10 books like One Day

By David Nicholls,

Here are 10 books that authors have personally recommended if you like One Day. Shepherd is a community of 9,000+ authors sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Attached

By Amir Levine, Rachel Heller,

Book cover of Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find—And Keep—Love

Treva Brandon Scharf Author Of Done Being Single: A Late Bloomer's Guide to Love

From the list on dating and relationship advice.

Who am I?

I am a late bloomer, born and raised in Beverly Hills by two Hollywood talent agents. I am the product of divorce, an admitted commitment-phobe, serial dater, marriage first-timer at 51, and badass with a heart of gold. I am an ICF-certified life coach, dating and relationship coach, and long-time fitness professional passionate about politics, policy, and people of all ages and abilities. I co-host the podcast Done Being Single with my husband Robby Scharf, a fellow late bloomer. Together, we deliver dating intervention and relationship advice to listeners all over the world.

Treva's book list on dating and relationship advice

Discover why each book is one of Treva's favorite books.

Why did Treva love this book?

Have you ever wondered why certain people act certain ways in relationships?

Apparently, our attachment styles can be the reason why relationships are harder for some people more than others! Dr. Amir Levine and Rachel Heller do a great job of explaining the psychology and theory behind our relationship instincts in this book.

By Amir Levine, Rachel Heller,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Attached as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Over a decade after its publication, one book on dating has people firmly in its grip.”
—The New York Times

We already rely on science to tell us what to eat, when to exercise, and how long to sleep. Why not use science to help us improve our relationships? In this revolutionary book, psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. Amir Levine and Rachel Heller scientifically explain why why some people seem to navigate relationships effortlessly, while others struggle.

Discover how an understanding of adult attachment—the most advanced relationship science in existence today—can help us find and sustain love. Pioneered by psychologist John…


The Game

By Neil Strauss,

Book cover of The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists

Hayley Quinn Author Of Do This, Not That: Dating

From the list on crushing it at dating and feel great being single.

Who am I?

 I was the nerdy kid at school, so when I stumbled upon the world of pick-up artists, and the fact you could learn how to get better at dating, I was all over it! In time my coaching and my company grew with the ideology that we wanted to teach practical skills for dating in a way that was inclusive and ethical. 

Hayley's book list on crushing it at dating and feel great being single

Discover why each book is one of Hayley's favorite books.

Why did Hayley love this book?

Penetrating? Secret Society? Pick Up Artists? Okay you’re going to have to trust me, that despite its nebulous reputation Strauss’ voyage into the underworld of the “pua” community has some merits. Firstly, it’s a fantastically funny, twisted story. Secondly, whilst every “technique” the book advocates to hone your seduction skills is squarely on the side of skeezy, just the idea that you can learn skills for dating is cool. It gripped me 15 years ago, and started me on my quest in the dating industry. 

By Neil Strauss,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Game as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When Neil Strauss a self-proclaimed AFC (average frustrated chump) withdraws $500 and signs-up for a workshop with notorious pick-up artist Mystery, he embarks upon a life-changing journey into the bizarre underworld of 'players'. Creating their own vernacular and codes of honour, these are men that have devoted their lives to perfecting techniques of seduction. In the course of the next two years, Neil transforms himself from a frustrated, insecure journalist into the quick thinking, smooth talking Style, a character irresistible to women. Then, as he is voted The World's Number One Pick-up Artist, he falls for a woman who could…


The Art of Seduction

By Robert Greene,

Book cover of The Art of Seduction

Hayley Quinn Author Of Do This, Not That: Dating

From the list on crushing it at dating and feel great being single.

Who am I?

 I was the nerdy kid at school, so when I stumbled upon the world of pick-up artists, and the fact you could learn how to get better at dating, I was all over it! In time my coaching and my company grew with the ideology that we wanted to teach practical skills for dating in a way that was inclusive and ethical. 

Hayley's book list on crushing it at dating and feel great being single

Discover why each book is one of Hayley's favorite books.

Why did Hayley love this book?

When I’m coaching people to improve their dating lives, I like to teach them that there’s not one way to be attractive. Creating attraction with someone is like rummaging around in your archetype toolbox and finding what makes you uniquely attractive. Robert Greene takes a literal romp through fictional, and historical seductive characters to get to the essence of what makes them so compelling; along the way cajoling you to learn their tricks. 

By Robert Greene,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Art of Seduction as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A fascinating inside look at the nature of seduction uses a vast array of sources, from Freud and Nietzsche to Cleopatra and Josephine Bonaparte, to uncover the truth about this important feature of the human animal.


You

By Caroline Kepnes,

Book cover of You

Hayley Quinn Author Of Do This, Not That: Dating

From the list on crushing it at dating and feel great being single.

Who am I?

 I was the nerdy kid at school, so when I stumbled upon the world of pick-up artists, and the fact you could learn how to get better at dating, I was all over it! In time my coaching and my company grew with the ideology that we wanted to teach practical skills for dating in a way that was inclusive and ethical. 

Hayley's book list on crushing it at dating and feel great being single

Discover why each book is one of Hayley's favorite books.

Why did Hayley love this book?

Okay, so this novel is technically about a deviant, sociopathic stalker. However, written from the first person perspective, you’ll find yourself oscillating between shock and admiration at Kepnes’ antihero Joe Goldburg, who’s on a Machiavellian quest to make Beck fall in love with him. Whilst, Joe is a sexual perpetrator, Kepnes also gifts him with fantastic wit, borrowable chat-up lines, and the ability to hold a glib mirror to the world of modern dating. 

By Caroline Kepnes,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked You as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*** NOW A MAJOR NETFLIX SERIES ***
'Thriller of the Year' Daily Mail
'Hypnotic and scary' Stephen King
'Examines the fine line between seduction and stalking . . . Ludicrously readable' Guardian

When aspiring writer Guinevere Beck strides into the bookstore where Joe works, he is instantly smitten.

But there's more to Joe than Beck realises and much more to Beck than her perfect facade. And the obsessive relationship quickly spirals into a whirlwind of deadly consequences...

A chilling account of unrelenting, terrifying deceit, Caroline Kepnes' You is a thriller more perversely clever and dangerously twisted than any YOU have…


Ordinary People

By Diana Evans,

Book cover of Ordinary People: A Novel

Saskia Sarginson Author Of The Central Line

From the list on London and love.

Who am I?

I’m an author and a romantic. Put the two together and it makes sense for me to write love stories. I’ve always been interested in relationships and fascinated by how complex our feelings make us when we fall in love. There’s a love story in all my books, but for the last three novels, a love story has been the story. I’m a Londoner too, and I like it when a city becomes another character in a book, as I hope London has in The Central Line.

Saskia's book list on London and love

Discover why each book is one of Saskia's favorite books.

Why did Saskia love this book?

This is a slow-burn of a novel about two couples. Each character struggles to maintain their marriage under the pressure of children and modern life. Each tries to hold on to their own identity while existing inside a family. The novel looks at mental health, infidelity, cooking, and Black culture; it has a soundtrack, with songs that mean something to the characters and capture the essence of the time. The story is resonant with images of modern London. It asks a question about the centrality of the city and the anxiety that comes from leaving it.

By Diana Evans,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Ordinary People as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Hailed as a "lyrical and glorious writer; a precise poet of the human heart" (Naomi Alderman), London-based author Diana Evans received international acclaim for Ordinary People. In a crooked house in South London, Melissa feels increasingly that she's defined solely by motherhood, while Michael mourns the thrill of their romance. In the suburbs, Stephanie's aspirations for bliss on the commuter belt compound Damian's itch for a bigger life. Longtime friends from the years when passion seemed permanent, the couples have stayed in touch, gathering for births and anniversaries. But as bonds fray, the lines once clearly marked by wedding bands…


Letters to a Romantic

By Sean Perron, Spencer M. Harmon,

Book cover of Letters to a Romantic: First Years of Marriage

Kristen Clark and Bethany Beal Author Of Sex, Purity, and the Longings of a Girl's Heart: Discovering the Beauty and Freedom of God-Defined Sexuality

From the list on Christian books on marriage and sexuality.

Who are we?

We are sisters and the co-founders of Girl Defined Ministries, where our goal is to help modern girls understand and live out God’s timeless truth for womanhood. Through Girl Defined we talk about such topics as biblical womanhood, relationships, love, marriage, sexuality, identity, and much more.

Kristen's book list on Christian books on marriage and sexuality

Discover why each book is one of Kristen's favorite books.

Why did Kristen love this book?

The first few years of marriage can often be the most challenging. Luckily Sean Perron and Spencer Harmon (with some help from their wives) have written this series of “love letters” to newly married couples. In them, they address many common difficulties newlyweds face, from finances to sex. This is a great resource for not only couples, but those in a dating relationship or single as well!

By Sean Perron, Spencer M. Harmon,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Letters to a Romantic as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Dear Romantic,

The first years of marriage are filled with joys, sorrows . . . and surprises. These will set relationship patterns that will determine the course of your marriage. As you begin your life together, you probably have some questions, and you know the stakes are high. We want to help.

If you want to navigate the early years of your marriage in a way that glorifies Christ and honors his Word, this book will be a great resource for getting a conversation going. In a series of warm, short, practical letters, Sean Perron and Spencer Harmon, along with…


Light Years

By James Salter,

Book cover of Light Years

Margaret Farrell Kirby Author Of Becoming Nora

From the list on characters navigating the fragility of life.

Who am I?

I have always wanted to be a writer. I love reading and am inspired by authors of character-driven novels—Anne Tyler, Elizabeth Berg, Colm Toibin, Anna Quindlen, and others—who take time to explore the inner thoughts and motivations of their protagonists. The novels I picked take the reader deep into the interior thoughts of their protagonists. As they explore the complexities of relationships amid the texture of ordinary life, they reveal the fragility and strength of the characters as we discover what simmers beneath the surface of their relationships. Long after reading them, I remember the characters and the time I spent with them.

Margaret's book list on characters navigating the fragility of life

Discover why each book is one of Margaret's favorite books.

Why did Margaret love this book?

James Salter takes us deep into an exploration of the human condition and fragility of relationships with his narrative of the domestic life of an affluent American family with seemingly perfect lives on the surface. Through small details and observations of daily life, Salter brings us closely into their world—like voyeurs, we observe the fissures that simmer underneath their searches for happiness.  

We move through years of their lives as their marriage crumbles with the passage of time and the coexistence of love and betrayal.

By James Salter,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Light Years as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Nedra and Viri are a married couple whose favoured life is centred around dinners, ingenious games with their children, enviable friends and near-perfect days passed skating on a frozen river or sunning on the beach. But fine cracks are beginning to spread through the shimmering surface of their life - flaws that will eventually mar the lovely picture beyond repair. Seductive, witty, tender and resonant, Light Years is an exquisite novel of lost lives and the elusiveness of happiness.


And Baby Makes Three

By John Gottman, Julie Schwartz Gottman,

Book cover of And Baby Makes Three: The Six-Step Plan for Preserving Marital Intimacy and Rekindling Romance After Baby Arrives

Stephanie Dueger Author Of Preparing for Parenthood: 55 Essential Conversations for Couples Becoming Families

From the list on to feel more prepared for parenthood.

Who am I?

As a trained therapist, educator, and coach for expectant and new parents, I understand on a deep level the importance of creating a strong foundation in building a family. I also was personally humbled at how difficult the transition to parenthood was for me and the challenges it presented in my relationship with my husband. While we’ve grown exponentially, I wanted to make it a little easier for other expectant parents to avoid some of the pitfalls that aren’t spoken about as much in becoming parents. I also wanted to help the new little beings arriving in the world to have more resourced, present parents. It’s a win-win.

Stephanie's book list on to feel more prepared for parenthood

Discover why each book is one of Stephanie's favorite books.

Why did Stephanie love this book?

Relationship experts who studied couples for years in the Love Lab in Seattle, the Gottmans understand that bringing a baby into the orbit of a couple nearly inevitably strains even the best relationship. They discovered that 2/3rds of couples experienced a significant decline in relationship satisfaction after having a baby. Their six-step plan helps expectant couples prepare for this huge transition by showing them ways to create an environment that nurtures intimacy, appreciation, and self- and couple-care. 

By John Gottman, Julie Schwartz Gottman,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked And Baby Makes Three as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Congratulations! You have a new baby.
Don’t forget you also have a marriage.

Having a baby is a joyous experience, but even the best relationships are strained during the transition from duo to trio. In And Baby Makes Three, Love Lab™ experts John Gottman and Julie Schwartz Gottman teach couples the skills needed to maintain healthy marriages, so partners can avoid the pitfalls of parenthood by:

• Focusing on intimacy and romance
• Replacing an atmosphere of criticism and irritability with one of appreciation
• Preventing postpartum depression
• Creating a home environment that nurtures physical, emotional, and mental health,…


The Mind-Body Problem

By Rebecca Goldstein,

Book cover of The Mind-Body Problem

John Horgan Author Of Mind-Body Problems: Science, Subjectivity & Who We Really Are

From the list on mind-body.

Who am I?

I’ve been baffled by everything, especially myself, for as long as I can remember. In my late 20s, after years as a wandering hippy poet, I decided that science is our best hope for answers, and I became a science journalist. The mystery at the heart of science—as well as religion, philosophy, and the arts--is the mind-body problem. In a narrow, technical sense, the mind-body problem investigates how matter generates the mind, but it really asks: What are we, what can we be, what should we be? Below are some of my favorite books touching on these questions.

John's book list on mind-body

Discover why each book is one of John's favorite books.

Why did John love this book?

Literature, because it is less rule-bound than science and philosophy, may be more suited to exploring the question of who we really are, can be, and should be. Rebecca Goldstein, who earned degrees in physics and philosophy before turning to fiction, has written several novels that touch on the mind-body problem. My favorite is her first novel, The Mind-Body Problem, the funny, sexy, poignant tale of a young philosopher’s quest to solve the mind-body problem.

By Rebecca Goldstein,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Mind-Body Problem as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The hilarious underground bestseller about one woman's pursuit of carnal pleasure-and the philosophy that gets in the way.

When Renee Feuer goes to college, one of the first lessons she tries to learn is how to liberate herself from the restrictions of her Orthodox Jewish background. As she discovers the pleasures of the body, Renee also learns about the excitements of the mind. She enrolls as a philosophy graduate student, then marries Noam Himmel, the world-renowned mathematician.

But Renee discovers that being married to a genius is a less elevating experience than expected, and that the allure of sex still…


Conscience

By Alice Mattison,

Book cover of Conscience

Fran Hawthorne Author Of I Meant to Tell You

From the list on ordinary people drawn into social activism.

Who am I?

Was it the environmental movement, which burgeoned as I was growing up? Or remnants of Sunday School teachings? For whatever reason, I deeply believe that I have a responsibility to give back to the world more than I take. There are many ways to give back, as my characters Miranda and Russ explore in my novel I Meant to Tell You. In my nonfiction, I’ve investigated the healthcare and financial industries, and also suggested steps we can take in our everyday lives as consumers, parents, and investors. When I’m not writing, I’m organizing environmental clean-ups, collecting supplies for refugees, and phoning public officials.

Fran's book list on ordinary people drawn into social activism

Discover why each book is one of Fran's favorite books.

Why did Fran love this book?

Alice Mattison, the author, must have been reading my mind! This piercing novel echoes some of my conflicted feelings about the Sixties and social activism in general, even as it also probes the strains of long-term marriage and friendship. As college students, Olive, Helen, and Val took different routes during the Sixties antiwar protests. Now, when a magazine commissions Olive to write an essay about Val’s long-ago novel, she must confront the repercussions of those friendships and the decisions the three women made. Helen chose violent protest; Olive chose a PhD; Val chose to appropriate Helen’s life in her fiction. Olive’s rethinking raises a question that’s important for us today: How far should an ethical person go for a just cause?  

By Alice Mattison,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Conscience as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Decades ago in Brooklyn, three girls demonstrated against the Vietnam War, and each followed a distinct path into adulthood. Helen became a violent revolutionary. Val wrote a controversial book, essentially a novelization of Helen’s all-too-short but vibrant life. And Olive became an editor and writer, now comfortably settled with her husband, Griff, in New Haven. When Olive is asked to write an essay about Val’s book, doing so brings back to the forefront Olive and Griff’s tangled histories and their complicated reflections on that tumultuous time in their young lives.Conscience, the dazzling new novel from award-winning author Alice Mattison, paints…


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