Regardless of whether things are going better than ever, or if you’ve hit a few bumps in the road lately, there is always room for growth in personal relationships.
Sure, one person might have a little more to work on than the other, but remember: it takes the efforts of two to make a relationship work. That’s why reading a relationship book with your partner can not only bring you closer together, but also highlight ways that you can each grow individually.
So for your next date night, rather than binging another Netflix series (there’s always time for that), why not cuddle up with your honey and read a book that will bring you closer together for a bond that’s stronger and more fulfilling than ever?
10 Books for Couples to Read Together
We’ve rounded up 10 great books to read alongside your significant other.
1. The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Dr. Gary Chapman shares his “five love languages,” or the five categories of actions that cover our basic needs: physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, and gifts. The book includes a Couple’s Personal Profile assessment so you can discover your preferred love language, and learn more about yourself and your loved one.
2. Eight Dates by Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman
Husband-and-wife team Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman draw on their 40 years of research to invite you on 8 fun and rewarding dates, with each one focused on a relationship issue: trust, conflict, sex, money, family, adventure, spirituality, and dreams. The activities are fun, but also encourage you to stay open, curious, and talking to your partner.
3. Getting the Love You Want by Dr. Harville Hendrix
Getting the Love You Want has been helping couples build more loving and satisfying relationships since 1988. With the 20th anniversary edition, you can access extensive revisions, including a new chapter and new exercises. Dr. Hendrix’s also shares his updated philosophy for eliminating all negativity from couples’ daily interactions, so you can benefit from his ongoing discoveries since the first edition’s publication.
4. Reigniting the Spark by Dr. Bruce Chalmer
Veteran couples therapist Dr. Bruce Chalmer uses case studies based on real couples who represent some of the most common issues couples face regarding intimacy and stability. His wisdom and experience will help you learn how to build lasting relationships full of passion while improving your communication, having better sex, and avoiding pointless arguments.
5. The Relationship Cure by Dr. John Gottman
In yet another excellent guide from relationship expert Dr. John Gottman, The Relationship Cure provides a simple 5-step program for improving all kinds of relationships in your life, from spouses to siblings. Uncover the key elements of healthy relationships and learn about empowering tools for improving the way you bid for emotional connection, as well as how you respond to the bids of others.
6. Mating in Captivity by Esther Perel
As the cover asks, “Can we desire what we already have?” Therapist Esther Perel offers her bold take on this issue as she examines the paradoxical union of domesticity and sexual desire in long-term relationships and marriages, and explains what it takes to bring lust home.
7. Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson
In Hold Me Tight, Dr. Sue Johnson introduces readers to the once-controversial practice of Emotionally Focused Therapy, which is now supported by science.
Johnson shares how to save and enrich your relationship by reestablishing a safe emotional connection and preserving that attachment bond. Using practical exercises, she then focuses on key moments in a relationship that you and your partner are likely familiar with, then uses them as touch points for healing conversations.
8. Mindful Relationship Habits by SJ Scott and Barrie Davenport
Mindfulness is a beneficial practice that can be incorporated into many areas of your life, so why not your relationship? Amid the hustle and bustle of everyday tasks, responsibilities, (and sometimes distractions) competing for your attention, this book will help you build mindful relationship habits in order to keep your relationship a priority and have only positive interactions with your partner.
9. I Love You But I Don’t Trust You by Mira Kirshenbaum
A number of factors can lead to mistrust in a relationship, whether it’s a monumental betrayal, everyday white lies, or a painful history that doesn’t even have anything to do with your current partner. But whatever the cause, mistrust will wreak havoc on your relationship if not addressed properly.
This book explains the stages through which trust strengthens, and will teach how to avoid the mistakes that impede healing so you and your partner can learn to feel secure with each other again.
10. Why Don’t We Listen Better? by James C. Petersen
Do you ever feel like you’re talking to a wall, or like whatever you say, you and your partner just can’t seem to understand each other?
This book touches on Jim Petersen’s 40 years of counseling and pastoral ministry experience to show you and your partner how you can improve your communication using practical tools, like a Talker-Listener Card process and specific listening techniques that will lead to greater cooperation and fewer conflicts.
How Do Couples Read Together?
If you’re interested in reading one of these books with your significant other, there are a few things you should consider first.
- First, while you could take the initiative of just choosing one and presenting it to your partner, you may want to take a more team-oriented approach of discussing areas you’d like to improve and choose an appropriate book together.
- Once you’ve decided on a book, there are some logistics to cover. Are you going to share one printed copy? When do each of you typically read? Depending on your schedules, you may find it more convenient to have one person take a hard copy, while another works on the book with a digital or audio version.
- Another great option is making time every evening to read the book together, taking turns reading chapters aloud to one another.
- Remember: The important thing is that you discuss what you learn and talk about how you can go about applying the lessons to your relationships.
More Great Relationship Advice
The books in this list are great for couples to read together, because many of them offer interactive elements and practical exercises that you can try immediately to apply what you’ve learned together.
However, you may also be interested in reading more tips about improving your communication more generally, as well as studying the importance of trust in all of your relationships.
Do you have any recommendations for books couples should read together? Share them in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- How to Communicate Effectively: 9 Tips for Clearer Exchanges and Fewer Misunderstandings
- Trust in Relationships: How to Build Trust At Home, At Work, and with Yourself
- Wedding Poems: The Best Poems About Love and Marriage
- Stability and Intimacy in Relationships: How to Reignite the Spark
As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
