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Just Married Trilogy #1
Married Before Christmas
WHAT'S THE BEST FRIEND FOR IF NOT FOR…MARRIAGE?
Daniel Collins could always count on his biological father to make his life miserable, but the man's pursuit of ruining Ruth's Children Hospital was the worst part of it all. Now, with his father dying, there was a chance for Daniel to take over the family trust that controlled the hospital. The main condition of the trust? He needed to be married.
The problem was, he didn't even have a boyfriend, let alone a husband.
He did, however, have a best friend who saved him more than once over the years.
Noa Alana had a comfortable job in the company he helped create, but he had been feeling restless lately. Daniel coming to him with the most bizarre idea Noa had heard in a while wasn't exactly the change he was waiting for, but he would never say no to helping his best friend.
A fake marriage could bring out something new between them, but the question was—were they ready to risk their friendship for the unknown?
Daniel Collins could always count on his biological father to make his life miserable, but the man's pursuit of ruining Ruth's Children Hospital was the worst part of it all. Now, with his father dying, there was a chance for Daniel to take over the family trust that controlled the hospital. The main condition of the trust? He needed to be married.
The problem was, he didn't even have a boyfriend, let alone a husband.
He did, however, have a best friend who saved him more than once over the years.
Noa Alana had a comfortable job in the company he helped create, but he had been feeling restless lately. Daniel coming to him with the most bizarre idea Noa had heard in a while wasn't exactly the change he was waiting for, but he would never say no to helping his best friend.
A fake marriage could bring out something new between them, but the question was—were they ready to risk their friendship for the unknown?
176 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2022
123 people are currently reading
388 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
November 8, 2022
2.5 stars
I love fake marriage for totally cool and legal reasons, so much. This book was a given for me to snag when I saw the blurb.
Unfortunately it ended up feeling rather shallow to me. It read a lot like a well developed outline of a book, and then it was missing the actual emotional depth on all counts - between the MCs, between the MCs and side characters, the stakes, etc. It all felt just a little light.
I also adore the extra cool and very legal “fake marriage has to look real or the MCs have to be “provably” in love” stipulations. This book hinted at that being a thing a few times, but it never materialized as an actual point, which was a bit of a bummer.
The romance suffered from the flat emotions that everything else also suffered from. This was more two best friends in denial and almost second chance (they’d hooked up in college and then just sort of stopped, but stayed friends), some attempt at pining/unrequited feels but it was whatever. It never got angsty, it was always low stakes, so the minor angsting about being maybe unrequited (especially with the previous hooking up!) was very mild. It also had the brief appearance of “everyone else sees it but them” but it was only a couple lines.
The weirdest part - there were no physical descriptions until like 80% of the way in, and even then, only the very mildest. Absolutely bizarre. It felt like the author was purposefully not including them. Noa plays with Daniel’s hair? ok, cute,……what’s his hair look like? feel like?? anything???? no. He just has hair. Eyes are sparkling! what about them? idk. Seriously, no idea what these two look like outside of “hot/handsome/attractive”. It was downright odd.
The evil family was a mixed bag - they didn’t have the setup or page time to really determine how evil they were. They were heading little OTT evil at one point, but their motivations were a little opaque (they just want money and power? I guess? Why does the whole family hate the children hospital, wouldn’t that bring prestige and great photo ops for them? etc) so it didn’t develop much more.
Honestly, I was probably going to round this to 2 stars, but then I read the teaser chapter (sort of epilogue? not really epilogue) and man i was hooked. and now i have to wait forever. So now it’s being rounded to 3 stars. logic is for weenies
Overall, the running theme here - it was just lacking depth and feeling for all elements of the story. Well plotted, in the sense the story was cohesive and had alright flow, but needed to take a further step into the romantic side of things. Zero angst (positive), an alright read. Intrigued enough to TBR the second one.
Read more reviews on my blog:
https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
I love fake marriage for totally cool and legal reasons, so much. This book was a given for me to snag when I saw the blurb.
Unfortunately it ended up feeling rather shallow to me. It read a lot like a well developed outline of a book, and then it was missing the actual emotional depth on all counts - between the MCs, between the MCs and side characters, the stakes, etc. It all felt just a little light.
I also adore the extra cool and very legal “fake marriage has to look real or the MCs have to be “provably” in love” stipulations. This book hinted at that being a thing a few times, but it never materialized as an actual point, which was a bit of a bummer.
The romance suffered from the flat emotions that everything else also suffered from. This was more two best friends in denial and almost second chance (they’d hooked up in college and then just sort of stopped, but stayed friends), some attempt at pining/unrequited feels but it was whatever. It never got angsty, it was always low stakes, so the minor angsting about being maybe unrequited (especially with the previous hooking up!) was very mild. It also had the brief appearance of “everyone else sees it but them” but it was only a couple lines.
The weirdest part - there were no physical descriptions until like 80% of the way in, and even then, only the very mildest. Absolutely bizarre. It felt like the author was purposefully not including them. Noa plays with Daniel’s hair? ok, cute,……what’s his hair look like? feel like?? anything???? no. He just has hair. Eyes are sparkling! what about them? idk. Seriously, no idea what these two look like outside of “hot/handsome/attractive”. It was downright odd.
The evil family was a mixed bag - they didn’t have the setup or page time to really determine how evil they were. They were heading little OTT evil at one point, but their motivations were a little opaque (they just want money and power? I guess? Why does the whole family hate the children hospital, wouldn’t that bring prestige and great photo ops for them? etc) so it didn’t develop much more.
Honestly, I was probably going to round this to 2 stars, but then I read the teaser chapter (sort of epilogue? not really epilogue) and man i was hooked. and now i have to wait forever. So now it’s being rounded to 3 stars. logic is for weenies
Overall, the running theme here - it was just lacking depth and feeling for all elements of the story. Well plotted, in the sense the story was cohesive and had alright flow, but needed to take a further step into the romantic side of things. Zero angst (positive), an alright read. Intrigued enough to TBR the second one.
Read more reviews on my blog:
https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
December 22, 2025
It wasn't terrible, but it was also very whatever. The romance was sort of ok, but most of the foundation of their relationship happene doff-page and we were just told about their amazing connection, and we were barely able to see a glimpse.
There was a huge conflict hinting at the evil step-mom/step-siblings debacle, and then nothing happened. Talk about anticlimactic.
There was a huge conflict hinting at the evil step-mom/step-siblings debacle, and then nothing happened. Talk about anticlimactic.
January 18, 2026
El hospital que maneja Daniel está en problemas, su padre hace todo lo posible para mantener el presupuesto tan bajo aquí apenas logra mantener el hospital a flote. Pero ahora con su padre al borde de la muerte, su unica oportunidad de mantener el hospital es casarse. Y la única persona en las que puede pensar es en su mejor amigo Noah. Sin embargo, los sentimientos de ambos parecen ser más fuertes de solo una amistad. podrán mantener el "matrimonio falso"? O decidirán que es mejor hacerlo real.
Está lectura es sencilla, al inicio tiene mucho drama, y se desenreda todo en un solo párrafo. El problema que le veo, es que van de no querer hablar de sus sentimientos a un "te amo" como si fuera nada.
Claro, los diálogos y las escenas eróticas resultaron entretenidas, pero el corte del drama a "ahora todo está bien" fue como muy brusco.
En fin, me gustó la lectura, pero no creo que continúe con la serie por ahora, tal vez más adelante.
Está lectura es sencilla, al inicio tiene mucho drama, y se desenreda todo en un solo párrafo. El problema que le veo, es que van de no querer hablar de sus sentimientos a un "te amo" como si fuera nada.
Claro, los diálogos y las escenas eróticas resultaron entretenidas, pero el corte del drama a "ahora todo está bien" fue como muy brusco.
En fin, me gustó la lectura, pero no creo que continúe con la serie por ahora, tal vez más adelante.
November 12, 2022
There was potential for something interesting here and I like friends to lovers and marriage of convenience but this was just kinda shallow and boring. Every problem was quickly solved, there was very little tension, I never felt like any of the characters were real people and I think the book wanted to be spicier then it actually was. Meh.
February 28, 2024
It’s fine, I guess, there’s just not a lot to it. The plot is slim, there’s no real conflict, minimal Christmas content, and it feels padded out by a lot of repetitive interior monologues. There are also several past incidents that are alluded to but never fully explored. (What was “the accident”?)(What happened Sophomore year that changed everything) This whole thing should have either been a lot shorter or a lot longer.
It’s just unsatisfying.
It’s just unsatisfying.
November 16, 2025
DNF @ P75 (43% - Ch.10)
January 25, 2024
It was ok! Very typical story. But cute. Some editing errors.
December 31, 2023
Very fun, light, relatively angst-free marriage of convenience romance.
January 4, 2025
Bueno, bueno, bueno, que raro y místico placer es este que me vine a dar. Arrancar el año con una novela corta que, de hecho, no me parece mala o mal estructurada. Mágico comienzo de año.
Una de las cosas que más me pasa cuando leo novelas de esta extensión es la frustración y el fastidio que me dejan. Hay años que para llegar a mis metas elijo novelas así: cortas y ligeras, para que la lectura sea rápida y fácil. Que lo suele ser, pero en su amplia e inmensa mayoría me dejan un regusto molesto en la boca. Esta novela no fue el caso.
Como toda historia que es cortita, tiene sus cosas, tiene sus momentos en la trama que decís: falta desarrollo, acá esto es superapurado, no hay una explicación muy lógica a que pase esto; pero da placer saber que no es lo que pasa a cada página, en cada acción. De hecho, pese a no ser una novela larga o con el largo prototípico, se da sus momentos para desarrollar ciertas cosas. Aprecie cada espacio que se dio la autora para establecer un poco de contexto o darle espacio a que crezcan ciertas emociones.
No hay, bajo ningún concepto, que entrar en esta novela a la espera de algo que no sea una historia centrada exclusivamente en el romance. Tiene una subtrama la historia, pero se sobreentiende que esperar que tenga mucha más relevancia de la que tiene es pedir demasiado a una novela corta. En especial porque creo que, la verdad, es de las pocas, pocas veces que me topo con una subtrama que de verdad esté a la altura y entienda su papel secundario en la historia. No es de ese tipo de subtramas que son inmensas y que al final, por ser tan ambiciosas y no entender que no va a tener ni el desarrollo ni la atención que merece un planteo semejante, te termina haciendo rabiar que se solucione o todo muy rápido o de la manera más básica del mundo.
No hay mucho más que decir, la verdad. Una lectura que, como pocas en su género, entiende a lo que va la gente cuando se pone a leerlas. Cumple así mismo con su segundo cometido, que es dejarme con ganas de leer la novela que le sigue. Lo que, de nuevo, no todas las novelas de este tipo consigue. Suelo pasarla tan mal que enseguida me olvido, pero sin dudas elegiría otra vez a esta autora y esta trilogía para hacer un lindo párate entre mis lecturas si se vuelven pesadas o redundantes.
Una de las cosas que más me pasa cuando leo novelas de esta extensión es la frustración y el fastidio que me dejan. Hay años que para llegar a mis metas elijo novelas así: cortas y ligeras, para que la lectura sea rápida y fácil. Que lo suele ser, pero en su amplia e inmensa mayoría me dejan un regusto molesto en la boca. Esta novela no fue el caso.
Como toda historia que es cortita, tiene sus cosas, tiene sus momentos en la trama que decís: falta desarrollo, acá esto es superapurado, no hay una explicación muy lógica a que pase esto; pero da placer saber que no es lo que pasa a cada página, en cada acción. De hecho, pese a no ser una novela larga o con el largo prototípico, se da sus momentos para desarrollar ciertas cosas. Aprecie cada espacio que se dio la autora para establecer un poco de contexto o darle espacio a que crezcan ciertas emociones.
No hay, bajo ningún concepto, que entrar en esta novela a la espera de algo que no sea una historia centrada exclusivamente en el romance. Tiene una subtrama la historia, pero se sobreentiende que esperar que tenga mucha más relevancia de la que tiene es pedir demasiado a una novela corta. En especial porque creo que, la verdad, es de las pocas, pocas veces que me topo con una subtrama que de verdad esté a la altura y entienda su papel secundario en la historia. No es de ese tipo de subtramas que son inmensas y que al final, por ser tan ambiciosas y no entender que no va a tener ni el desarrollo ni la atención que merece un planteo semejante, te termina haciendo rabiar que se solucione o todo muy rápido o de la manera más básica del mundo.
No hay mucho más que decir, la verdad. Una lectura que, como pocas en su género, entiende a lo que va la gente cuando se pone a leerlas. Cumple así mismo con su segundo cometido, que es dejarme con ganas de leer la novela que le sigue. Lo que, de nuevo, no todas las novelas de este tipo consigue. Suelo pasarla tan mal que enseguida me olvido, pero sin dudas elegiría otra vez a esta autora y esta trilogía para hacer un lindo párate entre mis lecturas si se vuelven pesadas o redundantes.
September 22, 2023
Daniels Collins could count on his biological father to make his life miserable and was trying to ruin Ruth's Children's Hospital but after his death, there was a chance for Daniel to take over the family trust that controlled the hospital but the main condition was that he had to be married (and he doesn't even have a boyfriend let alone a husband). He did have a best friend who had saved him more than once over the years. Noa Alana had a comfortable job in a company he helped create but was feeling restless. Daniel coming to him with a bizarre idea wasn't the change he was waiting for but he would never say no to Daniel. A fake marriage could bring out something new between them, but the question was - were they ready to risk their friendship for the unknown?
I enjoyed this story with the two best friends who were there for each other and had so much potential between them for something much more. The family politics were suitably vicious but I liked the way that Daniels was able to handle them. Noa appeared a bit like a doormat to start with as it was obvious that he would do anything for Daniels but in fact, as the story developed it became obvious that he loved Daniels and that was the reason that he was so agreeable. Easy to read, feel and understand. This is an MM story with mature content.
I enjoyed this story with the two best friends who were there for each other and had so much potential between them for something much more. The family politics were suitably vicious but I liked the way that Daniels was able to handle them. Noa appeared a bit like a doormat to start with as it was obvious that he would do anything for Daniels but in fact, as the story developed it became obvious that he loved Daniels and that was the reason that he was so agreeable. Easy to read, feel and understand. This is an MM story with mature content.
December 13, 2023
I picked this book up because I bought it for nothing on a sale and it was a marriage of convenience (really wish I could actually spell that word) set over Christmas. A perfect book for this time of year!
Daniel's awful biological father dies and he's not too sad, except that the children's hospital he manages is under his father's trust and so he has to inherit it. And to inherit it, he needs to be married! So he turns to his best friend, Noa. Noa has been feeling restless about things going on in his life so a change of scenery while helping out a friend would be good.
Again, this was cute and nice but very minimal conflict. Daniel and Noa already being best friends who are affectionate with each other takes away some of the tension of the fake dating trope, the reason for their fake marriage becomes obselete very quickly (there is barely any contention to Daniel inheriting the trust and even if there was, there is little reason why he would lose the court case) and the people involved in their lives get on board with it pretty quickly.
3 stars!
Daniel's awful biological father dies and he's not too sad, except that the children's hospital he manages is under his father's trust and so he has to inherit it. And to inherit it, he needs to be married! So he turns to his best friend, Noa. Noa has been feeling restless about things going on in his life so a change of scenery while helping out a friend would be good.
Again, this was cute and nice but very minimal conflict. Daniel and Noa already being best friends who are affectionate with each other takes away some of the tension of the fake dating trope, the reason for their fake marriage becomes obselete very quickly (there is barely any contention to Daniel inheriting the trust and even if there was, there is little reason why he would lose the court case) and the people involved in their lives get on board with it pretty quickly.
3 stars!
January 30, 2024
Has Potential…
I liked the premise of the story very much; however, I feel like it was rushed. As an avid reader of the MM genre and a dude that married a dude, I was missing connection to the characters and their story. You know how I know? I can’t tell you what they look like. There was no sexual tension, the sex scenes were vague and felt out of place because where was the build up? I really wanted to like this more, but I couldn’t get into it. I’d give this author another chance, but not in this series.
I liked the premise of the story very much; however, I feel like it was rushed. As an avid reader of the MM genre and a dude that married a dude, I was missing connection to the characters and their story. You know how I know? I can’t tell you what they look like. There was no sexual tension, the sex scenes were vague and felt out of place because where was the build up? I really wanted to like this more, but I couldn’t get into it. I’d give this author another chance, but not in this series.
December 31, 2023
This book was alright. The friends to lovers, marriage of convenience was cute, and I enjoyed the characters. However, there were some grammatical things that kept pulling me out of the cute love story. There were many spelling errors and sayings/idioms that were written incorrectly that gave me pause and took me a minute to get back into it.
January 5, 2024
A terrific book if you a fan of fairytales - you want that away romance and goid to win!
Daniel definitely knows the feeling of evil step mother and sibilings. Noa is the best friend that always has Daniel back. Trust me this journey from friends to more is a great journey to be enjoyed. I feel a little nostalgia of Cinderella with the happy ever after ending. MM romance
Daniel definitely knows the feeling of evil step mother and sibilings. Noa is the best friend that always has Daniel back. Trust me this journey from friends to more is a great journey to be enjoyed. I feel a little nostalgia of Cinderella with the happy ever after ending. MM romance
November 5, 2022
Very enjoyable
Despite the circumstances necessitating the marriage this was a fairly low angst read. Wonderful characters and a storyline with a lot of sweetness. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
Despite the circumstances necessitating the marriage this was a fairly low angst read. Wonderful characters and a storyline with a lot of sweetness. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
October 9, 2023
3.5 stars
This story was sweet, but it felt like it ended too soon. One of the major plot threads should have been resolved more solidly for the story to feel finished, but perhaps we'll see it from someone else's perspective in the next book. Spoiler alert:
This story was sweet, but it felt like it ended too soon. One of the major plot threads should have been resolved more solidly for the story to feel finished, but perhaps we'll see it from someone else's perspective in the next book. Spoiler alert:
November 1, 2023
I loved this book.. Daniel and Noa are great characters and the story/plot was just perfect. This is very easy to read and follow and I love the way it slowly unfolded.
This is very well written and I hope to read more by this author in the future 😊
This is very well written and I hope to read more by this author in the future 😊
November 21, 2023
fun but confusing
Some fun moments but the author needs to do better research on locations—some confusing comments about jet lag and driving to a cabin that would be a thousand miles away…
Some fun moments but the author needs to do better research on locations—some confusing comments about jet lag and driving to a cabin that would be a thousand miles away…
December 28, 2023
It was a fake marriage... Mostly
I got this book at the stuff your Kindle day. I found the blurb interesting and it was quite interesting indeed.
It was short, low-angst, funny at the right moments. And of course... Steamy
I got this book at the stuff your Kindle day. I found the blurb interesting and it was quite interesting indeed.
It was short, low-angst, funny at the right moments. And of course... Steamy
October 24, 2024
Married Before Christmas
Definitely a great book!!! I would have loved to read some action on what happened with the evil trio!!!! We are left in limbo about the whole situation!!! It’s the only reason I gave 4 stars!!!!
Definitely a great book!!! I would have loved to read some action on what happened with the evil trio!!!! We are left in limbo about the whole situation!!! It’s the only reason I gave 4 stars!!!!
December 29, 2024
I was encouraged to read it by some of my mutuals raitings. I thought this story would be more christmassy than it turned out to be. It was nice, cute and simple read. The main characters were a bit too bland for my taste, although I was engaged in their inner emotional turmoil.
October 14, 2023
Made me nuts they told so many people their marriage was fake. WHY would you do that?
December 17, 2023
Pensé que tendría más ambiente navideño, pero meha gustado y no se ha pasado con las escenas spicy.
December 29, 2023
Their relationship was very smooth sailing and that was nice to read as well, I just expected a little more uncertainty and drama in the middle
December 31, 2023
Loving my novellas at the moment
January 23, 2024
Noa & Daniel
March 12, 2024
Okay, fairly cute.
August 7, 2024
Nice story, fast read.
September 13, 2024
The beginning is boring. There is potential in this story, but it needs help.
October 18, 2024
3 1/2 - promising marriage of convenience/idiots to lovers, but it just fizzled. I kept expecting some form of tension after they'd decided that they were in it for real, but it didn't happen.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews