**I received a complimentary copy of this book for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

About the Book

Book: Avoiding Marriage

Author: Karin Beery

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Release date: April 13, 2021

Two years ago, Jessica Miller made a mess of her already confusing life. Now, she’s back in Boyne Heights, and she’s determined to fix her reputation. She can’t seem to avoid the past that haunts her, but that’s the joy of small-town life—word spreads and people remember. Intent on her mission, however, she faces her past head-on, taking a job with her ex-boyfriend while avoiding her grandmother’s attempts to find her a new one.

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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 watching University of Michigan football and action-adventure movies with her husband and fur babies.

More from Karin

I am so excited to go back to Boyne Heights!

**SPOILER ALERT: If you haven’t read Practically Married, skip the following paragraph and go to the next!

When we Boyne Heights, Russ was in a hospital bed after a car accident with Ashley by his side, and they’d agreed to get really married, not just practically married. That was around Thanksgiving. Now it’s spring time. Russ and Ashley are enjoying the newly wed life, but they need help. Enter Jessica Miller.

**(START HERE)

Jess is exactly what Russ and Ashely need at the Russell farm, but nothing is ever as easy as it sounds. I mean, Jess thought she was going to marry Russ—now she’s working for him and his new wife? As if that’s not enough, Gran’s adjusting a little too well to life in the care home, meeting every single guy there to introduce to her favorite granddaughter, but Jess doesn’t have time. On top of the new job, it looks like her brother might be relapsing, and her wayward mother’s name keeps popping up in conversations.

I hadn’t planned on writing Jess’s story, I kept asking myself: what kind of woman did Russ date before he met Ashley? I knew the ex-girlfriend had to be smart, kind, motivated, yet hurting. It was so much fun to explore her story!

I hadn’t planned to go back to Boyne Heights, but I definitely enjoyed the trip. I hope you will too!

My Thoughts

Avoiding Marriage is a novella follow up to the author's previous book Practically Married. While I think it read fine as a standalone, I cannot help but think I would have appreciated the story a lot more had I read the first book first. Novellas by definition are shorter and as such don't tend to have as much backstory included. While I didn't feel lost with this one, I also didn't feel like I had enough time to really get to know and connect better with these characters. I believe many were introduced previously, so I believe that could have made all the difference.

That said, it was a fun story with the makings of a good RomCom too... ex girlfriend goes to work on his farm that he now shares with his wife? You can imagine the awkwardness, can't you? The characters were enjoyable and it was a quick and easy read-- I finished in just a few short hours. If you enjoy a sweet romance, it's definitely one worth checking out... but I'd certainly recommend reading Practically Married first to get the most out of the story!