Gary Rose

When a friend writes a book, you read it. You offer them congratulations before you open the first page. If you've ever written anything, finishing something, especially a novel, memoir, or screenplay, is an unbelievably difficult task, far more so than most people know. It's a labor of love. It's hard to be edited. And it’s nearly always difficult to finish. It's an incredible accomplishment overall, and despite what happens with what you have completed, you should be very proud. I hope you are as proud of yourself as I am of you. I may be biased, as Christina and I have been friends for many years, worked in the same industry, and, in fact, our companies have worked together off and on for decades. I know from reading the book that I may not be her target demographic. Besides having very different autonomy, I prefer an excellent sipping tequila over a glass of Chardonnay with a single ice cube. I’ve never had posies of girlfriends who belonged to girl power mafias, and I judge my friends by knowing that if you're in a pinch and only get one phone call, they will indeed be there to pick you up. I heard her voice, smile, sense of humor, style, and panache loudly, clearly, and vibrantly as I read. Brilliant Job in capturing you! Is the question, at the end of the day, what is Happily Ever After? In my opinion, from somebody who's been married for over three decades, in the simplest terms, it takes work, understanding, communication, and more work. Happily Ever After is a process, and don’t be fooled by the couple whose Instagram posts reflect pure bliss and a lifelong holiday because I will tell you if you need to try to show the world that hard, "Something is rotten in Denmark." The reality is that it takes two people who are committed to doing the work, and sometimes, after shit happens, it's just too hard to go back and try. It's not a reflection on you but a scenario you can learn from and push through to find the joy and happiness already part of your life. She wrote about it so elegantly that there will be good times, bad times, and times of loneliness, but somehow, you must dig deep within yourself and figure out how to fix the problems. It's clear through Christina's writing that she put in an extraordinary amount of hard work on her relationships, but in one form or another, her partners seemed to have given up, and that is when she found the courage to write a new chapter. Christina's a fantastic woman; if you're fortunate to ever meet her, you're lucky. I’m genuinely grateful for the long-standing relationship, the laughs, the lunches with a glass of wine, and for her to reach out when she’s in Los Angeles, even though we haven't spoken in a while. I want to say again, Christina, fantastic job. If you’re reading this and going through a difficult time in your life, pick up this book and read it. Why? Because it will lift you up. Frankly, it doesn’t matter whether you enjoy a fine sipping tequila or a glass of Chardonnay with an ice cube; this book brings the joy.