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Convenient Marriages #1

A Negotiated Marriage

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Sex wasn’t supposed to be part of the deal.

Three years into a marriage of convenience, Molly’s high-powered CEO husband wants to add a new term to their marriage agreement. Sex—without any messy emotional entanglements. But weekly sex with Luke, despite their carefully negotiated terms, is likely to get messy eventually.

Content in a mutually beneficial arrangement, Molly isn’t going to fall for Luke the way she fell for an old lover, only to be crushed in the end. She vows to stay strong, no matter how much intimacy develops between them in bed. When her old lover returns, finally wanting a real relationship, Molly has the chance to give her heart to a man who will accept it.

It’s too bad she now wants to give it to her husband, who has never admitted her heart is what he wants.

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 11, 2013

1468 people are currently reading
6453 people want to read

About the author

Noelle Adams

140 books2,672 followers
Noelle handwrote her first romance novel in a spiral-bound notebook when she was twelve, and she hasn't stopped writing since. She has lived in eight different states and currently resides in Virginia, where she teaches English, reads any book she can get her hands on, and offers tribute to a very spoiled cocker spaniel.

She loves travel, art, history, and ice cream. After spending far too many years of her life in graduate school, she has decided to reorient her priorities and focus on writing contemporary romances.

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5 stars
2,522 (26%)
4 stars
3,554 (36%)
3 stars
2,755 (28%)
2 stars
626 (6%)
1 star
186 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 658 reviews
Profile Image for Bibi.
1,287 reviews133 followers
February 6, 2019
*2.5* stars

The story might be a bit generic: a marriage of convenience turns to true love;
the sex scenes, however, are deserving of 5+ stars!
Profile Image for Debbie DiFiore.
2,705 reviews311 followers
May 27, 2018
Okay the book starts in the third year of their marriage of convenience and they want to start having sex. Of course they fall in love but prior to the book, one of the terms of their marriage was that if they wanted to have sex they would have to go through 'professionals' and they both did. She did it once but didn't like it and he stopped after two years so he had been celibate a year. He was a man ho when she went to work for him and she worked with him for a year before he asked her to marry him.

They did have an HEA but the whole thing about professionals just kind of squicked me out It seemed gross to me. Once they started falling in love it got better but I just wished that I didn't know about the paying for sex with strangers. They were not bothered by that fact since they were just roommates that happened to be married. They even talk about it. I guess I shouldn't care but I just thought it was TACKY!!! Once they started having sex, they were faithful. And they did fall in love and it was steamy. Would I recommend this book? Never.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Nissa | Of Pens and Pages Book Blog.
337 reviews1,031 followers
June 5, 2016
3.5 stars!

I read this a while back when I was in the mood to read books with marriage of convenience plots.

The story starts three years into Molly and Luke Lyon's third year into their marriage of convenience. The two have gotten along perfectly when Molly worked in corporate investigations at Luke's company, and soon the two got into a mutually beneficial arrangement; Luke needed it for his image, and Molly needed it to get over a man who broke her heart.

After three years of companionable cohabitation, Luke wants to add a new term to their marriage contract--sex. They agree to sex once a week, but really, could they maintain the arrangement without things getting messy?

I enjoyed reading this book. Molly and Luke are both likable characters, and I loved that Luke's not the usual alpha CEO type who's overbearing and caveman-ish. He's kind, reticent, and worked his way up to the top. This story was fairly light, and it was enjoyable to see the two realize their feelings for each other.

I would have given a higher rating had the story been longer. It would have been nice to see how the marriage came to be. Since the story opened three years into their marriage, I wasn't as attached to their relationship as I would have been if at least a few things in that three years was shown?

Nonetheless, I enjoyed this book, and I'm off to read Noelle Adams' other books. Heehee I just love these marriage of convenience plots!
Profile Image for Irene.
1,048 reviews123 followers
December 2, 2020
This is the book that hooked me to Noelle Adam's writting and even though it isn't a solid 5-star book, it is still one of my favorites.
First of all, it's about one of my favorite tropes in romance, LOVE AFTER MARRIAGE. I just love it when two people think they can keep it casual and all business when they marry and then things turn pretty personal after the vows.
A Negotiated Marriage is diferrent from other similar books in the fact that .
Profile Image for Kiki.
1,217 reviews681 followers
avoid
May 27, 2018
Soooo......people who are interested.
They both fucking cheated!
Their arrangements were they’d take the service of discreet escort agencies if they had the urge!
She DEFINITELY used that service.
He told heroine he hadn’t had sex for more than a year, they were married for 3!
I am drawing the conclusion that’s he’d have used a paid sex service too instead of any random ONS because that would be a bigger threat of making it to the media and he was VERY concerned about his image and wouldn’t let his marriage due to the adultery grounds.
Heroine WOULD sue him if she finds out about his “cheating” via media.
It was a condition in their contract.
To me the whole premise is vomit inducing.
However it’s here for people to make informed decisions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Preeti ♥︎ Her Bookshelves.
1,458 reviews18 followers
October 1, 2020
3.5*
A fluffily done, lightly served YA-ish read. (Although most people seem to have been turned off by the 'cheating'.) The whole series is about mocs - a trope I really dig. So, I am going to read them all.

Profile Image for Penny Reid.
Author 92 books22.4k followers
June 26, 2014
I really liked this book! The premise was great, the writing was engaging, the chemistry was A+. It even gave me feels in the chest. I LOVE THAT!!

The reason this book gets 4 stars instead of 5 is because this book lacked character development and depth.

As an analogy, if Teuscher chocolate is 5 stars, this book was a really strong 4star Dove dark chocolate square.

That stated, I really liked it! It was short and fun and extremely enjoyable and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to read a short, fun, and extremely enjoyable contemporary romance.
Profile Image for Pam.
1,093 reviews1,070 followers
August 12, 2016
2.5 stars
”Real or not, he was her husband. He was her lover. He was her best friend. He was all she had of a family.”

Good for a quick afternoon read, Molly and Luke has a marriage of appearance, and have been married for three years. Luke wanted to add sex to their contract and since Molly wasn't into having to pay for professional services, she agreed. Once a week soon turned into more until it Molly was unable to keep emotions out of it.



The story is told from Molly’s POV and Luke was just a mystery to her and us, we never got to know him until the very end. We know he is sweet and is there for Molly in his own way, but I just felt like something is missing, I just wanted ‘more’. The only thing I can really complain about is never knowing why he is the way he is. Regardless I liked it enough to finish it in one sitting.
Profile Image for Sometime.
1,718 reviews173 followers
October 16, 2019
Molly and Luke have been a marriage of convenience for 3 years. They are roommates and their whole relationship is a business arrangement. (Some readers are turned off by the fact that he H has used the services of call girls, per their agreement, for the first 2 years. We don't know how many or how often, and this is rarely brought up or discussed in the book, so it was super low angst for me). I didn't mind this detail because they were two strangers living a fake marriage and she has zero emotional investment in the marriage.

I liked this book but there were things that bothered me. I liked both the MCs but their lack of self awareness drove me nuts. I couldn't really buy into the fact that these two grown adults would engage in a fake marriage like this. Or the fact that they were both so emotionally stunted that they couldn't understand their feelings, let alone express them. I mean the h goes on for pages about the "fluttery feelings" in her stomach and what could that be? I need characters with a little more emotional maturity and self awareness. We never understand why the H is the way he is, so cold and cut off. He grew up with a very loving mother so it makes no sense to me that he wouldn't know how to have a good relationship with a woman. But, whatever.

At the same time, the story was very romantic and I loved the ending when they finally come out and say what they feel. They were very cute together once they figure things out. The book was pretty low on the angst scale and it's obvious what's going to happen so it was a nice comfort read.

I'm going to settle on 3 stars for a nice, sweet story with just a few moments of stupidity.
Profile Image for Carvanz.
2,379 reviews896 followers
September 6, 2021
I love marriage of convenience stories and this author excels at them. The fact that I know it’s going to have a happy ending makes me eagerly scan every action of the hero for clues as to his current feelings. I love doing this and never more so than with Luke.


Pin by Fred Flinstone on Bare feet: long pants,suits,slacks, jeans... | Male feet, Mens socks, Barefoot


Luke surprised me with his possessive streak. I loved how he was struggling with wanting to totally claim Molly, but also knew what they had was temporary. No, we do not have his point of view, but it was obvious in many of his reactions.





This was the perfect book to curl up with for a lazy afternoon. It’s fast paced, shorter in length, low angst and as hot as an inferno, making it an overall enjoyable read.

Heroine POV
Safe
Triggers
Profile Image for Lori ◡̈.
1,155 reviews
dnf-at-all
August 26, 2025
I loved this book the first time I read it a few years ago, but the review somehow got deleted. So I decided to reread it and rewrite my missing review.

Noelle Adams is the author responsible for my venture away from being a strictly historical romance reader. I somehow received a free book of hers a few years ago and gave it a try. I loved that first book (and many others by her, that have all survived a reread). But this one did not go well at all as a reread.

The story is told to us in the 3rd person pov (he/she - no first person ‘I’) but it’s from only the heroine’s angle though. So not much of knowing things from the hero’s perspective.

As I started the book, I joked with myself, “I wonder if there will be water bottles galore, and if the characters will dump their purse/bags by the front door as they walk in their condo”. The answer was in the first chapter: yes. This author has this in almost every single book of hers that I have read (and it’s mentioned several times in each book).

Storytelling is very elementary, short simple sentences, tons of odd and pointless descriptive phrases (feels like name dropping), so many things are told to us instead of shown as they are happening.

As he made room for his salad on his desk, Molly leaned over to grab two bottles of sparkling water from the small beverage cooler built into his high-end office cabinetry. (no IKEA furniture here, guys!)

While Luke went into the bathroom and shut the door, Molly went to get a bottle of expensive water out of the mini-bar. (not the cheap water!)

Luke was already there, simultaneously pouring himself coffee and checking his smartphone. (Why mention it is a smartphone, and not just phone?)

“Right,” she said, moving him out of the way, since he blocked their high-end coffee maker. (more high-end belongings)

The storytelling just irritated me in its simplicity, prevented me from engaging or caring about the couple and I will just delete the book now. Make room for the next future 5-star keeper.
Profile Image for Nikki ღ Navareus.
1,087 reviews52 followers
November 17, 2018


This is the sweetest little MOC story. I started this story and couldn't put it down. I loved both Molly and Luke, even though Luke was a bit of a mystery through the story. These two had amazing chemistry together. Noelle Adams has a gift for creating smoking hot sex scenes, keeping the reader hot under the collar (and other places). This is the second story I have read by this amazing author (the first one is one of my all time favorite stories called Second Best), and I'm absolutely going to be diving into more of her others. This is definitely going onto my Re-Read Shelf.
Profile Image for Giorgia Reads.
1,331 reviews2,238 followers
Read
July 31, 2021
Starting reading this one, only to realise I already read it. Apparently I forgot to rate it. I don’t remember how much I liked it or if I did at all.

I’ll probably do a re-read at some point.
96 reviews37 followers
February 14, 2013
So this plot was a bit different because instead of starting at the meeting her, negotiating with her, and marrying her, it started with the marriage three years in. I absolutely loved this book. I liked this book so much that the little things I would be criticizing right now won't happen.


They got married because it was helpful and convenient, and one day the clause of sex once a week was added to the contract. Even before the clause was added, they worked very well together and gave off the persona as the "perfect couple," and as the story progresses, Molly learns the little things one wouldn't notice about Luke. She falls and falls hard for the man under the everyday facade that the world knew of him.

The plot was amazing. The characters are amazing. Damn, Luke is amazing.

Soo... he's this hot, composed, sophisticated guy...
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But then you want too...
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I'm not sure what to say, JUST READ IT BECAUSE IT MADE ME ALL WARM AND FUZZY!
Profile Image for Clau.
998 reviews122 followers
December 15, 2019
More like 3.5 ⭐️
It was really predictable and cliché, but the execution was really good. It was free on amazon :)
Profile Image for Dilushani Jayalath.
1,029 reviews197 followers
November 6, 2019
Considering I'm a huge Korean and Chinese drama fan , the whole marriage contracts actually is a trope I actually like. Normally in books you get a fake relationship or the most a fake engagement. This was personally my first time reading a contract marriage. I expected it to be a nice change watching the couple falling in love after the marriage and just as I imagined it was a fun journey to read.

Luke was not you typical alpha male. He was actually sweet and Molly was a likeable character too. Although the only sad part I had was actually thinking two full grown adults had a hard time figuring out their feelings. For a long time. And also that Molly had to have sex in order her to get her feelings in check. That was a little bit silly. Other than that I liked how she had her feelings in check and not faltering when Baron kept knocking back.

All in all sweet albeit short story. I would not have minded it being a bit longer.
Profile Image for Rahmi.
246 reviews27 followers
June 30, 2020
2.5 stars

When I read the blurb

description

Hell yasss.

Then I read the book.

Hmmm.

Okay.

Where’s Baron the old lover?

.....
Now, what?

Dafuk?

description

Seriusan kecewa. Aku kira ceritanya bakal penuh konflik tapi nyatanya malah datar-datar aja menurutku. Aku kira si Baron ini udah muncul di awal atau minimal di tengah-tengah buat ngerebut Molly dari Luke. Bukannya aku ga suka Luke tapi yaa biar Luke ada saingannya dan biar dia bisa lebih man up dikit ke Molly. Sebenernya si Baron udah sempet ada di tengah cerita eh tapinya di ga minta Molly buat balikan. Dia minta balikan ke Molly nya pas di akhir buku, akhir banget. Kan kezel -_- Mana endingnya juga terlalu maksa, berasa diburu-buru banget.
Profile Image for Tia.
Author 10 books142 followers
July 29, 2016
So much better than a harlequin!

I actually quite adored this novel, the sexual tension and the sensuous emotions running through the story about Luke and Molly. It was a delight getting to know their characters, background and winding myself up i their tale. The novel was so close to perfect for me.
Profile Image for Rozberry🍓.
303 reviews133 followers
August 31, 2025
reread — 4/6/24 3.75 stars

Overall 3.5-.75 stars(the last couple of chapters a solid 4)


This is my second Noelle Adams book & I find myself feeling similarly to this as the first(Second Best). Partly because in both the sexual side of their relationships are introduced awhile before their deeper feelings evolve & reveal themselves. But also in the sense that I felt kept a bit at arms-length initially from getting into the characters' heads(especially the heroes) & getting a true sense of who they are, yet there's something about them that keeps me turning the page, drawing me in before I lose patience, as I likely would in most cases when I feel this way, & I find myself curious blowing through the second half to see who bursts at the seams first & makes the first true confession of their feelings. So with that tendency of her storytelling being a bit "slow to the draw", I find myself definitely liking her work, but not quite crossing into loving it & being something that will really stick with me long after. This story particularly I think would've benefitted greatly had it included a prologue of either their first meeting or how he brought up the subject of a marriage of convenience 3 years earlier.

I guess what I'm trying to say is if you're looking for a quick, enjoyable read with mild to moderate angst, a nice amount of feels & steam, this is a good offering & very readable. Probably best not to expect more than that though.
Profile Image for mer.
1,521 reviews65 followers
October 25, 2013
3 stars

This is an honest review. You've been warned.

It's a story about two people who got married and made it like business deal.

What I liked
1. It was a very short, quick read.
2. Marriage of convenience.
3. Surprising great chemistry between Luke and Molly.
4. Second chance.

What I disliked
1. No actual plotline

......

This book could be much better if there was an actual story to it. Besides, I've got a lot of questions unanswered regarding Luke's and Molly's herself. I wish too that it's an alternative POV instead of only Molly's. I'm dying to know Luke's thoughts on everything especially on his wife he's fallen in love with.

Read on your own peril.
Profile Image for Mo.
1,404 reviews2 followers
January 18, 2013
Love when my freebies turn out to be Goodreads!!
Profile Image for Jessica's Book Review.
882 reviews365 followers
January 21, 2013
Read more reviews on my blog | Like me on Facebook

A Negotiated Marriage by Ms. Adams was on Amazon’s top Free Kindle Books list. I decided to download it after reading a really emotional book and needed something fun and easy to read. A Negotiated Marriage was exactly what I wanted. I read it in less than 90 minutes and it was an extremely easy read.

Molly and Luke have been married for three years, but not in the traditional way. They are married for convince and appearances. Luke is CEO of a company and needs a wife on his arm to look like a family man. Molly had her heartbroken by a man who didn't love her in return. Having a marriage without love, or sex was what she wanted in Luke too. After three years, the two decide to change their arrangement and become sexually involved. Their emotions toward each other change and their loveless marriage soon changes into something else.

Like I said above, this is an extremely fast read. You start the book three years into Luke and Molly’s marriage and the scenes are quick and short. The book has some erotic scenes that were not over the top and the dialogue was not cheesy. I enjoyed both characters and would have like to have more depth into Luke; he was kind of a mystery to me. He had potential to be an amazing book boyfriend. ;)

I think this is a great free book I recommend to anyone wanting a fun read for FREE. If you enjoy books such as this I also recommend Marriage By Mistake by Abby Gaines

I give A Negotiated Marriage 3 Stars.
Profile Image for Melody Cox.
1,502 reviews180 followers
October 11, 2019
Even though this story contains cheating by the Hero and heroine it isn't quite as simple as that.

Yes, cheating is cheating, I agree, but this was their contract agreement. They cheated yet didn't break their contract.

They were in year three of a Marriage of Convenience arrangement and agreed to use 'professionals' to satisfy their sexual needs.

After one experience, she gave it up...didn't like the way it made her feel. He lasted two years and has been celibate since. So they kind of start over again.

I like it and the story would have been worth four stars except for the cheating.

I read this previously but had forgotten to review.
Profile Image for Lara.
598 reviews37 followers
July 4, 2016
This is the kind of novel where you know exactly what's going to happen - from the beginning until the very end. There's nothing original or very special about it. You don't have to concentrate hard because it's so easy to read.
And yet I really liked this novel, it was quite enjoyable, a quick (and hot) read and very entertaining. Also, the characters are a huge bonus because they are not perfect and really cute. So, four stars for this - though definitely not flawless - enjoyable light summer read.
Profile Image for Melanie♥.
1,093 reviews1 follower
January 22, 2013
4.5 stars
Perfect gem of a book.
Great marriage of convenience story that turns into true love. An adorable beta hero who unexpectedly finds love with his convenient wife.
Profile Image for Jx PinkLady Reviews ♡.
737 reviews1,073 followers
February 11, 2013
A marriage of convenience and then they fell in love. A fab little story. Well written characters and lovely scenarios. Also very steamy in places! I loved it! x
Displaying 1 - 30 of 658 reviews

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