The Secret of Us

Roxanne Henke
Harvest House Publishers (2007)
ISBN 0736917012
Reviewed by Kelli Glesige for Reader Views (4/07)

Sometimes when a couple has been married several years, it becomes too easy to take one another for granted, assuming the other will just always be there.  The demands of a job, family, friends and activities begin to take up so much time that the relationship between the married couple may take a backseat to almost everything else that life commands.  This is what happened to Laura and Donnie Dunn after 23 years of marriage.  While in the midst of planning daughter Stasha’s wedding, Laura looks over at a sleeping Donnie and wonders who this person is, if he cares anymore, or even if she cares about him.  They appear to have it all—a nice house, a prominent advertising agency and a 21-year-old daughter any parent would be proud of—but a meaningful and intimate relationship is nonexistent, both physically and mentally.  It appears the easiest thing might be to just end the marriage and for each to move on to new lives, but that is not the plan God had in mind for us when a marriage partner becomes complacent.

“The Secret of Us” is the story of Laura, Donnie and Stasha, each one taking a turn of sharing with the reader about what they are going through in life, the fears they have, the feelings that are most important to them, and their biggest concerns.  Life seems to have gotten in the way of a loving relationship for Stasha’s parents, Laura and Donnie.  But now Stasha is graduating from college, starting a career, and getting married, and already there are signs that she and her fiancé, Josh, are falling into the downward spiral of destruction her parents are finding themselves currently in.  But does anyone realize this?

Roxanne Henke has written a story about the importance of working to keep a marriage strong.  Marriage is all about compromise, communicating, standing firm and giving in.  It is also about love.  While the story is fictional, its meaning is definitely true.  Marriage encompasses so many wonderful things, and God has truly given couples a gift when it is treated with the sincerity He expects.  I recommend this book to all adults who are in any way affected by the relationship of a married couple.  The message is clear.  While marriage is all about love for one another and making sacrifices, marriage is work.  Marriage is hard work.

“The Secret of Us” is set up to be quite appropriate and beneficial for reading groups and their ensuing discussions.

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