Many thanks go to Janet W. for compiling this list of “marriage in trouble” romances.
Historical Romances
April Lady (1957) by Georgette Heyer – She, unbelievably, does not realize the earl married her for love. Her debts form an insurmountable barrier — it’s both humourous and poignant.
A Civil Contract (1961) by Georgette Heyer – Adam marries Jenny to save his estates. He does not love her, he perhaps never quite loves her as she would wish but they do become a loving couple. A difficult, and unforgettable book.
Friday’s Child (1944) by Georgette Heyer - Sherry marries Kitten to get his hands on his fortune. It’s a total marriage of convenience but she’s so young and naive that she gets into constant trouble. A darling marvelous book. So funny!
A Chance Encounter (1985) by Mary Balogh – Elizabeth is a governess, Robert a marquess. And they’re married — but have been separated for years. Not one of Balogh’s best, imo.
A Christmas Promise (1992) by Mary Balogh – One of my favourites. Her rich dying cit father forces the marriage to the impoverished earl. Each thinks the other has married for unworthy reasons. A lovely Christmas story.
Thief of Dreams (1998) by Mary Balogh – a Georgian. Nothing is what it seems. She finds out that he tricked her into marriage — can this marriage be saved? Secrets upon secrets but it’s a love story, albeit a harsh one, after all.
A Christmas Bride (1997) by Mary Balogh – They have to marry, she’s an aristocrat with a dreadful secret, he’s a wealthy, loving cit. Love prevails but it’s not an easy journey.
A Counterfeit Betrothal (1992) by Mary Balogh – the daughter of two long-estranged parents fakes a betrothal and her parents fall back in love. Two parallel stories, done very well.
Dancing with Clara (1994) by Mary Balogh – Clara buys Freddy, for his beauty and youth. She is fabulously wealthy but she can’t walk. Things don’t go well: he drinks, whores and gambles. But in Balogh’s masterful hands, things eventually change, and for the better.
An Arranged Marriage (1991) by Jo Beverley – Eleanor must marry Nicholas, she’s been raped by his brother. But Nicholas has a demanding mistress. How will this end?
An Unwilling Bride (1992) by Jo Beverley – Beth, a teacher, is forced to marry the heir to a dukedom. They are both intensely intelligent, both resent the situation they are placed in. One of my most re-read books.
Lord of my Heart (1992) by Jo Beverley -He does NOT want to marry her, nor does she want to marry him. A medieval, fraught with secrets. But they were meant to be together. A wonderful passionate book.
His Bride (2002) by Gayle Callen -She’s glad to marry him, he’s not so glad to have a wife. Set in 1591, she does a Martha Stewart on his mouldering castle and eventually, wears him down. Rather sweet.
Velvet Promise (1981) by Jude Deveraux -A medieval. They marry but he continues to see his mistress. Feisty, fiery, unforgettable.
Flowers from the Storm (1992) by Laura Kinsale - After the duke suffers a grievous stroke, he tricks his Quaker nurse/friend into marrying him. A difficult book to read but ultimately it soars.
Roses for Harriet by Patricia Oliver — Harriet knows the Earl of Kimbalton doesn’t love her. Still, it’s hard to see him physically making out with another after the marriage.
Autumn Rain (1993) by Anita Mills — Really kinky. Elinor is married to a ghastly old man, who wants an heir — he encourages her to take up with Lord Lucien de Clare — adultery so uncommon but this is well done. A bit overwrought.
Contemporary Romances
Separate Beds (1985) by LaVyrle Spencer — Different side of the tracks, unexpected pregnancy, marriage of convenience — they then drift away but not entirely. Quite hard to read although ultimately satisfactory.
Joint Forces (2004) by Catherine Mann — Senior Master Sarge comes home from being held prisoner to find marriage on the rocks. Then Rena reveals she’s pregnant. Realistic journey back to love.
Smooth Talkin’ Stranger (2004) by Lorraine Heath — A one night stand and its inevitable consequence. It’s secrets that cause them to part. A sweet, sexy book. A contemp.
A Husband’s Watch (2006) by Karen Templeton — From the husband’s POV — his marriage is crumbling and he’s not sure why.
Do you like “marriage in trouble” romances? If so, which ones are your favourites?
{ 15 comments }
Thanks for the list, Janet! This is one of my favourite themes in romance, although I think it works better in historicals than in contemporaries. I’ve read several of the books you listed. If I were to compile my own, I’d add Shana Abé’s medieval romance, The Secret Swan. I love that book!
While I’m not keen on marriage-in-trouble romances, I’d like to add Diana Brown’s traditional Regency romance ‘The Emerald Necklace’ to the list. It’s dark and angsty, AND it has first-person POV (my least favourite) but damn, it really kicked my arse.
Ana from An Evening At Almack’s says it best: http://an-evening-at-almacks.blogspot.com/2009/05/emerald-necklace-diana-brown.html
Yep, if it’s done well, I definitely like the ‘marriage in trouble’ romances. A few that I enjoyed are: ‘At Your Command’ by Julie Miller, ‘Afterburn’ by Kira Sinclair and ‘Strong, Silent Type’ by Lorelei James.
You’re welcome for the list! Where, though, was my brain when I didn’t include Eloisa James — her whole last series of books was about a troubled marriage. One could almost say she’s a specialist! http://www.eloisajames.com/
Agree with you Maili: I’ve read it and for some bizarre reason, I didn’t keep it, which I’ve regretted ever since. These are all from my shelves. Sarah, I’ve had Secret Swan on my shelf, unread, for 5+ years: I’ll report back when I’m through
ErotRomRea, thanks for the suggestions — I gather they’re contemps?
I want to plug a specific Betty Neels Harlequin Romance — “Fate is Remarkable.” Neels used the “marriage of convenience” trope a LOT and as she had NO explicit sex in any of her books, these are more “roommates without privileges” than marriages. But in “Fate is Remarkable,” the hero isn’t entirely wooden (I love her stuff — but I gotta keep it real) and the heroine is a bit more realistic than most.
And I love the ending!
And a historical: Candace Camp writing as Lisa Gregory’s “The Rainbow Season.” Not precisely a marriage in trouble — more a marriage of near-strangers who fall in love while facing trouble. But a GREAT book, so if it’s too old for any of you whippersnappers to know, go get it. It stands the test of time.
So not a fan. I rather see a happy marriage like Eve and Roarke in the In Death series or Daemon and Jaenelle in the Black Jewels books. They have problems and argument but work it out and still love and respect one another.
@katiebabs I’m trying to think of a good “marriage in trouble” contemporary but I’m drawing a blank. I think there are more possibilities in a historical to make this plot work.
when you say marriage in trouble, do you mean heading for divorce or something that causes the husband and wife to have an emotional problem with one another?
@katiebabs There are several possibilities, one of which is a fraught arranged marriage, such as the one in Sherry Thomas’s Private Arrangements. The Shana Abé book I mentioned features an arranged marriage whereby the heroine is in love with the hero but he barely notices her at first.
Also, I have thought of a possible contender for a contemporary romance after all: Erin McCarthy’s third NASCAR book will feature a divorced/not-divorced-after-all couple. I’m looking forward to reading it.
How would others define a “marriage in trouble” romance? I’m curious!
Yes, all three are contemps, indeed. @Janet W
@Magdalen
Holy cow. I LOVED The Rainbow Season. It’s angsty and has a sort-of love triangle (not my favourite), but so good. I read it a couple of years ago and I felt it stood the test of time quite well.
@katiebabs
I think ‘marriage in trouble’ just generally refers to a married (or sometimes, separated/divorced) couple dealing with relationship issues as opposite to an unmarried couple dealing with relationship issues.
@Sarah
There are loads of contemporary romances featuring troubled marriage. Off my head:
One Fine Day – Theresa Weir (I’m not keen on it as I thought the hero was iffy, but KristieJ or Nicole loved it.)
Mr. and Mrs. Wrong – Fay Robinson (RIP)
Love in a Small Town – Curtiss Ann Matlock
Better than Before – Judith Duncan
Quite a few books by Leigh Riker, LaVyrle Spencer and Kathleen Gilles Seidel.
And the infamous: The Spiral Path by Mary Jo Putney.
That’s it — if I can get through today — I’m ordering The Rainbow Season. So many people have recommended it! My list is so incomplete … arrrrrgh … but I really just stuck to books that were on my keeper shelves. Love all these recs though! Like my TBR and I must buy NOW piles were paltry to begin with LOL!
p.s. Altho I do have The Spiral Path. It is a very difficult read — lots of controversy there.
Thank you so much for compiling this list. It’s one of my favourite themes and I will definitely take it on my next bookstore visit.
@katiebabs I actually think of Roarke and Eve as very much as being in this tradition: they realize that a marriage is a living thing and that it takes some work and some thinking, along with the great love! Just think of poor Eve, struggling to come up with the perfect present for the man who has everything. There’s a line in Georgette Heyer’s “Friday’s Child” — one of Kitten and Sherry’s friends says, when they separate, Kitten is so unhappy — and the wiser friend said (paraphrasing) better she be unhappy for a short time than that they continue on the path they were on. All of the couples eventually have an HEA — and it’s an HEA they richly earn.
@Janet W
If only there were more romances written like Robb has with Eve and Roarke. Plus they have a cat! One big happy family