A cute romance, covers a few tropes rugged Billionaire, Broody mmc, curvy fmc with a mouth. Following Wyatt and Trista, Wyatt is looking to become a father even if he has to go it alone. In his quest he decides to find a surrogate, after searching and going through interviews with 12 he's all but given up hope. His niece talks him into giving her a chance to find him one during her process she finds Trista who had been turned away from the agency. After meeting and coming up with a contract it looks like everything is on course. This story does a good job delving into the mental set backs many people go through. Trista battles self-consciousness, self doubt, and several others.

I received this ARC from publishers via Netgalley

#NineMonthContract #NetGalley.

Amy Daws is such a fantastic writer and this book was so fun. I really enjoyed the characters and their story dynamic. There were times I just wanted more. Not a lack of story just that I was enjoying it.

I am totally obsessed with 𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙝 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩 by Amy Daws! This book is everything I never knew I needed in a romance—heartwarming, steamy, and full of emotional depth. Trista and Wyatt's story is a thrilling rollercoaster adventure. When they enter into a surrogacy agreement, they are both focused on their own goals. However, they soon realize their connection is undeniable, and what begins as a business arrangement quickly evolves into something much deeper.⁠
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I loved watching them navigate their complex emotions. Wyatt's tough exterior hides a vulnerable side, while Trista's humor and passion are the perfect counterbalance. The banter between these two characters is fantastic, and the slow-burn tension is just perfect. Amy Daws skillfully balances humor with emotional, heartfelt moments, making this story a joy to read. The family dynamics, especially in Wyatt's Family, added much richness to the narrative. I found myself smiling through many parts of it. It's touching, funny, and just the right amount of steamy. If you enjoy a small-town romance filled with spice and a lot of heart, you absolutely need to read this book!

If you like the sort-of strangers-to-lovers, forced proximity, accidental (actually, it's a surrogacy but in the same realm) pregnancy, then this is the book for you!

Wyatt is the definition of a mountain man. Like, he literally lives on a mountain with his brothers. He's getting to his later 30s and he realizes his time to have a baby is very quickly dwindling. He doesn't have a girlfriend or wife and it's hard to adopt when you're single, so he looks into surrogacy.

Just when hope seems lost, his nice Everly finds Trista, a curvy, adorable FMC who was just denied by an agency to be a surrogate.

A makeshift contract is made and Trista moves up the mountain in order to have Wyatt's baby in the most unconventional way.

There are a few parts that are a little too descriptive, but they are easy to read through.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of Nine Month Contract in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first Amy Daws read and I can tell you this with certainty, it absolutely will not be my last. I loved her writing so much and this series is shaping up to be a great one! What I assume is the first book in this soon to be series, Nine Month Contract did not disappoint in storyline, characters, or humor. Trista is a lover of all things animals and it’s been her dream to open her own rescue center for animals not accepted by your average shelter. Humans have failed her all of her life, but animals have never let her down. Sadly, opening your own shelter comes with a large cash requirement, which Trista happens to have none of. What Trista does have is a body scientifically constructed to have babies, even though she doesn’t actually want to be a mother. What she does want is to make a lot of money quickly.

As fate may have it, Trista literally runs into 18 year old Everly Fletcher, outside of a surrogacy agency. Trista was just rejected by the agency for being “too big” and Everly was on her way there to do some snooping of her own in order for find a surrogate for her grumpy, mountain man of an uncle who wishes to become a dad.

Everly has a hidden agenda in that she doesn’t only want to find a surrogate for her uncle Wyatt, she also wants to find him the love of his life in the process. After all, it’s going to take a strong woman to put up with Wyatt Fletcher. A bit of a social recluse, Wyatt lives on his own literal mountain in Jamestown, CO with two of this three brothers. He owns his own sustainable construction company and appreciates the silence that the mountain brings. No matter how successful or peaceful his life is, at 38 years old, he realizes that he wants nothing more than to be a father. After having worked with an agency for months, he can’t seem to find the right match…that is until he meets Trista.

The arrangement is perfect. Trista gives him a baby, he gives her the money required to start her rescue, a place to live temporarily, and an education on what being a family really means. Can Trista really keep her guard up long enough in order to see the contract through, or will Wyatt break through all of her carefully constructed walls in hopes of making her see what’s right in front of her face?

I cannot say enough good things about this book! I loved it so much that I found myself laughing out loud one moment and crying the next at all of the sweet spots (as a mom, there were some parts that really got me here). This book is definitely heavy on the spice, so if that’s your thing, then you’re in luck. If that’s not your thing, it may be a bit heavy for you as this book does play with “normal” social constructs a bit, but we are by no means entering into Credence territory here. IYKYK. If you are a lover of tropes like small town romance, age gaps, grumpy MMC, curvy girls and baby mamas, then this book is for you! I’ve already got Amy’s next installment of this series pinned in my Goodreads for when it releases and I couldn’t be more excited. Please run out to get this one as it was a hidden gem for me!

OH MY GOSH YALLLLLLL. okay so im not sure if this review needs to be professional or not but im just going to say... this book is HOT AF. okay??? love it and already buying the physical copy!!!!!

What a spicy, fun read! I always seem to immensly enjoy Amy Daws books, but I really appreciated the research that she completed for this book to make it feel authentic as possible. You could tell that she knew what she was talking about and it showed. It was heartfelt, funny at times, and honestly made me feel connected to the main characters. Trista was a plus-size gal with a huge heart that had a hard time believing that anyone could love her. I adored the chemistry between her and Wyatt. Wyatt was such a teddy bear and it was adorable to see these two come together. 3/5 spice level and so precious! I am excited to see what happens with the other brothers in future books; Everely is indeed a mastermind! Wish there would have been a chapter during her delivery, instead of just after, but that because I loved the real emotion because of the characters. If you love quirky animals with fun names, cocky brothers as neighbors, and a lumberjack in plaid, this is your book! I will honestly read anything by Amy Daws now, I'm SOLD!

Thanks Netgalley and Harlequin for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book had me giggling from the first line of the Prologue… I am now an Amy Daws Fan!

As a NICU Nurse by night, and a Book Seller and Reviewer by day, Here is my ARC Review of Nine Month Contract in SBAR Format (how we nurses give report on our patients)…


SITUATION
Wyatt has decided it’s time to settle down and start a family… but as a single dad. After being rejected by the adoption and surrogate agencies, Wyatt accepts the help of his 18 year old niece, Everly, to find the right woman for the job.

Trista wants to start her own wildlife rescue center however her life is a mess and she needs to make a lot of money quickly in order to do that. She decides to become a surrogate to make some big money, but gets rejected by the agency for being too curvy.

BACKGROUND
Setting: Fletcher Mountain, Jamestown, CO

MMC: Wyatt, 38 yo burly, grumpy mountain man, tall dark quiet type that wears a lot of plains and can swing an ax

MFC: Trista, 28yo, curvy, independent animal lover who is always 5 min late and not afraid to get dirty mucking pens or helping her vet friend, Avery.

Wyatt and Trista are perfect for each other, but both have baggage that makes them resistant to getting into a romantic relationship with others for fear of getting hurt.

ASSESSMENT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I went into the book completely blind knowing nothing about Amy Daws and this series andI am so thankful that ARC reading introduced me to this author and book
I literally was laughing out loud after just the first line of the prologue
The characters were so real and relatable, not perfect or cliche
The portrayal of the insemination process was so funny, because it was so true to how it really feels (as someone who went thru infertility treatments).. Daws did her research for sure.
Tropes: Age gap, He falls first, Found Family, grumpy x sunshine, Touch her and die, pregnancy, MINE.
Has both spice and emotional connection
It has BUFFALO PLAID SPRAYED EDGES… say no more!

RECOMMENDATION
I would highly recommend that you read this book if you enjoy a romantic story that will make you laugh but is also a little rough around the edges. Is the HEA outcome a little predictable… sure… but the story of how they get there is totally worth the read.

Fair warning: This author does make use of curse words to embrace the rugged and unrefined personalities of the characters as well as detailed descriptions of their intimate experiences to bring the story to life. I personally enjoyed every minute of it and did not find it cringy or unnecessary to the story at any point.



https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7425553087


https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nine-month-contract-amy-daws/1145307925?ean=9781335425881

https://www.instagram.com/p/DHrZ4C2hsbt/?igsh=MTJ3ZzRoZzEwdmtldA==

Reviews submitted 3/26/25 on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads and my Bookstagram @BooksByTheGarden

This book was absolutely delightful! It follows Wyatt and Trista’s journey, with plenty of meddling from Everly—Wyatt’s spirited niece. From the very start, Everly is on a mission to find a surrogate to help Wyatt have a baby, setting the stage for a heartwarming and hilarious RomCom.

Wyatt is the epitome of a rugged mountain man, perfectly content with his solitary life—aside from the occasional trip to town with his brothers. Trista, on the other hand, is a feisty, lovable collector of wayward animals, just trying to get her life together. Little does she know, she’s about to stumble into the perfect future in the most unexpected way.

I adored this story and couldn’t put it down! Now, I’m eagerly counting down the days until book two.

A little too insensitive to the struggles of women imo I might just bee too sensitive. Touchy subject to romcom.

I really enjoyed this book!
Wyatt and Trista are made for each other - they just don't know it, until they do. But Everly knows it the moment she meets Trista!
I LOVE the Fletcher family dynamics in this, and I loved how they immediately adopted Trista.
The banter was witty, the MMC was just Grumpy enough, and the FMC was feisty and independent in all the right ways.

Nine Month Contract is the first in "a mountain main matchmaker" series. There are 3 brothers who live on a mountain. This brother, Wyatt, is seeing a surrogate so he can have a child without a relationship. His niece finds him a surrogate, and the story moves on from there. This is extra spicy and has a riveting if predictable plot.

Ideal for readers who enjoy heartwarming, humorous romances with quirky characters, emotional depth, and unconventional paths to love and family.

Amy is one of my favorite authors EVER! Each book is a hit. She has a way of writing that immediately captures you by the first few pages. This was such a beautiful story. You’ll always find lots of romance but humor as well within her books.

This author is new to me, but I will be keeping an eye out for anything else they publish. I loved the story and the characters. The pacing of the story was great and the characters were relatable.

Amy Daws is a familiar name, but I haven't read any of her work.

The prologue certainly drew me in, LOL Grumpy mountain man Wyatt is determined to be a dad. Being a parent, a single-parent in his case, is not a walk in the park. I appreciate that his character considered what will be single-parenthood for him once he finds a surrogate. Enter sunshine, animal-loving Trista, about to make his fatherhood dreams come true. Trista is a force of nature, and she has Wyatt wrapped around her finger. Totally his type, LOL. Trista is independent and determined to reach her goal of creating an animal sanctuary.

I haven't read a romance where surrogacy is very centered to the plot, so this aspect was interesting. Don't know much about the surrogate process either, but the way it happened in this story seems unethical. I was also bothered when Trista refers to herself as "a cow." Yes, she's being paid, but it wasn't like her reasons to agree to be a surrogate was dishonorable. By calling herself that name, she's degrading herself and undermines the surrogacy. But anyways...if you don't think too deep about the plot, this isn't a bad read.

>>> Grumpy x sunshine
>>> Small-town
>>> Meddling niece (her POV was unnecessary, but she's a fun character)
>>> Brotherhood
>>> Pregnancy/surrogacy
>>> Animal sidekicks

I'm excited to continue on reading this series and see the other Fletcher Mountain Men fall in love.

Thank you to @Harlequin for the e-arc!

The way I giggled the entire way through this book is so fitting! The characters couldn’t be more different, yet it worked. They both had baggage that made it difficult for them to fully open up to each other.

I’m a sucker for the found family vibes and this book gave them in spades. I couldn’t get over how precious it was how open and giving his entire family was to her.

Trista was a hot mess, but SO FUNNY. Her random rants were hilarious and the way she had Wyatt wrapped around her finger from the first week…SWOON.

I love the grumpy x sunshine trope in this story. It was so well done. But their inner dialogue was anything but grumpy 🥵 I could not put this book down. Millie the goat was the BEST part, I swear. A mountain man and a goat, how perfect 🥰

If you need a hilarious romance book that makes you feel all the feels, this should be in your tbr. AND there are two more single brothers for the next books?! SIGN. ME. UP. The Fletcher family gives me all the best vibes. Can’t wait for more.

This was basically a smutty, lumberjack, pregnancy fever dream, and I genuinely don’t know how else to describe it. It had all the over-the-top tropes you’d expect—gruff, rugged hero, an extremely unrealistic pregnancy (sorry) and enough steam to fog up a forest cabin. But somehow, it felt like a fever dream I couldn’t quite wake up from.

It wasn’t necessarily bad—I can see why some people would eat this up—but it also wasn’t exactly great. The pacing felt rushed, and the plot barely existed beyond the tropes themselves. I’m torn between appreciating the sheer commitment to the fantasy and feeling like it missed the mark. Definitely an experience, though.

There were some aspects of this book that I really enjoyed. I found Trista funny and never knew what she would say or what crazy internal monologue she would have. Wyatt was exactly what I would expect from a grumpy mountain man. I felt like their relationship worked and I liked the chemistry.

My biggest struggle was that even though this was the first in the series I constantly felt like I was missing something. I realize there are other books that have some connection to this series, but I wasn’t expecting it quite like this. It felt like I was jumping into the middle of a series, not starting at the beginning.

I think I’ve determined that surrogate romance is not my thing, and because of that this book wasn’t my favorite.

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC.

Wyatt lives a loner life on the mountain he bought and built cabins on with his brothers. He has everything he could want except a baby to raise on his own. When his attempts with a surrogate agency keep ending in disaster, his niece decides to take things into her own hands and find him not just a surrogate but someone he can fall in love with. Enter headstrong Trista who is convinced she doesn't need anyone and does not want a family but needs money to launch an animal shelter for all the animals she wants to save. They start with clearly delineated guidelines, but the more Trista and Wyatt interact, the more they see the other has everything they didn't know they needed. But can Wyatt convince Trista that letting others help and love you doesn't have to lead to disappointment?

I'm sadly just giving this one 3.5 stars because while I get where it's coming from and appreciate the messaging, I found Trista a little difficult to mesh with. She has a very solid and understandable reason for not wanting children, but her constant disassociation with her pregnancy and insistence that she's a cow were offputting. It made the miracle she was performing for Wyatt feel cheap. So even though she has an excellent character arc and Wyatt and his family are a dream, I was constantly pulled out of the story with annoyance at her dismissiveness. It's not enough for me to disregard the entire story, just enough not to make it a great read.

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