Imagine waking up one morning and—surprise!—you’re married. Maybe it’s to a grumpy, emotionally unavailable duke, a rakehell with no interest in being a husband, or worse—your best friend who you absolutely do not have feelings for… yet. But either way? You’re stuck. And the only way out? Catching feelings.

That’s the magic of Marriage of Convenience in historical romance—one of the most timeless, dramatic, and undeniably swoon-worthy tropes of all time. And today on this episode of Reading Under the Covers, a romance novel podcast, we’re breaking down:

💍 Why this trope is so addictive

📜 The real history behind Marriage of Convenience (yes, this was a real thing!)

🔥 Some of the best authors who write it

📚 5 must-read very different books that nail this trope

📚 Books Mentioned in This Episode:

1️⃣ The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare (Grumpy/Sunshine, Beauty & the Beast, Forced Proximity)

2️⃣ The Marriage Contract by Cathy Maxwell (Scottish Laird, Forced Proximity, Mysterious Hero)

3️⃣ When a Rogue Meets His Match by Elizabeth Hoyt (Enemies to Lovers, Marriage of Convenience, Dangerous Hero, Power Struggles)

4️⃣ Ravishing the Heiress by Sherry Thomas (Marriage of Convenience, Slow Burn, Unrequited Love, Friends to Lovers)

5️⃣ You're the Problem, It's You by Emma R. Alban (Lavender Marriage, Enemies to Lovers, Queer Historical Romance, Political Intrigue)

👉 Want even more trope talk?

Not sure what a trope is? Think of it as your favorite storytelling ingredient—whether it’s enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, or today’s topic, marriage of convenience, tropes are what make romance so addictive. If you want to learn more, check out my full breakdown on the blog (link below), and if you sign up for our free Substack, you’ll get a FREE guide with over 400 romance tropes—perfect for helping you find exactly what you’re in the mood to read.

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast app!

• Read more about tropes in romance: https://www.underthecoversbookblog.com/book-tropes
• Get your FREE Romance Trope Guide (400+ tropes!): https://www.underthecoverscommunity.com/susbcribe

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