Nine Month Contract Summary, Characters and Themes
Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws is a romantic comedy that explores themes of family, surrogacy, and unexpected love. The story follows Wyatt, a solitary mountain man who, after the loss of his father, decides to pursue fatherhood through surrogacy.
His search for the right surrogate leads him to Trista, a woman with no prior experience but a strong desire to create a future through surrogacy. As the narrative unfolds, Wyatt and Trista develop a complex relationship that goes beyond the professional, navigating family dynamics, emotions, and the blurry lines between business and personal connection. With humor, vulnerability, and genuine emotional depth, the story delves into how families are formed, not just by biology, but by shared experiences and love.
Summary
Wyatt is a rugged, solitary man living in Jamestown, Colorado, where he works hard to maintain his life on a secluded mountain ranch. Although he’s built a life he’s proud of, Wyatt feels that something crucial is missing—fatherhood.
After the death of his father, Wyatt is determined to fulfill his dream of becoming a parent, but he doesn’t want the complications of marriage or co-parenting. His decision to become a father through surrogacy brings its own set of challenges, not the least of which are his intrusive family members, particularly his brothers, who seem more interested in meddling in his life than respecting his wishes.
They go so far as to post a ridiculous ad on Craigslist, which only adds to Wyatt’s frustration.
Amidst this chaos, Wyatt’s 18-year-old niece, Everly, takes it upon herself to help Wyatt find the perfect surrogate. Determined and eager to help, Everly sifts through Craigslist responses, but each potential candidate falls short of Wyatt’s standards.
Refusing to give up, Everly decides to conduct interviews herself, confident that she can find the right person for her uncle. In the process, she also grapples with her own future, as she prepares to leave for college in Ireland, and faces the bittersweet realization that she’s about to leave behind the family she has always known.
The story takes an unexpected turn when Everly introduces Trista, a woman who, while not the obvious choice, seems willing to help Wyatt. Trista, who has no experience being pregnant, is passionate about animal rescue and views surrogacy as a way to fund her dream of opening a wildlife facility.
Her unconventional motivations and unapologetic personality immediately catch Wyatt off guard. The first meeting between Wyatt and Trista is awkward, but there’s an undeniable chemistry between them.
Trista opens up about her own struggles with the surrogacy process and her personal desires, revealing her vulnerabilities. Wyatt, too, opens up about his deep desire to have a child and the pain that comes from his family’s complicated history, particularly with his brother’s custody situation.
As their connection grows, the family dynamics in Wyatt’s life add further complexity. Everly’s determination to find a surrogate for Wyatt contrasts with his reluctance to involve others in such an intimate decision.
Still, the bond between the family members is clear, with each of them having their own unique role in this journey. Wyatt is torn between his dream of fatherhood and the complications of his relationship with his family, particularly the constant interference of his brothers.
As Trista and Wyatt continue to navigate their awkward but growing connection, the story delves into their personal growth and mutual understanding. Trista’s candidness and humor reveal layers to her character, and while Wyatt’s exterior may seem stoic and gruff, it becomes clear that he has his own emotional depth.
Their interactions, from clumsy conversations to moments of unexpected tenderness, reveal a bond forming between them, one that goes beyond the transactional nature of surrogacy.
Their evolving relationship takes a turn when they attend a lavish graduation party at the home of Wyatt’s wealthy brother, Max Fletcher. The party is overwhelming for Trista, who feels out of place among the expensive decorations and high society guests.
Despite her discomfort, she bonds with Max’s daughter, Everly, and shares her experiences with morning sickness with Cozy, Wyatt’s sister-in-law. During the party, Wyatt’s jealousy becomes apparent, especially when Trista talks to a male friend, Avery, a veterinarian.
Wyatt’s overprotectiveness adds emotional tension to the situation, but it also highlights his deep feelings for Trista, which complicate their surrogacy arrangement.
As the story progresses, Wyatt and Trista’s relationship continues to evolve, with both characters grappling with their emotions. Trista finds herself torn between her growing feelings for Wyatt and her desire to maintain professional boundaries.
Meanwhile, Wyatt begins to understand that his feelings for Trista go beyond the need for a surrogate. His jealousy, possessiveness, and protectiveness are rooted in his emotional attachment to her, which complicates their arrangement even further.
Despite their struggles, there is an undeniable attraction between them, and they begin to see each other in a new light.
Throughout their journey, both Trista and Wyatt face emotional growth. Trista, who has always maintained an emotional distance from others due to her traumatic family experiences, begins to open up.
As she carries Wyatt’s child, she finds herself questioning her past decisions and the kind of future she wants to create. Her evolving relationship with Wyatt and her growing emotional connection to the baby she’s carrying add complexity to her internal conflict.
She grapples with her desire to remain detached and her growing feelings for Wyatt.
The emotional depth of their relationship continues to unfold as Trista, now feeling the baby’s first movements, begins to understand the gravity of her decision. She reflects on her own family, the one she’s always longed for, and the support she’s found in Wyatt’s family.
As she becomes more attuned to the life growing inside her, she acknowledges her changing feelings toward motherhood and her complicated feelings for Wyatt. Their bond strengthens, and they begin to consider what a future together might look like, beyond the surrogacy arrangement.
The emotional crescendo of the story comes when Trista’s estranged sister, Vada, calls her. Despite their strained relationship, Vada provides unexpected emotional support, urging Trista to confront her true feelings about the surrogacy.
Trista’s emotional wall begins to crumble as she acknowledges her fears and uncertainties about motherhood. Her relationship with Wyatt deepens as they share moments of vulnerability, setting the stage for a future filled with possibilities, including the chance for a real family of their own.
This realization paves the way for both characters to grow and face the challenges ahead, with the support of one another and the family they’ve built together.
As the narrative concludes, Trista and Wyatt’s journey culminates in their emotional acceptance of the changes in their lives. Their unconventional arrangement has transformed into something deeper, more meaningful, and full of promise for the future.
Both characters realize that family doesn’t always have to follow the traditional path—it can be formed through love, growth, and shared experiences. The story of Nine Month Contract is one of unexpected love, emotional growth, and the importance of finding family in the most unlikely places.
Characters
Wyatt
Wyatt is a rugged, solitary man who has spent his life building a successful existence in the remote town of Jamestown, Colorado. He harbors a deep desire for fatherhood, a dream shaped by the loss of his own father and a profound realization that something vital is missing from his otherwise complete life.
His desire to have a child leads him to the surrogacy agency, but his interactions with the process are fraught with frustration, especially due to the chaotic and intrusive antics of his brothers. Wyatt’s personality is shaped by his quiet stoicism, intense independence, and a somewhat guarded nature, yet beneath this exterior is a man capable of deep vulnerability.
His tough, often gruff demeanor hides a man who values honesty and straightforwardness above all else. His connection with his niece, Everly, highlights his softer, more familial side, revealing a man capable of warmth and care, particularly toward those he loves.
His journey to fatherhood, complicated by his family’s antics and his developing relationship with Trista, mirrors his internal struggle to balance desire with the complexities of love, vulnerability, and commitment.
Trista
Trista is a woman defined by her complexities and contradictions. She enters the story as a surrogate for Wyatt, initially seeing the arrangement as a pragmatic decision to fund her dream of opening a wildlife facility, a passion tied to her love for animals.
However, her personality is much more than her surface-level motivations. Trista has a self-deprecating sense of humor and an unflinching candidness that make her immediately relatable yet also emotionally guarded.
She’s driven by a desire for independence, shaped by a traumatic past of familial neglect and abandonment. Her internal journey is one of emotional struggle, as she grapples with her feelings about the surrogacy, her evolving relationship with Wyatt, and her deeper yearning for connection and acceptance.
As the pregnancy progresses, Trista’s emotional walls begin to crumble, revealing a woman who is capable of deep love, though she’s reluctant to embrace this part of herself. Her struggle to reconcile her independence with the growing bond she shares with Wyatt and the child she’s carrying makes her one of the most complex characters in the story, moving through the narrative with a mix of vulnerability, resilience, and emotional evolution.
Everly
Everly, Wyatt’s 18-year-old niece, is a determined and self-assured young woman who plays a pivotal role in the story. Her personal journey intertwines with her efforts to help her uncle find the right surrogate, and in doing so, she navigates her own transitional phase in life as she prepares to leave for college in Ireland.
Everly’s boldness in taking matters into her own hands—by sorting through Craigslist responses and interviewing potential surrogates—highlights her strong sense of responsibility and a deep, unwavering loyalty to her family. Despite her youth, she exudes maturity in her actions and motivations, showing a level of emotional intelligence that surpasses her years.
Her relationship with Wyatt is one of deep familial love and mutual respect, with her determination to help him finding the right surrogate driven by a desire to ease his pain and fulfill his dream of fatherhood. Everly is also dealing with her own sense of change as she embarks on a new chapter of her life, making her a character who embodies both youthful optimism and the weight of emotional support she offers to her uncle.
Max Fletcher
Max Fletcher, Wyatt’s wealthy brother, represents the affluent side of the family dynamic. His lavish graduation party is a prime example of the differences between him and Wyatt, with Max’s extravagant lifestyle standing in stark contrast to Wyatt’s more humble existence.
While Max’s wealth and success might initially make him seem out of touch with Wyatt’s down-to-earth nature, his relationship with Trista reveals a more supportive and compassionate side. Max’s interactions with his family show that despite his wealth, he shares deep familial connections and a sense of responsibility.
His protective nature toward his family, particularly when it comes to his niece Everly and her interactions with Trista, highlights his commitment to those he loves. Although his role in the narrative is more peripheral compared to Wyatt and Trista, Max’s presence adds another layer of complexity to the family dynamic, showcasing the tension between affluence and simplicity, and the different ways in which each family member expresses their love and care for one another.
Cozy
Cozy, Max’s wife and Wyatt’s sister-in-law, brings warmth and humor to the story, especially in her interactions with Trista. Her character contrasts with the more stoic and guarded personalities of the other characters, offering a nurturing and open-hearted presence in the narrative.
Cozy bonds with Trista over shared experiences of morning sickness, which helps Trista feel less isolated in her surrogacy journey. While Cozy’s role in the story is secondary to that of Wyatt and Trista, her character serves as a reminder of the deep familial support that surrounds Trista throughout her journey.
Cozy’s ability to offer kindness and understanding, particularly when Trista is grappling with her complex emotions, shows her to be a stabilizing force within the family unit, representing the love and care that can exist even in the midst of chaotic, unconventional situations.
Avery
Avery, Trista’s vet friend, plays a minor yet significant role in the story, especially in relation to Wyatt’s jealousy and protective instincts. His presence at the graduation party is one of the catalysts for Wyatt’s emotional turmoil, as he feels a surge of possessiveness over Trista.
Avery’s character is marked by his friendship with Trista, grounded in their shared professional world of animal care. While Avery is a positive influence on Trista, offering her support and helping her with the sick cow, his interactions with her only serve to highlight the growing emotional tension between her and Wyatt.
Although Avery is not as central to the plot as the primary characters, his role underscores the evolving dynamic between Trista and Wyatt, highlighting the complexities of Trista’s relationships and her struggle with attachment.
Themes
Family Bonds and Unconventional Relationships
The concept of family is central to the narrative, particularly how individuals can form meaningful, deeply connected family units even when traditional structures are not followed. Wyatt, the central figure, longs for fatherhood but without the entanglements of conventional family life.
This desire is partly driven by his complicated relationships with his own family, especially his brother’s custody battles. His quest for a surrogate is, at its core, an attempt to fill the gap left by his father’s death and his desire for a connection that transcends traditional family structures.
The book explores the notion that family can be created in unconventional ways, with emotional ties forged through shared experiences, mutual respect, and understanding, even if they are not born from biological connections. Trista, who enters the picture as a surrogate, initially keeps her distance emotionally but ultimately finds herself entangled in the complexities of Wyatt’s family.
Her relationship with him grows from a professional arrangement into something much more personal and emotional, forcing both characters to reconsider their boundaries and desires. Their evolving bond challenges traditional notions of family, demonstrating that the connections we make with others can be just as meaningful as those bound by blood.
Personal Growth and Emotional Vulnerability
Personal growth is a prominent theme as the characters confront their own fears, insecurities, and emotional walls. Wyatt’s journey is deeply tied to his need for control, a reaction to the loss of his father and the lack of a solid familial structure around him.
His desire for a child is not just about parenthood but about creating stability and overcoming the emotional void in his life. However, as his relationship with Trista deepens, he must confront his own emotional vulnerability.
This transformation is marked by his increasing willingness to let go of his need for control and allow his emotions to guide him. Trista’s emotional growth is equally significant.
Throughout the narrative, she battles with her own detachment and internalized trauma from a broken family. Initially, she views the surrogacy as a transactional arrangement, keeping her emotions at bay to avoid getting hurt.
Yet, as she bonds with Wyatt’s family and experiences the emotional complexities of carrying his child, she begins to confront her own fears of motherhood and family. Her internal journey is further highlighted by her interaction with her estranged sister, where she acknowledges her past traumas and the emotional walls she has built to protect herself.
The chapter where Trista feels the baby move for the first time becomes a pivotal moment, marking her transition from emotional detachment to a deep, real connection with the child she is carrying. Her growth culminates in a recognition that her relationship with Wyatt could evolve beyond the surrogacy, offering her the possibility of the family and love she has longed for.
Jealousy, Control, and Emotional Conflict
Wyatt’s jealousy is a recurring theme, particularly in the chapters where he becomes possessive of Trista and tries to control her actions, even though their relationship is not romantic at the outset. This jealousy is rooted in his deep feelings for her, which evolve beyond the professional arrangement they initially agreed upon.
Wyatt’s controlling tendencies surface when he becomes protective of Trista, especially in situations where she interacts with other men, like her vet friend Avery. The emotional tension between them grows as Trista challenges Wyatt’s behavior, asserting her independence and calling out his overprotectiveness.
Despite this, there is an undeniable attraction between the two, complicating their already complex arrangement. Trista’s teasing about her relationship with Avery only fuels Wyatt’s jealousy, creating a push-and-pull dynamic between the characters.
Trista, on the other hand, is emotionally conflicted. She is aware of Wyatt’s feelings but is hesitant to acknowledge her own because of the professional nature of their arrangement.
This internal conflict between attraction and the need to maintain boundaries creates an emotional depth to their relationship that is both fraught and passionate. The jealousy and control that emerge between them serve as manifestations of their deeper emotional struggles and the difficulty of reconciling their desires with the practicalities of their situation.
Self-Discovery and Overcoming Past Trauma
A key theme throughout the narrative is self-discovery, particularly as the characters work through their past traumas and learn to open up emotionally. Trista’s character is a reflection of someone who has been hurt by family dynamics and learned to protect herself by distancing from others.
Her relationship with her estranged sister, Vada, offers a glimpse into Trista’s complex emotional landscape, showing how her past has shaped her inability to trust or form close bonds. Her reluctance to embrace motherhood is deeply connected to her fear of repeating the mistakes of her own upbringing.
Yet, as the surrogacy progresses, Trista finds herself questioning these fears and confronting the possibility that she can be a good mother. This emotional shift is triggered not just by her developing bond with Wyatt but by the realization that her desire for a family is not something to run from, but something to embrace.
Wyatt’s journey is similarly rooted in his emotional past. His loss of his father and strained family relationships create a sense of isolation, which he seeks to overcome through the surrogacy.
However, as he grows closer to Trista, he begins to confront his own emotional vulnerabilities and the walls he has built around himself. His relationship with her forces him to reassess his desire for control and acknowledge that vulnerability is necessary for true connection.
Both characters undergo profound self-discovery as they navigate their complex emotional landscapes, ultimately finding healing and understanding through their shared experiences.
The Complexity of Modern Parenthood and Family Building
The theme of modern parenthood is explored through the unconventional lens of surrogacy. Wyatt’s desire to become a father, while avoiding the complications of marriage and co-parenting, challenges traditional notions of what it means to be a parent.
The narrative underscores the emotional and practical complexities of surrogacy, not just for the intended parent, but for the surrogate herself. Trista’s experience highlights the emotional toll that carrying a child for someone else can take, especially when the surrogate forms an emotional connection with the intended father.
The story also explores the impact of family dynamics on the decision to build a family in non-traditional ways. Wyatt’s family, despite their eccentricities and chaotic interactions, provide a supportive environment that contrasts with Trista’s own fractured family background.
The differences between their upbringings illustrate how family structures can vary greatly but still be meaningful. Wyatt’s growing feelings for Trista complicate their surrogacy arrangement, revealing the challenges that can arise when personal emotions become entangled with professional agreements.
The narrative ultimately presents the idea that modern parenthood is not confined to traditional methods but can be just as fulfilling when built on love, trust, and mutual respect, even if it is messy and complicated.