Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
WOMEN living in Bahrain have offered their opinions on what the fairer sex really want in a new book about relationships which may help solve an issue that has flummoxed men for time immemorial.
Best-selling author and former resident of the kingdom, Robin Barratt, has compiled his latest offering using information gathered from a wide variety of sources, including members of Bahrain Writers’ Circle.
“Initially the idea actually came from a Facebook friend,” said Robin, who left the island after a four-year spell in 2012 and now lives back in the UK. “She knew I was a writer and independent publisher, she had just broken up with her partner and said to me jokingly: ‘Why do men get it so wrong!’ and I thought, wow, what a great title or subject for a book.
“And then the idea developed even further after I wrote to a few female friends telling them about a possible book and asking them what they wanted in a relationship, and why they think men get it so wrong. After a few Facebook notices and contacting the Bahrain Writers’ Circle, before too long I had around 25 women from around the world all discussing men and relationships.”
What Women Really Want (and why men sometimes get it so wrong) is out now.
Robin said: “I found many of the contributions captivating, mainly because I thought all women believed and thought the same things about relationships and men, but clearly they don’t! “Sure, there are some key issues that all women want, the top one being communication and every woman in the world wants to communicate with their partner, through good times and bad.
“And, honestly, they all want their partners to be honest with them, even if that honesty may sometimes hurt or cause upset, and it seems from this book that dishonesty is the key reason for most break-ups.
“But there are marked differences between, for example, what women in the West want compared to what women in India want. Women in the West seem to want and need to be loved, whereas for some women in some countries, love doesn’t seem to be as high on the agenda – they want financial security and social (and family) acceptance.”
Robin continued: “Most women would never forgive infidelity, but it seems that many indeed do forgive and carry on for the sake of the relationship. Surprisingly, some women even know about it, accept it and live with it. And, one woman said she wished her partner gave her and her family as much attention as he does his cricket!
“One thing I have learned above everything else is that relationships only seem to work if there is life compatibility – you need to share almost everything in your life with your partner and this is what women really want too, to be able to talk about and share their lives with their partner.”
One of the book’s contributors is GulfWeekly’s own chief reporter Mai, 34, who married her sweetheart Sam Camille, 35, last year. She says the thing she loves most about her man is his ability to make her laugh … and he wins top marks for honesty too.
She said: “How do men sometimes get it wrong? I think that’s because every woman is different. Don’t assume we are all the same. How about you ask her what she really wants and actually ... listen? What happens next may surprise you. How has mine gotten it wrong? I’m happy to report that he hasn’t thus far as I’m still laughing.”
Finally, as a result, what good advice would Robin give to a young man about to embark on the romance game? “Ha, that’s a tough question!” he admitted. “Firstly, be honest and don’t hide things; if you lie about things at the beginning of the relationship you will get found out once the relationship starts to develop.
“Also, listen to your partner; believe it or not, women like to chat a tad more than men so show interest in her and what she has to say, even if perhaps you are not! Communicate with her too, tell her what you like and dislike, and share your life with her. But, most importantly, make her feel special and treat her as though she is the only woman in the world!
“But hey... what do I know!” added Robin, 53.
Search 151704264X (£6.99 or $10.95) for the paperback version of ‘What Women Really Want’ and B014H2UXHG (£2.99 or $4.72) for the Kindle.
A ‘must read’ for every man (and woman) in the world, according to Robin.
