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How to Get to 'I Do': A Dating Guide for Catholic Women
Foreword by Fr. C. John McCloskey, III
"Finding a man is just like finding a parking spot in New York City. It can be hard and take a while, but you can do it."—From Chapter One
Ten years of eye-opening experiences on the Christian dating scene equipped Amy Bonaccorso to offer hard-hitting advice that will help you get real, get practical, and get married. As a happily married woman, she knows what works (internet dating), what doesn't (living a nun-like existence), and gives you the confidence to date strategically with an eye toward marriage. Forget about Prince Charming—he doesn't exist—but plenty of good men are waiting for a woman like you to throw away the checklist of idealized mate material and settle down with a real man.
This practical and realistic guide for single Catholic women offers you an opportunity for self-assessment (if you want to make a good catch, be a good catch), and takes seriously the importance of marriage as a vocation to be pursued with as much energy as a call to the religious life.
"Finding a man is just like finding a parking spot in New York City. It can be hard and take a while, but you can do it."—From Chapter One
Ten years of eye-opening experiences on the Christian dating scene equipped Amy Bonaccorso to offer hard-hitting advice that will help you get real, get practical, and get married. As a happily married woman, she knows what works (internet dating), what doesn't (living a nun-like existence), and gives you the confidence to date strategically with an eye toward marriage. Forget about Prince Charming—he doesn't exist—but plenty of good men are waiting for a woman like you to throw away the checklist of idealized mate material and settle down with a real man.
This practical and realistic guide for single Catholic women offers you an opportunity for self-assessment (if you want to make a good catch, be a good catch), and takes seriously the importance of marriage as a vocation to be pursued with as much energy as a call to the religious life.
161 pages, Paperback
First published August 23, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 28, 2011
I wish I had enough cash to buy a copy for every single Catholic woman I know and give it to them.
Coming to marriage, as I did, as an agnostic, late-twenties woman, stumbling my way through meeting and dating guys, it seems like a no-brainer. You meet a guy who finally clicks in the right ways. He loves you too. Miracle! And it keeps going so you get married and settle down to finding out what life together is really all about.
That is difficult enough for both men and women in general these days.
However, now that I have two daughters who are young women, know many of their friends, and have many younger, unmarried Catholic female friends of my own, I can see that there is a way to make it more difficult. Add being a devout Catholic into the mix. For some reason that adds a whole set of complications that never occurred to me before.
Some women insist on marrying only a Catholic.
Others feel they are failed by their church if the parish singles group isn't providing suitably eligible men.
Most struggle with chastity on some level or other.
That doesn't even count the potential minefield of on-line dating, meeting men from different countries (not to mention different faiths), hostile parents, and all the other hazards of modern dating.
Imagine my pleasure and relief when I read How to Get to "I Do" which handles every question and issue with calm, practical commonsense. She dated for ten years before marrying and encountered many of the everyday problems that modern, devout Catholic women run into when trying to find that good man who they will "click" with. This is really a complete guide, covering not only where to meet men but a variety of topics, such as as meeting in a public place for a first date, Catholic places outside parishes to meet people, dating within your means, handling guys who flirt with everyone, and much more.
I was equally pleased to see that she goes past finding and discerning guys to date and delves into issues to consider before committing to marriage, coping with disappointment and betrayal, how to handle remaining single for a long time when you are dying to get married, engagement tips, and planning a wedding.
Obviously this is aimed at Catholics but it seems to me that most Christian women would profit from it as well. I would even recommend it to nonbelievers who share common values with Catholics, such as valuing themselves enough to remain chaste until marriage. (There are such women, although modern news and entertainment would lead you to believe otherwise.) There is plenty of good, solid advice here to be gleaned for many situations that are common to all dating women.
This is a book that I will be recommending to many women, starting close to home. My own daughters can benefit greatly from it.
Coming to marriage, as I did, as an agnostic, late-twenties woman, stumbling my way through meeting and dating guys, it seems like a no-brainer. You meet a guy who finally clicks in the right ways. He loves you too. Miracle! And it keeps going so you get married and settle down to finding out what life together is really all about.
That is difficult enough for both men and women in general these days.
However, now that I have two daughters who are young women, know many of their friends, and have many younger, unmarried Catholic female friends of my own, I can see that there is a way to make it more difficult. Add being a devout Catholic into the mix. For some reason that adds a whole set of complications that never occurred to me before.
Some women insist on marrying only a Catholic.
Others feel they are failed by their church if the parish singles group isn't providing suitably eligible men.
Most struggle with chastity on some level or other.
That doesn't even count the potential minefield of on-line dating, meeting men from different countries (not to mention different faiths), hostile parents, and all the other hazards of modern dating.
Imagine my pleasure and relief when I read How to Get to "I Do" which handles every question and issue with calm, practical commonsense. She dated for ten years before marrying and encountered many of the everyday problems that modern, devout Catholic women run into when trying to find that good man who they will "click" with. This is really a complete guide, covering not only where to meet men but a variety of topics, such as as meeting in a public place for a first date, Catholic places outside parishes to meet people, dating within your means, handling guys who flirt with everyone, and much more.
I was equally pleased to see that she goes past finding and discerning guys to date and delves into issues to consider before committing to marriage, coping with disappointment and betrayal, how to handle remaining single for a long time when you are dying to get married, engagement tips, and planning a wedding.
Obviously this is aimed at Catholics but it seems to me that most Christian women would profit from it as well. I would even recommend it to nonbelievers who share common values with Catholics, such as valuing themselves enough to remain chaste until marriage. (There are such women, although modern news and entertainment would lead you to believe otherwise.) There is plenty of good, solid advice here to be gleaned for many situations that are common to all dating women.
This is a book that I will be recommending to many women, starting close to home. My own daughters can benefit greatly from it.
September 23, 2017
One of the most Catholic dating books I've read; I love the way she talks about vocations!! It's interesting how the advice starts at meeting guys and goes to the wedding itself. Every catholic girl who is 17 or 18 (and discerning marriage) should read this book to get a realistic view on the whole process.
January 6, 2021
Just okay, didn't get much out of it. Probably better-suited to younger women.
January 14, 2017
I felt like this book was very practical--almost too practical--in that it came off as cold and kind of calculating? Like finding a man is just a contractual transaction that has to take place.....almost like any remotely decent man will do, just grab him. I finished the book and, honestly, felt depressed.
For instance, Amy writes about not telling your fiance about your doubts and jitters, because it will scare him off. She makes men sound so fragile and skittish, like any wrong move could scare them off. I just left this book feeling more pessimistic about relationships than before.
A couple of things I did like:
* Amy writes about the types of Catholic men to avoid (the harsh and rigid ones), and I have definitely experienced these types myself, and did not know they were so common. It's refreshing to know that many other women have experienced these legalistic relationships.
* Also, I expected her to say that Catholics should absolutely date Catholics, but she did not. She made it clear from the beginning that one's character traits are equally as important in choosing a mate. For instance, an open-minded, loving, patient non-practicing Protestant could be a better choice than a rigid Catholic. Because people's religious views can change over time, but their character traits usually do not.
For instance, Amy writes about not telling your fiance about your doubts and jitters, because it will scare him off. She makes men sound so fragile and skittish, like any wrong move could scare them off. I just left this book feeling more pessimistic about relationships than before.
A couple of things I did like:
* Amy writes about the types of Catholic men to avoid (the harsh and rigid ones), and I have definitely experienced these types myself, and did not know they were so common. It's refreshing to know that many other women have experienced these legalistic relationships.
* Also, I expected her to say that Catholics should absolutely date Catholics, but she did not. She made it clear from the beginning that one's character traits are equally as important in choosing a mate. For instance, an open-minded, loving, patient non-practicing Protestant could be a better choice than a rigid Catholic. Because people's religious views can change over time, but their character traits usually do not.
January 30, 2011
I think this would be a really good book for a Catholic (or probably any religious) girl in her early to maybe mid twenties who is overwhelmed or confused by the dating scene. At my wisened (is that a word?) old age of 29, I feel like I could've written the book myself, but she did have some good insights so it was worth the 3 hours it took to read. Practical advice: check. Beautiful prose: look elsewhere.
February 15, 2013
Jam packed with good, smart advice
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews