The Flirtation Experiment [Review + GIVEAWAY]

Can single people read marriage books? I say that there are benefits to learning about marriage relationships ahead of time. Read on for my review and a giveaway for The Flirtation Experiment!

Red book cover with fireworks. Title reads "The Flirtation Experiment" by Lisa Jacobson and Phylicia Masonheimer
Title: The Flirtation Experiment: Putting Magic, Mystery, and Spark Into Your Everyday Marriage 
Author: Lisa Jacobson & Phylicia Masonheimer
Published: 2021 by Thomas Nelson


About the Book:
"From popular Christian voices Lisa Jacobson and Phylicia Masonheimer, The Flirtation Experiment inspires you to strengthen your marriage with a fun, unexpected approach that leads to the depth, richness, and closeness you desire. 

After reading The Flirtation Experiment, wives will… 
  • be filled with hope and encouragement for how they can make a powerful, positive change in their marriages, 
  • become empowered to pursue their husbands romantically, 
  • understand the Bible invites women to be proactive in their marriages, 
  • be motivated to consistently love in creative ways, and 
  • forge closeness and intimacy in their marriages." 
The Artist Librarian Review:
I have been a huge fan of Phylicia Masonheimer ever since I stumbled onto one of her blog articles that had been shared by a friend on social media. Back then, she blogged as "Phylicia Delta" and her relevant posts on sexuality and singleness through a Christian perspective helped me so much as she challenged the church to be more open on the topic.  I've bought all of her books over the years, but when I found out about The Flirtation Experiment, I thought maybe it wouldn't be relevant to me as an unmarried person. Fortunately, I was very wrong! I think married and single people alike can both learn from Phylicia and her co-author Lisa Jacobson as they share honest stories from their lives and how their "flirtation experiments" helped grow their marriages. 

In this book, Masonheimer and Jacobson alternate on 30 brief chapters each covering one of the traits or attributes they wanted to focus on with their husbands. Some are what you'd commonly think of with a "flirtation" --affection, playfulness, delight, etc. but others go deeper by covering vulnerability, refuge, affirmation, and more. Each chapter opens with a short vignette of an event in the author's marriage, followed by a short essay focused on the attribute and how it relates biblically, then how the author ran her "experiment" and the effect on her marriage, and closes with some other ideas for readers to implement in their own lives.

As a single person, I read this book as a way to learn from the experiences and lives of Christian women who are farther along their journey than myself (and happen to be married).  Masonheimer has been married for 8 years, while Jacobson has been married for 28, and both ladies' writing were candid in a conversational style that was easy to read.  While they both talk about how wonderful marriage is, they don't glamorize it either, and what stood out to me was that love is a constant choice, the importance of intentionality, and focusing on God as our fulfillment rather than a spouse.  While I think that a husband could also read this book and run a "flirtation experiment" themselves, I think the authors focused on wives because as Christian women, we may have heard or been taught that pursuing or being proactive in marriage is unbiblical, but Masonheimer and Jacobson make the case otherwise through Scripture.  I also appreciated that the authors both emphasized that if you were in any sort of abusive relationship, this book was not for, and could not help your marriage and to seek professional assistance.  Even though I can't currently use this book myself the way it was intended, I will be sharing it with other married people in my life, and I think it would make a nice wedding shower gift as well. 

To order a copy of The Flirtation Experiment or learn more, check out the website:  http://theflirtationexperiment.com/ For a limited time, you can download the first two chapters for FREE here and don't forget to scroll down to enter to win a copy for yourself!

About the Authors:
"Lisa Jacobson is an author, a podcaster, and the founder of Club31Women.com, an online community of Christian women authors who write on marriage, home, family, and faith--a powerful voice for biblical womanhood. She is the author of the bestselling 100 Ways to Love Your Husband. Lisa and her husband, Matt, are also cohosts of the popular FAITHFUL LIFE podcast. They live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest where they have enjoyed raising their eight children."

"Phylicia Masonheimer is a national bestselling author, speaker, and host of the Verity Podcast. Her blog - Every Woman a Theologian- teaches Christians how to know what they believe and live it boldly. Theology touches every area of life, so Phylicia addresses cultural questions through the lens of church history and sound biblical interpretation. She lives in northern Michigan with her husband and three children."

Giveaway:


*This giveaway is limited to residents of the United States only and ends on February 16 at 12:00am PST. Winner will be contacted on February 16 and will have 24 hours to respond before another name is drawn. 

[Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes from HarperCollins Christian Publishing and a positive review was not required.]

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2 comments

  1. Danielle H.February 12, 2022 at 5:14 AM

    The best advice I can give is to take time every day to be fully present with your partner and give them your attention--no social media, no TV, just the two of you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Artist LibrarianFebruary 12, 2022 at 11:25 PM

      My love language is quality time so I definitely feel that would be important to me too. ^_^

      Delete

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