"Once Upon a Time... He Wasn't Feeling It Anymore." What's Killing Romance in America - And What to Do About It. A Guide for the Undecided Couple. - Softcover

Across America, millions of singles and couples are wondering what hit them. Ultra-tentativeness. Hot-and-cold feelings. Disinterest. Another break-up. With otherwise happy, productive lives, these individuals share a confusion and perplexity at what has gone wrong in their love lives: Are we just too picky? Not working hard enough? Maybe we just have 'issues'? Or is something else going on? Drawing upon national research studies and his own original interviews, Dr. Jacob Hess argues that the primary problem with American romance is not messed up individuals - but instead a larger societal "climate change" that is affecting virtually all intimate relationships. At the heart of this shift is an inflated cultural story about romance so pervasive that it has become "reality" to most - thereby continuing to blindside many beautiful relationships. The purpose of this book is to invite more attention to how different narratives of romance can subtly influence whether relationships live or die. As we become aware of these patterns, we may find ways to stop being driven-by-feeling-alone and choose what we really wanted in our love lives all along. //EARLY PRAISE: "I'm pretty sure I've received more unsolicited dating advice than anyone else on the planet. In most cases my eyes immediately start to glaze over as the well-intended advice-giver attempts a diagnosis. I didn't feel that way with this book. In a disarming way, I felt invited to step back and see how subtle societal messages about romance may be crippling relationships all around. I came away feeling encouraged to pursue relationships with a new outlook." - 32-year-old bachelor // "I've heard hundreds of single talks in my life and read many books on the subject. Most of them made me feel worse about my situation. The message of this book, however, is refreshingly positive, encouraging and empowering - a breath of fresh air for such a difficult and heartbreaking subject." - 50-year-old newlywed