Thousands of books promise to teach us how to be rich, thin, beautiful, charming, or smart. But beneath these aspirations lies a simpler motive: most people want to be loved and appreciated by others. Imagine, then, the audacity of publishing a book that claims to show us how to be and feel loved. Two world-famous psychological scientists, Sonja Lyubomirsky and Harry Reis, have just done exactly that—with a profoundly important new book.

How to Feel Loved is one of the most compelling works of popular psychology I’ve read in many years. Drawing on research in psychology, neuroscience, anthropology, and philosophy, the authors trace the foundations of what it means to feel loved. More importantly, they offer a practical roadmap for helping people feel loved and appreciated in their everyday lives. This beautifully written book is both personal and scientific—sometimes funny, sometimes painful, and always thought-provoking.

James Pennebaker
James PennebakerProfessor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and author of Opening Up by Writing It Down: How Expressive Writing Improves Health and Eases Emotional Pain.

To love and to feel loved—if this is what you want out of life, what does science have to tell you? There aren’t two scientists in the world I trust more to deliver research-backed, actionable recommendations on how to improve your relationships, from intimate to casual. Not only are they world experts on the subject, they’ve written a playbook that applies the evergreen principles of love to the dilemmas of modern life.

Angela Duckworth
Angela DuckworthRosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor, University of Pennsylvania, and author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

This is the book we’ve been waiting for! Lyubomirsky and Reis marry the best happiness science with the best relationship science to identify the five mindsets for building a life filled with love.

Eli Finkel
Eli J. Finkelbestselling author of The All-Or-Nothing Marriage and host of the Love Factually podcast

It’s about time an expert on happiness (Lyubomirsky) and one on relationships (Reis) came together! In How to Feel Loved, they show that the true key to happiness lies not in being perfect, nor in finding the ideal partner, but in learning how to relate to others so as to feel loved. Through research and stories, they outline simple but powerful mindsets—sharing openly, listening with curiosity, embracing complexity, and keeping an open heart—that anyone can practice. Their 'Sea-Saw' metaphor reveals how love grows through a back-and-forth process of mutual lifting up, offering readers both inspiration and practical guidance.

Margaret Clark
Margaret S. ClarkJohn M. Musser Professor of Psychology at Yale University

Science and ancient wisdom have shown that the secret to happiness is to love—and to feel loved. If you struggle with the latter, Sonja Lyubomirsky and Harry Reis have the solution. How to Feel Loved is a deeply researched and beautifully written guide to finding what we all need for true happiness. This book might change your life.

Arthur Brooks
Arthur C. BrooksHarvard Professor and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Build the Life You Want

In How to Feel Loved, Sonja Lyubomirsky and Harry Reis identify the five mindsets that show love isn’t something you wait for; it’s something you help create through small, everyday choices. This book is a gift to anyone who wants to live with more joy and connection, which will also help you live longer.

Dan Buettner
Dan BuettnerNational Geographic Fellow and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Blue Zones

Everyone wants to feel more loved. It’s remarkable that no one thought to study such a central driver of human happiness before. Lyubomirsky and Reis have done a beautiful job combining real science with compelling stories to show us exactly how to make this happen. Their approach is non-obvious, fruitful, and evidence-based—an important body of work.

David Rock
David RockD.Prof., CEO, Neuroleadership institute, and author of Your Brain at Work