Official Review: Dancing in the Kitchen

[Ruba Abu Ali]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Dancing in the Kitchen" by Debbie Cunningham.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

“None of us knows what might happen even the next minute, yet still we go forward. Because we trust. Because we have faith.” Paulo Coelho

Dancing in the Kitchen by Debbie Cunningham is a non-fiction book that sheds light on how to stay in love in the middle years of marriage, despite adversity. What practical steps can we take to rekindle the love that ignites passion and lightheartedness through life’s responsibilities, hurdles, and unexpected twists and turns? How do we learn to dance again, even if it were in the comfort of our own kitchen?

The title of the book isn’t actually about dancing, although it can be. It’s about capturing that moment of spontaneity with your spouse; one that’s enough to lighten the burden of the day and cultivate a connection between the two of you.

With a cordial, witty, and eloquent writing style, the author shares the story of her and her husband, who have been married for over thirty years. She also meets with real couples, who give an eclectic recollection of the struggles they encounter in their marriages. How to survive a marriage that can go through a myriad of issues, such as infertility, drug addiction, physical and mental illness, and infidelity, are all touched upon with grace.

On a personal note, what encouraged me to grab this book for review is being a fan of Debbie’s music. She is a Jazz recording artist and a songwriter. I was pleasantly surprised to find out she had interspersed some song lyrics she wrote herself in the prose; songs from her album, “A million kisses,” which I had no idea was related to her book.

As a devout Christian, the author incites frequent Scripture quotations from the Bible, which were organic, and did not feel imposed on the prose. Ostensibly, faith is instrumental in the author’s ability to endure and transcend. She, therefore, emphasizes that staying in love after the first spark has settled requires hard work, commitment, and faith.

I particularly appreciated the candid manner in which the author addressed habits that spouses can cultivate together, to sustain them at times of hardships and stress, even when they don’t want to talk to each other, when they have bumps in their relationship, or find it difficult to like each other. May I add that despite being married for 15 years and on, I still looked at the pieces of advice and the insight she had provided with a fresh eye. The “date night” with the spouse was an immediate-implementation material that I commenced, and hope to follow-through.

Additionally, turning to “fun” to lighten the burden goes a long way in salvaging the relationship. The author says, “When our children were small, and life felt frustrating, we would frequently put on music and have a “dance party” in the kitchen. Often the trash can became a drum for our son, and the slickness of the floor became a twirling ground for our daughter. It may seem silly, but it helped. Our emotions became lighter, and the music and silliness bred joy.”

Successful strategies on how to stay in love through the empty-nest years, and how to resist the temptation of looking for love at the “other side of the grass,” were also tackled honestly and beautifully.

Furthermore, the notes, recommendations, and book resources which the author had provided at the end of the book came in handy.

I devoured Dancing in the Kitchen and got so immersed in the prose, that I had to remind myself I was reading it for review. The impeccable editing added to the enjoyment of the book and rendered it one of the smoothest reads I have had in a long time. I only came across two minor typographical errors throughout the whole book. That said, I honestly cannot think of anything I disliked about it.

In light of the aforementioned, I gladly rate Dancing in the Kitchen by Debbie Cunningham a well-deserved 4 out of 4 stars.

This book would appeal to those looking for efficacious methods to harvest the fruit of their relational labor. I also recommend it to readers who appreciate real-life stories that are presented in an honest and lighthearted manner. Even if you’re not married, you’d still be able to find in it pearls of wisdom that broaden your horizons.

“In marriage, we commit to becoming one. Then we spend the rest of our life, deciding which one.”
With Debbie’s words, I sign off, wishing you a lifetime of dancing in the kitchen!

******
Dancing in the Kitchen
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Like Ruba Abu Ali's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Ellylion]

Thank you for this amazing review! Sounds like a great read for not only married couples Real life stories mixed with good advises of such a wise, talented person as the author definitely is plus a good humor make this book absolutely worth reading.

[kandscreeley]

This sounds like a great book to ensure that your marriage stays on the right track. I think we could all use a bit more spice in our marriages. I'm very interested to see what the author has to say, and I'm glad that she uses scripture. Thanks so much.

[Ruba Abu Ali]

Thank you for this amazing review! Sounds like a great read for not only married couples Real life stories mixed with good advises of such a wise, talented person as the author definitely is plus a good humor make this book absolutely worth reading.

I agree! Thanks for the kind words. Such an exceptional and highly-recommended read, indeed!

[Ruba Abu Ali]

This sounds like a great book to ensure that your marriage stays on the right track. I think we could all use a bit more spice in our marriages. I'm very interested to see what the author has to say, and I'm glad that she uses scripture. Thanks so much.

Thank you! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

This looks like a great book! When I first heard "Dancing in the Kitchen" I immediately thought of my husband and I having impromptu dance parties in our kitchen. I like that this book is full of advice on how to nurture a marriage that is in the 2 kids-1-mortgage-2-full-time-jobs phase.

Great review!

[Ruba Abu Ali]

This looks like a great book! When I first heard "Dancing in the Kitchen" I immediately thought of my husband and I having impromptu dance parties in our kitchen. I like that this book is full of advice on how to nurture a marriage that is in the 2 kids-1-mortgage-2-full-time-jobs phase.

Great review!

Based on what you've said, I think you will get both pleasure and benefit reading this book. Thanks for by stopping by and for the comment.

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

This looks like a great book! When I first heard "Dancing in the Kitchen" I immediately thought of my husband and I having impromptu dance parties in our kitchen. I like that this book is full of advice on how to nurture a marriage that is in the 2 kids-1-mortgage-2-full-time-jobs phase.

Great review!

Based on what you've said, I think you will get both pleasure and benefit reading this book. Thanks for by stopping by and for the comment.

I definitely think I will give it a try-all thanks to your wonderful review!

[Dentarthurdent]

I devoured Dancing in the Kitchen and got so immersed in the prose, that I had to remind myself I was reading it for review.

I can honestly say I completely relate to this statement. It's always beneficial and refreshing to read a well executed Advice/How-To book, and it's always uplifting to rate a book a well-deserved 4. I'm glad you got that opportunity. Great review!

[Ruba Abu Ali]

I devoured Dancing in the Kitchen and got so immersed in the prose, that I had to remind myself I was reading it for review.

I can honestly say I completely relate to this statement. It's always beneficial and refreshing to read a well executed Advice/How-To book, and it's always uplifting to rate a book a well-deserved 4. I'm glad you got that opportunity. Great review!

Thank you so much!

[Cecilia_L]

I love the title of this book and it's such a relevant topic. Excellent review as always, Ruba!

[Ruba Abu Ali]

I love the title of this book and it's such a relevant topic. Excellent review as always, Ruba!

Such an attention-catching title for a rich book, indeed! Thank you heaps, Cecilia!

[ElizaBeth Adams]

This sounds like a great book not only to read, but to hang onto and re-read as time goes by. I love that the author is speaking from years of her own experience. Any couple that has managed to stay together thirty years, has to have some wisdom to share. It's also good to see the author tackled very real threats to many marriages by addressing addiction, infidelity, etc. Great review!

[Ruba Abu Ali]

This sounds like a great book not only to read, but to hang onto and re-read as time goes by. I love that the author is speaking from years of her own experience. Any couple that has managed to stay together thirty years, has to have some wisdom to share. It's also good to see the author tackled very real threats to many marriages by addressing addiction, infidelity, etc. Great review!

My exact thoughts; I'll take this book as a reference and a re-read. Thank you much.

[Radiant3]

A great resource with insightful strategies and advice for couples. It should also prove useful for those intending to get married. Thank you for the great review.