It seemed like a turn of events that would only befall Bridget Jones or dominate a brunch sequence in a Sex and the City episode, but for reporter Ellen McCarthy, it was an ironic reality: on the same day The Washington Post hired her as the full-time weddings reporter, she and her longtime boyfriend broke up. And she was thirty at the time.

In the years that followed, Ellen has covered more than 200 walks down the aisle. She has also talked to the pros, picking the brains of the matchmakers, sex therapists, psychologists, neurologists and philosophers who spend their days investigating what makes relationships work.

In The Real Thing: Lessons on Love and Life from a Wedding Reporter’s Notebook, Ellen explores the complete journey of our timeless quest for “The One,” the Soul Mate, the Real Thing. Her collection of insights—on dating, commitment, breakups, weddings, and marriage—gives us a window into the mystery, the science, and the secrets of how we find love and make it last.

McCarthy is an award-winning feature writer for The Washington Post. She joined the Post in 2000 and wrote about business, technology, arts, and entertainment before launching the paper’s On Love section in 2009.

In conversation with Rabbi Shira Stutman, who officiated Ellen’s wedding. Book signing to follow.