BOYS BEFORE BUSINESS

A guide for single, career-minded women seeking Mr. Right.

The co-authors, who met in the summer of 2007 when they were both successful professionals in search of Prince Charming, have crafted a thorough, step-by-step process that makes the refreshing, politically incorrect case that the key to happiness lies in putting the man in your life before the job. In this sisterly manual, the two enthusiastically pass along friendly tips and the affirmative exercises they used to find the men of their dreams and ultimately balance those relationships with rewarding careers. The book—divided into three sections that employ an abundance of acronyms (such as I.D.E.A.L. and the trademarked FOBFO that stands for “Freaking Out Before Finding Out”)—is easy to read and filled with wonderful insights like the fact that happiness in a personal relationship transfers to happiness in the workplace; that a breakup can be viewed as an opportunity to learn and move forward; that relationships must constantly be refined; and that the ability to be your authentic self with a man is crucial to knowing if your guy is “the one.” The authors present themselves as having found the formula to living happily ever after, yet if they were both looking for Mr. Right as recently as three years ago and taking into account the complexity and mercurial nature of relationships, their firsthand expertise regarding long-term relationships becomes somewhat dubious. Also, the repeated references to “boysbeforebusiness.com” often make the book feel like a gateway to a larger product rather than a self-contained guide, especially in light of the final pages’ inclusion of information on “Boys Before Business” workshops and how to book the authors for speaking engagements. But for those swayed by the book’s admittedly sound advice, joining an online community of likeminded women may be a welcome next step.

An accessible, insightful guide to having it all that encourages you to buy some more.