This book was spicy, funny and sweet. Dakota and Calder had smoking hot chemistry from the first page and I loved their enemies to lovers evolution. The world building was fantastic and had me tracking down the first book in this world before I had finished this one. The reveal at the end totally surprised me and the resolution was so satisfying. Amy Daws will be a new auto read author for me after this!

Quick Summary: A mountain man rom-com

My Review: Seven Year Itch by Amy Daws is book #2 in the Mountain Man Matchmaker series. It is scheduled for release on 6/17/25.

About the Book: "...a tall, tattooed, bearded neanderthal...a proud cat daddy...

I'm forced to share a room with the bane of my existence: my sister-in-law's best friend.

Being stuck in paradise with a woman who loathes your very existence doesn't sound hot, but after an unexpected moment in our shared palapa, she starts screaming at me in a different way."

In My Own Words: Enemies who share a k--ky secret or two end up in an E/FWB situationship. Before their "special list" is completed, both begin to catch feelings. Will either one confess to meeting his/her match, or will they part ways once and for all?

About the Featured Couple: Calder and Dakota struck sparks off each other from jump. Whatever they decided to do in one another's company, it always ended up with an increased awareness and with crazy tension.

My Final Say: This novel was witty, lighthearted, and easy to read. It was also quite steamy. Ultimately, it was a story about a woman who was trying to regain confidence in herself, post divorce and about a man who needed to learn how to trust his heart.

Tropes:

Enemies to Lovers
Friends with Benefits
Small Town Romance
Vacation Romances
Family Series (Band of Brothers)

Other: The author used a s-x club and k--k play as the vehicles to drive this story forward. Potential readers should be aware of this. Additionally, it should be understood that mature themes are associated with the content.

Rating: 3/5
Recommend: Yes +/-
Audience: A
Status/Level: M
Series: Yes
Content Warning: Yes

Thank you to the author, to the publisher (Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press), and to NetGalley for providing access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. I appreciate the opportunity.

3.5 ⭐️
This was such an entertaining read! A witty enemies-to-lovers romcom with sharp banter that kept me smiling. That said, it leaned a bit too hard into the "enemies" dynamic—I didn’t really feel the romantic shift until the final chapters. I also struggled to fully connect with the main characters. While they had redeeming qualities and showed real growth, their stubbornness made it tough at times. I found it frustrating how quickly they reverted to trading barbs whenever things went south. Still, it was a fun ride overall, and I’m definitely looking forward to Luke’s story next.

Full of angst and spice, this enemies-to-lovers rom-com is another fun read from Amy Daws!

If you enjoyed Nine Month Contract, you will be happy to return to Fletcher mountain for Calder and Dakota’s HEA. Funny banter, awkward moments (that may give second hand embarrassment) and sexploration gives way to some heated moments between these two after seven years of animosity.

Since I had listened to Nine Month Contract prior, I could easily hear Teddy Hamilton and Erin Mallon narrating even though I eye read this one. This was a fast-paced and entertaining read, perfect if you are looking for something that will make you laugh out loud!

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC!

4.5 stars!
All Calder Fletcher wanted was to bring a plus one to his brother's destination wedding in Mexico, but his family foiled his plans. Well, not all of them, but his lovable but meddling niece Everly. To make matters worse, he now has to share a room with Dakota Schaefer, his nemesis for the last seven years. Sounds like an Everly matchmaking plot to me!

All the tension and banter in this book had me laughing and on edge as I listened to the book. This enemies with benefits turned lovers was filled with antics and lots of shenanigans. That fine line between hate and love, the meddling niece, the banter among the brothers, and the love that eventually developed between Calder and Dakota all made for a great escape from the real world.

Erin Mallon and Teddy Hamilton brought their "A" games to the narration of this book. They embodied the characters' personalities and brought this story to life. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

This small town novel made me laugh from the very first page! It is completely unpredictable and the characters are unhinged, especially the male main character. This book is all about second chances and love. It is also about self worth and confidence. It is lighthearted, adventurous, emotional and hopeful! It came with a diverse cast of characters that are all lovable! It is a medium paced read that comes with a clever plot! It is both plot and character driven, with the flaws of the main characters as the main focus.

It is well written, easy to read and comes with vivid imagery. This is an enemies to lovers romance that comes with a lot of witty banter between the main characters! They end up going to a wedding in their small town and are forced to talk to each other. The hatred that the female main character has for the male main character is so strong! She does not shy away with how she feels about him, even after 7 years of not seeing each other! How they initially meet after years of not seeing one another is hilarious and random. They meet before the small town wedding, where they see each other again. The anger turns into love and a spicy great time! The spicy scenes were a bit cringy at times, but overall a good time. Some of the themes explored in this novel are forced proximity, enemies to lovers, second chances, family and relationships, finding love in unexpected places, and self worth and confidence. I had a lot of fun reading this book! I can’t wait till the next book comes out! I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating!

“Seven Year Itch” is about a recently divorcee woman named Dakota. The male main character named Calder and Dakota are put together by both attending a small town wedding. She still holds a strong grudge against him 7 years later and he didn’t seem to care for her either, after something had happened between the two of them. This fun vacation brings these two close and then they start becoming friends with benefits. This causes intense tension between them. This creates obstacles between them and concerns about their future together as a couple!

I think fans of a spicy romantic comedy with humor and witty banter would enjoy reading this book! Content warnings include sexual assault, body shaming, fat phobia, cursing, sexual content and death of a parent.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Amy Daws and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for this electronic arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is set to be published on June 17, 2025!

Get ready to fall for another Fletcher Brother.

Seven Year Itch is a perfect enemies to lovers, the banter was on point, Calder and Dakota's story was a great mix of laughter, heart to heart emotion and overcoming a difficult moment in both of their lives. Both a stubborn and the cracks begin to show at how much that fine line between love and hate really was, it went through seven years of them not liking each other. There was more to them then helping Dakota find herself after divorce, yes she wanted to get that confidence feeling back and Calder was there helping her but it was also a moment for Calder who never wanted to love again and was a playboy with struggling with his position in the family. They helped each other along the way and began seeing more in each other no matter how hard they fought those feelings.

It was a fun read, with funny moments and tender ones mixed in with nosy family and friends. You can't help but laugh at some of the things that are said and done. If you enjoyed Nine Month Contract, you will love this one!

Thank you Amy Daws and Harlequin for an advanced copy!

-Enemies to Lovers
-Small Town Romance
-Vacation Romance
-Enemies with Benefits

This book was very spicy! 🌶️ it was a very good read. I loved the banter between Calder and Dakota. I laughed out loud many times throughout this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the arc of this book.

Thank you Net Galley for this e-ARC!

I absolutely ate up the nine month contract, EVEN THOUGH it was a form of pregnancy trope! 😂 So I was beyond ecstatic to get approved for the second book in the series.

Calder and Dakota are top tier characters for the enemies to lovers trope! Their hate for each other runs deep and spans over YEARS but hate is awfully close to love and their journey to that point is VERY entertaining to say the least. 😂

The amount of highlights I have for this book in my kindle has me scrolling so far before I find the end! This is a must read!

The story follows Dakota and Calder.

If you read the first book of the series you know Trista and Wyatt. Calder is Wyatt's brother and Dakota is Trista's friend.
Our MCs got into an argument seven years before, when he was renovating her house and since then, they have a hostile relationship.
Sparks fly when he meets her at a sex club and then again when they travel to Mexico for his brother's and Trisha's wedding and are forced to share a room.
Once they come back and realize their attraction is not a one time thing, they decide to start an enemies-with-benefits arrangement.

I wanted to like this book.
Especially because I was really excited to read it after liking the first of the series.

But I did not. And here's why:

-There’s this ongoing p*ssy wordplay in a lot of jokes because the MMC is a cat dad, that is just too much.
(At one point, one of the brothers even jokes that Calder is so obsessed with his cat, he’s f***** it, which was just disturbing.)

-Some lines made me cringe so bad...
Like when the MMC called his d*ck the "pocket python". Or when the FMC said and ai quote "I'm a feral cat who just wants this tomcat to f*ck me."

Yes, you read that right.
(pause to recover from the shock)

-In terms of romance, it felt a bit lacking.
They go from ticking boxes off of a sexy PowerPoint presentation to being madly in love? I liked the enemies with benefits dynamic, but it just didn’t feel like real love! More like they got attached to the idea of having someone who gives them good s*x. I needed more emotional development.

-And then there’s the fight.
We find out Calder lied to her about something that happened seven years ago, including seeing her ex with another girl. Sure, we can’t blame him for something he did in the past, but the fact that he kept it a secret even after they got together? Hell nah. Dakota forgave him too fast. I needed more groveling, more effort, more ✨something✨.

Putting all of that aside, I did enjoy some parts.

-I liked the body positivity tone of the book.
Dakota is dealing with low confidence after her ex, and Calder lifts her up. Or rather, gives her the tools that she then uses to get her confidence back.

-The sexy scenes were good too, and the tension between them worked well.
The sex club setting added some spice as well, and I enjoyed that.

The first one of the series was a hit, but this one was definitely a miss (for me!!).
The sweet moments and good spice couldn’t fully make up for the cringey humor, in my opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.25 ⭐️

First and foremost, thank you to Amy Daws, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for an Advanced copy of Seven Year Itch in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:
When bearded mountain man Calder agrees to be a casual plus-one for his brother’s destination wedding, he doesn’t expect to end up rooming with his least favorite person: Dakota, his sister-in-law’s newly divorced best friend and long-time nemesis. Trapped in paradise with only each other—and a meddling niece playing matchmaker—tension erupts into fiery chemistry. What starts as a heated vacation hookup turns into something deeper when Dakota asks Calder to help rebuild her confidence back home. But these two stubborn enemies must confront old baggage, clashing emotions, and a mountain of miscommunication if they want to turn their bickering into a real shot at love.

Short and Sweet Opinion:
A spicy, hilarious enemies-to-lovers romp with major heat, found family vibes, and a fiercely stubborn couple you can’t help but root for—even when you want to shake them.

In-Depth Opinion:
Seven Year Itch was a chaotic, heartwarming return to the Fletcher family world, and Calder and Dakota’s story was full of fire. Their dynamic is textbook enemies to lovers—but rooted in real frustration, not just petty banter, which gave the chemistry even more payoff. I loved how Dakota’s post-divorce confidence journey intersected with Calder’s longing to be seen as more than the quirky, broody brother. As a middle child, I can relate to Calder HARD. Their stubbornness made for both great tension and, occasionally, some head-smacking moments.

With no spoilers, the ending felt a little too rushed for me. That said, Amy Daws balances spice and comedy incredibly well—this book had me laughing and kicking my feet in turn. The sex club meet-cute? Iconic. Bonus points for the cat dad energy and the ongoing found family warmth. A great addition for fans of spicy rom-coms who like their romance with real emotion and lots of bickering.

Sorry grumpy mountain man, loud mouthed mountain man is my new fav. I mean, who wouldn’t fall in love with cat daddy?! 😮‍💨😍 Calder. I love you. But I love you most with Dakota. This book has me mentally wanting to be on Fletcher Mountain, like now. Killer + Ace foreverrrr ♥️ Thank you so much NetGalley, Harlequin Books, and Amy Daws for the advanced copy to read!

This is the first book I have read of Amy Daws, and can now say I want to read this whole series! This book was full of funny banter and an enemies to lovers theme. Dakota is Calder's sister-in-laws bestie. Seven years earlier Dakota was planning her wedding to her now ex-husband and Calder was renovating her home for her. A mishap pipe springing a leak and destroying her one of a kind wedding dress adds fuels to her dislike for the mountain man. Skip ahead seven years newly divorced and looking to expand her horizons she decides to go to a club, only to run into the one and only mountain man. He is extremely curious as to why Dakota would be in a place like this and she refuses to tell him why. Fast forward to Calder's brother's destination wedding and our two main characters who seemingly do not get along having to share a room. This leads to lots of tension and quite the slow burn.

After they return to home a deal is struck between the two to help Dakota build in her confidence and try some new things. I loved seeing the way these two grew throughout the book slowly opening up to each other and helping each other reach their potential. Definitely an entertaining and cute read. Look forward to going back and reading the previous book and keeping an eye out for Luke's book!

Thank you to Amy Daws, Canary Street Press, and NetGalley for this advance reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I loved the first book but this one was not it. The MMC is a man child who refers to the FMC as a bitch early on in the book. Then he calls her a Karen repeatedly. No thanks. She is also incredibly immature and I'm not here for it. DNF @ 14%.

Yes yes yes!!! This book was an amazing follow up from Nine Month Contract! I love these characters so much. I loved seeing Trista's growth with the baby and Wyatt. I also enjoyed learning more about Calder and meeting Dakota, which was quite the fun spicy girl he needed. Dakota was a great strong female lead and I loved seeing how Calder changed with her! I seriously can't wait for the next book to learn more about Luke and Addison!
Thank you NetGalley, Canary Press and Amy Daws for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love the cover! Just like all of Amy Daws books this one is a winner as well. I love all the brothers and the ladies they fall in love with.

I’m an absolute fan of Amy Daws writing and I was super excited that Seven Year Itch (Mountain Men Matchmaker, book #2) introduces us to another Fletcher brother, Calder Fletcher, and that he gets to find his HEA with a whole heap of meddling from his niece Everly.

You’ve got to say nicely done Everly! She managed to get Wyatt & Trista together in Nine Month Contract (Mountain Men Matchmaker #1) & now in Seven Year Itch (Mountain Men Matchmaker #2) she manages to get these two (her uncle Calder & Dakota Schaefer) enemies-to-lovers together.

This book is super fun, spicy and full of endearing and quirky characters. And as always, Amy Daws writing is pure perfection!

Sadly this was a DNF @ 46% for me. I really appreciate the opportunity to read and submit an honest review, even though this was not a fit for me. Will discuss some plot spoiler elements below:

I found the MMC insufferable and irredeemable. I didn’t think the sex club plot made any sense with the character’s actions- he’s a longtime member but rejects her boundaries physically by trying to carry her out of the club, and repeatedly by asking her why she was there for DAYS when she did not want to talk about it! I made it 140 pages in and there wasn’t enough sensible development for me to care about or believe in this character at all.

Also, CW for sexual assault description when the FMC tells the MMC how her ex husband non-consensually removed a condom during sex.

Sooooo cute! Had all the tropes and some spice, perfect quick read. Funny, light hearted, cute.. recommend read if you like Tessa Bailey or Meghan Quinn. A good mix of romance and humor and life

I loved being back on Fletcher Mountain! Calder and Dakota are great if you love:

❌Enemies to Lovers
🏖️Vacation Hook Up
🗣️Banter that’s top tier
🤣Funny
🏠Found Family
💍Love after divorce
🌶️Spicy

Everly is back on the matchmaking for her Uncles and she’s got Calder in her sight. A “broken” room for Trista and Wyatt’s wedding forces these two to share a space for the week. They’re both hung up on a project gone wrong from years ago and can’t stand each other. But all that forced proximity makes them realize that maybe what’s happening is chemistry. So when Dakota complains about bedroom activities with her ex, Calder offers to show her what she’s been missing.