My review of "10 Great Dates" by Peter & Heather Larson, and David & Claudia Arp

about the book....

An epic journey of intimacy, rejection, betrayal . . . and hope.

God gives Hosea a difficult command--marry a prostitute in order to show God's people the nature and depth of His love for Israel. When Hosea goes to Israel to proclaim the Lord's message, the woman God directs him to marry turns out to be his childhood friend Gomer. He finds her broken and abused, unwilling to trust Hosea or his God. But when marrying Hosea becomes her only means of escape, Gomer does what she's good at--she survives. Can Hosea's love for God and God's love for Israel restore Gomer's broken spirit?

With her powerful combination of in-depth research and masterful storytelling, Mesu Andrews brings to life one of the most complex and fascinating stories of love and forgiveness in the face of utter betrayal.

my review....

Packed with practical guidance and spiritual truths, "10 Great Dates" is just the book your marriage has been waiting for! We all know how busy our married lives can get, and when you throw in stress from work, pressure from children, and demands from family and friends alike, it is no wonder that married couples are struggling to connect spiritually. That makes this book all the more timely, as the busyness of our life means that we need to carve out time to focus on our married lives, and this book is designed to help do that. "10 Great Dates" is truly a treasure trove of information, and I greatly appreciated the pages at the end of the book that you can rip out and take on your date with you, helping you discover new insights about each other and guiding you in making goals together. The dates aren't all work either, but are designed to be fun and bonding times for you and your spouse. The anecdotes from people's lives that are woven into the book add an interesting element to the chapters. If couples will actually apply the Biblically-based principals that are offered in this book, their marriage is sure to be blessed. Ultimately, married couples will be aided in leaving a "heritage of a truly enriched, spiritually intimate marriage to others, including our children, grandchildren, and their spouses".

I highly recommend this book and award it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

 about the author....

Peter Larson and Heather Larson do premarital counseling, speaking events, and marriage education together in a variety of settings. Heather is a Christian life coach. Married for 17 years, the Larsons have three school-aged children and live in Boulder, Colorado.

Coauthors David and Claudia Arp, founders of Marriage Alive, have written more than 30 books. Their 10 Great Dates seminar is popular across the U.S. and internationally. Frequently appearing in national media, the Arps have been married nearly 50 years and live in Great Falls, Virginia. Learn more at www.marriagealive.com.