Historical Romance Novels Featuring a Marriage of Convenience
The marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes in historical romance novels. Usually, the hero and heroine both believe themselves unloveable, for one reason or another, only to discover by the end of the novel that they can deeply love and be loved in return. Plus, there is a lot of forced proximity and “pretending” in order to avoid gossip.
With that in mind, here are some historical romance novels I love that feature a marriage of convenience (or a forced marriage):
The Matrimonial Advertisement by Mimi Matthews
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.99
The Hook:
As a woman, the only escape Helena can think of from her family is marriage, which is why she responds to a newspaper advertisement for a wife. She didn’t think she would get so lucky as to fall in love with him.
Why I Love It:
The marriage at the center of this novel between Helena and Justin pretty much defines marriage of convenience, since it is arranged via newspaper advertisement. The conflict is mostly external, in that Helena is being threatened by her family so Justin puts up a united front with her to prove their marriage is real. Except, of course, he doesn’t allow himself to believe her affection is real.
A Wicked Kind of Husband by Mia Vincy
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.19
The Hook:
Cassandra and Joshua married two years ago at her father’s request, and they haven’t seen each other since. That works fine until Cassandra needs to arrange her younger sister’s London debut, and suddenly husband and wife must co-exist.
Why I Love It:
Chapter One hooked me because Cassandra is such a nuanced, heartfelt character. Chapter Two sold me on the plot, because she and Joshua meet in Hyde Park without realizing they are married to each other - both hilarious and cringeworthy! They both try hard to pretend they don’t have feelings for each other even though they definitely do. It was a delight to read!
When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.95
The Hook:
Maddie hates crowds, so she invents a Scottish soldier to be her betrothed. The only problem is a real person received her letters...and now he actually wants to marry her.
Why I Love It:
The premise is so wonderful that it propelled me with delight through the book. Logan is a big, hulking Highlander who insists he doesn’t have feelings, except that he wants to do right by the unit he led in war. Which is why he is determined to marry Maddie for her castle. She is hesitant, so even though they are technically married, Logan has to wage a campaign to seduce her. There are also fun tropes such as Maddie being a bluestocking and the ubiquitous animals of Tessa Dare.
In the Wake of the Wind by Katherine Kingsley
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.63
The Hook:
Serafina and Aiden have been engaged for twelve years. She thinks it is destiny, but he didn’t even know about it.
Why I Loved It:
This is very different from other historical romances I’ve read because it has a strong fantastical element (past lives and witchcraft). It was published in 1996, which explains the witchcraft, and has a few problematic themes, such as everyone being okay with Aiden hating his prospective wife just because she is ugly (and then being okay with him accepting her because she is actually beautiful). However, Serafina is so charming and Aiden is so obviously in love that it is a sweet book with an interesting take on how marriages of convenience are arranged. If you’re looking for a marriage of convenience where the parties feel forced into it, this is the book for you!
The Husband Plot by Katherine Grant (me!)
I wrote this one, so obviously I love it. Lisbeth and Adrian get married in Chapter One, and the rest of the book is them figuring out whether they can love each other and how to do it. Here is the official description:
What could go wrong when you marry someone you have never met?
Lisbeth Dawes would rather not end up a spinster. After her first fiance leaves her at the altar, she agrees to marry Adrian Hathorne sight-unseen. She doesn’t expect much from her new husband, since he plans to leave for Jamaica within the year, but she does hope for friendship and freedom to pursue her own interests.
Adrian Hathorne wants to be above reproach. He doesn’t indulge in any of the usual gentlemanly pursuits, nor does he chase after any women. When his father writes from Jamaica with instructions to marry as soon as possible, he does as asked. It is only after the wedding that he realizes he doesn’t really know how to be a husband - especially not to a bluestocking wife with so many of her own ideas.
Divorce is not an option - which means Lisbeth and Adrian need to find common ground before their marriage of convenience goes up in smoke. Just when they have discovered they don’t disagree with each other over everything, another letter arrives from Jamaica with news neither of them expected. News that will test every aspect of their fledgling marriage.