Most Likely to Fear Love

The Yearbook #1

by Mary Waterford

I hired Harle Robson from Craigslist to get me pregnant. Not the old-fashioned way, mind you. It’s all specimen cups and sterile syringes.

After my ex shattered my heart beyond repair, clinical and detached is definitely safer.

What I wasn’t counting on was a six-foot-five Viking, with sun-kissed hair and soul-searing blue eyes. He looks like he stepped straight out of Valhalla.

After months of failures leave me devastated, Harle proposes something decidedly less clinical.

I'll move in to his secluded little cabin by the lake for ten days of free use.

His rules are

#1. I’m not allowed to wear underwear

#2. I’m not allowed say no

#3. He'll have me wherever and whenever he wants

I told myself I'd never love again. My heart's too broken, even for this Viking handyman with callused hands and a heart of gold.

But with every heated look and gentle touch, he makes me feel things I swore were dead and buried.

Safe. Cherished. Whole.

With my walls crumbling and fear losing its grip, I'm faced with one terrifying What if the biggest risk isn't letting him in... but letting him go?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Spicy, Small Town Romance, Dark Romance, Dark

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 20, 2025

Reviews

[Cat]

Author: He's blond
Me: thanks for the suggestion but absolutely fucking not

[Lina]

The beginning of the story started a little slowly. Then, at one point, it became so good that I couldn't tear my eyes from my Kindle.

Cassidy has been burned by love, and she decides to start heeling bit by bit. In her mind, a baby will fulfill her desire to finally be a mother and heal on her own terms. It is the strange way she chooses to have a father for her baby. She is definitely in for a surprise from the man who shows up. In her eyes, Harle literally looks like a Viking that came out of a romance novel.

He liked her from the beginning. She was beautiful, sweet, shy and apparently hurt pretty badly by her ex-husband. He wants to give her a chance to have a baby and their communication continues through seeing each other for a bit, for a couple of months. But he wanted to know her and he had never met a woman like her. When, after some time, he offers her the option to come to his house for 10 days, he is finally able to show her how perfect they can be together.

Being with Harle, Cassidy has the chance to explore her sexuality. Usually she is quite shy when it comes to sex, but with him, it is like all her barriers disappear. Their love scenes were very sensual and romantic, and I loved every minute of it. There was so much passion and I love the way Harle was like her teacher in love ♥️.

Overall, I loved reading "Most Likely to Fear Love".

**"I received an ARC by Grey's Promotion and my review is given voluntarily.***

[Joud]

It was fine, fun enough, but nothing memorable. Just a typical romance to pass the time.

[Jen]

I loved Mary Waterfords writing of Most Likely to Fear Love this is my first book of hers and she did not disappoint!!
From the first page this book had me hooked!! I love how my Cassidy character I was rooting for her the whole book!! Who knew a Craig’s list for fishes for a baby could be end like this !!

[↻ ◁ Nour ▷ ↺]

This book was more embarrassing than I could tolerate, and even more boring. I'm just relieved I finally finished it.

[Ella]

uhm the premise of this book was interesting… it gave consented sex dungeon vibes

[Angela Tang]

Thank you to Mary Waterford and Grey's promotions for a copy of an ARC for a review!
This is my first time being approved to be an ARC reader and I'm so excited!
-------------------------------------------------------
Happy release day!
This book is a spicy read that's pretty quick to get through; I finished it in a couple of days. The premise of the book is that Cassidy finds Harle because she puts an ad onto Craigslist to find someone to be a sperm donor. The author did not hold back on the spice, which was a plus! It's got small town vibes, which is becoming one of my favorite tropes. It was more insta-lust for my taste, personally.
Rating 3 stars because I wish the characters' backstories had been developed more and I felt like the romance was the majority of the plot. I would have liked to see more of a story line outside of the romance and depth to the characters. Overall, an enjoyable read!

[Elle]

Harle and Cassidy were an interesting read. At times the book had me on the edge of my seat and other times it had me skimming the page for something interesting.

Harle made a fortune when he was young. Worked hard and partied harder. It wasn’t until the loss of his best friend that he decided to clean up his act. Now he lives lake side in a remote cabin.

Cassidy married young to a much older man than made her insecure and afraid to love. All this was hammered home hard when she finds her husbands wife on the door step one day. Turns out she wasn’t really married cause bigamy is illegal in her state and his first marriage is the only legally recognized one.

Years later, she’s still afraid to love but wants a baby so she posts a Craigslist ad. (Who knew Craigslist was still a thing? I had to check the publication date on this book cause I though it might have been written in 2005, but nope this is a 2025 new release.)

Harle answers the ad and is more than willing to provide Cassidy with his baby making batter (sperm).

After a few months of unsuccessful tries Harle proposes that Cassidy stay with him for 10 days under a free use rule.

Drawn to him and their new found friendship of sorts she accepts. Then over these ten days these two fall hard for each other.

Cassidy turns her back on this new love and is afraid to take a chance on Harle. That is until Michelle (her husbands first wife) comes back into her life.

Michelle has a strong back bone and a lot of therapy to help her navigate her husband’s betrayal. She gives Cassidy some advice about moving on that Cassidy takes to heart.

2 years pass but baby makes three and the couple is engaged.

I found the side characters mildly interesting but do not think I will pursue reading the rest of the series. The premise for this story was definitely unique, but I don’t think the authors writing style is for me.

[Jocelynereadsromance]

Humor, heart and sensuality work hand in hand in creating this romance featuring a heroine using an unconventional method of getting pregnant and the unexpected turn it takes! Mary Waterford is a new to me author and this was such a delight experience to have as my first read from her. Waterford’s writing is quickly engaging, well paced, and a beautiful balance of the highs and lows of life. Her characters and interesting and well developed and the romance is full of sexy tension.

Most Likely to Fear will definitely be a book you pick up because of the blurb and you are sure to stay because of the strong and complicated heroine at its center. This novel is at its heart about personal growth and healing and Waterford explores this with great care and understanding. In the surface you think you might just be entering into a silly romance, but Waterford will prove you wrong and show you why the romance genre can be so power by giving readers a safe place to experience empathy, understanding and showing growth through therapy and trust with other people. This romance is a growth journey for both the hero and heroine and it is a wonderful and cathartic one that left me with a full and hopeful heart!

I would definitely recommend this novel if you are intrigued and I am looking forward to exploring more of Mary Waterford’s work!

Thank you to Grey’s Promotions for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Eena]

this book was soooo good!!

I loved everything about this book. Harle, man, I am
In love with his character. Everything about him, while also envisioning a delicious Viking and kicking my feet while giggling.

I loved Cassidy’s character as well, she was so strong trying to figure things out for herself and remaining optimistic through everything. Especially when trying to conceive, which is frustrating and heartbreaking at times.

Spoilers ahead——-

I only took off a star because there was no actual pregnancy!? Not even in Cass’s epilogue? A 2 year time jump and an explanation about not wanting babies until after getting things figured out a little better and going to therapy. But then we didn’t even get an epilogue from Harle’s POV where that could have been another time jump with the happy news.

Honestly after showing us how great Harle was with his baby niece and showing how Cass started to feel more settled after admitting her love for him and starting a relationship with Michelle, I feel a bit robbed of that. Because that was the whole premise of the book’s summary, which is why I picked it up. I’m disappointed that after this entire awesome book, not even a single ‘things are going well besides this lingering nausea, lemme take a test’ at the end of the epilogue. It could have been the last 3 sentences.

But over all, a well written, emotional, lovely book.

[Brandi]

I absolutely loved Most Likely to Fear Love by Mary Waterford. This book completely captivated me from the first page, and I found myself savoring every word because I just didn’t want it to end. The emotional depth and character development are really well done, and I can honestly say this was one of the best reads I've had in awhile.

One of the things that stood out most to me was the incredibly complex female lead. Cassidy is not perfect, and that’s exactly what makes her so relatable and compelling. Watching her struggle with her own issues—past trauma, self-doubt, and her fears about love in general—was both heartbreaking and empowering. As she works through these personal hurdles, it's impossible not to root for her as she learns to accept that she deserves real love and happiness.

This was my first time reading Mary Waterford, but if she crafts characters that feel so real in her other books, I will definitely read the rest of her collection. The way the story unfolds kept me hooked, as I eagerly awaited each step in Cassidy and Harle's journey.

In short, this book is a beautifully written exploration of love, personal growth, and finding the courage to embrace what you deserve. If you're someone who loves a complicated, multi-layered heroine who fights for her own happiness, this book is a must-read.

[Mindy]

Didn’t Hit the Mark

Where to start? The idea and characters were good, however it came off like someone that’s unfamiliar with North Carolina. As someone who’s lived there for close to 30 years, it completely missed the mark on the NC charm. Should have had some more research or talked to some actual North Carolinians before writing.
1) Rugged “Vikings” in NC are not tossing the term Darlin’ around.
2) Nor are the Viking men sporting man buns. That made my eyes roll up into my head. Rugged NC guys are wearing boots (cowboy, engineer, or work boots), jeans, and baseball caps with either a neat, real man haircut, or they’re sporting slightly longer hair that curls out the back of their baseball cap. Man buns are NOT rugged. Barf.
3) Rugged men do not roll their jeans. That’s for the hipsters, where the only tool you’ll see is them.
4) We do not have “footballers” in the US, particularly in the South. The South is all about college football, where your team is as close to God and Family as you can get and rivalries go on for generations.
5) The US does not use the term “cheese toasties.” We eat grilled cheese sandwiches.
6) Raleigh, Cary, Durham are all Yankee bastions these days since they’ve infiltrated NC in droves and do not represent North Carolinians. Might as well be in NY with better food.

[Angela Taylor]

A warm, heartfelt story that makes you believe in love again. Cassidy has been majorly burned by men in her past, including her ex-husband, but she’s made herself a successful career as a lawyer despite it all. She’s decided that although she doesn’t need a man to be happy, she does want a child. She just goes about finding a donor in an unconventional way, aka a Craigslist ad.

Enter Harle… golden retriever, wear his heart on his sleeve, way more evolved than any man should be. He answers the ad because he understands what Cassidy is going through. With some major battle scars of his own, he’s made it his mission to give back in order to “balance the ledger.” When he meets Cass, he falls first, fast and hard. Luckily, he’s a patient, super understanding man because it takes her a while to catch up.

There’s a lot of angst, and both sweet and funny moments. Oh, and there are also a ton of steamy scenes, but they aren’t just bow chica bow wow, they’re a gentle (okay and hot) lesson in loving someone as well. Both characters go through profound growth as they mend their broken hearts and souls, but it makes getting together in the end that much sweeter. I had a perma-grin on my face the entire time reading this one and finishing the book left my heart a little bit happier than it was.

[TaylorDee]

While I really enjoyed this series, I HATE the covers for this series. I try not to be shallow but if these books had different covers I would buy them. But I don't like them enough to deal with the covers.

This one was ridiculously cute. There were times I literally squealed in embarrassment. Harle was so sweet and kind and amazing to Cassidy. I love that Cassidy figured out that she didn't necessarily want a child, but companionship. And I love that she didn't end up getting pregnant right away and they were able to get to know each other more and have more time together.

But there is the whole, Craigslist, of it all. It's WILD that she put out an ad on Craigslist to get some random man's junk. I don't know what exactly she was doing to remain safe or to screen these random men. Speaking on that! How did Harle even find the ad? Was this something he wanted to do and was looking for someone who needed him? Or did he random;y just come upon it? I don't know exactly how Craigslist works but don't you have to search for what you're interested in?
Also also! how do you get an insemination kit? Do you have to go to a doctor? Shouldn't a doctor be involved in this process anyway? I guess it doesn't really matter in the long run, it's just one of those things you notice and have to actively look away from

[Tara Bowen]

Cassidy put an add on Craig's list for someone to donate their spunk to help her have a baby. She doesn't want to pay the crazy fees for doing it through somewhere, so she decides this is the best way to get a baby without strings or having to sleep with a stranger. She ends up choosing, and meeting, Harle. There is undeniable chemistry between them, but Cassidy tries to ignore it because she wants a no strings attached baby/baby daddy.

However, things get complicated when they agree to try "the old-fashioned way." Cassidy agrees to stay at Harle's house and follow is very "simple" rules in order to try and conceive a baby. Their connection only grows stronger as their chemistry does as well. They soon find themselves discovering so much more about each other and how much they enjoy spending their time together.

Harle and Cassidy's story is so cute and sweet with a little bit of past trauma tossed in. They're a great match and I had a great time reading about their story.

Thank you to Greys Promotions and Mary Waterford for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

[Juliana Ignácio]

This is the first book I've read by Mary Waterford and I loved the story.
Cassidy had a bad relationship that left her a bit traumatized, so now she wants a baby and places an ad on Craiglist to find a sperm donor. What she didn't expect was for Harle Robson, the six-foot-five Viking, to answer her ad.
When they meet for the first time to arrange the deal, both are impressed by the other, but as it's a business deal, they just do what's agreed. But as the months go by and the pregnancy results come back negative, Harle makes Cassidy an offer to try and get her pregnant the conventional way.
And the days they spend together at his house are simply perfect, they understand each other very well and the chemistry between them is explosive. But when the deadline set by Harle expires, will they move on with their lives, or will the feelings that have arisen between them be stronger enough for them to give it a chance?
I loved the story and the characters, and I'm already looking forward to reading more in this series. I highly recommend the reading.

[Angela]

ARC review thank you Love Notes PR for giving me an ARC of this book. The tropes for this book are small town, cinnamon roll mmc, he falls first, slow burn, friends to lovers. Check your trigger warnings before reading this book there are mentions of grief, child abuse, overcoming trauma, narcissistic relationships.

This was my first time reading a book by Mary Waterford I liked it. I think that the concept of the story is interesting and something I have never read before. The fmc Cassidy is trying to get pregnant without a boyfriend so she resorts to Craigslist to find a sperm downer enter mmc Harle who is a handyman and built like a Viking. When it doesn’t work scientifically Harle puts together a plan for both of them to stay in his cabin for 10 days and try the natural way.

I thought this book was fine it was a bit slow for me and I didn’t really connect with the fmc and the mmc

[Lisa Ann D.]

He was too damn sexy for his own good. Like some Viking god of fertility, sent to get me pregnant. I suppressed a giggle at the thought.

∘•········ʚ ♡ ɞ ········•∘
Most Likely to Fear Love (The Yearbook #1)
by Mary Waterford

∘•········ʚ ♡ ɞ ········•∘

So very good. Loved the dynamics here. The plot was great. Our cast of characters were also top notch.

The sweet spot is definitely the relationship between our main characters.
Excellent flow between them.

Not my preferred tropes—- and it still pushed well beyond that for me. I loved the second book in this series & wanted to circle back to this one (the 1st in series) & glad I did.

Sweet. Sexy. Hopeful. Healing. 𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗟 𝗗𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬.

∘•········ʚ ♡ ɞ ········•∘

“You ever watch someone try something over and over, knowing it’s probably gonna fail, but they keep hoping anyway?”

:
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴.* :☆ﾟ. ───

[Anna Marsh]

Really liked the story line it was completely different from other pregnancy trope books I’ve read. Loved Harle thought he was a great MMC with a living and gentle personality that I loved would of lived him to open up more to his sister about what he was doing with Cassidy and to confide in her when I was heartbroken.

Also found Cassidy a really confusing character to go from a really hurt independent woman that was willing to have a stranger donate sperm just to have a baby and that being the main goal in the next stages of like to close to the end of the book realising she may not want that and just realising how hard it would be do do on her own as a single mother was really confusing to me as throughout the whole book she was made out to be a really good planner that thought about ever outcome.

But really liked the ending of the book and will definitely continue the series.

[Wendy Livingstone]

This is the first in a new series, and this is Harle and Cassidy’s story.
Cassidy is a complex and multi-layered heroine, who has suffered heartbreak in the past, and she hires Harle on Craigslist to get her pregnant, but not the old fashioned way, but by specimens and sterile syringes. After months of failure leaving Cassidy devastated, Harle proposes a less sterile method.
This is a well written story which has friendships, emotions, heartbreak, personal growth, engaging and relatable characters, past trauma, challenges, healing, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, spicy, and heartwarming addictive page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Vianca (Vee)]

Cassidy puts an ad out for a sperm donor as she is trying to have a baby and raise it on her own. She receives many offers from various individuals but the one that stands out above them all is from Harle. She’s skeptical at first but after talking to him and meeting him she’s more receptive to accept his help. She struggles to conceive so Harle proposes an idea of giving themselves 10 days of free use so increase her chances of conceiving. This propels them down a road with no turning back. The close proximity, the spicy moments, and sweet moments are to die for. Harle is sweet, patient, and caring towards Cassidy and understands that she struggles with accepting someone caring for her. He constantly reassures her and helps her understand that she doesn’t always have to be perfect.

[Alaina Kay]

Closer to 3.5 stars. I really liked how this is a different storyline than anything else I've read. Cassidy and Harle were totally meant for each other and he really helped her heal a lot of her overthinking. Plus the spice was definitely spicinggggg. I felt Cassidy and her pain and I'm just so happy she has such a great support system. There were some plot holes I would have liked filled but this is the first in the series so I'm sure they will be filled in later 🤞 The ending was really cute but totally not what I was expecting. I was actually expecting her to get pregnant and for them to name their son Jackson 🥹 maybe later in the series I will get more from them. That being said, I really did enjoy their story and will 100% be reading the rest of this series.

[Erin]

First off, the cover makes this book look juvenile, and it is not. I chose to read it based on a reel I saw, and i would've never looked twice at it if not for that blurb in the reel.

While the premise of she wants to get pregnant and ge offers to help can come off as sleezy or silly, this is probably one of the most heartfelt books I've read in 2025. The background issues the 2 mc deal with are well written and pulls you into their word. The way they heal because of the other is beautiful. The spice is pretty high on it as well, but I'm a plot first reader. I was not disappointed, and I was surprised a couple of times, which rarely happens. In fact, I like it so much that I'm going to read more from this author!

[Shelby Grant]

This was a cute lovely fluffy read to me!!

I’m giving this book a 3.8 rating because personally for me I love background and yes we got some of that here but I wanted a little more especially for our mmc. I felt like I know what I needed to about harle but I wanted I little more in depth like his childhood his parents; I wanted to know about that foundation you know.

But regardless of that this was an uplifting wonderful quick read that had me laughing and empathizing with the characters. The story was real in so many ways especially with how the fmc found it so hard to trust fully again.

Was a great read though I also wished to get a little more in the epilogue like the fmc meeting his sister or the mmc meeting her friends you know all that good stuff.

[Shannon Renee]

The plot of this book is wild, I was anticipating one thing and then another completely different thing would happen. I was disappointed that she didn't get pregnant by the end but I also liked the representation of trying so many times and it not working because that is a reality for so many women. I liked that there was a slow burn in the relationship. What I didn’t love was the “free-use” vibe, it came off way too much like porn and not a romance novel. Like I think he easily could’ve been like we need to have sex all the time without a contract or the free use language and it would’ve been hotter.

[Alicia]

I absolutely adored 'this book'. It completely captivated me from the start - I just couldn't put it down. The story was sweet, heartwarming, heartbreaking and spicy all at once. 'this book' follows the journey of Harle and Cassidy. Cassidy is a stunning, intelligent woman who has been through so much, including betrayal and heartbreak, leaving her wary of love and wanting a baby. Harle, on the other hand, is a gorgeous, sexy Viking god who volunteers to help Cassidy conceive. As they navigate their journey to pregnancy, Harle proves to be everything Cassidy never knew she needed, evolving from strangers to friends and so much more.

[Beth C.]

Great “hero” in this one

I like the book, and I loved Harley’s character…he’s what we all look for in a man. But Cassidy just didn’t hit with me. She has this fantastic group of friends, yet she keeps secrets from them, and especially from her own sister. To act like all that happened to her was her fault was nonsense. And to carry that around to the point it affects you from ever wanting to fall in love again when you’re that young, but without ever talking to anyone about it is also ridiculous. For goodness sakes, there are online therapists. That was silly. Otherwise I really enjoyed the book.

[Shelbylynne]

Great story/possible SPOILERS

I really enjoyed this story. Cassidy had been beaten down mentally and emotionally for so long by someone she trusted, so it feels completely understandable why she would have trouble trusting/confiding in those closest to her. When we meet Harle and begin to learn his motivations for helping Cassidy, this relationship really starts to feel meant-to-be. He may not look like what most people expect someone from NCto look like, but I think you can find all sorts anywhere if you look hard enough. As the relationship grows and they both begin to heal, you can't help but root for them. Looking forward to the next book.

[Sara]

Not related but may be helpful for someone - I was in a weird reading slump where everything was annoying and cliché. I was over fantasy for the moment, looking for something more ..adult? I had a few DNFs under my belt, like 80% read and just quitting DNF. This one? No way. I loved the growth, the kindness, the spiiiiicce! I took away a star because there were certain parts in the writing that seemed repetitive but were rewritten to basically reiterate the previous chapter. It was easy to overlook, at least for me. I genuinely enjoyed this ride that I'm willing to see what else happens in this collection.

[Noriko]

I like this book way too much. Such creative way to make a story about forced proximity. It not like other books I've read. Thanks to this author.

So she basically puts an ad to help her get pregnant to be conceive through sperm donor and not physical intimacy. Donating sperm to her without pay. She is running out of time to get pregnant due to health issue reasons.

And you could already have an idea of the kind of man that would help her through this. Told you, unconventional.
The second half of the book is them falling in love but not in the sense your thinking. Hahaha. Anyway, this all tied up together in the end. Love that nobody is perfect in this book like in real life. :)