This is an excellent book if you are interested in learning about relationships and how they work. Using findings of a large study done in the 1980's, Pepper Schwartz, shares how certain heterosexual couples have created peer marriages. Peer relationships are common among homosexual couples, but rarely do heterosexual couples have peer relationships. Society makes this kind of union difficult for heterosexuals to attain and maintain largely due to the strong drawing power of tradition and societal expectations.



"Love Between Equals" is not necessarily a step-by-step guide to building the perfect relationship, but it brings up a lot of interesting points that provoke deep thought about what is important in relationships. Schwartz writes about the difficulties, challenges, and possible downfalls of peer marriages, but she stresses even more the deep satisfactions that are expressed by peer couples. She compares peer marriages to traditional marriages and near-peer marriages and helps to uncover some of the mystery behind common dissatisfactions that are found in these more traditional and common relationship forms.



I want to be able to make informed decisions about my relationships. The more knowledge I have the better my decision will be. In reading this book I realized that I had held some preconceptions about marriage which could have eventually been very detrimental to my happiness and the success of my relationship. One of these ideas was that, as a woman, I would be the primary parent. I didn't envision my spouse as being involved in the care-taking aspect of parenting to the extent that I expected to be. Now I realize the value in true coparenting. It keeps parents connected to eachother and makes for a more cohesive family unit.



I have been passing on information from this book since I read the first chapter, but now that I have finished it I am even more excited about sharing the powerful ideas revealed between its covers. It has encouraged me to think in depth about what kind of a relationship I want, the amount of work that is required to have that kind of relationship, and the rewards that can be experienced. This book will broaden your horizons!



E. Rootvik