How to Stay Married by Harrison Scott Key on June 13, 2023
Genres: Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs, Humor / Topic / Marriage & Family, Humor / Topic / Religion
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
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Brutally honest- Harrison Scott Key’s How to Stay Married isn’t just a memoir—it’s a raw, darkly hilarious deep dive into betrayal, faith, forgiveness, and the absurdity of modern marriage. As the title suggests, this isn’t the story of a divorce, but the unbelievable, almost-backwards journey of a marriage that somehow survives.
The book opens with what feels like a punch to the gut: one evening, Key’s wife, Lauren, tells him she wants a divorce. He’s blindsided—and it only gets worse from there. What follows is a staggering unraveling of their life together, fueled by the revelation that Lauren is having an affair with a family friend/neighbor (yes, the guy who wears cargo shorts on purpose). But instead of walking away or burning it all down, Key—armed with little more than his faith, humor, and sheer disbelief—chooses to fight for his marriage.
Key’s voice is sharp, self-deprecating, and incredibly candid. He holds nothing back as he dissects the breakdown of his relationship, examines the unhealed wounds that festered in their marriage, and questions what it means to truly love someone—even when they’ve hurt you. He doesn’t just call out his wife’s betrayal; he turns the spotlight on himself, asking hard questions about how he failed to meet her emotional needs, and what it really takes to rebuild something that’s been burned to the ground.
A major thread throughout the memoir is Key’s Christian faith. It’s deeply personal, shaping his choices and worldview, yet never preachy. He shares how his belief system both challenged and sustained him through one of the most chaotic periods of his life, and how mercy—more than judgment—became the foundation for reconciliation.
One of the most jaw-dropping and refreshing parts of the book is that Lauren herself is given a chapter to tell her side of the story. It’s unexpected, vulnerable, and adds even more emotional complexity to an already layered narrative.
If you’re an audiobook listener, this one’s a gem—Key narrates it himself with a warm Southern accent and perfect comedic timing, bringing both the humor and heartbreak vividly to life.
How to Stay Married is not your typical marriage memoir. It’s messy, real, and unexpectedly hopeful. Whether you’re married, divorced, or somewhere in between, there’s something in these pages that will challenge you, move you, and maybe even make you laugh through the tears.