THINGS I WISH I'D KNOWN BEFORE WE GOT MARRIED

Chapman provides a compact discussion of the skills couples need to manage the challenges involved in a mature marriage. The veteran counselor and author, whose Christian sensibilities are more loving than doctrinaire, uses his own early marriage struggles to illustrate how easy it is to underestimate the work that long-term partnerships require. Succinct chapters on topics like family-of-origin habits, attitudes about money, sexual fulfillment, household chores, and making apologies unfold seamlessly with the help of narrator and fellow Christian radio personality Chris Fabry. His appealing enthusiasm makes this wisdom sparkle with promise. Questions for premarital conversations follow each chapter and can help couples see where the challenges will be when being “in love” evolves into the daily work of emotional intimacy and issues of compatibility. T.W. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2011]