In The Nature Of a Woman: Navigating Her 4 Week Mood Cycle, author Gary P. Simmons enlightens heterosexual men on the ebb and flow of their partner's emotional moods and gives them the tools to navigate it. A handbook for those without vaginas to understand those with, and how to use that knowledge to build a better and more satisfying relationship. Simmons highlights the common emotional fluctuations that occur within the four week cycle and offers practical ways to respond to them.

Each section is written in layman's terms and while the short length of the book may surprise those expecting several tomes on the complexity of a woman, Simmons is practical and straight to the point. I will admit that I was hesitant to dive into The Nature Of a Woman by Gary P. Simmons at first. While I am somewhat aware of how my cycle affects my mood each week, and was interested in what the book had to offer, I was also worried that Simmons' handbook would show itself to be another 'pick-up artist' guide that rolls out the usual cliches. I am happy to say that this is not the case and that The Nature Of a Woman is a practical guide by a man for men interested in women. Despite being outside of the target audience as a woman, I still feel it provides valuable insight for self reflection. I definitely recommend this book for both men and women, partnered and single.

The Nature of a Woman: Navigating Her 4 Week Mood Cycle by Gary P. Simmons is a great book that looks at “woman” from a very unique angle. It is easy for men to label women as overly reacting, insensitive, and exaggeratedly jealous most of the time, and they are unable to understand the sudden changes in female attitudes and behaviors. This could lead to grave misunderstandings. How many couples drift apart because they do not feel connected due to lack of understanding? This slim but powerful book is a gift for men who want to understand the women they get into relationships with and it handles one of the oft-neglected aspects of the nature of women — the four week mood cycle. Actually I am learning about this for the first time and it makes a lot of sense, because I can relate as a woman.

Simmons identifies the key elements to notice when a woman is experiencing physical changes that affect her mood and how to respond to them. Men who don’t understand this can become reactive and judgmental, making communication ineffective in their relationship and killing the fire. This book provides practical advice that will help any man in a heterogeneous relationship to understand why a woman behaves the way she does and create a suitable response to her behavior. Men will not only understand women better, but will find the right words and gestures to respond with when they become edgy and seemingly incomprehensible. The Nature of a Woman: Navigating Her 4 Week Mood Cycle is written in a conversational style and the author’s tone is filled with compassion. This is a book for men, but it can also be a useful guide for women who want to understand themselves and take responsibility for their growth in a relationship. It creates a strong awareness of what to expect from women when in a relationship.