Love Rituals: Ideas & Inspiration for Intimacy

Three chapters of rituals written by Leslie Koren

This book gives couples things to do rather than things to think about. Author Leslie Koren organizes its ideas into three chapters, each built around a different kind of time together: Daily Gestures, Date Nights, and Intimate Encounters.

The first chapter is about routine. Koren argues that appreciation should not wait for Valentine's Day or an anniversary. Her examples are small and specific, such as bringing a cup of coffee to a partner in bed each morning, or setting aside a nightly cocktail hour after work to catch up on the day.

Date Nights takes a more playful approach. One ritual, "Yes Day," gives one partner control over the whole agenda, from the breakfast menu to a late-night movie. Another asks each partner to tell the story of how the relationship began, turning shared history into an evening's conversation.

Intimate Encounters focuses on physical and emotional closeness. The rituals here include eye gazing and giving each other massages.

Beyond those three chapters, the book also includes rituals for vacations, anniversaries, and periods of long-distance separation, so the ideas are not limited to one kind of relationship moment.

Five rituals written as actions

Each idea is phrased as something to do rather than an abstract goal, which makes the book easy to browse for a specific moment. The chapters are short enough to read in one sitting, and each ritual can be picked up on its own.

• Morning coffee brought to a partner in bed, repeated daily
• Nightly cocktail hour set aside to catch up after work
• "Yes Day," where one partner plans the full agenda
• Retelling the courtship story to each other
• Eye gazing and giving massages in the Intimate Encounters chapter

Couples in long-distance relationships will find rituals written for time apart. That section is the one to check first if you are weighing this book against other relationship guides.