The word "marriage" may conjure images of extravagant clothes, gold rings, and reciting vows on a tropical beach at sunset. But those are all features of a wedding, not a marriage. Marriage itself is a far more difficult and consequential endeavor that, in an ideal scenario, will last a lifetime. So whether you’re preparing to take the plunge or looking to strengthen your marriage, it's never a bad idea to get advice from a variety of trusted sources.
The best marriage listens are honest about the difficulties married couples face while offering practicable (though not necessarily easy!) ways of tackling those challenges. While they cannot take the place of marriage counseling, they offer couples expert guidance on how to start a conversation about potential problems and proven strategies to address them. We’ve cultivated this list of the best marriage books to help you strengthen your bond and give you the tools to fight for many more happy years together.
One of the keys to a successful marriage is learning how to deal with the inevitable bumps in the road while maintaining trust in each other. Dr. John Gottman has spent decades counseling couples and studying marriage. In that time, he has developed theories and methods for helping couples maintain both love and respect for one another in the long term. Co-written by Nan Silver and read by actor Peter Berkrot, What Makes Love Last? is an excellent resource for couples who want to give their relationship a better chance of lasting a lifetime.
If you or your spouse has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), it's important to be aware of the impact it can have on your relationships. Melissa Orlov, whose husband has ADHD, explores the ADHD effect
from the perspective of both partners: one with ADHD and one without. She explains how ADHD can have both positive and negative effects on a relationship, and how couples can spot and deal with the negatives before they get out of control. Blending research nuggets with real-life examples and useful tips, The ADHD Effect on Marriage encourages spouses to become active partners in easing the friction ADHD can cause.
Author, relationship expert, and acclaimed sex therapist Esther Perel is on a mission to help couples restore intimacy and trust all the while honoring each other’s feelings and coming to peaceful, considerate resolutions of conflict. In The Arc of Love, Perel expands upon her Audible Original podcast Where Should We Begin? to include larger conversations on the nature of love itself, both romantic and familial. This listen follows along with six sets of people as they set out to understand their emotions and better their relationships, whether it be post-divorce or the earliest stages of marriage. This is must-listen for any couple looking for tips on how to navigate difficulty, as Perel’s sharp, pinpoint-accurate diagnosis of the cause behind each client’s troubles—and her solutions on how to move forward from them—makes for a great starting point.
When it comes to relationships, argue Dr. Amir Levine and Rachel Heller, there are three types of people: anxious, avoidant, and secure. A quiz (in the form of a downloadable PDF attachment) will tell you which kind of person you are, how your type tends to handle (and mishandle) relationships, and what you can do to get your relationship back on solid ground. No matter which type of person you and your partner are, Attached can help you toward a brighter, more compatible future. Actor and prolific audiobook narrator Robert Petkoff lends his voice to this groundbreaking work.
Every couple has disagreements—but when arguments continually erupt, it can destroy a marriage. If you and your partner are fighting a lot, or if you want to be proactive about adopting healthy communication methods, No More Fighting is a welcome guide. A Licensed Professional Counselor, Alicia Muñoz offers couples fast and effective strategies for tackling common issues that trigger fights, without resorting to yelling or insults. In just 20 minutes a week, you and your partner will learn how to work through your differences and strengthen your bond to build lasting love.
Finding, forging, and maintaining a healthy romantic relationship is incredibly complicated. Whenever two individuals come together as a couple, they bring different and often conflicting approaches, interests, pet peeves, and ideas of the future. Mark Manson, author of the self-dev favorite The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F-ck, brings his same tough-love attitude to the subject of, well, love in the Audible Original, Love Is Not Enough. In this unique listen, follow along as Manson provides guidance and wisdom to five real people navigating the tricky intricacies of love—from dating app addictions to the lasting damage of infidelity. By turns funny and emotional (but always candid!), these conversations lend a window into how to work through your own relationship problems and become a more thoughtful, loving, courageous partner.
Ada Calhoun's marriage has had plenty of ups and downs—but that's just how marriage works, and it's important for couples to realize that before tying the knot. In Wedding Toasts I'll Never Give, Calhoun shares her personal journey through the trials and tribulations of marriage (and yes, she is still married). Her candor and funny stories will prepare you for those inevitable days when you want to give up on everything and go live alone in the woods. Even if marriage is not the blissful, problem-free, happily-ever-after that you see in the movies, you and your spouse can still build a wonderful life together.
For a short beginner's guide to communication between married couples, Communication in Marriage might be just the ticket. Marcus and Ashley Kusi, a couple who developed these techniques to improve their own marriage, teach you healthy ways of communicating with your spouse—even when one or both of you is angry or uncomfortable talking about feelings—to avoid fighting and build trust. This Audible-exclusive audiobook is a good starting point for couples seeking the building blocks of a strong marriage, and there’s also a helpful accompanying workbook for those who could use further guidance.
Pastor Michael Todd has put all of his best relationship advice into Relationship Goals, a Christian-based approach to tackling the challenges of marriage. Drawing on both his faith and his personal experiences, Todd explains how you can improve your love life, whether you are new to the dating scene or have been married for years. It may be tempting to just pray for a quick fix for your romantic problems, but, as Todd assures the faithful, putting in the hard work and trusting God's word to guide you will lead to a loving relationship that’s deeply fulfilling.
Once it’s discovered, infidelity can be extremely painful—but it doesn't have to seal the end of your marriage if you don't want it to. In How to Help Your Spouse Heal from Your Affair, marriage counselor and infidelity specialist Linda J. MacDonald offers unfaithful spouses practical advice and an action plan for mending and saving their relationship. Step by step, listeners will explore the roots of their infidelity and guard against future affairs, recognize the difference between helpful and harmful apologies, learn how to deal with their spouse’s feelings of betrayal and ongoing suspicions, and ultimately move forward in rebuilding their relationship, with integrity.
Passion does not and should not fade with age. Joan Price's award-winning Naked at Our Age combines personal anecdotes with professional advice to show how you can cope with—and even celebrate—the changes in sexuality that come with aging. For anyone over the age of 50—man or woman, straight or gay, married for years or embarking on a new relationship—this listen offers useful advice and plenty of encouragement for continuing to embrace intimacy.
Modern Love is a series of New York Times essays reflecting the many forms love takes, from chance encounters in elevators to dating with bipolar disorder. Ironically, though this revised edition is a tie-in for the recent Amazon series, its biggest strength is showing that love doesn't work like it does on TV. These essays include stories from people at all relationship stages. They have won their wisdom through age, experience, and the heartbreak of learning that love does not always conquer all. But most of all, these writers have found that love, though sometimes painful, is always worth it.
Eileen Gonzalez is a freelance writer from Connecticut. She has a Master's degree in communications and years of experience writing about pop culture. She contributes to Book Riot and Foreword Reviews.
