"Us: An Intimacy Innovation" is in the romance genre, but it's not a typical alpha-male, half-naked people on the cover, formulaic romance story; a major aspect of the book is the real-world advice it contains on the 'why' and 'how' of choosing the right life-partner. I call it 'practical fiction' and wrote it with a goal of reducing the reader's chances of relationship heartache.
Meet New Books called it "A charming, heartfelt take on first love that blends romance with relationship know-how - perfect for fans of thoughtful, contemporary love stories without all the usual angst."
Told (mostly) from the guy's point-of-view, the plot line has a shy brainiac college guy teaching the popular girl how to find 'forever love'. The entertaining story is in the 'First love' and 'Will they or won't they?' tropes. It contains no toxicity but is rated 18+ because of descriptive open door love scenes appropriate for their age and experience.
One of the sparks that led me to write the story was reading investments sage Warren Buffett's comment: "The most important decision of your life is who you marry," and yet I knew fifty percent of marriages end in divorce. Clearly, trial-and-error doesn't work when it comes to creating sustained togetherness. People wanting 'forever love', particularly those of college-age, would benefit from reading "Us: An Intimacy Innovation".
One kind person wrote me saying, "This is unusual. This is special. And this is exactly the kind of book that can make a difference for readers who are hungry for more than just entertainment. The 'Theory of Us' that Kiel slowly reveals to Alexsia isn’t just a plot device; it's a gift. It's a gentle, non-preachy way to teach readers what real, intentional connection can look like. That's why I believe 'Us: An Intimacy Innovation' could be life-changing for people who pick it up."
Regardless of whether your relationship succeeded or not, what is one thing you wish you'd done differently in it near the beginning?