In one of the early chapters of the new novel The Young Wives Club,
a young couple is greeted by an elderly man on a crowded dance floor.
He takes the girl by the hand, twirls her around, and imparts some of
our favorite relationship advice we've heard to date: “Key is to dance
[together] every day," he says. “In the living room… in the kitchen… in
the bathroom. Keeps you young."
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The book, which hits stores today, is written by Julie Pennell (and if her name sounds familiar, it's because she's a regular contributor to The Nest.)
The story follows the lives of four young brides as they navigate all
the bumps, drama and growing up that comes with marriage. In between
scenic imagery of a charming Louisiana town, sweet friendship moments
and some witty one-liners, the book also has some pretty solid love
lessons that brides and grooms of any age could benefit from. Below, see
some of the best advice we got from the book:
1. Take time to love yourself
Sometimes
we put our partners on a pedestal and focus on our own flaws so much
that we lose focus on the relationship—and ourselves. As one of the
characters points out when she's giving advice to another, “Be selfish
sometimes… when you love yourself, it'll be so much easier to love someone else."
2. Be open and honest all day, every day
One
of the main characters learns the hard way that an untruth can spiral
out of control quickly in a relationship. No spoilers, of course, but
it's a good reminder that even the littlest fib could lead to some
serious relationship problems. The golden rule? Thou shalt not lie.
3. Nip things in the bud
Sure, you always want to give your partner the benefit of the doubt,
but as one young bride does in the book, it's easy to assume the worst
and try to fix things on your own without going directly to the source
first. Talking with your spouse about a conflict as soon as it arises
can save a lot of time and energy. As we see in this plot, not doing so
can lead to a dramatic (albeit entertaining for readers) string of
events.
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4. Get a good cheering squad
One of the biggest themes in The Young Wives Club
is friendship, and it's refreshing to see the four main characters help
each other in their marriages throughout the book. One bride notes the
advice her dad once gave her: “Find people in your life who will support
[your relationship], not bring it down" — a good reminder that friends
can have an effect on your marriage happiness.
5. Dance together every day
As
mentioned above, we love the idea of finding an excuse to take your
spouse by the hand and twirl in between mundane tasks like folding
laundry or chopping onions. Of course, the characters also make a joke
in there about interpreting the dancing how you will (wink, wink), but
either way, we're pretty sure this playlist will inspire some movement.
The Young Wives Club is filled with many other nuggets of advice, heartwarming stories, and Southern charm—it pairs well with a glass of sweet tea. Buy on Amazon.
