Practically Married by Karin Beery: Review & Giveaway

 About the Book

Book: Practically Married
Author: Karin Beery
Genre: General Market, clean fiction, women’s fiction, contemporary romance
Release Date: October 22, 2019

She moved to a new town to marry her fiancé. Instead, she’s burying him.

Ashley Johnson moved to northern Michigan to finally meet her fiancé face-to-face, but she arrived in time to attend his funeral. With no home back in Ohio, she decides to stay in what would have been their house, except his cousin Russ lives there too, and Russ has never heard of Ashley. To complicate matters, her fiancé accidentally willed her the family farm house. Eager to please everyone and desperate to disappoint no one, she proposes a marriage of convenience that could solve her and Russ’ problems, if they can get past her aunt, his sisters, and an ex-girlfriend.


Click here to get your copy. 

My Thoughts.....

This is an enjoyable story with some very likable characters but it didn't take me long to figure out that Ashley Johnson is a 'people-pleaser'. She had lost her parents as a teenager and reading her mother's journal convinced Ashley that her mother's fervent wish was for her to have a husband and family. Ashley becomes engaged to a man that she knows only through email and phone calls but an unfortunate event alters their plans drastically and Ashley's future becomes very uncertain. Can she find her happily ever after? Is it possible to please everyone? Should a person keep trying when it is causing them so much pain? So many questions and then Ashley receives this advice from her uncle......"Maybe it's time to stop worrying about everyone else and start doing the right thing, even if that means that someone else doesn't like it." (p. 244)

Ashley's decision to move to Michigan to marry someone that she knew only through email and phone calls at first seemed irresponsible but is this any different than the mail-order brides that were such a big part of our early U.S. history? Practically Married is a sweet romance and even though the ending is predictable, there are enough complications to make it an interesting and intriguing read. I recommend it to all who enjoy contemporary romance.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit and I am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts in this review.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

View all my reviews

About the Author

Karin Beery grew up in a rural Michigan town where she wrote her first novel in high school. Today, she writes contemporary stories with a healthy dose of romance. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s reading, editing, or teaching it. In her free time, she enjoys being at home with her husband and fur babies watching University of Michigan football and action-adventure movies.  

More from Karin

Why would two contemporary American’s agree to a marriage of convenience? That’s what I asked myself when I sat down to write Practically Married. I love reading historical books about mail order brides and other arranged marriages, but I wanted to see if I could make that historical theme more modern (and still be believable). That’s how Ashley and Russ came to be, and—after several revisions—I think I did it! It takes two to get married, but this is really Ashley’s story—it’s her past that inspires her future, and it’s up to her to decide where that inspiration with lead her. The story couldn’t just be about their relationship, though. I’ve always thought it would be fun to have a big brother, so I gave Russ little sisters. And nieces and nephews. And a pie-baking mom who doesn’t like his beard (which may have been inspired my mother-in-law, who tried desperately to get my husband to shave his beard before our wedding). I also threw in some real buildings and places in northern Michigan (even though Boyne Falls is fictional). And it’s possible that some of my character names came directly from friends and other local inspirations. Practically Married isn’t only set in northern Michigan, it’s inspired by it.

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, October 22

Blogging With Carol, October 22

Reflections From My Bookshelves, October 23

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, October 23

Texas Book-aholic, October 24

CarpeDiem, October 24

Maureen’s Musings, October 24

Emily Yager, October 25

Rebecca Tews, October 25

Older & Smarter?, October 26

For Him and My Family, October 26

janicesbookreviews, October 27

Quiet Quilter, October 27

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, October 27

Cultivating Us, October 28

April Hayman, Author , October 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 29

SusanLovesBooks, October 29

Through the Fire Blogs, October 30

Vicky Sluiter, October 30

A Reader’s Brain, October 31

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, October 31

Moments, November 1

Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections, November 1

EmpowerMoms, November 2

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, November 2

Inklings and notions , November 3

Remembrancy, November 3

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 3

Godly Book Reviews, November 4

Pause for Tales, November 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karin is giving away the grand prize of a copy of her book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/ed90/practically-married-celebration-tour-giveaway