The Marriage Clause

Marriage Mayhem #8

by Aja Foxx

~ Jackson ~
If I married my deceased father's husband, I inherited the entire family fortune. If I didn't, everything was donated to charity and I didn't receive a single penny. You'd think the choice would be easy, but it wasn't. I didn't want to get married and I certainly didn't want to marry the same man my father had married...Until I met Daniel and then everything changed.

~ Daniel ~
I was born into darkness and never saw a glimmer of light until a kind older man decided to protect me. He was my beacon, keeping the monsters at bay. When he died, the light started to go out. As my hope slowly began to fade, his son stepped through the darkness like a glowing flame. I thought I'd been saved once again. Little did I know my nightmare was just beginning. The monsters were real and they wanted to keep me. If I couldn't convince Jackson to protect me, I knew they'd win this time and I'd lose my light forever.

Gay erotic romance. The material in this book contains explicit sexual content that is intended for mature audiences only. All characters involved are adults capable of consent, are over the age of eighteen, and are willing participants.

Genres: M M Romance, BDSM, Abuse, Ebooks

212 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 29, 2025

Reviews

[Aղցela W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was book 8 in the "Marriage Mayhem" series. This was a short quick read that I liked but the whole book felt rushed we didn't get a lot of backstories about the characters. Jackson Wyatt went to school with Miles, Jake and the guys his father dies and in his will his lawyer tells him that he has to marry his husband to inherit the company and his estate at first, I thought that it was weird until it got into the story. Daniel has been used and abused his whole life he was sold into slavery at the age of five he can't function without a master. Jack's father bought him and protected him from harm. When Jack goes to the house someone is having an auction, and Damiel is being auctioned off by the butler. I really like reading this series and I liked how the guys help each other out. I didn't like that Jack abandoned Daniel after he said he wouldn't do it. This book did have a few errors in it. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Mandy (MP Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jackson faces an impossible choice: marry his late father's husband and inherit the family fortune, or refuse and lose everything. He never wanted marriage—especially not to the man his father had once loved. But meeting Daniel changes everything. Daniel has lived in the shadows, protected only by Jackson’s father. When his guardian dies, his safety vanishes, and darkness threatens to consume him again. Just as hope fades, Jackson steps in, offering a new chance at salvation. But Daniel’s past won’t let go so easily—danger looms, and if Jackson won’t fight for him, the monsters will win, and Daniel may lose his light forever.

I loved this story with the two men who were thrust together after the death of
Jackson's father. Poor Daniel desperately needed Jackson's protection as was proven several times in the story. I loved the way that Jackson's friends protected Daniel too. Easy to read, feel and understand. This was an MM story with mature content and a BDSM-like D/s dynamic.

[Lelyana's Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm I don't like Jackson :(

[Viki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Intriguing premise - overdramatic execution.

The book is just around 1/3 of a regular novel yet it manages to be both overstuffed and empty - ok, that's maybe a bit harsh, some books go for slow burn or just "normal" progression, everything happening in stages right when it's supposed to, this book knows where it wants to end and can't wait to get there, emotional connection and building trust be damned. I want to say it was okay and I am sure it works for some people and I'd even say it worked for me until the jerk-around towards the end made me realise just how much this book relies on dramatic moves and proclamations to supplement a lack of proper progression.

Spoiler ahead

The plot starts with that hook of a premise - a guy has to marry his father's husband if he wants to inherit anything (everything really) at which point it is emphasised he does not need it - he is already alpha I mean CEO and successful and capable and basically, he's given the romance love interest treatment to make him look good. Despite his misgivings and plenty of reasons not to do it, he leaves for his childhood home the very same day and finds an action - a guy or more specifically a boy is gagged and bound and being sold to the highest bidder. The CEO saves the day, in the most dramatic capable manner possible - he does not hesitate, he calls his buddies (ex frat brothers) and we meet the cast from previous books who are able to provide everything and I mean everything he needs - a lawyer to advice and get people behind bars, a "swat" team to keep get them to the police and save the boy, a doctor to treat him... There's not struggle and when something goes wrong - when Mister Perfect makes the wrong move, it's corrected almost immediately. Daniel (the boy) is overflowing with trauma and I am supposed to understand that the CEO is not going to handle it perfectly because he is not a Dom and actually, this I agree with. The kink part feels not just slapped on towards the end but also problematic. I was already eeked out when CEO watched files on just how much Daniel suffered and his reaction to seeing his trauma (from when he was 6? to now that he's of age) is to... well, he gets angry and then he goes to bed a has sex with Daniel. Like, excuse me? I'd though you were the good guy? How does this make sense and why should I feel you deserve him??? Like that was questionable but I could have lived with that - the author was obviously equally disgusted and made the nice guy run away and thus put the final nail in the guys mental health coffin - he is abused his whole life, then his own good "master" dies and his new master rejects him, takes him away, f**ks him and then leaves. I couldn¨t keep any good feeling after that. The emotional build-up used in romance books? Replaced with instant connection born of desperation and abusive conditioning? Kink lifestyle represented in the most problematic way and sloppily at that.

I am missing some parts of the story because I didn't read a single book before this so I am going to give this author one last chance but I am not happy with what I've seen so far.

[D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need more of them; for me, their story wasn't enough.

Daniel has been through shit, and when he found a slight glimmer of hope in Jackson, he crushed it to pieces. Left Daniel more devastated than before. Days passed, and finally Jackson realized his mistake; then he promised Daniel he wouldn't let go of him, ever again.

Jackson was ready to be Daniel's master, but I think their relationship wasn't romantic enough, plus there's no I love you between them. It cemented my opinion that their relationship was like a master and his servant without feelings involved. That's what I felt,

[lori forsyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaking fantastically awesome

I love love this series & thks book is the same - I read this in one setting!!!! I love all the interactions between all the frat brothers including all the sarcasm, laughs, loving, and the protectiveness of each other!!!! I don't know if thks is the last one or not but I hope not
Thank you so much - Lori

[Maggie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I used to really enjoy the books in this series. But they're increasingly riddled with typos, and even in the middle of a scene, they change the main character's name from Daniel to Joey. 🤷

This book was just awful 😭

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little Sad

I was hoping for so much more but I do love this author so so much. Her series make me happy

[Elise H · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5⭐️

Really? After all his trauma and the horrors he lived, Jackson becomes just another of Daniel’s masters??!?

[Silkeeeeeereads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Problems

There were many editing problems in this book. There was a strange name placed where a MC’s name should have been and several sentences that made no sense.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

awkward family moment

Poor Daniel!!! Jack has to learn fast! Glad Miles and Jake practice tough love!
Justice for the abused…they get what they deserve!

[MPz · Rating 1 out of 5]

No, what a disappointing book

Too rushed, too simply. Maybe this is the worst book of this series. And believe me, I truly enjoyed every single book. But not this one.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blurb's good but the book is better. Loved it.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.25 stars

This was my least favorite book of this series. I understand Jackson had issues with the dynamic that he was thrown into, but I just didn’t like his demeanor overall.

[Suzanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jackson and Daniel

Not really a romance. No big plot.

Jackson couldn't be more of an @sshole if he tried.

Maybe HELP the poor man instead of turning him into your sex slave?

[Sofya Pinho · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75⭐

[llv · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2 stars

I really didn't like this book. Especially the ending. It was too short and honestly I hated the way Jackson treated Daniel. The whole story felt icky to me.

[Yvonne · Rating 2 out of 5]

An okay beginning, but an extremely poor ending. As usual with this author the book is riddled with errors.

[Melissa Polk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series remains my brain-fluff-happy-place. Is it perfect? No. Do I adore it anyway? Absolutely. There are only a few other series I reread quite as often as this one.

this and all future re-reads: still enjoy this one. hope the series continues in spin-offs or otherwise.