Dating and relationships Books

Book SynopsisIt's socially acceptable to spend a day watching sports or sitcoms, but it's shameful and embarrassing to admit to the same about erotic media. Why is it that sex is so often deemed "inappropriate" and considered something we must keep private or even ignore?Our culture is afraid of sex. We feel the need to label what is normal and what isn't, and as a result, we live in a relational and sexually unhealthy culture. In reality, far more harm is caused by labeling sexual expression as "obscene" than by celebrating it.In Sex Outside the Lines: Authentic Sexuality in a Sexually Dysfunctional Culture, Chris Donaghue, PhD, explores and challenges the negative ideals that have warped society's view of sex. Sex Outside the Lines is not a dogmatic rule book, but a valuable guide to help you on your journey to sexual self-discovery and, most important, self-acceptance. Donaghue encourages you to not only explore your capacity for pleasure, but to be proud of it and to take a look at how you could be living.In his years of training in sex and couples therapy, Donaghue has developed highly successful methods for freeing clients from sexual hang-ups, enabling them to let go of shame and embarrassment. The goal isn't to be "normal"—there is no such thing. Donaghue pulls apart cultural phobias with a sex-positive therapy practice, as well as a kind of sexual deprograming that helps people see and accept that the desires they have—even if they don't align with society's expectations—are actually natural, healthy, and part of having a great sex life.Sex Outside the Lines addresses our diversity, challenges conventional psychiatric wisdom as classifying perfectly normal behavior as disorders, and disregards conventional advice from leading experts. It isn't advocating a "liberal" approach to modern concepts—it is seeking to redefine them altogether.Trade Review"Sex Outside the Lines is not a how-to manual, but rather an excellent, thought-provoking read that examines the culture which created us, the culture in which we live, and sketches out a pathway to a culture free of sexual constraints and limitations."—New York Journal of Books

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Book SynopsisFrom single to happily ever after . . .Any woman who wants to marry can . . . once she learns how. Marriage Minded's A to Z format, packed with warmth, wisdom, and humor, makes the process fun and informative. You will learn how to overcome obstacles, meet men, and date constructively; you’ll read about single women of all ages who became happily married; and in Marcia Naomi Berger, you’ll have a sensitive guide to creating the lasting, loving union you’ve always wanted. After her parents divorced, Berger became a long-term commitmentphobe who stayed single for many years. Now happily married for more than thirty-three years, this psychotherapist and clinical social worker’s mission is to help others create marriages that fulfill them—emotionally, spiritually, physically, and materially.Trade Review“. . . consistently friendly, with a hopeful tone.”—Kirkus Reviews“Marriage Minded encourages readers beyond the initial realm of dating and selection and into the marriage itself, creating a thought-provoking review that will appeal to women (and also men) who are both single and looking, and married and seeking to improve their relationship. Marriage Minded thus is recommended reading for a wide audience of women (and men, too): daters of any age, and also those who are already married and who want to make better choices and decisions that support the relationship.”—Midwest Book Review“Marriage Minded is uplifting and positive. It steers women in the right direction for what to look for in a partner and how to create a happy, lasting marriage. This book is light but certainly not lightweight. A wealth of thoughtful information is presented in small bits, which makes this book very reader friendly.”—Linda Bloom, coauthor of 101 Things I Wish I Knew When I Got Married“This is the most important book to come out on dating and marriage and certainly long overdue. I am buying it to give to so many people who will benefit from its wisdom. It addresses so many different aspects of dating, marriage, and it does so in a language that is both elegant yet so relevant. I wish it could be required reading for college students as well. They certainly need the sage advice and common sense coaching it presents.”—Sarah Karmely, marriage educator and counselor and author of Words to Hear with Your Heart and Stories to Hear with Your Heart“As an attorney/mediator who has helped couples ‘un-hitch’ for thirty years, I’ve seen how most people don’t have the skills to maintain a long-lasting, loving marriage. Marriage Minded gives women excellent advice, helpful examples, and important steps into becoming happily married.  Author Marcia Naomi Berger, an expert therapist, shows you what it takes to create a lifelong love affair.”—Mari Frank, Esq., coauthor of  Fighting for Love: Turn Conflict into Intimacy - A Couple’s Guide“Berger's writing is professional and informative. She offers knowledge of relationships, self-psychology, and inner awareness. Her tone gives the reader a sense of talking with a wise and trusted friend at their kitchen table. This book is relevant to both men and women, single and married. Marriage Minded deserves to be displayed in the front of bookstores.”—Dorie Rosenberg, Marriage and Family Therapist “Marriage Minded begins with self-understanding, the first step for anyone seeking a fulfilling, lasting union. You’ll gain intelligent, practical approaches for dating, committing, and staying happily married. The book is research-based yet practical and fun to read.”—Susan Page, author of If I’m So Wonderful, Why Am I Still Single?“For women hoping to settle down with a man, this balanced book offers down-to-earth guidance in an easy-to-read, A-to-Z format. Berger’s wise advice will help build a healthy relationship.”—Matthew D. Johnson, PhD, professor of psychology at Binghamton University and author of Great Myths of Intimate Relationships: Dating, Sex, and Marriage“This book, unparalleled in its thoroughness, provides wisdom and skills for a wonderful marriage. Berger excels in giving clear, practical guidance in bite-size pieces.”—Edward M. Hallowell, MD, author of Delivered from Distraction

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Book SynopsisEllen meets Jim at a posh restaurant, hoping for an evening of fine wine and better conversation. Maria sets out on a walk with a man she's been looking forward to meeting. In First Date Stories, these women, and others, enter into initial liaisons with well-honed expectations—and come out on the other side with extraordinary tales to tell.Chances are, every woman in her mid-thirties and over who is seeking a loving companion has a first date tale of triumph or disaster. Each of the candid and memorable stories Jodi Klein shares here imparts a bit of wisdom—with the help of takeaway tips and inspirational quotes—to guide readers through what can be a baffling, intimidating, and sometimes lonely journey.Before a promising first date, or after an awful one, First Date Stories offers readers the reminder that being single should be celebrated, that not all first dates are created equal, and that every initial encounter has the possibility to become something long-lasting and wonderful.Trade Review 2022 Readers' Favorite International Book Award Gold Medal Winner in Anthology (Non-Fiction) 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in Relationships (Non-Fiction) 2022 Firebird Book Awards First Place Winner in Short Stories “Readers will likely come to this book for the intriguing stories, but they’ll stay for the supportive common sense that the author dispenses, and they’ll appreciate her compassionate tone throughout. A sensible, readable, and, above all, forgiving overview of modern dating.”—Kirkus Reviews“First Date Stories gives the caliber of experiences that one hopes for when selecting a book . . . I absolutely loved this book and wholly appreciate the contributions that Jodi weaves into a fantastic anthology. Really well done.”—Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review“This collection of hopeful, relatable, funny, and admittedly eye roll–inducing stories wonderfully captures what it’s like to date in midlife, with savvy advice that will make dating easier for readers. A must-read for all single women who are considering getting out there or are back out there.”—Erika Ettin, author of Love at First Site: Tips and Tales for Online Dating Success from a Modern-Day Matchmaker“First Date Stories had me laughing from the start. Jodi Klein is a wonderful storyteller, and she does a great job with description. Whether nibbling samples at a grocery store counter or conversing at a coffee shop, I felt like I was actually on each date. For someone who has been married for thirty-eight years, that's something. If you are single, this book, full of advice and warning signs, is for you. It’s intelligent, humorous, thought-provoking—the perfect companion.”—Corie Adjmi, author of Life and Other Shortcomings“Such an enjoyable book! While many ‘seasoned daters’ can get frustrated with the process of finding a partner, Jodi Klein masterfully points out how each date provides us with valuable knowledge about ourselves and gets us one step closer to finding enduring love.”—Marisa T. Cohen, relationship researcher and author of From First Kiss to Forever: A Scientific Approach to Love

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Book SynopsisAfter losing her husband, George—her one and only since high school prom—to cancer, fifty-year-old Debbie Weiss found herself opening a new chapter of life that she didn’t know how to start.Initially, she binge-watched Netflix and drank Manhattans. Then she became a dating monster—starting with J-Date and then moving on to multiple other sites. Soon, Debbie was averaging two dates a day; in the blink of an eye, she’d gone from respectable widow to the girl you’d do in your Trans Am but wouldn’t take to the prom. At one point, she was actually dating four guys at once, including a politician who refused to let Debbie meet his family because they’d met online. But as she juggled these many men, she began to feel that midlife dating was less an earnest romantic endeavor and more a battle of the sexes . . . and the line in the sand was how much women were willing to tolerate.Fed up, Debbie went offline. Only then, without the distraction of dating to keep her busy, did she finally, truly grieve her loss—and as she did, she also realized that she needed to forgive herself, both for George’s death and for losing her identity in their marriage. Equal parts poignant and punchy, Available As Is is a darkly humorous account of seeking love—but finding yourself.Trade Review“This is a deeply personal story but one that Weiss shares with a beguiling openness and wit. A sharply written, heartfelt dating account that proves both enriching and amusing.”—Kirkus Reviews“Overall, Available As Is sets out a stunning and bittersweet journey of self-discovery that is elevated above your average memoir by a rare breed of emotional honesty and the magic of a gifted wordsmith laying out the lessons learned along the way.”—Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review“A sudden widow at fifty, Debbie Weiss captures the absurdity of modern dating as a grown up. With unexpected humor and much-welcome hope, Available As Is is a deeply moving story of trying to build a new life after loss.”—Allison Gilbert, author of Listen, World! and Passed and Present“With unflinching honesty, Weiss lays out her road from loving marriage, to grieving widow, to dating again. Eye-opening to some and painfully relatable to others, Available As Is is brave, authentic, and exceedingly validating for others working to find love in these disconnected times.” —Ann Garvin, USA Today best-selling author of I Thought You Said This Would Work“Scorchingly honest, romantic, funny, desperate, and heartbreaking, Debbie Weiss’s memoir Available As is may be the widow’s story of the millennium. Read it and weep. Read it and rejoice.”—Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of The Deep End of the Ocean“A brave, honest look into the trials and tribulations of dating as a middle-aged widowed person. Weiss’s debut memoir is at once poignant and entertaining, and ultimately helps us to realize that the most important relationship we'll ever have is the one we have with ourselves.”—Jenny Lisk, author of Future Widow and host of The Widowed Parent Podcast

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Book SynopsisHow do you move forward from a relationship that defined you? Facing divorce with your lifelong partner is a most complex situation posing unique difficulties. If you are looking for someone who knows exactly what you are going through, author Karinne Piat will guide you through this highly emotional and pivotal transition from your marriage and into the next chapter of your life. As a deeply spiritual and openhearted healer and mother, she has traveled this path and will show you how to get through it, too. In A High School Sweetheart’s Survival Guide to Uncoupling you will: deeply understand why your life’s journey involved uncoupling, have certainty in your decision about how to move forward, uncouple with ease and agreement, and step forward into a life that fulfills you. Join Karinne Piat to unlock the meaning behind your relationship and learn the skills to move forward with grace and insight.

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Book SynopsisIf you knew how to make the relationship better, you would have done that years ago. That doesn’t mean there aren’t real answers to the issues in your marriage and real answers on how to move forward whether that’s with or without your spouse. Every marriage struggles occasionally. But sometimes the struggles begin to feel insurmountable and we begin to think the only answer is to make the heartbreaking and painful decision to leave. The distance between the two of you widens, the resentments mount, and you feel like you’ve tried everything to make it better, but nothing ever changes. The biggest questions of our lives rarely have simple, easy answers. And trying to determine whether the problems in the marriage can be fixed or if the only answer is to lovingly release it is arguably one of the scariest and most important decisions you will ever make. Through this book, you will: • Know if hope exists for your struggling marriage or if the answer is to lovingly release it. • Learn why you’re feeling stuck and what to do instead. •Understand why you’re having the same arguments and how to interrupt these same recurring painful patterns in the relationship.

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Book SynopsisStuck between two bad choices: unhappy marriage or divorce? Like many couples, the very things you valued when you met "the love of your life" may now be a distant memory. Newlywed dreams turned into daily routines, paying the bills, and raising children. The passion is gone and you feel uninspired, while conflict and misunderstanding have become household fixtures. Family Mediator and Relationship Coach Belinda Zylberman has assisted hundreds of couples in consciously choosing marriage or divorce. By helping them to navigate their most challenging and vulnerable conflicts, she witnesses relationships healing and transforming time and time again.

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