Love

A relationship coach employs a unique strategy to analyze romantic relationships.

In his debut, Bell takes characters from popular books, movies, and TV shows and analyzes the healthy or not-so-healthy dynamics of their fictional relationships, then draws analogies to real-life situations. Wisely, Bell makes familiarity with the stories unnecessary, as he details the characters as well as their histories and circumstances. For instance, in his discussion about how women limit their date options, Bell suggests putting aside the “ideal-guy list” and looking past the “packaging.” Steve Urkel, the ultranerdy TV sitcom character who finally wins over the girl he has loved for years, becomes Bell’s example when counseling women to “explore relationships with guys you would not date under normal circumstances.” In the book and movie The Fault in Our Stars, trueloves Hazel and Augustus meet in a support group for teens facing serious illnesses; Bell says, “Your epic love story will begin in a less-than-epic place and in a far-from-epic way. You will be living your life.” Bell’s light and humorous writing occasionally references (unnamed) clients as well as personal stories. He explains that though he envisions most of his readers to be single women, men could benefit, too. However, the book does seemingly limit readership to heterosexual readers by virtue of omitting stories or references to gay love. Christianity plays an important part as well. “I believe it is vitally important for you to make God your number one priority,” Bell says, “because you cannot be the woman your man needs you to be unless you’re the woman God created you to be.” Readers may either embrace these messages or overlook them and focus on how the exploration of fictional characters and their problems can aid in addressing their own, real struggles.

Novel, entertaining, and thoughtful analysis for the lovelorn.