Book Review: Happily by Kevin A. Thompson

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Synopsis of the book:

In the beginning, marriage doesn’t seem as though it should be all that difficult. But it doesn’t take long for trouble to seep in and bad habits to become entrenched. After a while, you may be wondering when the “worse” part ends and the “better” part starts.

Kevin A. Thompson has good news: the “better” part is always within reach when you and your spouse practice eight specific commitments to each other. These commitments lead you down the pathway to solve almost any problem your marriage faces and to prevent new ones from occurring. With biblical insights and engaging personal stories, Thompson shows you how to:

see your marriage as bigger than yourselves | avoid both apathy and aggression | release the desire for power | make and maintain peace | endure difficult times | and more

My review:

This is a good resource for people wanting to make their marriage the best it can be. It is filled with sound Biblical advice although it’s somewhat meaty in content. I read it straight through as a reviewer and even though I did gain insight from it, I think I would be better served if I go back and study it rather than just ‘read’ it.

The text was wordy on some occasions making me feel as if the points were being over emphasized. I believe the points could have been stated in more condensed ways.

I enjoyed the personal stories and liked that this was written by a pastor/counselor who had witnessed what didn’t work in marriage. He also uses his marriage as an example of success which added to his authority on the subject.

There are discussion questions at the end of each commitment and I believe any couple would benefit from studying this book.

POTENTIAL SPOILER: The 8 commitments are based on the Beatitudes. The author explains the correlation at the end of the book. “Happily” is another term for “Blessed.” I wish that the correlation was given at the beginning rather than the end. I think it would have been more helpful to me knowing ahead of time. I felt like I missed something when it was revealed at the end.

What I enjoyed most about this book:

The correlation with the commitments and the beatitudes.

What I didn’t like about this book:

Too wordy and not meant for straight read through.

My rating:  4 out of 5 stars

Would I recommend this book to others? Yes. This is a good marriage resource, particularly for Christians.

Note: I received this book complimentary from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are my own.

Where can I learn more about this author and their books?

Kevin A. Thompson, author website

-Loraine Nunley