Love Lessons: A Modern Guide to Showing, Giving, and Receiving Love

by Alise Morales, M.L. Sanchez (Narrator), Ana Jarén - illustrator

An inspirational reframing of the bestselling classic The 5 Languages of Love , which includes all kinds of people and all kinds of love.

The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman has sold millions of copies since it was published in 1992. Framed around how to best communicate with your romantic partner, “What’s your love language?” is such a pervasive conversation topic that it’s become a common prompt on dating apps. But despite its popularity, it really hasn’t kept up with the times—it’s simplistic, limited, and doesn’t allow room for all the beautiful complexities life has to offer.

Love Lessons, written by Alise Morales, reframes the familiar concept of love languages as a more fluid and flexible method of communication that we all engage with at different times, in different moods, and with different people. From romantic partners to close friends, from family to coworkers, this book shows how love languages don’t have to be a one-size-fits-all approach. Existing love languages are reexamined and new ones introduced as equally powerful tools for expressing respect, admiration, and care in our most valued relationships.

Informative writing, inclusive language, and multiple-choice quizzes come together in Love Lessons to reach new heights within the community of people wanting to uncover how they give and receive love.

Audible Audio

Published December 9, 2025

Reviews

[Jess Laur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating this purely as an audio ARC is a tough one for me. I love self-help books in general, but this one I felt very seen as a mother and especially as a SAHM. Self-care for everyone is so vital so I was glad the author touched upon this in the beginning of the book. The struggle for me: the quizzes.. that would’ve been easier to visualize in a physical book, but I do love that she dove deeper into each love language and expanded upon the various forms of love we give and receive based off our relationships with one another (romantic, friends, strangers, family, etc). Thanks NetGalley!

[Letsxeeit · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review.

This audiobook delivers an insightful and practical deep dive into the love languages, successfully blending familiar concepts with new applications that build on both personal growth and key relationships. While the material is clear and serves as an excellent reminder or reference, its guidance is most applicable for very mature partnerships that possess the emotional capacity to fully reciprocate and serve mutual needs. A valuable addition is the look at applying these love languages to friendships and work colleagues, and understanding those boundaries. The quizzes at the end of each section are a fantastic bonus feature, effectively shifting the focus from passive theory to active practicing and understanding.

[Kayleigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alise Morales dives into the love languages, including the commonly known 5 love languages and further expands that she believes there are also evolved levels of these love languages like shared goals and experiences.
The material is clear and it's easy to see how she took the metrics in place and elevated them to further identify ways to connect, but as with the original, I don't think it takes into account the need for both people involved to be aware of the love language and their partners. I did appreciate the further dive into platonic and work relationships and the quizzes at the end of the chapters to help you identify where you may fall on this revised scale.
Moralas was thorough in her thoughts and research, the book was easily digestible, and the narration was solid- I just don't know that I would call this a "guide."

Love Lessons is due to be published 12/09/2025 and I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for my review.

[Lexi Big Talk’s Book Talk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, and the authors writing voice and delivery. I appreciated the authors discussion of how pop psychology can become a tool for judgement, so to use this book for good not evil.

This book was a great reframing of the current “love languages” and added a few that reflect the US cultural norms of boundaries, safety, healthy debate, and shared goals. Felt really modern and written for the girlies, with discussion of how identity and societal expectations change how the love languages are expressed or experienced. I loved the “menu” of love metaphor to understand these are things we crave, sometimes more than others but rarely never or all the time.

There were points in this book that I was so excited for my therapy clients to read, and can’t wait to recommend this to my young adults looking for guidance in this area. I found myself reflecting on how I’ve contributed (or not) to emotional safety in my relationships, and how I can support that in my relationships moving forward :)

Thank you NetGalley for the free audiobook in exchange for my authentic review.

[Chelsea Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a modern, inclusive take on the traditional love languages, introducing relevant new concepts like "respecting boundaries." The illustrations are vibrant, and the interactive quizzes make it a quick, engaging read. It successfully broadens the conversation from romantic partners to general relationships, which is a definite strength.

However, the book only scratches the surface. In trying to cover so much ground, it sacrifices the depth needed for truly impactful relationship guidance. The writing sometimes feels a bit lightweight, relying heavily on pop culture references.

Overall, it's a good, thought-provoking starting point for a fresh perspective on love, but it left me wishing for more substance.

[Marissa Z • Emzee_Reads]

This was a really interesting read! I think this would be a better book to read with your eyes than your ears so you can digest, underline quotes, take notes, and better interact with the questions at the end of the chapters. I thought her introduction of the new love languages was so interesting and I definitely want to explore them more in my own life. Morales also did a great job talking about what love languages look like in all different relationship contexts because we most often learn about love languages in a romantic relationship. listening to this makes me kinda want to go to therapy and drive into this more for myself......oof

Thank you, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

[Anahi · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Love truly is truly all around us. We just have to keep our hearts open enough to see it.” Alise Morales does a beautiful job rewriting and creating new love languages for the modern day. The old love languages never clicked for me in that they seemed to need something, especially when thinking of non-romantic, platonic relationships. My love language in case you’re curious are acts of service, words of affirmation, healthy debate, and respecting boundaries. By reading and applying Morales’ love languages, one will most likely improve upon their personal, and not so personal such as work, relationships.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Love Lessons! It offers a modern take on the Love Languages and does a great job showing how they apply to all kinds of relationships—not just romantic ones. I especially enjoyed the different categories and the inclusion of little quizzes, which made it fun and interactive. If you have someone in your life who’s hard to shop for, this would make a great gift for just about any audience.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!

[Beanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern rumination on the long-accepted five love languages--and honestly, an update was needed. Morales takes into account not just romantic partnerships, but ways we show and receive love from all people in our lives, taking into account allo relationships as well as ace and aro, platonic relationships both friendly and professional, and considering neurodivergent viewpoints as well. An approachable, easy to read, thoughtful perspective on love in all its many wonderful forms.

[Arianna (ariannasreading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great introduction to a modern understanding of the five love languages and how they apply to us all in various settings. I for one had never considered how love languages may show up in the workplace. I had many moments throughout this book where I thought to myself, “jeez, I’d never thought about it like that…” and have already told my husband he must read it!