4.5⭐️

Thank you @Netgalley for my digital copy of Seven Year Itch.

Seven Year Itch by Amy Daws is a small town, enemies-with-benefits rom-com that had me laughing, tearing up, and occasionally rolling my eyes in the best way possible. Dakota’s journey of self-discovery and reclaiming her confidence is such a joy to watch unfold. Her character growth was layered, and Calder plays a huge (and very attractive) role in helping her along the way. Their chemistry is absolutely electric, but lack of honest communication about their real feelings adds plenty of tension toward the end.

Overall, this one was a spicy, emotional, laugh-out-loud romance with so much heart. I loved nearly every minute of it and can’t wait to read more from Amy Daws!

P.S: don’t even get me started on the chapter titles. Pure gold!

P.P.S: Randall (Dakota’s ex) is a total sleaze ball, and every time he showed up on the page, I wanted to throw my book.

Swipe right for a cat daddy mountain man. Sure, why not I will read it.
Calder's niece has completely taken over his dating apps accusing him of being a mountain man looking for a fiery love, multiple mentions of his being a cat dad of course and focus on how hot a tattooed he is. This isn't what he wants, he prefers to be alone with a string of one-night stands. This is the sort of thing he wants to continue to look for on his dating apps. After feeling completely frustrated with this turn of events as well as feeling a lot of pressure at work with his brothers making him out to be a grunt, he decides to head over to a club he frequents. But this isn't a dance club.
Dakota has lost her confidence and her thrill for trying new things in her divorce. After being with her ex-husband who focused on all the things she wasn't or used to be she if left feeing undesirable and unadventurous. She decides as a change of place she will head to a sex club where she can try some new things and find her lost confidence.
Calder and Dakota never thought they would meet in a sex club. And after that they really don't expect to be sharing a room at a resort for a wedding. After talking things out and trying out a one-night stand, they both feel it isn't enough. So, they make an agreement to explore a list of ways Dakota could get her confidence back that works out for both of them. Calder is excited to give more than a one night stand a shot. And maybe more?

If you're looking for a book thats primarily spice, this is the book for you. I wasn't the biggest fan of how much spice was in this book BUT I also understand why this was a focal point of the book as a whole. I will definitely continue reading books this author writes in the future.

An okay book. Not too sure I really enjoyed it but I can see why people do.
Small town romance and enemies to lovers trope.

Amy Daws knows how to write rom-coms. Hands down. I was LAUGHING while listening to/reading this book.
I love a good enemies-to-lovers, and this one was something else. Was it ever really hate? More like deep-seated lust and want. Calder is perfect - a reformed playboy who works with his hands and is willing to create a PowerPoint to explain all the learning objectives. Dakota is magical, and I want all the best things after all the crappy cards her life dealt her. Give me friends like her who will battle it out with a grumpy mountain man!
⭐️Enemies to lovers
⭐️Cat daddy
⭐️Spicy lessons
⭐️Grumpy mountain men
I received this ARC &ALC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

Love me some Dakota and Calder!! Their bickering kept me laughing and the spice - wow! I definitely recommend this series! Amy Dawes can weave characters and their stories together so seamlessly, I feel like a part of their world.

I enjoy this series so much! Amy has a way of mixing the hilarious comedy with some heavier topics that keep the story moving in the best way - but leave you feeling lighter at the end.
I thought I'd already submitted a review for this one, but it seems something went wrong. Please don't think I didn't enjoy! See my review below:

Everly is on a mission once again in Book 2 of the Mountain Men Matchmaker series!
This time it's to match up her uncle Caulder with Dakota - the newly divorced friend of his Sister in law, Trista. Caulder & Trista LOVE to hate each other! Something about every interaction is almost explosive. And the banter! OH the banter!

This book will keep you laughing even as it touches on some serious topics. There is just enough of the heavier things to keep the rollercoaster running in the best way.

Tropes include:
Enemies to Lovers
Small Town Romance / Vacation Romances
Quirky Animals
Meddling family

Seven Year Itch By Amy Daws
Mountain Men Matchmaker Series
(This book can be read as a stand-alone but for more context and backstory you should grab “Nine Month Contract” and “Last on the List”, you won’t be disappointed)

5/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶️

Romantic Comedy with Enemies-to-Lovers in all the best ways. This story follows Dakota, a newly divorced business owner who, due to some meddling from her BFFs family has to be in close proximity with Calder Fletcher, the man she calls “Killer” and ever since he “ruined” her wedding dress seven years ago, has left a negative view on the friendship, or lack thereof. So when the two of them have to share space at a destination wedding things get interesting and maybe there is the start of something?
Both Dakota and Calder learn to work together and help each other in ways they didn’t think they would be able to previously, and when an opportunity presents itself in a rather amusing sort at a rather interesting club, the two start moving from the enemies towards something more in the friend/lover category. Calder helps Dakota explore her desires and Dakota helps Calder see his true potentials.
Calder is a cat daddy who lives on a mountain and has a body you want to climb like a tree. This book truly makes you want to throw on a flannel and find yourself a sexy mountain man to care for you. No shame. Thanks Amy Daws for creating these unrealistic expectations for “the one”.

Thank you#netgalley for the opportunity to enjoy this book and provide my honest opinion. I never thought I would be a romance reader, but here I am, and adding so many more by this author to my TBR.

This was my first Amy Daws book and I was pleasantly surprised! While this is technically a stand alone, you kind of feel like you're missing a bit of backstory so I probably should have read the first in the series, but the story between Calder and Dakota was completely stand alone and wonderful. This is a typical enemies to lovers situation with plenty of humor thrown in. This book seemed to have it all (small town, one bed, hilarious banter, etc) and I enjoyed every minute of it. While Dakota and Calder's history was a main plot point, it had a purpose. I loved watching Dakota heal and gain her new found confidence after a crappy ex and a crappy divorce. I also loved how grumpy Calder was while also having the biggest heart.

I'm definitely interested to see what the rest of the couples have up their sleeve in this series!

I enjoyed this book a lot! I hadn't read the first one so I was unfamiliar with their niece's game lol so that was a funny twist. It was a super funny book and I did giggle during some parts of the book. If you love a small town enemies to lovers with forced proximity for a destination wedding... this is your BOOK! There's also a burly, tattooed lumberjack who is a number one cat dad. (He takes his cat dad role VERY seriously) This book had it all, angst, drama, spicy lessons, banter, and slowly building trust. This book nailed emotion and humor which made the characters feel a little more relatable, very flawed cast. Overall, this was a fun, spicy read that had a girl giggling and kicking her feet. I would recommend. Thank you to Net-Galley for this ARC!

Amy Daws delivers again with Seven Year Itch — a heartfelt, funny, and emotionally satisfying romance that feels both mature and refreshingly honest. This isn’t just a book about rekindled sparks — it’s about rediscovery, forgiveness, and the beauty of second (or maybe seventh?) chances.

The chemistry between the main characters is undeniable, and Daws balances flirty banter with real emotional stakes. There’s a rawness to the characters that makes their journey feel authentic — you root for them because they’re messy, layered, and deeply relatable.

What really sets Seven Year Itch apart is its ability to mix humor and heartbreak so seamlessly. You’ll laugh one minute and feel a lump in your throat the next. And while the romance is swoony and satisfying, the emotional growth both characters experience gives the story real depth.

Perfect for fans of second-chance romances with a bit of spice, plenty of sass, and a whole lot of heart. Amy Daws knows how to tug your heartstrings and keep you smiling through it all.

This is the second book in the mountain men series,
I’ll start off with the banter between the characters, it was so fun and the story build was nice, just enough drama to not over crowd the book. I felt the story was very emotional.
Caulder is so hot and makes you laugh so much, I love that we get to have more of their story in this book after reading the first one.
Overall Im very pleased with the story and I’m so excited for book 3!

How sweet it is to be back on Fletcher Mountain!

I’ve been dying to get my hands on Calder’s book since picking up Nine Month Contract last year and the wait was more than worth it!

I loved the twist on enemies to lovers as Dakota and Calder did a little detour through pound town on their way to finding love. Or maybe like his family said, there really is a thin line between love and hate.

Their story covers topics such as divorce, loss of a parent, and finding yourself again through it all. Dakota and Calder fight like cats (not dogs, only cats) but they love so fiercely and fully.

I’m excited to read about our last Fletcher brother when Luke’s book comes out next!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! All thoughts are my own.

This was such a lovely read! Amy Daws's writing is so effortless and she creates real characters. None of her writing appears forced.

Such a good read!! It kept me wanting to read more. Definitely recommend this book too all readers !!! Five stars!!!

Thank you to Amy Daws, NetGalley, and Canary Street Press for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book.

2.5 Stars

This one just wasn’t quite for me, though there were elements I enjoyed. Dakota, the FMC, was sweet and genuinely likable, and I appreciated her personal growth throughout the story—especially after the emotional damage inflicted by her ex. Watching her rediscover her self-worth was satisfying and heartfelt. I also really enjoyed her bond with Cosy and the growing friendship with Trista, which brought warmth and levity to the narrative.

Calder, on the other hand, was tough to connect with. While I could see the intention behind the "gruff exterior, soft interior" trope—especially with how protective he was of Dakota and how much he loved his cat, Milkshake—those were really the only redeeming traits for me. For most of the book, he just came off as rude and emotionally stunted, which made it difficult to root for him.

The mountain compound and the “we’re going to be single forever” mentality felt a bit over the top and borderline childish, especially as Calder clung to it with an almost unsettling intensity. And while I’m not opposed to steam in romance, the sex club subplot felt a bit forced—like it was added purely for shock value rather than character or plot development.

That said, I’m glad I read it and saw Dakota come into her own. While this book didn’t quite land for me personally, others might connect more with the characters and the dynamic.

Not only is the cover and edge just beautiful - but the story inside is engaging, emotional and fun. I was sold on this book from the first few pages and had a fun timing getting through it!

This book had me laughing out loud many times! It was a fun and quick read. This is book 2 in an interconnected series about mountain brothers, and it follows Calder and Dakota. Dakota, the FMC, is newly divorced and trying to get back out there, and she happens to be BFFs with Calder's sister in law. Calder and Dakota have a frenemies thing going on and banter/bicker a lot. They then fall into a friends with benefits thing and get to know each other more.

2.5 🌶️ This is my first book by Amy Daws and overall I enjoyed it. It’s hard not to love an enemies to lovers, one room, friends with benefits spicy romcom. Their hatred for eachother ran deep after an incident 7 yrs prior involving Dakota’s home Reno caused her wedding dress to be ruined 3 days prior to the big day. The contractor on the job? Calder. Fast forward to present day and Dakota is newly divorced. She’s trying to find herself again after a terrible marriage but winds up having to share a room with Calder at his brothers wedding weekend in Mexico. Their tension leads to one fun night which turns into a friends with benefits situation( PowerPoint and all). Dakota wants to figure out what she likes sexually and Calder is a no strings attached guy who doesn’t catch feelings so it’s the perfect situation( so they think). I really liked the first 75% of the book. The constant hot and cold between them and miscommunication towards the end wasn’t my favorite. Especially after the horrible things they said to eachother. Idk how you come back from that. I needed a true breakup with major groveling to feel it was sincere. I’d still recommend the book and flew through it!

Seven Year Itch was a light, entertaining read with Amy Daws’ signature humor and charm, but it didn’t quite hit all the marks for me.

The second-chance setup had a lot of potential, and there were definitely moments that made me smile. The banter was playful, and the chemistry between the leads had its sparks. That said, I struggled a bit to fully connect with the characters or get fully invested in their emotional journey. Some of the pacing felt uneven, and certain plot points leaned a little too heavily into the dramatic or quirky without enough depth to balance it out.

Still, it was a fun read overall—easy to get through and enjoyable in the moment. If you're a fan of rom-coms with a slightly over-the-top edge and lots of banter, this might be your kind of vibe.