How to Score a Husband: A Review of How to Get Married After 35

How to Get Married After 35: A Users Guide to Getting to the Altar, by Helena Rosenberg, M.A., was my sister's contribution to our annual Christmas gag gift exchange. It was a year or two early for the solemn 35 milestone but I laughed and shelved it until I discovered it one day stuffed in a gift bag in the closet. It was better than the blow up doll from Spencer's that she gave me but I had some reservations about actually reading the book at first. Is there actually a system to identifying and capturing a husband? My mind raced with thoughts and I had a bit of a "Carrie Bradshaw moment" as I repeated such questions aloud to myself.

Not For the Uncommitted Reader

I had fears that the author might personally hunt me down, rate, and label me as I read the first few chapters. Who was I to be reading a book with plans that I had no serious investment in following through with? I felt like I had to draw the blinds and secretly read by candlelight so that I did not get caught holding this strategic manual for husband hunting. All of that aside, I was not looking for a husband while reading this, so my opinion might be different than someone who has not been to the altar at least once before 35.

The book begins with some soul searching exercises and questions for the reader. The author shares her own success story in finding a man at age 44 for her first marriage and she does share what most women know about dating past the active social scene days of the 20's and early 30's--it can be slim pickings. Helena Rosenberg asks the reader to start the search by becoming productive and taking some responsibility for finding the right match. Chapter Two leads into the idea of focus and asks the reader to zero in on the task of finding potential candidates for marriage.

Chapters Three and Four complete the first section of the book with suggestions and some goal setting tasks. List making and progress notes are encouraged.