Book Review: I Do, Now What? - Guiliana & Bill Rancic

It took me quite a while to decide whether to buy this book or not. Am a fan of Guiliana and Bill show on E! channel but do I want to get their advice about marriage? I am happily married with a kid, I wasn't sure whether spending this many dollars worth it. Cut the story short, the book arrived after 2 weeks from Amazon.com, pretty in fresh pink. I like! I started reading the first chapter and I finished the book in a short 3 days. I have no regrets whatsoever. They have done a good job with this book.

I urge couples to read this book. It's a light read but it tackles a lot of serious issues. As a reader, you get to listen to both sides of the stories. G is so hilarious throughout the book and she has great personality! No wonder Bill had his eyes on her on the first meeting. As celebrities, they dealt with pre-nup issue before their marriage, an issue which we don't have to consider at all, but more importantly, as a couple, they discuss money, honesty, give and take, in-laws, expectations, sex, -- issues that other couples deal with on a daily basis.

I particularly like the chapter about giving gifts on special occasions. One person's priority might not be another's agenda at all due to different upbringing. Bill's family places great importance in celebrating special dates while Guiliana's parents didn't pay that much attention about this matter and once they totally forgot her birthday. Therefore, this is an issue both of them have to deal with in their relationship. To impress Bill with the right gift, Guiliana was very focused on buying him a good wallet and ended up giving him a woman purse. 

G also lied about her age in the beginning of their relationship.  Bill was in for a big surprise when he wanted to organize her surprise 3-0 b'day party. And how Bill set his foot about honesty in their relationship. Bill is a guy guy. When he referred Balenciaga boots as Balchiogo, I was floored. He loves Guiliana to death but at the same time he knows when to give in and when to stand firm. Both of them are having different personality but at the same time having a lot of things in common. The fact that they compromise just because of their love for one another is absolutely endearing.

I could relate to a few incidents in the book. Though they earn a lot of money and are famous, challenges they face as a couple are no different than the rest of us. Guys could learn a lot from Bill as a man. You state what you want from a relationship and holding on to the rest of the promises you make in the marriage. That's good enough for us, women. One thing I found very important is to not 'sell' your partner in any circumstances. There was an incident where Guiliana didn't get Bill's back in an interview though she didn't mean to do it. Bill was hurt tremendously due that that 'backstabbing". Always believe that he/she is the best partner for life. Bill loves it when Guiliana calls him "My Hot Hubby". Well, who wouldn't? :) And he always text her with "How's my beautiful wife today?"

The cost of shipping this book to Malaysia might be a bit much but reading it is a pure pleasure. 

Rating: 5 Radars

Book Shopping: Buy These Books!!

I love reading and I wish I had more time to read. Recently, I finished a few great books which I highly recommend to anybody who fancies reading. 

The Help by Kathryn Stockett is my first choice. When I started reading this book, I was taken aback by the grammar and soon realized that she writes in African American's language. I was instantly hooked and finished the book in one and a half day. The Help provides an illustrative tale to the lives of the black maids during the 1960s when the black community were still discriminated against and the stories took place in Jackson, Mississippi. The characters in The Help are very interesting! This novel made me realized how far America has changed in 50 years, from slavery to having the first black president in history, America is definitely a land of opportunity. 

Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern is definitely not suitable for kids but at the same time provides great advise about life in the most vulgar ways. Justin Halpern lost her job and her girlfriend at the age of 28, and found himself back in the house of his parents. This book is a super hilarious memoir of him with his father, Sam Halpern who spits out obscenity constantly. But underneath all the cursing and swearing, there are a lot of good things to be learned and the fact that his father loves him so dearly is not to be challenged in this book. 

The Mother's Tale by Camilla Noli. Don't pick up this book if you have a weak heart. Don't get fool by the cover. This is one sick story about a mother who doesn't really love her children. A very surprising ending. 

For the uninitiated, Nicholas Sparks is the writer of The Notebook, The Last Song, etc. I love The Notebook movie starring Ryan Gosling which prompted me to pick up this book. Safe Haven is definitely not a story about safe haven. :) A woman appears in a  town to bury her story only to find out that one day that story would surface. A pretty good read I would say.

Mastering The Art of  French Cooking by Julia Child is a must-have if you like anything with butter. I had tried the roasted chicken and it's DEH LISH!  A lot of tips to be learned by mommies and aspiring chefs.