This book is the freaking cutest. Wyatt and Trista are hilarious and I won’t ever get enough. The banter is great, the plot flows wonderfully and the pace is perfection. I was so engrossed I couldn’t put it down. I love a good “accidental pregnancy” trope but this one was entirely on purpose.
Wyatt wants nothing more than to be a dad, even if that means he’s a single dad. The man has a village and he’s equipped for battle.
Trista just so happens to be his surrogate but the tension between them is so good! It’s steamy and fun and even though she has a very traumatic past she’s willing to do anything for this man and his baby.
It’s funny, spicy, sweet and just so good! This is an absolute must read.

Loved this book and immediately tried to track down additional titles by this author. Thank you Netgalley!

A bit cringe-worthy and ridiculous more often than not but I still gobbled it up in an evening. I loved the sound family aspect of this. I had some quibbles with the writing and the POV from the niece’s perspective was not to my taste but the setting was fun & I like a frumpy/sunshine romance. The surrogacy angle was definitely interesting but I don’t think my cup of tea for a romance.

I love the vulnerability of this story, the portrayal of a plus-size character, and the inside view into the experience of a man looking for a surrogate.

After finishing *The Nine Month Contract*, I'm left wanting to know more about the other brothers. The book has its spicy scenes—they're descriptive, but most of them make sense within the context of the story.

Very cute cover, and you can find more art on the author’s Instagram page.

This book is for you if you like:
- The pregnancy trope with a twist
- Plus-size heroines
- Emotional vulnerability in both main characters
- A man longing to become a father
- Forced proximity
- Dual POV
- Sibling series (and you want more after book one!)
- Spice that serves the story
- Adorable illustrated cover

Grumpy mountain man seeks baby mama. What he didn't plan to find was a woman who he could fall in love with as she fills his barn with rescue animals

Nine Month Contract follows grumpy eco conscience contractor Wyatt as he decides to start a family in an unconventional way, as a single man searching for a surrogate. After twelve failed surrogate interviews he has all but given up. That is until his brother and his niece decide to get creative in finding him a baby mama. Enter Trista. Trista has a regular period, a rescue pig, and a dream of opening an animal rescue. Daws takes readers along for the ride and Wyatt and Trista blur the lines between their surrogate contract and falling in love.

I really enjoyed this book! Trista is an incredibly well developed character that is easy to love and cheer for. Her family history, how she moves in the world is very earnest and lovable. Amy Daws did a fantastic job building the world of these two and all their family and friends. The plot was well paced and the spice was well written. I can't wait to get more books from this series!

Wyatt, after a decade of singledom, has decided that the only way to become the dad he's always wanted to be is to use a surrogate. The only problem is that he is one picky mountain man. Trista is the ultimate animal lover and rescuer. She dreams of opening her own animal sanctuary, but she doesn't have the funds to back it. She has no problem loaning out her uterus for a worthy cause; it's not like she's using it, plus all that money would go a long way toward her goals.

They both get the surprise of their lives, though, when baby making comes way too easily for them, and they both appear to be very drawn to one another.

I fell in love with these characters. And not just Wyatt and Trista - the whole family was so fun and entertaining. The banter between the FMC & MMC was bantering. I laughed out loud so many times with this book! I definitely want to read the next books in this series once they come out. I will for sure be reading more of Amy Daws.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!

We all know that the pregnancy trope is not for me, unless I know it going in, so this review is not my typical reading materials. This story is laugh out loud funny. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book but was ready and willing to give it a try. Trista is the perfect female main character – she is strong on her own, has the biggest heart and someone I'd be friends with in real life. She has a plan, and surrogacy is the best way to get the funds she needs. Wyatt is your typical grump but is secretly soft for Trista (eventually). This story brings you humor, heartache and a baby! I enjoyed it enough to recommend but doubt I'd reread – but I will follow the series.

I LOVED this book!! From start to finish, this was the kind of romcom that had me grinning like an idiot and laughing out loud in public.

The banter was perfection — snappy, flirty, and absolutely hilarious — and I adored every single character. There wasn’t a single side character I wouldn’t die for. The chemistry? Off the charts. The emotional beats? Chef’s kiss. The setting? Cozy, vivid, and the kind of place I wished I could move to immediately.

It hit all my favorite things:
💬 Banter that actually made me snort
🏡 A setting so vivid it felt like a warm hug
❤️ Characters I genuinely wanted to be friends with
😂 Laughs, swoons, and just enough heartstring-pulling to balance it all out

Final thoughts:
This was exactly the feel-good, fall-in-love-with-everything romcom I needed. Amy Daws just earned herself a spot on my auto-buy list (and I've already pre-ordered every other book in this series because I just know I'll adore them all!!)

I really like the premise of this book and I enjoyed the writing style and my time reading. I will say the line about newborn baby foreskin was extremely off putting and was completely unnecessary. I’m giving this book 3/5

I was initially dubious about the set up of this book but I was happy to be proven wrong. I thought the entire storyline was sweet and much better done than I thought it was going to be.

In "Nine Month Contract" by Amy Daws, Wyatt, a grumpy mountain man, finds himself in need of a surrogate and turns to an unconventional wanted ad, thanks to his meddling brothers. Enter Trista, a spirited woman with dreams of opening an animal rescue facility. Their initial arrangement is purely business, but as their chemistry ignites during an awkward home insemination attempt, Wyatt realizes he wants more than just a surrogate—he wants Trista to be his partner. The story explores their journey through family dynamics, self-discovery, and the challenges of becoming parents together. With a blend of humor, tension, and heartfelt moments, the book captures the essence of opposites attracting in a small-town setting.

This book has a charming blend of grumpy sunshine dynamics and quirky family interactions. Wyatt's rugged persona, coupled with Trista's vibrant spirit, creates a compelling push-and-pull that will keep readers invested in their relationship. The warm and humorous family dynamics add depth, making the story relatable and engaging. Wyatt's niece, Everly, really added a lot to the story as a secondary character. There are themes of body positivity and the exploration of personal insecurities, offering a refreshing take in contemporary romance. With its unique premise of surrogacy intertwined with romance, this book offers a delightful escape for fans of small-town love stories. This was my first book that I read by Amy Daws and I loved it! It was quite spicy, exploring the edges of various kinks. A lot of the reviews went pretty hard at legal and ethical issues of surrogacy, but I think if you suspend reality and just go along with the fictional ride --it did not seem too problematic for me. It might have started out as a business transaction, but ended in love (a lot like a lot of historical romances). I thought this book was super hot and spicy. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.

I adore Amy Daws—her books are usually an instant win for me—but this one just didn’t hit the mark. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get into Nine Month Contract. I made it a little less than halfway through before deciding to step away.

There were things I really liked—especially the family dynamics, which were warm, funny, and totally classic Daws. Her writing is as solid as ever, with witty dialogue and heartfelt moments. But unfortunately, the plot and the romance just fell flat for me. It felt a little lackluster overall, and I found myself waiting for that emotional pull that never quite came.

It’s a bummer, especially from an author I usually love. But every book hits people differently—this one just wasn’t for me.

3.5 stars. Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing & NetGalley for the ARC!

Wyatt is a grumpy mountain man looking for a surrogate. Trista is the curvy FMC who is trying to get money for her animal sanctuary. The at home surrogacy was...interesting, just how they went about doing it, funny but definitely weird.

What I really liked about the book was the family dynamic! Wyatt has this crazy family who are very present in each others' lives and hysterical. Everly and Calder were definitely 2 of my favorite characters in this book. Also, Wyatt’s grumpy exterior? Who doesn't love a grumpy man who is a complete softie for his woman? Also, he takes on all her animals like a total champ. The banter between the 2 of them was great and I was laughing out loud and multiple points.

Would recommend if you enjoy a grumpy x sunshine, small town, found family romance with surrogacy mixed in.

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.