Post by secretromancejunkie on Jun 25, 2019 10:06:41 GMT -7
I have read lots of HR that includes a marriage of convenience but I find it less often in CR, for obvious reasons. The book I'm reading right now has this theme and it made me think of another that I loved. It seems that I enjoy this trope. I would be interested in hearing about what you've read and enjoyed.
Please identify any that have cheating. I prefer not to read anything with cheating. Still list the books though, because others may not mind.
Tell me a little about the book. Why did these people marry? How early in the book did they marry (or are they already married)?
Post by secretromancejunkie on Jun 25, 2019 10:10:32 GMT -7
Wildest Hearts - Jayne Ann Krentz - (don't like this new cover, the H is way too young and cheerful looking )
This book is in my all-time-favorites list. I love the H in this book. Plus it ticks off two of my favorite tropes. The H decides when he first sees the h that he's going to marry her. When the h's brother goes missing, she proposes a temporary MOC so the H can run her brother's business until he is found. Of course the H has other plans. He wants a permanent marriage.
The h works as an admin assistant for the H. One day, out of the blue, he proposes marriage. He couches it in very practical terms. The h has been put through the wringer by a previous relationship. Something more practical appeals to her. The H's reasons are hinted to be something much less practical.
Ooohh I love this trope! I'll start with the most recent book I've read (and enjoyed) with this theme.
Marriage for One by Ella Maise. It starts a little abruptly and you only start to learn the hero's motives late in the book, but I ended up really enjoying this book and will probably re-read it at some point. Judging by the rewiews on Goodreads people either love it or hate it, so YMMV.
The marriage happens very early in the book
Last Edit: Jul 13, 2019 0:42:54 GMT -7 by bookwyrm
"Susan hated Literature. She’d much prefer to read a good book." -Terry Pratchett, Soul Music
I Temporarily Do by Ellie Cahill. This is a very sweet YA story about a guy who is jilted by his fiance just before he goes to grad school and stands to lose the married-only apartment he had secured. The heroine is his friend who has just lost all her money and happens to have the same first name as the fiance, so they decide to get married so they will both have a place to live at the grad school.
It's been a few months since I read this but I think the marriage itself takes place around the middle of the book (they take a road trip to Vegas to get married).
"Susan hated Literature. She’d much prefer to read a good book." -Terry Pratchett, Soul Music
Marriage of Convenience is one of my favorite themes, too. The most recent contemporary for me...
The Billionaire's Unexpected Baby by Kira Archer (3/18) [ Winning the Billionaire - 2 ] (B Warm) -- New Author Audible: Maxine Mitchell, Good Marriage Happens Early
Billionaire app developer Brooks Larson lived his life on the light side. Everything was the potential butt of a joke and he never dealt with baggage. He had enough of his own. When he meets Leah Andrews, the fellow godparent to their mutual friends' baby, he can't help but be intrigued. Even more so when he finds out the ultimate good girl is expecting a little bundle of joy herself. He can't get her out of his head and he's determined to do something about it. Outing her pregnant state to her Mother Superior boss at her ultra conservative boarding school wasn't part of the game plan. Nor was claiming to be her husband in order to save her job.
Leah Andrews went to a christening and came home with a husband. Not quite the door prize she was expecting. But she just had to stick it out for a few months and then life could get back to normal. Well, whatever the new normal would look like. Except the tabloids are having a field day, their friends are running a pool to see if they'll actually be able to stay married until Baby Day, and on top of it all, she and her new husband might just be falling for one another.
But a wife and child were the last thing Brooks wanted. And Leah would never be comfortable in his surreal, ultra-rich world. It didn't matter what their hearts said when their heads knew it would never work. Especially when the real baby daddy reappears…
SRJ, I was noticing that Jayne Ann Krentz has written two other MOCs but I've not read them.
Call It Destiny (HT 21 - 8/84)
True Colors (HT 91 - 1/86)
Wildest Hearts (4/93) (A Hot) is a special favorite of mine, too.
--Janie
I didn't count Call it Destiny because although the h fully intended a MOC, it never actually happened that way. They don't marry until the end and it isn't for the sake of convenience. I gave it 4/5 stars. So a decent read. Not on par with Wildest Hearts, that's for sure.
I don't remember much about True Colors except that it was only OK for me. 3.5/5.0 stars.
SRJ, I was noticing that Jayne Ann Krentz has written two other MOCs but I've not read them.
Call It Destiny (HT 21 - 8/84)
True Colors (HT 91 - 1/86)
Wildest Hearts (4/93) (A Hot) is a special favorite of mine, too.
--Janie
I didn't count Call it Destiny because although the h fully intended a MOC, it never actually happened that way. They don't marry until the end and it isn't for the sake of convenience. I gave it 4/5 stars. So a decent read. Not on par with Wildest Hearts, that's for sure.
I don't remember much about True Colors except that it was only OK for me. 3.5/5.0 stars.
Sigh. This is what happens when there are several cooks in the kitchen or editors working a database. Thanks for the clarification on Call It Destiny, I've fixed what I could on it.
Post by secretromancejunkie on Jul 21, 2019 16:07:36 GMT -7
You can also count a lot of the Jayne Castle books. They're the futuristic/other world series she writes.
On Harmony/Rainshadow there are two types of marriage. CM = covenant marriage, which is almost irreversible. MC = marriage of convenience and happen at the beginning of quite a few of her stories. They convert to CM automatically if a child results.
Need to add The Wedding Night by Kati Wilde. A herione with OCD and not good at interacting with people and a cinnamon roll hero. Very sweet and steamy.
Blurb: "When an opportunity to take everything from the powerful family who destroyed his mother’s life falls into Caleb Moore’s lap, he needs help from the one person with more power and money than they have — business mogul, Audrey Clarke. The trick is getting her attention. So he approaches the infamous ice queen with an unusual proposition: marriage.
The odds of a snowball surviving in hell are better than the chances of a rich, classy lady like Audrey Clarke marrying a mechanic from the wrong side of the tracks. He only hopes that she might consider a business partnership when she’s finished laughing at his marriage proposal.
He never expects her to say yes — or that the ice queen could burn so hot. Because Audrey Clarke isn’t cold at all. And if Caleb’s not careful, the only thing he’ll give her for Christmas…is a broken heart."
"Susan hated Literature. She’d much prefer to read a good book." -Terry Pratchett, Soul Music
Just finished a book that fits this thread: You can have Manhattan by P. Dangelico. I read this in one sitting and although I wanted to strangle the hero a few times, I felt there was enough grovel at the end to satisfy my vengeful heart and gave it 4 stars out of 5.
"Susan hated Literature. She’d much prefer to read a good book." -Terry Pratchett, Soul Music
I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed this book! This author is an auto buy for me! I do have this book already, haven't it yet but will do so very shortly.
I also like P. Dangelico very much - the only thing that kept me from giving this 5 stars was the hero's assholry was a little to much for me, but the heroine does call him out on it (I can't stand it when the heroine is a doormat). Since my tolerance for assholes is very low this may be a solid 5 stars for you
"Susan hated Literature. She’d much prefer to read a good book." -Terry Pratchett, Soul Music
Need to add The Wedding Night by Kati Wilde. A herione with OCD and not good at interacting with people and a cinnamon roll hero. Very sweet and steamy.
Blurb: "When an opportunity to take everything from the powerful family who destroyed his mother’s life falls into Caleb Moore’s lap, he needs help from the one person with more power and money than they have — business mogul, Audrey Clarke. The trick is getting her attention. So he approaches the infamous ice queen with an unusual proposition: marriage.
The odds of a snowball surviving in hell are better than the chances of a rich, classy lady like Audrey Clarke marrying a mechanic from the wrong side of the tracks. He only hopes that she might consider a business partnership when she’s finished laughing at his marriage proposal.
He never expects her to say yes — or that the ice queen could burn so hot. Because Audrey Clarke isn’t cold at all. And if Caleb’s not careful, the only thing he’ll give her for Christmas…is a broken heart."
hi bookwyrm - I realised that I had bought and read this book thanks to your rec. Forgot to say thanks! It was great and I rated it 5 stars. Loved how he became protective of the rather fragile heroine, and a sweet epilogue too. Might read it again later tonight.