MARRIAGE FOR ONE by ELLA MAISE

‘Cold and distant was what I’d grown up with, and cold and distant was what I had become.’

Marriage for One by Ella Maise landed on our kindles and we dove straight in as she is one of our most beloved Authors who writes such wonderful stories from the heart. She never fails to grab us with her words, her characters and her stories. Ella Maise writes slow burn romance with fabulous humour, high emotion and scorching heat. What’s not to fall in love with?

‘He had been the one to make the marriage offer, but with the way he was acting, so cool and distant at all times, you’d think I’d held an invisible gun to his head to make him say I do.’

In the first fifteen or so percent of the story we were chatting about how dissimilar this book was to what we’ve read and loved in the past from this Author and we will admit it certainly took us by surprise. Her male character felt different and the tone of the first few chapters felt so melancholy, we fell straight into a sombre mood worrying for what was to come. Then suddenly, from one page to the next, we were hooked and reluctantly put it down when real life dictated us to. Whilst different, the trademark Ella Maise began to emerge and became entwined in a story that had us falling in love, falling into despair and falling over, laughing. It was truly a wonderful and captivating romance that had our hearts beating in time with the words.

‘He wasn’t what I’d had in mind or even what I’d wanted for myself…’

Seriously, get ready to fall head over heels in love with a man named, Jack Hawthorne! Oh wow, we love him. LOVE HIM. He’s a tense and grumpy arse but what a romantic arse he is. He’s rude, brutally honest, silent, arrogant and infuriating. But no question, this enigmatic –no smile- behaviour hides a vulnerable unsure heart that’s fallen in love and has no idea what to do with that. A heart that slowly but surely learns what love is long after it initially fell…reluctantly so. All because of the sweet, smiley and feisty, Rose.

‘I would fight for her when the time came. I would fight with everything I’ve got.’

When we first met Rose, our hearts broke for her. Then we felt indignant on her behalf. But it didn’t take long before we too fell in lust alongside her and ultimately in love with Mr Jack Hawthorne. We were there with her every step of the way, laughing, swooning and commiserating with his mercurial ways. Rose has a dream and in order to achieve it, she must make a sacrifice. A sacrifice which turns into something else entirely. She’s a breath of fresh air and utterly adorable.

‘This felt much like trying to find my way in the dark. But it was Rose. I didn’t mind if I crashed into everything as I tried to find my way, the only thing that mattered was being there for her. She had me now.’

Marriage for One is a wonderfully slow burn love story that has so many romantic touches and actions that will melt not only your heart but your knickers off too. We were puddles on the floor and you could’ve scooped us up with a spoon. A romance full of twists, heartbreak and angst. A slow burn romance full of heat and laughter. This would make a swoon-worthy film and we’d be first in line to see it come alive.

‘I simply couldn’t stop staring. My heart soared as if I had just accomplished something big, and for me, it was big – so big that I couldn’t stop myself from beaming up at him.’
“Is that a smile I just saw, Mr Hawthorne?”