Mortgage of Convenience by Dani McLean is a captivating, heartwarming romance that hooks you from the first page. The story follows two characters who enter into a marriage of convenience, only to find that their fake relationship starts to feel more real than they ever expected. McLean delivers a perfect balance of humor, emotion, and sizzling chemistry, making the slow-burn romance a delight to read. The characters are well-developed, with relatable flaws and growth, and the plot is full of heart and surprises. This book is a fun, engaging read that will keep you hooked until the very end. Highly recommend!

Review of Mortgage of Convenience by Dani McLean – ★★★★★

Mortgage of Convenience is a delightful blend of humor, romance, and self-discovery that I wish I’d had in my 20s. Bee Montgomery’s journey from a shy ghostwriter to embracing her dreams and self-love is both inspiring and relatable.

Sebastian Wolfe, her brother’s best friend, is the perfect mix of charm and complexity, making their chemistry sizzle off the pages. Also he is just HOT! Their “mortgage of convenience” arrangement was fun and brought unexpected warmth and genuine connection and showed the care they have for each other at the start of the story.

Dani McLean’s witty dialogue and engaging storytelling create a sexy, smart, and lovely narrative about finding your voice and navigating life on your own. This book is a heartfelt reminder that sometimes, the path to acceptance and happiness is found through unexpected partnerships.

— TL;DR: A charming romantic comedy about self-love and unexpected connections, this sexy story is a must-read for anyone seeking inspiration and joy!

(3.5⭐️)

Let me just start with that I really connected with the FMC, which made the story feel surprisingly relatable. 😍 She’s finding herself as an adult, learning by trial and error, which felt very true to life. The romance was sweet, and the MMC was loving and supportive 🥰 There were some wonderful, thought-provoking moments, but a few parts felt unnecessary and slowed down the pacing.

My main frustration with this book was with the inconsistent “open door” policy. The book has a open door policy, BUT more often than not it would build up to spicy scenes, but then suddenly close the door, making the scenes feel incomplete 🥵 I don’t need everything on the page, but if there’s so much buildup, it’s disappointing when the moment abruptly cuts away.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and found it to be an easy read with some memorable parts, but these issues kept me from rating it higher 🤍

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

She’s a ghost writer with a secret personal project, he’s a former male stripper and also her older brother’s best friend. In an impulsive moment, Bee helps Sebastian buy a house, turning them into longing roommates.
This book is 5/5 spicy open door. Lots of great tropes we all like. Low conflict which leads to a light and fun read.
Thank you NetGalley and Dani McLean for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

1.5

Mortgage of Convenience follows Bee as she moves back home after five years of being away. She has drunkenly pitched a book idea to her agent, and hungover and panicked she returns home, at the same time running from her deadline and hoping to find something to make her go for it. Now, Bee has to deal with seeing her long-time crush Sebastian (who is her brother's best friend) as well as find a way to work around her own insecurities and take control of her own life.

I went into this book expecting it to be a cute rom-com type of book, something that reads lightly and quickly and taking it just at face-value this is that, however, my biggest complaint here is that the story lacked substance but also seemed to drag incredibly. The pacing was really off, and there was a lot of telling and not showing, especially in regard to the characters' relationships. More than once we were just supposed to believe there was a significant relationship between them when it wasn't established whatsoever.

Bee is an interesting main character to follow. She is riddled with insecurities, and she seemingly has no ways or coping mechanisms to deal with them. In the beginning, it seemed to me like we were going to watch her gradually get better at dealing with her feelings, but it did seem a bit lacklustre overall. There comes a point near the end where she makes significant progress, however the amount of repetition of her not having a backbone (specifically with her friendship with Morgan) was getting annoying to read about. I did enjoy the overall discussion of facing a time where you have to break up a long friendship, as that is something that is extremely difficult to do, but there was something lacking in the execution.

The main focus of the novel is definitely the relationship between Bee and Sebastian, and I can't say I enjoyed it too much. I felt as if there was nothing done to establish how they feel about each other, how well they know each other. At moments I thought they were mere acquaintances and at others it seemed as though they used to be extremely close before Bee moved away. Their relationship progresses as Bee offers to give Sebastian half of the money for a house he intends to buy, and the two move in together as roommates. This, again, seemed so abrupt as I was assuming they weren't even that close. From that point onwards, most of the plot is them thinking about having sex (or having sex) and while I do think Sebastian was more interesting and better fleshed out than Bee, man did he have some cringy lines.

Another weirdly unexplained relationship was between Bee and her brother, Aiden. For the majority of the novel it is clear they both wish to have a better, closer relationship and yet somehow they both end up missing the mark every time they try establishing it. We spend a lot of the novel guessing why that is so, and only find out at the end (we are just told the reason, but I think it could've been introduced into the story more organically). I did enjoy the fact that this story didn't take the "overprotective brother" route, and quite differently to most, Aiden was more worried about Sebastian than Bee (which was for a good reason too, I think).

Most of the book is just Bee and Sebastian being horny for each other, and while there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, without having their connection established and the rest of the plot pushed to the side so this could be the main focus, I really couldn't manage to care about their relationship too much. There was very few other things happening, Bee was trying to deal with her insecurities regarding her work and self-worth, and I think shining more light on those in a more substantial way would've added some (quite needed) depth to the novel.

As always, these are just my thoughts, and maybe I have simply expected something different than what the book delivered, so if you are interested in this book, do not let my review stop you!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ebook in exchange for a review!

I liked all the pieces in here, but just didn't love how they were all put together. every time there was a cute moment, it was too quickly followed up by a smutty line.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Bee and Sebastian. Sebastian is Bee’s brother best friend. Bee comes back home. Bee goes with Sebastian to the bank to hear about his mortgage application. The bank informs him that he needs more cash to get the mortgage. When Bee hears this she tells Sebastian that she has twenty thousand dollars he can have with her being on the mortgage too they agree. There is an attraction. They each have issues it together they work them out and fall in love.

Loved this book and the characters. Sebastian is the ultimate book boyfriend and I really enjoyed the relationship between him and Bee.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

2.5 🌟!

I went into this book because I loved the cover it was so so cute hehe and the tropes had me in a chokehold so I really wanted to read it!

However, when I got into the book, there was a lot happening. I was genuinely a bit confused as to what was happening but I was sort of bored as well? I'm not sure as to how I felt. the wolf part icked me out....

tropes:
-`✮´- brother's best friend
-`✮´- forced proximity
-`✮´- age gap
thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Shy ghostwriter Bee Montgomery finds herself in a challenging predicament after a night of too many drinks leads her to pitch her secret debut novel to her agent. The next morning, she wakes up with a hangover and a looming deadline—something particularly daunting for someone with a debilitating fear of rejection.

Returning home after five years, Bee has nothing but a suitcase of secrets and a dream she’s not quite sure she’s ready to chase. What she really needs is someone to help her navigate the overwhelming task ahead. Enter Sebastian Wolfe, her brother’s best friend. Sebastian is a man who’s spent his twenties avoiding commitment and his life trying to be the man his father never was. Though he’s a sexy ex-stripper with a rough exterior, Sebastian harbours dreams of a white picket fence and a place to call his own.

When Sebastian comes up short on a deposit for a house, Bee offers the rest in exchange for his help to get over her stage fright. What begins as a simple arrangement to achieve their respective goals quickly turns into something more as they strip away each other’s inhibitions and reveal hidden desires. But as Bee’s deadline approaches, she must decide whether to continue playing house or face the realities of her life and career.

Tropes
- Friends to Lovers
- Brother’s Best Friend
- Stage Fright/Overcoming Fears
- Found Family/Support

It is a heartfelt romance that beautifully blends humour, emotional depth, and sizzling chemistry. Bee’s journey from a timid ghostwriter to someone willing to chase her dreams is both relatable and inspiring. The dynamic between her and Sebastian is electric, filled with tension and tenderness as they help each other overcome their pasts and insecurities.

The story shines in its exploration of vulnerability, particularly through Bee’s struggles with stage fright and fear of rejection. Sebastian’s character provides the perfect counterbalance with his fears of commitment and desire for stability. Their relationship unfolds naturally, with moments of genuine connection that make their eventual romance all the more satisfying.

MOC is a delightful read for fans of contemporary romance with a touch of self-discovery. The combination of relatable characters, steamy romance, and emotional growth makes it a compelling story about taking chances on life and love. Dani McLean has crafted a narrative that is as heartwarming as it is sexy, making it a perfect pick for romance enthusiasts.

A decent contemporary romance. This is brother's best friend, forced proximity. For romance reasons, Bee and Seb co-sign on a mortgage for a house, and move in together, and eventually act on feelings they've been having for a while. This book is fine - brother's best friend can be tricky for me, and this was no exception, but your mileage may vary.

*3.5⭐️
I really liked the general storyline. I love brother’s best friend and forced proximity, so I really liked the relationship between Bee and Sebastian! There were so many adorable moments of them helping the other grow, whether that was Bee’s self doubt or Sebastian’s fear of turning out like his father and learning to forgive. I also thought that they had really good chemistry.

My main issue with the book is that it felt unedited. There were so many things that seemed to contradict themselves. I think the most glaring thing was when on one page, Seb said that he found closure while on THE NEXT PAGE he said that he was nowhere near closure. There would also be times where the characters would think the same thought in three different paragraphs in a row, just phrased differently! There were also just a lot of plot holes. Like how I figured this would be set in Australia, with the mentioning of cities I’ve never heard of and the fact that the author is from AU. However, then things like the CIA would be mentioned and as an American, I was so confused.

I think the most annoying part that could easily be edited was how as readers, we were just dropped into scenes. Like I felt like one sentence, we were in a coffee shop. The next, we were at their house. Then the next, we were at a club. It felt like nothing was ever explained. Also characters were just randomly added. One second, an Aiden/Cassie romance was being teased. Then a Cassie/Bella’s-random-cousin romance was being teased. Then at the end of the book, we were back to Aiden/Cassie but with no explanation of if they had met each other at all. I was so confused. I actually felt whiplash at times.

Overall, I do think this has the makings of a great book, I just think it could really use more editing.

"Mortgage of Convenience" by Dani McLean is a captivating 4-star read that masterfully blends the elements of a brother's best friends, age gap, and spicy romance. Central to the plot is Sebastian, a bisexual former stripper grappling with his sexuality, whose vulnerability adds depth to the story. Bee, a successful ghostwriter, faces her own struggles with a debilitating fear of rejection while navigating the complexities of the end of a friendship. McLean's intricate character development and the sizzling chemistry between the protagonists make this novel an engaging and thought-provoking journey into love and self-discovery.

Thank you to Netfallry and Publishers for giving me a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This follows Bee & her brother's best friend, Sebastian, who she's always had a crush on. Bee is a ghost writer who drunkenly sent a proposal to her boss for her own book and then ran back home to try and figure it all out. Sebastian has been trying to prove he isn't his dad for years and is struggling to get approved for a loan to buy a home. Bee ends up staying with Sebastian and finds herself agreeing to co-signing on the mortgage.

I love a forced proximity trope. I really connected with Bee as a character. She's got huge imposter syndrome and seems to just not know exactly how to take charge confidently and do what she CAN do to make herself happy. I like that we get dual POV. The smut was great. There were a few moments where I cringed - one being pet name (angel) and also there was a line about Sebastian marking what was his or something like that long before the smut. I really really really liked that the social drinking was touched on, as someone who is 35 and over the drinking crap that seems to be the norm for literally every adult. It's odd being a nondrinker. I think it was handled as best it could have been handled. Also the side characters are great. Hope we get to see Bee's brother's story in the future. Overall, a great read.

I liked the premise and the characters of this book, but unfortunately it was not well executed for me. The constant philosophical groundbreaking conversations were far too overwrought, and it felt like the characters jumped headfirst into this kind of baring-all relationship far too soon. I didn't believe in the connection and I felt like the secrets Bee was keeping were kept from the readers for far too long. There were some beautiful parts, but they were overshadowed and hard to distinguish as the whole book was written as if it was the I-can't-hold-this-in-any-longer-I-love-you confession.

Bee and Sebastian have known each other for years. He is the best friend to her older brother. There is an age gap, so Bee always believed Sebastian never really "saw" her or took her too seriously. What she doesn't know is that he does see her, and he has for a long time. He just didn't want to make a move and upset her brother.

When Bee runs back to her hometown to lock herself away to write her own novel (she works as a ghost writer), she stays with her brother until she can find a place of her own. When Sebastian offers to take her on some errands, he asks to stop at the bank first to talk about his mortgage loan application. From there, their two worlds not only collide, but become so intwined, it would be devastating to try to pull them apart. Bee ends up moving in with Sebastian, as a co-owner of his new home. She is determined to stay out of his way, lock herself in her room, and write her book. He has other plans...he wants to bring her out of her shell.

Bee and Sebastian both have issues they need to work through. Sebastian is a slow, patient man willing to come where she is, to push her to believe in herself. Bee is more stubborn, doesn't want help, and wants to flee from her feelings. I wish her energy matched his a little bit, and I wish there was a bit more reasoning behind her very, very severe insecurities. I think Sebastian had more to overcome, yet his is such a golden retriever. The cover of the book is AMAZING, and overall the premise of the book was cute. It was just lacking in a lot of areas for me.

steamy and dreamy, and just what I needed to get out of a reading rut. love the two leads' unexpected chemistry and how their relationship develops so naturally.

2.5. There are a lot of elements, but they aren't all very cohesive.

Honestly, the book touched on more than I expect, from sobriety to friendships and then hitting what the characters mainly struggled with. Some of it, such as the friendship with Morgan, was nice because such topics in aren't normally in the books I read, but it also slowed the pacing down considerably.

The romance was completely meh. Both characters were into each other and always thinking about sex, so there was no tension pushing them/keeping them together. The only thing "convenient" about their shared mortgage was that it let them have way too many spicy scenes. Waaay too many. (Especially since some were kind of awkward both in descriptions and words, so it wasn't really working for me.)

There is no third-act breakup, and this is the first time I've ever actually said I think there should be a third-act breakup. Bee and Sebastian's relationship is entirely too relaxed and simple and easy, and the only factors that McLean tried to use to bring tension were their inner monologues worrying they aren't put together enough for the other. I mean, even the possibility of Bee having to move away for work tried to bring emotions out of readers, but it just felt flat and didn't go anywhere emotionally. Even the characters' emotions didn't go anywhere, as whatever they were feeling was mentioned for a bit before they had sex and it went away.

Some things I liked, such as Bee's growth as a character, but the rest of it didn't work well with the other elements. The idea is there, though.

thank you Netgalley for the arc