I am a fan of Amy Krouse Rosenthal and many of her books are on my kids' shelves. I always struggle to rate memoirs as I appreciate what the author put into this book - but I guess I wanted more depth.

As a widow, I could relate to Jason's memoir. Reading it during the pandemic was even more impactful because of everything we are going through in isolation. I could also totally relate to Jason's story and liked the way he talked about the before time and after time of his wife's loss. I would definitely recommend Jason's prose to anyone who has lost a spouse or has dealt with an illness in their family.

Sad, but worth reading. I picked this up because I had read Amy's memoir, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, and had taught it in classes. I was interested in her husband's, but I was happily surpised that he is an engaging writer with a mastery of a tight sentence and a deft hand and humor. This book will make you cry, but it's also laced with lighter moments.

Anyone who has read Amy's book should read this one because the two of them together really bring something. For example, Jason Rosenthal kept her note when he wrote down her phone number before their first date, and he writes about her brown backpack and shares snippets of letters in a way that reminded me of Amy's cataloging in "Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life."

I have a sense that this book will mostly be read by fans of Amy Krouse Rosenthal, and that makes perfect sense. If you're a fan of hers, you are probably depressed that she's no longer with us and we adult readers are left with a mere two volumes. If you read the NY Times, you're also probably wondering if her awesome and charming husband ever found a new mate. This book gives you the answer to that. If you are a fan of hers and enjoyed the NY Times column, read this book - the first half is an enjoyable tribute to Amy. Otherwise, you probably won't find it all that interesting. Instead, go find AKR's books and read those.

Sweet, quick read about a remarkable woman and the hole she left. I really enjoyed reading this book.

Amy Krause Rosenthal was a beautiful writer of both children's books, and of course, her famous Modern Love column, written just before she died, sharing stories of her life with her husband Jason and encouraging him to date again. Jason, in his own memoir and a sort of repsonse to Amy's column, is unfortunately not quite the gifted writer Amy was. I couldn't quite get on board with is writing style, and also felt that so much of this memoir was just saccarine and repetious. There is so little conflict (besides, of course, Amy's sickness) and it felt in so many ways like the author was holding back from really letting readers see his wife for her full self. There are also many instances of white privilege and some casual homophobia that really brought the vibe down for me.

My Wife Said You May Want to Marry Me by Jason Rosenthal is a deeply personal account of his life with writer Amy Krouse Rosenthal, her death from ovarian cancer, and his grief experience. The title comes from an essay Amy wrote shortly before her death that gave him public permission to continue living his life.

This memoir is a candid look into the life of the Rosenthals, the home hospice experience with Amy, and how Jason and his children are continuing their lives. The book overflows with his deep love and devotion to his wife and their family.

At some point, a married couple is most likely to lose one of its members. Jason's book could be considered a self-help book as he encourages sharing grief and reaching out to others. He includes an excellent bibliography for additional bibliotherapy.

Jason Rosenthal is an author, Board Chair of the Amy Krouse Rosenthal Foundation, public speaker, and lawyer. His book comes from the heart and is very touching.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting May 2, 2020.

I’d like to thank HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

I know Amy Krouse Rosenthal based on her children's books that I have read in my classroom. I love those books, and loved her as a writer. Reading this book made my heart smile. It just helped me understand her relationship with her husband, and how deeply profound their relationship was. I am so happy I read this, though it is not for the faint of heart. It's redeeming and will make you believe that some people are just that special.

i wanted to love this book. as a children's librarian i admired amy krouse rosenthal's books. greatly. that said, i really couldn't finish this memoir written by her husband jason-it was too raw, too personal. i realize the irony as that is the whole purpose of a journal. this was different. i've read the many good reviews and kept reading, waiting for me to change my mind. i finally gave up. perhaps i will pick up later, but until then... i am rereading , i wish you more.

Many times I have picked up books I just simply cannot put down. Occasionally I will read a book that truly inspires me. Rarely do I find a book that touches me so deeply that it sticks with me long after I’ve soaked in the final word. I feel lucky to have found a book that checks all three boxes. My Wife Said You May Want To Marry Me checks each of these boxes and so many more.

When my children were young they owned several Amy Krause Rosenthal books, our favorite being “Yes Day.” Beyond those children’s books, I knew nothing else about AKR, her life, or her family. That was until her essay, You May Want To Marry My Husband, was published in the The New York Times. I was one of the five million+ who read it, and one of the countless people whose heart absolutely broke upon hearing of her passing so soon afterward. When I saw that her husband was publishing a book I was intrigued and couldn’t wait to check it out. This book was so much more than I expected.

Usually as I read I am trying to get a clear picture of what the characters look like physically. Through Mr. Rosenthal’s words I was able to develop a clear picture of not just Amy’s appearance but also her light and love and her joyful energy. Their love story, the life they thoughtfully and purposefully planned for themselves and their children, and the joy they filled the lives of those around them with is both enviable and inspiring. Admittedly, I did favor the happy, love story tone of the first half of the book, to the more serious, somber second half. Even so, the author’s journey is not complete without both the good and the bad and I appreciated Mr. Rosenthal’s candid heartfelt words about his wife’s end of life journey. I cannot imagine living through that, then writing down those intimate details and vulnerably sharing them with the world. His bravery and honesty and admirable. I really enjoyed the personal elements of the book such as the photographs, letters, art, quotes and song lyrics that were sprinkled throughout the book. 5/5 stars. A must read!
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful, honest book about love, marriage, grief, and legacy. Fans of the late Amy Kraus Rosenthal will want to read this, as well as anyone who wants a heartfelt account of what it’s like to lose your life partner without losing yourself in the process.

An intimate and unapologetic love story made extraordinary by the everyday examples of wholehearted living.
From the marriage goals Amy and Jason drafted over their honeymoon to small gestures of kindness during hospice, Jason offers readers lessons in living passionately and grieving tenderly.