Top 15 Relationship Books Every Couple Should Read Together

A relationship can be tricky at times. Reading books on relationships gives you an insight into your spouse’s psychology and can do a lot to improve your relationship. Even books which help to get rid of bad habits are a must-read since they help to overcome the complexities of life and relationships.

Benefits of Reading a Relationship Book with Your Spouse

There are multiple benefits of reading with your spouse. Some of them are:

• It helps in reducing stress and enables you to think differently.
• It brings partners closer and gets them thinking on the same lines.
• It encourages partners to open up.
• Cosying up with books can lead to a cosy time.

15 Best Relationship Books for Couples

Below are some of the best relationship books of all time.

1. How We Love by Milan and Kay Yerkovich

This book is the right choice if you are going through a frustrating pattern in your marriage and find that you repeat the same arguments every time.

A pastor for 13 years, Milan worked as a pastoral counsellor with the Centre for Individual and Family Therapy. He has a California teaching credential and a Master’s degree in Biblical Studies. He became the Director of a non-profit organization devoted to counselling. He has worked as a radio co-host.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

The author has used attachment theory and views the link between childhood and marriage. You can thus find solutions to your problems, identify your specific love style and understand how your childhood might be affecting your marriage.

2. The Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz

The author’s insightful stories bring out the assumptions that undermine the feeling of love and suffering in relationships.

Don Miguel Ruiz is a Mexican author who is best at writing spiritual text. His work is appreciated by the members of the New Thought movement. He believes in ancient teachings as a way to achieve spiritual enlightenment.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

This book teaches people how to heal emotional wounds, restore the spirit of playfulness and recover freedom and joy. The author ultimately drives home the fact that happiness is the result of your love.

3. The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller

It is a spiritually enriching and a beautifully written book.

Timothy Keller, born in Pennsylvania, was initially a pastor. He started Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City and has more than five thousand Sunday attendees. He has started over 250 new churches around the world.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

After reading the book, you can gain a great appreciation for Jesus Christ. The author speaks about the self-sacrifice essential to sustain any relation. His books on marriage and relationships are highly acclaimed.

4. Boundaries in Marriage by Henry Cloud and John Townsend

Boundaries help keep the sanity in a marriage. This book will help you find your boundaries.

Dr Henry Cloud is an eminent speaker of the broadcast New Life Live! Both of them are counsellors and talk about the laws that can make a real difference in relationships.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

Boundaries are symbolic of the rules that protect and define both husband and wife as individuals. A husband and wife should respect each other’s freedom, choices, and needs, and give themselves lovingly to one another. This principle can make a good marriage better and save a less satisfying one.

5. Conscious Loving by Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks

The book offers valuable insights into making a lasting commitment.

Kathlyn and Gay Hendricks have a PhD and are bestselling authors. They are the co-founders of the Hendricks’ Institute. They host many workshops on mind-body themes. Kathlyn has been a pioneer in the field of body intelligence.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

They have created powerful strategies to build a strong partnership and increase happiness, creativity, and energy of each individual. The book helps to heal old and hurtful incidents, and increases love, enjoyment, and security.

6. Getting The Love You Want by Harville Hendrix

You get the love you deserve is a common saying. But this books focuses on the love that you hope to find.

Harville Hendrix, PhD is a therapist, public lecturer, and educator. His works have been translated into more than fifty languages. He and his wife are co-creators of Imago Relationship Therapy and write books on healthy relationships.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

It is a remarkable, persuasive and incisive book which deals with the knotty problems of marriage. A couple can find the love they want after reading this book.

7. The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm

The book has been a landmark bestseller with almost every line full of realism, compassion, and common sense.

Fromm was a German social psychoanalyst, psychologist, and philosopher who expounded love as a skill demanding a lot of knowledge and effort.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

The lessons of the book continue to resonate with people even today due to the maturity, courage, and concentration of the author. He has encouraged people to develop the capacity to love and understand love in all its facets. The book teaches people how to lead rich, productive lives.

8. Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus by John Gray

It is inarguably a definitive book on developing a happy relationship.

Gray is a relationship counsellor and leading expert on communication styles. His books have sold fifty million copies in fifty different languages all over the world.  He talks about Martians and Venusians who had come to the earth and got amnesia which made them forget about the planet they had come from.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

It unlocks the secrets to enable couples to attain a lifetime of love through mutual understanding. This authoritative literary work helps couples reach a point of understanding and harmony where they can work, live and love together.

9. I Love You But I Don’t Trust You by Mira Kirshenbaum

The book is a guide to restore a broken relationship.

Mira Kirshenbaum is a two-time finalist for the ‘Books for a Better Life’ Award. She is the Clinical Director of an internationally recognized centre for psychotherapy and research.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

A relationship is put at risk by a monumental betrayal, a history of hurts or small lies. During the rebuilding process, the author has pointed out that a couple should avoid the mistakes that prevent healing.

10. Love Sense by Sue Johnson

Based on cutting edge research, this book presents a revolutionary understanding of why and how we love.

A distinguished research professor and a clinical psychologist, Mira is a recognized leader in the new science of relationships. She has trained thousands of therapists around the world.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

The author shows how to develop the ability to develop a longlasting relationship and also love sense. As the book is based on ground-breaking research, it will change the way you think about love.

11. Wired for Love by Stan Tatkin

Building a relationship on the edifice of love and trust is the core of this book.

The developer of a psychobiological approach to couple therapy, researcher, teacher, clinician Stan Tatkin is also a clinical pastoral counsellor of Imago Relationship Therapy.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

The book is a guide to enjoy a romantic relationship based on love, trust and understanding of your partner’s psychology. The ten principals can improve any relationship by highlighting the touchpoints in every bond.

12. Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel S. F. Heller

Why are we attracted to the people we are attracted to? This book holds the answers.

An adolescent, adult and child neuroscientist, Amir discovered the attachment theory while working in a therapeutic nursery. It is remarkably effective in helping patients heal.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

The book explains scientifically why some people struggle and some are able to navigate relationships effortlessly. The book explains in a fascinating manner why partners are attracted to each other and what they can do to attain fulfilment in their relationship.

13. Mindful Relationship Habits by Barrie Davenport and S. J. Scott

Habits form a relationship as much as they form a man. This book explains why.

S. J. Scott provides some daily action plans for every area of your life. His content focuses on taking action. His belief is that your habits help you achieve the desired goals and live the life of your choice.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

The book reveals that in order to achieve a mindful relationship, you have to pay attention to all your interactions and choices. You need to become more proactive in responding to each other’s needs. In order to evolve to a higher level in your relationship, you have to be less reactive.

14. Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson

The book touches base on the importance of emotional support in a relationship.

A clinical psychologist of repute, Sue Johnson is the developer of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy. She has trained thousands of therapists and is a recognized leader.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

The book teaches how to shape relationships based on the new concept of Emotionally Focused People. The positive effect of EFT can last a lifetime. This therapy is being used extensively by hospital clinics too.

15. Communication Miracles For Couples by Johnathan Robinson

Communication is key and relationships can soar or plummet based on it, explains this book.

A psychotherapist and bestselling author of nine books, professional speaker, Johnathan’s powerful and simple methods are very practical and effective.

Why You Should Read This Book Together

The book helps in keeping love alive, creating lasting happiness and enhancing the relationship by communicating with less blame and more understanding. The techniques mentioned in the book can help in developing effective communication with your spouse. These books are written with the purpose of helping people get the best out of their relationship.

Also Read:

Romantic Books You Should Read Together With Your Partner
How to Impress Your Husband Romantically
Love Quotes That Define Relationships Accurately

Our Editorial Policy

Parenting is a huge responsibility, for you as a caregiver, but also for us as a parenting content platform. We understand that and take our responsibility of creating credible content seriously. FirstCry Parenting articles are written and published only after extensive research using factually sound references to deliver quality content that is accurate, validated by experts, and completely reliable. To understand how we go about creating content that is credible, read our editorial policy here.