Books › What makes love last?
What makes love last?
282 pages
A scientifically grounded yet deeply compassionate roadmap to understanding the invisible forces that hold couples together or tear them apart.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting down with a wise, deeply observant therapist who has spent decades decoding the secret language of couples. The pace is steady and methodical, guiding you through the sobering realities of betrayal and the subtle sliding door moments that define a relationship's trajectory. The mood is grounded and reflective, balancing the heavy emotional weight of infidelity with a profound sense of hope and actionable repair. The prose is accessible and pragmatic, translating complex clinical research into relatable metaphors and clear frameworks. It is a deeply validating experience for anyone who has ever felt misunderstood in love, offering a compassionate, science-backed lens on how to cultivate resilience, rebuild shattered trust, and nurture a lasting emotional connection.
- Mood
- reflective
- hopeful
- grounded
- serious
- Tone
- authoritative
- compassionate
- analytical
- encouraging
- pragmatic
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- the anatomy of trust · repairing betrayal · everyday choices in love · emotional attunement · the science of connection
- The writing
- Clear, accessible, and research-backed, blending clinical observations with relatable anecdotes and practical metaphors.
- The arc
- Moves from the sobering reality of how relationships fracture to an empowering, actionable framework for rebuilding deep, lasting trust.
- Who it's for
- Couples looking to strengthen their bond, individuals healing from betrayal, or anyone fascinated by the psychological mechanics of romantic love.
Content notes
- infidelity
- divorce
- relationship trauma
- betrayal
About the book
"One of the foremost relationship experts at work today applies the insights of science toward understanding the real meaning of trust between a couple. He decodes the "why" behind betrayal and shows how partners can avoid or recover from unfaithfulness and maintain a loving relationship.Dr. John Gottman, the country's pre-eminent researcher on marriage, is famous for his Love Lab at the University of Washington in Seattle where he deciphers the mysteries of human relationships through scientific research. His thirty-five years of exploration have earned him numerous major awards, including from the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Psychological Association, and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Now, Dr. Gottman offers surprising findings and advice on the characteristic that is at the heart of all relationships: Trust. Dr. Gottman has developed a formula that precisely calculates any couple's loyalty level. The results determine a relationship's likely future, including the potential for one or both partners to stray. A Love You Can Trust shows couples how to bolster their trust level and avoid what Dr. Gottman calls the "Roach Motel for Lovers." He describes how the outcome of--"sliding door moments," small pivotal points between a couple, can lead either to more emotional connection or to discontent. He suggests a new approach to handling adultery and reveals the varied and unexpected non-sexual ways that couples often betray each other. A Love You Can Trust guides couples through an empirically tested, trust-building program that will let them repair and maintain a long-term, intimate, and romantic relationship"--
"One of the foremost relationship experts at work today offers creative insight on building trust and avoiding betrayal, helping readers to decode the mysteries of healthy love and relationships"--
Description from Open Library.
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