This review contain spoilers. Arrrrr, ye have been warned.

If you love retro romance novels with crazysauce plotlines filled with every romance trope but the kitchen sink, this book is your catnip. Otherwise, The Marriage Game falls under the category of some-editor-actually-thought-this-was-a-great-idea?!?!!!!?!!!!!!?!?!?!!!?

Miranda Alexidis (née Martyn) came to Greece to look for her husband, Georgios, after not hearing from him for a month or so. When she got there, she found her husband (who denied knowing her), and his much older brother, Theo (the hero of the story) trying to make Miranda go back to England.

Now in a regular romance novel, there must be a good but convoluted explanation to this, but while the latter is true for this story, the "good explanation" is highly debatable depending on your tastes.

It turned out that on the day Georgios left for Greece, he had amnesia. Theo actually knew of Miranda's existence in Georgios's life because he hired someone to find his errant brother, but Theo was trying to use the amnesia to protect both Georgios and Miranda. Georgios was actually already married when he met Miranda, making him a bigamist! He dearly loved his Greek wife but he disappointed her in bed. His wife was very strong-willed to Georgios's weakness, and she often left him but they always made up with the exception of their latest marital spat.

So Georgios disappeared off to England where he met Miranda.

'It was different with you,' [Georgios] said, 'you were so undemanding, so gentle and kind. I thought that if———'

'You could practise on me, it would be all right when you got back with Zoe?' Miranda smiled wryly, surprised she felt no anger. 'Except that I insisted on marriage before we made love. [...]' (page 170)

But wait, there's more! Georgios and his wife got back together, triggering his memories to come back. He can't tell his wife about his life with Miranda otherwise his marriage would fail. Miranda understood this so she decided it would be for the best not to let Georgios know that she's carrying his baby, the reason why she went in search for her missing husband in the first place!

Somehow through all of Theo's asshat treatment of Miranda in trying to get her to leave—which consists of most of the book's real estate—she fell in love with him. They decided to marry and pass the baby off as premature. Err, happily ever after?

¯_(ツ)_/¯

Bonus quote from the lovely hero:

'Meaning you wouldn't go to bed with [Georgios] unless he put a ring on your finger?' He looked disgusted. 'Poor Georgios! I wonder what he'd say if he knew I could make love to you any time I want to.' (page 164)