Whether you’ve been married for 10 months or 20 years, “Make Love, Not Scrapbooks” is an easy and enjoyable, yet extremely informational book to read. The author, Jennifer Gill Rosier, PhD., is knowledgeable about relationships and marriage from two important standpoints, both her position as a Professor of Communication at James Madison University, as well as her own over 10-year marriage. Rosier artfully weaves academic research and data results into her discussions about real-life topics, which really appeals to the scientist in me. When I say there is data and research, it’s only in situations where it adds interest or extra verification to a topic she is already discussing. It is very well done.
Each chapter discusses one of nine great tips, or topic areas, in detail. The first few chapter topics were so applicable to my marriage that I was hooked for the rest of the book. Literally, they were issues that had just come up in the past few weeks with my husband. Dr. Rosier helped me see the issues from my husband’s vantage point and offered ideas that I would actually consider using to make these situations better. The best thing about this book is that each chapter includes set-apart boxes with doable and easy-to-read lists of tips, “things to do”, and “things to avoid”, which were essentially the take-home messages of each chapter.
I definitely recommend this book if you are looking to give your marriage a little kick-start, and you’d like some fresh ideas and important reminders. Like I said, it is very well written and so enjoyable to read that it even kept me awake while reading at night during my first trimester (which is saying it’s a really great book!). After reading this, I feel like Jennifer is my new friend. You learn a lot about her, her marriage, and her realistic, but wonderful outlook on married life as she and her husband raise twin toddlers. I could relate to so much of what she has experienced, which made reading the book with her personal stories sprinkled throughout that much more enjoyable.
For more information, check out the book’s website: http://www.MakeLoveNotScrapbooks.com/
