It was a hot, Midwest summer evening in July 1987 when a random outing led them both to the exact same place at the exact same time. The attraction and connection seemed instant and overwhelming and before they knew it, this sixteen and seventeen year old would find themselves at a place where their lives would never be the same. Amy Jo Hawkins shares the very real and very raw story of this young couple (Luke and Macy) who at a young age, begin raising a family while desperately trying to find themselves along the way. Through marrying young, countless trials, addiction, chaos, abandonment and ultimately divorce, Luke and Macy defy all odds and discover the true meaning of love and forgiveness. With divorce as prevalent as it is today, it's virtually incomprehensible to grasp this truly remarkable story of how never losing hope can and does prove the heart's deepest desire of how "It Doesn't Have to be That Way."About the Author: Amy Jo is from a small town in the west suburbs of St. Louis, MO. She was raised in a modest home attending private school from kindergarten through high school. Life experiences and the people around her are a direct correlation to what shaped her as a woman and ultimately her life's passion; thus her first book "It Doesn't Have to be That Way" was born. She still lives in that same small town with her husband and their three adult children where she is also a full-time student working towards a degree to impact and mend couples, building stronger marriages and families alike.