There’s nothing like settling down with a good book and going through the pages, watching the story slowly unfolds in front of you. I’ve combed through both my digital and physical book collections to bring you a list of titles that anyone who’s in a long distance relationship must read.
This list is comprised of a mix of different types of books and there’s pretty much something for everyone here. You’ll find both fiction and non-fiction titles on the list along with some truly inspiring stories and self-help books. Although not every book that made it to the list touches on long-distance relationships, most of them do.
If you’re in a long-distance relationship, not only will you benefit from reading any of the books on the list, but getting your partner to read them too will help enhance your relationship even more. It will provide great material for you to talk about on your long conversations with each other and help you get to know your partner better.
Reading the same book and discussing it on
a regular book club video date could be something new for you and your beloved to try. It’s easy to implement and doesn’t cost a lot of money so you’ve got nothing to lose to at least give it a go just once. Even if you’re not a book enthusiast, trying something new with your other half will help you grow closer. Just choose a title that interests both of you and start reading — you might even discover some new ideas to help maintain your long distance relationship!
Best long distance relationship books
- Love Me When I’m Gone by Robert Patrick Lewis
For something to help motivate you while at the same time delivers an utterly epic reading experience, this is surely one book you’d want to pick up immediately. The author relives his harrowing encounters growing up in an adopted family of military men and as a prisoner of war in North Carolina. The story talks about how one woman remained the star of his life yet separated by circumstances and how they both found their way back to each other. Read how a whirlwind of events eventually reunite them and life finally grants them a fairy-tale ending. You’d appreciate how much easier you have it after reading this book for sure!
- Intellectual Foreplay by Steve and Eve Eschner Hogan
Intellectual Foreplay is a must-have book for couples who want to improve their relationship, especially when they are separated by a vast distance. The book teaches you how to make your relationship with your partner more profound, taking into account each other’s values, beliefs, desires, habits, and goals. More importantly, Steve and Eve can help you let go of the past and focus on the future, which is a skill all couples who are adjusting themselves into a long distance relationship need to build. You’ll not only learn how to build a healthy relationship but also a sustainable one too.
- Failing Blossom by Peter Pagnamenta and Momoko Williams
A heart-wrenching true love story that took place in a war-laden era,
Failing Blossom provides some lessons-learned to couples in a long distance relationship along with being a captivating read itself. The story is written based on the letters exchanged between a British soldier and a Japanese woman who met when the officer was posted in Japan temporarily. When the posting ended and the officer had to leave, the couple could not give up on the relationship. Despite the huge challenges hurled at them from all directions including opposition from the woman’s family, cultural gaps, and of course, vast distances, the couple maintained their relationship via a series of letters being exchanged. Sorrowfully, there isn’t a happily ever after for them when the officer was chronically injured and could never return to the love of his life. If you feel like you just cannot bear with the loneliness of missing your partner, read this book and you will find the strength to bravely move forward.
- The Fundamentals of Long Distance Relationships by Lisa Daniel
Whether you are new or have been at it for a while,
The Fundamentals of Long Distance Relationships will help you put your best foot forward in maintaining a long distance relationship. The book is bursting at the seams with tips and tricks on how to build a solid relationship when you are separated with your partner by thousands of miles. Not only that, you will learn what the most common mistakes that long distance couples make and how to avoid them. This is definitely a book you want to have on hand to help solve any problems you may encounter plus to build the most stress-free and fun long-distance relationship possible.
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Set in the war-plunged year of 1946 in the island of Guernsey, the book reveals a long distance love story that is a combination of charm, humor, and romance. This award-winning historical novel is made up of a series of letters between the protagonist Juliet Ashton, her friends, and other residents of Guernsey. The best-seller book has topped the New York Times Best Seller List for paperback trade fiction in 2009 and has an upcoming film adaptation in 2018.
- Love & Respect by Dr Emerson Eggerichs
Finally, Dr Emerson Eggerichs, who holds a doctorate in child and family ecology, has cracked the communication code between couples! It is all about pure respect for the man and unconditional love for the woman. In
Love & Respect, Dr Eggerichs shares his revolutionary techniques on how you can improve communication with your significant other and achieve new heights in your relationship including improved intimacy and reduced conflicts. After going through the exercises outlined in the book, you can expect to reap the fruits of your efforts with renewed energy and a new passion you never thought was possible.
- Table For Two – The Cookbook For Couples by Warren Caterson
Who would have thought that there is a cookbook designed just for couples? This is a brilliant way to spice up that routine Skype video call you have with your partner every day, not to mention being able to enjoy good food at the end of it all.
Table For Two features more than 200 recipes with ingredients that are very easy to find. You do not have to be a professional chef to get started on cooking with this book which provides definitions for cooking terms and large texts for easy reading. Choose a recipe with your partner today, go grocery shopping, and cook together in your next Skype session. Then, enjoy what you have made with a glass of wine – you deserve it!
The Odyssey is a book of ancient Greek epic poems detailing the 10-year journey of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, returning to his home after the fall of Troy. While he battles the wrath of gods and mythical creatures, his wife at home, Penelope, fights off the torrents of suitors vying for her hand and the throne. Even when Odysseus was presumed dead, Penelope held on to their relationship. Thankfully, Odysseus made it home, managed to prove his identity and retake his rightful throne. Do be aware that this could be a bit of a challenging read, however, that makes it even more fun to read it together with your partner, doesn’t it?
- Separated By Duty, United With Love by Shellie Vandevoorde
If you are in a long distance relationship because your partner is in the military and is away on deployment, then this is a must-read book for both of you. The author is
a military wife who had a 6-year military career herself. She has dealt with long distance relationships with her soldier husband extensively. She uses her own experiences to write this book which acts as a resource for understanding and answers for couples in a long distance relationship. While the book draws on the struggles of a military couple, anyone who lives apart from their partner could still benefit from reading it. Why not take the easy way and use the experiences of others as lessons learned to avoid making mistakes yourself?
- Modern Love by Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones is a New York Times editor of the weekly “Modern Love” column. This book contains 50 love stories which are hand-picked by the author himself and reprinted with permission. If you and your partner have never been serious book readers, this will be a great book to start with. The stories in the book cover a wealth of relationships stories from first-time breakups to problems in marriages and, of course, the challenges of long distance relationships. The short stories give you an opportunity to take many breaks and discuss them with your partner. Not only that, they offer a kind of raw and sincere truth which can be comforting to know that you are not alone with your problems.
- The Long Distance Relationship Guide by Caroline Tiger
Instead of just focusing on the emotional struggles of long distance couples,
The Long Distance Relationship Guide gives practical steps, quizzes, and lists to check for couples to thrive in their long distance relationship. Using fun anecdotes and real case studies, the book delivers solutions to you in an entertaining manner and you would not want to put it down after you start reading it. The book can provide helpful insights to start, maintain, and improve long distance relationships, at whichever stage of the relationship you are in.
- From Stranger To Lover by Lisa McKay
From Stranger To Lover is a witty and funny book that helps long distance couples develop strategies that will transform their relationship into a great one. The book is written in a brutally honest yet witty manner, sharing with you both
the good and the bad of being in a long distance relationship while telling you how to watch out for red flags. Not only that, the pages are dotted with the author’s own anecdotes, vividly illustrating the points she is trying to convey. This is also a great book to start with if you and your partner have never been avid readers with its light-heartedness and easy reading experience.
- Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
When you have met the one, you know that you will always return to them, even after years of separation by distances.
Dear John is a novel that will tugs at your heartstrings, narrating the tale of the undying love of one man to a woman. They shared a brief but blissful time together before he had to go away on an army tour of duty. She promised to wait for his return but neither saw what was coming when the events of 9/11 altered everything. She then falls in love with someone else and writes a heartbreaking letter to him. Now, he has finally made his way back home only to find that the woman he loves is married. What will he do? Read this captivating book together with your partner and talk about what you think of the actions of the leading characters. But beware, you might just finish the entire book in one seating!
- Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern
Where Rainbows End tells a story of how a boy and a girl became best friends and grew up together. However, they have been harboring secret feelings for each other. As they approach teenage years and began to explore a new phase in their life, the boy’s family moved away, taking him from Ireland to America. Their strong friendship keeps them connected despite the many years and distance apart. However, when an opportunity unexpected appears for them to see each other again, will they seize it and become more than friends? To know what destiny has in store for this special pair of friends, pick up the book and read it together with your partner.
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
This is a captivating true story of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were unknowingly taken from her and became one of the most crucial tools in medical history. With the name HeLa, Lack’s cells have been sold at a tremendous amount of money and played a major role in various medical fields like developing vaccines, gene mapping, and cloning. Yet, her story is almost unknown to the world and her surviving family members don’t have the financial means to even afford health insurance. This award-winning book uses science writing and touches on the issues of race, ethics, and social class. Beware! This is an extremely fascinating book and will be very hard to put down.
So if you’re still searching for the next good read, look no further! Any of the books in this list will surely offer something for you.
