Amy Daws does it again! This is the second book in the series and it doesn't disappoint. I am in love with cat dad Calder and the banter between him and Dakota.

I love Dakota and Calder from this 2nd installment of the Mountain Men Matchmaker series. This can be read as a standalone, but you will be introduced to all of the characters in the first book in the series, Nine Month Contract as well as Last on the List.

The story follows the journey from enemies (?) to lovers that Dakota and Calder go through. We get to watch them learn how to communicate with each other and learn so much more about themselves. The book is sweet and sexy.

Everly is a chaos gremlin in the best way and Milkshake is the bestest kitty.

I have loved every book I have ready by Amy Daws and this one is no different.

Spice: 4/5
Fun: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

Thanks to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for providing an eARC for an honest review.

I loved the book, this was the perfect second book in this series! I loved the family dynamics of this book. I loved the real enemies to lovers of this series. The writing was amazing and easy to read!

I have really enjoyed this series so far! Steamy but with a lot of heart and character development. I can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you to Canary Street Press for the eARC of Seven Year Itch, and to Netgalley for facilitating the ARC request.

"But no...no, no no. My woman is a demon. She plays with dark magic and delights in the misery of others."

If you're looking for a hilarious, heartfelt and spicy read, look no further. This was the first of Amy Daws' books, and I enjoyed myself. It was a quick, fun book but still had plenty of things that tugged on my heartstrings. Namely Dakota's journey with loving her body after weight gain. That was something I related to heavily, and seeing her fall back in love with herself sent such an awesome message.

I also loved Calder's journey of growth and standing up for himself. He got everything he never allowed himself to want, and it just felt like such a victory.

The way these two fight, the way they make up and everything in between made their romance believable. While there were some points I struggled with the writing, I was here for a good time, and a good time was had.

This book released on June 17th, and I highly recommend it if you love mountain men, beards, tattoos, firey FMCs, cat dads and journeys of self-love.

I am on a book buying/requesting sabbatical so I can try and lower my TBR list...this book broke me. I had to go back to Fletcher Mountain to read about Dakota and Calder ( the ultimate alpha cat daddy). I loved their banter and hate hate relationship from the first book and I just knew the sparks were going to fly with them ( and I was right).
Enemies to Lovers in rom coms are always so difficult but Amy Daws has this trope done perfectly. You felt the dislike, which slowly grows to mutual lust, and then into love but never lost the sarcastic quick cutting banter between the two. It had a perfect slow burn with lots of steam that kept you on the hook with the will they won't they.
The power point list was sexy and hot and really let them both explore the boundaries but really it allowed them to get to know each other which neither of them really wanted.
The only issue I had with the book is the "lie" about the wedding dress and what happened that caused their riff was a little rough. I just feel like it went against the main characters but maybe it really just gave us a glimpse on how much they have grown.
Anyway - this is a love, I can't wait for the third mountain men matchmaker so we can get the last brother's happily ever after!

Amy Daws delivers a spicy, heartwarming enemies-to-lovers romance in Seven Year Itch. Set against a breezy destination-wedding backdrop, this small-town contemporary is brimming with witty banter, emotional depth, and undeniable chemistry.

✨ What I Loved
• Enemies‑to‑Lovers Tension: The seven-year simmering hostility between our leads ignites deliciously when they’re forced into close quarters—starting with sharing a palapa at a tropical wedding. The transition from grudging tolerance to passion is both comical and cathartic  .
• Vibrant Voice & Humor: Daws’ sharp, snarky dialogue kept me laughing. The male lead’s confident, tattooed-mountain-man persona contrasted beautifully with the heroine’s feisty independence—creating a playful push-pull that never felt overdone.
• Rich Small-Town Feel: From meddling family members to sister-in-law dynamics and slow-building trust, the community setting enhances the warmth and stakes of their journey toward a real connection .

A Few Quibbles:
• A couple of supporting character arcs felt lightly sketched—though I appreciated the lean focus on the leads’ emotional journeys.
• The steamy scenes are fire-hot, which is perfect for spicy romance fans, but might catch some off-guard if you’re expecting clean romance.

Final Thoughts:
Seven Year Itch is a fun, flirty read—with sexy tension, heartfelt growth, and a satisfying redemption arc for two people ready to let go of the past. Ideal for readers who adore enemies-to-lovers tropes, charismatic small-town settings, and characters who find love through fire and forgiveness.

Amy Daws and I go way back. All the way to her Harris Brothers Soccer series. I have loved the Fletcher brothers since getting introduced to them in Last on the List. It was so fun to see Everly grown up, Max and Cozy still going strong and to get to know Calder better.

Calder and Dakota's story has so much tension and just straight up raw emotion. The banter is delightful in every way! I just can't even find the words to explain how much fun I had. And it was spicy.

3.5 ⭐️

Plot: We have a fun, enemies to lovers, chaotic romance. Stuck on a tropical vacation and forced to share a room with his sister-in-law’s best friend Dakota, it seems like things couldn’t get any worse. Paradise feels like hell when you’re trapped with someone who hates you. Dakota is a recent divorcee and trying to heal, the last thing she wants is to be around Calder. Being on vacation however turns these to from enemies to friends with benefits.

Positives: This was so much fun to read, and I found myself laughing out loud and kicking my feet. Seven year itch is a great fit for romance lovers, and fans of small town romance. The writing flows well and the imagery is well done. The tension is and banter is top tier, organic, and not forced.

Feedback: Sometimes I found it a bit difficult to connect to either of the main characters. I found both to be a little too strong willed and mean to be believable in a romcom.

3.75 - 4 ⭐️ Thank You #NetGalley #AmyDaws #HarlequinTradePublishing for the advance readers copy of #SevenYearItch

I definitely enjoyed this one more than I did the first one! Calder and Dakota were so ruthless to each other but in a very funny way (that kind humor is what draws me to Amy Daws writing). The way they moved back and forth from flirting and fighting made the enemies to lovers trope believable. I must admit though, certain parts (3rd act conflict, I’m looking at you) did make me wince for both of them…they said some heavy stuff to each other. And while I know this is an enemies with benefits situation, I personally would have Iiked to see more of them as an actual couple. Because although Calder didn’t think he was good at relationships he actually was, and I would have liked to see him in that element a little more. I really liked him as an MMC, he had more depth than everyone gave him credit for, and you were able to see that when he allowed himself to be vulnerable. Dakota was also great as an FMC, she was feisty and fiery, but also soft in her moments of insecurity. Loved how Calder made her feel beautiful and sexy even when she didn’t believe it herself…but loved it even more when she decided that it didn’t matter if he thought she was beautiful or not because she knew she was.

“I don’t have to tell you I’m beautiful. I don’t care what you think. Whether I’m beautiful or not is irrelevant. My body and my beauty will change over time. But my worth will never change”

I enjoyed the story, I enjoyed the banter (it was sharp and it was witty) I enjoyed the spice. I enjoyed seeing more of the other characters as well, and I’m excited for Luke’s book, but especially excited for Everly’s! Now that I’ve read both books in this series, and I’ve gotten more of Max and Cozy, it’s time for me to go back and read their book (single dad is one of my favorite tropes after all).

I would recommend this book, I like it well enough, I just didn’t love it, which is why my rating is what it is.

This was cute! Definitely gave me Tessa Bailey vibes and did have me laughing out loud.

I liked Dakota and Calder more than I expected to, to be honest they are very fleshed out for a romance book, and even though I felt like I was missing some context with the Calder/Robyn situation, Dakota’s ex husband was a real piece of work and every time something new was revealed about him I got more and more angry for her! So it was really sweet to see them both work through their issues and find love.

I read this without reading the first book and honestly it was fine. I don’t usually do that, but the premise of book 1 was not drawing me in, even though I did enjoy Trista and Wyatt in this book!

I didn’t love the conflict at the end, it’s not really miscommunication but kind of is both characters having come out of their shells and then going back in to what’s comfortable - hating each other.

I really enjoyed the nine month contract, but this one was kind of a mess for me. The heroine was so shrill. I generally like an "unlikable" heroine but this one was constantly shrieking and being genuinely mean. She said so many terrible things to the MMC, I can't see how he could overlook it.

4.5 Stars
This is the second book in the series and the next Fletcher brother is up. Now Calder had me at cat daddy. For this cat lover nothing is as swoony as a guy who carries his cat Milkshake in a baby carrier strapped to his chest. I knew from there this book was going to be my jam. Plus we have Everly up to her matchmaking ways. This book also delivers on all the humor. I can't tell you how many times this book had me laughing. The banter and enemies to lovers vibes between Calder and Dakota was another highlight of this book. Also is this book is spicy! If you like your books with all the spicy steam then this is for you! Calder lived up to all the hype after learning the cat daddy tid bit. Right from the first page this book had me hooked. Definitely a must read!!

Whew this was steamy to the max but so cute. I loved the setting, the romance and overall really enjoyed it!

Dakota’s divorce has left her with insecurities even if she hides them beneath her sarcastic demeanor. Years early she and Calder found themselves at odds with each other and the intervening years have changed nothing. Now she finds herself having to share accommodations with him for her friend’s destination wedding and once they stop arguing they give in to the chemistry between them, but it doesn’t end when they return home.

Due to his past Wyatt has no interest in anything longer than one night with a woman. The relationship he has with his cat Milkshake is delightful and even though he and his brothers might not always agree they are always there for each other when it matters. The last thing he wants to do is spend time with Dakota or at least that was what he thought…

The interactions between Wyatt and Dakota were humorous and hot however there is still an emotional element to their story due to their pasts. The chemistry between them was great and the secondary characters added depth to the story. Erin Mallon brings out of the sass of Dakota’s personality while Teddy Hamilton portrays the swoony and surly sides of Wyatt.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely LOVED this book and am obsessed with Calder and Dakota. It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve read a true “enemies to lovers” trope and Amy knocked it out of the park with this one. If you’ve read Nine Month Contract, you know you can expect witty banter, hilarious scenarios, and an overall fantastic time. I loved the sex positivity of this book and how these mountain men are absolute SIMPS for their women. I love the cameos from some familiar faces and all the Milkshake content. Truly, I cannot wait to read this again in preparation for book 3!

Another five star read! I read the first book in the series and was obsessed so I was so excited when I got approved for this arc!! it’s such a fun and cute read. The banter and back-and-forth between the main characters was so fun! I can’t wait for the third book!

4.25 ⭐️ 2.5🌶️

Amy has done it yet again!! A laugh out loud hell of a fun time with some memorable scenes (that slow mo nipple flying water volleyball scene is going to live rent free in my head forever) a swoon worth couple, and the spiciest naughtiest scenes!

Calder and Dakota HATE each other with a fiery passion and will use all the weapons at their disposal to jab, poke, and piss off each other.

Dakota was a badass — owns her successful business and doesn’t back down from her stance — who’s been battling some insecurities after her divorce and being married to the biggest prick of them all. (Yes, an upgrade trope!)

Calder is your typical middle child people pleaser with a heart of gold and the cutest cat daddy but he’s also a rugged tattooed mountain man who’s good with his hands.. hehe

Some of my favorite microtropes were in there like HE crawls to her and he washes her hair, but also included a little sex club exploration.

I haven't read any other books that in this series, and the nice thing is that it did not feel necessary to do so in order to enjoy this book. The main characters were witty, entertaining, and fascinating to read. The realizing their feelings took a little longer than I wanted it to be, but it was still enjoyable to go on the journey. They were quite the characters.

Calder is in his thirties, a bachelor living in his own cabin on Fletcher mountain with his brothers, determined to never settle down. Then he's forced into sharing a room with his sister-in-law's best friend Dakota at their destination wedding. He and Dakota have been like oil and water since they met seven years ago, but that doesn't mean he's not attracted to her. And soon the spice is something he's not willing to give up.
When we met Calder, he was such a wild tomcat I thought he'd never settle down, but then he becomes a devoted cat daddy and gave us hope lol. If he can commit to a cat relationship, why not a real one? Omg, the banter and tension been these two! Loved it!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.