Married Strangers

by Dwan Abrams

What do you do when you think you’ve married the wrong man? Shortly after getting married, Amari discovers that marriage is not all it’s cracked up to be, and she secretly wants out. Her friend, Samantha, has problems of her own. She’s dealing with baby momma drama, and sometimes regrets her decision to get married, too. Shania is in love and recently engaged . . . until she uncovers a secret that could rip her world apart. Will she make it to the altar?  

262 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2008

About the author

Dwan Abrams is the award-winning author of Divorcing the Devil, Only True Love Waits (winner of the 2007 Pen of the Writer POWER Award), The Scream Within and Favor (short story appearing in The Midnight Clear anthology). Her fourth novel, Married Strangers, will be released in December 2008.

She's the founder, publisher and executive director of Nevaeh Publishing, a small press independent publishing house.

Dwan hosts a radio talk show every Saturday from 12:30-1:30 p.m. on AM 1260 WTJH. The show has 500,000 weekly listeners in 17 metro Atlanta counties.

Recently, she joined the Divas of Literature Tour and will travel with them to five cities this summer. She'll also be a contestant on the upcoming reality show, The Ultimate Author! "

Reviews

[Tamara Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book!

[Luyanda]

60 rating

[Rita Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it... Kept me entertained

[Michael Colvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was kind of slow to me. While I loved the content, the events just moved to slow for me..

[Holly (2 Kids and Tired) · Rating 2 out of 5]

In theory, this has the potential to be a fascinating book. The story follows three couples, all of whom have their relationship issues and disagreements. The chapters alternate between each couple, with some minor story overlapping. Each perspective is third-person narrative, with Shania's chapters being first-person. It was hard to tell who the actual story was about.

Rayna is a newlywed who discovers that marriage is not always a daily fairy tale. Aja has issues of her own with her husband's ex, finances and a young suitor, whose advances she doesn't completely discourage. Shania is recently engaged to Mr. Perfect when her sister shows up with a drug-dealing boyfriend and her own issues.

The story is billed as "real life", and one that people can relate to, if it is assumed that every person questions why they got married. Perhaps other people can relate to that. I can't. I've never doubted my marriage, my reasons for marriage or my husband.

I found the story choppy and uneven, with little character development and nothing that drew me to any of the couples. Honestly, most of the time I found myself annoyed with them and their attitudes. It was contrived and forced and then suddenly, every thing was wrapped up too neatly. As it jumped around, I kept wondering if I'd missed some information somewhere. I think it was a story with a great deal of potential. Certainly the issues addressed here are real. Perhaps it would have been better if it had actually centered on one main couple and how they worked through things, rather than three different ones.

I'd give it 1.5 stars if I could.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some things about this book that I could not relate to. For one, I am totally crazy about my husband and I could not for the life of me fathom crying in the shower on my honeymoon. I could not imagine doubting that I had married my soul mate and the man God had in his mind for me. I could not picture being remotely annoyed with baby mama drama. I know people who get wound up over things like that, but as I have told them...you should have seen that coming, and if you didn't want that life...you should have moved on.

I enjoyed parts of this book, and usually that was with Shania's chapters. I loved how Shania prayed about situations. Her conversations with God was real. I liked her as a character. She was flesh. I cared about her. I also liked that Bryce spoke with Rayna's father when he really needed to know what to do about their relationship. Reading about Bryce and Rayna's breakthrough was great. It was important to me to read as they prayed together about restoration of his relationship with his mom. Steps are shown in this book. There are some real gems in here. I had to get over myself a bit at times to find them, but in the end, I truly felt I learned something from Married Strangers. :)

[Shawntay F · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never read a Christian fiction book before. As a Christian I was excited to start reading this. To combine my faith and my love of reading intrigued me, but once I started reading I was very disappointed. I actually read this during a 16 hour drive from Florida and by page 7 I wasn't sure I wanted to read anymore and but I kept on. Around page 43 I wanted to toss it from the moving car but I forged on. The dialogue wasn't believable and lots of information just seemed unnecessary. The book summary had you to believe these women had struggles in their relationships and needed to overcome all these issues. The book seemed to take place in a span of a month. I don't see how you can question your relationship/marriage, feel you've married the wrong man, think your spouse is cheating, deal with babymama drama and family problems and have them all resolve in a month. I understand it's fiction but I would like to believe the story. What I did love was the Christian aspect of the story. God was the focus in each woman's life and there were lessons spoken about that we all could benefit from hearing. I continued to read this book for those lessons but the stories around them felt too rushed and unbelievable. This could have been better.

[Adrienna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was surprised after reading her best-selling book, "Divorcing the Devil" that this book was a flop. I skimmed through most of the book and finished it within a couple of hours. I could have stopped after first chapter, but wanted to give the book the benefit of the doubt...and now left with doubt. This sounds like a good book with it titled "Married Strangers", but sometimes it is true that we are married to a stranger we are learning to know, love, and cherish for the rest of our lives. Also, I pray that I do not marry someone that I am not sexually attracted to...like in the book. Interracial marriage was also mentioned in the book, baby mamma drama and financial absurdities...which are some dilemmas that can happen in marriage. These are good topics to discuss in the book, but I was just not feeling this book. Now reading, "My Son's Wife" by Sheila E. Lipsey. The book starts off good in the first few pages!

[Rhapsody Phoenix · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't fancy this book at all, I found that there was too little investment in the development of the characters hence I was not interested in them either and didn’t care about their relationship. This book felt more like a platform for the author to spew her views on “relationship” (which in itself see underdeveloped) yet she failed miserably. It would have been better if she had taken just one couple and take the time to explore each individually character in terms of their ankhs and then together as a couple and how those ankhs impact, impede the relationship as they maneuver the transition in to married life, battle their insecurities and come to a place of understanding and balance with God as the center. Instead she half stepped on all the couples, touching areas such as the lack of sexual intimacy and domestic violence two significant issues in any relationship which was death with poorly with dis-satisfactory resolutions.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far, the author has me still reading. I have to admit that I'm not a fan of the style writing the author chooses to use for Shania but I am still pressing forward.

I usually don't take as long to finish reading my christian fiction books, this one took me a while longger. It wasn't horrible and i agree that it has the potential of being great if it was worked on from a different stand point.

[Melissa Frye · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book's set-up excited me but after the first three chapters it became a tedious walk through over description and brand-name advertising. It wasn't a total waste of time but I can't recommend it. I'm sure there are those that will love it. I'm sad to say I'm not one of them.

[Benzette · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW is all I can say. I have never read anything by this author, but I finished this book in less than a day. I wasn't ready for the book to end. It left me wanting more.

[Betty Watson · Rating 1 out of 5]

:-(

[Tanesha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Confusing sequence.

[Chiquedee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok.

[Thais · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just started this book so I'll get back after the third chapter.

[Sheneka Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this twice and will read it again. The best of Christian fiction about relationships.