Thank you to Netgalley for giving me a copy for review!

I usually don't like more contemporary stories especially ones that focus heavily on romance but this one was an exception.

To get the rating out of the way: it is 4 stars. This has more to do with the fact the marriage that sounds like the main premise of the book only happens at the midpoint. Closer to the 57% mark, that is a loooong way to go just to get to the promised part of the book. Another issue is that we see one POV a lot more than the other, and we get more flashbacks in one POV than the other.

It feels like there could have been an extra 100 pages just about their marriage so we got to see more of that (and also I might be a bit biased because I loved both MCs and I wanted more of both of them).

I felt that all reactions and actions in the book were realistic, and the treatment of mental illness in the book was done very well. I just really wish we saw more of the marriage because just seeing them be really good friends was so much fun. I loved the ending too.

If you want a contemporary that deals with hard hitting themes like mental illness (depression & anxiety mostly) and what it is like to be gay in a society that doesn't accept it, I'd get this! Even if you don't usually like contemporaries, this one did a good enough job keeping me invested all the way. There never felt like there were any bits that lost me, which is usually the case with books like this.

A Convenient Marriage is not what I expected it to be. The cover and description lured me in, expecting a rom-com with some mature discussions on the side. It’s not that.

This is a sombre look at Sri Lankan culture, how it affects people who don't fit in and how you rule your own life. It follows Chaya and Gim for two decades, their ups and downs, how and why they decide for a marriage of convenience and how it all worked out. I'm not even sure if I would classify it as a romance in the traditional sense.
I was very emotionally invested in both characters. I could clearly understand their thoughts, their feelings; I was right there with them.
Chaya does read quite unchanged, she only shows emotional growth shortly before the book ends. But her friendship to Gimhana truly carries the book and loved it that platonic love takes the centre point in a story for once.

There were several things I disliked from the plot. I was simply not expected for the book to go in those directions. For example, both romantic relationships developed almost entirely off-screen. Which I would have been fine with if the summary had not eluded to something else. I am also never a fan of a cheating plotlline and I had the premise would stop that from happening.
I think the flashback storytelling was detrimental to my enjoyment. The scenes don't always pick up the same time as the last one ends and it's never properly marked. It made it harder for me to feel for both of them.
The ending also felt a little bit rushed and I looked like it didn't affect the two characters as they were making life-altering decisions. Or maybe the buildup was not as well done.

I really liked this book, I liked both main characters and thought there was a lot of romance within the book as well as two people just trying to make a life the best way they could. Thank you for having me on the blog tour

I knew I was in for a special ride when I picked up this book and dived in and I certainly wasn't wrong in the slightest. Jeevani has a writing style that lights up the page and vividly pulls you head first into any narrative and I was mesmerised by each and every word.

The characters in this story came alive as this gorgeous story unfurled. Chaya was a beautiful soul who stole the show in my eyes. Her life has faced many tough trials and tribulations but her penchant for doing good in the eyes of her parents and community have led to many dark moments of anxiety and despair. Watching her embark on a slow journey back to true happiness and love was both poignant and inspiring.

Gimhana's story arc is a sad tale that has been played out far too many times over the years where people are not free to be true to who they really are and live a life of truth, honesty and happiness. My heart went out to his plight instantly and I was desperately wishing that all important happy ending for his journey.

A Convenient Marriage is a beautiful and poignant tale of struggling to be who you really are. It will warm your heart and move you beyond all measure and it's a story not to miss.

I do love the way Jeevani Charika writes. There is such an open honesty in her characters. I so enjoyed her previous book, This Stolen Life, and when I was offered the chance to join the blog tour for her next book, A Convenient Marriage, I didn’t hesitate.

There are some similarities between the books: the most obvious one is that the cultural background of the main characters, Chaya and Gimhana, is Sri Lankan; other not so obvious parallels are the struggles with identity and to fit in with the stringent cultural rules that their families still follow.

Regardless of how far we think we’ve come, and how forward-thinking and open-minded we think we are, we can never assume that everyone thinks and feels the same. Age-old cultures and traditions still take centre stage in many countries, and for many families who still maintain these, no matter which country they may find themselves living in.

For Chaya, her role has always been clear: she’s the ‘good sister’, the ‘clever one’, while her sister has been the ‘pretty one’. The pressure to be successful has always been immense, and paired with the additional expectation of needing to get married to an appropriate partner, she feels adrift – she already met her soulmate and he’s someone she knows her family would never accept. Gimhana’s parents have been trying to introduce him to the ‘perfect’ wife for almost as long as he can remember. As a Sri Lankan male, he knows that he’s expected to have a profitable, thriving career and a happy marriage with a satisfactory number of offspring. But there’s one problem: Gimhana isn’t interested in women – an unacceptable concept for his family.

In her gentle, subtle way, Ms Charika writes with a clarity that displays her knowledge of the subjects she’s chosen to cover: the Sri Lankan culture, mental health issues, sexuality and sexual preference, gender roles – especially in the workplace – and how family values can be manipulated to suit the requirements of those in power.

This is a touching, sometimes difficult, 4-star read.

An emotional, intelligent and thought-provoking read about duty, desire, courage and letting go, A Convenient Marriage is a bold and brilliant tale from Jeevani Charika that will make readers laugh, cry and think.

Chaya is a woman caught between two cultures. Living in the UK, but still very close to her Sri Lankan parents who are very traditional and conventional, Chaya is well aware that her parents’ dearest dream is to see her walking down the aisle towards a Sri Lankan husband they would approve of for a lifetime of marital bliss. Chaya does not want to disappoint her parents, yet being a good Sri Lankan daughter has meant that she has had to reject the only man she has ever loved: Noah. Chaya is not in the right place for a relationship nor does she think she can ever meet anyone who can match up to Noah, but could a marriage of convenience to a ‘suitable’ husband be just the ticket to get her interfering but well-meaning parents off her case?

Gimhana is in a very similar boat. His family might live half a world away, but they still keep pressuring him into getting married. So far, Gimhana has managed to avoid getting hitched to the plethora of women his parents send his way and he intends to keep it that way. But coming up with reasons why he does not want to get married is getting harder and harder – and Gimhana knows that he cannot possibly tell his parents the truth that the reason why he has not proposed to any of the women they suggested is because he is gay.
When Chaya and Gimhana meet, they realise that they are in a very similar situation and that a marriage of convenience could be the answer to all of their prayers. Together, Chaya and Gimhana can build a good life for themselves where they have companionship, stability and friendship. Everything seems to be going swimmingly for the two of them – until the unthinkable happens and both Chaya and Gimhana find themselves falling in love outside of their marriage.

What will Chaya and Gimhana do now? Will they risk everything they have built together? Or will they follow their heart and grasp this unexpected chance of happiness?

A Convenient Marriage is a wonderful tale about being true to yourself, finding the courage to go after your heart’s desire and taking a leap of faith. Written with great understanding and sensitivity, A Convenient Marriage effortlessly juggles light and shade with flair and style and it’s a book that will have readers giggling and wiping away a tear or two in equal measures.

A fantastic read that will have me seeking out more titles by Jeevani Charika, A Convenient Marriage is not to be missed.

Sometimes, you just seem to get a string of books that aren’t for you, and all you can do is raise your hand and say it’s not you it’s me. And this book is yet another of those ones for me. For the right person it would be a good book. I am not the right person.

All of which means, bear with this review, it’s just going to be a list of things that didn’t work for me (but may work for you!).

But first. The good things!

The premise. I love the marriage of convenience trope, usually when it ends up becoming a true relationship, but I also really liked the twist put on it in this book, where it’s true convenience because neither wants to marry the other really, they’re just doing it for their families.

The characters. Yes, at times I thought they could have been more fleshed out, but overall, the cast was solid, and definitely easy to like.

The less good things (or rather, things I disliked) were, as you might have guessed, more numerous, however.

Homophobia. The first introduction we get to Gimhana is him being attacked by a homophobe. And then later on we find out he suffered worse attacks at school. To me, however, both felt somewhat unnecessary. I’m not saying never show this kind of thing, but here, it was almost, I don’t know, proof he had suffered homophobic violence or something. So, right, we need to know why he doesn’t come out, but isn’t it sufficient to mention his parents, his past at school. The attack in chapter 2 is also pretty much the only chapter we get from Gim’s POV in the ’94/’95 chapters, so it feels even less purposeful to me. (I also didn’t really like how their families’ homophobia wasn’t challenged, obviously not necessarily face-to-face, but just something in the narrative to say, uh, no not all gay men are predators.)

Non-linear narrative. This is enormously a me thing. I can’t follow non-linear narratives, especially not ones like this one which jump all over the place. Sure, I can do your bog standard now/then comparison but when it’s going between 2005, 1995, 2012, 2016, it’s just too much for me. (I said it was a me thing.)

The pacing. I guess this kind of links into the above point. It’s almost like, there was too much going on and the pacing suffered. I mean each of those time periods had, say, a quarter of the book dedicated to them. So that’s like a novella length for each. And it just ended up feeling rushed, with not enough time to develop the romances. Heck, they don’t even get the marriage part out of the way until 60%. So there’s no chance to develop Gim and his love interest in that period of time, and definitely no chance of developing Chaya’s second chance romance when they don’t divorce until about 90%.

So in the end, I was just indifferent to the book really. But hey, to each their own, right?

A wonderfully written tale with a beautifully descriptive narrative that tackles a variety of serious issues.

This is the story of two Sir Lankan's who chose to enter into a partnership for the sake of appearances but develop a true friendship.

I really enjoyed learning each characters back story and more about Sir Lankan laws and traditions, I had no idea that it was illegal to be a homosexual in Sir Lanka in this day and age I also felt that it tackled sensitive issues such as mental health and depression really well.

"Once, she had been a part of it, fitting easily into the flow, but ever since Noah, she had felt like she was something other. She could never fully relax, in case she said something that gave her away. Where once she had been open and free, now she had to make a conscious effort to blend in."

I also loved that it was set just a little bit in the past so that it brought some nostalgia, like the mention of Gimhana having a lovefilm subscription!

A Convenient Marriage by Jeevani Charika

Cultural expectations can play a huge part in how people live their lives...or don’t live their lives. Wanting to please family, even if it means ultimately hurting oneself, is so ingrained from birth that it often can harm the person who lives a lie or gives up the person they love. In this story Gimhana is hiding who he truly is and playing a part and Chaya is afraid to be with the person that probably could have made her whole and the person she was meant to be.

Gimhana and Chaya think they have the perfect solution that will allow them friendship, someone to come home to and also provide stability and normalcy. What is the solution? Why, get married...though just a marriage of convenience. By marrying “suitable” partners they will also manage to get their families off their backs and stop all of the nagging they hear about getting married. And, though again living a lie, though a different one, they do seem to be getting along okay...at least for awhile.

This book had me hoping that Gim and Chaya would eventually find a way to live with the people that truly made them happy. They went through so much for so many years that I was sure they deserved some true happiness. Their lives do eventually turn out okay but they have some tough times before they achieve the HEA they deserve.

Well written and thought provoking I found myself wondering how difficult it would be to give up so much to please parents. Having lived in countries where homosexuality is still a crime I felt for Gimhana in ways I might not otherwise have. I know people that have given up the “love of their life” because of parental pressure and remembering them also came to mind as I read. So, definitely a book that made me think and care and hope the two would find peace after so many years of just existing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hera for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

🌺Thoughtful story of family obligation vs. being true to yourself👍👍
4.5🌟stars
💔💞I truly enjoyed this thought-provoking, romantic tale. This story has such sweetness, sadness, desperation and realism. I found the main characters somewhat tragic but thankfully redeemed at the end by the power of love. The challenges both Gimhana and Chaya face as they lean on each other for support while keeping their deepest secrets and desires from family and work colleagues: they may be enmeshed in their Sri Lankan upbringing but are issues that are more universal as well.

👥Author Jeevani Charika's main characters are beset by both overt and subtle discrimination, Chaya in her work environment where her quest for a professorship, no matter how brilliantly she tries, seems always sabotaged, and Gimhana where his career advancement and worth as a good son are dependent on "fitting in" to the traditional heterosexual mold. Their marriage pact may be doomed to eventual failure, but their motivation is understandable. Their solid friendship, through everything, was comforting and inspiring. And what a lovely conclusion, full of hope for their futures (sigh!😌).

😊I am so glad the author kept with this story and finally published it. For some readers Chaya and Gimhana's dilemma may seem a bit dated, but I believe that, sadly, the issues they faced still ring true.

Thanks to publishers Hera Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

It’s always interesting to read books that delve into cultures outside of our own, without getting too “heavy” for the reader. I enjoyed this book and without giving it away felt it came to a satisfying end! A little long winded in the middle first 1/4 but overall a nice read! Thank you so much for an advanced copy!

I was excited to read this book but also worried. I didn't want it to be the same old tropes about South Asian cultures and reinforce stereotypes of a poor brown girl being saved by the romantic white guy to suddenly live a more fulfilling life. I was so pleased that there wasn't any of that.

The story is about a Sri Lankan girl, Chaya, and a gay Sri Lankan boy, Gimhana, entering into a marriage of convenience.

There was nuance and authenticity in the characters and the story. I really enjoyed reading it so much. There isn't a lot of Queer South Asian representation in books, and again I really appreciated that like every other topic in this book it was dealt with care.

I would recommend this book to everyone. Chaya is certainly on my list of most adored characters.

Heartbreaking, interesting and beautifully written story of two young people torn between following their hearts, and not breaking the hearts of their family back home. The 2 MCs find each other and agree to enter into a convenient marriage, based on the friendship they have rather than the passionate love they've given up on. It's a truly beautiful relationship, but actually when it all goes wrong, I found myself hopeful that they would find what they wanted. Great characters, great writing, and interesting to read about a culture I didn't know much about.

Started to read this but lost interest. Content was unrelatable. Characters tended to confuse reader with multiple names . I believe they were pet names but again not relatable to just anyone.

A convenient marriage need not be a failed one.

Two lonely strangers Chaya and Gimhana kept meeting each other and decided to get together, knowing the truth. Gim was gay, and Chaya had lost her love. Both were dictated by the terms of society and the land they came from. 7 years of marriage passed by without anyone knowing the truth. But the secret got out, and they had to grow up and find a plan B to deal with the aftermath of it. True love needed to be fought for.

My second book by author Jeevani Charika, I enjoyed the flow of the story. The journey of both the characters through time was filled with pathos, yet was honest and filled with hope.

Life is messy. We're all trying to get through it the best we can.

Who was I judge the decisions the two undertook when they got married to keep society and their loneliness at bay. They were best of friends who knew each other and were synchronized with their lives. I loved how the author portrayed them. There was a genuiness about her writing, with emotions choking me up just when I least expected. Some scenes resonated with me.

The only niggle that popped up was oft times I had to go back to chapter heading to get an idea of which year they were in. The to and fro of timelines was a bit confusing. But that was just a small thing. Gim and Chaya told their tales authentically, showing me facets of their life and the struggles they went through, including Chaya's anxiety issues. The credit goes to the author for taking me on this beautiful journey.

Some of the scenes I could recognize, the closeness of family in Sri Lanka and their culture, it was the same in mine too. I could understand the reasons given by the characters. Discrimination is felt even today, color of the skin and lifestyle still matter to some. I too went through it. So I understood.

Sometimes the story gets to you and there are emotions you cannot express. Same happened with me today. I just have to say I loved the story and the characters and way it all came together.

A Convenient Marriage ticks a lot of boxes to get me excited, diasporic leads of colour, LGBT subplot, family and friendship. Chaya is a hard working Sri Lankan scientist who, from a scholarship to Oxford, now works in London. Gimhana is also Sri Lankan, but he’s a lawyer. She’s got a broken heart, he’s deeply in the closet, so they marry. The story switches around from 1994 to 2013, a long period in their lives.

While the themes of friendship and second chances are great, I would say it does disappoint slightly in how Gimhana is treated. He’s closeted due to terrible, violent homophobia – including his family and Chaya’s - yet it’s equated with Chaya disappointing her family by dating a white guy. While this is still disapproved of, it’s massively different.

Still, this is a great story of love, second (and more!) chances and strong friendships. It’s a fun journey with them.

This book was very well written and I felt like I was really delving into a culture I know little about. However, while I felt like the book was meant to be fast paced, I never felt like my mind was racing and I was deeply invested. I felt pretty disappointed by that because I felt like this book had a lot of potential to become one of my favorites.

This book had some insights into its culture and the story between Chaya and Gimhana. I like the fact the book is about second chances and mostly importantly friendship!
Recommend this book to all

I was hoping to be able to connect with the characters and their love interests a bit more. Overall this book was a very interesting insight into the culture.

A Convenient Marriage by Jeevani Charika is a story about second chances, lost love, but most of all, friendship. I found this book focused mostly on the power of family and societal influence, which impacted Chaya and Gimhana’s life decisions. Their friendship is the heart of the book, and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop and change as the years passed.

I recommend this book for readers who enjoy stories about true friendship and love.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.