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

When Bee moves back to her hometown, she unexpectedly finds herself agreeing to buy a house with her brother's best friend. Chaos and challenges ensue. It was wonderful getting to know Bee and Sebastian and following their relationship. There was so much growth for each of them as individuals and as a couple. It was refreshing to see these characters work together to work on their struggles. I can't wait to read more by this author!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

Did I love the book? No.
Did I like the book? Yes.

The writing seemed eh and just slow for me. The premise was very good but I feel like it could have been executed a little better. I'm sure others will love it but this just wasn't for me.

I was excited for this book based on the premise and the blurb, but, unfortunately, it just didn't deliver what I wanted this book to be.

For me, this story missed some fleshing out and basically just a genuine connection between the characters. I didn't connect enough with them to like them or to root for them. Bee felt flat at best.

I would have liked to know more about Bee and what really drives her, as well as I would've liked to know more about Sebastian and his background.

Thank you for the ARC, but unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me.

Mortgage of Convenience had a great start with the plot immediately starting and the main characters being thrust into each other’s lives as roommates who have feelings towards each other. I really like the beginning and how Sebastian supported Bee with gaining confidence with her book and life in general, but by 60%, she was still second guessing everything and was still super closed off. I know it’s hard to make big changes like that so I understand why it was taking so long, but I feel like she wasn’t even really making baby steps of progress. I understood why she was waiting to tell Sebastian her feelings until she was 100% certain, but she would still do certain things that lead him on, BUT Sebastian also initiated a lot of the interactions when he knew she still didn’t know her feelings.

Mortgage of Convenience von Dani McLean ist eine Buch welches perfekt als Snack für zwischendurch geeignet ist. Wie zu erwarten ist das Buch kein literarisches Meisterwerk, jedoch gut als schnelle Unterhaltung geeignet ist. Wer ein Buch mit grumpy mmc und einfachem Plot sucht ist hier genau richtig.

I enjoyed parts of this (the first 50%) but it felt so repetitive and the characters felt a little one dimensional. The spicy scenes were fun. However because I didn’t love the characters I wasn’t super invested. If you like forced proximity and brothers best friend (in a chill way) then give this book a try because you might like it, it just wasn’t for me.

"Mortgage of Convenience" by Dani McLean offers an intriguing premise that blends romantic tension with personal growth, but ultimately, it falls short of delivering a satisfying story. The novel follows Bee Montgomery, a shy ghostwriter grappling with a fear of rejection, and Sebastian Wolfe, her brother's best friend and an ex-stripper with dreams of stability.

The concept of Bee pitching her debut novel in a drunken stupor and then scrambling to meet a deadline is ripe with potential for both humour and drama. However, the execution needs more depth to make the reader fully invest in Bee's journey. While relatable, her struggle with stage fright and fear of rejection is not explored with enough nuance to evoke empathy or interest.

On the other hand, Sebastian is portrayed as a confident yet commitment-averse man who secretly longs for a stable home life. His character feels one-dimensional, and his transformation throughout the story is predictable and lacks the complexity that could make his journey compelling.

The dynamic between Bee and Sebastian, which should be the novel's heart, feels forced. Their interactions, meant to strip away Bee's inhibitions, often appear contrived. Their chemistry fails to ignite the sparks that a romance novel hinges on, making their relationship feel more like a plot device than a natural development.

Additionally, the plot needs more focus. While Bee's return home and her quest to overcome her fears are central to the story, the narrative is bogged down by subplots that do little to advance the main storyline. This leads to a pacing issue that makes it difficult to maintain interest.

The writing style, though competent, needs to compensate for the lack of engaging characters and a compelling plot. The dialogue often feels stilted, the story's emotional beats land differently than intended, and the moments meant to be heartfelt or transformative fall flat, leaving the reader unfulfilled.

In conclusion, "Mortgage of Convenience" had the potential to be a heartwarming and engaging read but was ultimately hindered by its shallow character development and unfocused narrative. While the idea of a shy writer overcoming her fears with the help of a charming ex-stripper is appealing, the execution leaves much to be desired.

To be honest, I only read a few chapters of Mortgage of Convenience and I just couldn't get into the book. There wasn't anything I particularly disliked about it, but I somehow had no motivation to keep reading after a while.

I found this to be a very cute read. Loved the concept of the book and loved the BI representation in this book!!!

The story dragged on a little too much and as much as I tried to get into it, I just couldn't. The book just wasn't for me.