Lessons on relationships and marriage from the main protagonist

[Samisah]

I think marriage is something that can be guided by rules. I also think it's important to fully understand the consequence of our actions before we make them.
Well it's a book, otherwise not everyone gets to have a happy ending like it occurred here to most of the characters. "Respect" and "responsibility" are two keep words I would watch out for when I say I do.

[blessing_bona]

It broke my heart to know that the relationship between him and Rachel would meet the rocks. He was sure he loved her.

Communication is an important skill in every relationship. Rules are only meant for people, when it's necessary you break it.
If only he had opened up to his wife.

[Netvigator72]

The main protagonist was under a lot of stress when he committed his infidelity. Ultimately, he had a weak moment and allowed it to overcome him. He only truly felt the effects of his actions when he was confronted in Vietnam. I believe he learned a lesson that he desperately needed to learn. Even when he met Sarah, he still thought of Rachel and his absence in the life of his children. He still reminisced about how beautiful Rachel was when they met and about how much he misses her. I think we need to learn from that to communicate and appreciate your spouse no matter what the situation is. The lack of those necessities is ultimately what drew them apart in my opinion.

Daniel did the right thing, in my opinion. He realized that his woman had been unhappy for a long time. He respected her need for space and moved into an apartment, whilst seeking counseling. The counseling ultimately worked, and after a healthy time apart, he and Pam are better than ever. A lot can be learned about this. I don't believe he was giving up by succumbing to the separation. I feel that if he forced the relationship by staying in the home during counseling, it may have had a different effect.

Extremely well said!

[Paige Alvarado]

The main protagonist was under a lot of stress when he committed his infidelity. Ultimately, he had a weak moment and allowed it to overcome him. He only truly felt the effects of his actions when he was confronted in Vietnam. I believe he learned a lesson that he desperately needed to learn. Even when he met Sarah, he still thought of Rachel and his absence in the life of his children. He still reminisced about how beautiful Rachel was when they met and about how much he misses her. I think we need to learn from that to communicate and appreciate your spouse no matter what the situation is. The lack of those necessities is ultimately what drew them apart in my opinion.

Daniel did the right thing, in my opinion. He realized that his woman had been unhappy for a long time. He respected her need for space and moved into an apartment, whilst seeking counseling. The counseling ultimately worked, and after a healthy time apart, he and Pam are better than ever. A lot can be learned about this. I don't believe he was giving up by succumbing to the separation. I feel that if he forced the relationship by staying in the home during counseling, it may have had a different effect.

Extremely well said!

Thanks!

[Rachel_Emmanuel]

Nothing lasts forever including relationships. The protagonist's weakness got he better part of him. Well, not everyone is perfect, and i believe this is what the author was trying to pass across. I appreciate the fact that Daniel saw a need to go for counselling putting his ego aside and decided to make his relationship work.

[Jajachris]

I think it can be hard for marriage to work with one person out of sight. Marriage takes a lot of work and it takes maturity to recognize and accept what you are not doing right, and then try to right it. All four men have different paths but they found it hard balancing their marriages and their love for adventure.

[HanElizabeth397]

Nothing lasts forever including relationships. The protagonist's weakness got he better part of him. Well, not everyone is perfect, and i believe this is what the author was trying to pass across. I appreciate the fact that Daniel saw a need to go for counselling putting his ego aside and decided to make his relationship work.

I felt like Daniel's approach was better as him and his wife saw an issue and decided that they wanted to solve it and work on it. I think that the book demonstrates relationships are work and there needs to be a solid effort from both parties in order for them to work

[gelli_baranda]

For me, I think the most important lesson we can learn from story is to never accept that cheating is okay. Infidelity cannot be rebuild by trust. Once broken, it's there already.

[Chinazo Anozie]

The main protagonist has a divorce, Daniel suffers a separation, Sam feels he is floating and Alec needs counseling before he could commit. What lessons can we draw from their relationships?

The lesson I got is that communication is truly key in all forms of relationships otherwise when issues are left untreated, they would just fester and turn into resentment.

[jimmy02]

In a relationship, communication is very important. It ensures that a couple can have a shot at smoothening things out before they explode into disaster. And as always, to all you bibliophiles out there, you must all have gotten a kick out of narrator meeting his second wife in B&N bookstore!

[Tabuya Dube]

If only they had communicated their fears and struggles with each other from the onset and even gone for counseling at the start. They allowed things to drift until nothing could be done to save the marriage

[Manas Ranjan Mishra]

The narrator and Rachel behaved like they signed a contract, so they followed some rules and expected the marriage to work. They didn't seem aware that a relationship changes in time, so the spouses need to keep "in synch" if they want it to keep on working. Communications seemed quite poor in their marriage.

I agree with you. I also felt the same. Maybe a bit more conversation and sacrifice would have worked for them.

[Regard003]

I think their marriage lacked communication. That was thier major fall out. Maybe if they had really talked about his challenges Rachel might have understood and they might have been happier

[n3stl3y_]

That married couples or people in relationships should learn how to prioritise their partners.

[Anuvamsha S A]

In my point of view, they didn't balance their love for adventure and their personal life which caused a downhill in their relationship. A marriage is something when both parties work together but not one in absent and i agree with this ideology.