Birding with Benefits

March 1, 2024

DEBUT Celeste Johanssen is two years post-divorce and attempting to embrace discovery, from skydiving to vermicomposting. So when an acquaintance asks her to pose as a fake date for his friend, she says yes, which leads to volunteering herself as a partner in a birding contest, even though she knows nothing about birds. Her fake-date and birding partner, John, turns out to be a delightful cross between quiet librarian and sexy lumberjack. Together, they embrace the stillness of the woods and the beauty of the birds as they tick off each species they spot, one by one. The night of the competition's big finale draws near, and real and fake begin to meld as Celeste and John grapple with the contest and the unexpected consequences of very real emotions. Birding enthusiasts will enjoy an entire novel full of nods to their favorite avian friends, and readers get to follow along on the quest to find each entry in the couple's birding diary. VERDICT Readers will appreciate this quirky romance that manages to bring together very different people to find commonalities and shared experiences, a worthwhile and touching lesson for all.--Judy Garner

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April 1, 2024
A divorced mom gets a second chance at love when she accidentally takes up a new hobby--birding. After leaving an unsatisfying marriage that made her feel small, Celeste Johanssen is putting herself first. Her daughter will be leaving for college soon, and Celeste is ready to finally find out what it means to live for herself, not a man. When a new friend asks her to be his friend John's temporary fake girlfriend, Celeste is happy to take on the challenge. However, when Celeste shows up to meet John, it turns out he has no idea what she's talking about--he needs a partner for a six-week birding competition, not a fake life partner. But Celeste is full of motivational sayings and she's ready to say yes to life, so she decides to be John's partner in the competition--despite the fact that she knows nothing about birds. John doesn't mind making his ex-girlfriend, a fellow birder, jealous, and Celeste knows that a new "boyfriend" will deter all the busybodies who keep asking when she's going to start dating again. As John and Celeste spend more time together, both on birdwatching expeditions and at Celeste's work events, they can't deny that they have more in common than a shared interested in identifying bird calls; they also share a powerful chemistry, and soon they're involved in a temporary relationship that's just "birding with benefits"--perfect for both of them, since John is still bruised from his painful breakup and Celeste isn't ready for a commitment. But as their feelings grow stronger, they'll have to decide if a real relationship is worth the risk. Debut novelist Dubb brings in just the right amount of birding detail--enough to make the competition realistic, but never so much that attention is taken away from Celeste and John's budding romance. It's refreshing to read about adult characters with established lives, and Celeste and John's relationship feels realistic as their largest obstacle is their fear of being vulnerable, not any sort of plot contrivance or miscommunication. This lovely debut about mature characters manages to be both comforting and sexy.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 8, 2024
Dubb’s charming debut finds recently divorced Tucson middle school teacher Celeste Johanssen agreeing to play “partner” to softspoken birder John Maguire. Due to some miscommunication, Celeste thinks she’s agreed to be his fake girlfriend, but what John actually needs is a partner for the area’s annual Bird Binge birding competition. Though Celeste is way out of her depth among the avian enthusiasts, under John’s guidance she quickly develops an affinity for birding, endearing herself to John with her enthusiasm. As they work to show up John’s snotty ex Breena by identifying the most species, explosive chemistry builds between Celeste and John. Both love-shy, they agree to a friends-with-benefits arrangement for the duration of the competition, leading to some red-hot love scenes. But can they really keep their feelings out of it? Dubb pulls off the fake-boyfriend trope with ease and mines her own experiences with birding in Tucson to add authenticity to John’s passion. Celeste’s bestie, Maria, and John’s bestie, Chris, steal every scene they’re in, adding humor and a sense of community to the romance. Dubb is a writer to watch.

Starred review from May 15, 2024
Celeste Johanssen thought she was helping John Maguire when she volunteered to be his partner. It turns out that John doesn't need a romantic partner but rather a partner for the Arizona Ornithological Society's upcoming Bird Binge contest. Feeling somewhat responsible for the predicament he's in, novice birdwatcher Celeste agrees to team up with him. Spending so much time with quietly sexy John, however, is starting to give Celeste some thoughts about what it might be like if they really did become romantic partners. Dubb's dryly witty debut deftly chronicles a refreshingly mature heroine's journey of self-discovery while simultaneously delivering a love letter about the joys of birdwatching. The slowly simmering romance that blossoms between plucky heroine and heart-of-gold hero results in some love scenes that are as hot as the desert sun in July, but what is equally notable is the emotional connection the author builds between the two as well as the ties between the main characters and their family and friends that play an equally important part in the story.

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