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Marriage of Unconvenience
Lauren “Lo” Bowman is in a bit of a pickle. She needs money, like ASAP. She lost her job, the rent is due, and her car needs repairs. Problem is, the inheritance left to her by her old-fashioned Granny has one stipulation before she can she has to be married.Let’s just say suitors (of any gender) are not knocking down her door. And then Cara Simms, her best friend from childhood that she’s recently reconnected with, pours her heart out and confesses that she needs money to pay for grad school. Lo has a completely brilliant they should get hitched.Not married married. Like, fake married. All they have to do is play the part for the lawyers, get the money, and then get the marriage annulled. Easy as hell. Well, it starts out that way, but being fake married feels a lot like being real married, and Lo is flipping out. She cannot be falling for her best friend. Can she?
236 pages, Paperback
First published July 30, 2018
128 people are currently reading
2351 people want to read
About the author
Chelsea M. Cameron
114 books4,881 followersChelsea M. Cameron is a New York Times/USA Today/Internationally Best Selling author from Maine who now lives and works in Boston. She's a red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, former cheerleader, and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, eating brunch in bed, tweeting, and playing fetch with her cat, Sassenach. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
June 19, 2021
3 1/2 stars. This is a very cute novella romance between two best friends who get hitched to receive an inheritance, but end up getting roped into pretending to be married for real.
Openly gay Loren is in a bit of a tough spot: she has rent due, and her only monetary resource is the inheritance of her old-fashioned grandmother (locked away until she gets married). So when her best friend Cara tells her she can’t go to grad school due to a lack of funds, Loren has the perfect idea: why not propose?
The entire premise of this book is inherently ridiculous and inherently perfect for creating situations full of Gay Yearningᵀᴹ and pining between best friends, which is something I, a simple gay, want out of my romance novels. (How I feel about the friends to lovers trope is this post.) This book perfectly understands the line to be walked between cuteness and angst, the balance of tenderness.
All of the issues basically boil back to lacking editing. This author’s writing is solid enough, but there were a few consistency issues throughout the book (they’re basically all pointed out here) that really do detract from the believability of the story. I liked this story, but I liked it the way I like certain not-very-edited-but-still-good fanfiction: I love parts of the story, but I can’t see it as an independent story in the way I would like it too. It’s a collection of ideas one draft away from being a full story, and I really wish I could read that story.
But ah well. I really liked and enjoyed this story and it was so so cute.
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Openly gay Loren is in a bit of a tough spot: she has rent due, and her only monetary resource is the inheritance of her old-fashioned grandmother (locked away until she gets married). So when her best friend Cara tells her she can’t go to grad school due to a lack of funds, Loren has the perfect idea: why not propose?
The entire premise of this book is inherently ridiculous and inherently perfect for creating situations full of Gay Yearningᵀᴹ and pining between best friends, which is something I, a simple gay, want out of my romance novels. (How I feel about the friends to lovers trope is this post.) This book perfectly understands the line to be walked between cuteness and angst, the balance of tenderness.
All of the issues basically boil back to lacking editing. This author’s writing is solid enough, but there were a few consistency issues throughout the book (they’re basically all pointed out here) that really do detract from the believability of the story. I liked this story, but I liked it the way I like certain not-very-edited-but-still-good fanfiction: I love parts of the story, but I can’t see it as an independent story in the way I would like it too. It’s a collection of ideas one draft away from being a full story, and I really wish I could read that story.
But ah well. I really liked and enjoyed this story and it was so so cute.
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June 3, 2019
3.5
this was a super cute f/f story about two best friends getting fake married.
it was much more on the cute side than the sexy side but I still enjoyed it.
the writing could have been better. it was very matter of fact. ex. i did this, then I did this. i thought this.
this was a super cute f/f story about two best friends getting fake married.
it was much more on the cute side than the sexy side but I still enjoyed it.
the writing could have been better. it was very matter of fact. ex. i did this, then I did this. i thought this.
August 10, 2018
This is a very generous 3 stars, and I'm SO MAD about it.
The plot really hit all of the right notes and was basically made for me!!! F/F marriage of convenience between two lifelong best friends in which they don't know they have feelings for each other, but they have SO MANY FEELINGS for each other!!! There is no Big Drama, just them working out what their relationship is and working at making it better. The plot was SO GOOD. Truly, so good, and the pacing was just right as well.
But, THE WRITING, oh god. The author fell victim to 'show, don't tell' way, way too much, but I could've mostly looked past that if need be. What I absolutely couldn't look past were the egregious continuity errors and numerous editing mistakes! Neither girl has the same middle name halfway through the book that she had in the beginning. Their best friend, Ansel, at one point is the best secret keeper and the one person one of the girls confides in, and less than ten pages later, he cannot keep a secret to save his life. There were so many SPAG issues, too, that it kind of felt like no one even proofread this. Sigh. I don't remember having that same issue with the novellas I've read from this same author, so I'm not sure what happened here.
If this were to be edited just a little bit, I'd happily upgrade my rating. As it is, 3 stars is already overly generous.
The plot really hit all of the right notes and was basically made for me!!! F/F marriage of convenience between two lifelong best friends in which they don't know they have feelings for each other, but they have SO MANY FEELINGS for each other!!! There is no Big Drama, just them working out what their relationship is and working at making it better. The plot was SO GOOD. Truly, so good, and the pacing was just right as well.
But, THE WRITING, oh god. The author fell victim to 'show, don't tell' way, way too much, but I could've mostly looked past that if need be. What I absolutely couldn't look past were the egregious continuity errors and numerous editing mistakes! Neither girl has the same middle name halfway through the book that she had in the beginning. Their best friend, Ansel, at one point is the best secret keeper and the one person one of the girls confides in, and less than ten pages later, he cannot keep a secret to save his life. There were so many SPAG issues, too, that it kind of felt like no one even proofread this. Sigh. I don't remember having that same issue with the novellas I've read from this same author, so I'm not sure what happened here.
If this were to be edited just a little bit, I'd happily upgrade my rating. As it is, 3 stars is already overly generous.
October 26, 2018
Nice, easy, quick read about two women who are best friends and have been since childhood. When Loren loses her job she realizes she has to acquiesce to her grandmother's wishes and marry in order to receive her inheritance. When Cara doesn't get the financial aid she was hoping for to continue her studies she's devastated. Then Loren proposes a solution to suit them both.
What I really liked about this is that they knew and liked each other from the start.
What I really liked about this is that they knew and liked each other from the start.
February 8, 2019
Get you angst free pick me up here!
However you will need to suspend your disbelief like never before, because this contemporary romance might as well be listed as fantasy. It's not just because the circumstances in which Lo and Cara fall for each other is far too good to be true (which it is).
It's also because certain character attributes are completely ignored or rewritten and the continuity errors makes me wonder whether this was fan fiction and the author just simply forgot what happened between the various chapters and characters.
See spoilers. *actual quote from the book.
This story is very cheesy and sweet and yes it has its faults but I really enjoyed reading it for what it was, a sweet and fluffy feel good story between two best friends. This gets an overall 3,6* rating.
However you will need to suspend your disbelief like never before, because this contemporary romance might as well be listed as fantasy. It's not just because the circumstances in which Lo and Cara fall for each other is far too good to be true (which it is).
It's also because certain character attributes are completely ignored or rewritten and the continuity errors makes me wonder whether this was fan fiction and the author just simply forgot what happened between the various chapters and characters.
See spoilers. *actual quote from the book.
This story is very cheesy and sweet and yes it has its faults but I really enjoyed reading it for what it was, a sweet and fluffy feel good story between two best friends. This gets an overall 3,6* rating.
April 29, 2020
this was soooo cute WE LOVE A GOOD F/F FAKE MARRIAGE BEST FRIENDS TO LOVERS STORY
April 30, 2020
At the risk of repeating myself in a loop, I’m going to say it again. An audiobook can make or break a book. If it helps to make a story better, happy days, but it’s sad when it ruins it. I’m afraid there’s no polite way to put it here. ‘Marriage of unconvenience’ is an enjoyable story with an amateurish narration.
Lauren “Lo” Bowman is unemployed and drowning in debt but her luck is about to change when she inherits a big amount of money from her granny. The only problem is that the inheritance comes with the stipulation that she has to get married before she can collect it. Cara Simms, her best friend from childhood needs money to pay for grad school, so Lo has a brilliant idea: they should get fake married. The problem is that the fake marriage is starting to feel like the real thing but Lo cannot be falling for her straight best friend, can she?
Chelsea M. Cameron is a prolific writer, she mainly writes mainstream romance but she has a few f/f novels. I’ve seen good comments about this novel so I decided to give it a go. ‘Marriage of unconvenience’ is an enjoyable lesbian new adult romance story that hits the trope of best friends to lovers and ‘toaster oven’ all in one. Both characters are lovable and even though I wouldn’t say their chemistry is off the charts, their story is believable and fun. I think that an early twenties audience would really enjoy this book.
Unfortunately for me, I decided to listen to the audiobook instead of reading the novel. This was a close ‘did not finish’ for me. The only thing that kept me going was that the story is sweet, cute… and short-ish. Sadly, I don’t have many positive comments to make about Ms. Cooper’s narration. I’m surprised that it was deemed acceptable by the audiobook producer as the recording sounds amateurish. For example, there are technical issues in which you can distinctively hear sound changes that indicate those parts that were recorded at a later time. Regrettably, that’s not the only recording issue but I’ll spare you the details of the rest.
Ms. Cooper’s performance was also sub-par with breathing pauses cutting the middle of a sentence, emotions that contradict what the written text says, and forced performance of feelings. On the positive side, the voices of the main characters were distinctive enough to make it bearable to listen until the end. I’m sorry but I cannot recommend the audiobook but I think you’d find the novel enjoyable to read instead. Overall, 4 stars for the story, 2 stars for the narration. 3 stars.
Duration: 6 hrs and 20 mins
Lauren “Lo” Bowman is unemployed and drowning in debt but her luck is about to change when she inherits a big amount of money from her granny. The only problem is that the inheritance comes with the stipulation that she has to get married before she can collect it. Cara Simms, her best friend from childhood needs money to pay for grad school, so Lo has a brilliant idea: they should get fake married. The problem is that the fake marriage is starting to feel like the real thing but Lo cannot be falling for her straight best friend, can she?
Chelsea M. Cameron is a prolific writer, she mainly writes mainstream romance but she has a few f/f novels. I’ve seen good comments about this novel so I decided to give it a go. ‘Marriage of unconvenience’ is an enjoyable lesbian new adult romance story that hits the trope of best friends to lovers and ‘toaster oven’ all in one. Both characters are lovable and even though I wouldn’t say their chemistry is off the charts, their story is believable and fun. I think that an early twenties audience would really enjoy this book.
Unfortunately for me, I decided to listen to the audiobook instead of reading the novel. This was a close ‘did not finish’ for me. The only thing that kept me going was that the story is sweet, cute… and short-ish. Sadly, I don’t have many positive comments to make about Ms. Cooper’s narration. I’m surprised that it was deemed acceptable by the audiobook producer as the recording sounds amateurish. For example, there are technical issues in which you can distinctively hear sound changes that indicate those parts that were recorded at a later time. Regrettably, that’s not the only recording issue but I’ll spare you the details of the rest.
Ms. Cooper’s performance was also sub-par with breathing pauses cutting the middle of a sentence, emotions that contradict what the written text says, and forced performance of feelings. On the positive side, the voices of the main characters were distinctive enough to make it bearable to listen until the end. I’m sorry but I cannot recommend the audiobook but I think you’d find the novel enjoyable to read instead. Overall, 4 stars for the story, 2 stars for the narration. 3 stars.
Duration: 6 hrs and 20 mins
September 11, 2019
3.5 stars
This was sooooooo cute! This is my second Chelsea M. Cameron book and although I did like Style more, this was just as fluffy and adorable.
I was struggling a bit with the first half of the book as nothing apart from the wedding was really happening plot wise and the author didn't really show us what's going on inside the heads of our two MCs so I was pretty afraid I wasn't going to connect to Cara and Lo at all. I definitely wish the author went deeper into their feelings or the progression of them so it didn't seem so all of a sudden.
The second half though? I WAS LIVING. It was so sweet and I'm so glad Lo's family was so nice and their friends were so supportive. It made the story feel even more warm than it already was. To Lo's and Cara's happily ever after!
PS. I don't know who the model on the cover of this book is but...
pre-reading thoughts:
an f/f fake marriage you say?
This was sooooooo cute! This is my second Chelsea M. Cameron book and although I did like Style more, this was just as fluffy and adorable.
I was struggling a bit with the first half of the book as nothing apart from the wedding was really happening plot wise and the author didn't really show us what's going on inside the heads of our two MCs so I was pretty afraid I wasn't going to connect to Cara and Lo at all. I definitely wish the author went deeper into their feelings or the progression of them so it didn't seem so all of a sudden.
The second half though? I WAS LIVING. It was so sweet and I'm so glad Lo's family was so nice and their friends were so supportive. It made the story feel even more warm than it already was. To Lo's and Cara's happily ever after!
PS. I don't know who the model on the cover of this book is but...
pre-reading thoughts:
an f/f fake marriage you say?
August 21, 2018
Hmmmm. I think this is my first time to read marriage of convenience between two best friends. I was excited on how the author will play it. It’s cute and sweet.
This is my favorite from all the books I’ve read from her.
If you’re looking for a nice easy going book, I think you will like this one. No complications. No running circles. No angst.
Everything is just easy and sweet.
This is perfect for me because I had a bad week it did improved my mood.
Although I was hoping that they will renew their vows after a year and not after 3 months. 😂😂😂
Epilogue just meeh. So, 3.75.
This is my favorite from all the books I’ve read from her.
If you’re looking for a nice easy going book, I think you will like this one. No complications. No running circles. No angst.
Everything is just easy and sweet.
This is perfect for me because I had a bad week it did improved my mood.
Although I was hoping that they will renew their vows after a year and not after 3 months. 😂😂😂
Epilogue just meeh. So, 3.75.
October 24, 2018
Marriage of Unconvenience by Chelsea M. Cameron
3.5 – Light and cute book about a faux marriage that becomes more
I’m going to start off by saying I liked this book. Some of that has to do with the fact that I enjoy the fauxmance stories. The other part is that this was a cute and fluffy tale that was exactly what I needed at the time. There is no real angst but quite a few feels.
Pros – The fact that the story was so adorable and fluffy is the only reason I bumped this up from a 3.25 (which would round down to a 3) to a 3.5. As I said, fauxmance is a hot genre and while Cameron’s novel follows that classic “I need to get married for an inheritance” trope, it doesn’t detract from the cuteness of the tale. The best friends agree to the arrangement because they both need the money for important reasons and they would also do anything for the other person, being best friends and all.
Cons – The cons are why the book wasn’t a 4 (for cuteness and feels alone). A big one was editing. While Chelsea M. Cameron’s novel reads smoothly for the most part, there are some issues I had in the scenes with the two main characters. Sometimes it was hard to tell them apart because their voices were so similar. And for that to happen in a first person novel says a lot. It should be easy to tell during scenes and banter. The problem was exacerbated when middle names and other details were switched, and plot inconsistencies popped up. (Ansel went from someone who was excellent at keeping secrets to someone who was the worst) And while it was probably expected based on the type of book it was, the actual plot and the basic premise of what was going on with Cara was obvious from the start.
Marriage of Unconvenience was entertaining, cute, fluffy, happy, and full of feels. That was enough to give me a good read. But I know some of the cons that I listed are things that really knock a reader out of a good book and perhaps the author could address them in a future edit. However, despite the cons, I still enjoyed this cute little fauxmance.
This ARC was given to me in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 – Light and cute book about a faux marriage that becomes more
I’m going to start off by saying I liked this book. Some of that has to do with the fact that I enjoy the fauxmance stories. The other part is that this was a cute and fluffy tale that was exactly what I needed at the time. There is no real angst but quite a few feels.
Pros – The fact that the story was so adorable and fluffy is the only reason I bumped this up from a 3.25 (which would round down to a 3) to a 3.5. As I said, fauxmance is a hot genre and while Cameron’s novel follows that classic “I need to get married for an inheritance” trope, it doesn’t detract from the cuteness of the tale. The best friends agree to the arrangement because they both need the money for important reasons and they would also do anything for the other person, being best friends and all.
Cons – The cons are why the book wasn’t a 4 (for cuteness and feels alone). A big one was editing. While Chelsea M. Cameron’s novel reads smoothly for the most part, there are some issues I had in the scenes with the two main characters. Sometimes it was hard to tell them apart because their voices were so similar. And for that to happen in a first person novel says a lot. It should be easy to tell during scenes and banter. The problem was exacerbated when middle names and other details were switched, and plot inconsistencies popped up. (Ansel went from someone who was excellent at keeping secrets to someone who was the worst) And while it was probably expected based on the type of book it was, the actual plot and the basic premise of what was going on with Cara was obvious from the start.
Marriage of Unconvenience was entertaining, cute, fluffy, happy, and full of feels. That was enough to give me a good read. But I know some of the cons that I listed are things that really knock a reader out of a good book and perhaps the author could address them in a future edit. However, despite the cons, I still enjoyed this cute little fauxmance.
This ARC was given to me in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2018
Marriage of Unconvenience is certainly a sweet, corny and sugary story. But hey, you know, it happens I love this kind of stories.
November 11, 2018
I can’t even with this book. The whole time I was reading it, I was smiling or laughing, and I found myself back at my Kindle every chance I could get until I was done. Cara and Lo have that amazing best friend chemistry that’s always compelling and I felt my heart getting more and more full as I watched them fall for each other, even when neither of them were aware that it was happening. From the beginning to the end of the story, they ADORE each other. It’s just the nature of those feelings and their relationship that changes.
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/marr...
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/marr...
July 10, 2023
i was originally going to go with 2 stars, because i felt i just didn’t care for the writing. but the more i think about it (and read other reviews), it’s just...........so bad.
it very much reads like one of those first time fanfics, ya know? the ones that you can tell were written all at once and immediately posted without any rereads or editing? the ones where the writers forget what’s already happened or how they described the characters, etc.? the ones that make you physically cringe while reading?
content/trigger warnings; mentions of transphobic rejection, vague mentions of toxic/abusive? parents, gendered slurs, masturbation, sex,
loren (mc) is queer (only thing she’s said about her sexuality is that she’s queer and not attracted to men). cara (li) is questioning/queer. ansel (sc) is introduced explicitly as a gay trans man. he ends the book randomly, without any explanation, dating a woman he’s madly in love with. him questioning or realizing anything about his sexuality is literally never mentioned. he’s just gay one minute and loving the ladies the next.
the writing is just so inconsistent and in dire need of editing. one character’s dialogue is often paired with another’s actions, making it hard to tell who’s talking. the mc and li’s middle names change twice throughout the book. loren’s name is spelled differently in the summary. a bunch of things are mentioned and then dropped without a word. loren desperately needs money to fix her car, but then it’s just forgotten. loren and cara are broke and get married for money, but before they get the money, they’re eating out all the time, paying for rides, and buying wedding dresses that cost hundreds of dollars. literally page one tells us that ansel is loren’s best friend, but then suddenly cara’s her best friend since forever. loren goes back and forth on if her feelings for cara were ever platonic or always romantic. two chapters are titled “chapter eleven” and then another two chapters are titled “chapter thirteen.”
other: “more than friends” language is used a couple times. the whole “i’ve always loved you” or “i’ve been falling for you my whole life” thing is not for me. you don’t have to disrespect or invalidate platonic love to solidify romantic love.
it very much reads like one of those first time fanfics, ya know? the ones that you can tell were written all at once and immediately posted without any rereads or editing? the ones where the writers forget what’s already happened or how they described the characters, etc.? the ones that make you physically cringe while reading?
content/trigger warnings; mentions of transphobic rejection, vague mentions of toxic/abusive? parents, gendered slurs, masturbation, sex,
loren (mc) is queer (only thing she’s said about her sexuality is that she’s queer and not attracted to men). cara (li) is questioning/queer. ansel (sc) is introduced explicitly as a gay trans man. he ends the book randomly, without any explanation, dating a woman he’s madly in love with. him questioning or realizing anything about his sexuality is literally never mentioned. he’s just gay one minute and loving the ladies the next.
the writing is just so inconsistent and in dire need of editing. one character’s dialogue is often paired with another’s actions, making it hard to tell who’s talking. the mc and li’s middle names change twice throughout the book. loren’s name is spelled differently in the summary. a bunch of things are mentioned and then dropped without a word. loren desperately needs money to fix her car, but then it’s just forgotten. loren and cara are broke and get married for money, but before they get the money, they’re eating out all the time, paying for rides, and buying wedding dresses that cost hundreds of dollars. literally page one tells us that ansel is loren’s best friend, but then suddenly cara’s her best friend since forever. loren goes back and forth on if her feelings for cara were ever platonic or always romantic. two chapters are titled “chapter eleven” and then another two chapters are titled “chapter thirteen.”
other: “more than friends” language is used a couple times. the whole “i’ve always loved you” or “i’ve been falling for you my whole life” thing is not for me. you don’t have to disrespect or invalidate platonic love to solidify romantic love.
September 16, 2018
Ok this was pretty silly and the writing/editing was not the best (example: the two main girls' middle names changed halfway through the book?? and then changed back??) but it was also cute and had a lot of my fave tropes and was exactly the light-hearted queer fun I needed to help me through the cold I have this weekend so COUNT ME SATISFIED
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Pre-review: I hate this title but I love the fake married trope w sapphic ladies so,
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Pre-review: I hate this title but I love the fake married trope w sapphic ladies so,
August 1, 2018
review on my blog ✧ twitter thread
Representation: f/f romance, trans side character, queer minor characters
July 29, 2019
I PRACTICALLY HIGHLIGHTED THIS ENTIRE THING IT WAS SO CUTE!!! my lesbian ass is thriving!!
December 6, 2018
A nice easy read I guess. This is 1st person Loren POV only. I have so many things I wanted to say in review when I was around 50% of the book. Now I forget 😑
It is about two best friends who known each other since they were kids. Loren broke, lost a job and got so many jobs rejected. Cara couldnt get into the major? that she wanted to study because of aids support is not enough to pay the fee. Well, desperate time calls for desperate measure, Loren suggested that they should get married so she can get her grandma’s inheritance money and they both get benefit from it.
I like this kind of story plot. It’s a cute story. The couple is sweet and the MCs are good together and i like them both. No drama. But.. its a bit of dragging or delay i guess. I mean Loren didnt admit to herself that she had feeling for Cara until around 70% (if i remember correctly) also it took Cara to initiated their kiss as well for Loren to admit her feeling. And the writing style, sorry I can’t pin point the problem but I feel like it missing something there. ><
All in all, I did enjoy the book.
3.5 stars
It is about two best friends who known each other since they were kids. Loren broke, lost a job and got so many jobs rejected. Cara couldnt get into the major? that she wanted to study because of aids support is not enough to pay the fee. Well, desperate time calls for desperate measure, Loren suggested that they should get married so she can get her grandma’s inheritance money and they both get benefit from it.
I like this kind of story plot. It’s a cute story. The couple is sweet and the MCs are good together and i like them both. No drama. But.. its a bit of dragging or delay i guess. I mean Loren didnt admit to herself that she had feeling for Cara until around 70% (if i remember correctly) also it took Cara to initiated their kiss as well for Loren to admit her feeling. And the writing style, sorry I can’t pin point the problem but I feel like it missing something there. ><
All in all, I did enjoy the book.
3.5 stars
September 28, 2018
Best friends Loren and Cara get married because they both need money and Loren has an inheritance that she can't access unless she gets married. Loren is queer and Cara is straight, so it's a fake marriage, but as the whole thing progresses through rings, dresses, marriage and reception, everything begins to feel very real for both of them.
This is a very simple story with almost no conflict other than that both are so deep in denial that they both should make plans to see the pyramids while they're in Egypt. As such, while their relationship and marriage preparations are really sweet, the romance doesn't actually happen until very late in the book (other than the romantic elements that neither will acknowledge), and this all leaves an actually very short novel feeling quite drawn out.
If you're in the mood for a book where nearly everyone is wonderful, and the warmth and deep friendship that the protagonists have towards each other is wallowed in without a romance actually happening, then this is the book for you.
This is a very simple story with almost no conflict other than that both are so deep in denial that they both should make plans to see the pyramids while they're in Egypt. As such, while their relationship and marriage preparations are really sweet, the romance doesn't actually happen until very late in the book (other than the romantic elements that neither will acknowledge), and this all leaves an actually very short novel feeling quite drawn out.
If you're in the mood for a book where nearly everyone is wonderful, and the warmth and deep friendship that the protagonists have towards each other is wallowed in without a romance actually happening, then this is the book for you.
November 1, 2020
3.5 Stars - solid feel good fluffy friends to lovers, low to no angst read
Loren and Cara have been besties from 3rd Grade. They love each other dearly. Loren is gay. Cara is not. Loren's grandmother has left her a lot of money in her will but Loren can't get at it until she is married. Loren has lost her job and Cara has just gotten into grad-school but her scholarship is not enough to pay for everything and so she is going to have to give up her dream to be Physician's Assistant. This is the setup for the brilliant idea that they can fake married, get the money and solve all their problems and then just get an annulment afterward.
The story is super cute and both MCs are lovable and you are cheering for them to realize the "fake" romance is real. It's super duper low angst and just very sweet.
Loren and Cara have been besties from 3rd Grade. They love each other dearly. Loren is gay. Cara is not. Loren's grandmother has left her a lot of money in her will but Loren can't get at it until she is married. Loren has lost her job and Cara has just gotten into grad-school but her scholarship is not enough to pay for everything and so she is going to have to give up her dream to be Physician's Assistant. This is the setup for the brilliant idea that they can fake married, get the money and solve all their problems and then just get an annulment afterward.
The story is super cute and both MCs are lovable and you are cheering for them to realize the "fake" romance is real. It's super duper low angst and just very sweet.
November 11, 2019
This book is the cutest shit ever. Aaah my heart <3
June 11, 2019
My first read for Smutathon round 3.
Rating: 3,5 stars
Representation: lesbian and queer main characters and a trans side character.
Point of View (POV): single female pov
Relationship:female/female
Tropes:friends to lovers, fake marriage
Romance:this book has so many sweet moments including a wedding dress shopping scene that warmed my heart, these two women love each other so much and it’s easy to tell throughout the book.
Stema Level: low, it’s more cute than steamy. But there are explicit sex scenes.
Angst Level: low, there aren’t any huge obstacles or any dramatic moments.
Comments: The writing isn’t the best, but the real problem is the editing. There are inconsistencies that go from the protagonists having different middle names throughout the book to one character being described as the best secret keeper and a few pages later as not being the best at keeping secrets.
Rating: 3,5 stars
Representation: lesbian and queer main characters and a trans side character.
Point of View (POV): single female pov
Relationship:female/female
Tropes:friends to lovers, fake marriage
Romance:this book has so many sweet moments including a wedding dress shopping scene that warmed my heart, these two women love each other so much and it’s easy to tell throughout the book.
Stema Level: low, it’s more cute than steamy. But there are explicit sex scenes.
Angst Level: low, there aren’t any huge obstacles or any dramatic moments.
Comments: The writing isn’t the best, but the real problem is the editing. There are inconsistencies that go from the protagonists having different middle names throughout the book to one character being described as the best secret keeper and a few pages later as not being the best at keeping secrets.
January 24, 2019
“Anti-queerness”
“I was getting queer vibes from her”
Just say gay. Or lesbian. Or use “homophobia or “anti-lgbt” instead of the first one.
It’s cool to refer to yourself as queer, but don’t do it for the whole community as it has been used as a slur against them. This is why people don’t go around calling gay men the f slur and lesbians the d slur. It’s because they’re *slurs*. It’s cool if you’ve reclaimed it, but that doesn’t mean that everyone else has.
I had one more issue and that’s that this book didn’t really have a plot apart from the relationship. Which is okay but it’s hard to get *too* invested when you already know where the story is going, and how it’s going to end? There was no surprise factor that comes with seeing how a plot point unravels.
Other than that, this book was ADORABLE.
“I was getting queer vibes from her”
Just say gay. Or lesbian. Or use “homophobia or “anti-lgbt” instead of the first one.
It’s cool to refer to yourself as queer, but don’t do it for the whole community as it has been used as a slur against them. This is why people don’t go around calling gay men the f slur and lesbians the d slur. It’s because they’re *slurs*. It’s cool if you’ve reclaimed it, but that doesn’t mean that everyone else has.
I had one more issue and that’s that this book didn’t really have a plot apart from the relationship. Which is okay but it’s hard to get *too* invested when you already know where the story is going, and how it’s going to end? There was no surprise factor that comes with seeing how a plot point unravels.
Other than that, this book was ADORABLE.
July 15, 2023
A simple friends to lovers story based around the inheritance ultimatum trope.
I was afraid that the story would fall flat for me after reading another old friends to lovers book just recently. It felt different enough that I could separate the two and not worry about comparing.
There are some gems hiding in this book. The wedding was actually sweet, the queer awakening felt realistic to a late bloomer perspective, and therapy helped fix problems.
While I wouldn't say it was groundbreaking, it was light and cute. Likely best for a vacation read or if you're looking for something to unwind with after a stressful day.
I was afraid that the story would fall flat for me after reading another old friends to lovers book just recently. It felt different enough that I could separate the two and not worry about comparing.
There are some gems hiding in this book. The wedding was actually sweet, the queer awakening felt realistic to a late bloomer perspective, and therapy helped fix problems.
While I wouldn't say it was groundbreaking, it was light and cute. Likely best for a vacation read or if you're looking for something to unwind with after a stressful day.
September 8, 2018
Listen, this book was far from phenomenal. The writing was okay, the story was okay (though the trope was PERFECT). It was just okay. However, we need queer stories like this. I plan on making a video on this topic, but this was just a fluffy, okay wlw romance. And that's fucking wonderful. Let queer people have fluffy, meh romances. The straights get them all. the. time. and get so much fucking praise for mediocrity. Let us have that too. And you know, despite being just okay, I flew through this and had a blast reading it.
March 1, 2019
So... the first 50% of the book (roughly) was REALLY HARD for me to read. It felt rushed, incomplete and nonsensical, but just when I was going to call it quits I started to like it. At first I wasn't sure if my brain adapted or if the book got better, but the very deep annoyance that that last 0.05% of the book inspired in me, tells me it actually improved.
I loooved the premise of the book. I’m a sucker for fauxmances and friends to lovers situations, but really, that first half of the book was hard to read. I have notes on my phone of the first sentences or paragraphs that I felt didn’t make sense.
After the wedding I started to relax. After that, all the nonsense that threatened to make me throw my cell phone to the wall disappeared and finally I could relax and I started to enjoy reading it.
If you are a relaxed person, with a lot of tolerance to stress, this book should be easy for you. If you're the type that sees the glass half empty (like me) read it at your own risk, but really, the second half isn’t so bad, I actually liked it, just a lot of blushing, awkward glancing, and repressing feelings (kinda). Romance book stuff.
I loooved the premise of the book. I’m a sucker for fauxmances and friends to lovers situations, but really, that first half of the book was hard to read. I have notes on my phone of the first sentences or paragraphs that I felt didn’t make sense.
After the wedding I started to relax. After that, all the nonsense that threatened to make me throw my cell phone to the wall disappeared and finally I could relax and I started to enjoy reading it.
If you are a relaxed person, with a lot of tolerance to stress, this book should be easy for you. If you're the type that sees the glass half empty (like me) read it at your own risk, but really, the second half isn’t so bad, I actually liked it, just a lot of blushing, awkward glancing, and repressing feelings (kinda). Romance book stuff.
October 30, 2018
This was such a cute book! It's the first time I'm dipping my toes into the f/f romance pool and I'm so glad I chose to do so with this story. It's a heartwarming f/f romance with friends to lovers and fake married tropes.
I love how we get to see the slow subtle changes in Cara and Lauren's relationship and how throughout everything, they're there for each other. There's some good chemistry and sexual tension and slow-burn too! The only regret I have about this book is that we don't get Cara's pov, since she's the one who thought of herself as heterosexual and struggled with her sexuality. Although I get that if the author were to cover it, this story would need to be longer. Still, Cara gets to express what she was going through in her conversations with Lauren.
All in all, this story was fluffy and cute, with a focus not only on romance but also a beauty of female friendship. Definitely going to check out other stories by this author!
I love how we get to see the slow subtle changes in Cara and Lauren's relationship and how throughout everything, they're there for each other. There's some good chemistry and sexual tension and slow-burn too! The only regret I have about this book is that we don't get Cara's pov, since she's the one who thought of herself as heterosexual and struggled with her sexuality. Although I get that if the author were to cover it, this story would need to be longer. Still, Cara gets to express what she was going through in her conversations with Lauren.
All in all, this story was fluffy and cute, with a focus not only on romance but also a beauty of female friendship. Definitely going to check out other stories by this author!
September 13, 2018
I don’t have much to say about the book. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t like it either.
I think the MC and her LI were rather flat and for the love of everything gay, I couldn’t event picture them in my mind. There weren’t any descriptions of them in the book, it was disorienting.
Marriage of Unconvience is sapphic standalone novel about two best friends getting married to get inheritance money and falling in love soon after.
I think the MC and her LI were rather flat and for the love of everything gay, I couldn’t event picture them in my mind. There weren’t any descriptions of them in the book, it was disorienting.
Marriage of Unconvience is sapphic standalone novel about two best friends getting married to get inheritance money and falling in love soon after.
January 1, 2019
EVERYTHING I HAVE EVER WANTED WIIIIG
dnf
January 2, 2019DNF at 23%.
This is a typical contemporary romance (but with two women falling in love instead), and I could've enjoyed it some other time, but the month I started to read it I wasn't in the mood for this kind of book.
~ ~ ~
Abandonado al 23%.
Es un típico romance contemporáneo, y podría haberlo disfrutado en otro momento, pero el mes que lo empecé no estaba de humor para este tipo de novelas.
This is a typical contemporary romance (but with two women falling in love instead), and I could've enjoyed it some other time, but the month I started to read it I wasn't in the mood for this kind of book.
~ ~ ~
Abandonado al 23%.
Es un típico romance contemporáneo, y podría haberlo disfrutado en otro momento, pero el mes que lo empecé no estaba de humor para este tipo de novelas.
December 15, 2018
2.5 stars
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