Many girls and boys grew up with visions of what their weddings and marriages would some-day be, but very few of them ever thought of spending the rest of their lives with a business partner versus a husband or a wife. How do individual spouses or couples come to terms with the fact that their marriages are more like a business and more importantly; what should they do about it? “The Business of Marriage” provides a candid, insightful and sometimes funny cradle-to-grave exploration of many parallels between marriage and business that you can share with your spouse, family, friends and even your kids.
KIRKUS REVIEW
Eldridge provides a guide to navigating the constant negotiations that come with a marriage between equal yet equally opinionated partners.
The consequences of tying the knot may not be known until long down the road, says first-time author Eldridge. At its very essence, marriage is a business contract between two people with very real legal implications. And because it requires a lot of hard work, couples can feel overwhelmed. As a businessperson, Eldridge sees the similarities between a romantic partnership and a business partnership; marriage involves managing money and negotiating issues ranging from holiday visits to parenting to intimacy. But that also denies the best parts of the experience—having companionship and support, being spontaneous and loving someone. “Schedule time for the two of you as you would schedule time to go to your kid’s sports events and other family-related events,” suggests the author. “You may even need to put sex and date nights on the calendar. Make sure you do whatever it takes to guard that time with your spouse like you would guard your life.” The author focuses the first six chapters on his personal history, and it sometimes read more like a romance novel than marriage advice. In the second half of the book, Eldridge’s tone turns conversational: “I think it’s important for spouses…to share their feelings with each other and not take each other for granted after many years of marriage”; “You have to be very sexually compatible so you don’t become roomies in the future.” This informal approach may help some readers absorb Eldridge’s well-intentioned counsel and put it into daily practice.
Businesslike, concrete advice for long-lasting love.