Trope of the Month: Marriage of Convenience

You forgot my favorite marriage of convenience book:
Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas.

Ah, @LegeArtis, and I just read that one, too! I loved it.

One of my other favorites is The Ideal Wife by Balogh. I think Balogh has done more than just The Temporary and The Ideal Wife also--the Web series has, I think, at least one MOC. Perhaps she's where I first fell in love with the trope?

His Convenient Husband by J. L. Langley

@Megan- Oh, yes Balogh! First one in Bedwyn series, Slightly Married has also MOC plot. ( I'm still working my way through Bedwyns to get to Slightly Dangerous that everyone said it's a must read...)

I love this trope, althought I haven't been able to pinpoint why. Does anyone have suggestions for non-historical examples? Looking back, I think a great majority of Kristen Ashley's paranormal-type-stories have a MOC theme, if not an actual marriage.

Oh, how I love marriages of convenience! I just love the idea that people can be brought together by circumstances or out of practicality and yet grow fond of each other up to the point of falling in love.

Among my favorites are :
- Lisa Kleypas' Devil in Winter, already mentioned ;
- Sherry Thomas' Ravishing the heiress : this one I loved because it takes place on a great time periode - 10 years I believe - and shows how the h/H relationship grew from being strangers, to becoming friends and business partners who build a life together, and eventually to becoming lovers ;
- Sarah MacLean' A rogue by any other name is about childhood friends who enter a marriage of convenience but old feelings soon grow anew between them.

I also liked several books by Judith MacNaught, Eloisa James, Julia Quinn...

In historical romances though, some authors tend to mix the marriage of convenience trope with the temporary marriage one _ and it doesn't always do the trick for me, since I know how difficult (and exceptional) it was to be granted an annulment or a divorce in those days. That's actually easier in contemporary marriages of convenience, given that one can divorce easily nowadays. For instance, Jennifer Probst' first installment of her Marriage to a billionaire series _ the Marriage bargain _, the hero and the heroine agree to a temporary marriage of convenience, for a year.

@jrojrojro : For contemporaries MOC, you may have a look to :
- Jennifer Probst's Marriage to a billionaire series _ there are 3 books so far, all dealing with marriage of convenience or arranged marriage.
- Suzan Elisabeth Philipps' Kiss an angel is about an arranged marriage : the heroine marries the man her father has chosen for her to avoid jail, and the hero isn't particularly enthusiastic at the idea of marrying either. It's a bit over the top at times (the story takes place in a circus for instance), and the hero is extra-alpha who borders on being a jerk, but I liked this book :-)
- Bella Andre's Game for Love is about a temporary marriage of convenience between a football player and a teacher.
- Brenda Jackson's One special moment was about a deal including a marriage of convenience and the conception of a baby. I didn't like it much, but I think it has majorly good reviews, so... :-)

I've always loved the MOC trope and Mary Balogh and Carla Kelly do it very well.

A science fiction novel using this theme is the newly released Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold. Ivan Vorpatril is a wonderful beta hero who'll be best appreciated by folks who've read the entire Vorkosigan saga.

The fantasy novel Warprize may fall into this theme, though it's more a dynastic marriage than a MOC.

"The Bargain," Mary Jo Putney

My Darling Caroline is my very favorite, both a bit on the 'nerdy' side, but boy can they get hot and heavy.....whew!!!!

I second Carla Kelly. "The Admiral's Pennyless Bride" is one of my favorites with this trope.

I really like this one. I read a book many, many, many years ago (like the late 1980s) with this theme (I've been hooked since) when I was in high school. Don't remember the name of it but it was set in London and a single mom (who was basically homeless) agrees to marry a single father (who's got money). Their daughters are about the same age. It was a really good book (must have been since I remembered it all these many years and many books later....but the memory isn't so good since I can't remember the title...lol).

Next to the friends to lovers trope, this has to be my next favorite one.

Also, SEP does a great job with this trope. I think she uses this a couple of times in her Chicago Stars series.

I have to admit I'm a big fan of this trope and mail-order brides trope. I know its out-dated and cliched but love it. I was first introduced to marriages without love in LaVyrle Spencer's The Endearment, where a young girl is a mail order bride to a Swedish imigrant in Montana. Its a lovely story that deals with abuse, family and the perils of being a young girl alone in Boston in historical times and does it well. Since then, I love mail order and convenience marriages. They're so fun!

I heartily second "Captain Vorpatril's Aliance" by Bujold.

I remember reading many a traditional Regency with this trope and I loved them. The angst, the anguish, they were great. Several come to mind, especialy Margarita and The American Duches by Joan Wolf. Pamela Morsi had some good Americana stories along this line too.

My books are in transit right now so I can't look up other titles, of which I'm sure I have many. I must have some contemporaries too, but I don't remember any right now. I'll keep thinking about 'em.

I also have to admit I love the 'bride of victory' trope as well, when the heroine is given as a bride to conquering warriors or knights who have won a tourney for her hand. Its not quite marriage of convenience but one I love. Plenty of fodder for alpha male fantasies!

I enjoy this trope as well as mail order bride and "bride of victory " tropes. A contemporary novel with this trope would be Catherine Mckenzie's Arranged which I enjoyed very much.