John and Julie Gottman, therapists and founders of the Gottman Institute, have a new book to help enhance relationships and understand your partner or spouse. The Gottmans suggest eight basic conversations (dates)with your partner, addressing trust & commitment, conflict, sex & intimacy, work & money, family, fun & adventure, growth & spirituality, and dreams. Unlike some books on this topic, this one is not full of dry theories; the authors offer extremely practical advice. As they say, “'Happily ever after’ is not by chance, it’s by choice–- the choice each person in a relationship makes to remain open, remain curious, and, most of all, to keep talking to one another.”

I only read books if they can go on my kindle and this one does not have that option so i could not read it.

I received an arc from the publisher in exchange for my review. The book consists of 8 dates ideas that couples can go on, and open ended questions they should ask to get to know each other better. The chapters also give background information on why the date topic is important. The author's suggest that couples who talk and date regularly have better relationships than those who don't. My husband and I did one of the dates and one of the questions/exercises brought out some of his preferences about future dates and time together. This book would be great for new couples to get to know each other and a good refresher for couples who are "settled" in their relationship.

Dr John Gottman has provided another useful guide to help marriages improve by implementing the eight date night conversations. Very helpful since couples forget about the necessary work in relationship. Helpful questions to guide date night. I enjoyed the research and the personal stories he himself has shared.

This book is a roadmap for getting to know your partner better, no matter what stage of your relationship you are in. While many of the dates and a lot of the information presented in the text seem common sense, it doesn't mean that every couple has these important conversations. The book at time can be slightly dry but is still valuable.

This book has the potential to change your relationship for the better IF both parties can set down their pride and take advantage of it. I can see a lot of pain, reflection and understanding being processed through each of these dates but they could make all the difference. It scary to be vulnerable enough to go through these dates and it may take some prodding but the questions and topics are on point. I haven't tried these yet but I am hopeful my other half with be receptive. I suggest a paper copy of this book rather than eBook because you will need to reference it without an electronic device to be sincere and because it may need to come with you on your dates. Reviewed as an ARC on Netgalley, and as such is my honest feedback for the publisher and the readers alike.

This is a great book for couples - there is a lot of really good information here! I think this book is applicable to new relationships as well as established long-term relationships. It contains helpful information about relationships as well as advice on big conversations to have with your partner.

The introduction was a bit lengthy and potentially overwhelming. It reviewed lots of data, numbers, and statistics. While helpful, this may be off-putting to a more causal reader.

Following the introduction, the book walks you through 8 dates/conversations to have/explore with your partner. The chapters start with examples from test couples who underwent the dates in the “love lab.” Most chapters then include various tools for you to use on the dates: questionnaires for you to fill out, scenarios to consider before the date, and checklists. The chapters end with a “speed dating” section for those who are not inclined to read the entire chapter, and summarizes the main points. Finally, the date is laid out for you: purpose of the date, location, trouble shooting, questions to ask your partner, and an affirmation to read to one another once the date is over.

The dates cover a variety of topics that are important to discuss in a relationship: trust/commitment, addressing conflict, sex/intimacy, work/money, family, fun/adventure, growth/spirituality, life dreams.

I must say that I really enjoyed this book. There were a number of typos (I assume/hope these will be cleaned up by publish time) but overall, the information and advice was extremely helpful. I found myself highlighting things in almost every chapter. At first, the set up of the dates seemed a little awkward - they jump right into examples from the test couples with no explanation of what that chapter is about. Initially, I thought it would be more helpful to have a brief (even 1 short paragraph) introduction before getting into examples, but as I continued reading it seemed to flow better. Maybe I just got used to it.

And I really like the “speed dating” section - I want to do these dates with my husband, and I image he’ll be more amenable to reading the one-page billeted summery then reading the entire 230 page book.

One last thought - the book is very inclusive. The authors take into consideration couples having kids and not having kids, new relationships and long established relationships, and LGBT+ couples. I thought they did a great job including all types of couples and relationships.

*I received an advance review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

The concept behind Eight Dates is solid. The book suggests 8 different conversational topics for couples to explore together.

While I enjoyed the concept and have even been working through the suggested topics with my SO, I believe these are very densely packed conversation. The book would benefit from smaller sessions, I think. There's a lot to unpack here.

That said, I think it's an excellent book for couples and would consider giving it as a bridal shower gift.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

“Eight Dates” is an extremely helpful and life-altering book that can either revitalize relationships or save any that are in distress. These important and in-depth conversations, which are backed by research and science from some of the most premier relationship experts in the world, can help any couple grow in deeper awareness, understanding, and profound intimacy with one another. As a therapist, this book will be one I recommend to all my couples!

I find the title and subtitle a bit cheesy and a little misleading, although the content of this book is absolutely solid. I can't wait for it to be released in physical form so I can go through it again with my husband.

I am married for the second time, as is my husband. We put a great deal of effort into our relationship and have discussed many of the topics in this book, although we certainly have not discussed all of them, or to the extent this book suggests. I wouldn't have thought to, because we believe our marriage is strong.

After reading this book, I can see all the ways having these discussions will be fun and make our bond even stronger. Eight sittings may seem like a lot, but I don't think it's nearly enough for us to tackle all this information. A different format, maybe spread out over a year, would feel much more manageable to me. For us at least, going through the questions for one date alone would probably take hours and leave us emotionally exhausted, even if they produced a positive result.

There's a lot of potential here for this book to improve the relationship and lives of so many people. I appreciate that it is inclusive of all types of relationships, sexualities, and life choices. It doesn't assume everyone is going to have children, for example. The language used is straightforward and positive.

I recommend this book for any couple in a romantic relationship who are considering marriage or long term cohabitation. There are so many aspects of life we often don't consider before embarking on a long term relationship because we believe love will save the day, but that isn't the case. This book will help! It will also help married couples like us, to re-evaluate their relationship and focus on each other.