Madam Alana: A Marriage Auction Novella by Audrey Carlan Published by 1001 Dark Nights Press Publication Date: April 25, 2023
Pages: 145
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From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Audrey Carlan comes a new story in her Marriage Auction series…
I run the most elite auction in the world.
Candidates and bidders come from all over the globe hoping to change their lives.
And I deliver.
I’m in the business of bringing couples together in a mutually beneficial and legally binding marriage. The terms are three years for no less than a million dollars a year, not including my commission. Once a pair signs on the dotted line, the contract ensures there is no going back.
Most couples find over time they are a love match, but not all.
Before I took over The Marriage Auction, there wasn’t an extensive vetting process. Some candidates were subjected to horrors that haunt my every waking moment.
I vowed to change that. To stand up for those who deserve more and to release them from the wrongs inflicted upon them by circumstance and chance.
What my bidders and candidates don’t know is that I understand exactly what they are experiencing.
I wasn’t always known as Madam Alana.
Once upon a time, I too was purchased in The Marriage Auction… And this is my story.
Cocktails and Books received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.
If you’ve read the Marriage Auction series, you know who Madam Alana is. One of the first season’s books hinted that she had gone through the auction process and lost her best friend. We go back thirty years to get her story.
A younger Alana is a bit shy and reserved. Rightly so, she didn’t have the easiest life. But she boards a flight to Vegas with her best friend Celine, and hands over what little money they did have to find a husband and get some financial security. Celine was all in, fully embracing what they were about to do because she saw the money at the rainbow’s end. Alana wasn’t really sure she trusted the process and was afraid of what they might be getting into.
Alana found her perfect match with Christophe. The younger version of him was exactly as I expected. He was attentive, loving and did whatever he could to support Alana. All he wanted was her faith, trust and eventually her heart. He was willing to give her whatever time she needed to adjust to their new situation. He wooed her….which is exactly what Alana needed. She needed to know that she was loveable, that she was worth more than the cost he paid at the auction. He showed her.
Celine’s part of the story was tragic. Again, we had hints that something horrible had happened. But what did was horrible and the turning point for Alana to put those business classes she had started taking to use and build her empire.
If you enjoy the Marriage Auction series, this is a must-read. Madam Alana may come off as a cool cucumber, but there is a reason behind it and the vow she made that those mistakes will never happen again.
Shannon
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