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Member Reviews

This book was absolutely wonderful and gave me the same warm, comforting feeling I get when I listen to “Invisible String” by Taylor Swift… you know the one, right? If you know, you know.

Millie and Finn were just so precious, and I adored how their relationship unfolded. It felt real and tender in a way that made my heart swell. Honestly, the entire cast of characters was equally lovable, each one adding something special to the story. The little moments of kindness and support they shared with one another were so heartwarming.

I also really appreciated how the book portrayed Millie as a female scientist, showing the challenges she faces in that role—everything from microaggressions to the constant fear of being overlooked or having her success questioned. These aren’t easy topics to address, but they’re so important. Women in the workplace, especially in STEM, often have to work twice as hard to prove themselves, and I loved how the book authentically reflected that struggle. It added a meaningful layer to Millie’s character and to the story overall.

At first, this seems like a straightforward feel-good read, but there’s a beautifully subtle emotional depth that sneaks up on you. It touched my heart in ways I didn’t expect, making me reflect on relationships, love, and the small threads that connect us all.

I truly enjoyed this book, and I think you will too. It’s the perfect mix of sweetness and substance, leaving you with a smile on your face and a full heart.

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Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for an early listening copy.

This book centers on Millie, an an entomologist, who is gunning for the department head in her museum department. On the day of her interview, she fender benders into her coworker and head of the astronomy department, Finn, who is on her hiring panel. The events spark an intertwining between the two. Unbeknownst to Millie, Finn has been drawn to her and has used his grumpy demeanor to mask his feelings, while also struggling with his recent guardianship of his nieces, after his sisters passing.

This book is perfect for fans of grumpy/sunshine and he-fell-first tropes. Fans of Ali Hazelwood will enjoy, but they may want more from the STEM elements.

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Give Me Butterflies is a grumpy/sunshine Rom-Com that folows two coworkers that work at a museum. Finn is into astronomy and Millie is into Entomolgy. When Millie gets distracted while driving into the parking lot she accidently runs into Finn's car causing a dent in his bumper. To top off the horrible morning Finn is one of the people who is conducting the interview for the Head Entomolgy depatment for the museum and the postion that Millie wants. Millie is everything that Finn wants in a partner but he hasn't had the courage to ask her out in all the years that they have been working together. Finn is also the sole person caring for his five year old twin nieces and Millie realizes this when Avery and Eloise are attended one of her programs at the museum. This was a cute book with some steam to it. I loved how Finn made sure his number one priority was Avery and Eloise and always put their needs first. Millie was a strong female lead that wasn't going to let anything get in her way form getting her dream job. I would like to thank both NetGalley and HarperAudio for letting me have an advanced copy of this audio book.

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This is such a beautiful story. The characters make you believe in love and longing again. The butterflies - awww!

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I'm a complete sucker for hot single guardian romance books and this formerly indie-authored debut by Jillian Meadows was top notch!! Millie and Finn had the perfect forbidden workplace romance that I couldn't help wholeheartedly cheering for from the first page to the last! Huge kudos to the author for writing a highly relatable and important story about a woman in STEM dealing with a toxic relationship, gaslighting and feelings of inadequacy who despite all that still finds a man who thinks she hangs the moon. This dual POV love story gave me all the feels and is perfect for fans of authors like Katie Golightly or Hannah Bonam-Young. It was also great on audio narrated by Jason Clarke and Victoria Connolly. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

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2.5 rounded to 3. I really thought this was going to be my next The Love Hypothesis nope, not even close. I was bored. I thought the pace was too fast, and then not fast enough. While there were a few cute parts, the overall plot was cliched and didn't inspire me to read a romance book. I will not be continuing this series. I loved the narrators, but they can't save things when they are given cheesy dialogue. Give Me Butterflies has a lot of potential with its themes of healing after grief and the found-family dynamic between Millie, Finn, and his daughters. Tropes like “he falls first,” “single guardian,” and “enemies-to-lovers” will appeal to many romance readers, and Finn’s cinnamon-roll charm adds sweetness to the story. However, the central conflict feels flimsy, with inconceivable hiring practices and surface-level depictions of emotional abuse that seem more like plot devices than thoughtful explorations. While the chemistry and character relationships are lovely once the insta-love fades, the story tries to do too much, leaving it unfocused. A sweet, trope-filled romance that could have been stronger with tighter storytelling. Three stars.
Thank you so much to netgalley and harper audio for the ALC for an honest review.

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