Still Holding Hands

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Book Blurb:

Want to know the secrets to long term happy relationships? Pick a letter. Any letter. Take a spin through the alphabet to find out how to keep romance and fun in your lives. STILL HOLDING HANDS reveals how it is possible to continue to like, enjoy and take care of each others needs. It is an entertaining read, helpful without being preachy. This gift guide offers advice and smiles from over 50 years experience of companionship, marriage and love.

Excerpt:

SSMILE• Smile, it does not hurt at all. This is something you can pass on to an upset
partner. It is very difficult to have an argument when the other person is smiling.
It may cause wrinkles, but you will age happily.

A Life shared with Joy, Humor and Passion

Fran and Ed have set out to enlighten readers with their wonderful, quirky and funny view of how they managed their successful 50 year marriage. Their approach is deeply personal and honest, always showing insight into how to lovingly blend two different personalities. Though a quick read, the ABCs of relationship advice will impress each reader with wit, practicality and sensibility. A must read for newly-weds as well as those married forever! ~ Review by Claire H

About the Authors

Fran and Ed Cohen have been married for 50 years. Within that time, Dr. Ed
has played as a dentist, sales rep and wicked cool sax man. Fran plays at
facilitating book groups and lecturing in-between yoga classes. Both still play
with each other as well.

Still Holding Hands: A Whimsical Guide Through the ABC's of a Long Term Relationship is available on Amazon!

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Affairs & Atonement

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From the very on-set, Ashton isn't the perfect hero. He makes mistakes. He regrets them. He works on amending them. ~ Author Clarissa Cartharn (read more about this novel from Clarissa Cartharn on her blog doodlenook.blogspot.com.au)

Before I share the enticing book description, I wish to say that I have noticed that people either love or hate this book and I think I know why. It seems to me that this novel evokes deep emotions in people. If someone had an experience that dug up old wounds then I can see why they may have an adverse reaction. It’s not about whether the book is good or not, they are taking what the characters have done – “personally”. This fact alone made me buy the book! I want to see what all the fuss is about.

Affairs & Atonement ~ Book Description:

The end of an affair, the beginning of atonement… why ever did love hurt like hell?

He married her at eighteen and then she disappeared hours into their marriage.
That was eleven years ago and Ashton Pryor was certain he was over Christy Huntley. He had moved on. He got engaged.

But old ties have to be severed first before new ones can be made. Now he needed to find Christy more than ever. He needed to divorce her to marry Naomi Landon.

But when you hunt someone for as long as he had done, can you really say you’re over her?

REVIEW BY K. BENNETT

“It hurts, she put a palm over her heart. It hurts so much.”

You bet it did! I was in such an emotional point at this stage of the book, I was literally tearing up as I read on. As you might have guessed from that short quote, this book is one hell of an emotional roller-coaster ride.

First of all, the cover is absolutely beautiful. You can already see the angst on it. And once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. I loved how the author could touch me so emotionally. I was angry, laughing, hurting at one time or the other.

We meet Christy and Ashton as teenagers and like most teens, they make mistakes which they regret later as adults. Ashton re-enters Christy’s life eleven years later so he can atone for the hurt he had caused her in their teen years. Of course, he still loves her. But he struggles internally to leave his high-flying life as an advertising executive to lead a more humble one with Christy. I love that he just didn’t give up his job because he’s oh-so love in Christy. I suppose I would have been annoyed if he had. I enjoyed the emotional struggles he went through to make his decision.

This is a very true to life romance. Ashton is a hero who can be all Alpha but at the same time he is flawed. He isn’t perfect. But you can see he tries and does his best for Christy and that is redeemable. I found myself all gooey over the banters he had with Christy as he works hard in trying to win her affection back. But he does more than that. He makes an effort to also charm the people in her life and he certainly charmed his way into my heart. When I was angry or frustrated with him, it was only because I cared. This is a real man.

As for Christy, you know she still loves him. But the woman does make him work damned hard for hurting her so much. She is a great character and very real. She doesn’t simply hop into bed with Ashton at very first sight. You can see she is struggling against her choice of falling in love with Ashton again.

The author has a great style of writing and it almost felt as if I was watching a movie. She certainly has a way with dialogues and descriptions that make you feel you are right there with the characters.
Overall, highly recommended. A great read.
 

Available on Amazon!

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Are you ready for Marriage?

“Marriage – Think before you act: Are you really, really, really ready for this?”


Guest post by Anastasia Beata

Would you enter a business partnership without a clear vision and business plan, and financial, marketing or legal knowledge? That would be too risky and such a business would be doomed to fail. But somehow no school or university teaches us how to choose the right partner for life or gives us a detailed plan on how to keep one.

Society makes us believe it wants us follow our hearts and go with the flow, rather than teaching us well-thought-out business plans and logical approaches to certain decisions. Schools do not offer “Marriage Management” courses.

Majority of people perceive marriage as a fairy tale not giving much thought how they are going to spend next 40 or 50 years together.

Over the course of my life I have seen many married couples fall out of love, become miserable, get divorced, and inevitably become estranged from their children as a result. I can guarantee that not a single one of them planned on ruining their marriages, or on raising children who would resent them when they took their vows, and yet that is what many people do.

The intention of this book is to empower young individuals to think for themselves when making any kind of decision, specifically focusing on getting married.

This book was inspired by the fact that almost 90% of the people I know have been, or are, going through awful separations and painful divorces – my married friends, acquaintances, friends of friends, friends of my parents. These are the people I interviewed as I sought answers as to what to include in this book.

I have written this book as one who knows about this subject firsthand. I saw my own once-perfect family completely dissolve as if 15 years of closeness and intimacy never existed. I watched my kids deal with pain, fear, and frustration. I watched them try to make sense out of the family breakdown, to find some kind of firm ground. It still hurts terribly.

Topics discussed in this book:

•  Is the concept of marriage dead?
• Essential things to know before you tie the knot.
• Stages of a relationship and how to communicate confidently.
• Money, kids and sex: will your marriage survive the mayhem?
• Take a test- are you ready for marriage?

About the author:

Anastasia Beata combines a clear head and over a decade of business experience in one dynamic package. Holding multiple degrees in business, communication and financial management, she lived in Russia, US and Australia, became a millionaire by the age of 33, she preaches the freedom of choice, transforming your reality and living life to the fullest.

Having self-development as her main interest, Anastasia has studied human behaviour throughout her professional career she is dedicated to the creation of a unique series of workshops and increasing her involvement with programs empowering women and children both at home and internationally.

More here: www.anastasiabeata.com
 

“Marriage – Think before you act:

Are you really, really, really ready for this?”

is available on Amazon!

Yes! You do know who you want to marry!

In the video below, Alan Cohen talks about the “Guru in You”.

He states, “I would say that there is something inside you and everyone that knows:

   

…and any question you can ask me and anyone who is a self-help teacher; if you sat with it long enough you could get the answer yourself.” Alan explains the two types of guru’s with a neat little story… and more!

 

Right now, I have two books by Alan Cohen on the go. I also listen to him on his radio show called Get Real on Hay House Radio. When I was a teenager I pestered my parents about being in the middle of reading five books at a time (and they still do) and low and behold, guess who is just like that too? I have been that way for many years actually and I understand the behaviour. I chalk it up to being a mix of ADD and having varied interests all at the same time.

Who am I in the mood for today?   

   His next show on Hay House Radio is tomorrow - Feb 13, 2014.

Description:  Finding True Love

Are you in love? Would you like to be?

 Alan shines light on the meaning and importance of rising in love rather than falling in love —first with yourself, and then drawing to you partnerships of all kinds that ennoble you and make your life better.

Live coaching on relationships.

*****

Note: You can listen for about a week to the show for free. After that if you wish to hear archived shows you can sign up for the membership.

How much can a woman ever really know her husband?

I shall not tell you anything about Sarah Becks because this book is based on a true story. I shall warn you about one thing though. You will be sucked in when you read the prologue. 

Review by R. Brown - What a Read! 

This was a moving story, which surprised me, shocked me and then warmed me. Despite being based on a true story, it was a novel that fully absorbed my curiosity, I had to read more. It did not disappoint. I wanted it to continue.

***** 

Sexy excerpt from Chapter One -  (Kindle Locations 215-225)

Real life, I had unfortunately discovered, was not like the movies. There had been no gorgeous hunk to fall in love with at first sight, nor had there been any heart pounding yearning and no stomach wrenching love sickness. A Brad Pitt hunk had not come knocking on my door and swept me off my feet. I was still waiting for my knight in shining armour and living a happy ever after ending. But in reality I knew he did not exist; he was an effigy that we women had been fooled into believing in and in my experience he was nothing but a myth.

I had recently met someone slightly different; we'd bumped into each other a couple of months ago. We'd talked, danced and even kissed but he was always cool, almost stand-offish. I knew he fancied me; he told me so and it was a mutual thing. So why was he playing hard to get? Maybe it was the divorced with two kids thing with this man? Or was he a stereotypical Mr. Gorgeous and characteristically arrogant? I didn't know and after meeting up on several occasions, I was past caring. I hadn't had sex for over a year and I wanted him. So rather than play games and waste time deciding if he was right or wrong for me, I was just going to have him. A one night stand, its 1993 and nearly everyone I knew had them. Me? Never, but tonight I was going to. Tonight I would settle for just sex.

*****

Excellent description of A Naive Heart ~ 

How much can a woman ever really know her husband? Can a man really hide his true-self from the woman who loves him?

'One woman's story proves that a man can.'

Sarah’s husband John, a seemingly caring, loving and considerate partner, was such a man. Sarah was to discover their relationship was a façade as slowly over the years John began to reveal his true identity. He was a man unable to control his dark secret desires. Desires which he kept hidden so well at first but which ultimately consumed him leading to a marriage rocked by betrayal and deception. But what were the secret desires that drove him to lie and to conceal the real him from Sarah? 

‘Based on a True Story, ' A Naive Heart portrays a love sadly gone wrong and a marriage full of pretense, secrecy and shocking revelations. It will strike a chord with any woman who has wondered if they 'ever truly know their partner.’

Review by Ron - I loved it

I couldn't put this book down! I had to keep reading to discover what would happen next. Shocking and moving, it made me laugh and cry. I loved it. Well worth reading I would recommend it to all women.

 A Naive Heart is available on Amazon!