Happily Ever After by Trista Sutter (A Review)

I’ve decided that Trista Sutter and I could be BFFs (don’t worry Heather – I won’t replace you) based on the way that she writes and describes falling in love with her husband, Ryan.

In her new book that hits stores on December 5, Happily Ever After, Trista talks about living a life of gratefulness and being thankful daily for the blessings that have been bestowed upon us — even when those blessings are in the form of a runny-nosed baby or piles of laundry.

From page one, Trista had me hooked. Her writing style is conversational and engaging. I faintly remember her rise to stardom on the first Bachelorette. Back when she became the first on-screen girl choosing between twenty-five eligible bachelors, I wasn’t paying too much attention to reality TV. But, I did pay attention to the tabloids and magazines that continued to splash her and her new fiance’s pictures all over the place — you can’t avoid those in the checkout lines at the supermarket.

I will admit that I didn’t expect it to last. Like most things we see in the media, I assumed it was a fairy tale that would look good for a while and then disintegrate as the majority of Hollywood romances seem to do.

Well, I was right about one thing. Trista and Ryan’s story was a fairy tale. But considering they’ve been married since 2003, it was — and is — a real-life fairytale.

This is why I feel like we’d be BFFs. I have found my Prince Charming, and I’m eternally grateful that he was placed into my life. I try to remind myself daily of all of the things that we have that others don’t.

Today, as I lamented how long the days seem when Aaron’s at work, he said, “It could be worse.” And he’s right.

Like Trista, I plan to take the time each day to say thank you for all of the wonderful gifts I’ve been given — no matter the shape they take.

I had the chance to ask Trista a couple of questions:

To what do you attribute yours and Ryan’s success despite the Hollywood buzz?   

I think the fact that we made a conscious decision to move to Colorado didn’t hurt. We also prioritize our relationship and our family above all else and have tried our best over the years to stay grounded in the truth that buzz is fleeting. Our family and friends are not.   

What one piece of advice would you give a couple struggling to stay together? How could they overcome the struggle?   

Make sure your relationship sits at the top of your totem pole. It needs just as much, if not more attention than your kids and your job, in order to set the foundation for a happy home life, so make it a priority. Schedule date nights. Get away on couples vacations, or just make it a point to veg on the couch together after getting the kids to bed and finishing up your work.  

See what I mean? BFFs.

Be sure to get a copy of Trista’s book available in stores on December 5th.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of Happily Ever After in exchange for this post. There was no other compensation. All opinions are my own.

 

Tags: books, happily ever after, relationships, review