This is two early Debbie Macomber books put into one book. I had the enjoyment of listening to these stories on audiobook. They are somewhat dated however they are still good stories. The narrator did a great job. If you are looking for something quick and easy to listen to then you will enjoy this audiobook.

this is two stories by Debbie Macomber. as always a great story, I would perfer to read in book form, but this was a good audio version.

A two for 1 bargain. These are earlier works bundled into one book. Marriage of Inconvenience - Marriage of Inconvenience was a nice start to The Manning Sisters spin-off series, Those Manning Men. In Stand-In Wife, Leah Baker’s sister, Diane, dies. Diane leaves behind her husband, Paul, and three small children. Paul struggles to care for his family while working full-time. Leah steps in, helping whenever she can. Leah finally decides to quit her job and move in with Paul and his family. She wants to do this because she wants to care for her sister’s children. Since their mother is gone, they are struggling to adjust to their lives without their mom. Rich is a wonderful guy and a great friend to Jamie. He's known her since they worked together on the high school year book where they constantly butted heads, but once they worked through those differences, they became the best of friends. Rich has always been there for Jamie. He's the one person she knows she can call day or night if she needs someone to share her problems or help her out. Rich is very responsible and doesn't take Jamie's proposal to father her child lightly. I liked that he refused to simply be a sperm donor, but instead wanted to be involved every step of the way in the process. He also refuses to let Jamie bear the entire burden of pregnancy and raising a child alone. He wants to be a true father in every sense of the word and for that I admired him. The realization that he'd been in love with Jamie for a long time kind of sneaks up on him, but once he figures it out, he knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that he wants to be a permanent part of her life if she'll let him. These are clean and light reads following a series of brothers. 3.5 rounded up. If you are looking for a light read these might be for you. Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity.

I absolutely loved this book!! You get 2 books in one!! How can you neat that? Debbie Macomber is one of the best writers I absolutely love everything she writes!! Pick this book up today you will not be disappointed!!

I have been a LONG time fan of Debnie Macomber. My mom read her books and introduced them to me. I have reviewed many on here, as well as tweeting a thank to her directly after reading A Girls Guide to Moving On, so it TRULY breaks my heart to say this.

In the world that we live in, the re-publishing/re-packaging of these books just feel very discouraging and damning to females. It feels absolutely nothing like the woman who wrote The Forgetful Bride and The Girls to Moving on to name a few.

In Marriage of Inconvenience Jamie claims there is something wrong Bill because he was divorced. Bill thinks similar of Jamie for her age and still being single. Rich says some very 1950s style things to Jamie like of "kids deserve two parents" and "i don't want my child born a bastard" etc. If my siblings and I had continued to "live with 2 parents" I don't think we'd still be alive. 2 parents doesn't always mean "the best". So much of this I listened to sped up because I was so uncomfortable and heart broken by the antiquaited ideals and I kept hoping for redemption to get none. Rich calling his brother Paul who gave the stellar advice of women expecting men to read their mind and if his wife tries to seduce him for another child and he ignores her advances by "not making love with her, I'm the one that suffers" VOMIT. ABSOLUTELY NOT.

I made it BARELY 2 chapters in to Paul's story (wow, someone I totally wanted to know more about after his absolutely wonderful first appearance *hard eye roll*) before I had to make the choice to stop putting myself through this. Side note, the narrator said Paul's twins were born 6 months premature and I don't know if that is correct. Seems WAY too young to me but I'm not a medical expert.

I will always LOVE and appreciate my favorite Debbie books but this is so not it for me. With the climate we are currently living in in 2025 it just perpetuates the ideals that women need men, women are too emotional and women need to apologize for all these things. I'm truly broken and discouraged after this.

Debbie Macomber does not have a bigger fan than me. I just finished listening to Springtime Sunshine. As I expected, I loved it.

This book contains two book originally published in 1992. They are sweet romances and can be read by any age reader. The stories are unsophisticated and simple to follow.

I listened to the audio version and the narrator was quite good.

Springtime Sunshine is two books in one. Both books have the same characters but each book is about a different Manning brother. Each book is told from the main characters point of view flipping between the man and the woman in each story. Both stories have some conflict as they are each dealing with different relationship issues. It is a light-hearted book. I enjoyed listening to this audio while I was driving and also while doing other activities like crocheting.

Well first off. The totally didn’t pay attention to that this book is not one but two books in one

It starts off with one couple and the aspiration that they would like to do in life. And then leads us into another couple

I thought this was quite a sweet book and would like to recommend if you would like to relax into a gentle read.

This book does deal with a death after pregnancy. But if you are ok with that I would definitely recommend this book to you

Two separate stories of couples who come to their marriages in a different way. One going for the child first and one having the child and then the marriage. I know that some people follow these paths to paternity or marriage but I also know that marriage should not be taken lightly and should only happen when love comes first in my opinion.
That being said, you could not help but root for the couples and hope for the best. The narrator was perfect for this genre. Thank you #NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Marriage of Inconvenience and Stand-In Wife are sweet, heartwarming entries in Debbie Macomber’s Those Manning Men series, filled with relatable characters and emotional depth.

Marriage of Inconvenience

Marriage of Inconvenience kicks off the spin-off series with a charming “friends-to-lovers” tale. Rich and Jamie, best friends tired of failed relationships, agree to a marriage of convenience to have a child through artificial insemination. However, their plan derails as they begin to fall in love.

Rich is a dependable, thoughtful hero who takes Jamie’s proposal seriously, refusing to simply be a sperm donor. He’s a man who wants to be fully involved in their child’s life, and his gradual realization of his love for Jamie was touching. Jamie, on the other hand, is strong and independent, but her stubbornness and poor communication sometimes cause unnecessary conflict. Both characters misinterpret each other’s actions, leading to frustrating misunderstandings, but their chemistry and eventual vulnerability shine through.

The supporting cast, including Rich’s brothers Paul and Jason, adds depth to the story and sets up future books. While the repetitive misunderstandings kept it from being a standout for me, Marriage of Inconvenience was still an enjoyable, lighthearted read that left me eager to continue the series.

Stand-In Wife

Stand-In Wife shifts focus to Paul, Rich’s widowed brother, who is left to care for his three young children after his wife’s tragic death. When his late wife’s sister, Leah, moves in to help, their shared grief and growing affection lead to a marriage of convenience that blossoms into love.

Paul’s guilt and grief are palpable, and his struggle to balance parenthood and unexpected feelings for Leah is compelling. Leah’s selflessness and love for her sister’s children make her a relatable and admirable heroine, though her insecurity—rooted in feeling overshadowed by her more vibrant sister—adds complexity. Their emotional journey is touching, but like the first book, their lack of communication creates unnecessary tension.

Despite some frustrating moments of miscommunication, the romance is tender, and their bond feels genuine. The book captures themes of healing, family, and finding love after loss, making it a moving continuation of the series.

Final Thoughts

Both novels are sweet, character-driven romances that highlight love, family, and second chances. While the misunderstandings and lack of communication occasionally hinder the pacing, the heartfelt emotions and likable characters make the stories worthwhile. Macomber’s skillful setup of future books in the series leaves readers eager to see where Those Manning Men will go next.

I absolutely love Debbie Macomber and she is always one of those authors when a new book comes out, I stop what I'm doing and read it. That's why it pains me so much to give a 2 star and a review to go with it.

There's a big difference in her writing from early on to where she is now and so when a "new" book gets released, I mad the mistake that most readers do.... I assumed it was NEW-NEW and not a republish of early works with a little "polish" and a different name. Now, if I "dug a little deeper" would I have realized this prior, yes - however, in my defense - it's Debbie Macomber and I never dig deeper - I just read.

I am not a fan of bodice rippers or the like and her newer books, although romance are considered "clean reads" or Hallmark style reading and this was not the sort. I only listened through half of the first book before I couldn't listen any more - it was more than I bargained for with my reading. I wish when authors write differently from the beginning of their careers, I wish there was not necessarily a warning label but something on the front cover to say - a retelling or something to that. That way,, if you already read it, you know this or if you are like me, love the author, just not their early works, I know to pass and not get disappointed.

The Marriage of Inconvenience has two best friends Rich and Jamie deciding to have a baby with no strings attached- except for the fact that they will get married and then divorced. However, things get messy when their feelings get in the way. I found myself getting a bit frustrated with the characters as they needed to talk to each other! It would have been a quick fix.
The second book, Stand in Wife, has Leah moving into the home of Paul, her brother-in-law assisting with his family after the unexpected death of her sister. Leah and Paul begin to have feelings for each other, but they are fraught with guilt. What will they do with their feelings?
Once again, if they had talked it would have helped a great deal. Ugh.
The narration by Lisa Zimmerman was well done.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.