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The Marriage Narrative
A love just for show grows into something more in this swoonworthy romance from the author of The Romantic Agenda.
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 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 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.
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 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 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.
367 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2025
42 people are currently reading
7506 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
October 23, 2025
Reading this book felt like having a fever dream lmao.
The fmc, zinnia, i adoreeeee her. She was so sweet but wasn’t afraid to tell it how it is. She’s so mature but so real as well 🤚 like this girl had her friends on speed dial for every minor inconvenience 😭😭 I was like yes girl get that support 😛
The mmc was pathetic and I really don’t know if I liked it? I mean it was cute and everything but like he gave me loser vibes idkkkk
The storyline was ??? I mean.. it was entertaining for sure I just don’t think it worked in the way it had the potential to.
ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Headline Eternal for the ARC! ♥︎
The fmc, zinnia, i adoreeeee her. She was so sweet but wasn’t afraid to tell it how it is. She’s so mature but so real as well 🤚 like this girl had her friends on speed dial for every minor inconvenience 😭😭 I was like yes girl get that support 😛
The mmc was pathetic and I really don’t know if I liked it? I mean it was cute and everything but like he gave me loser vibes idkkkk
The storyline was ??? I mean.. it was entertaining for sure I just don’t think it worked in the way it had the potential to.
ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Headline Eternal for the ARC! ♥︎
December 2, 2025
ohhhh i had a really good time with this one!
June 3, 2025
This book was ok. I really wish the romance played a bigger part between the two love interests as opposed to Jordan's horrible family taking center stage. Their drama was so...boring and ended taking up a majority of the plot. Zinnia at times felt a little underdeveloped and I wanted her desire to find a partner to come from more than her not wanting to feel left behind because her two friends were falling in love with each other. Overall, an instamarriage did add some layers but again this needed more romance.
October 12, 2025
I think fans of the Kardashians would probably enjoy this book way more than I did. There was a lot about this book that felt artificial and inauthentic, and the way that Jordan's family treats Zinnia was shockingly rude, especially the twins. And Jordan kept throwing her into situations without giving her any kind of a heads up and it didn't feel like he was really looking out for her even though he claimed she was his number one priority. I don't think I like romance novels that are inspired by this kind of reality tv - if it's a competition or a dating show, sure but one that just followed this family around and made up storylines for them wasn't really my jam.
ARC from publisher, review is all mine.
ARC from publisher, review is all mine.
November 3, 2025
2.5/5
The FMC is frustrating. She's what, 25? And she acts like a 16-year-old child.
So she wants to get married after first date because her best friends are in love and she doesn't want to be a third wheel. jesus. Okay, fine. It's stupid and I rolled my eyes more than once, but fine, okay.
BUT. She wants to marry for convenience, doesn't want to fall in love, and wants the marriage to help her get customers for ehr small business. But when MMC proposes that marriage, when he tells her that he needs a wife of convenience and his popularity will bring those customers to her, she's suddenly no longer interested... Why? Because he doesn't want to fall in love with her?
And she thinks he's lying. Even though he has evidence that he's telling the truth that his family is Kardashian kind famous, she's like "you're lying! You're only trying to make fun of me!" It came compeltely out of nowwhere and she really acted like a 5 year old child, So annoying and frustrating, ughhhhh.
Like he even told you his famous sister is pregnant! Something he wouldn't have done as a joke because he loves his sister and she wants to keep it a secret! And you still think he's lying to you?? What the hell??
It's like the book starts one storyline or the idea and then doesn't follow through. Oh, they're suppsoed to be lovey-dovey for the cameras but they're not and for like 20% of the book nobody finds it weird or comment on it, until the author finally rememebrs "hey, this is a fake relationship romance". They click at her instead of talking to her and Jordan is super angry but the book ignores this and doesn't explain it at all even when it's from his point of view.
Most of the book ios also "tell, don't show" which I hate. There's a lot of talk bout what happened, but in past tense - none of these things happen on screen, especially in the second half when they're home. We need to see Jordan and Zinna get closer and start merging their life and spend time together in order to believe their fake relationship becoming real, but none of them is on screen. Except for one short grocery scene, everything else is mentioned in one sentence. Makes no sense whatsoever. How am I supposed to believe that they're falling in love for real when you don't even give me any scenes of them together?
The OW drama came out of nowhere and had no leg to stand on. The ending was so stupid too, because what do you mean that the man who left his family because he hated the reality show and only came back temporarily to protect his sister is now considering having his own reality show?? Are you kidding me??? And Zinna ALSO hated being recorded and now she's suddenly all in? Fuck that shit.
Also, Zinnia's obsession with her friends being together was so tiring, jist give it up already for heaven's sake.
I didn't believe their love story at all. So much was all unsaid or happened off-screen, it was stupid. Even the reality show aspect was bad and it never felt real. When they finally confessed their love at the end, I didn't feel anything and didn't believe that because there's no foundation for them. They're suddenly in love but where was this earlier? Where was the taking care for each other and quiet moments and anything at all? Not in this book.
Tropes:
- fake relationship
- marriage of convenience
- reality show
- opposites attract
- grumpy and sunshine
The FMC is frustrating. She's what, 25? And she acts like a 16-year-old child.
So she wants to get married after first date because her best friends are in love and she doesn't want to be a third wheel. jesus. Okay, fine. It's stupid and I rolled my eyes more than once, but fine, okay.
BUT. She wants to marry for convenience, doesn't want to fall in love, and wants the marriage to help her get customers for ehr small business. But when MMC proposes that marriage, when he tells her that he needs a wife of convenience and his popularity will bring those customers to her, she's suddenly no longer interested... Why? Because he doesn't want to fall in love with her?
And she thinks he's lying. Even though he has evidence that he's telling the truth that his family is Kardashian kind famous, she's like "you're lying! You're only trying to make fun of me!" It came compeltely out of nowwhere and she really acted like a 5 year old child, So annoying and frustrating, ughhhhh.
Like he even told you his famous sister is pregnant! Something he wouldn't have done as a joke because he loves his sister and she wants to keep it a secret! And you still think he's lying to you?? What the hell??
It's like the book starts one storyline or the idea and then doesn't follow through. Oh, they're suppsoed to be lovey-dovey for the cameras but they're not and for like 20% of the book nobody finds it weird or comment on it, until the author finally rememebrs "hey, this is a fake relationship romance". They click at her instead of talking to her and Jordan is super angry but the book ignores this and doesn't explain it at all even when it's from his point of view.
Most of the book ios also "tell, don't show" which I hate. There's a lot of talk bout what happened, but in past tense - none of these things happen on screen, especially in the second half when they're home. We need to see Jordan and Zinna get closer and start merging their life and spend time together in order to believe their fake relationship becoming real, but none of them is on screen. Except for one short grocery scene, everything else is mentioned in one sentence. Makes no sense whatsoever. How am I supposed to believe that they're falling in love for real when you don't even give me any scenes of them together?
The OW drama came out of nowhere and had no leg to stand on. The ending was so stupid too, because what do you mean that the man who left his family because he hated the reality show and only came back temporarily to protect his sister is now considering having his own reality show?? Are you kidding me??? And Zinna ALSO hated being recorded and now she's suddenly all in? Fuck that shit.
Also, Zinnia's obsession with her friends being together was so tiring, jist give it up already for heaven's sake.
I didn't believe their love story at all. So much was all unsaid or happened off-screen, it was stupid. Even the reality show aspect was bad and it never felt real. When they finally confessed their love at the end, I didn't feel anything and didn't believe that because there's no foundation for them. They're suddenly in love but where was this earlier? Where was the taking care for each other and quiet moments and anything at all? Not in this book.
Tropes:
- fake relationship
- marriage of convenience
- reality show
- opposites attract
- grumpy and sunshine
2025
October 21, 2025Black History Month TBR
Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
Read
December 13, 2025DNF on p. 40. A fantastic premise, but the way the characters seem to have bought so unquestioningly into a certain type of marketing/business mindset as their primary way of interacting with the world, and the way that mindset is presented without critique (at least from what I’ve read of it) - I can’t quite suspend disbelief. Or I guess I believe that there are people who think this way, but it’s not enjoyable or relatable or escapist to read about them.
I did however LOVE the idea that this protagonist has come up with her arranged marriage scheme because she’s afraid her two best friends will eventually admit they’re in love with each other and she’ll be stuck as their third wheel. So *deeply* realistic and yet it feels so fresh at the same time.
I did however LOVE the idea that this protagonist has come up with her arranged marriage scheme because she’s afraid her two best friends will eventually admit they’re in love with each other and she’ll be stuck as their third wheel. So *deeply* realistic and yet it feels so fresh at the same time.
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November 11, 2025DNF 30%
I avoid DNF'ing books but I really didn't like this and I don't see it getting better anytime soon.
The concept is great but it ended there.
I avoid DNF'ing books but I really didn't like this and I don't see it getting better anytime soon.
The concept is great but it ended there.
September 11, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
This one gave me mixed emotions. There were definitely some cute, buzzy moments with the flirting and banter (that I absolutely loved), but it often felt like the MMC was the only one truly affected by it afterward. The FMC came across as pretty nonchalant most of the time, so I had a hard time gauging if she actually liked him until the very end. I also wish the MMC had defended her more against his family …which irritated me.
There were stretches where I was really into the book, and then other times where I found myself a little bored. And with no epilogue, the ending felt like it needed just a bit more to wrap everything up . Overall, not a bad read, but it didn’t fully hit the mark for me.
This one gave me mixed emotions. There were definitely some cute, buzzy moments with the flirting and banter (that I absolutely loved), but it often felt like the MMC was the only one truly affected by it afterward. The FMC came across as pretty nonchalant most of the time, so I had a hard time gauging if she actually liked him until the very end. I also wish the MMC had defended her more against his family …which irritated me.
There were stretches where I was really into the book, and then other times where I found myself a little bored. And with no epilogue, the ending felt like it needed just a bit more to wrap everything up . Overall, not a bad read, but it didn’t fully hit the mark for me.
November 18, 2025
I had such a fun time with this book! I loved how it was something a bit different with the fmc looking for an arrangement and that combined with the reality show aspect was just really enjoyable. The characters were really interesting and fun to get to know as well and the side characters felt really real and also actually added something to the story.
It did feel a bit unrealistic at times, which was fine, but sometimes also made it a bit hard to get fully invested in the story. Zinnia's reactions compared to what happened sometimes came across as a bit mellow when I would've been screaming lol. I feel like she could've used a few extra pages to delve a bit deeper into what was going on and their emotions surrounding it.
I did have a really good time reading it and would definitely recommend if you love reality tv and a good amount of drama.
Thank you NetGalley and Headline for the arc.
It did feel a bit unrealistic at times, which was fine, but sometimes also made it a bit hard to get fully invested in the story. Zinnia's reactions compared to what happened sometimes came across as a bit mellow when I would've been screaming lol. I feel like she could've used a few extra pages to delve a bit deeper into what was going on and their emotions surrounding it.
I did have a really good time reading it and would definitely recommend if you love reality tv and a good amount of drama.
Thank you NetGalley and Headline for the arc.
October 1, 2025
Thank you for the free book, Berkley Romance!
In this contemporary rom com, Zinnia is ambitious and driven, tired of being alone but wanting more than a fling. She decides she wants a business arrangement but as a marriage- which coincidentally is just what Jordan needs. He’s been carrying a big secret- he is the out-of-the-spotlight son of reality tv’s biggest family. He’s got to cover for his sister by bringing a new storyline to the show- and newlyweds are the perfect cover.
This was such a fun and unique concept for a rom com. I loved that Jordan was smitten with Zinnia from the start, but she needed convincing. The reality tv plot line was beyond entertaining, and Jordan’s family was something else! It’s the best kind of messy, dramatic, and over the top in a way that only a romantic comedy can get away with while still being somehow authentic-feeling. I really enjoyed this one and will be sure to check out the author’s future work! Reality tv fans, forced proximity lovers, and those he enjoy the “he falls first and harder” trope will love this book.
In this contemporary rom com, Zinnia is ambitious and driven, tired of being alone but wanting more than a fling. She decides she wants a business arrangement but as a marriage- which coincidentally is just what Jordan needs. He’s been carrying a big secret- he is the out-of-the-spotlight son of reality tv’s biggest family. He’s got to cover for his sister by bringing a new storyline to the show- and newlyweds are the perfect cover.
This was such a fun and unique concept for a rom com. I loved that Jordan was smitten with Zinnia from the start, but she needed convincing. The reality tv plot line was beyond entertaining, and Jordan’s family was something else! It’s the best kind of messy, dramatic, and over the top in a way that only a romantic comedy can get away with while still being somehow authentic-feeling. I really enjoyed this one and will be sure to check out the author’s future work! Reality tv fans, forced proximity lovers, and those he enjoy the “he falls first and harder” trope will love this book.
November 12, 2025
My rating 3.5 ⭐
Let me first start by saying that this is my first book I have read by Claire Kann and I think she is a great story teller. The story was engaging and the stunning cover caught my attention. I was intrigued by Zinnia's quest for a partner to enter a marriage of convenience that felt like she was looking for a business partner rather than a love match. Zinnia can be described as a pure sunshine character but at times she came across as naive. I enjoyed reading about the friendship between Zinnia and her two best friends, who acted as the voice of reason when it seemed Zinnia didn't really think through what a marriage of convenience would entail with a stranger. We meet Jordan and he seems to check off everything on the list that Zinnia is looking for in a partner to enter a marriage contract. Jordan's reason to get married is to be part of the reality TV show featuring his parents and siblings.
While I thought Zinnia and Jordan had great chemistry, I felt the romantic build up of their relationship wasn't explored enough. Entering the reality TV show, Jordan's family drama was too much front and centre. His family didn't treat Zinnia well and I felt Jordan was too passive and didn't defend her when needed. The negativity of the side characters was distracting. I feel the book still has lots of potential as it features two well developed characters and the story would have been more enjoyable in a different setting.
Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for the copy of this ARC.
Let me first start by saying that this is my first book I have read by Claire Kann and I think she is a great story teller. The story was engaging and the stunning cover caught my attention. I was intrigued by Zinnia's quest for a partner to enter a marriage of convenience that felt like she was looking for a business partner rather than a love match. Zinnia can be described as a pure sunshine character but at times she came across as naive. I enjoyed reading about the friendship between Zinnia and her two best friends, who acted as the voice of reason when it seemed Zinnia didn't really think through what a marriage of convenience would entail with a stranger. We meet Jordan and he seems to check off everything on the list that Zinnia is looking for in a partner to enter a marriage contract. Jordan's reason to get married is to be part of the reality TV show featuring his parents and siblings.
While I thought Zinnia and Jordan had great chemistry, I felt the romantic build up of their relationship wasn't explored enough. Entering the reality TV show, Jordan's family drama was too much front and centre. His family didn't treat Zinnia well and I felt Jordan was too passive and didn't defend her when needed. The negativity of the side characters was distracting. I feel the book still has lots of potential as it features two well developed characters and the story would have been more enjoyable in a different setting.
Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for the copy of this ARC.
November 11, 2025
a strong 2.5
Zinnia doesn’t believe in love per se and decides to enter into a marriage through a contract. For her, it’s all purely business. She also low-key doesn’t want to be a third wheel to her two friends, who she is convinced will eventually profess their undying love for each other (although they never do).
The story had potential, but if I’m being honest (and I generally am), it suffered from too much telling and not enough showing. Do we see a relationship being built between Jordan and Zinnia? Sure, but the development of their romance was overshadowed by Jordan's very popular reality-TV family and their drama. Too many subplots were introduced but never fully explored or resolved.
Jordan's mother came off as passive-aggressive, giving off strong "white mom with biracial kids" vibes. I did not like her at all. Furthermore, it didn’t make sense for Jordan to keep his family a secret and lie to Zinnia. I mean, my guy, you agreed to a marriage by contract with a stranger!
The subplot involving his ex-girlfriend felt ridiculous and unnecessary. I understand it was meant to create family drama for the sake of the TV show, but it was just another annoying side plot, and I really didn’t care for it.
By the end of this read, I found myself wanting to just finish the book. The passive-aggressive remarks directed at Zinnia, the ambiguity surrounding Jordan and his family, and the fact that these were supposed to be grown adults who often read like coming-of-age teenagers—none of it worked for me. A barely there romance.... But since the author wrote for a YA audience, that makes sense.
Overall, The Marriage Narrative is an okay read and might be more appealing to younger readers.
thank you to the publisher for the opportunity read and review.
Zinnia doesn’t believe in love per se and decides to enter into a marriage through a contract. For her, it’s all purely business. She also low-key doesn’t want to be a third wheel to her two friends, who she is convinced will eventually profess their undying love for each other (although they never do).
The story had potential, but if I’m being honest (and I generally am), it suffered from too much telling and not enough showing. Do we see a relationship being built between Jordan and Zinnia? Sure, but the development of their romance was overshadowed by Jordan's very popular reality-TV family and their drama. Too many subplots were introduced but never fully explored or resolved.
Jordan's mother came off as passive-aggressive, giving off strong "white mom with biracial kids" vibes. I did not like her at all. Furthermore, it didn’t make sense for Jordan to keep his family a secret and lie to Zinnia. I mean, my guy, you agreed to a marriage by contract with a stranger!
The subplot involving his ex-girlfriend felt ridiculous and unnecessary. I understand it was meant to create family drama for the sake of the TV show, but it was just another annoying side plot, and I really didn’t care for it.
By the end of this read, I found myself wanting to just finish the book. The passive-aggressive remarks directed at Zinnia, the ambiguity surrounding Jordan and his family, and the fact that these were supposed to be grown adults who often read like coming-of-age teenagers—none of it worked for me. A barely there romance.... But since the author wrote for a YA audience, that makes sense.
Overall, The Marriage Narrative is an okay read and might be more appealing to younger readers.
thank you to the publisher for the opportunity read and review.
November 11, 2025
“Waiting around for the love of my life to show up has gotten me nowhere. That’s why this year I plan to marry a complete stranger.”
If you are looking for a slow burn, marriage of convenience romance with minimal spice then this is the book for you!
The reality TV storyline was messily entertaining. The family dynamics will make you consider how you’d personally handle the situations that the FMC finds herself in. The MMC and the FMCs friends were my favorite characters. They really pulled the story together and made it more interesting. I loved the anxiety representation and the banter between the characters; it felt realistic.
My only dislikes about this book were the FMCs personality. Her strong dependency was cringy. Most of the book didn’t feel like the MCs were grown. We didn’t get their ages in the book but they were older than what their romance gave. The MMC is lovable & I think that pushed the predictable ending towards making sense. But, their chemistry felt childish. Both parties desired a marriage-merger but tiptoed around the main goal… it was strange.
Overall, this is a cute palate cleanser romance.
I wouldn’t reread this.
But, I would read other books from the author.
If you are looking for a slow burn, marriage of convenience romance with minimal spice then this is the book for you!
The reality TV storyline was messily entertaining. The family dynamics will make you consider how you’d personally handle the situations that the FMC finds herself in. The MMC and the FMCs friends were my favorite characters. They really pulled the story together and made it more interesting. I loved the anxiety representation and the banter between the characters; it felt realistic.
My only dislikes about this book were the FMCs personality. Her strong dependency was cringy. Most of the book didn’t feel like the MCs were grown. We didn’t get their ages in the book but they were older than what their romance gave. The MMC is lovable & I think that pushed the predictable ending towards making sense. But, their chemistry felt childish. Both parties desired a marriage-merger but tiptoed around the main goal… it was strange.
Overall, this is a cute palate cleanser romance.
I wouldn’t reread this.
But, I would read other books from the author.
December 4, 2025
3⭐️
a cute marriage of convenience story but just didn't connect to these characters as much as i was hoping i would!
a cute marriage of convenience story but just didn't connect to these characters as much as i was hoping i would!
November 18, 2025
3 stars.
I have mixed feelings about Claire Kann's "The Marriage Narrative." The premise is pretty unique and quite engaging at the start, but the longer it went on, the more I lost interest in it as a whole. This is not because the main characters are bad, because they aren't at all, but because it feels like a story that's overly long and still amounts to nothing, saying a lot without producing anything substantial at the end. I liked Zinnia and Jordan's dynamic at first. They are quite smitten with one another despite their mutual insistence that their marriage of convenience is just that, a contract and nothing more. They have some good banter with one another and even a little bit of fiery chemistry. Unfortunately, the story is quite repetitive in terms of its content. Since it relies on Jordan's family and their Kardashian-esque reality TV show (they are super-mega-famous!), a lot of the situations tend to repeat themselves, feel inauthentic, and are frequently blown out of proportion for ratings and the cameras. Their grandiose drama completely overshadows Zinnia and Jordan's relationship, individualities, and their budding romance. This is also the thing I liked least about the book. I am all for drama, but it feels so over-the-top that I rolled my eyes on multiple occasions. It's the exact reason I don't watch reality TV. It's too much "rewarding bad people for their bad behavior" for me. The reality TV dramatics take up the majority of the story, leaving little to nothing for Zinnia and Jordan. On top of this, I absolutely hated the way Jordan's family treated Zinnia from the get-go. My god, they were the WORST, most HORRIBLE people to her, and for NO REASON! It made it difficult to want to continue to read about them, especially since they take up so much of the novel. Like I said, this is a mixed bag. I preferred Kann's other novel "The Romantic Agenda."
Thank you to NetGalley, Claire Kann, and Berkley Publishing Group for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
I have mixed feelings about Claire Kann's "The Marriage Narrative." The premise is pretty unique and quite engaging at the start, but the longer it went on, the more I lost interest in it as a whole. This is not because the main characters are bad, because they aren't at all, but because it feels like a story that's overly long and still amounts to nothing, saying a lot without producing anything substantial at the end. I liked Zinnia and Jordan's dynamic at first. They are quite smitten with one another despite their mutual insistence that their marriage of convenience is just that, a contract and nothing more. They have some good banter with one another and even a little bit of fiery chemistry. Unfortunately, the story is quite repetitive in terms of its content. Since it relies on Jordan's family and their Kardashian-esque reality TV show (they are super-mega-famous!), a lot of the situations tend to repeat themselves, feel inauthentic, and are frequently blown out of proportion for ratings and the cameras. Their grandiose drama completely overshadows Zinnia and Jordan's relationship, individualities, and their budding romance. This is also the thing I liked least about the book. I am all for drama, but it feels so over-the-top that I rolled my eyes on multiple occasions. It's the exact reason I don't watch reality TV. It's too much "rewarding bad people for their bad behavior" for me. The reality TV dramatics take up the majority of the story, leaving little to nothing for Zinnia and Jordan. On top of this, I absolutely hated the way Jordan's family treated Zinnia from the get-go. My god, they were the WORST, most HORRIBLE people to her, and for NO REASON! It made it difficult to want to continue to read about them, especially since they take up so much of the novel. Like I said, this is a mixed bag. I preferred Kann's other novel "The Romantic Agenda."
Thank you to NetGalley, Claire Kann, and Berkley Publishing Group for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
November 16, 2025
Thank you Berkley Romance & Netgalley for the eARC!!
3.5 stars!
I think this was such a cute book! I feel like if you're a fan of reality tv, you'll really enjoy this one! I really loved the marriage of convenience trope in this, and thought it was a fun new take on the trope! I absolutely adored Zinnia, I think she was so funny & sweet. I loved the flirty banter she had with Jordan!! Their first kiss was everything!! 🔥 I loved the instant chemistry.
Overall, I think this is a nice fast paced romance that lovers of reality tv & the marriage of convenience trope will devour!!
3.5 stars!
I think this was such a cute book! I feel like if you're a fan of reality tv, you'll really enjoy this one! I really loved the marriage of convenience trope in this, and thought it was a fun new take on the trope! I absolutely adored Zinnia, I think she was so funny & sweet. I loved the flirty banter she had with Jordan!! Their first kiss was everything!! 🔥 I loved the instant chemistry.
Overall, I think this is a nice fast paced romance that lovers of reality tv & the marriage of convenience trope will devour!!
December 17, 2025
The Marriage Narrative had all the ingredients I usually love : marriage of convenience, fake relationship, banter, but the execution was deeply frustrating. The FMC came across as immature and wildly inconsistent: she wants a marriage without love for convenience, then immediately rejects that exact setup when the MMC proposes it. Her reactions, especially regarding his fame, often felt irrational and exhausting.
While the banter is genuinely fun, it feels like the MMC is doing all the emotional heavy lifting. The romance itself suffers from a serious case of “tell, don’t show,” with most of the relationship development happening off-page. As a result, their love story never fully felt earned or believable.
The reality TV element and family drama overshadow the romance instead of enhancing it, and the ending contradicts much of what the book establishes, making it feel rushed and unsatisfying. There are enjoyable moments here, but overall, the book didn’t live up to its promising premise.
While the banter is genuinely fun, it feels like the MMC is doing all the emotional heavy lifting. The romance itself suffers from a serious case of “tell, don’t show,” with most of the relationship development happening off-page. As a result, their love story never fully felt earned or believable.
The reality TV element and family drama overshadow the romance instead of enhancing it, and the ending contradicts much of what the book establishes, making it feel rushed and unsatisfying. There are enjoyable moments here, but overall, the book didn’t live up to its promising premise.
November 19, 2025
I won this in a giveaway.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2025
Claire Kann's most romantic book yet! 4.25 stars rounded up
December 1, 2025
actual rating: 2,5
December 6, 2025
I NEED MORE
November 27, 2025
I found this to be incredibly cringy and the heroine was so annoying. I honestly hated the start of this and it took me so long to read this because I just didn’t care about any of it. Plus reality show books don’t tend to work for me because I hate reality shows.
November 11, 2025
“My love knocked her senseless, stole her passport, and shipped her off to sea.”
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️
Pub date: 11/11/25
I will always be down for a marriage of convenience! Zinnia and Jordan were made for each other even though their relationship started as a marriage merger. I love that they both had goals and aspirations they were not shy about focusing on and supported each other equally. Their relationship certainly had a bumpy start, especially when his family came into the picture but I love how it unfolded in the end.
The premise of Jordan’s family having a reality TV show was very unique. As a reality TV lover, this was one of my favorite parts! If you’re looking for a sweet contemporary romance with a dash of chaos, you’ll enjoy this story.
Tropes:
✨He Falls First (one of my personal favorites)
✨Marriage of Convenience
✨Flirting Lessons
✨Strangers to Lovers
Thanks so much to @berkleypub @berkleyromance for the free e-arc!#BerkleyPartner
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️
Pub date: 11/11/25
I will always be down for a marriage of convenience! Zinnia and Jordan were made for each other even though their relationship started as a marriage merger. I love that they both had goals and aspirations they were not shy about focusing on and supported each other equally. Their relationship certainly had a bumpy start, especially when his family came into the picture but I love how it unfolded in the end.
The premise of Jordan’s family having a reality TV show was very unique. As a reality TV lover, this was one of my favorite parts! If you’re looking for a sweet contemporary romance with a dash of chaos, you’ll enjoy this story.
Tropes:
✨He Falls First (one of my personal favorites)
✨Marriage of Convenience
✨Flirting Lessons
✨Strangers to Lovers
Thanks so much to @berkleypub @berkleyromance for the free e-arc!#BerkleyPartner
November 3, 2025
I’ve always had a complicated relationship with reality TV—simultaneously fascinated and repelled by the artificial drama and manufactured storylines. The Marriage Narrative by Claire Kann takes that messy relationship with reality television and uses it as the backdrop for one of the most unexpectedly sweet romance novels I’ve read this year.
Zinnia’s approach to finding a life partner is refreshingly pragmatic in ways that will either resonate immediately or seem completely unhinged depending on your perspective. She’s successful, ambitious, and tired of traditional dating’s inefficiency. So she does what any rational businesswoman would do: she creates a marriage proposal that reads like a corporate merger, complete with timeline and deliverables. Thirty days from first meeting to wedding. It’s absurd and brilliant in equal measure.
What makes this premise work is that Kann never asks us to believe Zinnia is simply cold or calculating. Instead, she’s someone who’s looked at traditional romance narratives, found them wanting, and decided to write her own story. She wants companionship, partnership, and stability—she’s just being honest about the transactional nature that underlies most relationships anyway.
Enter Jordan, who seems like the perfect candidate for this unconventional arrangement. He’s charming, understanding of Zinnia’s unusual proposal, and ready to commit to the timeline. The fact that he comes from a Kardashian-adjacent reality TV dynasty initially seems like an interesting quirk rather than the central complication it becomes.
The revelation that Jordan is essentially using Zinnia as an escape route from his family’s manufactured drama could have made him irredeemable. But Kann handles it with enough nuance that you understand his desperation even while recognizing the ethical problems with his deception. He’s been living in a world where every moment is curated for cameras, where relationships exist primarily as content, and he’s drowning in the performative nature of it all.
The dual perspective structure is crucial here. By giving us both Zinnia and Jordan’s internal monologues, Kann allows us to see how their perceptions of events differ wildly from the reality TV narrative being constructed around them. It’s a brilliant commentary on how selective editing and strategic framing can create stories that bear only passing resemblance to actual events.
Zinnia’s journey from outsider to insider—or rather, her deliberate refusal to fully become an insider—provides the emotional core of the story. She enters Jordan’s family’s world with clear boundaries and maintained perspective, refusing to let the manufactured drama consume her sense of reality. Watching her hold firm to her own values while also trying to support Jordan creates this wonderful tension.
The reality TV family dynamics are rendered with enough specificity that they feel both exaggerated and completely plausible. Kann clearly understands how these families operate, how the line between genuine relationship and performance dissolves over time, how difficult it becomes to distinguish authentic emotion from storyline when cameras have documented your entire adult life.
Jordan’s position as the family member who chose escape over participation adds complexity that typical romance novels wouldn’t bother exploring. His relationship with his siblings isn’t simply antagonistic—there’s genuine love mixed with frustration, understanding mixed with judgment. He wants connection without performance, which his family literally cannot provide because they no longer know the difference.
The supporting cast brings humor and heart without overwhelming the central relationship. Zinnia’s friends provide grounding and reality checks, serving as her tether to the normal world as she gets pulled deeper into Jordan’s chaotic family dynamics. Jordan’s family members, even when they’re being ridiculous, feel like real people making choices that make sense within their warped frame of reference.
What impressed me most was how Kann handles the transition from contractual arrangement to genuine feeling. Both Zinnia and Jordan start catching feelings while still trying to maintain the fiction that this is purely business. Watching them individually process what’s happening before they can admit it to each other creates the kind of delicious tension that makes romance novels worth reading.
Neither character is perfect, which makes their eventual connection feel earned rather than inevitable. Zinnia’s rigid control occasionally tips into emotional avoidance. Jordan’s desperation to escape his family sometimes manifests as questionable decision-making. But they’re both fundamentally good people trying to navigate impossible situations, which makes them easy to root for.
The exploration of what constitutes a “real” relationship in a world where everything can be performed for cameras adds unexpected depth. Kann asks genuine questions about authenticity, privacy, and whether it’s possible to maintain genuine connection when your life is content. These themes resonate beyond the reality TV setting into broader conversations about social media and performative living.
The pacing maintains steady momentum throughout, balancing quieter character development moments with the chaotic energy of reality TV filming. Kann knows when to let relationships breathe and when to inject drama, creating a reading experience that mirrors the best aspects of reality television without its worst excesses.
The Marriage Narrative succeeds as both romance and social commentary because Kann takes both elements seriously. The love story works on its own terms while also existing within larger conversations about authenticity, family obligation, and the cost of living in public.
For readers who like:
Fans of The Dating Plan or The Unhoneymooners, anyone who enjoyed Beach Read for its emotional depth, readers seeking contemporary romance with unique premises, and those fascinated by reality TV culture.
Final Verdict
Claire Kann has created something genuinely delightful—a romance that uses its reality TV backdrop to explore meaningful questions about authenticity and connection while still delivering satisfying relationship development. The Marriage Narrative will particularly appeal to anyone who’s ever been both fascinated and horrified by reality television, but it works equally well as simply an engaging story about two people finding real love in the most artificial circumstances imaginable. Zinnia and Jordan’s relationship feels genuine despite (or perhaps because of) its unconventional origins, and Kann’s handling of both romance and family dynamics demonstrates real sophistication. This is exactly the kind of contemporary romance that reminds you why the genre can be so satisfying when it’s done right.
Grateful to NetGalley, Berkley, and Claire Kann for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
Zinnia’s approach to finding a life partner is refreshingly pragmatic in ways that will either resonate immediately or seem completely unhinged depending on your perspective. She’s successful, ambitious, and tired of traditional dating’s inefficiency. So she does what any rational businesswoman would do: she creates a marriage proposal that reads like a corporate merger, complete with timeline and deliverables. Thirty days from first meeting to wedding. It’s absurd and brilliant in equal measure.
What makes this premise work is that Kann never asks us to believe Zinnia is simply cold or calculating. Instead, she’s someone who’s looked at traditional romance narratives, found them wanting, and decided to write her own story. She wants companionship, partnership, and stability—she’s just being honest about the transactional nature that underlies most relationships anyway.
Enter Jordan, who seems like the perfect candidate for this unconventional arrangement. He’s charming, understanding of Zinnia’s unusual proposal, and ready to commit to the timeline. The fact that he comes from a Kardashian-adjacent reality TV dynasty initially seems like an interesting quirk rather than the central complication it becomes.
The revelation that Jordan is essentially using Zinnia as an escape route from his family’s manufactured drama could have made him irredeemable. But Kann handles it with enough nuance that you understand his desperation even while recognizing the ethical problems with his deception. He’s been living in a world where every moment is curated for cameras, where relationships exist primarily as content, and he’s drowning in the performative nature of it all.
The dual perspective structure is crucial here. By giving us both Zinnia and Jordan’s internal monologues, Kann allows us to see how their perceptions of events differ wildly from the reality TV narrative being constructed around them. It’s a brilliant commentary on how selective editing and strategic framing can create stories that bear only passing resemblance to actual events.
Zinnia’s journey from outsider to insider—or rather, her deliberate refusal to fully become an insider—provides the emotional core of the story. She enters Jordan’s family’s world with clear boundaries and maintained perspective, refusing to let the manufactured drama consume her sense of reality. Watching her hold firm to her own values while also trying to support Jordan creates this wonderful tension.
The reality TV family dynamics are rendered with enough specificity that they feel both exaggerated and completely plausible. Kann clearly understands how these families operate, how the line between genuine relationship and performance dissolves over time, how difficult it becomes to distinguish authentic emotion from storyline when cameras have documented your entire adult life.
Jordan’s position as the family member who chose escape over participation adds complexity that typical romance novels wouldn’t bother exploring. His relationship with his siblings isn’t simply antagonistic—there’s genuine love mixed with frustration, understanding mixed with judgment. He wants connection without performance, which his family literally cannot provide because they no longer know the difference.
The supporting cast brings humor and heart without overwhelming the central relationship. Zinnia’s friends provide grounding and reality checks, serving as her tether to the normal world as she gets pulled deeper into Jordan’s chaotic family dynamics. Jordan’s family members, even when they’re being ridiculous, feel like real people making choices that make sense within their warped frame of reference.
What impressed me most was how Kann handles the transition from contractual arrangement to genuine feeling. Both Zinnia and Jordan start catching feelings while still trying to maintain the fiction that this is purely business. Watching them individually process what’s happening before they can admit it to each other creates the kind of delicious tension that makes romance novels worth reading.
Neither character is perfect, which makes their eventual connection feel earned rather than inevitable. Zinnia’s rigid control occasionally tips into emotional avoidance. Jordan’s desperation to escape his family sometimes manifests as questionable decision-making. But they’re both fundamentally good people trying to navigate impossible situations, which makes them easy to root for.
The exploration of what constitutes a “real” relationship in a world where everything can be performed for cameras adds unexpected depth. Kann asks genuine questions about authenticity, privacy, and whether it’s possible to maintain genuine connection when your life is content. These themes resonate beyond the reality TV setting into broader conversations about social media and performative living.
The pacing maintains steady momentum throughout, balancing quieter character development moments with the chaotic energy of reality TV filming. Kann knows when to let relationships breathe and when to inject drama, creating a reading experience that mirrors the best aspects of reality television without its worst excesses.
The Marriage Narrative succeeds as both romance and social commentary because Kann takes both elements seriously. The love story works on its own terms while also existing within larger conversations about authenticity, family obligation, and the cost of living in public.
For readers who like:
Fans of The Dating Plan or The Unhoneymooners, anyone who enjoyed Beach Read for its emotional depth, readers seeking contemporary romance with unique premises, and those fascinated by reality TV culture.
Final Verdict
Claire Kann has created something genuinely delightful—a romance that uses its reality TV backdrop to explore meaningful questions about authenticity and connection while still delivering satisfying relationship development. The Marriage Narrative will particularly appeal to anyone who’s ever been both fascinated and horrified by reality television, but it works equally well as simply an engaging story about two people finding real love in the most artificial circumstances imaginable. Zinnia and Jordan’s relationship feels genuine despite (or perhaps because of) its unconventional origins, and Kann’s handling of both romance and family dynamics demonstrates real sophistication. This is exactly the kind of contemporary romance that reminds you why the genre can be so satisfying when it’s done right.
Grateful to NetGalley, Berkley, and Claire Kann for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
November 11, 2025
🏷️Tropes You’ll Find:
Marriage of Convenience
Reality TV Hijinks
He Falls First (and Harder)
Slow Burn + Mutual Respect
Supportive Friend Group
Forced Proximity
Zinnia is one of those heroines you instantly root for — ambitious, self-aware, and done with dating disasters. She’s not looking for fireworks, she’s looking for stability, partnership, and peace. Her plan? A marriage of convenience. No messy feelings, no heartbreak, just a pragmatic path to a happy life. Honestly? Mood.
Then she matches with Jordan. Sweet, steady, secretive Jordan — who just so happens to be the off-camera son of reality TV’s most unhinged famous family. His life’s been chaos since birth, and all he wants is a little control. Unfortunately, control and cameras don’t exactly mix. To keep the tabloids off his back and his family’s show running, he needs a storyline — and fast. Enter: fake fiancée Zinnia.
But what starts as a business arrangement quickly turns into something richer, deeper, and a whole lot messier. Because even when love isn’t part of the plan, it tends to show up anyway.
I adored the pacing here. It’s not the kind of rom-com that relies on big drama or snappy one-liners every page — it’s quieter, more introspective, yet still full of sparkle. The banter feels real, the tension deliciously slow, and the chemistry perfectly unhurried. Zinnia and Jordan’s relationship isn’t built on insta-love; it’s built on small acts of care — shared space, mutual respect, and the quiet comfort of knowing someone sees you, even when the rest of the world doesn’t.
And let’s talk about Jordan’s family — they are a lot, but in the best, most reality-TV way. Imagine a Kardashian-level circus but with slightly more emotional depth and way more heart. Every scene with them felt like watching the kind of guilty-pleasure TV that keeps you up at 2AM muttering, “just one more episode.”
Zinnia’s dynamic with her friends, though, is what truly won me over. Every time she called her group chat to vent, I was like, yes girl, same. It’s such a realistic portrayal of how women lean on each other — for advice, validation, or just a good meme when life implodes.
And can we give a standing ovation for no third-act breakup? Instead, Kann explores conflict through communication, accountability, and vulnerability — basically, what adults actually do. It’s refreshing, honest, and weirdly rare in romance.
The Marriage Narrative feels like a meditation on modern partnership — what it means to love with intention, to build something steady instead of spectacular. It’s about choosing someone not because they sweep you off your feet, but because they help you plant them firmly on the ground.
This isn’t your average rom-com. It’s softer, slower, and more introspective — like if The Proposal and Love is Blind had a thoughtful, emotionally intelligent child who journals and drinks herbal tea before bed.
By the end, I didn’t just root for Zinnia and Jordan — I admired them. They earned their happiness through communication, self-awareness, and genuine care. And that, honestly, is the kind of love story that lasts.
The Marriage Narrative is the definition of a feel-good, think-deep romance — a quiet yet captivating love story that proves that sometimes the most romantic thing you can do is simply choose each other, day after day.
If you like your rom-coms grounded but still sparkly, if you love a good “he falls first” dynamic, or if you’ve ever fantasized about saying “I do” just to avoid another bad Tinder date — this one’s for you.
For Fans Of
The Love Wager by Lynn Painter
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren
Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
Marriage of Convenience
Reality TV Hijinks
He Falls First (and Harder)
Slow Burn + Mutual Respect
Supportive Friend Group
Forced Proximity
Zinnia is one of those heroines you instantly root for — ambitious, self-aware, and done with dating disasters. She’s not looking for fireworks, she’s looking for stability, partnership, and peace. Her plan? A marriage of convenience. No messy feelings, no heartbreak, just a pragmatic path to a happy life. Honestly? Mood.
Then she matches with Jordan. Sweet, steady, secretive Jordan — who just so happens to be the off-camera son of reality TV’s most unhinged famous family. His life’s been chaos since birth, and all he wants is a little control. Unfortunately, control and cameras don’t exactly mix. To keep the tabloids off his back and his family’s show running, he needs a storyline — and fast. Enter: fake fiancée Zinnia.
But what starts as a business arrangement quickly turns into something richer, deeper, and a whole lot messier. Because even when love isn’t part of the plan, it tends to show up anyway.
I adored the pacing here. It’s not the kind of rom-com that relies on big drama or snappy one-liners every page — it’s quieter, more introspective, yet still full of sparkle. The banter feels real, the tension deliciously slow, and the chemistry perfectly unhurried. Zinnia and Jordan’s relationship isn’t built on insta-love; it’s built on small acts of care — shared space, mutual respect, and the quiet comfort of knowing someone sees you, even when the rest of the world doesn’t.
And let’s talk about Jordan’s family — they are a lot, but in the best, most reality-TV way. Imagine a Kardashian-level circus but with slightly more emotional depth and way more heart. Every scene with them felt like watching the kind of guilty-pleasure TV that keeps you up at 2AM muttering, “just one more episode.”
Zinnia’s dynamic with her friends, though, is what truly won me over. Every time she called her group chat to vent, I was like, yes girl, same. It’s such a realistic portrayal of how women lean on each other — for advice, validation, or just a good meme when life implodes.
And can we give a standing ovation for no third-act breakup? Instead, Kann explores conflict through communication, accountability, and vulnerability — basically, what adults actually do. It’s refreshing, honest, and weirdly rare in romance.
The Marriage Narrative feels like a meditation on modern partnership — what it means to love with intention, to build something steady instead of spectacular. It’s about choosing someone not because they sweep you off your feet, but because they help you plant them firmly on the ground.
This isn’t your average rom-com. It’s softer, slower, and more introspective — like if The Proposal and Love is Blind had a thoughtful, emotionally intelligent child who journals and drinks herbal tea before bed.
By the end, I didn’t just root for Zinnia and Jordan — I admired them. They earned their happiness through communication, self-awareness, and genuine care. And that, honestly, is the kind of love story that lasts.
The Marriage Narrative is the definition of a feel-good, think-deep romance — a quiet yet captivating love story that proves that sometimes the most romantic thing you can do is simply choose each other, day after day.
If you like your rom-coms grounded but still sparkly, if you love a good “he falls first” dynamic, or if you’ve ever fantasized about saying “I do” just to avoid another bad Tinder date — this one’s for you.
For Fans Of
The Love Wager by Lynn Painter
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren
Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
November 17, 2025
I enjoyed Claire Kann's first two adult novels, so I was excited for her newest release, The Marriage Narrative. Zinnia wants to get married, but instead of waiting to find The One, she decides something more like a business arrangement would work better for her desires. So she finds a man with the same goals as her: Jordan. But his family is filmed like the Kardashians, and he needs his wife to be okay with being filmed for the first year they’re together. Zinnia agrees, but she’s not quite prepared for how invasive and difficult this reality show life will be! Is this marriage of convenience worth it?
What I Liked:
- The unique setup. I haven’t read very many contemporary romances featuring a marriage of convenience, but this one certainly had an interesting premise. Zinnia makes it so formal, like a professional merger. I enjoyed seeing her interview potential partners, and Jordan ends up wanting the same things as her… kind of!
- Reality tv and lightly contrived storylines. I never watch reality tv, but Jordan’s family’s show, Zaffre Hours, seems similar to the Kardashians. Their real lives are documented basically 24/7, but each season requires some kind of narrative to frame the characters. For Jordan and Zinnia, they’re the newlyweds, but how does Zinnia fit into the family? It was interesting seeing how they came up with the lens through which to portray each person. But I’m with Zinnia: I’d personally hate to be followed around like that.
- A new look at marriage. For Zinnia and Jordan, marriage isn’t necessarily about love or affection. Instead, it’s about mutual support and trust, people with whom they can share their lives and finances but without the risk of feelings getting hurt. It may not be romantic, but I do like how they want to be in a true partnership with each other. And this is a romance novel, so maybe some feelings will come into it eventually…
What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Not enough romantic build-up. I think too much time was spent on the Zaffre family members and storylines, and the result was not enough time seeing Zinnia and Jordan develop feelings for each other. Jordan’s romantic feelings were more evident, but with Zinnia, it was hard to see her truly getting closer to Jordan. I wanted more from these two. They seemed compatible but needed more romance.
- Some parts of the ending seemed off to me. One was kind of at odds with how Zinnia and Jordan felt about being filmed all the time. The other seemed to almost negate Zinnia’s original reason for wanting to get married in the first place.
Final Thoughts
The Marriage Narrative is a fun and unique angle on the marriage of convenience trope. It’s a slow burn romance with likable characters, even if I wanted a bit more from them. The three Claire Kann books I’ve read have been pretty different, and I’m excited to see what her next story will be.
Special thanks to the publicists at Penguin Random House, Berkley, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
What I Liked:
- The unique setup. I haven’t read very many contemporary romances featuring a marriage of convenience, but this one certainly had an interesting premise. Zinnia makes it so formal, like a professional merger. I enjoyed seeing her interview potential partners, and Jordan ends up wanting the same things as her… kind of!
- Reality tv and lightly contrived storylines. I never watch reality tv, but Jordan’s family’s show, Zaffre Hours, seems similar to the Kardashians. Their real lives are documented basically 24/7, but each season requires some kind of narrative to frame the characters. For Jordan and Zinnia, they’re the newlyweds, but how does Zinnia fit into the family? It was interesting seeing how they came up with the lens through which to portray each person. But I’m with Zinnia: I’d personally hate to be followed around like that.
- A new look at marriage. For Zinnia and Jordan, marriage isn’t necessarily about love or affection. Instead, it’s about mutual support and trust, people with whom they can share their lives and finances but without the risk of feelings getting hurt. It may not be romantic, but I do like how they want to be in a true partnership with each other. And this is a romance novel, so maybe some feelings will come into it eventually…
What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Not enough romantic build-up. I think too much time was spent on the Zaffre family members and storylines, and the result was not enough time seeing Zinnia and Jordan develop feelings for each other. Jordan’s romantic feelings were more evident, but with Zinnia, it was hard to see her truly getting closer to Jordan. I wanted more from these two. They seemed compatible but needed more romance.
- Some parts of the ending seemed off to me. One was kind of at odds with how Zinnia and Jordan felt about being filmed all the time. The other seemed to almost negate Zinnia’s original reason for wanting to get married in the first place.
Final Thoughts
The Marriage Narrative is a fun and unique angle on the marriage of convenience trope. It’s a slow burn romance with likable characters, even if I wanted a bit more from them. The three Claire Kann books I’ve read have been pretty different, and I’m excited to see what her next story will be.
Special thanks to the publicists at Penguin Random House, Berkley, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
November 13, 2025
🎧𝒜𝐿𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌🎧
𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs
𝒮𝓅𝒾𝒸𝑒 𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🌶 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻
✨ 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝓀✨
ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴀ ɴᴏ-ɴᴏɴsᴇɴsᴇ ᴇɴᴛʀᴇᴘʀᴇɴᴇᴜʀ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀs ᴀ 𝟹𝟶-ᴅᴀʏ “ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ᴍᴇʀɢᴇʀ” ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ-ᴛᴠ ʜᴇɪʀ, ʙᴜsɪɴᴇss ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴜʀᴇ ᴄᴏʟʟɪᴅᴇ—ᴛᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄ ᴍᴇss ɴᴇɪᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄᴀɴ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ.
𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:
ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ᴘʀʜ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏ ғᴏʀ ɢɪꜰᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʟᴄ!
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝑀𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒾𝒶𝑔𝑒 𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓋𝑒 ʜᴀᴅ sᴜᴄʜ ᴀ ғʀᴇsʜ, ᴄʟᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴘʀᴇᴍɪsᴇ—ᴀ 𝟹𝟶-ᴅᴀʏ “ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ᴍᴇʀɢᴇʀ” ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴀᴍʙɪᴛɪᴏᴜs ᴇɴᴛʀᴇᴘʀᴇɴᴇᴜʀ ᴢɪɴɴɪᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ-ᴛᴠ ʜᴇɪʀ ᴊᴏʀᴅᴀɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙʟᴜʀs ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɴᴇ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ʙᴜsɪɴᴇss ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇ—ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇxᴇᴄᴜᴛɪᴏɴ ʟᴇғᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴄᴏɴғʟɪᴄᴛᴇᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀs, ᴍᴀʀᴄᴇʟʟᴀ ᴄᴏx ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴍᴀɴᴜᴇʟ ɪɴɢʀᴀᴍ, ᴅᴏ ᴀ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀғᴜʟ ᴊᴏʙ ʙʀɪɴɢɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs ᴛᴏ ʟɪғᴇ. ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄʜᴇᴍɪsᴛʀʏ, ᴛᴏɴᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴀᴄɪɴɢ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴀɴ ᴇɴɢᴀɢɪɴɢ ʀʜʏᴛʜᴍ ᴛʜᴀᴛ’s ᴇᴀsʏ ᴛᴏ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ ᴛᴏ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ɪᴛsᴇʟғ sᴛᴀʀᴛs ᴛᴏ ғᴀʟᴛᴇʀ.
ᴜɴғᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇʟʏ, ɪ sᴛʀᴜɢɢʟᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ’s ɪɴᴛᴇʀɴᴀʟ ʟᴏɢɪᴄ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴘᴀʏᴏғғ. ʙʏ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ 𝟸𝟶% ᴍᴀʀᴋ, ɪ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ ғʀᴜsᴛʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴊᴏʀᴅᴀɴ’s ғᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡᴀs ᴅᴇғᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴢɪɴɴɪᴀ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴊᴏʀᴅᴀɴ ᴡᴀs. ʜɪs ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ʜᴜᴍɪʟɪᴀᴛᴇs ʜᴇʀ ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄʟʏ, ʏᴇᴛ ʜᴇ ʀᴀʀᴇʟʏ sᴛᴀɴᴅs ᴜᴘ ғᴏʀ ʜᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜᴇɴ ʜᴇ ғɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴅᴏᴇs, ɪᴛ’s ᴛᴏᴏ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ, ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴀᴛᴇ. ᴢɪɴɴɪᴀ ғᴏʀɢɪᴠᴇs ʜɪᴍ ғᴀʀ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴇᴀsɪʟʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ “ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ” sᴇᴛᴜᴘ—ᴡʜɪᴄʜ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴇᴍᴘᴏᴡᴇʀᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ—ᴇɴᴅs ᴜᴘ ᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴛʀᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴀssɪᴠᴇ ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ʜᴀʟғ ᴅʀᴀɢs ᴀs sʜᴇ ᴛᴏʟᴇʀᴀᴛᴇs ʀᴇᴘᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴜᴍɪʟɪᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴀᴄᴋɴᴏᴡʟᴇᴅɢᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ’s ᴘᴜʀᴘᴏsᴇ ᴏʀ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs. ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪᴅᴘᴏɪɴᴛ, sʜᴇ ғɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ɢʀᴏᴡs ᴀ ʙᴀᴄᴋʙᴏɴᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴊᴏʀᴅᴀɴ ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴs sᴘɪɴᴇʟᴇss ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴇs ᴛᴏ ʜɪs ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ’s ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ sʜᴏᴡ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀsʜᴀᴅᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴsʜɪᴘ.
🎧 𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃: ᴍᴀʀᴄᴇʟʟᴀ ᴄᴏx & ᴇᴍᴍᴀɴᴜᴇʟ ɪɴɢʀᴀᴍ
ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴠᴀʟᴜᴇ ɪs sᴏʟɪᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀs’ ᴘᴇʀғᴏʀᴍᴀɴᴄᴇs ᴋᴇᴘᴛ ᴍᴇ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ: ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴛɪᴍɪɴɢ, ᴛᴏɴᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴘʟᴀʏ ᴡᴏʀᴋᴇᴅ ᴡᴇʟʟ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀɴᴛᴇʀ, sʜᴀᴋʏ ᴛʀᴜsᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴄᴀɴ’ᴛ ғᴜʟʟʏ ғɪx ᴀ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs ғᴇᴇʟ ᴜɴsᴛᴀʙʟᴇ. ɪɴ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏ ғᴏʀᴍᴀᴛ, ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴢɪɴɴɪᴀ’s ʜᴜʀᴛ ᴏʀ ᴊᴏʀᴅᴀɴ’s ᴄᴏᴜʀᴀɢᴇ sʜɪғᴛ ᴄᴏɴᴠɪɴᴄɪɴɢʟʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴅʀɪғᴛᴇᴅ.
ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴠɪɴɢ ɢʀᴀᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ. ᴄᴏx ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴɢʀᴀᴍ ɪɴғᴜsᴇ ᴡᴀʀᴍᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴇɴᴛɪᴄɪᴛʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴘᴇʀғᴏʀᴍᴀɴᴄᴇs, ɢɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ sᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇs ᴘʀᴏᴠɪᴅᴇs. ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴅʏɴᴀᴍɪᴄ ᴍᴀᴋᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀɴᴛᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴇɴᴅᴇʀɴᴇss ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴢɪɴɴɪᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴊᴏʀᴅᴀɴ ʟᴀɴᴅ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴄʀɪᴘᴛ ᴡᴀᴠᴇʀs. sᴛɪʟʟ, ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴄᴏɴsɪsᴛᴇɴᴛ ᴘᴀᴄɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴇᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴀʀᴄs ʟᴇғᴛ ᴍᴇ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴅᴇᴛᴀᴄʜᴇᴅ.
𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝐸𝓁𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈:
💍 ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ᴏғ ᴄᴏɴᴠᴇɴɪᴇɴᴄᴇ / ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ
💍 ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏxɪᴍɪᴛʏ
💍 ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ᴠs ᴛᴏxɪᴄ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ
💍 ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴsʜɪᴘ / ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ ᴛᴠ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
💍 ᴄᴀʀᴇᴇʀ-ᴅʀɪᴠᴇɴ ʜᴇʀᴏɪɴᴇ
💍 ᴄɪɴɴᴀᴍᴏɴ ʀᴏʟʟ ᴍᴍᴄ ᴡɪᴛʜ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ᴘʀᴇssᴜʀᴇ
💍 𝟹𝟶-ᴅᴀʏ ғɪᴀɴᴄé x ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ-ᴛᴠ ʜᴇɪʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴏᴍᴍʏ ɪssᴜᴇs
𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉:
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝑀𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒾𝒶𝑔𝑒 𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓋𝑒 ɪs ᴀ ғᴜɴ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʟɪᴋᴀʙʟᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴇxᴄᴇʟʟᴇɴᴛ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ʀᴏᴍ-ᴄᴏᴍs ᴡɪᴛʜ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ-ᴛᴠ ᴛʀᴀᴘᴘɪɴɢs, ǫᴜɪʀᴋʏ sᴇᴛᴜᴘs, ᴀɴᴅ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ʏᴏᴜ’ʟʟ ʟɪᴋᴇʟʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴛɪᴍᴇ. ʙᴜᴛ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ sᴇᴇᴋɪɴɢ sʜᴀʀᴘ ᴄᴏɴғʟɪᴄᴛ, ᴄʟᴇᴀʀ ʙᴏᴜɴᴅᴀʀɪᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴀʀᴄs, ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ ᴍᴀʏ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴏʀᴇ. ᴀ sᴏʟɪᴅ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ—ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ sᴛᴀɴᴅᴏᴜᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ.
ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: @ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ
𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs
𝒮𝓅𝒾𝒸𝑒 𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🌶 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻
✨ 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝓀✨
ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴀ ɴᴏ-ɴᴏɴsᴇɴsᴇ ᴇɴᴛʀᴇᴘʀᴇɴᴇᴜʀ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀs ᴀ 𝟹𝟶-ᴅᴀʏ “ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ᴍᴇʀɢᴇʀ” ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ-ᴛᴠ ʜᴇɪʀ, ʙᴜsɪɴᴇss ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴜʀᴇ ᴄᴏʟʟɪᴅᴇ—ᴛᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄ ᴍᴇss ɴᴇɪᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄᴀɴ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ.
𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:
ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ᴘʀʜ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏ ғᴏʀ ɢɪꜰᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʟᴄ!
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝑀𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒾𝒶𝑔𝑒 𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓋𝑒 ʜᴀᴅ sᴜᴄʜ ᴀ ғʀᴇsʜ, ᴄʟᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴘʀᴇᴍɪsᴇ—ᴀ 𝟹𝟶-ᴅᴀʏ “ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ᴍᴇʀɢᴇʀ” ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴀᴍʙɪᴛɪᴏᴜs ᴇɴᴛʀᴇᴘʀᴇɴᴇᴜʀ ᴢɪɴɴɪᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ-ᴛᴠ ʜᴇɪʀ ᴊᴏʀᴅᴀɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙʟᴜʀs ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɴᴇ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ʙᴜsɪɴᴇss ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇ—ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇxᴇᴄᴜᴛɪᴏɴ ʟᴇғᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴄᴏɴғʟɪᴄᴛᴇᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀs, ᴍᴀʀᴄᴇʟʟᴀ ᴄᴏx ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴍᴀɴᴜᴇʟ ɪɴɢʀᴀᴍ, ᴅᴏ ᴀ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀғᴜʟ ᴊᴏʙ ʙʀɪɴɢɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs ᴛᴏ ʟɪғᴇ. ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄʜᴇᴍɪsᴛʀʏ, ᴛᴏɴᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴀᴄɪɴɢ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴀɴ ᴇɴɢᴀɢɪɴɢ ʀʜʏᴛʜᴍ ᴛʜᴀᴛ’s ᴇᴀsʏ ᴛᴏ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ ᴛᴏ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ɪᴛsᴇʟғ sᴛᴀʀᴛs ᴛᴏ ғᴀʟᴛᴇʀ.
ᴜɴғᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇʟʏ, ɪ sᴛʀᴜɢɢʟᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ’s ɪɴᴛᴇʀɴᴀʟ ʟᴏɢɪᴄ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴘᴀʏᴏғғ. ʙʏ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ 𝟸𝟶% ᴍᴀʀᴋ, ɪ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ ғʀᴜsᴛʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴊᴏʀᴅᴀɴ’s ғᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡᴀs ᴅᴇғᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴢɪɴɴɪᴀ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴊᴏʀᴅᴀɴ ᴡᴀs. ʜɪs ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ʜᴜᴍɪʟɪᴀᴛᴇs ʜᴇʀ ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄʟʏ, ʏᴇᴛ ʜᴇ ʀᴀʀᴇʟʏ sᴛᴀɴᴅs ᴜᴘ ғᴏʀ ʜᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜᴇɴ ʜᴇ ғɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴅᴏᴇs, ɪᴛ’s ᴛᴏᴏ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ, ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴀᴛᴇ. ᴢɪɴɴɪᴀ ғᴏʀɢɪᴠᴇs ʜɪᴍ ғᴀʀ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴇᴀsɪʟʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ “ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ” sᴇᴛᴜᴘ—ᴡʜɪᴄʜ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴇᴍᴘᴏᴡᴇʀᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ—ᴇɴᴅs ᴜᴘ ᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴛʀᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴀssɪᴠᴇ ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ʜᴀʟғ ᴅʀᴀɢs ᴀs sʜᴇ ᴛᴏʟᴇʀᴀᴛᴇs ʀᴇᴘᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴜᴍɪʟɪᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴀᴄᴋɴᴏᴡʟᴇᴅɢᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ’s ᴘᴜʀᴘᴏsᴇ ᴏʀ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs. ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪᴅᴘᴏɪɴᴛ, sʜᴇ ғɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ɢʀᴏᴡs ᴀ ʙᴀᴄᴋʙᴏɴᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴊᴏʀᴅᴀɴ ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴs sᴘɪɴᴇʟᴇss ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴇs ᴛᴏ ʜɪs ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ’s ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ sʜᴏᴡ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀsʜᴀᴅᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴsʜɪᴘ.
🎧 𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃: ᴍᴀʀᴄᴇʟʟᴀ ᴄᴏx & ᴇᴍᴍᴀɴᴜᴇʟ ɪɴɢʀᴀᴍ
ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴠᴀʟᴜᴇ ɪs sᴏʟɪᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀs’ ᴘᴇʀғᴏʀᴍᴀɴᴄᴇs ᴋᴇᴘᴛ ᴍᴇ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ: ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴛɪᴍɪɴɢ, ᴛᴏɴᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴘʟᴀʏ ᴡᴏʀᴋᴇᴅ ᴡᴇʟʟ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀɴᴛᴇʀ, sʜᴀᴋʏ ᴛʀᴜsᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴄᴀɴ’ᴛ ғᴜʟʟʏ ғɪx ᴀ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs ғᴇᴇʟ ᴜɴsᴛᴀʙʟᴇ. ɪɴ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏ ғᴏʀᴍᴀᴛ, ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴢɪɴɴɪᴀ’s ʜᴜʀᴛ ᴏʀ ᴊᴏʀᴅᴀɴ’s ᴄᴏᴜʀᴀɢᴇ sʜɪғᴛ ᴄᴏɴᴠɪɴᴄɪɴɢʟʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴅʀɪғᴛᴇᴅ.
ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴠɪɴɢ ɢʀᴀᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ. ᴄᴏx ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴɢʀᴀᴍ ɪɴғᴜsᴇ ᴡᴀʀᴍᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴇɴᴛɪᴄɪᴛʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴘᴇʀғᴏʀᴍᴀɴᴄᴇs, ɢɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ sᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇs ᴘʀᴏᴠɪᴅᴇs. ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴅʏɴᴀᴍɪᴄ ᴍᴀᴋᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀɴᴛᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴇɴᴅᴇʀɴᴇss ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴢɪɴɴɪᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴊᴏʀᴅᴀɴ ʟᴀɴᴅ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴄʀɪᴘᴛ ᴡᴀᴠᴇʀs. sᴛɪʟʟ, ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴄᴏɴsɪsᴛᴇɴᴛ ᴘᴀᴄɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴇᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴀʀᴄs ʟᴇғᴛ ᴍᴇ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴅᴇᴛᴀᴄʜᴇᴅ.
𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝐸𝓁𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈:
💍 ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ᴏғ ᴄᴏɴᴠᴇɴɪᴇɴᴄᴇ / ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ
💍 ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏxɪᴍɪᴛʏ
💍 ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ᴠs ᴛᴏxɪᴄ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ
💍 ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴsʜɪᴘ / ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ ᴛᴠ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
💍 ᴄᴀʀᴇᴇʀ-ᴅʀɪᴠᴇɴ ʜᴇʀᴏɪɴᴇ
💍 ᴄɪɴɴᴀᴍᴏɴ ʀᴏʟʟ ᴍᴍᴄ ᴡɪᴛʜ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ᴘʀᴇssᴜʀᴇ
💍 𝟹𝟶-ᴅᴀʏ ғɪᴀɴᴄé x ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ-ᴛᴠ ʜᴇɪʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴏᴍᴍʏ ɪssᴜᴇs
𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉:
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝑀𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒾𝒶𝑔𝑒 𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓋𝑒 ɪs ᴀ ғᴜɴ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʟɪᴋᴀʙʟᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴇxᴄᴇʟʟᴇɴᴛ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ʀᴏᴍ-ᴄᴏᴍs ᴡɪᴛʜ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ-ᴛᴠ ᴛʀᴀᴘᴘɪɴɢs, ǫᴜɪʀᴋʏ sᴇᴛᴜᴘs, ᴀɴᴅ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ʏᴏᴜ’ʟʟ ʟɪᴋᴇʟʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴛɪᴍᴇ. ʙᴜᴛ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ sᴇᴇᴋɪɴɢ sʜᴀʀᴘ ᴄᴏɴғʟɪᴄᴛ, ᴄʟᴇᴀʀ ʙᴏᴜɴᴅᴀʀɪᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴀʀᴄs, ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ ᴍᴀʏ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴏʀᴇ. ᴀ sᴏʟɪᴅ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ—ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ sᴛᴀɴᴅᴏᴜᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ.
ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: @ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ
September 30, 2025
Thank you @Berkleyromance for the #gifted eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
ARC Review; The Marriage Narrative by Claire Kann
Pub Date: November 11th
You GUYSSSS - we all know I am unreasonably in love with the Marriage of Convenience trope. I've always found this trope works better for me in historicals but I'm always interested to see how contemporary romances handle it. And BOY OH BOY let me tell you about one of my new favorite contemporaries with my favorite trope!
Zinnia is ready to settle down with a partner - and she'd prefer if love didn't factor into that equation - a business partner if you will. So she goes online and sets out exactly what she's looking for: a marriage of convenience. After quite a few duds, she finds Jordan on the apps and he seems to check all of her boxes. Except his reason for wanting a marriage of convenience? Yeah his family is famous and stars in their own reality show (think like the Kardashians) and Jordan is making his first appearance on the show but the storyline the network wants is him getting back together with his ex girlfriend, which Jordan has no desire to do. So he creates his own storyline - a whirlwind marriage and the prodigal son returns to the show. Jordan doesn't think it will be easy, but he very much underestimates the stress they are putting on this brand new marriage. But that pressure cooker may result in an unintended consequence - real feelings.
Listen this book is MESSY but even though the premise is kind of crazy, it feels sort of realistic? The way that Zinnia and Jordan's relationship develops throughout the course of the book is truly something to be studied - instalove/lust sit down because this slower burn is oh so delicious! I honestly loved the drama of the reality show and the antics of various family members. I love how much respect Zinnia and Jordan have for each other throughout the book and love that there wasn't a third act breakup!
There's really just nothing about this that I didn't love - the storyline and pacing is super unique and I'm sure it won't be for everyone but I love romances that take me by surprise and this one really did!
ARC Review; The Marriage Narrative by Claire Kann
Pub Date: November 11th
You GUYSSSS - we all know I am unreasonably in love with the Marriage of Convenience trope. I've always found this trope works better for me in historicals but I'm always interested to see how contemporary romances handle it. And BOY OH BOY let me tell you about one of my new favorite contemporaries with my favorite trope!
Zinnia is ready to settle down with a partner - and she'd prefer if love didn't factor into that equation - a business partner if you will. So she goes online and sets out exactly what she's looking for: a marriage of convenience. After quite a few duds, she finds Jordan on the apps and he seems to check all of her boxes. Except his reason for wanting a marriage of convenience? Yeah his family is famous and stars in their own reality show (think like the Kardashians) and Jordan is making his first appearance on the show but the storyline the network wants is him getting back together with his ex girlfriend, which Jordan has no desire to do. So he creates his own storyline - a whirlwind marriage and the prodigal son returns to the show. Jordan doesn't think it will be easy, but he very much underestimates the stress they are putting on this brand new marriage. But that pressure cooker may result in an unintended consequence - real feelings.
Listen this book is MESSY but even though the premise is kind of crazy, it feels sort of realistic? The way that Zinnia and Jordan's relationship develops throughout the course of the book is truly something to be studied - instalove/lust sit down because this slower burn is oh so delicious! I honestly loved the drama of the reality show and the antics of various family members. I love how much respect Zinnia and Jordan have for each other throughout the book and love that there wasn't a third act breakup!
There's really just nothing about this that I didn't love - the storyline and pacing is super unique and I'm sure it won't be for everyone but I love romances that take me by surprise and this one really did!
November 27, 2025
I just finished The Marriage Narrative by Claire Kann and here are my musings.
Zinnia is done waiting for the “one”. She is successful and she wants a partner in life… Turning her dating profile into a marriage-merger proposal instead… She meets Jordan who seems perfect on paper but he has a big secret..
Jordan’s family are reality TV stars and he has agreed to join them on screen but production wants him to be married to his actress ex…. In order to boost the viewership…
Jordan has other ideas and Zinnia is perfect for this. Their agreement is mutually beneficial but Zinnia has bitten off more than she can chew… The show is full of twists, with insane shooting schedules and active hostility behind the cameras and Zinnia has to convince the world they are madly in love…
I thought this story was wild!! Who marries because they want to take the romance out of their lives and keep it business? I get her I do but this is insanity to me.
It starts off really really well but I ended up with a mixed bag of feelings by the end of the book. I think the whole whole on set stuff really overshadowed the cute dynamic Zinnia and Jordan have together in the more real moments.
I kinda felt they spent the whole book battling the need to keep it professional so the story didn’t really move for me in the way I needed it to personally but I was super invested in seeing how it ended… See my problem?
The banter was solid. It was what I was living for in the low moments. The drama with his family was over the top and had that been the most exciting part for me…I think I would have loved it more but I wanted more from my MCs so I felt a little let down. I didn’t like the way Jordan’s family acted and it didn’t sit so well with me.
All in all I did enjoy the book but I think it could have been sooooo much better with less family drama and more intrigue with Zinnia and Jordan away from all that.
3.75 stars though. I have never read this author before and I am intrigued to see what else they have out there.
Thank you to @berkleypub for my gifted copy
Zinnia is done waiting for the “one”. She is successful and she wants a partner in life… Turning her dating profile into a marriage-merger proposal instead… She meets Jordan who seems perfect on paper but he has a big secret..
Jordan’s family are reality TV stars and he has agreed to join them on screen but production wants him to be married to his actress ex…. In order to boost the viewership…
Jordan has other ideas and Zinnia is perfect for this. Their agreement is mutually beneficial but Zinnia has bitten off more than she can chew… The show is full of twists, with insane shooting schedules and active hostility behind the cameras and Zinnia has to convince the world they are madly in love…
I thought this story was wild!! Who marries because they want to take the romance out of their lives and keep it business? I get her I do but this is insanity to me.
It starts off really really well but I ended up with a mixed bag of feelings by the end of the book. I think the whole whole on set stuff really overshadowed the cute dynamic Zinnia and Jordan have together in the more real moments.
I kinda felt they spent the whole book battling the need to keep it professional so the story didn’t really move for me in the way I needed it to personally but I was super invested in seeing how it ended… See my problem?
The banter was solid. It was what I was living for in the low moments. The drama with his family was over the top and had that been the most exciting part for me…I think I would have loved it more but I wanted more from my MCs so I felt a little let down. I didn’t like the way Jordan’s family acted and it didn’t sit so well with me.
All in all I did enjoy the book but I think it could have been sooooo much better with less family drama and more intrigue with Zinnia and Jordan away from all that.
3.75 stars though. I have never read this author before and I am intrigued to see what else they have out there.
Thank you to @berkleypub for my gifted copy
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