Married by Contract

By: Noelle Adams

Narrated by: Carly Robins

Three years into a five-year marriage of convenience, Jenn finds herself wanting something she never thought she'd want from her laid-back, ex-military husband. Sex - as a much-needed release of tension from her high-stress job. But weekly sex with Nick, despite their careful parameters, is likely to get messy eventually.

Ever since her father walked out on her as a child, Jenn knows never to assume the people she loves will stick around, so she's not about to trust Nick with her heart. She vows to stay strong, no matter how much intimacy develops between them in bed.

But what starts as a tension-reliever soon becomes so much more, until it threatens both their practical arrangement and the heart Jenn has worked so hard to keep safe.

©2016 Noelle Adams (P)2016 Noelle Adams

happy ending

The story is nothing exciting: For three years their marriage is just one on paper but then they discover things about themselves and about the other which let’s them start sleeping with each other. And of course they fall in love with each other and all is well in the end. The female character was quite an irritating person, the male hero was patient and could be trusted.
The narration was OK.

Such a neat flip! Loved this maybe more than ANM

Any additional comments?

Doubtless you'll see reviews comparing Married by Contract to "A Negotiated Marriage". This is because ANM was such a great story, neat plot that the author flipped gender roles and approached it from the other side.

I enjoyed Married by Contract even *more*.

I think this is because Nick knows he wants this to be real, and the reader knows that, and my favorite stories tend to have the hero aware of the fact that this is the only woman for him, and going about nailing that down. (No pun... I promise)

I like it when the hero does the pursuing - even if it is by gentle leading. Maaaybe *especially* if it's done by gentle leading.

And I love the sweet banter.

Slices like this:
'...she narrowed her eyes. "I thought you said you weren't making fun of me."
"I wasn't then. I might be a little bit now."

and this:
'...Maybe Nick was onto something with this letting-it-go thing.

"Good girl," Nick murmured, his eyes soft on her face.

She scowled. "You didn't just call me good girl, did you?"
"What? Oh no. You must have heard wrong. I'd never call you something so..."

"Patronizing."

"Exactly. I'd never call you something like that." He wasn't smiling, but there was suppressed laughter in his eyes and at the corners of his mouth.
"I'm glad to hear it."'

INTERACTIONS LIKE THIS ARE WHY I LOVE NOELLE'S STORIES SO MUCH. The good natured teasing is cute, and funny, and touching.

I LOVED MARRIED BY CONTRACT! Now if sweet isn't your cup of tea, I am about to reread Hold by Claire Kent (other pseudonym for Noelle) and I highly, highly recommend that one but for gritty & dark romance lovers - it's soooo good too.

I almost cried

Love love love this author! I haven’t listened to any of her books that I haven’t liked.

The Narration done by Carly Robins was wonderful, I felt all the emotions, her voice changes is amazing.

I almost Cried. I felt happy and anxious.

Recommend reading this book if you love a happy ending, and a romance that doesn’t have to much drama.

love the book

I love the characters and loved the storyline! I just wish it would have had more to the story.

Non-story

I hate to be critical. but this was really a non-story. I listened to the end because I could not believe there wasn't more to it. The entire story could be told in one paragraph.

Struggled to finish

Awful h, whiny, acted more like a bossy, self absorbed teenager than an independent woman. Didnt like narrators h voice either, shrill & snarky . H should've just run !

An Ok Book.

I started listening to this book and kept feeling a sense of deja vu. Then I realized this book was so similar to "A Negotiated Marriage" that I thought I had already read/listened it.

Maybe if I had never read the first book, this one would have had more of an effect on me. The narration was OK, but listening to Nick's part took me out of the flow of the story. It kept standing out to me that there was a woman trying to sound manly, and it was not working for me.

Nothing really stood out in this particular book. I thought "A Negotiated Marriage" was a better book, although maybe that is because I read it first. In all honesty, I have never listened to the Audiobook, so I can't compare audio versions. I am speaking only of the actual story in when I say I thought the first book was better.

I would recommend you read/listen and judge for yourself.

So similar it's disturbing!

This book is so similar to a negotiated marriage it is crazy. Why invent a new plot when you can just change the characters. I totally could predict the entire book. Let down! Noelle, mix it up a little!