I initially bought The Five Love Languages as a gift for an engagement party. I heard about the book from a girl whose pastor required her and her fiancé to read it before he married them and she really enjoyed it, so I thought it could be a good gift and read it beforehand.

I was a little wary at first. The book has this incredibly cheesy cover and was located in the “Christian Reading” section at the bookstore, so I was nervous about how religious the book would be. However, this book is fascinating! The Christianity aspect of the book is subtle. It’s a quick read and it will change how you see relationships. I can’t help noticing the “languages” of people around me now. Basically, everyone has a different “love language” or way of feeling and expressing love. People speak one of the five languages: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, or Physical Touch. You may be expressing love, but if it’s not in your partner’s language or way they feel love, they’re not going to pick up on it. The book describes how to notice your language and your partner’s language and adjust to communicate better and meet each others’ needs. It’s insightful and an interesting way of looking at relationships, and I think anyone could benefit from it!