Love in the 90s: B.B. and Jo, the Story of a Lifelong Love: A Granddaughter's Portrait

This is one of the most intense love stories ever. First, the lovers were apart with only their smoldering love letters bringing them together for brief moments. Once their marriage began, they lived a long life in constant, passionate companionship for all their beloved family and friends to witness and grow from. Thanks to their granddaughter, the author, this relationship was documented for all of us to witness and grow from. I bought this book in the nineties, it just so happens, right after the birth of my first child. Being young and ignorant, I was surprised to see that older persons love with such ardor too. Since then, I've experienced the relationship of my in-laws as they grew old and finally became fragile vessels, so fine that I could SEE the love welling within. Oh yes, I remembered this book and recognized what I was seeing. This book is a picture of a reality many people are unaware of; the real romantic story is that BEYOND youthful desire, it is the story of devotion built upon sacrifice and surrender which continues to grow with time. What joy! What rewards! What hope!

Love in the 90s is an inspiring document of a true-life love story. If you despair of ever finding real love, if your view of love in the new Millennium is jaded, if you think romantic love cannot last longer than one full cycle of the moon, you must read this book. The wonder of it is that these two passionate lovers became passionate genealogists, too. They recognized the importance of documenting significant thoughts and moments on paper and handing them down to their progeny. Without that sense of history, these wonderful love letters might never have touched loves in the year 2000. Do read them and glory in the wonderful photographs taken of the Blakeys by their devoted granddaughter, Keri Pickett.

In this day and age of one-night-stands/casual sex, disbelief in a sovereign God, and divorce rates at an all time high (wonder why?) it's refreshing to read a book that reflects two people who truly were in love and as commited to each other, as they were to their relationship with God. I found it very refreshing and instills my strongly held belief that maintaining a strong faith in God, holding onto a higher moral standard, and having faith there is someone special out there (don't settle for less!) will result in an unselfish and loving heart and the morals and values needed to maintain and truly have a rewarding, long and satisfying relationship beyond our wildest dreams.

I just want to say that this book touched the very depth of my soul..... Even though it happen out of an innocent proposition it led to the most romantic and timeless conviction that LOVE is deep and can last a life time......

This is a beautiful dedication to a photojournalist's grandparents and the story of their enduring love. I read this book two years ago while working at B.Dalton and was in a rocky marriage at the time. I was very touched and moved by the power this couple had; through wonderfully written love letters spanning their courtship years and into the fifty some years of marriage, it is evident that B.B. and Jo found the kind of love we all want. Now divorced, this book remains an inspiration to me in the hope of finding true love. It makes a great gift for anyone who has ever questioned whether such a thing exists.