I really enjoyed this story. The enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes but adding in significant character growth and self reflection is a big plus

I picked up the first book of the Mountain Men series by Amy Daws on a whim. I started with ‘Nine Month Contract’ and was instantly hooked! I was thrilled to get the ARC for the next book and was curious to see where Calder’s journey would take him.

‘Seven Year Itch’ is a delightful blend of two stories, each with its own unique twist. It’s a enemies-to-lovers trope that keeps you on the edge of your seat, with a delightful banter between the main characters. I also loved that we still get to peek into the lives of the other brothers, making the story feel more comprehensive. And what I appreciated the most was the open and honest portrayal of sexual exploration and needs, without any shame or judgment.

It’s a perfect continuation of a fun and entertaining rom-com series. I can’t wait to dive into the next book and follow Luke’s adventures!

I want to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing and Canary Street Press, for providing this book for review consideration thyrough NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

One thing is for sure and two things for certain: if Amy Daws writes it, I am likely to love it. If there’s a black cat FMC who meets her match in a dominate leading man and happens to live on a mountain, I will devour it.
I got it ALL in this book. This is such a delicious contemporary enemies to lovers book where the only epic battle is Calder and Dakota’s fighting their feelings for one another. It’s probably one of Amy’s spicer books and I’ve always found her books are deceptively spicy in the best way. The tension between these two is enough to spark but once they connect, it’s enough set the entire place on fire. Though, what really kept me hooked was the deep, emotional issues Calder and Dakota faced. They had to work to process them both individually and together. It made their relationship more relatable. This story and how it unfolds is a little different than Amy’s books in that it’s a little slower and I will admit I wanted to smack both the main characters but I found it engaging, funny, and I was generally rooting for Calder and Dakota to get their HEA. I loved Nine Month Contract(which I do recommend reading before you this story just for some background) and I dying for Luke’s book next.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street in exchange for an honest review.

Seven Year Itch is book 1 in the Mountain Men Matchmaker series! Technically it can stand alone but I highly recommend reading them in order because this one will contain spoilers from book 1. Plus, the first book is super funny and it’s worth reading anyway. That being said, this one was a lot of fun. It’s sort of a mix between Bridesmaid for Hire by Meghan Quinn (many of the same tropes/location for the wedding etc.) and The Salacious Players Club by Sara Cate. It’s got some serious enemies-to-lovers vibes and a friends with benefits romance. If you like any of these (plus a tatted lumberjack) then I think you’ll enjoy this one. The author does a great job at not only making this book funny but adding real and raw emotions to the characters to make them feel well rounded, whole, and realistic.

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was such a fun read. I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers and the push and pull between these characters was magnetic. The more they argued, the more intense their attraction was towards one another. It was so satisfying to watch them bend until they finally broke.

Calder is the middle brother, the one with little to no ambition to ever be in a relationship. He took the mountain life to heart and didn’t want to tie himself down. I love the banter between him and his brothers, also love that he’s referred to as cat daddy 🤣 his love for that cat is next level.

If you read other books by this author, you know the banter is going to be top notch. One moment she has you cracking up, the next it’s a serious moment. It’s a whirlwind of emotions but so dang enjoyable.

I will say parts of the beginning did seem a bit slow for me and I’m not a fan of the third act break up, but other than that, I really enjoyed this book!

If you’re a fan of enemies to lovers, friends with benefits, found family, great banter and spice, you should be adding this one to your tbr!!

I think Calder just became my favorite Fletcher brother. To be honest, when I first started this book, I found Dakota to be a bit intolerable. But, I was such a big fan of the first book in this series that I decided to trust the author and stay the course. I’m so glad I did. As the story unfolds, we get to see behind the curtain to the heart of these characters. Once their vulnerabilities surface, it’s hard not to become invested in seeing this couple get their HEA.

I try not to double dip with ARCs and ALCs but I was so invested in the AlC that I needed the e copy so I could keep going when I wasn't able to listen 😭 this is such a fun series and the audio was elite as well.

This was my first dip in the Mountain Men Matchmaker series and I enjoyed it. It took my brain a minute to get into the writing but once I got there I thought it was an enjoyable and spicy time.

Thank you so much to HTP, Amy Daws and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this title. I attest that I am leaving my review voluntarily and honestly.

Seven Year Itch is a sharp, spicy, and heartfelt romcom that delivers everything readers love about enemies-to-lovers romance. Amy Daws pairs a grumpy, emotionally guarded mountain man with his longtime nemesis in a tropical forced-proximity setup that’s equal parts hilarious and hot.

From “only one bed” tension to a meddling matchmaker niece (and a cat named Milkshake), this book blends big laughs, emotional depth, and steamy chemistry with ease. Calder and Dakota’s enemies-to-lovers arc is full of fire, vulnerability, and surprisingly tender moments (including PowerPoint romance, yes really).

Perfect for fans of Meghan Quinn, Tessa Bailey, and laugh-out-loud small-town chaos. Amy Daws proves once again she’s the queen of grumpy heroes with gooey centers.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5 rounded up) -🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Amy Daws, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Canary Street Press for the eARC!

Seven Year Itch was so good! This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it did not disappoint. It was such a fun story and I loved Calder and Dakota's relationship. The banter was top notch and the spice was perfect!
I can't wait to see what's next for the Fletcher family!

Absolutely so thankful to have gotten this arc from NetGalley! I adore these mountain men and their family! The humor, the spice and the furry animals included just ate it up!! So excited to read the next one Honeymoon phase!

2 Stars, DNF at 30%

I didn't know how explicit this book was going to be in terms of content when I picked it up. Kink isn't usually something I look for in my books and had that been indicated in the description I probably wouldn't have tried it. What really made me put it down was the MMC. I found Calder inconsiderate, self-centered, and immature and I couldn't really root for the romance as a result. I didn't like the way he pushed sexual boundaries, unapologetically staring when Dakota's top fell down, telling her about it, flashing her. The book was also repetitive, telling us repeatedly that Calder slept around, did not want anything serious, was tattooed and hot, etc. I don't think the prose style worked for me.

You know that whole saying that the second book is never as good as the first?!
Well.... Amy... you have certainly proven us wrong!
Calder is like the #1 Fletcher brother without a doubt, hands down, sex club and all...
Calder Fletcher is a possessive (in all the right ways) Rottweiler MMC
And we have our boho black cat FMC (with all the real life issues we all face after dating shitty men).
This is a funny, sweet rom-com featuring enemies to sex buddies?! & it features one bed in a swanky Mexican resort (thanks to matchmaking Everly).
Honestly, I ate this book up.
Like if a man made me a PowerPoint with all the sex positive things we were gonna do?... I'd be in. Like yes Daddy Calder.
Honestly, I can't wait for Luke's story.
But Calder is 100% the IT brother for me.

I absolutely LOVE a good meet cute and this definitely lived up to my expectations for book 2. I love Amy’s writing. Amy’s spice is definitely something special. However the third act breakup with some miscommunication made me want to pull my hair out. But again, only Amy could pull that off the way she did.

Calder and Dakota were quite immature for their age. I didn’t like Calder’s backstory with his ex. Major ick. Dakota felt very two dimensional. She didn’t have a lot of depth.

I'm a big fan of this series and the four brothers finding love. This one focuses on Calder and is definitely primarily sex focused. Dakota is somewhat relatable and the chemistry is great. There is a plot in there and it was enjoyable. I do suggest the others though it reads fine alone.

I really enjoyed the first part of this book. It was funny, and I loved the back-and-forth button pushing between Calder and Dakota. I felt like there was a lot of character growth, and I really liked watching Dakota become confident in all areas of her life.

I do feel like things got a little bit slow around the halfway point, and I wish some of the momentum of the first half had carried on to the second half of the story.

I am looking forward to reading Luke’s book next!

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC.

Calder and Dakota have the perfect chemistry and character development in enemies to lovers. Also who doesn’t love a down bad cat daddy who falls first and harder for the FMC? Also ending was perfection *chefs kiss* 💋

Thank you NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the ARC!

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved this sooooo much! The 9 month contact was a top 3 read for me in 2024 so I’ve been waiting for the next Fletcher brother book so impatiently….and if did not disappoint! Ugh I loved Calder so far my fav brother…but we shall see 😉 I love a good enemies to lovers story and Dakota and Calder were just that! It was spicier than the first one but still had so much plot which I absolutely love. Highly recommend! Can’t wait for the next Fletcher brother book!

Well this book certainly turned up the heat! A delicious enemies to lovers, frenemies with benefits,
and slow burn that had me panting for more.

Everly is back on her mission to matchmake all her uncles. This time? She’s hacked Calder’s dating accounts to help him find someone who wants more than one night.

The last thing Calder expects is to end up sharing a room with his brother’s wife’s best friend Dakota who can’t stand him at his brother’s wedding. But when there’s forced proximity and vulnerability fate commences… and maybe is helped along by our favorite Fletcher matchmaker.

Dakota earnestly ripped my heart out in this story and put it back together again. As a young woman who went through a divorce a lot of her inner thoughts were all too real for me. I feel like this book was written for me and I loved it.

This book felt a little edgier compared to Nine Month Contract. There’s a few scenes in a smex club and many scenes and discussions of the characters exploring new things which I personally enjoyed!

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced copy!

Fave Quotes:
“I still believe in love and happily-ever-afters. I just made a huge mistake on my first shot at it.”

“In my mid-thirties now, I find myself annoyed if I’m not in bed with a book by nine o clock.”

“I’m going to need you to never say his name in my presence again.”

“She needs to get laid. Needs to forget that f—— ever existed and find that confidence she had the day I met her.”

“I’m not going to make you crawl. But I am going to make you beg.”

“If I leave here without sleeping with Calder Fletcher tonight, it would be a crime against humanity.”

If you are looking for one of the best enemies-to-lovers stories, then stop your searching because here it is! I laughed, and groaned, and cried, and was sweating while reading this fantastic story. Calder Fletcher and Dakota Schaefer could not despise each other more, so when Calder sees Dakota in the same “club” he is a member of, he is NOT happy about it. But it turns out that they might be able to help each other - reluctantly and not so reluctantly in other ways. ;)

I really enjoyed this story, loved seeing some of the characters from some on Amy’s other stories, like Nine Month Contract and Last on the List, and I especially enjoyed the classic but sneaky Fletcher Family Meddling.

Don’t sleep on this book, especially if you are of a fan of characters that are saucy, sassy, sweet, considerate, caring, working through some healing, a boss lady FMC, or a mountain man cad-daddy MMC that is also tattooed and wears flannels with his sleeves rolled.