What do you think?
Rate this book
The Love Sessions #4
The Love Sessions
Four couples discover the hard way that wedding vows are meant to be more than just words.
In Sickness and in Health
After a whirlwind courtship, Eric West and Shelby Bryan (featured in the prequel “Love’s Rebound”) elope. When their love loses its shine, the toll it takes on their marriage leads them down a detrimental path.
For Richer For Poorer
Secrets brought Terrence Baker and Alexis Norwood (featured in the prequel “Save Me From You”) together and now secrets threaten to tear them apart.
Do Us Part
Donovan Sinclair adores his wife Mya (featured in the prequel “Give Me You”) and lives to make her happy. Until one day, the one marital vow they never imagined experiencing ends it all – death.
With this Ring
Keri Waters arrives to the Poconos ready to pick a wedding date with her fiancé, but when she meets Nathan Garrett, she learns how it really feels to have a man love, honor and cherish her.
The Love Sessions is a full-length novel.
In Sickness and in Health
After a whirlwind courtship, Eric West and Shelby Bryan (featured in the prequel “Love’s Rebound”) elope. When their love loses its shine, the toll it takes on their marriage leads them down a detrimental path.
For Richer For Poorer
Secrets brought Terrence Baker and Alexis Norwood (featured in the prequel “Save Me From You”) together and now secrets threaten to tear them apart.
Do Us Part
Donovan Sinclair adores his wife Mya (featured in the prequel “Give Me You”) and lives to make her happy. Until one day, the one marital vow they never imagined experiencing ends it all – death.
With this Ring
Keri Waters arrives to the Poconos ready to pick a wedding date with her fiancé, but when she meets Nathan Garrett, she learns how it really feels to have a man love, honor and cherish her.
The Love Sessions is a full-length novel.
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 23, 2013
10 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Tia Kelly
23 books110 followersTia Kelly is the author of contemporary romance and women's fiction. She is known for her candid way of capturing life's moments, one character at a time.
www.tiawithapen.com
www.tiawithapen.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 19, 2013
4.5 Stars
When you pick up a novel from the romance section, you pretty much think you know what you’re going to get. A couple meets, they fall in love, they face an obstacle (or two, or three) and after some nail-biting occurrences, misunderstandings and relatively minor mishaps, they overcome the obstacle and live happily ever after. I had no reason to believe that The Love Sessions would deviate too much from that tried and true formula, and I was prepared for it. Even though you know where you’re going, it’s always great to see how different authors get you there and the people they introduce you to along the way. And for me, great romance novels have another couple of components—they should make you the reader actually doubt that it can or will end up with an HEA (happily ever after); and they should bear some semblance of a relationship to something that could happen in real life. I am not a fan of fairytales.
So with that background about my own biases, let me tell you what I thought about The Love Sessions. This novel opened with an introduction to a very appealing male protagonist, Nathan. He's in the Poconos supporting his sister and family as they hold a relationship retreat for couples about to get married. Nathan is himself not on the market, because he’s more concerned about his vocation in life than about women. But then he meets Keri, who though she is at the retreat with her fiancée, is aware that all is not well with their relationship. With the backdrop of Nathan and Keri’s developing attraction for each other, we learn about three other couples, whose stories are told during the various sessions at the retreat, and whose journeys represent the tests that couples endure to each of their marital vows. The author very cleverly titles the various sections of her novel after the vows we’re all familiar with.
It was around this time that the story broke away from Nathan and Keri for a spell that I realized that The Love Sessions is no run-of-the-mill romance. In fact, I’m not sure it should even be classified as such. The journey of these couples was riveting, emotional and gritty. The challenges they faced were not your average romance novel fodder. They were real-life, grown-folks problems; the kinds of problems that can easily make or break relationships and shatter lives. The exchanges between the couples were difficult to read at times, and occasionally felt voyeuristic, like I was peeking into people’s private business that I had no right to know about. I hesitate to discuss at length the nature of the challenges these couples faced because every single one would be a spoiler. Just read it for yourself!
What I will say, is that at the end of the day, there were no fairytales for most of these couples, but this is not to say that their endings weren’t happy. What stood out for me was that this author took the risk of having her stories end, but with the implication (which I LOVE in a book) that these characters go on with their lives—for good or for ill—even after she’d written her last page.
After finishing The Love Sessions, I had to ponder for a few days how to write this review and what I wanted to say. I think if I were to say one thing (okay, two things) it would be this: The Love Sessions is not about romance, it is about unmasking happily ever after and forcing us to think about what lies beyond those words. It is also about how marriage is often not the conclusion of a story but the beginning of one. Those two things I LOVED about this book. But because the author seems savvy and aware of her audience, there’s a sweet, feel-good fairytale romance in there as well. A little sweet to help the bitter go down more easily.
I give The Love Sessions 4.5 stars for one reason only. While I liked that these couples had such layered and complex issues and that the issues were some that real people can relate to, I did feel that any one couple or even two couples could have made for a more rich exploration of the themes in the book and of the characters themselves. I felt that I could have been more attached to them as people had there been fewer of them to get to know. But I freely admit that that’s a personal preference. I like to go deeper rather than wider when I read a book. So I would have preferred fewer couples if that meant going deeper. Having said that though, in The Love Sessions, Tia Kelly managed to do both deep and wide, and I highly recommend this book. It’s not your average romance novel.
Happy Reading!
Nia Forrester
When you pick up a novel from the romance section, you pretty much think you know what you’re going to get. A couple meets, they fall in love, they face an obstacle (or two, or three) and after some nail-biting occurrences, misunderstandings and relatively minor mishaps, they overcome the obstacle and live happily ever after. I had no reason to believe that The Love Sessions would deviate too much from that tried and true formula, and I was prepared for it. Even though you know where you’re going, it’s always great to see how different authors get you there and the people they introduce you to along the way. And for me, great romance novels have another couple of components—they should make you the reader actually doubt that it can or will end up with an HEA (happily ever after); and they should bear some semblance of a relationship to something that could happen in real life. I am not a fan of fairytales.
So with that background about my own biases, let me tell you what I thought about The Love Sessions. This novel opened with an introduction to a very appealing male protagonist, Nathan. He's in the Poconos supporting his sister and family as they hold a relationship retreat for couples about to get married. Nathan is himself not on the market, because he’s more concerned about his vocation in life than about women. But then he meets Keri, who though she is at the retreat with her fiancée, is aware that all is not well with their relationship. With the backdrop of Nathan and Keri’s developing attraction for each other, we learn about three other couples, whose stories are told during the various sessions at the retreat, and whose journeys represent the tests that couples endure to each of their marital vows. The author very cleverly titles the various sections of her novel after the vows we’re all familiar with.
It was around this time that the story broke away from Nathan and Keri for a spell that I realized that The Love Sessions is no run-of-the-mill romance. In fact, I’m not sure it should even be classified as such. The journey of these couples was riveting, emotional and gritty. The challenges they faced were not your average romance novel fodder. They were real-life, grown-folks problems; the kinds of problems that can easily make or break relationships and shatter lives. The exchanges between the couples were difficult to read at times, and occasionally felt voyeuristic, like I was peeking into people’s private business that I had no right to know about. I hesitate to discuss at length the nature of the challenges these couples faced because every single one would be a spoiler. Just read it for yourself!
What I will say, is that at the end of the day, there were no fairytales for most of these couples, but this is not to say that their endings weren’t happy. What stood out for me was that this author took the risk of having her stories end, but with the implication (which I LOVE in a book) that these characters go on with their lives—for good or for ill—even after she’d written her last page.
After finishing The Love Sessions, I had to ponder for a few days how to write this review and what I wanted to say. I think if I were to say one thing (okay, two things) it would be this: The Love Sessions is not about romance, it is about unmasking happily ever after and forcing us to think about what lies beyond those words. It is also about how marriage is often not the conclusion of a story but the beginning of one. Those two things I LOVED about this book. But because the author seems savvy and aware of her audience, there’s a sweet, feel-good fairytale romance in there as well. A little sweet to help the bitter go down more easily.
I give The Love Sessions 4.5 stars for one reason only. While I liked that these couples had such layered and complex issues and that the issues were some that real people can relate to, I did feel that any one couple or even two couples could have made for a more rich exploration of the themes in the book and of the characters themselves. I felt that I could have been more attached to them as people had there been fewer of them to get to know. But I freely admit that that’s a personal preference. I like to go deeper rather than wider when I read a book. So I would have preferred fewer couples if that meant going deeper. Having said that though, in The Love Sessions, Tia Kelly managed to do both deep and wide, and I highly recommend this book. It’s not your average romance novel.
Happy Reading!
Nia Forrester
July 25, 2016
I loved the variety of this. seeing things in so many different views good read for downtime.
June 9, 2013
Non-Spoiler review. This review is going to be about 4 books all cumulating in the "Love Sessions" The first 3 books are prequels, "Love's Rebound", "Give Me You" and "Save Me From You". They are not necessary but highly recommended. It describes 3 different couples and how they came together to pursue their "happy ever after". In "Love Sessions" the couples vows are put to the test. Tia Kelly does a great job of throwing out different scenarios. After the planning, the I do's and the honeymoon reaching the happily ever after is hard work. Do you believe only infidelity would ruin a marriage? how about in sickness and in health? for richer or for poorer? or til death do us apart?. Come take a journey as these couples answer the tough questions. Together with their love for one another and support of their family and friends can they survive?, would they survive?, can they handle the long road ahead and will they ever reach their happy ever after?. If it was you would you be strong enough to do the work? I really thought I was going to read a sappy romance and I was so pleasantly surprise. The story is seamless and written in a manner which makes it hard to put down.
July 25, 2013
4.5 Stars
This book was my first introduction to the author Tia Kelly. – This book is a glimpse into the lives of couples that are at various stages within their relationships. What I love about this book is that it is not all wine and roses. It is about the realities that so many face on a daily basis. This is what I call a step back book, trust me there is a big picture here. I love a book that after I’ve read it I was still thinking about it. The Love Sessions had me thinking, and at one point, I laid it down to think about it some more. The Love Sessions sucked me right in from the jump with the introduction of Nathan, who had no intentions of stepping in his father’s pastoral shoes. Nathan overhears Keri being put off by her fiancee and is immediately intrigued with her. Keri comes to the Loving Hearts Conference & Ball trying to solidify the relationship between her and her fiancee. But he of course has other plans in store for them. Eric and Shelby a married couple whose vows through sickness and health will be tested and tried. Donovan and Mya have so much to overcome , can they do it?? You have to read it to find out. I can't wait to see what's next from this author.
This book was my first introduction to the author Tia Kelly. – This book is a glimpse into the lives of couples that are at various stages within their relationships. What I love about this book is that it is not all wine and roses. It is about the realities that so many face on a daily basis. This is what I call a step back book, trust me there is a big picture here. I love a book that after I’ve read it I was still thinking about it. The Love Sessions had me thinking, and at one point, I laid it down to think about it some more. The Love Sessions sucked me right in from the jump with the introduction of Nathan, who had no intentions of stepping in his father’s pastoral shoes. Nathan overhears Keri being put off by her fiancee and is immediately intrigued with her. Keri comes to the Loving Hearts Conference & Ball trying to solidify the relationship between her and her fiancee. But he of course has other plans in store for them. Eric and Shelby a married couple whose vows through sickness and health will be tested and tried. Donovan and Mya have so much to overcome , can they do it?? You have to read it to find out. I can't wait to see what's next from this author.
June 27, 2013
I really enjoyed the three prequels to this novel but I absolutely LOVED this novel. You get to catch up with the three couples from, Loves Rebound, Give Me You and Save Me From You. The only thing I can say about this novel is that it is REAL. We all assume that couples from our favorite books live happily ever after but what happens when this thing we call LIFE happens? In Love Sessions we revisit the three couples and see what life has dealt them and watch them work through it. We also meet a new couple, Nathan and Keri. I would have loved to have gotten a little more of their story though. I know there has to be more books to come from this series because there is still some people you need to find love. Great job Tia Kelly. I look forward to the next book.
July 13, 2014
Following along with a new couple and catching up on the others was much needed. You read about their problems and the obstacles they faced during their marriage. Each couple went through more then enough but Donovan's story was the worse in my view. I couldn't put this down no matter how much I didn't want to read anymore after Donovan's part I had to because it was just too good not to. Great job on this.
November 12, 2017
My Review on Love Sessions
I love love love how the chapters are centered around each verse of the traditional marriage views. Nice read and I love how the author uses the same characters in more than one book!
I love love love how the chapters are centered around each verse of the traditional marriage views. Nice read and I love how the author uses the same characters in more than one book!
September 25, 2013
Great read…
Let me just start by saying I haven’t read a book that literally had me on the edge of my seat in a while. It was a definite page turner, from start to finish. The Love Sessions is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Kelly.
I was intrigued from the beginning. Nathan. What can I say about a Lance Gross look-a-like with a gift in his hands? Nathan met Keri at a Poconos pre-marital retreat and was immediately drawn to her. Keri was an attendee of the conference with her low down fiancé. And of course, I was totally invested in her dumping her fiancé and giving Nathan a try. What can I say? I’m a romance junkie.
As part of the conference, Nathan and Keri are introduced to couples who have married and struggled, but worked on their marriages. What made this book unique, to me? I was able to go on a journey with multiple couples as they navigated marriage, family, friends, and drama. Sometimes, too many characters with points-of-view can be confusing, but the author did a great job of interweaving the characters and drawing me into each story.
Ms. Kelly has a knack for steamy romance, creating unforgettable heroes and awesome heroines. But what I got in this book was so much more than a simple romance. The author included the prequel shorts—Love’s Rebound, Give Me to You, and Save Me From You—in the story, wrapping up those stories in this book. The stories about Donovan and Mya, Eric and Shelby, and Terrence and Alexis taught me a thing or two about unconditional love through the good and bad times.
While reading this book, I was forced to contemplate the true meaning of marital vows and what it takes to have a successful marriage. The couples dealt with issues such as the death of a child, financial problems, getting married too quickly, and past relationships. All of the couples were forced to examine their past in order to get to the root of their problems within their relationship and I was able to get a glimpse into their lives while they tried to make it work. Added to the mix was a cast of supporting characters that I wouldn’t mind reading more about in future books.
There was a message in the book, but it wasn’t a typical “message” book, which I appreciated. I found myself itching to skip to the end just to see if these couples had their happily-ever-after. I’m glad I didn’t because I so enjoyed the ride. I’m definitely excited to read more from Ms. Kelly.
-Reviewed by Leslie
Let me just start by saying I haven’t read a book that literally had me on the edge of my seat in a while. It was a definite page turner, from start to finish. The Love Sessions is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Kelly.
I was intrigued from the beginning. Nathan. What can I say about a Lance Gross look-a-like with a gift in his hands? Nathan met Keri at a Poconos pre-marital retreat and was immediately drawn to her. Keri was an attendee of the conference with her low down fiancé. And of course, I was totally invested in her dumping her fiancé and giving Nathan a try. What can I say? I’m a romance junkie.
As part of the conference, Nathan and Keri are introduced to couples who have married and struggled, but worked on their marriages. What made this book unique, to me? I was able to go on a journey with multiple couples as they navigated marriage, family, friends, and drama. Sometimes, too many characters with points-of-view can be confusing, but the author did a great job of interweaving the characters and drawing me into each story.
Ms. Kelly has a knack for steamy romance, creating unforgettable heroes and awesome heroines. But what I got in this book was so much more than a simple romance. The author included the prequel shorts—Love’s Rebound, Give Me to You, and Save Me From You—in the story, wrapping up those stories in this book. The stories about Donovan and Mya, Eric and Shelby, and Terrence and Alexis taught me a thing or two about unconditional love through the good and bad times.
While reading this book, I was forced to contemplate the true meaning of marital vows and what it takes to have a successful marriage. The couples dealt with issues such as the death of a child, financial problems, getting married too quickly, and past relationships. All of the couples were forced to examine their past in order to get to the root of their problems within their relationship and I was able to get a glimpse into their lives while they tried to make it work. Added to the mix was a cast of supporting characters that I wouldn’t mind reading more about in future books.
There was a message in the book, but it wasn’t a typical “message” book, which I appreciated. I found myself itching to skip to the end just to see if these couples had their happily-ever-after. I’m glad I didn’t because I so enjoyed the ride. I’m definitely excited to read more from Ms. Kelly.
-Reviewed by Leslie
February 16, 2014
Life Lessons
Dr. Savannah Harper is a therapist and the lead speaker for a couples retreat. For those looking to go down the path of holy matrimony, Dr. Harper has guest speakers who share some of their personal experiences that may have caused problems within their marriages. The purpose of the speakers are to show that there are circumstances that will come up throughout a marriage with the hopes that the couples will learn to communicate better with their partners and/or to really get to know someone before jumping heart first into a marriage.
Keri Waters and her fiancé attend the retreat. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be the weekend that she was to pick their wedding date and hear some of the speakers together, Keri attends the seminars by herself. This causes Keri to question if she really loves her fiancé or the idea of marriage more.
Tia Kelly’s “The Love Sessions” was a pretty good book. It was a story of love, anger, hurt and betrayal. Some of the couples that were speakers were blunt in the toughness of their marriages and they ultimately took the blame for their part in the demise or the crumbling of the marital foundation. Aside from some minor editing issues, my main complaint with this novel is that the timeframe was unclear. Also, there were too many characters and most of the characters sounded the same, which made the story hard to follow at times. Other than that, it was a pretty good novel and I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.
Reviewed by: LeonaR
3.5 stars
Dr. Savannah Harper is a therapist and the lead speaker for a couples retreat. For those looking to go down the path of holy matrimony, Dr. Harper has guest speakers who share some of their personal experiences that may have caused problems within their marriages. The purpose of the speakers are to show that there are circumstances that will come up throughout a marriage with the hopes that the couples will learn to communicate better with their partners and/or to really get to know someone before jumping heart first into a marriage.
Keri Waters and her fiancé attend the retreat. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be the weekend that she was to pick their wedding date and hear some of the speakers together, Keri attends the seminars by herself. This causes Keri to question if she really loves her fiancé or the idea of marriage more.
Tia Kelly’s “The Love Sessions” was a pretty good book. It was a story of love, anger, hurt and betrayal. Some of the couples that were speakers were blunt in the toughness of their marriages and they ultimately took the blame for their part in the demise or the crumbling of the marital foundation. Aside from some minor editing issues, my main complaint with this novel is that the timeframe was unclear. Also, there were too many characters and most of the characters sounded the same, which made the story hard to follow at times. Other than that, it was a pretty good novel and I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.
Reviewed by: LeonaR
3.5 stars
December 30, 2013
3.5 stars
July 11, 2015
What an awesome book!
Ms. Kelly will take you on a romantic rollercoaster ride that will have you yelling at your e-reader, laughing and crying. Grab a comfortable spot and dig in.
Ms. Kelly will take you on a romantic rollercoaster ride that will have you yelling at your e-reader, laughing and crying. Grab a comfortable spot and dig in.
August 31, 2016
Nice book
I enjoyed reading this book, although the transition between relationships was difficult to grasp. I liked the characters and the way they interacted with each other.
I enjoyed reading this book, although the transition between relationships was difficult to grasp. I liked the characters and the way they interacted with each other.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews