Want to learn how to be a better man in your relationship? Then check out these 15 best relationship books for guys to level up.
Naturally, I know what it’s like. You’re a guy. Whenever there’s an issue, you’d rather dig your heels in and sort it out yourself first. Guys are notorious for taking too long to see a doctor - but you simply can’t be like this when it comes to your health or your relationships.
The best men’s relationship books are written by experts who can offer you professional advice on the issues you’re facing. These books can help you understand women and yourself better. They can also help you negotiate all the tricky hurdles that make relationships so challenging.
Ultimately, they can help you overcome all problems before it’s too late and she meets someone else.
In this article, we’ll be reviewing the best relationship books for guys. There are different books for different situations. Some are ideal for single guys looking to meet women, others are better for men already in relationships. Will you find your new favorite?
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Essential Manners for Men is one of the best relationship books for singles who haven’t yet mastered basic etiquette. And that’s not a dig - it’s just a fact that some guys simply don’t know how to be a gentleman.
But here’s the thing: Once you learn how to act like a gentleman who has impeccable manners, women will gravitate towards you. They’ll show interest, they’ll desire you - and they’ll need you.
Essential Manners for Men is a guidebook that will show you how to do the right thing in every single scenario. It will teach you how to behave like a gentleman online and offline, how to greet people, how to make small talk - and so on. By the end of the book, you’ll have perfect manners.
It would have been a huge error if The Man’s Guide to Women was just written by men. Thankfully, it’s written by men and women. This helps to make it one of the best books on male psychology relationships.
How come?
Because it’s impossible to understand a woman fully unless a woman herself shows you how she thinks and acts.
The book’s thesis is that it’s usually the man who screws a relationship up. As such, if he could only understand women better, more relationships would thrive!
If you’ve ever found yourself asking the question, “what do women really want?” this book might be for you. It shows you how women think, what they feel, how they flirt - and, yes, what they want.
You might have heard of author Mark Manson. He shot to worldwide fame, largely thanks to his book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***.
Before that self-help book, he wrote one of the top-rated relationship books for guys of all time. It’s called Models and it regularly makes it onto lists like this.
Written with a huge dose of self-awareness and humor, Models is aimed at guys who - to put it bluntly - can’t seem to meet women. No matter what you do, they’re just not into you.
Mark Manson shows you how to approach women, how to talk to women and how to appear attractive to them. It also unlocks the secret of female attraction, cuts through the BS and can change your life in a matter of a few hours.
The Game is somewhat controversial. While some claim it to be one of the best relationship books for single guys of all time, others say that it encourages bad-boy behavior.
The truth?
That’s probably for you to decide.
What I will say is that The Game is a book that teaches single guys to meet women. Using a fictional story to share lessons and pointers, the book is essentially about a man who turns himself from an ordinary dude into an Alpha Male that women find irresistible.
In this book, you’ll learn tips and tricks on how to have “game”. That is, you’ll learn how to talk to women, date them and build a successful relationship. It’s written simply and easy to understand. And best of all, it oozes so much confidence that you can’t help but pick up some just by reading it.
Do women come first?
Yes, yes, yes!
Oh wait - you were asking if women come first.
She Comes First shows you where you’ve been going wrong if you’ve never been good at the art of oral sex. At 240 pages, it seems rather long for a book that tackles such a subject. But that’s because the author is at pains to improve your sex life and relationship here.
When you can pleasure a woman in all the ways she wants to be pleasured, the rest of your relationship becomes - not quite a piece of cake - but easier. This book is a guide to understanding female pleasure and ignoring the advice is kinda like self-sabotaging your relationship.
She wants you to satisfy her in all the right ways, after all.
Corey Wayne (or “Coach Corey Wayne”) is one of my personal favorite men’s relationship coaches. His advice is always on point and he’s helped countless men find a woman who’s just right for them.
His book, How To Be A 3% Man, is all about learning how to sharpen your masculine qualities and bring them into focus. Once you do this, women will show interest, they’ll chase you - and you’ll find that one woman you want to spend your life with.
It’s largely a relationship book for single guys, but the advice within it can also be applied to men who are in a relationship. It shows you when, how and why to give women space. It shows you how to build sexual attraction. And it shows you how to learn when a woman is right for you - and when she isn’t.
Men, we’d all love to know the truth, right?
Neil Strauss was eager for the truth. So much so that he was willing to suspend his idea that monogamy couldn’t work to find out if it could work.
The Truth is his personal odyssey that took him from conversations with his mom to learning more about sex than he ever thought he could know.
The more eagle-eyed among you will notice that Strauss is the same guy who wrote The Game. Yes, Strauss is synonymous with the pickup “scene.” But in this book, you’ll learn the importance of staying in a committed relationship with one woman - as long as you can find her first.
Once you’ve found the woman that’s right for you? It’s time to quit the games. It’s time to commit.
Also, this book is only available from Audible. You will need an Audible account to listen to it, although you can get started with a free trial.
While Atomic Attraction might not be seen as a relationship book per se, I see it as one of the best books for a good relationship.
Why?
Because this book will show you what it takes to grow attraction with a woman naturally.
Too many guys force attraction. This especially happens if a guy has been single for a long time (or forever). And while there might be some sex at first, there won’t truly ever be a spark.
And without that spark, there’s no relationship.
In Atomic Attraction, you will learn how to build attraction with the woman you like. You can apply the lessons in real life, on social media and via text. The book will also teach you body language (how to use it and how to read it), and the signs to look out for that show you a woman is into you.
Sex at Dawn is one of the top-rated men’s relationship books that teaches you about sex. It’s ideal if you’ve had an okay sex life - but you know it could be better.
At the root of the book is the basic idea that, without good sex, a relationship will always struggle. This is true. But what the book also does is show you exactly how human sexuality operates. Some of it you might agree with - some of it you might disagree with. But much of it will likely surprise you.
And that’s a good thing. The book is worth reading especially if you’re worried your partner might stray, or if they’ve already discussed the possibility of an open relationship with you. Don’t want an open relationship? That’s fine. It’s probable she only brought it up because she’s not getting what she needs from you sexually.
Robert Greene is another author focused on male psychology and relationships who’s courted a fair bit of controversy. The truth is this is always going to happen with a subject that’s designed to help men get what they want.
And Art of Seduction is another such subject.
Whether you’re single, dating or in a relationship already, Art of Seduction uses a wealth of examples to powerfully illustrate how to effortlessly seduce women. It will help you meet women, date women - and/or keep the romance burning with your current partner.
It’s a tad sensationalist and not everyone will like the writing style. But if you cut through the noise, make notes and apply the advice, it can work.
Why Men Want Sex is a humorous take on relationship books for guys. It deals with the eternal issue of men wanting sex as soon as possible … while women just want commitment.
But is that true? And if it is - how can a relationship ever be successful?
Essentially, this book should only be read if you’re already in a relationship. One where it’s going okay but you want to uncover the secrets that will enable the passion, romance and love to keep burning forever.
Written by a married couple, it’s entertaining enough to be read alone or with your woman. And who knows? You might learn more about her, and she might learn more about you.
Men Are From Mars, Woman Are From Venus is a New York Times bestseller that’s one of the best relationship books of all time. A true classic, it’s helped millions of couples understand their differences and use them to their advantage.
And that’s the thing. As a man, you will be different from your woman. It’s just the way it is. You’re from Mars! But by understanding her behaviors and needs better, you’ll be able to tune into them.
Over time, intimacy will grow, romance will blossom - and love will be forever.
If you truly want to give your relationship a chance, this book might be the one for you.
Difficult Conversations will appeal to you if you’re the kind of guy who does all that he can to avoid conflict. You know there are things you should talk about - maybe your woman is taking advantage of your good nature - but you’re scared of what might happen. Maybe she’ll explode, maybe you won’t get the answers you need.
It doesn’t matter. Without difficult conversations, we will never have a healthy relationship. Difficult conversations have to happen if we’re to grow.
In his book, Douglas Stone unravels the roots of all tricky conversations. He’ll show you how to start a hard conversation without being defensive, and he’ll show you how to stay in control at all times.
You’ll also learn how to avoid things like victim-blaming and how to remove your emotions from the equation.
By the end of the book, your communication style should have improved. This will allow you to enjoy more fruitful conversations with your partner.
The Way of the Superior Man has Da Vinci’s Vitruvius Man on the cover. Combined with the title, that should go a long way to telling you what this book is all about.
No?
Well, it’s about masculinity. It’s about being a man in life, dating and relationships. This means not getting involved in a woman’s emotional drama. It means having the courage and bravery to stand up for yourself. It means living with a purpose.
Will it help you master dating? Will it help you enjoy better relationships?
Yes, if you want to embrace your masculinity and be the man she deserves.
It’s brutally frank, though. So be prepared for that.
They say that nice guy’s finish last. Is that a fact? I’ll let you decide.
Certainly, author Dr Robert A. Glover thinks they do. In his book No More Mr. Nice Guy, he shows you why it’s so important that you always remember your own needs.
There’ll be times when a guy loses himself in a relationship. He tries so hard to please the woman that he’s no longer himself. He’s a servant!
A woman doesn’t respect this. She wants you to treat her right but she also wants you to be YOU.
Read this book to learn how to stop people-pleasing and start getting what you want out of a relationship.
Becoming a better man means being the man she wants you to be. It means being the man she deserves. Once you understand this, you will be able to truly analyze yourself, spot your selfish habits and eliminate them.
That’s the first thing. The second thing is refining your communication skills so that you’re emotionally available. Girls want guys who talk and listen. They want a man who is open with their feelings and who can express themselves. This ensures misunderstandings are less frequent, and it helps both of you to get what you want.
You should also be supportive, generous and caring. Make time for her, be there for her, and surprise her every now and then.
More than anything, work on yourself. Do the things that make you happy, healthy and confident. Once you’re all 3 of these things, your relationship will flourish.
The best relationship advice for men is to know what they want and know what their values are.
Men who don’t know what they want only confuse women. You’ll say one thing and do another thing … and she’ll get confused and angry. This is how most arguments start.
When you don’t understand your values, you inevitably do things you disagree with. This can make you resentful and you may end up taking it out on your partner.
Know thyself and be true to thyself.
Selfishness never works in a relationship. Yes, the relationship might continue, but it won’t be a happy one.
First, take a look at yourself. What are your worst traits? What are you most selfish about? Are you selfish with your time? Does your woman always make compromises and sacrifices?
Maybe you don’t listen enough, or maybe you’ve never put yourself in her shoes. Or maybe you’ve always put your needs first.
Whatever your worst traits are, now is the time to flip them. Actively listen to her. Put yourself in her shoes. Make sacrifices for her. Give her more of your time.
Remember, a relationship isn’t about you. It’s about “we.”
Talk to your partner about this. Ask her, “how can I be less selfish?” Tell her you want to change.
Healthy relationships are built on respect, trust and communication.
When you respect each other, you listen to each other and accommodate each other where necessary. You establish boundaries and respect them.
When you trust each other, toxicity disappears. You get to grow together, support each other and guide each other without the need for jealousy. Your partner gets to enjoy their freedom and space without worrying that you’ll ask them interrogative questions.
And when you communicate correctly, misunderstandings disappear and conflicts are dealt with the right way.
The two of you must talk about building a healthier relationship together. Talk about ways you can encourage more respect, trust and better communication. Ask each other what you need, want and value most in a relationship. Be clear about these things. If there’s something you think will improve your relationship, let your partner know.
If there’s a best relationship book that both partners can read together, then yes. Couples can - and perhaps should - read together. Reading together means you can discuss the book later, share ideas from it and learn together.
Of course, there’s no need for couples to read together all the time. Do what feels right for you.
There are different instances when you should quit a relationship. If a relationship has turned toxic and you haven’t been happy for a long time, it might be time to walk away.
If your needs are not being met and likely never will be, it might be time to quit.
If there’s an insurmountable obstacle in your relationship - such as you want to move to a different country but your partner wants to stay put - it might be time to cut your losses.
Or, if the love has simply disappeared and you know it won’t return, it’s better to end things now.
Understand, however, that relationships can be saved. There comes a point eventually when, if you’ve given all you’ve got to save a relationship and it hasn’t worked, the relationship needs to end. But if you’ve not exhausted all those options yet, it’s well worth - among other things - turning to the best relationship books to help.
Also see: 14 Best Psychology Books About Relationships ┃12 Best Relationship Books for Singles┃12 Best Relationship Books On Audible┃The 10 Best Books on Relationships ┃10 Best Self-Help Books on Relationships and Communication┃10 Best Relationship Books For Couples