First Night and Beyond: A Guide to Intimacy and Sexual Fulfillment for Newlyweds

by M. Douglas Moore

It's about time! Finally, a book that brings both clarity and sensitivity to the areas of intimacy and sexual fulfillment for newlyweds. No longer will newlyweds feel guarded and confused in their feelings toward sexuality. With the insights provided by this book they can now be filled with confidence and peace about this exciting and fulfilling part of their marriage. First Night and Beyond is a book that gently shares with newlyweds an understanding of those special parts of their bodies that are most responsive to sexual touching, and what acts of intimacy may assist the couple in experiencing complete fulfillment together. The couple will learn that God created each of us as sexual beings. Within the bonds of matrimony, sex is intended to be both exciting and rewarding, drawing the couple together in a depth of intimacy that can be achieved in no other way. A newly married couple may experience feelings of guilt or hesitancy in their sexual passions together. This book will help put their minds at ease, and will demonstrate how these tender, God-given passions may be used to achieve a profoundly wonderful relationship. Their lives may now be drawn together in an endearing love that comes only from learning some of the special little secrets of sexual intimacy that take most couples years of marriage to achieve--but that are now presented with great sensitivity in this book. First Night and Beyond is a "must read" for newlyweds, and would be especially helpful if read by a bride and groom just prior to their marriage and then re-read as a couple during their honeymoon. This book is also the perfect answer for the newlywed couple that still experiences some of the inevitable challenges that come with adjusting to eachother's intimate needs and wants. Even couples that have been married for several years may find approaches described in this book that will enhance their intimacy beyond anything they believed possible. The book is short and concise, and can be read within a few hours. However, despite its brevity, it may be the most important and rewarding few hours of reading that a couple could ever experience together. An ideal shower or wedding gift!

130 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2002

Reviews

[Cameron Reid Armstrong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Description: This is a book discusses past, present and future problems that may affect a couple’s intimate relationship in their marriage. It was written for newlyweds but also helps those married for many years. This book is unique because it is written by a husband and wife team and they discuss problems and solutions from both points of view. They stress the importance of communication and open the door for more communication. In the back of the book there are appendixes that addresses, in detail, ways to prepare for and enrich your intimate relationship.
Strengths: This is a short book and can be read in a few days with a busy schedule so it is great for couples to read the week before they get married while getting all the plans done. The authors kept it short just for this reason. I read it in four hours over two days and my wife, Connie, read it in six hours over two days so it is very doable.
The wife is a medical doctor and had counseled many women before their wedding night during their pre wedding exam. The Husband is a Lawyer and has done many divorce cases where the lack of sexual fulfillment was an issue in the breakup. They go through background, sexual history including sexual abuse and to seek out help, anatomy, response cycle, suggest writing a sexual history/list of personal understanding of sex and other important parts of intimacy that are spiritual and psychological. Including inner and outer diagrams of both sexes. This is an easy read that gives much information that can be remembered and applied in a short period of time. Sex is natural, normal and positive. They focus on the unity that sex can bring and stress comfort is needed for both partners to experience this unity.
Limitations: I did not know, before hand, this was an LDS couple that wrote the book and I wanted a book I could give to all couples. This is very well done for Christian couples and does not take an LDS point of view but it is Christian based. The authors come across as “cheesy” and “sappy” in their relationship but are still straight to the point and cover all bases. Recommendations: For Christian couples this is a very good book that goes into enough detail that the couple can start off, together, on the right foot. If you have a couple come in for one session and they are getting married in a few days this book can be found at the library and read in a short amount of time. This book will reinforce what was talked about in the one session you had.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would be a great gift to christian newlyweds who might be lacking clear education about marital intimacy and the goodness of human sexuality. The book is written by an LDS couple and the wife has a medical background. They can be a bit cheesy but I really enjoyed the positive way they talk about human bodies and sexuality. They don't shy away from the conversation, being direct, and nonjudgemental.