Wired for Love

A Neuroscientist's Journey Through Romance, Loss, and the Essence of Human Connection

By: Stephanie Cacioppo

Narrated by: Jennifer Jill Araya

From the world’s foremost neuroscientist of romantic love comes a personal story of connection and heartbreak that brings new understanding to an old truth: better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

"This highly accessible audiobook is not only a love story, but also an exploration of the bizarre functions of the brain that create physical and emotional connections between human beings." -AudioFile on Wired for Love

At thirty-seven, Dr. Stephanie Cacioppo was content to be single. She was fulfilled by her work on the neuroscience of romantic love—how finding and growing with a partner literally reshapes our brains. That was, until she met the foremost neuroscientist of loneliness. A whirlwind romance led to marriage, to sharing an office at the University of Chicago. After seven years of being inseparable at work and home, she lost her beloved husband following a devastating battle with cancer.

In Wired for Love, Dr. Stephanie Cacioppo tells not just not just a science story, but also a love story. She shares revelatory insights into how we fall in love, and why; what makes love last; and how we process love lost—all grounded in cutting-edge findings in brain chemistry and behavioral science. Woven through it all is her moving personal story, from astonishment, to unbreakable bond, to grief and healing. Her experience and her work enrich each other, creating a singular blend of science and lyricism that’s essential reading for anyone looking for connection.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.

©2022 Stephanie Cacioppo (P)2022 Macmillan Audio

an exploration into being human

this book is so relatable. in love or wanting to be loved or in the aftermath of a great love, this is and encouraging and courageous exploration of the science behind our greatest emotion. it is also the story of one woman's personal experience with love.

Inspiring, educational and touching

Beautifully written- very touching and inspiring. I cried while listening to Dr. Cacioppo 's story. I love how she was able to combine and relate all of the research on love and loneliness with her personal story. And I agree that the opposite to loneliness is love :)

loved this book

excellent book with a very insightful look at the science behind love and loneliness mixed with the authors own captivating love story. definitely recommend.

True meaning of Love

I now have an understanding of the true meaning of love.
Some of us have had true love, have lost it, and have found it again in other forms.
Beautiful book.

Good book for widowed

This is a good book for widowed people who want to better appreciate how their relationship to their late partner came to be and why it is so painful when it ends in death, and how the process of recovering from the worst pain of grief and loss can play out. I am a widow, and felt like the book well described all the stages of the love relationship with my late spouse. I would like for the author to explore what it is like for widows who do find another mate after losing their first. That is an interesting experience and one that figures prominently in many widows minds as they rebuild their lives. Many choose not to find another partner, many want to find another partner, and some people feel socially pressured in one of those two directions but are unsure what they want. I think this author’s life story would make her a great person to look into this specific situation.

Interesting and helpful book!

Life altering scientific love story

This book is expansive: greatly expands are knowledge of the brain, love ,loss and the pain of losing love. Also how we must the vagaries of life and not let fear prevent from experiencing joy! Absolutely mind rewiring and life acceptance.This is a must read about life , love and acceptance.

The Science and Reality of Love

Beautifully written and narrated story. The science is fascinating and pairs perfectly with the underlying story of love and loss and life after. Already planning a second listen so I can take a few notes.

This could have been an essay

This was disappointing - the science was interesting but overall, there was not enough material for a book. I did not find the insights from the author’s personal story to be new. Would not recommend.

Did not finish

I was hoping for an update to Helen Fisher's book Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love from 2004, but Wired for Love is not even that good. Way too much about the author. She gives the misguided impression that no one studied this topic until she got in the lab. The neuroscience is not new.

Her study of pregnenolone and social isolation, when completed, may be of interest.