I really wanted to like this book but unfortunately it didn’t work for me. Transitions between scenes are often confusing - locations seem to change or folks come into or leave scenes without being named, leading me to reread often trying to figure out what I’d missed. Additionally, the duality of Bee’s character didn’t quite work for me - that she was so confident in some arenas and not in others. In theory it could work, but it didn’t seem to be applied in a consistent way.

This was a new-to-me author and I'm not sure I will read her work again. MORTGAGE OF CONVENIENCE was a decent read, but I felt needed to get edited down significantly.

There's an entire side-plot of breaking off a toxic friend friendship that did nothing for the story but slow it down significantly. There's enough personal growth happening with this character that this plot was unnecessary and just dragged.

There also wasn't really a major conflict here. The entire thing standing in the way of Bee and Sebastian being together is the very slow confronting of their individual hesitations and a brother who doesn't even remotely care that these two are together romantically.

There was great chemistry between Bee and Sebastian. And I loved that there was a bisexual main character, but otherwise MORTGAGE OF CONVENIENCE was pretty lackluster.

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️⭐️💫
𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: Rated R / 2-4 descriptive sex scenes, may have harsh language.
𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦: alcoholism, past verbally abusive parent
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗦: 2/5 - A bit of drama, but still a pretty light read.

Forced proximity and best friend's sibling are a couple of my favorite tropes. I like how MORTAGE OF CONVENIENCE executes both of them. However, while it has all the ingredients to make a fantastic book, it just falls short. It starts out strong but then the pace slows down and drags on too long. Sebastian is a very interesting and layered individual and I really enjoy his character. Bee is a little more naïve and searching for her way. I tend to like stronger. more assertive female characters. Overall, solid read, beautiful cover, but not a 5 star read for it.

SOO happy with this book! i felt like the relationship between the characters and the storyline just made sense. I really enjoyed the flow and monologue between the characters. I enjoyed the angst between Bee and Sebastian and how their relationship had some sexual tension from the beginning. One of my favourite tropes is brothers best friend and this book did not disappoint. The connection the characters had and the honest conversations that they had truly brought their relationship to life! I found this book extremely easy to read and enjoy without dragging at any parts!

Like every good romance book I've read lately, Bee Montgomery flees from her life in the big city and returns home to her small town to find comfort while piecing herself back together. She's a ghostwriter who no longer wants to be hidden, so her best friend, Morgan, gets Bee a bit tipsy and convinces her to submit the idea for her own book. Now Bee is afraid that she's wrecked her whole career, but even worse than that is that the publisher said yes to the pitch! But after years of hiding who she is, fearful of disappointing the people she loves, Bee is determined to become confident and let that shine through.

Enter Sebastian Wolfe, the guy who is working hard to turn his life around and make something of himself. After years spent partying, drinking, and waking up with strangers in his bed, Sebastian decides that he's ready to settle down and have the life he's always wanted, and maybe he's missed his chance, but he's going to try damn hard to get it. He has worked for six years to buy his dream house, only to fall through because of some financial details. Luckily, he's best friends with Aiden, Bee's older brother, and owns the couch that Bee crashed on her first night back home. Being a good big brother, Aiden needs Seb to drive Bee back to where she's staying…right after, he stops at the bank to see about buying his dream house.

One thing leads to another, and after hearing about his dream house and the little bump in the road, Bee hops in and helps Sebastian out. Now she owns a home with her brother's best friend, who happens to be her crush for the last decade, while in the middle of a quarter-life crisis. After a few weeks of working on her new book and getting reacquainted with small-town life, Bee sees all this as a blessing, especially after meeting her new buddy, Cassie, who likes to read as much as she does.

As Bee and Sebastian grow closer, Bee also learns that she doesn't need to be who people expect her to be: the party girl who loves to drink every night and hates her job and is basically a carbon copy of shallow Morgan. Instead, she can be herself, which is a million times better, and still have fun.

Besides loving this book, the cover, and the overall vibes, this was a great romance book because it was fun. Also, it already got bonus points from me because it is a dual POV, and it's broken up into chapters! Along with this, a content warning at the beginning of the book, which we love, talks about topics that some might find sensitive. Make sure to read this before continuing to read the book. It's not a big deal, but being prepared for what you're walking into is nice.

First off, this book is an excellent example of bisexual representation! Sebastian repeatedly talks about his journey of accepting his sexuality while not feeling "queer enough" since, while he's attracted to men, he doesn't want a romantic relationship with men. This was perfect! It accurately depicts what happens in real life in the queer community, especially for those who identify as bisexual but don't feel "bi enough." There's no language that puts Seb down for this preference or shaming because of it. Also, the queer bar/spicy club, which is where he used to dance and now bartends on the weekends, is giving everything. This open, loving, and accepting place needs to exist in reality. It's so safe and doesn't give weird vibes, instead allowing a safe space for people to be themselves.

Another aspect of the book handled gracefully is why people might choose sobriety. Bee deals with the downward spiral of her friendship with Morgan, and Seb is there to help give words to the feelings that are coming up. Does she ever hang out with Morgan where drinking isn't involved? Does she even like drinking? Sebastian has chosen to be sober and doesn't judge others for choosing to drink. He's a bartender, for goodness sake! But the safe space and characters, like Cassie and Seb, provide a safe space for Bee to discuss and decide for herself. This is something that is a sore spot for many people, and normalizing choosing not to drink alcohol is important.

Morgan is a crap friend. Just because you've been besties since high school doesn't mean that you have to die in the same nursing home together, holding hands. And Bee realizes that this friendship no longer serves her or brings her joy. All Morgan wants to do is drink and talk trash! At one point, she even manipulates Bee into thinking some girls at a club are making fun of the way Bee looks, which, to Bee's horror, is not true once she confronts the girls. When Bee goes to break up with Morgan officially, she is horrible once again and pulls all of the guilt-tripping narcissist crap right back out. These break-ups are almost worse than real break-ups, and this is handled beautifully in the book. All the feelings were worked through, and Bee's inner monologue allowed insight into how she handled it in a healthy, respectful way. She didn't trash Morgan but instead said why this was happening.

Holy cow, this is a deliciously spicy book. Sebastian is a tattooed, bearded plant dad who wants only to worship Bee. Bee is pretty kinky herself. It was amazing! Also, it used actual sex language during these scenes, which is always preferred (by me, at least) because it allows for clear understanding and acceptance.

There's so much more to these characters, like how Seb's mother was able to escape a rapidly escalating abusive marriage that allowed him to see what he didn't want his family to look like. This fear was deeply rooted in Sebastian, and his inner monologue through the story was how while he was afraid of turning into his father, he was determined not to because he wanted a better life and to be a better man. Bee is the baby of the family by eight years and feels as if she needs to follow in Aiden's perfect steps, to only be perfect and do what is expected of her. Not to cause problems or freak anyone out. This change in perspective is shown by Bee wanting to hide her relationship with Sebastian from Aiden rather than tell him right away. They had to build up that trust before she was able to fully be herself to her only sibling.

Overall, Mortgage of Convenience is a fantastic romance book to enjoy if you're looking for something that has depth but doesn't go too deep.

Thank you to Victory Editing for allowing me to be an early reader of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Mortgage of Convenience by Dani McLean is scheduled to be released on February 27, 2024.

This book was very cute! I loved the premise. It was well written, but it took me a few sittings to get through.

Lots of potential here. This was a cute little romcom about a ghostwriter who wants to step out of the shadows and her older brother’s best friend who get thrown together in homeownership. Bee helps Sebastian with the home loan and his traumatic childhood, Sebastian helps Bee with her confidence and writing under her own name.

However, the whole book had a disjointed feel to it. Scenes would randomly start and I had no idea how we got there. Plus, some of the characterization felt off. Sebastian was pretty fleshed out, but Bee was a little off-kilter. There were so many character traits and anxiety symptoms that she displayed, but it never felt cohesive and often her character would read at odds with itself over the course of chapters.

Also, I just have to say that the whole catalyst of their relationship was the most unbelievable thing I have ever read (and I’ve read some unrealistic things!). You’re telling me that this passing acquaintance that you’re giving a ride home refuses to wait in the car so she sits in on your mortgage meeting? I could never.

Anyway, this was cute and sweet, but also didn’t make a ton of sense at times!

5 stars. I expected the book to be good, but I liked it even more than I expected!

Bee is a writer who needs support to know how to be visible - she is always used to being a little invisible, because she used to work as a ghost writer. Sebastian is the best friend of Bee's older brother, who wants to buy a house. Bee and Sebastian end up helping each other and buy a house together and become roommates. It was wonderful to watch Bee and Sebastian's house turn into a home.

There were many things I liked about the book. The main characters were interesting and quite realistic. Both had their own burdens from the past to carry, and together they got through those things as well. The book dealt with important issues - mental health, alcohol use (or refusing it), and who are the kind of people you want to keep present in your life.

I really enjoyed this book and will definitely read this book again.

WHAT TO WAIT:
* Age gap
* Dirty talk
* Dual pov
* Forced proximity
* Hea
* Big brother’s best friend
* Steamy

Got lucky enough to get the ARC for this!
Brothers best friend, roommates to lovers and no 3rd act breakup! Tell me less! Loved seeing the complexity of outgrowing a friendship, that is not something we often see. It was really well represented. I loved plant daddy Sebastian! This was super cute and enjoyed every minute of reading this!

⭐️: 3.75/5
🌶️: 4/5
Format: 📱

This was a really good one! McLean's biggest strengths are in creating situations that are realistic and relatable, and in the spice. Those spicy scenes are putting in the work! 🥵 Overall, this is a perfect cozy romance. There's no giant dramatic climax--rather, the plot and development work together to get you toward the characters' resolution in a way that feels closer to real life.

What I loved most was that the FMC, Bee, struggles with things that could be considered mundane, next to a fantasy or epic novel, but in everyday reality, are intense stuggles that a lot of people face. Through her writing, McLean shows us healthy ways to deal with our own baggage and trauma, and how we can do hard things. Bee works to get out of her own way in an internal development arc, but also deals with growing out of a close friendship, and how to act and have hard conversations around it.

We also see something that I'm personally really happy to see represented, which is a character working through drinking culture. I've had a period of my life where I was sober for medical reasons, and societal pressure to drink is astronomical. Everyone pushes you to do it. So to see main characters who talked freely about the choice to not drink was really refreshing.

The spice itself was great. We get some really good descriptive scenes, a couple that are some good fantasy fodder, and we get a lot of it!!

Some things that weren't my favorite were the pacing and setting development. A lot of the beginning of the book felt very sudden and quick, and I was missing more transition between events at that beginning there. Throughout, there were a couple scene shifts that were a little abrupt as well, but nothing too intense.

This was such a cute book.

I love the romance and that the spice didn’t overwhelm the story line. It was just enough.

Sebastian is definitely such a wonderful character and I love how he helps Bee embrace her true shelf so she is able to be comfortable with who she is.

They are such a cute couple and I love how their relationship unfolds.

This was a really cute read!! I enjoyed reading about Bee and Seb discovering their feelings for each other. I struggled in the beginning with Seb's immediate attraction to Bee, it seemed like it came out of nowhere. However, it was just a really cute love story and I am so glad I read it.

Bee is a ghostwriter who moves back to her hometown to write her first self authored book. Sebastian, her brother’s best friend and her secret longtime crush, is trying to purchase his first home and Bee volunteers to buy in to help him afford it

There were things I really liked about this book. I enjoyed the writing, it was smart and entertaining. The open door scenes were were super steamy and the initial tension and pining gripped me. I just didn’t feel any type of way about Sebastian. I didn’t dislike him, but I can’t say I felt strongly for him either. I think given his past and relationship with his dad he was overcompensating on always being calm and instead he was just flat. I wanted more personality from him. There was also some redundancy, mainly with inner monologues from both characters. At one point I had to check that I was on the right chapter because I felt like I’d already read what was in front of me. Bee was self deprecating so often that it started to wear me down. I did enjoy this author’s witty writing in general and I’d be interested to read more in the future.

Thank you Netgalley and Victory Editing for this ARC in exchange for my review!

I thought it started off great and then I wanted to claw my eyes out (respectfully).

When I saw the book, I thought the cover art was adorable and that the plot summary drew me in because I am a huge fan of this type of trop! The book just was not as good as it is set up to seem.

There was way too much happening all at once for it to be enjoyable and the writing was in all honesty, messy.

I'm sure this book is not a reflection on the authors talents, and maybe this book was just not for me. I will still be looking at her other works to see if there's something else she has written that may fit better.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The book proved to be a challenging read for me, taking longer than expected to finish, despite its relatively fast-paced nature. While the plot unfolded swiftly, especially in terms of romance, it might appeal more to those seeking a quicker narrative. If you're a fan of rapid storytelling, this book might be a good fit, but if you're into slow-burn romance, you might want to steer clear.

Here are some excerpts from the book that stood out to me:

"How much time do you have?"
"For you? The rest of my life."

"Your dreams are valid, Bee. More than that, they're as beautiful as the dreamer. Don't dull them for others, and don't stifle yourself from chasing them."

"He built a bookcase. More than that, they're about as beautiful as the dreamer. Don't dull them for others, and don't stifle yourself from chasing them."

Overall, the ARC approval brought excitement, and the cover design played a significant role in piquing my interest. It's clear that visual elements can be influential in attracting readers.

Another reader shares their enthusiasm after receiving the ARC, expressing eagerness to dive into the book. The use of emojis adds a lively touch, underscoring the anticipation.

In contrast, there's a more critical review that acknowledges a love for the author but notes that this particular book fell short. The critique centers around the cohesion of the love story, changes in writing style, and issues with storytelling. While positive elements like queer representation, sobriety talk, and mental health discussions are acknowledged, they are considered not thoroughly explored.

The final part of the review provides insights into the plot, character dynamics, and themes, hinting at a slow-burn, brother's best friend trope, inner monologue, and self-doubt. The reader appreciates certain aspects but expresses a desire for a more robust plot and a better-developed romance.

Dani Mclean has me since fake relationship/mortage brother best friend trope but what kills and defeats me are the incredible characters, and how they contrast with the story. I'm struggling to find the right words to review this book, all I think is "it's great, incredible, amazing”.
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I love each Dani Mclean character, I have read the series of novels and her previous series The cocktail series, and her characters are perfect to get lost in its pages and fall in love again and again
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But with this book my mouth was completely open, I don't know from what magical place Sebastian Wolfe came from but I hope the door remains open. If no one else talks about how perfect cinamon roll bookboyfriend he is, they read the wrong book.
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Bee returned to her hometown in search of a little time away to face difficult things in her carrer, nothing better than returning to the place where one feels safest. But when she arrives things are not as expected and on an outing with her best friend she ends up sleeping at her brother's house in front of her best friend and former crush.
With a few years of distance she thought that everything had been left behind but being close and seeing him on the verge of an anxiety attack the first thing that occurs to her is to jump to help him, even if it brings unexpected consequences such as confessing the truth behind her return and end up in living together, accepting each new challenge he can think of
.
This book filled my heart and made me want to continue reading more prologues. I really loved them.
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I felt so much for Bee, my heart completely understood her, and sometimes it is harder to break up with friends and family than with a partner. They are difficult situations to face that leave wounds that are very difficult to heal and it is very difficult to regain confidence to make new relationships.That's why Sebastian is perfect, and she is perfect for him.
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I loved this book and hope it's the first in a series, maybe? hopefully..
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Thanks to Dani Mclean for give a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion
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Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this!
I thought this was a really cute 'close proximity' trope about an aspiring author, Bee, and her brothers best friend, Sebastian. They've had secret feelings for each other for years, and buying a house together immediately starts to fan those flames. This is very spicy, quick moving, and really sweet. It's LGBTQ+ forward and supportive.
If you're looking for something incredibly profound I don't think this is it. It does try a bit with touching on bisexuality, sobriety lifestyle, defining friendships...but I'm not sure that any of those B story lines really hit home as hard as they could? There are snippets here and there that are great but alot of those underplots are really muddled. I also don't entirely get why Sebastian needed to 'help' Bee? The driving tension there, other than to get them to hook up, is really lacking.
But if you like spice (it is SPICY) and just a cute rom-com, this does the trick!

Mortgage of Convenience by Dani McLean
POV: Dual
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶🌶
Tropes: Brother’s Best Friend, Minor Age Gap, Hero MMC, Force Proximity, LGBTQ+, Slow Burn.

Let me start off this review by saying that I really enjoyed this book. I first requested it because of the cover (it’s too gorgeous for words!!) and I was hooked from page one. Bee and Sebastian just have the sweetest most genuine relationship and it really plays out well over the pages. There were so many points throughout the book that I felt myself relating hard to the characters… and that isn’t easy to achieve at all.

I will be keeping my eye out for any more books from Dani McLean and highly recommend this book.

I recently had the pleasure of receiving an ARC of Mortgage of Convenience from Victory Editing (NetGalley). I just finished reading it in one sitting and this novel includes a lot of tropes that I know a lot of you would enjoy (because I sure did!)

🧭 mutual pining
📚 dual pov
🧭 brother's best friend
📚 he falls first
🧭 age gap
📚 bi rep
🧭 no third act break up

One of the standout features of the book is the chemistry between the characters. The amount of tension, as well as pining, got me giggling and kicking my feet. I’ve always liked the idea of boy-obsessed trope — there’s just something about the fmc thinking they’re hard to love and there’s the mmc who loves them like it’s breathing.

Not to mention, each of the characters have depth and are very interesting. Hot girlshit is having daddy issues right? That feeling of wanting a family, or being a family kind of guy, but you’re scared of having your own because you didn’t grow up with stable parents to look up to. Always afraid of just like being your father. It’s nice to see complex and flawed characters who have to overcome issues like that and help each other grow and heal.

“𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞. 𝐒𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐲, 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦𝐬.”

Overachieving burnt out girlies can relate (aka me). Like why do our greatest strengths often become our greatest struggles? Impostor syndrome is waving.

Overall, this book balances the wholesome moments with tension and pining (AND 🌶️🌶️) that keeps you hooked from the start. Despite tackling personal issues, the book maintains a feel-good atmosphere that makes it a joy and easy to read. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves this genre.

PS. Make sure to read the content note/warning before starting the book incase some topics are triggering.

Loved it!!

This book held my attention all night; I anticipated a sweet romance to lull me to sleep, but Dani McLean's storytelling captivated me. Loved the adorable romance from Bee and Seb, it kept me giggling.