Booklife Review

Combining marriage advice with graphic novel appeal, therapist Anderson (Connect2 Personality Mapping) transforms the story of young couple Ben and Grace into a practical intimacy guide overflowing with hands-on activities. As the pair open up in counseling, their level-headed therapist educates them on attachment styles, healthy communication, and more, gently urging both Ben and Grace to recognize the voices and experiences from their childhood that are plaguing their current relationship—and learn how to meet their needs in healthy, respectful ways. Anderson closes each chapter with take-home exercises and prompts to help readers implement the advice, ultimately reconstructing Ben and Grace’s story into a valuable, in-the-trenches marriage handbook.

Though Anderson’s featured couple is male-female, she offers readers functional lessons that will apply to any relationship. As Ben and Grace learn to use I-statements and recognize their own feelings, their therapist delicately, but firmly, dives into their pasts—always returning to a stoplight metaphor as a barometer for their potential discomfort. The idea that childhood influences can negatively affect adult relationships is intense, but Anderson addresses it in a compassionate way, allowing space for readers to decipher their own clues from past experiences. Whether it’s assessing physiological reactions to stress, learning to speak a partner’s love language, or understanding the connection between brain processes and emotional responses, readers will find the material as engaging as it is thought-provoking.

Nur Jaffar Latip’s graphics showcase black and white snapshots of Ben and Grace in different stages of therapy—and their realistic, raw emotions as they attempt to put what they’ve learned into practice at home. Important concepts, like the subtle voices of their family of origin commenting on their interactions with each other, are highlighted in brilliant color, a stark reminder that internalized childhood beliefs can seriously interfere with adult connections. This insightful look at the hard work that goes into marriage is pure relationship gold.

Takeaway: Savvy marriage advice in graphic novel form.

Comparable Titles: Gary Chapman’s Loving Your Spouse When You Feel Like Walking Away, Kathleen Edelman’s I Said This, You Heard That.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B+