To be honest, I think most marriage books aren’t very good. Now hear me out before you judge me…
When I hated my husband and was wanting a divorce (year three of my marriage!) I read at least two dozen marriage books hoping to find clarity and healing. Unfortunately, I didn’t find either and was left feeling even more frustrated. I felt like the information was very watered down, boring or too clinical for my taste. Of course this lead us to eventually start Marriage365, but one thing I will never do is point couples in a direction that will lead them nowhere. I would never tell a couple to waste their money and time on resources that do not work. Period.
So I am giving you my list of books that I have recommended to people all around the world that will give you results. These books, when put into practice, will change the way you communicate, problem solve, respond to your spouse, and even the way you make decisions on who to love.
MY FAVORITE MARRIAGE BOOKS
The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
By far the easiest read and the most practical for any couple in any stage of your marriage. Dr. Chapman does an incredible job at explaining how we all like to give and receive love in different ways and to find your love language so you can express your love the way your spouse wants to be loved. They even have a free quiz online that you can take! This is also great for engaged couples as well. Get your copy here.
Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
Having lunch with Brené Brown is on my bucket list, but setting that aside, she really is a game changer for most people once you begin reading her books. Yes, plural – she has tons and all of them are excellent. But if I had to pick one to start with, I’d recommend Daring Greatly. The tag line for the book reads How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead. Truly a must-read for anyone who is tired of living on auto-pilot and wants to take their life to the next level. Get your copy here.
365 Connecting Questions for Couples by Casey & Meygan Caston (that’s us!)
Yes, we are the authors and we self-published our book and have sold over 100,000 copies to 69 countries. This book is simple yet powerful at the same time. We give you a question to ask each other every day for an entire year about topics like sex and intimacy, communication, conflict, trust, your childhood, boundaries, friendships, money and even a just for fun section. We know that couples who make the time each day to connect emotionally have a more satisfying marriage. Husbands typically like this book because they want to connect with their wife but they just don’t know where to start and this gives them the confidence to engage with their wife. Get your copy here.
Wanting Sex Again by Laurie J. Watson
Sex is one of those topics where there is a lot of information available but not a lot of quality information for couples, which makes it confusing. Laurie is a friend of ours and an incredible sex therapist who just knows how to keep it real and doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable. This book took our sex life to a whole new level. Warning, do not leave this book on your coffee table while having guests over. Yes, we’re speaking from experience.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Even though this book is not technically a “marriage” book, all of the seven habits he talks about are applicable to marriage. In fact, the book could be named The 7 Habits of Happy and Healthy Couples! We all want to succeed, right? And one path to success is identifying the habits that can help us get there. Stephen’s book will help you focus on timeless principles of fairness, integrity, honesty and human dignity. Get your copy here.
10 Stupid Things Couples Do to Mess Up Their Relationships by Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Love her or hate her, it doesn’t even matter. This book speaks truth in a very blunt and honest way. I am one of those people that like to learn by others mistakes and then does everything opposite so I don’t completely mess my life up. If you’re similar to me, you will love this book. Dr. Laura knows all about the mistakes people make and then end up living a life of regret. Stay far away from these stupid things and you’ll be good to go! Get your copy here.
Disclosure: The links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a commission. Keep in mind that we link these products because we truly recommend them and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you. The commission earned from purchases will be directly invested into pursuing our mission and creating more Marriage365 resources.
Let me know what you think of my recommendations in the comments! Oh, and for all you Amazon shoppers: you can also support Marriage365 through Amazon Smile!
PS: Here’s a BONUS TIP for all engaged couples out there!
365 Connecting Questions for Engaged Couples
We wrote this book to help engaged couples prepare for marriage. This book includes 365 questions to ask your future spouse before you say ‘I Do’ – it will help you get to know your future spouse in a way that nothing else can! This book also includes questions for couples where one spouse (or both) have been married before. It is crucial to work through this before you enter into marriage together. Get your copy here.
Written by Meygan Caston
Meygan Caston is the co-founder of Marriage365 and lives in Orange County California with her husband Casey and their two children. She loves the beach, dance parties, writing, spa days, and helping couples connect in their marriage. Her life-long dream is to walk the Camino, have lunch with Brené Brown and get on The Price is Right.
