Danielle Treweek is challenging the church to see singleness as a powerful reflection of eternity, says Keanna Williams in her review of Single Ever After
Single Ever After by Danielle Treweek (The Good Book Company) is an honest, biblically grounded, and tender exploration of singleness and marriage. In a world often uneasy with singleness, Treweek invites readers to see its beauty, both now and in light of eternity. With personal insight and theological depth, she reminds us that whether single or married, our lives ultimately point to union with Christ.
Treweek’s central message is that all relationships - friendships, sibling bonds, and marriage - are meant to point us to eternity. From this foundation, she challenges readers to rethink how they view singleness, especially within the Church. Rather than a ‘waiting room’ or a season to escape, Treweek reframes singleness as a powerful, God-glorifying way of life.
Treweek opens by acknowledging her own singleness and the complex emotions surrounding it, immediately building trust with readers who may feel frustration or sorrow about their relationship status.
In the chapter ‘Waiting on the World to Change’ she tackles familiar questions: “What does my singleness actually do?” and “What is it good for?” Using the concepts of intrinsic and instrumental value, Treweek shows how both marriage and singleness reflect eternal truths. She challenges the idea that marriage best symbolises our future union with Christ, arguing that singleness can just as clearly if not more powerfully point to our eternal relationship with Jesus.
Throughout, Treweek gently challenges inconsistencies in how singleness is treated in Christian communities. Why, she asks, do we revere Jesus - a single, childless man - yet struggle to affirm singleness as good? She explores theological and cultural conversations around the ‘gift’ of singleness, chosen versus circumstantial singleness, loneliness, and sex, weaving in biblical insights and historical context.
Why do we revere Jesus - a single, childless man - yet struggle to affirm singleness as good?
Treweek is not anti-romance. She acknowledges the human desire for romantic love as good and godly. But she consistently returns to her key point: the “happily ever after” that all Christians long for is not ultimately found in marriage, but in eternity with Christ.
Treweek writes with warmth and theological rigour, balancing accessibility with depth. She makes complex ideas clear without oversimplifying, and each chapter is thoughtfully structured around a key theme, giving the book a cohesive, intentional feel.
She doesn’t just make statements; she builds a world of thought, drawing connections between scripture, Church history, and personal experience. One of the book’s greatest strengths is her ability to articulate the subtle emotional tensions that often accompany Christian singleness.
The writing occasionally feels a little circular, with some chapters taking time to reach their main point and certain reflections repeated. But Single Ever After is vital reading for anyone navigating singleness, leading others, or participating in church life. It challenges the often-unspoken assumption that marriage is the Christian ideal, prompting deeper reflection on how we value and treat single people within the body of Christ.
Treweek writes with vulnerability, sharing her personal experiences not as a blueprint but as a lens for empathy, theological reflection, and honesty with God. The book affirms that singleness is not a lesser calling but a profound way of witnessing to the eternal union between Christ and the Church.
One of the most powerful takeaways is Treweek’s reminder that eternity is the framework through which we must view all of life, including relationships. In heaven, all believers will be single, united not to one another in marriage, but to Christ. Singleness, then, is not a waiting room, but a glimpse of what is to come.
Treweek’s voice is compassionate, clear, and full of conviction. She speaks directly to the longings, disappointments, and joys many single Christians experience, offering comfort without platitudes and a challenge to the whole Church to better love and value their single brothers and sisters.
Single Ever After is not a self-help guide or a manifesto against marriage. It is a thoughtful, biblically faithful reflection on what it means to be single in a world and in the Church that often struggles to celebrate it.
Single Ever After by Danielle Treweek (The Good Book Company) is released on 1 September 2025
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