between Wyatt and Trista. Everly was hilarious and probably my favorite side character.

When “What’s the worst that can happen” actually turns into be the best thing that could happen! I loved the build up and the chemistry that developed between the two main characters and in the end I was rooting for them so hard!! The way this book showed how they healed each other made me tear up! He got the family he had been wanting and she got the family she never had!

I gave the ol’ college try. I got 37% in. I just couldn’t do it. The premise is interesting but the characters felt more like caricatures of characters. They didn’t have depth. We were told the FMC is curvy and has beauty marks on her face over and over. It was redundant. I didn’t feel the chemistry with the characters. I really wanted to like this one but I couldn’t stick it out.

This is a unique, sweet-to-spicy tale about a compassionate, animal-loving surrogate and a gruff mountain man who slowly develops feelings for each other while struggling to admit their growing attraction.
Life has not dealt Trista, an animal-loving woman, the best hand. Her rough childhood seems to haunt her and is always in the back of her mind. She decided to become a surrogate to finally give herself a leg up in life, having dreams of opening her animal shelter and struggling financially.
Wyatt is a grumpy mountain man, however, he also has a big heart. When his only niece is getting ready to graduate and go overseas to college, he realizes how much he wants to become a dad. He tries the surrogacy center, but after twelve interviews, they reject him, leaving him hopeless. However, his niece Everly is not about to stand for that! She teams up with her uncles and makes a wanted ad and interviews several women, but none are the right match. Until, as fate has it she meets Trista and knows she's the perfect fit!
Trista and Wyatt hit it off, and they make a contract for her to be his surrogate. After a week of ranch dressing cups and a Tylenol syringe, she later finds out she is pregnant. Initially, Wyatt, who lives on the mountain, is unhappy when Trista brings him rescue animals, but he and the animals gradually grow on each other, as does Trista. Trista keeps reminding herself, "I'm a cow," so she doesn't get attached to Wyatt, but it is a little too late for that! I love this close proximity story with all the ups and downs! The only thing I disliked a bit was Trista's inner monologue where she feels she doesn't deserve happiness and her happily ever after!
Thank you, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley, for the opportunity to read and review this one!

While I really enjoyed the spice in this book, the whip lash Trista gave Wyatt was hard to read. She could not make up her mind and was so back and forth with him it was kind of exhausting. I enjoyed the mountain man part and would be interested and reading the other books.

This book was the easiest 5 Star ever!!!! I loved the family dynamic between the brothers. It also felt like the setting was a character in the book! This was charming, funny, and spicy! The deep family connection was spot on!!! I cannot wait for the next book!!!

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nine Month Contract
Author: Amy Daws

Thank you so much Harlequin Trade Publishing for this copy of Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws! This book was absolutely hilarious to me and I adored it. Grumpy Mountain Man seeks a surrogate to be his baby momma. Wyatt’s brothers and niece have taken it upon themselves to help him find the perfect girl to carry his future child. I really loved this coming from the man that wanted to be a dad and just say F it I’m tired of waiting to be in a relationship I want to raise a child on my own. His niece ends up finding Trista who is absolutely hilarious. Wyatt has a place for her to live on his property and she can even bring her pet pig! It seems too good to be true! Everyone in this book made me laugh out loud. Wyatt’s brothers, and his back and forth with Trista and her ongoing collection of “animals on the mountain” had me dying. I sincerely can’t wait for more books in this series. Loved it!

Mountain Man. Enough said.

Amy Daws knocked it out of the park with this one.

Quiet and surly mountain man Wyatt’s surrogacy plans are not going the way he thought they would be, but a deal with his niece brings some color into his life in the way of a curvy independent animal rescuer named Trista, who just so happened to be in the market to be a surrogate. But when the attraction becomes more these two have to figure out how to navigate life when they are both going in opposite directions.

This book was a little slow starting off just because the tension was there but no one was acting on it but once it got lit I couldn’t put the book down.

Daws put a lot of focus in showing the ugly side of both characters past and it made them more relatable. She also set up great side characters and I can’t wait for each of their books