Zinnia is an ambitious, successful businesswoman who is not about to wait around for her One True Love. She turns her dating profile into a marriage-merger proposal: a few strategic meetings, move in together, get married—all within thirty days. Her friends think it will never work… until she meets Jordan, a near-perfect applicant with a big secret.
Jordan’s family has spent the last decade starring in a massively popular reality show about their lives. He has finally agreed to join the cast, but production wants him to marry an actress (his ex) in a romantic storyline to boost viewership.
Convinced Zinnia is perfect for the role instead, Jordan proposes a mutually beneficial marriage agreement: she gets her business partner husband, and he gets to help his family on his terms. Together they face strict schedules, wild plot twists, and behind-the-scenes hostilities, all while acting like besotted newlyweds—an intense performance that evolves into a relationship they never expected.
As the line between reality and show blurs, Zinnia and Jordan must choose between a clean contract or a beautifully messy love story.
The Marriage Narrative by Claire Kann is an intense ride about two people who strike a bargain. The bargain? Pretend to be engaged on a reality tv show set. What can go wrong and what, in the end, can go incredibly right? I give this book four out of five stars!
Our heroine, Zianna, an artist and successful businesswomen. She runs with her roommates and best friends out of their apartment. She wants more than anything to feel connected to someone. Dating apps have not been successful and she feels love is just out of her reach. She decides instead to create an online business proposition which allows for a partnership without the messiness of love involved. They would meet, get to know one another and marry after one month. Pretty straight forward - right? She creates a whole presentation for her friends who feel she has lost her mind! They reluctantly agree to go along with the hairbrained scheme but only if they can help her vet potential candidates.
Zianna meets with a host of men who do not quite measure up. Her friends think she’s given up on her plans when she decides to meet with Jason, a successful coffee shop/bookstore owner. He ticks all the right boxes until he presents his own seemingly impossible idea. Jason’s family is on a hit reality tv show which they want him to be on and sort of join the family business by coming back to marry his ex who is also a famous actress. He never wanted to be a part of the show and definitely not to marry his ex-girlfriend. He proposes that Zianna come on as his fake fiance and they would indeed marry at the end of the season.
Zianna thinks he’s made the whole thing up! Whose family is featured on a hit reality tv show. She thinks he’s scamming her but he shows her footage of the show. She reluctantly agrees to going on set and living on the property with him. Immediate sparks fly as Zianna finds that everyone from the show runner to his mother and sister really wanted him to marry his ex. They don’t buy their whirlwind romance. Tensions are high but they are able to navigate choppy waters and avoid curveballs on set and out in the real world. Their bungalow becomes their sanctuary.
Despite all this their hea is secured. Close proximity can really move things along in the right direction. He falls first which is also a favorite trope of mine. Claire Kann makes the storyline and these two characters really believable. I enjoyed this book and will look out for more from her in the future.
Readers, do you enjoy the marriage of convenience trope?
Do you watch Reality TV? What are some of your favorite shows?
One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, November 13 will receive a print copy of The Marriage Narrative.
*U.S. only
*Must be 18
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