18 Marriage of Convenience Books You Can’t Get Enough Of
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Marriage of convenience books are extremely popular recently thanks to Booktok.
With the rise of romance novels such as Terms and Conditions and Marriage For One, you must now be looking for more marriage of convenience books.
What Is The Marriage of Convenience Trope?
In romance novels, marriage of convenience novels usually revolve around two people marrying each other to benefit mutually. It is a more committed version of the fake-dating trope.
Sometimes the characters hate each other making them also part of the enemies-to-lovers trope.
Related Posts:
- The Ultimate Romance Tropes List With Recommendations!
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- 21 Best Enemies To Lovers Books (A List For All Readers)
- 20 Single Parent Romance Books To Read
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17 Marriage of Convenience Books You’ll Love
1. King of Wrath by Ana Huang
The author who first gave us the viral Twisted series is back with another sensation!
Ana Huang did not disappoint readers with the marriage of convenience trope in King of Wrath.
Dante Russo is a proud and arrogant billionaire who doesn’t mess around when it comes to business. Especially not when Francis Lau shows up at his office unannounced and blackmails him.
Dante knows he’ll be paying the price for something that wasn’t even his fault, but rather his brother’s. Francis has a simple request for Dante. He must marry his daughter, Vivian Lau.
Vivian Lau, a sophisticated jewellery heiress and event planner, can never say no to her parents. Now she must navigate through a loveless marriage and move into a stranger’s house.
She’ll be the family’s key to old-money ties in upper-class society, at the cost of her happiness.
The book follows Dante and Vivian’s story as they try not to fall in love with each other. We get to see betrayal and tangled family dynamics along with forgiveness in love.
2. Marriage For One by Ella Maise
After a broken engagement, Rose wants to focus on nothing else but opening her cosy coffee shop.
Jack Hawthorne, a workaholic and cold businessman, has other plans when he invites her to his office and proposes a contract.
He wants to marry her.
Even though Jack and Rose are strangers, he convinces Rose to sign away her life for two years in a loveless marriage of convenience.
Rose doesn’t know what to think of Jack when he seems unapproachable half the time. With messy feelings and annoying exes to deal with, she is overwhelmed.
On top of that, She is unaware of the secrets being kept from her, which keep her in the shadows as Jack sees fit.
This dual-pov slow-burn romance novel also includes the nursing-back-to-health trope.
3. Roomies by Christina Lauren
This modern marriage of convenience novel is written under a pen name by two great friends, Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings.
Holland Bakker is fully captivated by the melodies that fill her street. She’s also fascinated by the owner of those melodies. One day, Holland is attacked by a drunk person and is saved by Calvin Mcloughlin.
To repay him, Holland decides to set up an audition for Calvin with her uncle, a Broadway top musical director, whom people would kill to work with.
Calvin aces the tryouts and is ready for his big break on Broadway, but there’s a huge problem. His student visa expired years ago.
Holland proposes an idea that could break hearts in the process, that is to marry each other.
The book sends a great message about learning how to find our true selves. It is also a romantic comedy with less serious themes. The romance had readers rooting for our main characters till the very end.
4. Terms and Conditions by Lauren Asher
This novel is a Goodreads Choice Best Romance 2022 nominee!
Declan is prepared to inherit his family’s media empire and become the next CEO. The only obstacle in his way now is a tiny clause in his grandfather’s will.
Declan must marry and produce an heir. After trying to conjure up a plan and failing miserably, he lost all hope until his assistant decided to help him.
Iris knows she can easily help. All she has to do is stick to the rules of the contract. Have a baby, look all love-smitten and play the part of a perfect wife.
Lines start to blur as Declan and Iris try to figure out if they are pretending or not anymore, with their public appearances and fake dating. It tangles our main character further in the fake marriage mess.
Terms and Conditions is part of The Dreamland Billionaires series, with The Fine Print being the first book. It can be read as a standalone too!
Lauren Asher serves us one of the best grumpy x sunshine tropes ever, along with great marriage of convenience trope, office romance and fake dating, this book has it all.
5. With You Forever by Chloe Liese
Chloe Liese is famously known for writing about underrepresented issues in a light that does them justice.
This sweet and funny modern marriage of convenience novel follows the lives of Axel and Rooney.
Axel Bergman is an artist who is on the autistic spectrum, often being mistaken as a brooding grump.
On the other hand, we have Rooney Sullivan, sunshine reincarnated, a law student, and she has a chronic IBD. A simple game of charades leads to a kiss between Rooney and Axel. Now she can’t help but avoid him as she is embarrassed.
The marriage of convenience trope comes into the picture when Axel needs help, and Rooney is more than willing to be of some use.
Axel needs to make some expensive repairs to the Bergman getaway house but getting the funds is a difficult task. Rooney then suggests they marry each other so Axel can get funds easily.
This novel includes loads of mutual pinning and is a slow-burn romance. It also discusses serious topics with sensitivity such as chronic illness and autism.
6. The Work Of Art by Mimi Matthews
This historical fiction romance marriage of convenience book is great for historical fiction romance fans.
When Phyllida Satterthwaite shifts to London from her hometown Devonshire, she never thought men would be head over heels for her odd beauty.
Her unique features, unfortunately, catch the eye of a sinister Duke. Duke of Moreland is a famous art collector and will do anything to get ahold of his latest obsession.
Phyllida soon realizes dealing with this problem alone isn’t easy and finds a gentleman who could be of some assistance.
Captain Arthur Heywood was significantly injured during the Peninsular War. He can no longer walk on his own.
He is surprised when Phyllida shows up at his door with a proposal. In order for her to get rid of the Duke of Moreland she needs to marry someone else soon. It’s the only way he’ll stop pursuing her.
It’ll be a loveless marriage of convenience between Arthur and Phyllida but she’s okay with it as long as it gets Duke of Moreland off her back.
Arthur is sure he can’t be the hero Phyllida is looking for, but he couldn’t be more wrong.
This series is filled with charming characters, but we also get to see loads of old London. This historical romance is well written, and the atmosphere Mimi Matthews created adds to the story.
7. Wrapped Up With The Ranger by Kait Nolan
Holt Steele is a former Army Ranger, who realized it was time to finally settle down after losing a leg on duty.
Opening a bakery wasn’t on his to-do list, but he realized he needed peace and quiet in this small town.
Across the street from him is a single mother with her kid.
Cayla Black is an event planner and single mother, who is now free from the shackles her controlling husband had around her.
Her priorities are clear. Grow her business and keep her daughter protected, and there’s definitely no room for a love story.
However, Cayla’s ex decides to storm back into her life when his conviction is overturned, and he forces Cayla and her daughter to stay with him.
Holt has had enough of this drama, so he steps in with a lie that will cost him in the future. Now the only way out of the lie is actually to marry Cayla so that the couple is protected by marital laws.
We get to see new bonds form and old ones break as the characters navigate through their problems together.
The book also has a single mom trope and a heartwarming newfound family trope that readers love.
8. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
After the success of The Kiss Quotient on Booktok, Helen Hoang raised expectations with The Bride Test. It’s one of the cutest marriage of convenience books!
Khai Diep doesn’t process emotions the same way other people do, which has resulted in him avoiding all relationships. His family knows he is capable of expressing love despite what he thinks about his autism.
His mother decides to help him by flying back to Vietnam to search for a potential bride for him.
Esme Tran grew up in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, never connecting with people due to her mixed race. When she crosses paths with Khai’s mother and receives an offer to fly to America, she just cannot refuse.
Esme must try her best to grab Khai’s attention and keep it, but it’s more complicated than she thought.
This book perfectly showed readers how autism affects everyone differently, especially when it comes to romance.
9. The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare
The Duchess Deal is the first book by Tessa Dare in her Girl Meets Duke series. If you’re a fan of the marriage of convenience trope plus Duke historical romances, this book is perfect for you!
Duke of Ashbury is in need of a wife. He needs an heir to continue his family legacy.
However, there’s a problem – one side of his face and body is scarred from war. No eligible young woman would want to marry him, let alone give him an heir. Plus, his fiance broke off the engagement after seeing him in person.
Emma, a seamstress who sew his fiance’s dress is from a respectable family. He offers to marry her. No love or affection is required, she just has to let him in her bed. They’ll be husband and wife in name only.
Slowly, the two can’t seem to stay away from each other and eventually fall in love.
I really enjoyed reading this one and it is most definitely a spicy romance read!
10. Marriage of Inconvenience by Penny Reid
To avoid billionaire heiress responsibilities, Kathleen Tyson changed her name to Kat Tanner and never looked back. But her past has crept up on her, and so have her mistakes.
Her cousin, who now handles her family’s pharmaceutical company, is trying to frame her as mentally unfit to get ahold of her inheritance. To continue living a peaceful and quiet life she must marry someone soon.
Her future husband must meet her simple criteria: he should be single, trustworthy and not get involved romantically with her.
Luckily, Dan O’Malley, or Dan the security man as others call him, is the perfect guy for her job. Although things are a little awkward between the two because Kat has a tiny crush on him and they had some misunderstandings in the past.
Now life is giving them a second chance. This book focuses on dysfunctional families and legal troubles. Along with swoon-worthy romantic scenes to keep you hooked.
11. The Lost Lieutenant by Erica Vetsch
Evan Eldridge thought his plans were perfectly set in motion. Take down Napolean to protect his country.
Unfortunately for him, he saves a person’s life who is dear to the Prince Regent. Which means getting rewarded with a noble title he didn’t want.
Evan is gifted a huge manor he doesn’t want, along with a bride arranged for him by the ruler.
The one thing bothering him is that he can’t remember much from his past. After being traumatized on the battlefield, he lost crucial parts of his memories.
If he doesn’t remember them soon it could put his marriage in danger and someone else’s life too.
We see Evan and his wife Diana’s bond strengthen as they face challenges, and deal with aristocratic struggles and lost memories.
Erica Vetsch does a fantastic job at writing military marriage of convenience books and bringing the characters closer.
12. The Kiss Theif by LJ Shen
As if being part of a dangerous family wasn’t tiring enough, Princess Francesca Rossi must now marry someone who is part of the Chicago mafia, as her father has ordered.
Choosing a future husband shouldn’t be difficult because Francesca has someone in mind. Her childhood crush, Angelo Bandini.
However, during the masquerade ball, where she’s supposed to share her first-ever kiss with Angelo, the cold and heartless Senator Wolfe Keaton steps in.
He steals her first kiss, leaving her confused. Wolfe is determined to get back at Francesca’s father. The person whom he has bad blood with. So he tricks him and asks for Francesca’s hand in marriage.
Soon she is whisked away to Wolfe’s Chicago mansion where she isn’t treated more than a prisoner.
LJ Shen does a wonderful job at creating suspense when necessary in the story, this dark and twisted story will keep you guessing. The marriage of convenience trope is essential to the plot line.
13. To Love Jason Thorn by Ella Maise
The author of Marriage for One seems to love writing modern marriage of convenience books as To Love Jason Thorn explores the same trope.
We meet Olive Taylor who is a newly famous author. She has also successfully signed a movie deal for her book. Despite that, she doesn’t seem very happy because Jason Thorn is the main lead in the movie.
Jason has a reputation he isn’t very proud of. Scandals follow him wherever he goes.
A great downside to being a famous Hollywood actor.
Jason is also Olive’s brother’s childhood best friend, but that isn’t the reason why she hates him. He broke her heart into a million pieces once, now Olive knows it is best to stay 20 feet away from him.
What makes keeping that resolution difficult is that she’s stuck with this man whether she likes it or not because a fake marriage is the only way to save his reputation and her movie.
This book also has the enemies to lovers trope, brother’s best friend trope and second chance romance, so you’re in for a long journey.
14. Serpent And Dove by Shelby Mahurin
If you’re a fan of Nina and Matthias from Six of Crows and marriage of convenience books then you’ll love this debut novel!
Louise le Blanc is a witch in hiding. Two years ago, she fled her coven and went undercover in the city of Cesarine. Laying low for a while and not using her magic at all in case someone sensed it.
The cost will be deadly if someone finds out she’s a witch. Chasseurs sworn to the Church are brutal witch killers, and Reid Diggory happens to be one of them. They live life with one motto in mind: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Louise and Reid unexpectedly cross paths which leads to a huge misunderstanding. Now they are bound to a holy matrimony that is destined to end one day with broken hearts.
The Church and the witches never got along well together so when the truth will finally be out there’s only so much Louise can do to protect herself.
This is one of the best enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience books that belongs to the fantasy genre.
15. Sweet Temptation by Cora Reilly
Cassio is a ruthless mafia who rules over Philadelphia. He was left heartbroken after his wife passed away leaving behind two kids for him to raise alone.
The mafia takes traditions very seriously, so he must remarry someone soon. The kids also need someone to look after them.
Cassio knows he must complete his duty and when he meets Giulia, he feels a strange pull towards her.
Giulia always knew her father would arrange a husband for her whether she liked him or not. What she didn’t expect was a man way older than her and with two children.
Giulia soon understands Cassio isn’t the man of her dreams and her mother warns her too about men like him but Giulia won’t go down without a fight.
This marriage of convenience novel incorporate themes of dark romance and mafia life. This book is more suited for a mature audience.
Read More: 20 Single Parent Romance Books To Read
16. The Wall Of Winnipeg And Me by Mariana Zapata
Mariana Zapata, the queen of slow-burn romance, is also the author of the Booktok famous novel From Lukov With Love.
Vanessa Mazur is the assistant of the top defensive end in the National Football Organization, but she also runs errands for him, cooks for him and keeps his house tidy too.
After two years, Venessa has had enough of Aiden Graves and his cold attitude.
Being on her final straw she finally quits the job to focus on her graphic designing career.
Not long after that Aiden shows up at her doorstep leaving Vanessa shocked. He wants her back.
Not because he misses her but because he’s running into visa troubles as he’s a Canadian living in America on a visa. Vanessa knows she should close the door and walk away, but Aiden knows convinces her to marry him.
In this marriage of convenience romance book, we get to see Vanessa and Aiden figure out their feelings for each other slowly, and overcome the personal challenges they face.
17. Portraits of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore
Although this book is the third in the series, it can be read as a standalone. This is more of a marriage of inconvenience romance novel.
Hattie Greenfield finds herself in a compromising position with an unrespectable Scotsmen, who also happens to be a business men that lends noblemen money and then ruins them when they cannot pay him back.
Lucian Blackstone, the Scotsmen wants to get close to Hattie as her father owns a reputable bank. He also wants to mend his reputation in society and he tries to socialize with respectable families like the Greenfields.
Things go south when they end up kissing (twice!) and eventually get caught.
18. Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn & Shonda Rhimes
If you’re looking for more marriage of convenience romance novels with a historical twist, Netflix’s latest sensation, Queen Charlotte has also been adapted into a book.
Queen Charlotte and King George are to be wed. This arrange marriage is important to the future or Britain, where society is united and there is no more discrimation of colour.
However, little does Charlotte know that George is hiding a dark secret that might bring disaster to their marriage.
Wrap Up: Marriage of Convenience Trope Books
These were 18 amazing marriage of convenience books!
Whether it’s a mafia story or a young adult fantasy novel with the marriage of convenience trope, these books will be a great addition to your TBR.
With the trope gaining recent attention, the bar of expectations is very high for these books, but readers love these 15 books dearly. I hope they’ll become your next favourite reads too!
More Romance Tropes:
- 20 Single Parent Romance Books To Read
- 7 Steamy Enemies To Lovers Books (Spicy!)
- 25 Best Friends To Lovers Books
Get Your Romance Tropes Reading Challenge Printable!
Love reading romance books with popular tropes?
This Romance Trope Reading Challenge Printable is super satisfying to look at once you’ve checked off each trope and listed the book title along with it!
Get this for you, a romance reader or bookish friend!
