$17.95

Love Without Martinis

Weaving dialogue, emotions, and introspection, Love Without Martinis shares the fears, joys, setbacks, and triumphs of couples as they find their way back to each other. In the tradition of storytelling, the readers follow the couples in recovery from substance addiction as they rebuild healthy and loving relationships. The common thread that runs through their experiences shows that true recovery requires much more than sobriety; it demands personal development and growth. Love Without Martinis also offers practical tools to readers to help them on their own recovery journey.

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Description

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FAQs About Love Without Martinis

Are the stories true?

Yes, the couples in the book are real couples. They are people in recovery and wish to share their experience with others to broaden the conversation about the process of reclaiming their love relationships from addiction.

I have personally interviewed each person. For the purposes of storytelling, I created dialogues, scenes and necessary details to give context to the reader as well as used various literary devices such as flashbacks and imagery. This is a collaborative process and each person has reviewed their stories and have agreed that it represents the essence of their recovery.

What is recovery?

Ernie Larsen, a nationally known lecturer and leader in counselling for people in recovery from addiction in the United States set out two stages of recovery in his work (see Stage II Relationships: Love Beyond Addiction published by Harper One.)

Stage I recovery is defined as breaking the primary addiction.

Stage II recovery is defined as becoming a person increasingly capable of functioning in a healthy relationship.

Love Without Martinis focuses on Stage II recovery.

Is Love Without Martinis sponsored by any organization?

No, this book is a work of creative non-fiction written by Chantal Jauvin. She and her husband have reclaimed their relationship from addiction and created a loving relationship in recovery. Chantal has written this book to deepen and broaden the conversation about the specific challenges faced by couples in recovery.

Chantal has received the support of many individuals, therapists and organizations who are involved in recovery work. Chantal’s husband has attended Caron Treatment Center in Pennsylvania. Caron has actively supported this book, however, it has not, nor has any other organization, provided any financial support.

This book project is an independent endeavor.

About Chantal

Chantal proudly supports her husband’s sobriety. She is an alumni of the Caron Treatment Center Family Education Program. Her pathway to recovery includes Al-Anon, individual and couples’ behavioral counseling as well as numerous personal growth workshops. Chantal and William celebrated his ten-year recovery in February 2019 with a cycling trip in Myanmar.

For Chantal’s complete bio please click here.

About Bill

William Thomas is a seasoned corporate leader with progressive successes from Marketing Director at Proctor and Gamble to President of Western Union Financial Services both Fortune 500 companies. He has experience working in and across cultures including Thailand, Argentina, Canada, France and the U.S. His passion is creating high performing global teams.

Since leaving corporate life, William has turned his attention to philanthropy, teaching and serving on nonprofit boards. He engages in a life of adventure travel and fitness.

William faced the challenge of addiction and went to rehab at Caron Treatment Center. Following rehab, he participated in therapy, attended couples’ workshops, and received the unwavering support of his wife, close friends and AA sponsors. In February 2019, he celebrated ten years of sobriety.

William has crafted a fulfilling life in recovery. He now sits on the Advisory Board for Caron, has served on the board of The Rotary Club of Philadelphia and held the position of Foundation Chairman. He has accepted Adjunct Professor assignments teaching breakthrough career courses to international students in Asia. He and his wife sponsor the education of street children in Thailand and have established an Endowment Fund to support selective charities.

William currently dedicates himself to the promotion and launch of the upcoming book “Love Without Martinis: Stories of Couples in Sobriety”.

For more information about Bill's career click here to see his Linkedin profile.

Their Relationship

Bill and Chantal met in Ghana, Africa at a Gala hosted by Western Union. Bill was President and lived in Paris. Chantal was General Counsel and lived in Miami. Their friendship spanned many countries and many years until they both were eventually relocated to Denver. As in many modern relationships, initially their lives were complicated.

In 2008, they paused their executive careers, moved to Philadelphia and began to explore the depth of their relationship. They soon faced a series of life challenges parental death, Bill’s alcohol addiction, Chantal’s cancer and ruptured families.

Bonded by a deep love for one another, they realized that without recovery, they would not have a relationship. They embarked on a journey that would require Bill to attend rehab at Caron Treatment Center and Chantal to learn about addiction and co-dependency. Together they faced the challenge head on attending therapy, couple’s workshops, AA and Al-Anon. They had to find courage and give each other time to grow. They continue to deepen their recovery and heal the scars left on their souls and their families.

They have created a second life in recovery. Bill sits on non-profit boards sharing his knowledge and expertise as a former CEO. Chantal writes creative non-fiction and Maverick House published her first book “The Boy with a Bamboo Heart”. She also dedicates herself to supporting youth and education. Together they have embraced living life to the fullest trekking in Patagonia, cycling over 10,000 kms from coastal France to the Asian Golden Triangle even sky diving in New Zealand. They have been adjunct professors in Thailand and fundraised for a young Canadian athlete. Each year they recharge at a cottage on a quiet Quebec lake in Canada and plan their future.

They deeply believe that life in recovery is fun and sexy. Chantal and Bill want to participate in the conversation to de-stigmatize addiction and give voice to people in recovery. On February 17, 2019, they celebrated Bill’s ten years of sobriety while traveling in Yangon, Myanmar.