Book Review: Marriage for One by Ella Maise

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 520 pages
Author: Ella Maise
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: May 8th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Jack and I, we did everything backward. The day he lured me into his office-which was also the first day we met-he proposed. You’d think a guy who looked like him-a bit cold maybe, but still striking and very unattainable-would only ask the love of his life to marry him, right? You’d think he must be madly in love.

Nope. It was me he asked. A complete stranger who had never even heard of him. A stranger who had been dumped by her fiancé only weeks before. You’d think I’d laugh in his face, call him insane-and a few other names-then walk away as quickly as possible. Well…I did all those things except the walking away part.

It took him only minutes to talk me into a business deal…erm, I mean marriage, and only days for us to officially tie the knot. Happiest day of my life. Magical. Pop the champagne… Not. It was the worst day. Jack Hawthorne was nothing like what I’d imagined for myself.
I blamed him for my lapse in judgment. I blamed his eyes, the ocean blue eyes that looked straight into mine unapologetically, and that frown on his face I had no idea I would become so fascinated with in time.

It wasn’t long after he said I was the biggest mistake of his life that things started to change. No, he still didn’t talk much, but anyone can string a few words together. His actions spoke the loudest to me. And day after day my heart started to get a mind of its own.

One second he was no one. The next he became everything.
One second he was unattainable. The next he seemed to be completely mine.
One second I thought we were in love. The next it was still nothing but a lie.

After all, I was Rose and he was Jack. We were doomed from the very beginning with those names. Did you expect anything else?

WELL, THIS WAS GOOD.

I can’t believe I waited so long to read this one because it was so goooooood. Oh my goodness. I LOVED the first half. The grump x sunshine trope with a dash of I hate everyone but you. GOLD. I didn’t realize just how much of a sucker I am for that kind of vibe in my romance reads.

Jack and Rose are in a marriage of convenience (lets just drop all of my favorite tropes into this one). Watching the push and pull of feelings had me in a puddle. I adored all of the small things Jack did to subtly show her he cared and how Rose remained positive about the new situations before her. The angst was real and the banter was top notch. And I swooned right along with Rose every time Jack rolled up his sleeves or gave a small smile. These are the things that I love.

What I didn’t love was how one of my favorite tropes was dragged out a bit. I’m here for a good, take care of someone when sick trope, buuuut this one went on for probably 100 pages or so and slowed down the pacing of the book a bunch. Without that I probably would have thrown 5 stars at it easy.

Yessss, there’s *drama*, but I didn’t care one bit. I was already so deep into this relationship and I think it actually fit the book well. Things get wild, and I was into it. ANYWAYS. Definitely recommend this one [spice was too concentrated/too much for met at the end, buuut for those who love that, read it!!]

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: some strong
Romance: 3 long open door scenes
Trigger/Content Warnings: bribery, loss of a loved one, surgery, medical situations (exams, testing, appointments), extortion, panic attack