There is a lot of stigma around purchasing a relationship book. It may make you feel like your relationship just isn’t working, or it can feel like a last-ditch effort to save a terminal relationship. But it is time to cut the embarrassment. You and your partner are not all-knowing, so it’s totally normal to hunt for advice on how to mend and strengthen your relationship.

Maybe your relationship has always been a well oiled machine, but lately, you feel like something just isn’t working like it used to or maybe you just want to ensure you have the tools to build a strong relationship for years to come. Regardless of what stage your relationship is in, whether you’re thick as thieves or if you have been drifting for some time now, a good relationship help book will offer insight into how to build your bond.

Or maybe you’re not in a relationship, and you’ve got questions as to why things just aren’t panning out. Whatever the case, we’ve got a book for you.

To help you get back to loving, we’ve gathered the best book about relationships available right now. These range from tried-and-true classics (remember Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus?) to some of the newer books to hit the shelves (like Eat, Pray, Love’s relationship-focused sequel).

Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus

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This one is an absolute classic. Your parents probably had it on their bedside at some point, and though that may have been many moons ago, it is still incredibly salient. The thesis revolves around the thought that Martians (men) and Venusians (women) are in the happiest relationships when they accept their differences as positivities. Written by a former marriage counselor, all of the insights are drawn from experience and insights with real-life couples.
>> SEE IT ON AMAZON.COM

He’s Just Not That Into You

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At the end of the day, he might just not be that into you. For your single friend who is constantly fretting about why a relationship went south, Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo break down why you’re wasting your time on those duds. While the book is equally hilarious and refreshing, it also kicks the readers away from over-analyzing relationship and sets them loose to go find the real one. If you’re a single male, this will provide a peek into some of women’s biggest dating anxieties.
>> SEE IT ON AMAZON.COM

Sacred Marriage

For those who place high value both on their partner and God in their life, this book walks you through how the love in your marriage can heighten your relationship with God and everything else in your life. Okay, so you’re not religious – hear us out, this book is still a favorite of ours. Mainly as it pushes you to realize the meaning of your relationship beyond the surface-level butterflies, and how to translate that love into all areas of your life.
>> SEE IT ON AMAZON.COM

The Sex-Starved Marriage

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It may feel like, thanks to the name, buying this book is like buying a coffin for a relationship. But while the start of your relationship may be full of lots and lots of glorious sex, as you begin to settle in a life together your sex life may start to peter out. It happens! Don’t feel embarrassed, but physical connection is a key part of maintaining a healthy relationship and if you’ve lost your Mojo, it is hard to ask the tough question of how to get it back. This book details how both partners – no matter the level of your sex drive – can build back that physical connection.
>> SEE IT ON AMAZON.COM

Difficult Conversations

 DIFFICULT-CONVERSATIONS

You know those hard conversations you just don’t really want to have? The ones you’ve been putting off for some time now? Those difficult conversations can be hindering your relationship with your significant other. The teachers of the Harvard Negotiation Project have put together this book to guide you through how to navigate every tough conversation or fight with not just the people you love, but colleagues, parents and the like.
>> SEE IT ON AMAZON.COM

The 5 Love Languages

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Everyone loves differently. Some live for the 24/7 endearing love quote text messages and others prefer a to-the-point style of texting. Others love over-the-top grand gestures, while others enjoy a more subtle approach to showing your love. Whatever you or your partner’s love language, Gary Chapman has made a simple guide to expressing and accepting each other’s love languages. Sometimes, it may be as easy as saying “I love you” every day.
>> SEE IT ON AMAZON.COM

Committed

This isn’t your run-of-the-mill self-help book. From the author behind Eat, Pray, Love, comes the continuum of her story. Remember Felipe, the Brazilian she fell in love with? Well, things weren’t all dandy post-book, and, thanks to visa issues, Gilbert was veered into a new marriage. Committed jumps into the complexities of a second marriage and how to navigate a committed relationship, all in Gilbert’s charming, witty prose.
>> SEE IT ON AMAZON.COM

Mindful Relationship Habits

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Sometimes the ins and outs of daily life are far from the most romantic part of a relationship. Be it fights over the dishes, finances, kids, and the like, the pressures of life, the minutiae of the day-to-day can leave you both in a disconnect. This book aims to pull you away from the shuffle and help build habits that promote a mindful relationship. Each of these habits helps you communicate more clearly, avoid arguments, and understand each other’s needs in a more thoughtful way. This book is like a deep back massage for all those little knotty relationship issues.
>> SEE IT ON AMAZON.COM

The Science of Happily Ever After

How do you go about looking for the key to your happily ever after? Dr. Ty Tashiro examines in The Science of Happily Ever After by translating years of research analysis into insight on how we look for a partner. To back this, Dr. Tashiro paints the picture with real-life scenarios to help you find the path to your other half.
>> SEE IT ON AMAZON.COM

Hold Me Tight

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The New York Times’ voted Emotionally Focused Therapy one of the top relationship therapies, and for good reason. In Hold Me Tight, author Sue Johnson argues that love relationships are an attachment bond (similar to the relationship you have with your parents). Whether or not you agree with this, this book holds many keys to how to care more compassionately for your partner and how to build a more fulfilling bond between you both.
>> SEE IT ON AMAZON.COM

Attached: The New Science for Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find – and Keep – Love

If you’ve been in and out of relationships and just haven’t found your better half, you may have asked yourself the question, is there a science to love? Neuroscientist Amir Levine and psychologist Rachel Heller investigate, looking to the science behind attachment theory. Attachment theory revolves around how humans need to be in a tight relationship with someone at all times and how a person’s behavior in a relationship can be divided into three categories: anxious, avoidant, and secure. Levine and Heller will guide you towards which one you fall under and how you can build your relationship around it. Pick this up if you or your partner are the overly logical sort.
>> SEE IT ON AMAZON.COM

The Highly Sensitive Person in Love

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Are you the frequent cried when problems arise? Is fear of intimacy an underlying problem? No biggie – 20% of people are born highly sensitive, and you just happen to be one of them. But that can cause serious turmoil in your relationships. To combat these issues, Elaine Aron’s research prescribes a few antidotes for overly sensitive folks on how to lead happy, healthy relationships.
>> SEE IT ON AMAZON.COM

Getting the Love You Want

Another old-school classic, Getting the Love You Want is less about couples, and more about exploring yourself and what you need and want. Harville Hendrix pushes the reader to explore what love you need, like what promotes intimacy for you and what creates negative feelings, and how to use these insights to build your relationship with your partner. The book is filled with lots of quizzes and activities for you and your partner to work on as a couple, or individually.
>> SEE IT ON AMAZON.COM

Soppy

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Soppy was born on the internet, when author and illustrator Philippa Rice started documenting the details of her relationship with her boyfriend. While many of the moments she found were romantic – like cuddling by the fire – many of the scenes she illustrated were those little tiny moments that are often overlooked – like how you sleep next to each other or randomly remembering each other’s favorite foods. It’s a heart-warming reminder to stop and smell the flowers.
>> SEE IT ON AMAZON.COM

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