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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.
341 pages, Hardcover
First published November 11, 2025
63 people are currently reading
7789 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
January 10, 2026
3/5
This was a cute read! If you love reading books about reality tv, you’ll enjoy this one. Love how you could really see that both characters were trying so hard to keep their feelings at bay! Such a cute one!
This was a cute read! If you love reading books about reality tv, you’ll enjoy this one. Love how you could really see that both characters were trying so hard to keep their feelings at bay! Such a cute one!
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.
January 5, 2026
I loved the premise and the chemistry between the characters was there but I felt like that should’ve been explored a little more. The plot could’ve gone downhill but frankly it was well executed and pacing and characterization were great so I found myself staying up to finish the book to see where it would go. The ending was rushed and I needed to see more conflict (and then resolution) with the mom but the book still hit regardless.
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
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.
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.
Did not finish
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.
February 7, 2026
Technically, 3.5 stars!!! I loved the books premise. Marriage of convenience is one of my most favorite tropes. The idea that they rushed to marry so that they could enter the popular reality show was really intriguing!! But Zinnia was so clueless it was maddening sometimes!! Also, there were so many loose ends. What about at the hospital with the birth of the twins, what happened with Wiley? When the showed aired, how successful was it?? What happened to the family after the show ended??? Too many loose ends! But it was a really good feel good story.
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.
January 31, 2026
This was a gorgeous and uplifting read. I really enjoyed the slow burn, wholesome romance and am a little obsessed with how hard Jordan fell for Zinnia. He was down bad for the girl and it was utterly adorable. Zinnia was a ray of sunshine and together they made such a cute pair. The plot definitely required some suspension of belief but it was much fun, I was happy to look past that. While I do think it could have done with a little more depth and development, I had a really great time reading this. It was super fun, incredibly sweet and the authors note had me tearing up.
what to expect:
• marriage agreement
• forced proximity
• slow burn
• sunshine x cinnamon roll
• reality tv
• female friendships
• artist x business owner
• he falls first and hard
what to expect:
• marriage agreement
• forced proximity
• slow burn
• sunshine x cinnamon roll
• reality tv
• female friendships
• artist x business owner
• he falls first and hard
February 9, 2026
This book was super cute but definitely not as exciting and dramatic as I expected from the synopsis…
I’m a little disappointed by the relationship between Zinnia and Jordan. Where was the chemistry? The tension? The love? I guess Jordan yearned a little for her but it wasn’t as romantic as the author maybe intended.
This needed more romance!!
Also the pace was too slow for me and I struggled picking up this book. It was pretty boring.
The reality tv subplot wasn’t as prevalent as I expected and had this been a real show it would have been canceled after season 1. Jordan’s family was pretty mean to Zinnia and I didn’t really see any real connection between Zinnia and Jordan’s family.
Also let’s normalize having epilogues please!!!
I’m a little disappointed by the relationship between Zinnia and Jordan. Where was the chemistry? The tension? The love? I guess Jordan yearned a little for her but it wasn’t as romantic as the author maybe intended.
This needed more romance!!
Also the pace was too slow for me and I struggled picking up this book. It was pretty boring.
The reality tv subplot wasn’t as prevalent as I expected and had this been a real show it would have been canceled after season 1. Jordan’s family was pretty mean to Zinnia and I didn’t really see any real connection between Zinnia and Jordan’s family.
Also let’s normalize having epilogues please!!!
January 24, 2026
Gosh I am so upset by the fact I did not like this one…
The premise sounded AMAZING, but in the end fell flat.
The whole “we film a reality show, literally no one in the family seems to be want to be a part of for eleven months of the year” felt ridiculous after a while and I wasn’t rooting for anyone
The most frustrating thing was the whole side plot that started the FMC’s plan in the first place didn’t come to fruition, like come on, it was the one reason I didn’t DNF…
The premise sounded AMAZING, but in the end fell flat.
The whole “we film a reality show, literally no one in the family seems to be want to be a part of for eleven months of the year” felt ridiculous after a while and I wasn’t rooting for anyone
The most frustrating thing was the whole side plot that started the FMC’s plan in the first place didn’t come to fruition, like come on, it was the one reason I didn’t DNF…
January 1, 2026
Super super super 💃🏼
March 11, 2026
I wanted to love this so badly. some books by Claire Kann are standout favorites of mine and there are others I've read that I have not liked but usually I really enjoy her books.
and I can honestly say that I enjoyed the first like 2/3 of this. but the last third of this absolutely tanked the book. it genuinely almost reads like it was written by someone else and they just decided to do whatever they wanted.
I feel like I should say that I don't like reality TV and I don't ever read summaries. I requested this on netgalley because I knew the author, I assumed it was queer and I was like yeah sure I'll like that. well reality TV plays a pretty big role.
first off we have Zinnia who is I believe going on her 30th and she wants to be married. but she doesn't fall in love and so she crafts up this plan to find the perfect partner and marry them in 30 days. at the beginning of this book we see her go on a botched date and then she meets Jordan.
Jordan is the owner of this like little bookstore Cafe thing and he also needs to be married quickly but he has his own reason. Jordan is from a reality TV family and he changed his name and has been out of the spotlight for a decade because he didn't want to be a part of the reality TV. but when something happens and he needs to help out, he has a plan to bring in a new wife and to put the spotlight on himself to take it away from this other family member.
so they both have their own motives for getting married quickly and at first it was kind of a fun story. I I didn't like really any of Jordan's family but I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and just assume that it was the reality TV show behind the scenes nonsense playing a role. but as the show or as the book went on things just got more weird. it felt less about Jordan and Zinnia and more about Jordan's families TV show.
so I probably will talk about some spoilers here in a second but one thing that really knocks this book down a little bit for me is the author's choice to not ever use the term asexual or aromantic on page. it's also hinted at that Zinnia is bi or pan when she talks about how her marriage applications were open to everybody but mostly men applied but she was open to others applying. but like that's as far as that line goes. Zinnia is definitely somewhere on the asexual and aromantic spectrums both in my opinion. after talking with a friend and going through some of Claire Kann's social media, I did find a statement that she made about how she didn't want to make this another book that was about educating other people about asexuality. and I get that, I really do but it also felt disingenuous to not even mention it in passing.
it is possible to have an ace or aro character on page without it being a big coming out moment or a Awakening moment or a big educational tool. in my opinion when Zinnia and Jordan were first discussing this and Zinnia talks about how she's not going to fall in love and that sex is not on the table it would have been a perfect opportunity to just pop it in there. there doesn't need to be big definitions for things just let them be. so I spent the whole book waiting for that moment where Zinnia was going to mention that she was aspec. and then it got to the end and I was like what even was that? so much so that I went to the ebook copy and searched for the actual words and was pretty disappointed when I realized that they were not in there at all. I also didn't like that it wasn't in any of the promotional material.
I think for that that is on me. having read Claire Kann's other books, I did expect to see that on page aspec representation that she does so well and not getting that in terms of a label was frustrating. it's clear that Zinnia is aspec if you are super familiar with asexuality and aromanticism. but if those are terms you've never heard you would never know that and I don't know I don't like it. I love a label so whatever.
okay spoilers after this
spoilers
spoilers
spoilers
what do you mean Zinnia and Jordan started their own reality TV show at the end? about their vacations? are you kidding me? they both hate reality TV show why would they do that?! oh my God I hated it. it felt like a 180 from the whole freaking book. why did I just listen to a few hours of them absolutely hating the whole reality TV show process to then turn around and commit to doing it in their little epilogue bullshit. anyway that's all I guess.
and I can honestly say that I enjoyed the first like 2/3 of this. but the last third of this absolutely tanked the book. it genuinely almost reads like it was written by someone else and they just decided to do whatever they wanted.
I feel like I should say that I don't like reality TV and I don't ever read summaries. I requested this on netgalley because I knew the author, I assumed it was queer and I was like yeah sure I'll like that. well reality TV plays a pretty big role.
first off we have Zinnia who is I believe going on her 30th and she wants to be married. but she doesn't fall in love and so she crafts up this plan to find the perfect partner and marry them in 30 days. at the beginning of this book we see her go on a botched date and then she meets Jordan.
Jordan is the owner of this like little bookstore Cafe thing and he also needs to be married quickly but he has his own reason. Jordan is from a reality TV family and he changed his name and has been out of the spotlight for a decade because he didn't want to be a part of the reality TV. but when something happens and he needs to help out, he has a plan to bring in a new wife and to put the spotlight on himself to take it away from this other family member.
so they both have their own motives for getting married quickly and at first it was kind of a fun story. I I didn't like really any of Jordan's family but I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and just assume that it was the reality TV show behind the scenes nonsense playing a role. but as the show or as the book went on things just got more weird. it felt less about Jordan and Zinnia and more about Jordan's families TV show.
so I probably will talk about some spoilers here in a second but one thing that really knocks this book down a little bit for me is the author's choice to not ever use the term asexual or aromantic on page. it's also hinted at that Zinnia is bi or pan when she talks about how her marriage applications were open to everybody but mostly men applied but she was open to others applying. but like that's as far as that line goes. Zinnia is definitely somewhere on the asexual and aromantic spectrums both in my opinion. after talking with a friend and going through some of Claire Kann's social media, I did find a statement that she made about how she didn't want to make this another book that was about educating other people about asexuality. and I get that, I really do but it also felt disingenuous to not even mention it in passing.
it is possible to have an ace or aro character on page without it being a big coming out moment or a Awakening moment or a big educational tool. in my opinion when Zinnia and Jordan were first discussing this and Zinnia talks about how she's not going to fall in love and that sex is not on the table it would have been a perfect opportunity to just pop it in there. there doesn't need to be big definitions for things just let them be. so I spent the whole book waiting for that moment where Zinnia was going to mention that she was aspec. and then it got to the end and I was like what even was that? so much so that I went to the ebook copy and searched for the actual words and was pretty disappointed when I realized that they were not in there at all. I also didn't like that it wasn't in any of the promotional material.
I think for that that is on me. having read Claire Kann's other books, I did expect to see that on page aspec representation that she does so well and not getting that in terms of a label was frustrating. it's clear that Zinnia is aspec if you are super familiar with asexuality and aromanticism. but if those are terms you've never heard you would never know that and I don't know I don't like it. I love a label so whatever.
okay spoilers after this
spoilers
spoilers
spoilers
what do you mean Zinnia and Jordan started their own reality TV show at the end? about their vacations? are you kidding me? they both hate reality TV show why would they do that?! oh my God I hated it. it felt like a 180 from the whole freaking book. why did I just listen to a few hours of them absolutely hating the whole reality TV show process to then turn around and commit to doing it in their little epilogue bullshit. anyway that's all I guess.
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!
January 6, 2026
love a pathetic loser love interest god bless
December 25, 2025
Before Jordan’s family was introduced, I was rating this book 4 or 5 stars because I loved it immediately. Once his family came into the picture, though, my rating dropped to 3 stars. Jordan’s family’s behavior was ridiculous, especially the twins. Jordan was a grown man who let his family stress him out, intimidate him, and treat Zinnia any way they wanted, and most of the time it was extremely rude and unacceptable. Any time Jordan did try to defend Zinnia, it was unimpressive. It’s truly amazing how fast my interest waned once I was firmly in the reality show aspect of the book. It was so boring. There was no chemistry or romance to be found. There were so many moments that left me asking, “…what?”
Zinnia acted more like a teenager than an adult, and she second-guessed herself so much that it was exhausting. After Zinnia and Jordan’s initial obligation to shoot the reality show ended, the remainder of the book did not improve, and I struggled to get to the end. Corny dialogue and cringeworthy moments, especially any scenes with Bea. 2.5 stars. Possibly the biggest rating drop-off of any book I’ve read.
Zinnia acted more like a teenager than an adult, and she second-guessed herself so much that it was exhausting. After Zinnia and Jordan’s initial obligation to shoot the reality show ended, the remainder of the book did not improve, and I struggled to get to the end. Corny dialogue and cringeworthy moments, especially any scenes with Bea. 2.5 stars. Possibly the biggest rating drop-off of any book I’ve read.
March 8, 2026
I really wanted to love The Marriage Narrative by Claire Kann, but it just didn’t land for me. The premise had so much potential—fast-paced, strategic “marriage-merger” dating, a reality-show twist, and two ambitious characters thrown together under ridiculous circumstances. I expected witty banter, high stakes, and some messy-but-satisfying romance.
Instead, it felt over-calculated. The characters’ chemistry never fully clicked, and the plot leaned too heavily on contrived “reality show drama” instead of letting their relationship grow organically. Zinnia’s ambition was refreshing, but Jordan’s storyline, especially with the family TV show angle, came across as more gimmicky than engaging. It reads like a rom-com checklist rather than a story I could get lost in.
I appreciate Claire Kann’s attempt at something bold and structured differently from your typical romance, but for me, it fell short of sparking that excitement or emotional pull I was hoping for. It’s not a bad read—just one I struggled to connect with.
Instead, it felt over-calculated. The characters’ chemistry never fully clicked, and the plot leaned too heavily on contrived “reality show drama” instead of letting their relationship grow organically. Zinnia’s ambition was refreshing, but Jordan’s storyline, especially with the family TV show angle, came across as more gimmicky than engaging. It reads like a rom-com checklist rather than a story I could get lost in.
I appreciate Claire Kann’s attempt at something bold and structured differently from your typical romance, but for me, it fell short of sparking that excitement or emotional pull I was hoping for. It’s not a bad read—just one I struggled to connect with.
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 22, 2025
Claire Kann's most romantic book yet! 4.25 stars rounded up
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.
December 31, 2025
3.5⭐️
This was really cute, and if you want a sweet low stakes, celebrity, marriage of convenience romance you would probably really enjoy this.
This was fun, it wasn’t quite what I expected from the synopsis, Zinnia was completely different than I had imagined her to be, but once I was in it I enjoyed it. I think it was probably the description of her as a business woman that threw me, because yes she is, but also she’s more than that and is an artist rather than anything else.
So what did annoy me was how much of a doormat Jordan was almost all the time. He was strong willed enough to break up with his long term girlfriend because he didn’t want to do the show, but when it came to protecting his wife from his family he did nothing. I just wanted him to actually confront them, because even after Zinnia put everyone in their place the second his sister came up with another plan to protect herself and push Jordan and Zinnia into the spotlight he just agreed. I wanted more pushback, I wanted him to stand up for her, and to really show how much he loved her.
This was really cute, and if you want a sweet low stakes, celebrity, marriage of convenience romance you would probably really enjoy this.
This was fun, it wasn’t quite what I expected from the synopsis, Zinnia was completely different than I had imagined her to be, but once I was in it I enjoyed it. I think it was probably the description of her as a business woman that threw me, because yes she is, but also she’s more than that and is an artist rather than anything else.
So what did annoy me was how much of a doormat Jordan was almost all the time. He was strong willed enough to break up with his long term girlfriend because he didn’t want to do the show, but when it came to protecting his wife from his family he did nothing. I just wanted him to actually confront them, because even after Zinnia put everyone in their place the second his sister came up with another plan to protect herself and push Jordan and Zinnia into the spotlight he just agreed. I wanted more pushback, I wanted him to stand up for her, and to really show how much he loved her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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