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The Marriage Wish
The Marriage Wish by Dee Henderson released on Aug 25, 2004 is available now for purchase.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
60 people are currently reading
1793 people want to read
About the author
Dee Henderson
71 books4,177 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Dee Henderson is the author of 27 non-fiction and fiction titles, including Jesus our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus the Truth and the Life, The Good News Project, Taken and the acclaimed O’MALLEY series. Several titles have appeared on the USA Today Bestseller list; Full Disclosure has also appeared on the New York Times Bestseller list. For details visit: DeeHenderson.com
Dee Henderson is the author of 27 non-fiction and fiction titles, including Jesus our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus the Truth and the Life, The Good News Project, Taken and the acclaimed O’MALLEY series. Several titles have appeared on the USA Today Bestseller list; Full Disclosure has also appeared on the New York Times Bestseller list. For details visit: DeeHenderson.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
July 16, 2018
The Marriage Wish, by Dee Henderson was unlike other books I’ve read by her. You can tell it’s an early work of hers, but I found the story to be simple and sweet.
I enjoyed the characters, Scott and Jen, and I could really sympathize with everything Jen had/was experiencing throughout the story. Henderson penned Jen’s emotions well, which allows the reader to feel right alongside her. It was also easy to relate to Scott and how he tried his best to help Jen work through things and to deeply understand her. It was endearing.
Dee Henderson wrote a caring story about two people trying to go against the odds stacked against them and I enjoyed it.
I enjoyed the characters, Scott and Jen, and I could really sympathize with everything Jen had/was experiencing throughout the story. Henderson penned Jen’s emotions well, which allows the reader to feel right alongside her. It was also easy to relate to Scott and how he tried his best to help Jen work through things and to deeply understand her. It was endearing.
Dee Henderson wrote a caring story about two people trying to go against the odds stacked against them and I enjoyed it.
December 7, 2011
In one word, Dee Henderson’s, “The Marriage Wish” is: Touching! Dee Henderson does a superb job of connecting and drawing in her readers, because this book does not speak to the head, but the heart! Healing takes place and dreams come true as the lives of Scott Williams and Jennifer St. James intertwine. Both characters show a willingness to face the obstacles and challenges that come with bringing two hearts together, after those hearts have been broken before.
This is not an easy book. Not easy in the sense that Dee Henderson does an amazing job of being real with how relationships take twists and turns and that choosing to face your hurts, pains, and fears require work, perseverance, and determination. Life happens in the pages of this book and my heart is left thanking God for sending His people other people to love us, heal us, and show us how to live again!
Love wins over in, “The Marriage Wish”, as Jennifer relives some heart rending life experiences, and Scott Williams depends on the Lord to show him how to bring comfort, forgiveness, and strength to her. Forgiveness is shown at its’ finest and the life changing love of God is revealed. I have found hope, encouragement, and life in the pages of, “The Marriage Wish”.
By: Jeremy Ray
www.abookforeveryheart.blogspot.com
November 12, 2021
Rounded to 4 ⭐️ because nostalgia.
I read this many years ago and really loved it. It’s still good but I dunno, I guess I’m just in a different place as a reader now(:
Anyway
This escalates pretty quickly. In some ways implausibly but I still enjoyed it.
Jennifer’s grief IS absolutely heartbreaking and the author presents/plays it out so well. Jennifer’s flashbacks are beautifully developed throughout the story. I love that they became more a source of peace and good memories than so sorrowful for her. I enjoyed that she was a master at pool and she surprised Scott several times with her interests/tastes. Made me grin.
I truly, absolutely appreciated Scott sharing her grief and loss once she opened up to him and that he didn’t alienate her or down play it. Also that they both struggled with anger and asking “why”.
Scott was a little bossy but maybe she needed some assertiveness.
I loved that both characters had such positive and strong sibling/family connections.
This has all the feels.
The last quarter seemed a little rushed but ultimately a touching read!
I read this many years ago and really loved it. It’s still good but I dunno, I guess I’m just in a different place as a reader now(:
Anyway
This escalates pretty quickly. In some ways implausibly but I still enjoyed it.
Jennifer’s grief IS absolutely heartbreaking and the author presents/plays it out so well. Jennifer’s flashbacks are beautifully developed throughout the story. I love that they became more a source of peace and good memories than so sorrowful for her. I enjoyed that she was a master at pool and she surprised Scott several times with her interests/tastes. Made me grin.
I truly, absolutely appreciated Scott sharing her grief and loss once she opened up to him and that he didn’t alienate her or down play it. Also that they both struggled with anger and asking “why”.
Scott was a little bossy but maybe she needed some assertiveness.
I loved that both characters had such positive and strong sibling/family connections.
This has all the feels.
The last quarter seemed a little rushed but ultimately a touching read!
August 7, 2025
A 3.5 rounded up because Dee is a favorite author.
This is her first book c1998 Love Inspired by Steeple Hill.
Scott and Jennifer. SO much grief on the part of the heroine (a widow, whose husband and daughter had died) slowed down the read for me.
And I still want to know how the house fire started. (I suspect the puppy had something to do with it.)
Mature main characters .. in their late 30’s.
This is her first book c1998 Love Inspired by Steeple Hill.
Scott and Jennifer. SO much grief on the part of the heroine (a widow, whose husband and daughter had died) slowed down the read for me.
And I still want to know how the house fire started. (I suspect the puppy had something to do with it.)
Mature main characters .. in their late 30’s.
January 28, 2012
This is the first Dee Henderson book I have read and ironically, it's the first book she wrote. This book gives me great hope in writing my own book one day.
It's not at all what I was expecting. It's an easy read that makes you want to see the couple get together in the end but the intense healing that has to take place is deep.
Final thoughts on reading it.....I'm thankful for healthy kids and I don't ever want to take for granted them or my husband.
Also, I may need a puppy.
It's not at all what I was expecting. It's an easy read that makes you want to see the couple get together in the end but the intense healing that has to take place is deep.
Final thoughts on reading it.....I'm thankful for healthy kids and I don't ever want to take for granted them or my husband.
Also, I may need a puppy.
February 19, 2014
READS Library loan for Kindle. This book definitely had a predictable story line. The characters were terribly perfect, rich, beautiful, talented, and most of all so morally excellent. The hero of the story, Scott, is a saint. The story of the heroine, Jennifer, reads like an example of "why bad things happen to good people" and thus was the main plot of the book. This was an easy book to read with a lot of dialogue. Except for Jennifer's sad past, I kept waiting for the punchline, which didn't come until the last few chapters of the book. Afterward the story came to a pretty perfect and abrupt halt with the inclusion of an epilogue in order to give the reader the "rest of the story" in a nutshell. Good book for light reading before bed :) Main themes included, death of spouse, child, prematurity, new beginnings, trust in God for one's future.
December 4, 2017
I read this many years ago. It was clean but very early writing by Dee her later books especially the O’Malley series are great. Don’t miss them
May 15, 2008
God's Gift and The Marriage Wish are two of this author's earliest published books. These are Ok, but the series she's written since are much improved.
February 12, 2017
Pathetic. Just not my kind of book I suppose.
March 1, 2025
This is Ms. Henderson's debut book and after reading almost all her other books this one did not stand up to what I was used to from her. Jennifer is an author who is dealing with the grief of losing her husband and baby with the last few years. Scott has just celebrated his 38th birthday and wants a family. Scott has a strong faith and was very compassionate with Jennifer but at times he came across too perfect. Jennifer's faith has struggled due to her losses and is dealing with fear and hesitant to move forward with her feelings. I liked the character development and close sibling relationships between the characters, but I found the move moved slow and I wasn't that invested in it. There was a tense suspense moment added near the end that seemed added for no particular reason and then it skipped a period of time and the recap of what happened in between could have been flushed out more, it felt rushed. The epilogue ruined the book for me because something was revealed when the rest of the book fought against that happening. This was a miss for me.
April 6, 2020
One of Dee Henderson’s earlier works. The story draws you in and makes you want to keep reading, but the plot line itself is fairly formulaic and shallow. I found the hero, Scott, to be quite selfish actually, pushing for a relationship and marriage when Jennifer is clearly still recovering from the loss of her first husband and baby. He is angry that she doesn’t want to have children and obsesses about it. Jennifer seems to make peace with her past after another traumatic event, but no reason is given other than that the fire happened. Also, the sudden appearance of twin babies in the epilogue, after they had agreed only to adopt, is inconsistent.
Like many of Henderson’s other works, the characters are rich, stereotypically strong male and fragile female, and the faith aspect is often just added in, not really central to the story.
This seems very negative but it is pretty well written, it’s the characters themselves who annoy me!
Like many of Henderson’s other works, the characters are rich, stereotypically strong male and fragile female, and the faith aspect is often just added in, not really central to the story.
This seems very negative but it is pretty well written, it’s the characters themselves who annoy me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2023
This was a love story, not a romance 🌶️ book. Overall the story was fine. There was a beginning scene where Scott asks Jennifer after meeting her on the beach, to walk with her and I’m pretty sure she says “no” but then he like ignores that and starts walking with her. It kind of reminded me of a Nicholas Sparks book.
This was also heavily centered around God. For me, I didn’t like it and skipped any part they talk about God, but for some, they’ll like it. God isn’t a part of my life so it’s not my preference to read stories involving them.
The story telling in that it wasn’t obvious we were switching perspectives was HORRIBLE. Normally there is an obvious break in paragraphs, it in this therr wasn’t. You’d be reading Jennifer’s POV but then the next paragraph switched to Scott. It was incredibly annoying and hard to follow.
This was also heavily centered around God. For me, I didn’t like it and skipped any part they talk about God, but for some, they’ll like it. God isn’t a part of my life so it’s not my preference to read stories involving them.
The story telling in that it wasn’t obvious we were switching perspectives was HORRIBLE. Normally there is an obvious break in paragraphs, it in this therr wasn’t. You’d be reading Jennifer’s POV but then the next paragraph switched to Scott. It was incredibly annoying and hard to follow.
February 18, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It was great to read a book where the characters' Christianity was so naturally a part of their lives and just flowed through the book. It was difficult to read in places and there was a heartbreaking theme but I thought it was handled very well. Patience was shown, care and understanding given following a difficult few years for one of the characters but the message that God can restore life came through. The first Dee Henderson book I have read. I will look out for more.
August 21, 2017
Dit is eerlikwaar 'n baie mooi boek en ek het dit so geniet om te lees. Ek kon die boek nie neersit nie. Drome, wense en ideale is iets wat elkeen koester! Om hulle waar te maak, vra egter geduld, vertroue en deursettingsvermoë.
'n Droom van 'n vrou is geskryf vir elke leser om te deel in die hartseer van 'n vrou wat die smart van haar man en kind wat sy aan die dood afgestaan het, moet verwerk.
'n Droom van 'n vrou is geskryf vir elke leser om te deel in die hartseer van 'n vrou wat die smart van haar man en kind wat sy aan die dood afgestaan het, moet verwerk.
August 17, 2020
In direct opposition to the last review I wrote, this book had choices that were made that clearly had a logic and a reason behind them without being overly preachy. One of my favorite things about Dee Henderson is her skill at making faith an essential and believable part of the characters. It's still a romance so it's predictable, but you knew that when you picked it up.
June 13, 2023
This was one of those books that I needed to check the publication date on because it felt contemporary, but I'm so used to cell phones that it feels weird when they're absent. That said, I liked both Scott and Jennifer (and the way they overcome some of their issues), especially the fact that he was willing to be patient and help her through her trauma. The book dates well.
March 4, 2017
3.5 simply because this is her very first book and she truly improves as she continues to write. I love all of her books, but this was a tad to simple. Also, she needed a better editor as there were lots of mistakes with the characters, so for me that was a tad frustrating.
September 3, 2021
Wonderful read. Enjoyed this so much. It was such a hard time of grieving but Scott was supportive, seeking God’s wisdom, loving and supporting Jennifer through all. Never gave up on her.
Have enjoyed the O’Malley series and this was a nice change and done so well by the author.
Have enjoyed the O’Malley series and this was a nice change and done so well by the author.
January 3, 2023
Read in 2022; this book was an interesting story. It read more as a short story than a long novel, in the sense that the characters could have been a bit more developed and drawn out. Overall, it was a nice read that touched upon real life issues.
May 12, 2017
I loved this book! It made me feel along side the characters! I cried and laughed the entire time!
June 28, 2017
Great read
I really enjoyed this book. It was real. Though at times I felt Jennifer's fears were over dramatic I can see why it would pull in the female audience.
I really enjoyed this book. It was real. Though at times I felt Jennifer's fears were over dramatic I can see why it would pull in the female audience.
August 12, 2017
Nice read.
Romantic . Theme: overcoming fear in relationships. Strong characters.
I would have liked more story about the couple during the Marriage years. Book ended to soon.
Romantic . Theme: overcoming fear in relationships. Strong characters.
I would have liked more story about the couple during the Marriage years. Book ended to soon.
May 26, 2018
Dee Henderson...not your best book. At all.
July 21, 2019
Great story
Fantastic characters and great setting. Thank you Ms. Henderson for writing another amazing book. Wonderful to read a book and not worry about bad language.
Fantastic characters and great setting. Thank you Ms. Henderson for writing another amazing book. Wonderful to read a book and not worry about bad language.
August 7, 2019
Very good read. Seemed to be realistic, except that the male protgonist was too good to be true. Recommended.
February 23, 2020
Loved this book, but Scott was just too perfect....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2020
Guys like the main character maybe doesn't exist in real world, or at least in my world. But, I keep my hopes high!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews