The only way to secure her dream is to marry a handsome stranger . . . When Rose and Jack meet, she has just lost her uncle, and with him her dream of owning a coffee shop. Rose wanted nothing more than to open a café in her uncle’s building. But her uncle’s will is clear – the building goes to Rose’s husband. Not to her. Then, his lawyer, Jack, offers an unusual solution… she can marry him. She’ll get the café and he’ll get the building. For some reason, Rose agrees. It might be a marriage of convenience but it’s anything but simple. Despite it being his idea, Jack is unbearably surly... But then he does something that shows Rose he might just have a softer side. Maybe love can start with a contract… but will Rose still feel that way when she learns the full terms of their deal?

God has given us a specific, compelling reason for each of the four seasons of relationships: singleness, dating, engagement, and marriage. This book unlocks each season’s God-given purpose and shows you how to thrive within it. In a society where everyone is supposedly more connected, why do people feel so lonely? Even as marriage rates decline, recent studies find the overwhelming majority of single adults still hope to get married. But how can we navigate life and love in this disconnected culture? Has social media eroded the institutions that brought us together—and the deeper emotional intimacy they provided? Pastor and bestselling author Ben Stuart will help you navigate through the four stages of a relational life and show you how to look at the truths and intentions God has established for each. As you embark on this journey, you will discover how to: Use singleness to make an impact for the kingdom of God Pursue dating with clarity and purity Use the season of engagement wisely to prepare for marriage Maximize your life as a married couple for shared ministry Continually seek God and His will throughout each stage Discover how to embrace God's design, invest your life in what matters most, and find meaning in whatever season of life you're in.

'So compellingly personal you feel you're looking over her shoulder as she sits down to write' New York Times 'Electrically entertaining ... Funny, generous, spirited and kind' The Times This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage is an irresistible blend of literature and memoir revealing the big experiences and little moments that shaped Ann Patchett as a daughter, wife, friend and writer. Here, Ann Patchett shares entertaining and moving stories about her tumultuous childhood, her painful early divorce, the excitement of selling her first book, driving a Winnebago from Montana to Yellowstone Park, her joyous discovery of opera, scaling a six-foot wall in order to join the Los Angeles Police Department, the gradual loss of her beloved grandmother, starting her own bookshop in Nashville, her love for her very special dog and, of course, her eventual happy marriage. This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage is a memoir both wide ranging and deeply personal, overflowing with close observation and emotional wisdom, told with wit, honesty and irresistible warmth.

Timothy Maxwell Phillips has it all: a beautiful wife, twins, nice job, and a gorgeous home. Yet, he couldn't seem to stop cheating on his faithful wife Marcina. She finally gets fed up with his bullshit! Timothy never realized that jeopardizing his family over some ass would cost him so much. After discovering that his latest trick, Destiny is pregnant, Marcina yells, "Timothy Maxwell Phillips, you have been a married, but single man for way too long, so it's my privilege to serve you with these papers today!" Marcina and Brian both wounded by their cheating spouses turn to each other for comfort and support. Neither of them envisioned that their chemistry inside and out of the bedroom would take them to places that either of them knew existed. Meanwhile, social media has drawn Serita, Brian's wife, and Timothy to each other. Many lives are forever changed as a result of the twists and turns of being married, but single. The grass always looks greener on the other side, but what happens when you realize it isn't even grass, its artificial turf! Today, there are so many married men and women living double lives and acting single. It's so easy to leave the wedding vows and commitments at the front door of their residence, only to pick it up once they return. "A marriage takes two people being faithful who require falling in love many times, always with the same person." ~Michel de Montaigne~

Sam Opeche didn’t know his mum until he turned 19. His parents were divorced when he was just six. Something always told him that growing up wouldn’t have been so difficult if his parents had stayed together. He found that there’s his dad’s side of the story, his mum’s side of the story, and then there’s the truth. Since then, a lot of his time has been spent on trying to search for the truth. Could his parent’s divorce have been prevented or was it inevitable? Could there have been something different in the mix that may have helped them weather the storms, or could it be that they were just not made for each other? It wasn’t until years later, as he faced up to his own personal challenges in marriage, that it dawned on him what the solution could have been. ‘Don’t Get Married Until You Are Single’, but if you are married already, seek singleness and self-love and your marriage will blossom to new dimensions of fulfilment.

Full of practical advice, this bestselling book by Nicky and Sila Lee is easy to read and designed to prepare, build, and even mend marriages. The Marriage Book is essential reading for any married or engaged couple. This resource addresses questions like: How can we be happily married to one person for our entire life? How do we resolve conflict? How can we discover and rediscover sexual intimacy? The Marriage Course is a series of seven sessions, designed to help couples invest in their relationship and build a strong marriage. It serves as a bridge between the church and local community by recognizing the need to go beyond the social, as well as physical, walls of the church to help couples with their relationships. Marriage Course is easy to run; the talks are available on DVD (sold separately) and each guest and leader receives a manual. If you enjoy hosting people and have a passion for strengthening family life, you could run a course!

The definitive anthology of wisdom and wit about one of life’s most complex, intriguing, and personal subjects. When and whom do you marry? How do you keep a spouse content? Do all engaged couples get cold feet? How cold is so cold that you should pivot and flee? Where and how do children fit in? Is infidelity always wrong? In this volume, you won’t find a single answer to your questions about marriage; you will find hundreds. Spanning centuries and cultures, sources and genres, The Marriage Book offers entries from ancient history and modern politics, poetry and pamphlets, plays and songs, newspaper ads and postcards. It is an A to Z compendium, exploring topics from Adam and Eve to Anniversaries, Fidelity to Freedom, Separations to Sex. In this volume, you’ll hear from novelists, clergymen, sex experts, and presidents, with guest appearances by the likes of Liz and Dick, Ralph and Alice, Louis CK, and Neil Patrick Harris. Casanova calls marriage the tomb of love, and Stephen King calls it his greatest accomplishment. With humor, perspective, breadth, and warmth, The Marriage Book is sure to become a classic.