The best way to learn about relationships is, of course, by experience. However, there is a lot you can gain from the input of other people. All relationships are different, but some of the experiences and challenges couples face are pretty similar.
One way to get this input is through books. I’m not talking about those lovey-dovey novels with cowboys, ranches, and single damsels in distress. I mean books about love and relationships.
These books are usually written by relationship experts but can also be by people who simply want to share what they have gone through. Whatever the case, they are great tools for building successful romantic relationships.
Here are the 18 best relationship advice books
#1 Attached; The New Science of Adult Attachment and How it can Help You Find and Keep Love
Authors – Amir Levine and Rachel Heller
Niche – Singles looking to understand love
This book is one of the best books on relationships for guys as it takes a bold and forward approach to understanding how attraction and attachment work. The writers may have taken a more fact than experience-based approach, but it is still very interesting to read. It is particularly useful not just for men but for any single person looking for some help in understanding this whole love thing.
#2 You are a Badass; How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life
Author – Jane Sincero
Niche – The art of self-love
For any relationship to work, there needs to be a healthy dose of self-esteem in both parties involved. This book is a great way to get yourself there. Sincero takes a very light-hearted and engaging approach to deliver the gospel of self-love. She will have you crowning yourself queen of the world by the time you are done.
#3 Dumped; A Guide to Getting Over a Breakup and Your Ex in Record Time!
Author – MaryJane Fahey
Niche – Getting through a breakup
Breakups are not fun for anyone, whether you’re the one who left or got dumped. However, I think we can all agree that the feeling of rejection associated with being the latter makes the pill a little harder to swallow. That is where Fahey comes in with her girl’s guide to getting over being dumped. It is witty and engaging while also emotional and encouraging, generally a great book.
#4 Whole Again: Healing Your Heart and Rediscovering Your True Self After Toxic Relationships and Emotional abuse
Author – Jackson Mackenzie
Niche – Letting go of emotional baggage
Breakups are not the only things that hurt in a relationship. You could be in a toxic relationship, an emotionally abusive one, or maybe you have emotional scars from some other event. Whatever the case, these all result in baggage that will weigh your relationship down. ‘Whole Again’ was voted one of the best relationship books of 2019 and will take you through how to get over this pain for a healthier relationship.
#5 When Sorry Isn’t Enough
Authors – Gary Chapman and Jennifer Thomas
Niche – Fixing relationship mistakes
We all make mistakes in relationships. Maybe you forgot about her birthday. Or you lost that sentimental gift he got you. However, there are some mistakes where simply apologizing isn’t enough. If you have made a mistake like this and would still like to salvage your relationship, then this is one book that will help.
#6 The Wisdom of Sundays
Author – Oprah Winfrey
Niche – Peace of mind before and during the relationship
The ‘Wisdom of Sundays’ is one of the best relationship books for singles who want to be the best version of themself before entering a relationship. It is about so much more than having a healthy self-esteem. The book contains a collection of experiences in romantic and non-romantic relationships that will give you an amazing perspective on life.
#7 Love, Sex and Staying Warm; Keeping the Flame Alive
Author – Neil Rosenthal
Niche – Strengthening a long-term relationship
This one is the best relationship advice books for couples who’s honeymoon years are seemingly long gone. This runt is inevitable and, if not addressed, will leave your relationship dreadfully boring. The book gives couples tips on how to reignite the spark and keep it burning.
#8 The 5 Love Languages
Author – Gary Chapman
Niche – Figuring out your relationship wants and needs
‘The 5 Love Languages’ has been one of the best-selling books about relationships of all time, and with the author’s revolutionary principles, it is not so hard to see why. It is a must-read whether you are single or in a relationship. It allows you to understand how you and your partner (and people in general) individually accept and give love. ‘The 5 Love Languages’ will help communicate your needs and accommodate those of your partner.
#9 From Stranger to Lover: 16 Strategies for Building a Strong Long-Distance Relationship
Author – Lisa McKay
Niche – LDRs and international dating
For people in long-distance relationships, the relationship challenges are pretty unique. This book addresses them in a great way, ensuring that you get the advice you need to make it work across borders on sites like AmoLatina.com. The list arrangement also makes it easier to understand and implement all that you will learn.
#10 Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
Author – John Gray
Niche – Understanding the opposite sex
This book was an instant hit in the 90s when it was first launched, and its success has held up nicely over the decades. Written by relationship expert John Gray, the book dives into the fundamental differences between men and women regarding how we think, feel, and act. This would be a great book to get whether you are single and looking to get into the dating scene or in a relationship and desperate to understand why your partner acts the way they do. It’s also one of the best books to read with your boyfriend!
#11 How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships
Author – Leil Lowndes
Niche – The art of communication
This is a great guide for singles who have a hard time meeting new people. Everyone knows that starting a conversation is probably the hardest part of forming new relationships. You may have the most beautiful heart and awesome personality, but if you have no idea how to talk to people, they may never get to appreciate this. Leil offers 92 nuggets of wisdom and then some on how exactly to get through the challenge, whether it is crippling shyness or a complete lack of ideas on what to say. If you are an introvert you should read our dating tips for introverts.
#12 The Soulmate Experience: A Practical Guide to Creating Extraordinary Relationships
Authors – Mali Apple and Joe Dunn
Niche – Creating soul mates
We all want that powerful and magical love story that is worthy of an entire film adaptation. However, contrary to popular beliefs, it is not just about the perfect meet-cute or undeniable compatibility. In their book, Mali and Joe teach romantics the art of creating soul mates by focusing on physical and emotional intimacy. It is a great book, whether you are single or already in a relationship.
#13 Couple Skills: Making Your Relationship Work
Authors – Matthew McKay, Ph.D., and Patrick Fanning
Niche – Learning to accept your partner with all their faults
Whoever said that relationships are hard work had it right! This book is a great guide on how to make what is more or less a full-time job be worth it in the end. What makes it unique from other self-help relationship books is the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles. These focus on helping you accept what you cannot change in your partner and loving them as they are. All in all, it is a pretty great book with a lot to teach you.
#14 Hold Me Tight
Author – Sue Johnson
Niche – Emotionally Focused Therapy (ETF) for Couples (Couples trying to fix or save their relationship)
‘Hold Me Tight’ is all about erasing the expiration date of love. First published in 2008, the book is based on the revolutionary and science-based ETF approach on romantic relationships created by Dr. Johnson.
The gist of this read revolves around the notion that relationships and marriages end because of the lack of emotional responsiveness rather than conflict. It teaches partners how to be more vulnerable, present, emotionally responsive, and deeply engaged with one another. If you want to read about love and marriage, this is the book for you.
#15 Getting the Love You Want
Author – Harville Hendrix
Niche – Self Help and Understanding the influence of the “lizard” brain.
This 1988 New York Times bestseller concentrates on the theory that children who grow up in emotionally unstable or unnurturing families are more prone to engaging in dysfunctional relationships in their adult life.
‘Getting The Love You Want’ is an amazing guide that, through the use of 16 practical exercises, will help you meet yourself on a deeper level and stop sabotaging yourself and your relationships.
#16 Calling in “The One”: 7 Weeks to Attract the Love of Your Life
Author – Katherine Woodward Thomas
Niche – Guidebook for attracting true love
Are you tired of bad relationships and destined-to-fail connections? Are you ready to attract real love and transform your life? If the answer is yes, ‘Calling in “The One”‘ is one of the best books about finding love.
Based on the ‘Law of Attraction’ that suggests we only attract the things and people we are ready to receive, Thomas’ 49-day program will gently push you towards detecting the obstacles that sabotage your love life and finding your way around them.
Meditation, contemplation, and journaling are just some techniques that will boost your emotional state and leave you ready for your next romantic endeavor.
#17 The Mastery of Love: A Practical Guide to the Art of Relationship
Authors – Don Miguel Ruiz and Janet Mills
Niche – Spiritual people looking to understand the true nature of love
Another masterpiece by the author of the amazing ‘Four Agreements.’ Powered by the ancient Toltec wisdom, Don Miguel Ruiz’s ‘The Mastery of Love’ is one of the best books on love that speaks of human relationships and how to deal with skepticism when it comes to love.
It gracefully explains that self-love and self-care are the building stones of every relationship in life. Spiritual and profound, this read will lead you to find happiness and content within.
#18 The Four Loves
Author – C. S. Lewis
Niche – Christians interested in serious self-reflection
When the world seems too much, and life has been throwing at us one curveball after another, it’s time to remind ourselves of higher purpose and what really matters. This fascinating read contemplates the four types of love: friendship, affection, the love of God, and erotic love.
Written by one of the best and brightest British authors of the new era, it gives us an unusual Christian and philosophical take on love and how it works in our daily lives.
Final verdict
Each of these books has a lot to offer you, whatever your current relationship status or dynamics may be. You just need to have an open mind about receiving input from strangers.
With the 18 books briefly reviewed above, you can rest assured that there are real value and wisdom to be heard. So pick one depending on your current state and make life a little easier for yourself!