There are many choices we make in life, and choosing our friends is one of them. In the book Fifty Shades of They: Insights That Bring Life to Your Relationships, Ed Young discusses how our friends shape our future. Young starts and ends the book with the question, “Do you have the right ‘they’ in your life?” And by they, Young is referring to an individual’s friends.

Fifty Shades of They is written in a pleasant conversational style, and the chapters are filled with great advice. Young is a pastor, and the chapters somewhat resemble sermons, with major discussion points complemented with Scripture references and relevant anecdotes and examples. It’s a handy, useful book, and though it’s Christian-based, the lessons on friendship are applicable to a secular audience.

Two of my favorite parts of the book were the chapters discussing secrets in relationships and “true hospitality.” I also really liked Young’s commentary on social media and narcissim; Young points out that the “they” in our life can also include public figures we admire. The book is thought-provoking, and it would be interesting to discuss in a book club.

There are many books on the market directed towards engaged couples; they are filled with questions that fiancés should ask each other (and themselves) before they marry. Yet there are fewer books focusing on how people should choose their friends, which is why books like Fifty Shades of They are so important. Sometimes individuals, especially youth and young adults, are not careful when choosing friends, and these friendships can lead them down a painful road. But Fifty Shades of They shows what healthy, supportive friendships look like, and provides the reader invaluable advice. I highly recommend reading it.

I received a review copy from Shelton Interactive. Fifty Shades of They is available here on Amazon.