Collateral Hearts: A Billionaire Marriage of Convenience Romance

by Crimson Heart

354 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 9, 2026

About the author

Crimson Heart writes contemporary romance that ranges from closed-door slow burn to unapologetic 'After Dark' open-door heat. Stripping away "fairytale fluff" in favor of grounded, high-stakes storytelling, her work is rooted in real psychology so characters suffer, clash, and grow authentically. No unrealistic shortcuts, and no BS—just imperfect people doing the hard emotional work to earn their happy endings.

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• Facebook: CrimsonHeart Books

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• TikTok: @crimsonheart_books

• Amazon: amazon.com/author/crimsonheartbooks

Reviews

[Jay Charles]

Absolutely gorgeous story loved it so much and finished in 24hrs yay

[Brooke ✌︎㋡]

Collateral Hearts


honestly didn’t expect this to hit me as hard as it did! so it’s a marriage of convenience setup, which like… is a trope i’ve read a million times. but this one focuses so much on why they actually need each other that it feels different? like Sophie isn’t just looking for love—she’s literally the only thing keeping her dad from being homeless because her mom bailed and her siblings don’t care. and Ethan’s been raised in a family where everyone’s willing to betray you for money. these two are broken in completely opposite ways
watching them realize they’re actually safe with each other is what gets you. like Ethan spends half the book being this ice cold businessman, but when he figures out that Sophie sacrificed everything for her dad—that she actually CARES about someone unconditionally—it destroys him in the best way. because that’s literally the opposite of everything his family taught him
the emotions you feel when reading this are delicious. this isn’t just a fun romp. there’s actual depth here about loyalty and family trauma and learning to trust someone when your whole life has taught you that love is just a weapon people use against you
it’s long and takes its time but honestly i didn’t want it to end. would definitely recommend if you want something that makes you feel something

[Abigail Major]

This is a delicious romance. The character development is fantastic. I was invested in Ethan and Sophie’s relationship. The banter between the 2, at times, made me giggle.

For someone who prefers a darker read and is not at all romantic this is good praise.

Maybe the format needs looking at. It could be how it uploaded electronically for publication?

This is an Indie author who has wrote a good book 🙌

[Megan Lawton]

Lovely book enjoyed the writing style and how the book started i was hooked and couldn't put it down.

[Athena Vale]

📚 Rating 📚
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing: ✍️✍️✍️
Characters: 👥👥👥️
Spice: 🌶️🌶
Ending: 💝

📚 Review 📚
Collateral Hearts was such a pleasant surprise! I absolutely loved both main characters, and the writing was really good. I especially loved how much Ethan stood by and protected his wife. Their relationship felt mature and thoughtful — they actually reflected on what had happened and what their lives could have looked like if things had gone differently. I liked that the author told the story from both of the main characters' perspectives. 🥹

The romance felt very natural, with just the right amount of spice, and I really enjoyed the ending. 💝

It’s a beautiful, self-contained romance with a little more depth than your typical quick romance. There’s also quite a bit about Ethan’s business, his connections, and how everything ties together, which made the story feel more detailed and engaging. 📖

Overall, a really lovely read and would definitely recommend. 🎀

[Sarah]

Boing barely finished

[Toni]

I loved this so much!!

[Stacy's Reads]

Collateral Hearts completely pulled me in. ❤️ I went into this one expecting to enjoy it, but I ended up feeling so much more invested than I expected. There was just something about the Sophie and Ethan, their chemistry, and everything they were put through that had me completely hooked.

I loved the emotional side of this story. It had that perfect mix of tension, messy feelings, complicated characters, and moments that made my heart hurt in the best way. I found myself getting genuinely attached to these characters, which always makes a book that much more special for me.

And the chemistry? 👀 Absolutely yes. There were moments where I was just sitting there thinking, well, this is going to end badly… but please carry on. 😂

What really made this a 5-star read for me was how easily I got lost in the story. I wasn't just reading to find out what happened — I actually cared about what happened to these characters.

Collateral Hearts gave me the emotions, the tension, the drama, and the kind of story that leaves you staring at the last page wishing you had more.

Definitely a 5-star read for me! ⭐️❤️