The Buy-In is a slow-burn, second-chance romance. It follows Lindy and Pat as they navigate a marriage of convenience to keep Lindy’s niece, Jo, in her custody.

This romance started with elements that would normally turn me off. I’m not a big fan of dual-POVs, and nothing turns me off faster than a group of hyper-masculine men.

That being said, I ended up really enjoying this one, and I absolutely adored Pat along with his and Lindy’s relationship. St. Clair did a great job of fleshing out his character, incorporating aspects of ADHD that felt so real. His relationship with Jo was so sweet, and I loved seeing their little family come together.

The themes of family were those that came through strongest in this book. Every moment Lindy had with her mom or Pat had with his siblings brought up a lot of emotion. I loved the relationship Pat had with his siblings, especially James and Harper. St. Clair also brings great autistic representation with Harper, showing the widely varied spectrum autistic people can be on!

I still wish this book was only in Lindy’s perspective. I think a lot of what we see from Pat’s side could have come through with just Lindy’s POV, and I think this would have fixed a pacing issue I noticed within the story. The main interactions between the two love interests don’t happen until about halfway through the book. Cutting Pat’s perspective out and focusing on Lindy’s might have helped these interactions occur quicker.

Despite this small qualm, St. Clair’s writing really put us in the story and I loved all the side characters. This romance has a very homey feel to it which is hard for an author to bring out. I was left with just a warm feeling after finishing, and I would definitely recommend to all avid romance readers.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ★★★1/2