Gina Rae Mitchell

Espoused by Jean Marie Davis | Review – Interview – $25 + Signed Book Giveaway

A book blog tour from iRead Book Tours.

Thank you to the author, publisher, & Lauren at iRead for providing me the information for this tour.

Book Details

Espoused by Jean Marie Davis
Published by Wren Park Publishing on July 15, 2021
Genres: Fiction, Humorous, Literary Fiction, Women's Literature, Marriage or Divorce
Format: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 268

Espoused:
There is no such thing as divorce. Fifteen years is the legal life cycle of a marriage. If a couple wants to stay married, they must hire a lawyer and petition the court to become espoused.

After 14 years of marriage, Sara and Thomas Healy are still in love. Their decision to go to court to be espoused permanently is a source of great embarrassment for their children. Avery is ready for the benefits of uncoupling, and Sam really doesn’t need the social stigma of parents who decide to stay together, on top of everything else. Lame!

Their espouse attorney, Gwen Stevens, has other problems. The judge for the Healy case is her nemesis, Carly Abraham, also known as “the Wicked Witch of the Bench.” Judge Abraham was previously married to Gwen’s husband Dennis, from whom she uncoupled after the allotted 15 years. She hates espouse lawyers on principle and seems to have an extra dose of dislike for Gwen personally.

While the Healys struggle through the espouse experience—trial separation, uncouple counseling, and ongoing financial burdens—Gwen has to deal with the judge and her own struggles at home. In this fight for love, who has the answers?

Source: iRead Book Tours, Kindle Unlimited

Content: PG for the subject matter of adult relationships/marriage/divorce, but there is no bad language or explicit sex scenes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Purchase Links for Espoused

Amazon     Amazon UK     BookShop/IndieBound

The Book Depository

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My thoughts on Espoused

Espoused is a very unique concept. What if the law only allowed marriages to last fifteen years? Then you became “uncoupled” and, to stay together, had to fight in court to become espoused.

The entire premise of this book is mind-blowing. It turns the concept of marriage and divorce on its head. Instead of fighting to divorce, a couple is tasked with convincing the courts that they should remain married. Would people battle as hard for marriage as they do for a divorce? Would stigmas be placed on children of espoused couples? The possibilities are endless.

Not only is this a thought-provoking tale, but there are several subplots of unrequited love, regrets, teen angst, and finding yourself in the maddening world.

Above all, I think this is a novel about the power of love. It has the power to heal or destroy. It’s up to each individual to make love work for them in the best of all ways.

I quite enjoyed reading this book as I found so much uplifting in the stories between the covers. The last few chapters had me in tears of sorrow and laughing with joy. So I am happy to recommend Espoused to all lovers of great speculative fiction, as well as love stories.

 

I read the book through the Amazon Kindle Unlimited program. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Interview

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.

I’m an empty nester with 2 grown children who, I am lucky to say, live close by. I worked in the Marketing Research industry for over 30 years and retired in 2020. I had always wanted to write a book so with retirement and the pandemic happening together, I had no excuses. I started the outline a number of years ago, so it was all about getting it down on paper. Espoused is the first and only book I have written.

 

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?

The name of my book is Espoused. The inspiration and idea came from my sister, Beth Ann, who had been through a very contentious divorce. We were sitting on the beach (reading and talking) after her divorce had been finalized when she commented on how well her kids, ex-husband, and herself were doing now that everything was over. Beth Ann made the comment, “I think it was the break-up that caused all the friction. We were supposed to stay together, and it was difficult to undo it. Now that I think about it, I believe people should have to uncouple after a certain number of years. Let those who want to stay together fight it out in court!” An idea was born – what if you legally had to uncouple after 15 years? What would that look like in society? That was the beginning of the book.

 

What authors, or books have influenced you?

Where to start? So many. During high school, it was John Steinbeck, Graham Greene, and Jane Austen. I also loved to read inspiring autobiography stories – Wilma Rudolf (runner), Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, and Vince Matthews (another runner). Every 2 years I re-read all 6 Jane Austen novels – her writing is inspirational. I never want to feel sorry for myself or think I can’t do something. Many of the books I read were about people who had difficulties in life and no matter how tough things may seem to me – it was nothing compared to what other people had to endure in their own life.

 

Do you have any advice for new authors?

I didn’t know where to start when I decided to write a book. I had an idea, but that was it. I started by reading books about writing books – Wired For Story by Lisa Cron, Fast Fiction by Denise Jaden, Writing your Novel from Start to Finish by Joseph Bates. Everyone’s style will be different, but it gave me some direction to start to put the idea on paper.

 

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, My Race Be Won by Vincent Matthews, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling (for a laugh).

 

Is there lots to do before you dive in and start writing the story?

I need an idea first. Then I come up with a very basic beginning, middle, and end to the story. Next, comes the characters – how many? who are they? what do they do? relationship to story and to other characters? Then I put together the story using the characters to help go from my beginning to my middle, to my end using index cards placed on a corkboard. It helps me see the story flow. Sometimes I take a character out or add one or even replace a character depending on how the story is progressing and what is needed to make the story flow better. Once I feel my “storyboard” flows with characters and story I can sit down to write it.

 

What is next for you as a writer?

I just released Espoused so I’m going to be promoting the book for a few months. I will then begin my cozy mystery – The Irish Exit Mysteries. I have the idea, where it will take place, and have all the characters defined. Next up – the “storyboard” and then to begin writing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giveaway!

Enter to win a signed copy of Jean Marie Davis’ ESPOUSED, plus a $25 Amazon Gift Card (one winner) (USA only)(ends Sept 10)

ESOUSED Book Tour Giveaway

Please visit more stops on the tour for extra chances to win!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Purchase Espoused online from a local book store.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Easy Amazon Links

EspousedShop on Amazon EspousedShop on Amazon EspousedShop on Amazon

For International buyers, the US link should open to your home country’s Amazon page. Please let me know if it doesn’t.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What’s Not Said by Valerie Taylor | Spotlight Tour | Also featuring What’s Not True