Love languages aside, how does a guy respond negatively to this:

Honey, can I talk to you? I have a favor to ask you.

Look, I love the heck out of you and I want to show you how much. I bought and read this book trying to find a way for me to show you just how much you mean to me but what I got out of it is that I could do so by being Susie Homemaker. You may have noticed, I'm not Suzie Homemaker and I never will be - but is there something I could do, that I couold incorporate into my life that would show you how much you mean to me?

I mean, it seems to me that's why you're reading the book. You want to improve your marriage and you want to do it because you love him.