Omg I’m so excited I got to read this book I’ve been waiting for it and it is well worth it! Amy daws is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and this is only the second book I’ve read by her! Dakota and Calder can't stand each other for a length of time so when it comes to them being forced to stay in the same room at a destination wedding everything heats up. This is the best enemies to lovers I’ve read in 2025 so far and I’ve read a lot. I’ve read They go from insults trading insults to sparks flying!!

Seven Year Itch by Amy Daws

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 2/5 🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Seven Year Itch is an enemies to lovers romance full of angst, humor, and romance. Dakota and Calder are both well rounded characters that make for an even more entertaining read. It was also super interesting to see how deeper emotions and feelings are addressed, particularly with Calder.

Calder goes to his brother's destination wedding and is forced to share a room with his sister-in-law’s best friend, who is most definitely the bane of his existence. They end up having a moment in their shared palapa though and decide that what happens in paradise stays in paradise. However, Dakota shows up in his small town with a proposition for Calder to be her wingman to help her regain her pre-divorce confidence. Suddenly, Dakota is not just the woman Calder loves to argue with, but the woman he wants everything with.

Dakota and Calder are a fantastic couple with a certain level of magnetism throughout the story. They truly embody the enemies to lovers trope perfectly. Their disagreements were intense at times, but they also get along wonderfully when they are trying to. The way in which they supported each other and pushed one another out of their comfort zones was delightful. Also, the banter was amazing! Overall, a super fun romance read!

Tropes:
- Forced proximity
- Only one bed
- Enemies to lovers
- Small town romance

Amy Daws delivers another spicy, funny, and unexpectedly heartfelt rom-com with Seven Year Itch, the second installment in her Mountain Men Matchmaker series. With a sexy cat-loving mountain man, a sharp-tongued divorcee, and the world’s most aggressively meddling family members, this book turns the enemies-to-lovers trope into a full-blown, foul-mouthed art form. It’s a chaotic ride—equal parts steamy and sweet—with a strong emotional core that sneaks up on you in between all the sex-club detours and sarcastic one-liners.

This one belongs to Calder Fletcher. He’s the middle brother in a rowdy small-town family full of big personalities. Tattooed, tall, bearded, and constantly underestimated, Calder has settled into a life where he plays the charming screw-up. But underneath the jokes and the reputation, he’s exhausted from being boxed into a version of himself that doesn’t match who he really is. Enter Dakota Schaefer. She’s the best friend of his sister-in-law, freshly divorced, and so antagonistic toward Calder that their banter borders on bloodsport. When a series of unfortunate events—and an extremely intentional matchmaking scheme—lands them in a shared room at a destination wedding, the hostility turns physical in more ways than one.

Dakota is a woman trying to reclaim herself. After seven years in a dead marriage, she’s not just wounded—she’s pissed off, insecure, and full of fire. Daws handles her arc with empathy and sharpness. Dakota isn’t here to be cute. She’s angry, prickly, sarcastic, and struggling to figure out what she actually wants now that she’s free. Her internal journey—especially around sex, self-worth, and body image—is one of the strongest elements in the book. She doesn’t just want a hookup. She wants to feel like herself again. And Calder, somehow, becomes the one person who sees her clearly enough to help her do that.

The chemistry is combustible. Calder and Dakota have that particular brand of enemies-to-lovers energy where the hatred is so intense it’s clearly just foreplay. Their dynamic is rooted in years of unresolved tension and mutual misjudgments, but what makes it work is the way they slowly start rewriting the narrative they’ve each had about the other. And when they finally give in to the pull? The scenes are hot, emotionally charged, and laced with the kind of vulnerability that makes the heat matter. The sex is not just spicy—it’s plot-relevant, character-revealing, and, in more than one case, funny in the best possible way.

Amy Daws knows how to bring the laughs, and she absolutely does that here. From awkward sex-club encounters to “emotionally distant genital massage therapists” to PowerPoint kink lists, the humor is unfiltered, a little unhinged, and often laugh-out-loud ridiculous. But she also knows how to slow down and dig deep. Calder’s emotional arc—his frustration at always being seen as the unserious one, his longing to build something meaningful, and his growing awareness of what Dakota really means to him—is handled with care. He’s one of the most well-rounded male leads Daws has written: broody, hilarious, quietly insecure, and completely devoted once he falls.

One of the highlights of this story is its sex positivity—especially around Dakota. Her journey post-divorce isn’t about finding a new man; it’s about finding herself. Calder doesn’t just help her rebuild her confidence, he creates space for her to explore her desires without shame. Whether it’s casual experimentation or kink-friendly club visits, the narrative never judges her for any of it. It celebrates her agency and centers her pleasure. It’s sexy, yes, but it’s also refreshingly empowering.

The Fletcher family chaos is in full force again. If you’ve read Nine Month Contract, you’ll enjoy seeing Wyatt, Trista, and the precocious chaos goblin that is Everly make their return. But even if this is your first time visiting Fletcher Mountain, the family dynamic is easy to sink into. They’re meddling, nosy, emotionally invasive, and also full of genuine love and support. Daws excels at building warm, interconnected relationships that make the town feel like its own character.

The only thing holding the story back from five stars is the third-act conflict, which hinges on a familiar miscommunication trope. After so much emotional growth and surprisingly healthy conversations, the moment Calder’s past decision is revealed feels like a step backward. It’s not entirely unearned, but it’s frustrating to watch two characters who have worked so hard to build trust fall into such a tired narrative trap. The good news is that Daws doesn’t let it drag on. The resolution comes quickly and with enough sincerity that it doesn’t derail the final chapters.

The pacing also drags a bit in the opening third. The setup is a little bloated with internal monologues, exposition, and rehashing of backstory. But once Calder and Dakota are locked into that room together, the momentum builds fast and never slows down. It’s a slow-burn book that rewards patience—and by the halfway point, it fully earns its place in your reading queue.

Now, let’s talk audio. If you’re an audiobook listener, Seven Year Itch is a mostly solid experience—though your enjoyment may depend on your narrator preferences. Teddy Hamilton, who voices Calder, is outstanding. He’s got the gravel, the comedic timing, the emotional depth, and just enough mischief in his delivery to perfectly capture the character’s energy. He makes Calder’s arc come alive. Erin Mallon, voicing Dakota, brings the right balance of sass, strength, and exasperation, but her narration may be hit-or-miss for some listeners. A few scenes blend character voices too closely, and her cadence can feel a little stretched at times. That said, when it comes to Dakota’s rawer moments—those emotionally honest beats—she nails the vulnerability. Overall, the audio works, especially because the chemistry between the narrators mirrors the characters’ dynamic, but if you’re picky, the print or Kindle version might offer a smoother read.

In the end, Seven Year Itch is a wild, steamy, emotionally satisfying romp with just enough heart to make you care deeply about these ridiculous, lovable people. Calder and Dakota fight hard, love harder, and surprise each other in all the right ways. This isn’t just a story about enemies falling in love—it’s about two people learning how to be honest, open, and brave, even when it terrifies them. It’s about second chances, unexpected softness, and the beauty of being truly seen by someone who once couldn’t stand you. If you like hot mess romances that balance steam with substance, and if you’re a sucker for mountain men who fall like bricks for strong, complicated women, then this book should be on your list.

Daws keeps delivering. Now bring on Luke.

Seven Year Itch by Amy Daws is an enemies-to-lovers, small town romance and the second book in the Mountain Men Matchmaker series. Calder and Dakota have despised each other for the past 7 years, but things change when they are forced to share a room in Mexico during his brother's destination wedding. This book was so much fun to read, full of humor, emotion, love and feelings!! I can't wait for the next book in the series!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dawes has a knack for adding plenty of spice, but still managing to keep her characters at the forefront. Plenty of common tropes here, but I appreciated this wasn't just a 1 bed vacation story and actually considered the real life implications of continuing a relationship like this with your nosey family. I also love that we got to see development of those family characters - his mom and Everly especially!

Seven Year Itch was such a fun, breezy read that totally captured the chaos and chemistry of an unexpected romance. From the get-go, I loved the snarky, relatable voice of the narrator—someone who just wants a no-strings weekend but ends up tangled in family drama and complicated feelings instead.

The forced proximity trope is done well here, with plenty of witty banter and sizzling tension between the narrator and Dakota. Their history of loathing-turned-attraction felt genuine, with just the right mix of frustration and vulnerability to keep things interesting. That moment in the shared palapa was a highlight—intense, surprising, and perfectly timed.

I also appreciated how the story explored Dakota’s journey of reclaiming her confidence post-divorce, making her more than just a romantic interest but a fully realized character with her own growth.

My only minor gripe is that a few plot points felt a little predictable, but honestly, the charm of the characters and the tropical setting more than made up for it. The balance of humor, heat, and heart made this a really enjoyable escape.

If you want a romance with snappy dialogue, genuine feels, and a touch of family chaos, Seven Year Itch is definitely worth your time.

This was a light, fluffy, and undeniably sexy read.
I really enjoyed the characters—the story was funny, entertaining, and full of charm. The chemistry between the leads was electric; their transition from enemies to lovers was intense and so much fun to watch unfold.

The way I love these Fletcher boys and their ladies (sighs dreamily) I have been waiting for this book and it was most definitely worth the wait! The way Amy is able to write a book that feels just like time with a best friend, full of laughter, joy, lots of heart and all the feels. The struggles her characters go through are so relatable you just want to reach through the pages and give them a big ol hug. I am so excited to read more about this amazing group from the mountain!

Seven Year Itch, book 2 in the Mountain Men Matchmaker series, is “a steamy small town rivals-to-lovers romance filled with witty banter and unlikely romance at a destination wedding.”

I enjoyed Nine Month Contract so much and have, not so patiently, been awaiting the release of the next book in the series. I can safely say that Seven Year Itch lived up to the hype and was worth the wait. It was just as swoony, spicy, and laugh-out-loud funny as Nine Month Contract.

This interconnected series is about the Fletcher brothers who live on Fletcher Mountain. Each book is centered on a different brother’s story. Because this one picks up pretty much where the first one left off, I suggest reading them in order to get the full immersive experience.

Seven Year Itch is centered around Calder Fletcher, a grumpy, tattooed mountain man and Dakota, a strong, sassy, post-divorcee looking to regain her confidence. The witty banter between these two is top notch, the tension is super high, and the heat level is even higher.

I love that the rest of the family, including the quirky animals, continues to play an important role in the story. They are a hilarious, chaotic, quirky, hot mess of a family but are close knit and supportive. I am a sucker for a found family trope and this series is most definitely a perfect representation especially as the family continues to grow.

The audio book was the icing on the cake making a top notch immersive experience. The narrators, Erin Mallon and Teddy Hamilton, are the perfect duo to narrate this series. The delivered a flawless, off the charts, dual performance from start to finish.

Let the countdown begin for book 3, Honeymoon Phase, which will be releasing late November.

Thank you @htpbooks @readmirabooks @htpbooks_audio @htp_hive @amydaws, and @netgalley for the #gifted ARC and ALC. All thoughts are my own.

Dakota and Calder can't stand each other for longer than five minutes. Unfortunately, when they travel to Mexico for a wedding, they are forced to share a room. Suddenly the insults stop flying, and the sparks start!

✨enemies to lovers
✨forced proximity
✨kink exploration
✨small town romance
✨🌶️🌶️🌶️

"But as I stand before him, enjoying how beautiful he makes me feel, I realize that I feel beautiful without his eyes as well. I have felt more comfortable in my skin the past week than I have in years."

this was so fun! it had a bit of a Salacious Players Club vibes, but also had all the charm of a small town romance! i also think the meddling family aspect was very entertaining, especially Everly. I really liked seeing Dakota become confident in herself & what she wants. I did knock off half a star because of some aspects of the third-act breakup, but overall a fun read!

Thank you so much to Harlequin Trade Publishing, NetGalley & Amy Daws for an ARC!!! 🫶🏼

the most perfect, entertaining romance for my tropical summer vacay! Calder & Dakota takes teach me/spicy lessons to another level and I LOVEDDD. obsessed with Amy’s writing and this series! 😍

t r o p e s :
enemies to lovers
curvy, divorcee FMC
bearded mountain man
teach me & spicy lessons
tropical vacay proximity
sexy club visits
so much banter & spice!

This spicy rom com features Calder Cat daddy and Dakota, stubborn business owner with enough spunk to put him in his place. I read Wyatt’s story, and found Amy’s writing charming, sweet, and enjoyable. Fortunately , I can say the same sentiment is true here! Although the plot is a simple enemies to lovers— but always loved each other, we find a story about female growth and empowerment. Accepting your body as it ages and changes, reinvigorating self worth and love, and humor of a family that doesn’t stay out of your business.

This book is surprisingly VERY spicy. In my opinion, for someone who doesn’t read much spice. At times , it felt like it could take from the plot, but soon recovered with a heart felt moment. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for Luke’s friends to lovers arranged marriage!!

Tropes ❤️
-enemies to lovers
-found family
-one bed
-second chance at love
-spice to “explore”

MVP of the story is milkshake! you can read this book as a standalone, or you can enjoy it even more if having read the other stories!

P.s.s. After Luke, can we get our favorite medelling niece , Everly?

Thank you Amy Dawes, NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Canary Street Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. 📖

Calder has a cat that he takes on walks?? Automatic 5 stars for sure!

This is a true enemies to tolerate each other with benefits to I’m obsessed with you. I thought this book was lots of fun with lots of spice and the best meddling side characters! Dakota and Calder really hate each other and are forced to stay to share a suite at his brother’s destination wedding. I loved seeing them become friends, the setting, and how Dakota learns to love herself after her divorce and gain her confidence back.

This is book 2 in the Mountain Men Makeover series, and I’ll definitely go back and read book 1 now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for an arc!

I waited so long for this book to come out, and it was worth the wait! It was hysterical, quirky, and the best kind of enemies to lovers you can read! I felt the disdain between these two, and like they say there's a fine line between love and hate. that's exactly this book! Loved it!

SEVEN YEAR ITCH (REVIEW): The Book I Was Dying For

Seven Year Itch
by Amy Daws

MY Synopsis: Seven Year Itch by Amy Daws is the second book in her Mountain Men series. The book can easily be read as a standalone, but as I love the series, I would read book one first. This time we're following Mountain Man Calder, the middle brother, the brother who lacks purpose in life, brother whose girlfriend is his cat. He gets paired up with his enemy Dakota during his brother's destination wedding after there is an issue with the room. But that's not really what unites these two. They run into each other at a sex club prior to the wedding. Dakota, Calder's sister-in-law's best friend, is recently divorced and trying to find herself again sexually. Together these two start up an enemies with benefits situation so she can fully explore her new sex life. But their list is ticking, and what will happen when the two of checked every item off the list? Dakota cannot get burned again and Calder doesn't think he's good enough. Can these enemies-to-lovers figure it out before one of them gets hurt? If they don't watch out for Calder's matchmaker niece Everly, they'll have another thing coming for them! Everly is the real intro to this story with Last On The List, but her parent's story isn't needed to understand this book. So if you're interested in this now I'd read Nine Month Contract then Seven Year Itch. After you have fallen in love go back and read Last On The List. Trust me, you'll be swooning the whole time.

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.0/5.0)
- This series is kinda like if you take Meghan Quinn and Claire Kingsley then twist them into one person!
- Amy Daws genuinely writes some of the BEST women. I loved getting to see Trista and Cozy again, then since Dakota was already friends with them we got a lot of screen time for these mountain women. And the children were great too. You can't hate Everly, Ethan, or even baby Stevie.
- These mountain men and their families are my biggest selling point of the series. I mean what other series do you know where three brothers agree to live on the mountain just them together. Since Trista and Wyatt already changed that agreement in Book 1, that's not a worry for Book 2, which I really liked as it showed all the characters adapting after their trauma which led to the pact.
- This book makes you feel like Dakota and Calder have been set up for a REALLY long time. Their history goes at least eight years back in the series. Then references to another Amy Daws book it goes back the 2022 release, Last On The List.
- A big plot point of the book is a sex club where the MCs meet and go several times. I think it's a little odd not to put such a polarizing thing into the book description when the whole plot of the book happens because of it.
- Actually this isn't a very accurate description as a hole. The wingman emphasis makes it seem like more than a singular scene. In reality their relationship is agreement was the idea of the FMC experimenting sexually with the MMC.
- A bit too much trendy slang. Social media terms that were a bit cringe to read.

SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (3/3)
- Do I need to say more than sex club? There is a lot of different kinks here and both characters regular mention finding their kink. They go twice, beginning, middle, end— it's in the whole book.
- Experimenting bucket list.
- Consistently good chemistry.
- You can tell they both really loved each other all along.

ACCESS: Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for the digital ARC. I didn't expect to get approved and it made me so happy to see I was able to access the book I had been waiting over a year for! Thank you so much.

CLOSING COMMENT:
- It doesn't hit as hard as the first but I still loved this book so much! Amy Daws is such a great writer, creating hilarious moments, making lovable characters, and synthesizing such a memorable universe. I need Luke's book ASAP, get on it Everly!

*Find me on socials @rhiannonreads24.7*

You’re telling me THIS is how I’m introduced to Teddy Hamilton?! Ugh, Teddy and Erin Mallon were elite in this duet narration of Seven Year Itch by Amy Daws 🥵

I am SO happy to be back on Fletcher Mountain 🏔️

If you loved Nine Month Contract with its witty banter, grumpy MMC’s, overbearing family, and its rural mountain town vibes, then you need to pick this up and complete the series!

Don’t mind me, just still swooning over Calder 🤭 I can’t decide which Fletcher brother I like more.. but there’s something about a rugged and tatted mountain man that does me in - add on that he’s a cat daddy, and I am SOLD.

And Dakota? She’s our fresh divorcee that’s looking to spice up her life. Her work ethic really drew me to her character and her being a hard ass just made her character even more fun. Plus, she can handle her own when faced with a grumpy mountain man that’s on his knees for her.. literally.

They say there’s a fine line between love and hate, and let’s just say, after seven years of tension, someone is bound to break, especially when you’re forced to share a room together.

If you’re into an enemies to lovers romance, cat daddy MMC and an even blacker cat FMC, then you need this on your TBR 🫶🏼

Thank you, NetGalley and The Hive, for the chance to read and review before its debut 🐈‍⬛ 🌴

3.5 stars
I will admit this was a bit cringey in certain parts. I was super excited to read Calders story but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first book.
Calder and Dakota were both so stubborn and that made the tension/ banter good but it felt too overly lustful at times.
I also wish we got more flashbacks from the infamous house renovation that was mentioned probably a million times. We get maybe two or three which wasn’t enough for me.

I did really like Dakota! She was a strong woman who was just trying to get her life back and learn to love herself again which is super important.

I look forward to the next book in the series! I can’t wait to see what Everly will be up to next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review!

This is the second book in the mountain man series.

Dakota is reeling from her divorce after being married to wrong man for the past seven years. She tags along as requested by her bestie Cozy to Trista and Wyatt’s wedding. She is stuck sharing a hut with Calder for a week.
Calder doesn’t want love or a relationship. The dating apps are what he is looking for a good time. Then he is stuck with Dakota for one night and has other plans.

This is book will give you Calder’s love story with none other than Dakota. This unlikely pair is the classic enemies to lovers. Throughout this story we see both characters work through their insecurities from their previous relationships. There were times during book I wanted laughed and also wanted to scream which made it so good. I couldn’t put it down but in the same respect I didn’t want it to end.

Goodreads review
3.75 Seven Year Itch" by Amy Daws is a spicy, enemies-to-lovers romance packed with fun tropes, humor, and some unexpectedly sweet character growth. It’s the second in the series, but you can read it as a standalone—though I’d recommend reading the first to avoid any spoilers.

This book brings a lot to the table:
🔥 The classic “teach me” setup
🔥 One bed
🔥 Wingman twist
🔥 Dual POV (yay!)
🔥 Some surprisingly kinky moments
🔥 And that dating app scene—hilarious! Calder’s profile had me cracking up.

Dakota is trying to rebuild her confidence after a divorce, so she asks Calder (the grumpy MMC) to be her wingman—and from there, sparks fly. Their banter is sharp, the tension is real, and while the romance has some steamy highs, there’s also solid character growth as both Dakota and Calder evolve individually and together.

Overall, this was a fun and spicy read with some genuinely funny moments. It didn’t completely blow me away, but I had a great time reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the e-ARC!

The second installment mountain men matchmaker brings us to brother Calder seriously single and happy that way runs into Dakota his sister in laws best friend at a sex club. Newly divorced Dakota is trying to branch out and is mortified to run into someone she knows. Oh did I mention they hate each other. Then saddled together on a trip to Mexico for his brothers destination wedding in which trouble ensues. Grumpy/Grumpy Enemies to lovers genre this book was predictable but whimsical none the less Thanks to HTP for the arc.