If you find yourself googling “books engaged couples should read,” the responding lists and articles can be pretty overwhelming! There are so many books in the world that it can be hard to distinguish between a good and a great one! Having read most of these books about relationships or having friends who have done so, I can confidently say that they have been game changers and perspective-shakers.

Each book is based on Biblical principles, and each book offers a different take. Most importantly, each book focuses on equipping you to be the best spouse you can be as you prepare for the journey of marriage! I hope some of these suggestions are encouraging!

I gift this to my clients when they book a wedding, because I think Tim Keller lays out a Biblical way to approach the importance of marriage. It’s an easy read that sets your heart and mind on the right things.

Do you ever feel like you’re in a “crazy cycle” where one person doesn’t feel loved and the other doesn’t feel respected? This book dresses exactly that, and how to move forward in a scriptural way. With the aid of this book, learn to love your wife and respect your husband… and vise versa!

Fantastic, easy reads that let you into men and women’s heads, respectively. You can even read the book for the other person and underline things that matter to you, then switch books and read what the other wrote!

This was an encouraging book as you’re approaching engagement and marriage. Matt Chandler asks great, challenging questions in a gentle way.

Francis Chan and his wife wrote this book with a heavenly perspective. It’s a refreshing read about seeing yourselves as eternal beings and wanting your spouse’s holiness more than your own gain.

Many of my friends have read this during engagement, and it’s all about walking into marriage with clear, realistic expectations. Paul David Tripp knocks it out of the park!

Have you ever taken the test? Knowing your love languages — how you give and receive love from people — is crucial to knowing how your spouse feels love.

Let’s cut to the chase — marriage is about showing the world a picture of how Christ loves His bride, the church. It’s an unconditional, unrelenting love that we human beings can show so poorly due to our sin! But what great hope this book brings to the covenant of marriage.

Don’t we all want this?! It’s a great book about preparing for what marriage actually looks like and how to beat 50 percent!

This one sounds scary to pick up if you’re already engaged, but I can bet it will pay huge dividends as you enter a marriage aware of myths, truths and expectations.