Marriage of Inconvenience is by seasoned author Debbie Macomber. This story revolves around the youngest Manning brother as he stumbles upon love that’s actually right before his eyes. The Mannings will be visited again in other of her novels.

Good friends Jamie Warren and Rich Manning have each had disappointing relationships in the past and have reached their early thirties. They both want children but there’s no future partner in sight for either of them. With an internal clock counting down, Jamie proposes to her good friend that they share the DNA for a child through artificial means. Rich’s counter proposal is that they marry and share the experience. Even if the DNA is shared artificially they will each share in the pregnancy, birth, and raising of the child, but without being a real couple. But this may be a giant miscalculation and perhaps will be nature rather than science that brings the couple together. The only issues are meddling families and miscommunication.

This story is a reflection of an earlier time, but there is nothing simpler about it. Filled with well drawn characters and dealing with people going through difficult circumstances, this story will entertain the readers. I did enjoy book and would recommend it!

Good freaking Lord.

This wasn't just miscommunication and was lack of communication and WILLFUL neglect of communication.

This is Short Friends to Lovers Romance, and this is the third book in the Manning Family series. I normally love Debbie Macomber's book. I listen to the audiobook for this book. This book has characters that just do not talk to each other a lot which I really do not like. I hate when the whole book is a misunderstanding just because the two main characters are not talking about the problems. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

This story frustrated me so much. The whole book was about miscommunication. If the two main characters talked to each other instead of other people, their relationship might have worked out sooner.

I usually like characters that start out as friends then move into more, but the angry sex scenes and the lack of conversations they could have had actually was aggravating to me.

This was my first book by this author and didn’t realize that it was a recent recording of an older book when I requested it from NetGalley. The book is dated both in the technology/culture and also certain aspects of the relationship. Any reader needs to keep that in mind when picking this up as there are some moments between the main characters that would likely offend younger generations. I love marriage of convenience stories and they can usually hardly ever go wrong for me. Unfortunately, the conflict driver in this book is persistent and repeated miscommunication which drives me crazy as a reader. If that doesn’t drive you crazy in a plot, it was an interesting approach to the trope of marriage of convenience.

The narration was well done and really the stars are also acknowledging the narrator. She did a great job voicing both male and female voices.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted copy. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Content Notes: Multiple fade to black romance scenes

Marriage of Inconvenience gave me a sweet and easy book to listen to. Jamie wanted a baby, and she asked Rich. They had been friends for years and Jamie felt this would be easy and Rich only had one request for him to do this. He said they must get married. Going from friends to so much more made this such a sweet romance to listen to.
Thank you NetGalley, Debbie Macomber and Harlequin Audio for the Audiobook book of Marriage of Inconvenience. This is my personal review.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

I tried, hoping for a lighthearted romance. Hated the male MC and couldn't get past the first few chapters.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio ALC of this book.

A quick and easy read with a marriage of convenience trope mixed with a friends-to-lovers trope. This isn't a new novel from Debbie Macomber, but the audio is new. If you are looking for an easy read this is it, although the lack of communication got a bit tiring by the end.

Lisa Zimmerman’s narration was perfect and made the book easy to listen to.

Marriage of Inconvenience by Debbie Macomber is a delightful and heartwarming romance that explores the unexpected journey from friendship to love. The story centers around Rich Manning and Jamie Warren, lifelong friends with a strong, platonic bond—until Jamie makes a bold request. Desperate to have a child, she asks Rich to be the father, and in return, Rich agrees, but on one condition: they must marry.

The audiobook brings this charming narrative to life, with a perfect blend of humor, emotion, and relatable characters. As the two navigate their new marriage, they discover a side of each other that neither expected, full of sweetness and passion. The evolving dynamic between Rich and Jamie is both touching and entertaining, and their growth as individuals and as a couple keeps listeners hooked.

Macomber's signature style shines through, filled with warmth and realistic portrayals of relationships. The story delves into themes of trust, love, and the challenges that come with stepping out of one's comfort zone. With its perfect pacing and strong character development, Marriage of Inconvenience is a delightful listen for fans of contemporary romance.

The audiobook's narrator captures the essence of the characters, adding depth and emotion to the story, making it an engaging experience for listeners. This is a perfect pick for anyone looking for a sweet, feel-good romance that proves love often comes when least expected.

With a brand new (awesome) cover, this Debbie Macomber classic hits the spot again! The narrator did a wonderful job bringing this story to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ARC. This is a story of old friends who both are still single in their later years, and realize they love each other. I love anything by Debbie Macomber and this story didn't disappoint. It's a quick, light read, full of romance.

These words on these pages are amazing. This book gave me all the warm cozy feels about being married.

Debbie Macomber delivers a light and enjoyable read with Marriage of Inconvenience, a classic marriage-of-convenience story blended with the friends-to-lovers trope. While the premise had promise, the story didn’t completely pull me in.

Lisa Zimmerman’s narration was solid, bringing the characters to life in a way that made the book easy to listen to. The story itself was entertaining, a quick read that delivered exactly what it promised—but it didn’t leave a lasting impact. I didn’t dislike it, but I also didn’t love it. It was one of those reads that was enjoyable in the moment but didn’t linger with me afterward.

If you’re looking for a short, simple romance with a familiar and comforting trope, this is a good pick. But if you’re looking for something with more emotional depth or a story that really grabs you, this one might not fully deliver.

I have actually read the physical copy of this book. This was the first time I had ever listened to the audiobook. I like the book I think I even have this physical copy. I wanted to read the other books in this series before I decided to get rid of it or not. I was able to listen to the ark for the first book as well, I am waiting for the other four books in the series to become audiobooks. I was able to get the last two books from my library. I think this book is my favorite out of the whole series of the books. I’ve read.

Jamie Warren has hit that point in life that she’s given up on relationships, but still wants a baby. Instead of adoption, she is looking into having a baby herself. For her plan to work she needs her best friend’s help. Rich Manning is hesitant to agree, but does so on one condition: they must get married. Will this friends to lovers romance with a marriage of convenience turn into something more or implode in them ruining the friendship they once had?

I had high hopes for this book because I usually like everything I read by Debbie Macomber, but this book did not stand the rest of time. It looks like it was originally released in 1992 and recently released as an audiobook. The narration on this book was great and that’s the only reason I’m giving this the second star. This book might have been good when it first came out, but the way of life has changed so much. I couldn’t stand either character. Jamie was too weak willed and whiny and Rich was an egotistical misogynist. He was always talking ill of women and the way they were emotional and dramatic. I couldn’t stand it. The romance wasn’t really for me either. Yet again, in 1992 this might have been an acceptable good romance, but definitely not in 2025. The narration was great though, if you can stand to listen to it!

This is one of Debbie Macomber's early books. Jamie and Rich have been friends for years. They decided to have a baby together and it gets messy. But Jamie really gets on my nerves. 3 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Harlequin Audio for an audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

🎧AUDIOBOOK REVIEW🎧

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the audio ARC of this book.

So this book isn’t new at all but I believe the audio version is that’s why the ARC was available. I haven’t read any books by Debbie yet but I think I’m gonna read more after this one. As far as the audio went I enjoyed it. The narrator was great and did a good job embodying each character.

I love marriage of inconvenience and the baby that came from it. I loved Jamie and Rich and I loved the way their relationship went from friends to lovers. One of my fav tropes!