Intimacy: How to Get More of It – A peek into understanding the male mind.
By Jodi Ambrose
Blurb: Okay ladies, it’s about time for you to get what you need and want from your man. If you are ready for more intimacy and happiness in your relationship, then you have come to right place. My goal is to provide you with 20 steps that will help you get the kind of relationship that makes you giggle yourself silly with joy. Is it more cuddle-time you want? More overall sweetness? Or maybe you are looking to rekindle that spark which, over time, has dimmed a bit? I’m going to give you tips and tricks on how to get all of that, on your own terms. We’re going to get down to brass tacks here, so prepare yourself. We’ll talk about body parts, manipulation strategies (that sounds terrible, I know!), picking your battles, learning how to trust and a whole host of other ideas designed to create a happier home life for both you and your man. Happy wife, happy life. Happy spouse, happy house. We’ve heard it all before. Now it’s time to make it happen! Come along on this journey with me and discover the strategies that will help you get more of what you desire from the love of your life. Enjoy!
This is Jodi’s companion book to the one written for guys, Sex: How to Get More of It. I reviewed that one a while back. You can find it in the categories under book reviews. I’m also going to give my thoughts on her cookbook, Darn Good Eats.
I think the thing I love most about Jodi’s books is they’re full of personality. Ever read one of those relationship help books that made you wish you were having a root canal? I was sent a couple of these when I was working as a reviewer and believe me, it was like wading through thick pools of molasses in the middle of winter. I thought I’d never get them read. You won’t have to worry about that with Jodi’s books. They’re full of her personality, cute, sassy, humorous, and down to earth. Easy reads that you’ll whip right through and in my case, I’ve read them twice and enjoyed them both times. And I’m sure I’ll probably read them again from time to time.
Once again, like the guy’s version, this is a twenty-step list. While reading number one on the list (potty time is private time) I laughed so hard, I needed some potty time. It reminded me so much of the first year with my dear hubby. I’ll be honest, I did not go to quite the extremes Jodi went to, but I was up at least a couple of hours before him every morning to get all my stuff done. Thank goodness those ridiculous, crazy days are behind me, but I’m still with Jodi on this one. Potty time is most definitely private time in my home. And that is just the first on the list. There’s plenty of good fun to be had reading the next nineteen.
And girls, pay close attention to number sixteen. This deals with the trust issue. If you take nothing else from the book, take Jodi’s word for this one. The lady knows what she’s talking about. In my opinion it’s the single most important aspect of a relationship. That’s not to say the other points on the list aren’t important, they are. I didn’t find anything I’d disagree with.
I’m not going to tell you that you’ve never heard any of this advice before. You may have, but probably not in such an entertaining way. For that matter, advice is easy. We get it thrown at us all the time. The really great thing about this author is that she explains in simple detail how to go about applying these principals in your day-to-day life with very little effort on your part. So what are you waiting for? Want more intimacy, but hate those boring relationship books? Get this one. You’ll love it.
Darn Good Eats: The cookbook for Creative Chefs and Reluctant Cooks
Book Blurb: Whether you love to cook or would rather starve than spend time in a kitchen, Darn Good Eats: The Cookbook for Creative Chefs and Reluctant Cooks is for you! Reluctant Cook and author Jodi Ambrose teamed up with her Creative Chef husband, Grant, to bring you a cookbook with an unusual twist. Darn Good Eats provides scrumptious recipes for both the kitchen aficionado and the bumbling cook. Pooling together all of their combined kitchen savvy, they’ve created a cookbook that applies to anyone and everyone. Along with a list of must-have items for your kitchen, helpful measurement conversions, delightful personal anecdotes and a witty sense of humor, this cookbook delivers over 70 delectable and inspired recipes for both the kitchen novice and cooking expert. You no longer have to be a good cook to make great food. So that it’s easy to navigate, the cookbook is split into two parts. The first part is for Creative Chefs who love, or at least like, to cook. It contains tantalizing recipes which range from simple to challenging and are bound to be crowd-pleasers. The second part is for people who prefer eating over cooking and find the kitchen to be more of a chore than a delight. The Reluctant Cook will now have a wonderful array of options for making “homemade” meals that (shhh…don’t tell) in some cases are far from homemade, but are still mouthwateringly delicious. Whether you love or hate the kitchen, Darn Good Eats: The Cookbook for Creative Chefs and Reluctant Cooks has plenty of tasty recipes to please even the most discerning palate. We know that you’ll enjoy both the food and fun contained within this cookbook and we wish for you many happy and delicious meals.
If you collect cookbooks like I do, add this one to your collection. And most definitely get it if you hate to cook, don’t know how to cook or are stressed for time and need some delicious recipes that are fairly quick and easy. This book covers it all from sauces and appetizers to main courses and desserts. Like Jodi’s other books, this one is full of good humor and lots of personality.
I checked out some of these homemade goodies and they are delicious. A little too delicious sometimes. But what I like best are the options Jodi gives us. There are some double recipes, first with all the good stuff that could add a few inches to the waistline and then the less guilty variety. Most of these recipes are pretty easy to make even for first time cooks.
Something all you reluctant cooks or stressed for time cooks will love are the cheats. Yes, I said cheats. These “look home made, but far from it” recipes will be your best friend in the kitchen. I love to cook myself, but over the years I’ve learned a lot of shortcuts to cooking due to time issues or disaster. Like the time I was suppose to have five guests for Thanksgiving and ended up feeding 22 instead. The meal cooked for the five was all homemade from scratch. The added food not so much. And the best part about these cheat recipes from Jodi is you can take the ideas and run with them. Apply them to all kinds of food. People will think you are the greatest in the kitchen even if you can barely boil water.
Since Jodi’s husband is a chef, I expected these recipes to be good. I just wasn’t prepared for just how good they turned out to be. So if you love to cook or hate to cook, you’ll find something to love about this cookbook.
Elizabeth Melton Parsons 