Romance is hands-down the most selling genre in fiction and 2020 has increased its popularity. As readers across the country were forced to quarantine themselves at home. They grapple with the realities of the pandemic as well as a national racial reckoning. Rapid sales growth revealed that many sought refuge in the guaranteed happily-ever-after of a love story. Fast forward to today, and this is still true for the 2022 relationship books.
In the midst of societal upheaval, sandwiched between manga and women’s fiction, romance has remained one of the best-selling genres in print and e-books. Those who give the genre a passing glance congratulate it on its success by praising its “forgettability” and dismissing iconic old-school historical romance covers as “cheesy” and “cheap.”
TOP BEST RELATIONSHIP BOOKS
We have recommended the most anticipated and favorite romance novels of 2022. This will help you navigate the thriving and ever-growing community. Use these insider perspectives to start your search for your favorite love stories to escape this year.
THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES: HOW TO EXPRESS HEARTFELT COMMITMENT TO YOUR MATE BY GARY CHAPMAN
One of the best relationship books, The book’s premise is straightforward, but its message is profound. The fullness of our love tank, similar to an emotional gas tank, reflects how much love we feel in our current relationship. When we are neglected, the level of love in our tanks falls. The level of our love tank rises when our loved ones effectively communicate their love for us. Chapman believes that the key to a strong marriage is to consciously choose to fill our significant other’s love tank on a daily basis.
While this may appear to be an obvious task at first. But it can quickly become impossible if we are unaware of our significant other’s “Love Language”. Every person, according to Gary Chapman, has one dominant love language.
A PROPOSAL THEY CAN’T REFUSE BY NATALIE CANA
One of the best relationship books, It was a delight to see childhood best friends turn unfriendly and then into lovers. Caa’s story about Kamilah and Liam will have your heart doing somersaults. Family ties, love, and relationships were sufficient. You see enough of them to get sense of how connected and special their bond is without overpowering the story. Because the dialogue between the side characters and the main characters is so good, you’ll want more pages. This author clearly has a talent for this because every scene was excellent.
IN SEARCH OF A PRINCE BY TONI SHILOH
Brielle, a New York public school teacher, is completely content with her life until she discovers she may be an African princess in this touching retelling of The Princess Diaries. An adorable story line with characters you can truly root for. This one has all of that and more. It’s a tale not to be missed, especially with Toni Shiloh’s winning voice. One of the best relationship books.
TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS BY CHERYL STRAYED
This collection of Strayed Dear Sugar advice columns from The Rumpus may not be your typical relationship book, but Strayed’s insights into readers’ problems are rife with life lessons that will inspire you to do better in all aspects of your life, including your relationships.
One of the best relationship books.
WEST SIDE LOVE STORY BY PRISCILLA OLIVERAS
One of the celebrated relationship books. This time, she writes a romance about star-crossed lovers Mariana Capuleta and Angelo Montero, putting her own spin on a well-known story. Mariani and Angelo’s attraction is forbidden due to a long-standing feud between their families, but the stakes are raised even higher when their families compete against each other in the Battle of the Mariachi Bands. This promises to be an epic story full of delicious tension, bitter rivalries, and hard-fought redemption, and I’m confident that we’ll get the satisfying happily ever after we deserve in Olivares’s capable hands.
One of the best relationship books.
THE LETTER FROM BRIARTON PARK BY SARAH E. LADD
Sarah Ladd writes with grace and elegance, imbuing her stories with an enviable atmosphere. Her newest Regency romance is the first in a new series that she hopes will be her best yet. The story, set in Yorkshire, combines romance and mystery with Bront-esque effect, complete with hidden identities, a deathbed confession, and an enigmatic widower.
One of the best relationship books.
HOW TO BE AN ADULT IN A RELATIONSHIP BY DAVID RICHO
The book is an oldie but a goodie that approaches relationships through the lens of mindfulness. Richo’s vision of “mindful loving” is all about becoming a better, more loving partner by focusing on five key concepts: attention, acceptance, appreciation, affection, and allowing.
One of the best relationship books.
LOVING BRAVELY BY ALEXANDRA H. SOLOMON Ph.D.
Unlike many relationship self-help books, Loving Bravely is almost entirely about you: your personal history, relational patterns, strengths and weaknesses, and everything else that influences how you function in a relationship. It walks you through the internal work necessary to become more self-aware, which not only helps you be a better partner to others but also a more compassionate advocate for yourself. One of the best relationship books.
SINGLE, DATING, ENGAGED, MARRIED: NAVIGATING LIFE AND LOVE BY BEN STUART
Ben Stuart explains God’s purpose for believers at each stage of life’s relationship: single for devotion, dating for evaluation, engaged for unification, and married for mission. Practical and biblical, this is a book I will return to again and again as I strive to live a God-honoring life. I highly recommend it for anyone of any age or stage.
MODERN ROMANCE BY AZIZ ANSARI
Ansari collaborated with New York University sociologist Eric Klinenberg on Modern Romance, designing a massive research project that included hundreds of interviews, global focus groups, and a Reddit online research forum. He also enlisted the assistance of some of the world’s foremost social scientists.
DARING GREATLY BY BRENE BROWN
Dr. Brene Brown’s powerful new vision challenges everything we think we know about vulnerability and debunks the widely held myth that it is a weakness. She contends that, in reality, vulnerability is strength, and that when we close ourselves off from vulnerability – from revealing our true selves – we distance ourselves from the experiences that give our lives purpose and meaning.