Divorce Books

Polly Greene is different from other seventh graders at Laramie Junior High. In fact, she comes from a long line of women who are different. She can see auras --- colors and shapes around people --- which Baba, her grandmother, says is a powerful gift. The night Polly's sister Bree disappears, Polly sees a "red glow swirling around her middle."

Baba also has a special gift: she can see secrets and pain. She is a healer, who uses plants and nature to mend bodies and souls, and believes that people are a lot like plants ("both do better with a little tending, both turn toward the sun, both grow together over time, and both die.").

Being different doesn't make for happy times at school, and Polly's life becomes even less pleasant after her sister disappears. In the hallways, classmates stare and whisper. At home, neighbors and strangers bring casseroles and fruit baskets and offer help, but their food and words of comfort don't bring back Bree. At first, the community is consumed with looking for the missing teen, but after it appears that Bree has run away, the search and the sympathy dry up quickly.

Laramie, Idaho, the setting for GIRLWOOD, is "a city of newcomers, a city of strangers." With the growing population, real estate developers see the potential to turn a quick profit. They bulldoze the forests to build homes and "hack up the mountains so a few people can enjoy the view." The developers' desire for money comes in conflict with residents who cherish the natural beauty of the woods.

Polly believes that Bree is hiding out in the woods, but with winter approaching, she fears for her safety and well being. One evening, Baba shows Polly a hidden path in the middle of the woods that leads to a beautiful place Polly names Girlwood. She is convinced that Bree has taken refuge there and she can rescue her. With winter approaching and the pending development threatening to destroy the safe haven where she believes Bree is hiding, Polly desperately tries to protect the woods she treasures while saving her wayward sister.

Each chapter begins with an illustration of a plant bordering a paragraph about the plant's origin, habitat and healing properties, which is a nice touch. The book's message, and the legacy of Baba, is to speak out for one's beliefs and take risks to protect those you love. The image of the heartless, greedy developer with no redeeming qualities is overdone, and Carly, the developer's daughter, is portrayed a bit harshly for my tastes. Overall, however, GIRLWOOD is a moving story about the fragile nature of family and the environment --- and how a lot of love and a little attention can save them both.

--- Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt

The story follows a number of themes, including the challenges of growing up in our complicated modern world, family loyalties, love of nature, and the environmental concerns that threaten our way of life. These real-life issues are told with an over-lay of fantasy and magic, weaving them together in a delightful book.

I was connected to this book through Roots and Shoots as a book club choice. The girls from my group loved reading it. It had great lessons about nature, plants, beliefs, and coming of age in modern day.
Great for a book club for girls 11-14.

Only three people see and understand the power in a grove of larch trees called Girlwood: the power that holds fairies, and that gives Polly the ability to protect her reckless teen sister Bree, who runs away from home. Can Girlwood protect against developers who want to cut down the forest? A fine story of magic and fantasy evolves in a fine read for young adults who want uplifting adventure.

With one foot in the modern world and one foot in a world of fantasy, Claire Dean's Girlwood takes us into the life of Polly Greene, who can see the colors that surround people, revealing their true selves. Polly's older sister, Bree, disappears into the woods one night, and Polly is the only one who believes she has not run far, that she's hiding nearby to heal her out-of-control life.

When Polly finds a magical clearing hidden among the trees, she's certain that her sister is close, and she determines to leave her food and clothing and healing plants to help Bree survive until she's ready to return.

Girlwood explores many themes as Polly enlists the help of friends and family in her mission:
What's the value of nature compared to development?
Why do girls sometimes subvert their own personalities when they start to date?
How does divorce affect family dynamics?
How can parents teach and protect their children while also allowing them to have independent thoughts?

The themes are woven into a story that is as enchanting as the magical clearing, Girlwood, itself. And by the end, you may even find yourself searching for your own Girlwood.

This was my favorite summer fun read!! I laughed at the perils of the main character and enjoyed the events she was involved in and her attitude toward them.

I started this book at 10:30am and finished it at 1pm! Literally could not put it down! The characters were hilarious, the writing was descriptive and this book was the most enjoyable one I've read all summer. Fantastic first book--I can't wait to read more from this author!!

First, let me say that I am NOT an individual who reads for entertainment. My reading is centered around one primary purpose...to gather tidbits of information on a particular subject from various reference books and periodicals.

A friend, who was unaware that I basically only read informational text, kept telling me to read "An Improbable Find". After putting it off for some time, I finally purchased the book and began to read. I quickly became addicted and was totally absorbed in this captivating tale of the quest to find "Mr. Right". Julia, the main character, faces turmoil (well blended with humor) in matters of the heart. There were plenty of "Mr. Wrong's" throughout the book and I found myself wondering "Will she ever find happiness?"

The author has a wonderful feel for both the male and female characters. They come to life and in turn, allow the theater of our imagination to act out emotions and feelings that our daily routine does not allow us to experience so vividly. The material is well presented and the easy to read style will certainly reach out readers of all walks of life.

An Improbable Find is probably the best non-educational book I have read in the past 5 years!! It is an easy adult reader that entertains and allows one to live vicariously through the character Julia. Once I began reading, I was hooked until the last page of the story!! Living in a small town, I can easily understand the troubles of dating after divorce!!! I encourage the author to write a prequel to her "find" and give background of growing up with her family! They seem extremely adventurous and entertaining also!

This book was great! Makes you feel like you really know the characters personally!! I highly recommend this book for good and easy read. You won't want to stop reading till the last page. Then you will want more. Looking forward to the sequal.....

Though I have not experienced divorce (or marriage for that matter), I found myself relating to Relational Shifts. Recently, I lost a loved one unexpectedly. My family is still feeling the effects of that loss. "Relational Shifts" gave me insight and allowed me to see families in an entirely new way.

Though I have not, and am much too young, to have gone through a divorce, I have found many ways to relate to this book. I was going through a breakup while reading this book and felt empowered by the beliefs and wise words of the authors. This book definately helped me believe that I could make it through and taught me many life and relationship lessons.

This is the story of a family, but more so about two people who married and then failed to adjust to each other. They tell how they divorced and then reformed their family with their children so they could raise them without rancor. There is a lot of self-examination about happiness and fitness of being with someone or not, in the style of the current philosophy about personal happiness. The authors allow their daughter to tell some of her story, about how she adjusted to the divorce. But the underlying questions--could this marriage have been saved, how much adjusting did Tasha have to do to normalize a tragic situation for her (being now part of a split family) is not as well-defined. The authors make a very complete roadmap of how they thoughtfully crafted their divorce (which is amazing cooperation) and brings to mind the question; why could they not learn to get along, at least until the daughter grew up? The designation "mismatched" is interesting but begs the question--if they got this far, how come they couldn't go farther and learn to adapt? So though couples who plan on divorcing can certainly learn a lot from "Relational Shifts" on how to avoid rancorous adjustments to splitting up a family, if you are considering divorce and you have kids, you might also read Divorce Culture which is another thoughtful book on the impact of divorce on children and society.

This is a story told with brave honesty and deep love. While their story is certainly unique, I would imagine most families can relate to many parts of their experience. It should give people that are going through relational shifts a sense of hope and a new perspective on the possible outcomes of these shifts. Julie, Lee and Tasha face adversity with humor and hope and are an inspiration to those who want to heal and grow with their experiences.

In these days of reality television, I thought I was immune to shock. Wrong. This book about how divorces happen and how to respond to them shocked and surprised me in so many ways that I had to step back and think about what I had read before having any idea of how to review this book. This reaction occurred despite having gone through a divorce many years ago. In fact, if the personal story parts of this book had been portrayed as a novel, I would probably have complained that the book was unrealistic.

The book's format is an unusual one that I can only characterize for you as "She felt and said; He felt and said; Their Daughter felt and said; and Lessons drawn heavily from Buddhist thought." The level of candor is extraordinary. There doesn't seem to be much that happened to these three people that they won't relate to you.

What's the basic point? I would paraphrase the book's advice as being to approach marriage as a way to live with personal integrity while adapting the relationship to match the needs of the moment and the long term.

Julie Rappaport and Lee Liberman got into trouble with their marriage because they didn't know each other very well before marrying. They also didn't spend enough time discussing what kind of a marriage they wanted. Julie wanted to try her wings and Lee wanted a traditional wife. The couple also experienced sexual issues that are apparently more common than I was aware of. They both ended up feeling like they were giving away parts of their personal identities to be in the marriage, yet they loved the other person. Becoming parents was similarly haphazard, although they are both devoted parents. Unlike many people who divorce, they clearly did their best to put their daughter's interests first.

Even though Julie soon remarried, the three continued to function as a family after divorce . . . celebrating family events, taking vacations, and covering for each other. I thought this aspect of the book was potentially the most valuable for those who are considering divorce: You can divorce and still have a good relationship with your former spouse.

Where the book is weakest is as a guide for planning for marriage and building a strong marriage. While the questions are certainly good ones, they aren't nearly enough to help those who are in the throes of passion and a new marriage to think through what needs to be thought through. As I read the material about how each spouse felt like they couldn't be themselves in the marriage, I was reminded of a neighbor whose husband left her after 30 years of marriage commenting that he was tired of not being able to be himself. I suspect that complaint is fairly common. I know that my favorite compliment about my wife is that she lets me be myself.

But independent of the book's advice, it's riveting reading. I couldn't put it down.

Not often does an author have the chance to go back and rewrite her first book, but Deborah Raney had that opportunity. I read the original edition, saw the movie inspired by her book, and now I've read the new one. She has updated numerous things and added more depth, making an already good novel hauntingly beautiful.

John Brighton's wife has Alzheimer's, a cruel disease that afflicts entire families. I know. My mother died of Alzheimer's. I found Raney's book to be healing for me. With deep understanding and compassion, she exposes layer after layer of emotion a husband feels when his wife leaves him a bit at a time.

More cruel than sudden death or divorce, Alzheimer's robs the patient of their dignity as it robs the family of their loved one. After my mother died, daddy said he felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. That hurt and I couldn't understand how he could say it. Until I read A Vow to Cherish. As Raney reveals John's deep love for his wife, she also discloses how the disease wore him down. No one suffers Alzheimer's alone.

Beautifully written and filled with credible characters, Raney once again demonstrates why she's an award winning author. A Vow to Cherish stands on my all-time-favorites book shelf.

As a person who has a relative dealing with Alzheimer's, I
think this is a great book. The movie was great also.
We all need our family and friends to help us during hard
times but we need God the most.

A Vow to Cherish touched me deeply--for many reasons. To me, this story is about having no regrets and allowing God to work things out in our lives with His perfect timing. I remember seeing the movie when it first came out and holding my breath as I watched John fall in love with Julia. I recall the same conflicting feelings when I read this book. Part of me wanted John to be happy with Julia. I truly felt for the guy. Part of me also cared deeply about his commitment to his wife.

The author did a fabulous job taking a difficult situation and covering it with flesh. The emotion and the loneliness were real as was the temptation both John and Julia experienced. Many people would justify John and Julia's relationship outside of marriage--especially for John. I hurt for the man. My mother was bedridden with MS for twenty years and my father cared for her until the very end. He cherished her and remained faithful when so many men in the same situations dumped their spouses when they could no longer perform their wifely duties.

John Brighton honored his vow to cherish his wife until they parted at her death. I'm convinced it made all the difference for his enduring happiness. John could then marry Julia free from guilt and knowing he gave his wife his undivided love and attention to the very end--once he overcame the temptation to vault his flesh into a forbidden zone that he would end up regretting later.

I've never read a book that more vividly portrays the deep pain of loneliness and all of the issues that go with it. My heart swelled and my throat tightened more than once through this beautiful story. I loved it!

Loved the first one, but with Raney's matured writing the edited reissue is even more poignant and relevant.

John and Ellen Brighton attend the high school graduation of their youngest child. The nest would soon be empty and they were looking forward to having time for each other. They plan to travel and just enjoy themselves. Then something started to go horribly wrong. Ellen began having periods of confusiion, saying things that didn't make sense. She gets lost and can't find her way home. A doctor gives them the shattering news. Ellen is in the early stages of Alzheimers. Nothing can be done to help her and the situation will gradually get worse.

In Chicago, Julia Sinclair has lost her husband and after years of sending her sons to St. Mark's private school, which she can no longer afford, she is desperate to get out of Chicago. She applies for a job at the Parkside Manor, a nursing home in the same town where John and Ellen live. When Ellen moves to the Manor, Julia meets John and they are attracted to each other. She can provide the companionship he misses so much. Someone to talk to, someone who understands. But John still loves Ellen, and he made a vow to cherish her in sickness and health on their wedding day. How can he go back on that vow just because she no longer knows him? A Vow to Cherish is a touching story of love and commitment and is an honest portrayal of the destroying disease of Alzheimers. The characters are so real you'll feel you know them. This book will touch your heart

I'm not a literary type, but when my parents announced that after 39 years of marriage they were divorcing, I had feelings I was unsure of how to deal with. I was actually at the hair salon, reading one of their magazines when I found the review of this book. It was exactly what I needed to read. I'm almost to the end of the book, but things that I said to my friends and family BEFORE I read the book, were right there in black and white. I was happy to see that I wasn't alone in my feeling about the divorce. It helped me tremendously to read and endorsed my feeling. As soon as I'm finished, I'm going to give it to my Brother, then to my Husband, then maybe mom and dad should get a copy for Christmas or something. Thanks Brooke!

My parents recently separated & are getting a divorce after 34 years of marriage. My father had an affair with a much younger woman for over a year. I never thought I would have to deal with such a huge change in our family, but I did. And reading this book helped me through it. Honestly, once I was done reading it I saw things differently and it truly helped me get a grip on the way things will NOW be. I highly highly recommend this book to anyone feeling lost and not sure where to turn. I took comfort in knowing this has happened to others and how they chose to deal with it.

WOW...I read this book with such enthralled interest and found myself nodding through so much of it because it fully validated all I have felt in the 12 1/2 years since I learned my parents' nearly 29-year marriage was ending.

Let me first say to anyone considering "staying together for the kids" that you seriously reconsider! Not only is there NO evidence that waiting until the kids are adults makes it less painful, but as many of the interviewees in the book attest, it makes the marriage seem to be a sham, and if the disenchantment with it is made known to the kids after they're grown, particularly if all appeared to be well, we end up questioning all we thought we had learned from it. I had always thought my parents were happy together. They never fought in front of us, and we always saw them make up. I was actually proud to have parents who appeared to be in love with each other after years and years--the way my husband and I are--only to find out from my mother when she left my dad for his best friend that she didn't think she had EVER really been in love with him! I had only been married for 4 years by then myself, and it crushed me. I began to question my own identity because of all the lies that suddenly came to light.

The other thing I wrestled with was the timing. I had just learned I was pregnant with my second child and had just had a crisis with a lifelong chronic health condition. Mom, who had always been so protective of me, chose THAT TIME to leave my father! She also lied many times to me about what she had planned to do, and perhaps predictably, I became extremely sick and battled one thing after another through my entire pregnancy. Brooke Foster validated for me what I have always wondered: whether all the stress from the split, as well as all the pleas and fights over whose "side" I should be on contributed to the demise of my health during that time. I'm sure now that it did, and since my son was subsequently diagnosed with autism, I am sad to say that I can't dismiss the role of the divorce as contributing to it.

I'm relieved to say I have a great relationship with both of my parents now, and even my mom's husband (sorry; can't say "stepfather"! I was 28 when they married!), and I have moved on from all of the anger and hurt I felt about it, but it does change who you are and how you think about your own relationships. When I find that my husband and I squabble about the same things over and over again, I worry that the cycle is beginning again, so even if you get to the point of being "over it," it can have a lasting--perhaps even lifelong--influence over you in some way. If you need to leave a lousy marriage, do, by all means, but please don't stay on account of your kids, because I can assure you that they will have other problems as a result.

If you are looking for a book that reassures you that you aren't (or haven't been) overreacting to your parents' divorce, this is the book to read, from someone who has "been there and done that." Please pick it up. It is definitely worth the read.

10-years ago my wife ended a 32-year marriage. She said she had not loved me for years but would not divorce me until the children were on their own and married. She said that she didn't believe that I would take care of my children financially. Oh how wrong she was. My son has not spoken to me in years. He will not acknowledge telephone calls, letters, gifts, birthdays and holidays. Brooke Leas Foster has written a wonderful book about adult children of divorce. I have always believed that it was harder on ACOD than it was on younger children for all the various reasons cited in Brooke's book. As a result of having read The Way They Were from my children's prespective I have ordered the book for my daughter. I hope that she will also share it with my son. The "guilt" that I felt as a Dad has been lifted as a result of this book. I highly recommend to any parent of adult children contemplating divorce. A must read for all. Thank you Brooke. Well done.

I really enjoyed reading this and for once I was able to identify with someone else's feeling about their parents' divorce. So many divorces seem to happen when children are young and we, as ACOD, have vastly different experiences than them.

I recognized so many emotions in this book and I am so glad to finally hear that I am not alone in these. Having your sense of security snatched away when you're a young adult that's new to independence can almost retard emotional growth.

The one thing that I would have liked to have seen portrayed in this book is the "nightmare" behaviors that one can experience as an adult child of divorce - whether that behavior is coming from the parent's new partner or whether they are coming from within one's self as the pain and anguish really starts to come to the surface. A lot of us dealt with this stuff in less than healthy ways - a bit of decadent behavior perhaps - and I would have liked to have read a bit more discussion on that. Not all of us dealing with divorces were drink-free, drug-free, straight A students with the ability to sit down and rationalize our behaviors and our experiences are just as valid. It would have been nice to have seen that side represented.

I guess for that reason alone I would have given it four stars. But because it's the first book on divorce that made me feel like other people understood it remains at a five.

This book is a very positive, informative way to approach living your life after divorce. This is recommended reading for getting through difficulties of the aftermath of divorce.

Dr. Leporowski has written a slim but so useful book here that is bound to be of help to anyone dealing with the loss of a relationship. Her advice and suggestions are practical, thought provoking, and geared toward moving someone into the self-examination so necessary in order to move on into a new life following divorce. She takes special care to guide the reader through and past the traps of self-pity, blame, resentment and self-denigration without becoming critical or judgmental of those experiencing these all-too-common feelings when a marriage ends. I found her writing style to be refreshingly candid and almost conversational. Reading the book feels like sitting down with an old friend who is going to give you the "straight scoop" and not a lot of jargon or intellectual theorizing. She quite literally cuts to the "heart" of the matter! I've already started recommending this book to my psychotherapy patients facing divorce or its aftermath, encouraging them toward a more proactive self-examination and self-definition of who they are going to be NOW!

Dr.Leporowski has taken the personal pain of divorce combined with professional experience and created a helpful tool for anyone facing the plethora of emotions surrounding divorce. This book names the demons of divorce while supplying practical guidelines for moving on in life. The book illustrates how divorce is not the end of the world, but can actually provide an opportunity for self-disocvery and growth. Kudos to Dr. Leporowski for presenting the information in a practical,yet compassionate manner.

After divorce, what then? "Bitter or Better" helps to ease the pain of not knowing what's next. It's thought provoking and inspiring. It moves you from the challenges to the cure. The uncharted territory of singlehood becomes increasingly clear with the turning of each page. I highly recommend it.

I have been a marriage and famil counselor for 22 years. After reading Dr. Leporowski's book, "Bitter or Better", I was so grateful that there was another counselor who understood the impact that bitterness has on people's lives.
She is right on in so many ways.
Throughout her book, she continues to position the reader to stop looking back at the offences that have occured, stop blaming the people of the past and start taking ownership of of their own lives and choices.
It is a must read for anyone who has traveled the rocky road of divorce.
Reading this book will open a whole new opportunity of living a life filled with contentment and peace.

Dr. Gary Lawrence
New Life Dynamics Counseling Center
4000 N. Central Ave., Suite 1710
Phoenix, Az. 85012
602-241-9725

Chelsea's Tree is filled with beautiful illustrations and relevant language and includes maps of both the United States and the world. Having raised three children in a military family, I wish we would have had something like this to help our children trace our families, my children's own travels and the many stations we called home. The many pages for pictures would help a child keep his memories close by at all times and the clever handle makes that especially easy.

Chelsea's Tree The presentation of this book is beautiful. It is definitely not a book to leave hidden on a book shelf. Although the story is geared toward children of blended families it is appropriate for all children with large families. The second portion of the book is a photo album that provides a place for family photos. Stickers are provided with names of the family relationships. This is a wonderful keepsake book for children.

I just finished reading this wonderful book. I only wish I could have had this book when my children were younger. I can certainly see how the unique way this reading engages parents and children into action ( which is how we learn best) instead of just reading.

Chelsea's Tree is a lovely and charming resource for parents, grandparents and other members of blended families. Children love to take an "action-oriented" approach to discussing their experiences and this is the perfect tool for that purpose. Also, as a retired marriage and family therapist, I think this little book would be very helpful in a theraputic situation to allow children to explore their feelings in a positive, non-judgmental context. The sticker feature that allows a child to build his or her own blended family tree is a fun activity for the whole family, adults and children alike.

I gave this book to my Grandchildren Great Grandchildren & kept one for myself. All the gifts were given to children who are all part of blended families.

I will continue to give this book as gifts because of the thoughtful and loving way in which it celebrates diverse & blended families.

Beautuful interactive book for all to enjoy.

As one who has read a number of books (both academic and popular)about custody, divorce and family courts, I found Andrew Schepard's book to be a unique and important contribution. It is both a comprehensive, well researched scholarly work and a clearly written and accessible primer for those new to the topic.
Anyone who works in the field of family dispute resolution or is experiencing a divorce or custody dispute in their own life should read this book. Indeed, this book is for anyone who cares about children. It gives the reader an understanding of where we have been, where we are now and where we should be going to develop a humane and sensible system for resolving family disputes involving children.

Schepard does what many professionals before him have only endeavored to do; he integrates the fields of law and psychology in one comprehensive resource written at a level accessible to the masses.

Schepard's prose is lucid and poignant, providing concrete examples to drive home abstract concepts. This book would be an excellent introduction for anyone interested in the process of divorce from a child centered perspective. I highly recommend it.

Professor Schephard writes a nuanced analysis of how the traditional legal paradigm enflames the conflict for children and their families embroiled in custody conlicts and offers an insightful vision about how to remedy the problem.
This is a must read for all those judges, attorneys, psychologists, mediators and professionals who appreciate that custody conflicts are more than just a legal claim and are committed to helping the family courts be more responsive to the multi-dimensions of custody conflicts.

This book does a great job of pulling together, in a very clear way, all of the important issues facing families and the courts that must address their problems. It is concise and accessible but also contains a wealth of cited resources for additional information. It provides the model for what a child focused Famliy Court should look like.

Professor Schepard's book provides a scholarly, comprehensive, and compassionate perspective on one of the most powerful factors shaping family life over the past century. His incisive review highlights the emotional and economic costs associated with adversarial legal procedures and the toll that protracted conflict takes on quality of life and children's mental health. A renowned authority on family law, Professor Schepard effectively integrates state-of-the-art research in the social sciences and the law as the foundation for his visionary recommendations for more humane and effective practices within courts. Most refreshing are the proposed 10 goals for custody courts, which include suggestions for proactive policy and preventive measures that can have a profoundly positive influence on the lives of millions of children and families. As a psychologist working for 20 years with children affected by divorce, I regard this book as essential for anyone who cares deeply about children and families.

As a long-time family law practitioner, I believe that the Collaborative approach to divorce and separation offers the best chance for couples to divorce each other without destroying the complex network of family and friends that is a part of every marriage. Pauline Tesler's highly readable book clearly explains Collaborative practice and how it can accomplish the preservation of a peaceful reformation of a family contemplating divorce. This is a must read for anyone, attorney or private party, who has anything to do with divorce Please read it--if not for yourself, for a friend, a neighbor, a family member.

Many divorce lawyers (including me) are jumping on the band wagon for this much more respectful way to divorce. Pauline Tesler is one of the top trainers in the industry and has a huge following among divorce professionals. This is not a how-to-do-it-yourself book but helps you make more intelligent decisions about how to handle your divorce.

Buy one for yourself and one for your to-be ex spouse.

This book was very informative and is an excellent resource for anyone who is interested in the collaborative process. I highly recommend it!

As the matriarch in a very large extended family, where there is much love but conflict may be unavoidable, I read Collaborative Divorce with great interest. I hope my family will not need to use it, but just in case, I bought a copy for each couple around me. Bitter divorces are expensive, painful, they create long-term resentment, and make it difficult to raise healthy children. The damaging effects of failed or thwarted love can and should be avoided. That is the point of this book. According to the authors, when there is a commitment to integrity, ethical
behavior, clear communications, and constructive problem-solving, a divorce should be a solution and not a cause for more entrenched conflict. Collaborative Divorce shows there are smarter and kinder ways for a couple to part.
ISABEL ALLENDE

The authors have succeeded in creating an easily accessible and remarkably complete guide to thinking about and managing this difficult process. The combination of legal and emotional insight will resonate strongly with anyone who has participated in divorce and goes on to skillfully guide the reader through the alternative. Clearly there is a better way and this work hits on all the different aspects, how to approach them and the high value of avoiding the legal process. This is a must read for anyone contemplating divorce. The outcome will be a dramatically better experience, better settlement and an easier path to the rest of one's life. Top rating.

This book was so informative! How many of us know people who we don't particularly care for, but have to work with or share some part of our life with? Written in an easy-to-understand format, this book can make a difference to anyone in a botched relationship, who wants to make it better! Mr. Molina teaches how to get along with even the toughest individual and explains how to do it without feeling a need to be emotionally connected. This book would be great for former spouses, former business partners, hard-to-get-along-with bosses, contrary neighbors, etc. etc.! Thank you, Mr. Molina, for your insight and gift to all of us!!

Communicating with a Former Spouse is a simple and non-threatening book to read. It made me laugh and cry. The author shares his personal experiences in a way that gave me new insight to my own former love relationship. He stresses the importance of language and attitude when communicating with a former spouse. He also invites us to explore and find new ways of communicating with our former spouse so that our children will be happier. This book is a real eye-opener. It helps me put my ego in "check" and now I am more willing to operate from my heart. It's a book that I have already dog-eared and I am sure that I will refer to it again and again. Mr. Molina challenges me to be a better parent and former mate so that my children will be more open to find love when they are older. I am grateful that he shares his experience and thoughts for the benefit of all parents who raise children in separate households.

My mom and dad are divorced and I have watched them struggle at communitcation for many years. Although it's not perfect they have learned to do better by reading this book. I decided to read the book and now I have a better understanding on what they went through all thoughs years. I would like to thank you for writing this book because it helped my parents get along better. Now I have no doubt that they love me.

This is honestly the best book I've ever read on the subject, and I've been reading and researching for seven years. The last time things got difficult in my situation, I picked up this book and read it again and was startled by what NEW things I learned the second time around. My situation will never be perfect, but my own level of happiness has greatly increased because of this book. I have since bought two more books to give to others, knowing it will improve their lives regardless of someone else's actions. I thank Mr. Molina very much for his inspiring book.

Thank you for writing this book! Divorce, especially when there are children involved, creates pain and frustration that doesn't go away when the shock is over. The same issues that contributed to the breakup of the marriage continue to surface again and again. Learning to communicate feelings and needs in a positive way that leaves the other person room to be different and still be ok, is the key to healing and taking the difficulties around divorce and turning them into new forms of intimacy especially between parents and their children. Your book has given me real tools that work in creating better communication between my two former spouses and myself.

Now that our daughter is growing up, new challenges are coming up for us that need to be communicated about as well. Hurt feelings and misunderstandings are a natural part of children being separated from either one of their parents. Communication again is the key. Your book has helped me open up the hurt places and share those with my daughter. My regrets, my fears, and my hopes and dreams for her and for our relationship. Today, we enjoy more honesty and real connectedness than we had most of the time we lived in the same home, and the communication skills I have learned and applied from your book have made that possible. The work is never over, the tools need to be used again and again, but with a good roadmap, there is hope. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.