Product Description

Marla Taviano shares her no–holds–barred look at the first year of marriage with a sassy style that will keep readers captivated to the end.

Young brides will laugh out loud, sigh with relief, and nod in agreement as Marla takes a refreshing, biblical look at everything from impossible mothers–in–law to disappointing sex, from toilet seats left up to that confusing word “submission.” She provides important tips and truths about such important topics as...

• keeping expectations realistic
• fighting fairly
• communicating about money, sex, and in–laws

A young woman herself, Marla also includes time–tested advice from older godly women. This honest and compassionate manual encourages married women to see what God can do in and through them and their marriages.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #835301 in Books
• Published on: 2006-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Young mom Taviano is concerned that new Christian brides aren't getting the straight scoop on love, marriage, sex, in-laws and finances. Just name the topic and Taviano addresses it with a combination of quirky recollections from her own life and those of various interviewees, making the book fall somewhere between frivolous and functional. The first clue to the tone this book takes is best observed by its pirated subtitle: like other popular "girlfriend" books, Taviano's seeks to unveil the humorous, sometimes raucous, side to marital combat zones like dealing with an irksome mother-in-law, learning to live within a budget, discovering and disbanding the "my needs come first" syndrome and finding sexual satisfaction. Particularly entertaining is Taviano's take on hurdling past honeymoon sex expectations, noting that on her own honeymoon she would have given anything for a "Get Out of Sex Free Card." Taviano's candor and winsome style are sure to amuse women whose early marital experiences didn't match the bliss they expected, and who are renewing their commitment to discovering a marriage worth working for over the long haul.
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Customer Reviews

My favorite book on marriage!
I was so excited to read this book and when I finally received it in the mail I read the entire book that same day! Marla is an extremely gifted writer--her book reads like a novel (with all the humorous true stories and illustrations from her own marriage) and is also filled with biblical truths, insight and wisdom. I read the book twice--the second time more slowly because she has packed so much good stuff in here that every woman needs to understand. She did an excellent job tackling the entire submission issue. It's always easier hearing it from a woman's (as opposed to a man's) perspective.

In response to the negative review below about Marla advising wives not to share everything with their husbands (including your frustrations): I believe you misunderstood what she was actually saying. The only times she said not to say something to your husband were:

1) If it's not the right time (Proverbs speaks of timely spoken words). It is wise to be careful with when you say things and how you say them.
2) If you have been nagging about the same thing continually. Proverbs also speaks of how wives should not nag. Instead, Marla encourages us to pray about it and let God work in your husband's heart. He is more likely to change his mind if he thinks it was his idea.

Marla encourages openness and honesty with your husband. And her perspective on a woman's role in a marital relationship is completely in line with Scripture and demonstrates how freeing and rewarding following God's plan for a wife can be--even though our society is constantly telling us differently.

I recommend this book to every woman who is married, soon-to-be married, or hopes to be married someday in the future!!

So I'm not the only gal going through all this
I thought this was a fantastic book. I have been married for almost 6 years and gained many helpful insights into my own marriage from experiences that Marla has shared from hers. It is helpful for us as Christian gals to know that most of the other woman we look at are going through the same struggles we are. I liked the fact that Marla had done her research and had scripture references to back up the points she made. This book is not simply her opinion, it is her opinion backed up by God's Word. There were points in the book where I laughed out loud. There were also points where I had to sit back and evaluate my attitude and my level of contentedness with my role and how that matches up with where I should be in the eyes of Christ. I have since passed this book on to 2 different people and I'm pretty selective about the books I will pass on.
One last thing....I read this book in 4 days. No big deal until you know that we painted and moved into a new house in those same 4 days. If it wasn't a good read, and didn't captivate my interest I would have let it sit till our move was over. Great book!

The truth will set you free!
Let's be honest, every one of us isn't easy to get along with. That's especially evident when we start living with our spouse. I had the privilege of going through this with the author of this book, my wife, Marla. With the weight of the world on your shoulders sometimes even your spouse isn't enough to rely on, and she did a great job in this book of making it obvious that they shouldn't be. Society today is so much about individuality and proving yourself to be of value. That's the model that most marriages end up quickly adapting to. With this book being very open and blunt, Marla takes a counter-culture, Biblically-based stance against many things satan uses to strike at the heart of a young woman.

I've witnessed first-hand the life-changing impact this book has had in the few months of it being available to the public. The responses include older women wishing someone was this open about reality back when they were starting into married life, younger ladies on the brink of divorce sensing the calling of the Spirit and growing in confidence, and newlyweds appreciating an understanding of what lies ahead. I couldn't be more proud of the woman God's blessed me with. Being willing to lay it on the line will indeed cause some know-it-alls to react in anger, but I'm very grateful God is using this book to encourage many more. Keep up the great work honey!