When it comes to understanding complex emotions and communicating those emotions, men are often considered to be “clueless”. If he isn’t, many conclude that there was a woman in their life who taught them how to be emotionally intelligent. Needless to say, it’s never assumed they were able to reach that level on their own.
Consuming romance media is a very easy and fun way to increase one’s emotional intelligence or, to put it in layman’s terms, know what women want, primarily due to its wide accessibility. Not to mention, a study at Psychology Today shows that consuming romance media does help many relationships flourish. That being said, here are three books sure to ensure emotional intelligence in any boyfriend (and also maybe just a fun read).
“Love Hypothesis” by Ali Hazelwood
“Love Hypothesis” is sure to resonate with any STEM boyfriend who wants to see what it’s like from a woman’s perspective. “Love Hypothesis” follows the main character, Olive, a PhD student in her third year. In an attempt to convince her best friend Anh that she has a thriving love life, Olive begins “dating” one of her professors, Dr. Adam Carlsen, as a facade. Throughout trying to convince people of their love on several outings, Olive and Adam must come to terms with the fact that the feelings aren’t quite fake anymore. This book encompasses a lot, from issues of professionalism and what people are willing to throw out the window because of someone they love to simple misunderstandings that make them feel like the world is ending. Also, this book takes a very real inside look at what it means to be a woman in STEM and many of the challenges associated with that. Again, this book is perfect for those who want a look into what another is thinking and maybe a “what-not-to-do” when it comes to assuming how people think about situations.
“The Bromance Club” by Lyssa Kay Adams
The next book is “The Bromance Club” by Lyssa Kay Adams. Unlike “Love Hypothesis”, this novel begins with Gavin, who is in a not-so-thriving marriage. The breaking point for him and his wife, Thea, is due to his angry overreaction when she reluctantly admits that she has been faking her orgasms. The big league baseball player is known for striking home runs when he’s at the plate, but not so much when he’s in the bedroom. Gavin is desperate for anything to help his marriage, so when he goes to his friends, who recommend that he read romance novels, he’s all in. After days of consuming as many books as he can, he has a final game plan for how to win back his wife.
“Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer
The final novel in this series is a classic, but should nonetheless be addressed. The “Twilight” Saga by Stephenie Meyer is a rather long story of how a 17-year-old Bella Swan meets a 100-year-old vampire, Edward Cullen, and all of the rewards and consequences along the way. To mention a few, when Bella wants to be with Edward (which is all the time), she has to subject herself to a pretty nasty crowd that would do anything to tear her to shreds. Even more, when Bella and Edward decide they want to spend the rest of their (never-ending) lives together, they have to bend a few rules of the vampire community. The Volturi, the vampire government, of course, does not take very kindly to this. All of this considered, Bella and Edward push through these adversities because they each believe the other is more than worth it. It is important to mention that the emotional intelligence of these books isn’t something to model a relationship after, but most girlfriends would greatly appreciate not having to explain this whole series for someone to get a reference.
