Dr. Michelle R. Hannah’s valuable, interactive self-help book is primarily targeted to those considering marriage or divorce, or who are engaged or married. It is also suitable, however, for single readers who want to hone in on what matters most to them.
Hannah is a relationship coach with a doctorate in spiritual counseling. What she started in 2017 as an eight-week program for couples that “delves into the meaning and benefits of the [standard wedding] vows” evolved into The Vows: A Workbook for Marriage Success and Understanding Yourself. The book, she states, is designed to “give you clarity about what peace, happiness, balance and love feel like for both of you.”
Chapter by chapter, Hannah walks readers through the marriage vows, from “To Have and To Hold from This Day Forward” to “As Long as We Both Shall Live,” interpreting the meaning of each. This is followed by relevant questions, such as “Do I keep score of everything my partner does wrong?” and “Can my partner and I live through a serious illness?” with space provided to write answers. At the end of each chapter readers are prompted to reflect in writing on what they’ve learned. The final chapter, “Vows to Yourself,” precedes the author’s personal and inspiring love story.
The Vows doesn’t mince words when exploring controversial topics such as how you would help your biracial children confront racism or handle the news that your unwed daughter, who lives with you, is pregnant. By book’s end, readers will have considered a gamut of questions about themselves and their relationship with another that will help them better know who they are and what they require from a partner.
Beautifully written, with a powerful message, this workbook doesn’t hand readers all the answers but encourages them to ask themselves tough questions about love. Ultimately, it shows us how to think about love not just with our hearts, but with our heads, as well.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
