The Secret Ingredient for a Happy Marriage

Shirley Jump

May 2018 · Sold by Forever

About this ebook

From New York Times bestselling author Shirley Jump comes a heartwarming tale about friendship, family, and the unbreakable bond between sisters.

THE SECRET INGREDIENT FOR A HAPPY MARRIAGE

Nora has always been the sister who binds the O'Bannons together. No matter what crisis hits, smart, dependable Nora knows how to fix it. But for Nora, the pressure of perfection is taking its toll.

Nora's marriage is in trouble, and she has been reluctant to worry her sisters with just how dire her situation is. Now though, faced with losing her husband, her home, and the life she's worked so hard to build, Nora can no longer pretend.

As the O'Bannon women rally around her, Nora begins to see that failure is nothing to fear. It's like they say in the bakery: if you want to make something good, you can't be afraid to get messy. When her husband returns, asking Nora to give their family a second chance, Nora must decide if their relationship can be saved-or if it's time to throw out the old recipe and start from scratch.

Ratings and reviews

Loved this emotional story of the O'Bannon sisters. This story focuses on Nora, who has always made everything perfect on the outside but falling apart on the inside. Nora has always been the strong sister and is not use to asking for help, but when her marriage is falling apart and her house is in foreclosure she finally has to ask for help. Loved how they came together to help. I especially loved her husband, who never gave up on their marriage. My emotions were all over in this story, so many problems that we all face and it makes you feel like you are not in it alone. A well written story that I had a hard time putting down. This is the second book in the series but can be read as a stand alone. I highly recommend this book.

Review written by Marie for Ever After Book Reviews! 4.5 Stars What a delightful surprise this book was! When I picked it up, I was expecting a light-hearted romance. I was NOT expecting such depth and raw emotions. And I can honestly say that I was glad. This book introduces us to Nora, a woman working in her family bakery, trying to maintain a marriage and life with her husband, Ben, who also happens to have a gambling addiction. Ben’s secret addiction has them on the brink of collapse. They are struggling in their marriage and his inability to control his gambling has them at risk of losing their home. What makes this so difficult, is Nora’s strength and refusal to let this secret out, so she works extremely hard to hold everything together. But what makes this book so unique is how it approaches some of the core values of a relationship – trust, acceptance, forgiveness, and so much more. It is a beautiful story about how no matter the obstacle, leaning on those around you that love you can be uplifting and take so much of the burden off your shoulders. Ms. Jump has yet again written a story with strong female characters and a romance that reminds us to continue looking back to what started it all off to begin with. It’s beautiful. It’s brilliant. It’s definitely worth the read. ***I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own***

About the author

When she's not writing books, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shirley Jump competes in triathlons, mostly because all that training lets her justify mid-day naps and a second slice of chocolate cake. She's published more than 60 books in 24 languages, although she's too geographically challenged to find any of those countries on a map. Visit her website at www.ShirleyJump.com for author news and a booklist, and follow her on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/shirleyjump.author for giveaways and deep discussions about important things like chocolate and shoes.