examples of short love story

15 Romantic Short Love Stories To Read

I’m telling you the cutest, dramatic, and romantic love stories, short but exciting and real-life-based. By reading these stories, you can easily find yourself and your love, emotions, and memories. So let’s start to read!

1. Love At First Sight Story

Two teenagers badly fell in premature love the day they saw each other. They were classmates of the same co-educational school. They even shared the same desk & bench in the classroom and were in the VIIIth standard. They always stayed together in the morning prayer queue, school compound, classroom, etc. They used to exchange books and notebooks, solve homework, and even share their tiffins.

After the classes were over, they used to go for a long walk and spend quality time together. Their love was so deep & real that it became their instant source of motivation. As a result, their performance in academic pursuits was quite salutary.

They both topped in their VIIIth Board exams & declared the best outgoing students of their school. They got married only after completing their graduations together, thus ending their many years of platonic love. Their love’s intensity was such that even they decided to go for an issue less marital life together. According to them, a child between them could interfere with their undying love.

Both of them were in profitable professional careers in their lifetime. People used to say, ” No one has ever seen nor would see, such a fantastic couple with an oceanic love, the depth & vastness of which no ordinary human being can ever equalize or imagine.

In the office, meetings, on the way, the couple was almost always together and considered the only blessed couple on earth. They used to share pains, celebrate joys together, and experience every bit of life to its fullest. People who saw them loved them.

Greed, selfishness, hatred & anger were not even remotely related to their life. Helping attitude to the needy & old, advising those who were confused & indecisive, by the virtues of wisdom & vast knowledge they accumulated throughout their life, earned them the true love & admiration of their associated people.

In their 80s, at a stage when their love-loaded vehicle was almost approaching fast its last station of the journey of life, the old couple was seen nearly every time slowly walking up & down the narrow lane together nearby their house, holding each other’s hands.

Every sunrise & sunset, they would spend time together sitting in the house yard with the wife standing behind her husband and keeping her hand on his weak shoulder. By now, they could hardly recognize anyone by face at a distance of around 5-10 meters. Nevertheless, they would love cracking jokes at each other —

Wife: Dear, my eyes can still see better than your completely blurry eyes.” Husband: But, my remaining teeth can still chew faster than your almost blank jaws, Sweet Heart.

Wife: Still, I’m young enough to go into the kitchen to make you tea, darling. Husband: I’m also still strong enough to give you my shoulders to lean on.

The super old couple didn’t stay without each other, even for a few minutes. The older they became, the more love & intimacy did develop between them. Their Never-Die-Love became an eye-opener for many young & old lovers.

Even the old couple’s pair of dogs & cats seemed to have learned the art of true love from them. Because those pets were restless if they didn’t see them and always enjoyed their presence at home.

But one sad morning, the old wife fell & died in the kitchen while trying to bring a cup of tea for her husband. As the husband couldn’t bear her absence even for a couple of minutes, he slowly walked on his trembling legs to the kitchen, oblivious of the happening.

But, quite surprisingly, even after seeing his dead wife, he was emotionless with no sign of sadness or agony. He kissed her dead wife on her cheeks with his trembling lips and quietly walked back to the yard and sat on the chair.

Perhaps, still, he was expecting his wife to bring him the morning tea as usual. While on the chair, he repeatedly puts his hand on his shoulders as if he was searching for his wife’s hand. Tears of unexpressed grief, the grief of the separation of two great lovers, slowly rolled down the cheeks of the gentle older man. He secretly kept sobbing, hiding tears from his pet dogs & cats for hours together until the neighbors and well-wishers started pouring in.

By the evening, after the dead body was buried, all the mourners returned to sympathize & console him only to find him dead lying in a pool of blood. He shot himself to death with a suicide note kept beside him: We were ever happy in this life as we shared all the pains & pleasure of life. Now I can’t live without her, nor can she live without me. She will need my hands to wipe her tears & comfort her when she is sad & broken and, I will require her to make me tea every sunrise & sunset. So, I’m also ending my own life to follow her before it’s too late. Please take care of our dogs & cats.

Noteworthy:- Out of teeming millions of stars, your eyes are attracted only to the Moon. Likewise, you choose only your man or woman out of multitudes of people around you.

People say, Love at first sight seldom lasts, but sometimes it is not always correct. Instead, love, at first sight, can end as love at last sight too. It all depends. It’s been rightly said that love is blind. Before true lovers, even the magnificent grandeur of the Taj Mahal falls insignificant & pale. Even the Diamond value is reduced to the value of the scrapes before those madly in love. Therefore, love is termed successful only if it lasts till eternity. Otherwise, every love is a failure.

2. Neglect Love Life Story

I met a girl at the gym. At first, I adored her because she seemed so unreachable to me. She’s just gorgeous. She was a new member, and I supposed she noticed that I was looking at her.

But then we went on separate classes, me to the yoga, and she to the rpm. The funny thing was that when I finished my class, there she was in front of me, she looked at me, and that was the first time I fell in love with her. I talked to a man, so I didn’t get the chance to greet her as she left the place. Then, I waited a month to see her again.

Why? Because it was Saturday morning, and I only got one day off every month, he always worked out in the morning, while I couldn’t follow her schedule because I was working. So then we met again, after a month. This time I collected all my guts, joined the rpm class, sat next to her, and greeted her, just a simple hi. I couldn’t talk much because the class was almost started.

Because of one thing to another, I waited for another meeting. It just took weeks to see her. It’s very dispiriting for me. Patience was the only choice I got. The relationship grew quite well. Every time I looked at her since I hadn’t known her until we were friends, I noticed that she gave me such a look too. She stared at my eyes; it felt just different.

But then something came along. I made terrible mistakes bcause of my ignorance. The first was that I added her Fb without asking her permission. She disapproved of that request. I was thinking positively at the moment, “maybe she forgot me, or rarely online.”

Until I saw her recent updates that she approved another person, the worst was that I messaged her by saying, “hi, how are you? This is me..from the gym. Do you remember? Just looking at fb and found your acc there, and I would like to add you if you don’t know min FB” The next day, I met her again at the gym.

That’s when she changed. She barely looks at me, so cold. I tried to talk to her, she still replied, but geez, she’s just cold. So this might have made the situation worst, but I tried to clarify that Fb friend request. She said it was okay, but now she lied. I supposed that she thought of me as such a stalker who followed her everywhere while I wasn’t.

I just wrote five letters on that search box and luckily found her. Besides, I thought we were friends already, so adding her wouldn’t be a problem. But too bad it has been. Now every time I meet her, she avoids me. She acts like she doesn’t see me while I pass right in front of her nose.

And sometimes, she greets me hi without a smile, which I think that’s just formality. The problem is, she has been stuck there with a mindset of “bad me, or maybe even worst, physio me.”

I still greeted her hi when we met, but no more than that, sometimes, she replied, sometimes she just waved her hand, sometimes she acted like she didn’t hear, or maybe she didn’t. The primary point is that she never looked at me anymore through the eyes. She avoided me. What I want to ask is, is this over?

Isn’t there anything to be done to change this? Can time restore things? Or change her mind? I mean, people will say, “Get over it, man! Move on, find another, but I like her. She’s like a picture of my dream girl, so perfect in my eyes. I’m heartfelt about her.

If this could be fixed, I’ll fix it, even if it’ll cost me some pains in the heart, it doesn’t matter, I love her.

3. Romantic Sad Love Story

I thought you were the one. We were together for three years. We talked about marriage and even having kids together. We talked about what we would do if we ever lost each other, and we both gave a part of our pasts to one another.

I hate how our relationship ended, and it makes me so angry that you think I didn’t put in an effort or even care. I hate that after three years, you feel like I wanted nothing to do with you. It makes me mad to know that one argument, after being through so much, that that one small argument was the death of our relationship.

Honestly, I don’t miss our relationship anymore, seeing that it has already been about four months since we broke up, but it does bother me that you seem to think that I didn’t care. And you know what killed me? When I saw that you could ultimately be happy and be fine two days after our relationship ended.

How dare you say I didn’t care and then go and act like that three years meant nothing two days later? I hate that you were able to be so happy without me. I wanted to be the reason for your happiness, and you didn’t let me be anymore. I wanted to be everything you wanted me to be, but you didn’t give me a chance.

I can’t get over how we spent so much time on each other, helping each other, talking to each other, laying down together, holding each other, and generally binding together, and that it’s all over. It still hurts me, but I know I will be okay.

I’m just hurt. I’m hurt that you were able to move on that quickly, and I’m hurt that you excluded me from your life so quickly. It hurts to know how emotionally invested I was, yet you took it like a joke -like it didn’t matter.

I hate to see that you’re so happy without me. I hate to know that I’m no longer the reason for your happiness. And what I hate the most is how many people I sacrificed with and how many people I didn’t allow in my life because you didn’t like them or were jealous. And now I can’t get them back. And it wasn’t even worth it.

4. You Are My True Love

The ray of light punishes me by waking me up too early. Oh, I try to turn, but I end up butting heads with someone else. “ Auch,” the feminine voice yelp in pain. I know my head is made of stone. I can’t deny it, but who is this lady?

I live alone, and I don’t have any girlfriend, yet I don’t remember bringing anyone home yesterday, but how did this lady know my password? I can’t understand all of this.

‘What did you do to me? ’ the lady screamed, barely noticing me, and I almost laughed. “Like? ” I said, trying to be funny, but she threw a pillow at me. “What are you doing here? In my room? ” she shouted. Omo see me see jamb question o no be my house I dey?

“This is my room!! ” I yelled, but she looked around. “This is my room!! ” she yelled Abe wa gba mi ni again? Which kain problem be this one now? I took my toothbrush and toothpaste, and I started brushing my teeth whatever I wanted to sele here. I want to know.

But how couldn’t I notice I slept with a full shape coca-cola babe like this? I for nack am I watch her para about acting as if I got her drunk and raped her. ‘Whats the unit number of this apartment? ’ she asked. Oh, oh, I think she finally has sense. “ 24,” I answered, and she hit her head twice with her palm.

“Turn your head,” she said, and I rotated my head in a circular motion. “No, oh gawd, I mean turn around,” she said, clutching the blanket as if her life depended on it.

I think she is dressing up because I can hear the sound of her zipper. The babe is so beautiful o I didn’t notice. She is dark with a full gift of natural hair styled into Bantu knots. I take another look at her. Wow, and I like what I see.

“I’m sorry, you are the new neighbor, right? ” she said, bowing her head low. I think she is ashamed. “I moved in a week ago,” I replied. “I used to live here until last week, but I was too drunk yesterday. I just come straight to my old house, and I punch in the password, and since you never change it, I just enter and sleep like that you know? Do you get the situation? ” She said with a shaky voice, and I think I like this girl, o she is just too delicate.

“Yes, but why did you drink so much? ” I asked, striking a conversation. “ is it not the naughty I called my boyfriend? He broke up with me. I love him so much,” she said, almost crying, but she opened my fridge, and she took a bottle of red wine, and she gulps down half of it yeh! I almost die. This girl gets in mind!

But why will a guy break up with such a beautiful girl? He must be an idiot and a professional idiot. “ I’m Celine and you? ” she said, ha see me, I did not even ask her name. “ I’m Maurice,” I said, but I didn’t use to believe in love at first sight, but this babe gets me killed. ‘ I’m leaving my house is unit 26 ’ she bade her goodbye. I don’t know how my body is doing me. After the incident, we did not even cross paths again. I went to her house, but her friends told me she had traveled. How can she travel after having so much effect on me?

A month passed, six months, then a year, I never found my Celine. I try to forget about her, but no, I always think about her every night. I thought I had lost her until my secretary told me a girl was looking for me. I didn’t put much thought; I hardly go around with girl smash and leave, but I don’t know what to say, Celine. Did I tell my secretary to let her then I receive the shock of my life Celine? I almost faint this is oh no, I couldn’t believe it.

I swing her into a hug, and she hit me playfully before I let her go. She smiled, flashing her set of white teeth, that smile sweetly I die. I just dey look at the babe sitting in front of me, Celine? Oga o.

“ Maurice I can’t believe you actually went to my house. I was just too ashamed to face you. You know I couldn’t believe I slept in someone else’s house and he even happen to be a man? I couldn’t believe myself,” she said, and I understand her correctly. That’s why she traveled.

“I understand Celine so how is now your ex? ” I asked, and she laughed. “He impregnated three ladies and he ask two to abort it but did you know the funniest thing? ” this girl likes laughing o she is just making me shout hurray inside my heart without celebrating anything. ‘What? ’ I asked

“ the third one gave birth to triplets ” she laughs even more loudly, and I also laughed funny cause. This girl is serving a living God o seriously.

“But thank God I have someone else in my heart ” she said, and my heart sinks immediately.

“And who is that person? ” I asked, trying to hide my disappointment. ‘Do I need to tell the person? ’ she hissed, and I got confused. She is talking about me!! Oh, God bless the day Celine’s ex broke up with her. God bless the day she got drunk and slept at my place. If not, I wouldn’t have met a wonderful lady named Celine. The bone of my bone flesh of my flesh.

We are getting married next week, and I’m inviting all of your Venue, anywhere you see canopy, Lol!

5. A Beautiful Dream Story

This morning I opened my eyes to see the sun shining and rising in the sky, everything was sweet for few minutes, but everything changed, the sunlight was gone, and the dark comes then my heart stop beating, I feel fear, I started yelling,” hello!

Anybody can save me from this hell, anybody can hear me? Please, what’s happening here? Why is no one replying to me? ” But the answer was nothing, the trears become falling from my eyes and no one with me. For a while i feel a water at my hand it was raining that moment i feel that the sky with me and try to make me in safe. It was seem crying with me, and while im talking my self i heard a voice saying “don’t be afraid I’m here with you.

Just give me your hand, and everything will be okay “, for a moment i see a white light coming from far away and nearning me, i said “who are you? And how you found me? What do you wanna from me?” He was smiling and said “I’m inside you!

I’m your white heart why you keep me always in this darkness, and this is just a little exam to feel my cause, so please look inside you! Look at me! Please clean your brain from all negative things and problems only. Just try to be happy, not for the others but you!”

I said,” but how can that happen? You are my heart, but here you are human. How can that happen? ” He said, “give me your hand, and you will see! Trust me!” I gave my hand to find my self in my room, and my heart was beating again. I start crying and crying, but I heard that voice also saying,”.

It was just a dream, keep calm and live this life happy, and it was just a dream! ” from that time, I decide to leave this world and follow my heart, not people’s opinions. It’s just a bad dream!

6. Long Distance Relationship Short Story

I am 34 years old, married, and have a beautiful girl.

My story began when I had decided to go abroad because I wanted to make some money and because I was curious about why everyone wants to travel around the world. So, I left for Italy with my sister, and we were relying on a friend of ours to help us find a job there.

We arranged to meet the friend mentioned above named T. At first, I didn’t pay too much attention when I saw him. However, his height made him impossible not to notice. So, after a few times meeting him, I realized how kind, smiling, and easy-going he was.

He had some problems with his wife, who he had left in Canada, and begged to come to Italy. Gradually, we reached a point where I began to like this man and wanted him 100%.

I wasn’t expecting anything besides sex. I was confused with some people in a foreign country with a foreign language that I didn’t understand and with him; kind, caring, and in love with me.

However, he quickly started dreaming about how we would create our own life, how I would get a divorce, and how much he loved me. I wasn’t feeling the same way. I wanted to go back to Canada and back to what I had left there; he was also acting weird after living without a woman for so long.

And so, I couldn’t handle this anymore, I kept thinking about my child, and I left for Canada. Then my pain started. I immediately felt a lack of attention, affection, and spark in my sex life. We began maintaining an ongoing phone relationship by writing secret text messages in the middle of the night. “My love, amore, sweetheart.”

The distance was making us want each other even more. This was when I made all the mistakes, and I told him many lies. I told him how I hated my husband and wanted a divorce. It wasn’t easy to live like this at all.

I was lying to both of us. I changed, became frustrated, and my husband reacting to this didn’t take long. There were constant scandals that made my child suffer when she heard them. Everything was a complete mess.

T. was pushing me to leave and go to him, and I couldn’t leave my child and husband. There was also something else that was more important than everything.

I was not in love with T., even though I used to say it back to him all the time when he told me that he loved me. I didn’t want a future with a man I didn’t have strong feelings for. THIS KEPT GOING ON FOR 3 YEARS.

We spent very little time physically together during this period because this was only possible when he returned to Canada, and I could come up with an excuse. I did know that I had to put a stop to this living hell that I had created myself.

Every night, I was full of regrets. I kept thinking about how I deserved neither one of them. I couldn’t find the words to express my desire to break it off with T. So, and I left it to him to figure it out.

I didn’t get a divorce. I continue living with this massive burden on my shoulders, which remained unshared. I attempted to meet with T and tell him how I felt, but it was another mistake because he saw it as a willingness to continue our relationship and have a life together one day.

I gave up, and I stopped contacting him, and so did he. I hope that he has found his true love. Regardless, I still feel awful about it.

I messed up T’s life with my lies, and ruined my family’s balance and trust. Nothing is the same anymore.

So there it is, I shared my lie with you, and I hope that someone might understand how I feel, even though I am not a very good writer. I don’t know if I’ll get a reply from any of you, but at least my story can serve as an example.

7. Cute Short Love Story

I Love Twilight, But I Also Hate It

My relationship with The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer is complicated. It’s a love and hate that is full of shades of gray. It started with a curious 16-year-old girl who felt like books would never really be her thing. A girl who never could quite see the appeal in the sorts of books she was supposed to read. Books about ghosts and murder were the go-to, but none of those had awards, none of those were reads of substance.

Then there was Twilight. It still wasn’t quite “a book of substance,” but almost every girl my age was reading it, gushing about it. It had vampires. I still remember the first time I opened the first book lying on my bed, excited and nervous that I was about to face disappointment.

No disappointment was found. I was entirely and blindly fascinated with these characters and this world. I quickly read the rest of the series, a reading frenzy that ended with a very late night of rage sobbing through the end of Breaking Dawn. The last book perplexed me, but I loved it still.

The descent of my love happened slowly. Through comments about Mary Sues and questions about literally every weird thing in Breaking Dawn. Through the mocking that would ensue in the wake of the first film. My eyes were opened, Twilight and its sequels were not good books, but I couldn’t entirely shake the fact that I loved them.

I read the series twice more throughout high school, each with a greater awareness of its flaws, but with just as much speed and vigor. Twilight was not good, but each time I was hooked. I was stuck in a place of yet again loving something that I should not love, and it was an uncomfortable place to be.

Shortly after college, I sold all of my Twilight books for a fraction of what was paid for them. I felt that I’d read them three times each, and there was no way I’d likely ever reread them. Deep down, though, I knew I was embarrassed by them sitting on my shelves. I felt guilty for that embarrassment too. It felt like I was betraying an older part of myself, a more blissfully innocent part of myself. But I couldn’t have the books anymore, so I sold them.

Years later, I remember being asked the longest book I ever read. It didn’t take me long to realize there was only one answer. I said, “Breaking Dawn.” They responded with, “That isn’t real reading.” I immediately wanted to get defensive, but I bit my tongue. Twilight may not have been great literature, but it was reading.

In a way, I feel like that conversation sums up many of the reasons I walked away from Twilight. Turned my eager and innocent love into “ha ha yeah, Twilight’s stupid.” Much like my childhood’s horror books, my peers, and the more incredible culture convinced me that loving Twilight made me a lesser reader.

I was gullible and unintellectual for consuming such drivel. Gosh, couldn’t I see what a horrible Mary Sue Bella was? Could I not see every little continuity error in the entire four-book series? Didn’t I know it was lame to like Twilight?

It didn’t matter that after reading Twilight, I went to my public library and got my library card. That I spent most of the following summer riding my bike to the library to grab a new stack of books to read that week. I would read the days and nights away.

I was the girl who thought I would never love to read because I always liked the wrong kinds of books, and I was suddenly spending endless hours falling into different worlds and the lives of other characters. That didn’t matter, though, because Twilight was terrible.

But the truth is, it did matter. Twilight is not a great series. It’s poorly written. It romanticizes manipulative and controlling relationships. It’s 100 percent batshit crazy. It’s pretty terrible literature, and many think pieces tearing it apart are justified. But for the 16-year-old girl who thought she would never love books, it was an invaluable gateway into an exciting world of stories and imagination.

I will always love and hate Twilight in all its shades of gray.

8. The Act Real Life Story

You woke up today with a frown. You threw your sheets aside, got out of bed, and rammed the toothbrush into your mouth only to wince at the pain. Why do you begin your day like this? Are you annoyed thinking of the long day ahead? Maybe. Are you at a job you hate? Definitely. Are you just groaning to wake up to see another day? If you are, you shouldn’t be.

You are blessed to see another day, child. As you opened your eyes this morning, someone else closed theirs forever. While you ripped the sheets off yourself, someone’s coffin was sealed shut. When you cringed thinking of the day ahead, someone somewhere just found out that they have only a month left to do everything they wanted to do in twenty years or so. You are blessed to see another day.

It doesn’t take much to be an optimist. You’ve just got to look at certain things differently than how you used to. You might be hurt, stressed, devastated, recovering from a breakup, or just empty and lost. But you’ve woken up to a new dawn. Would you want to cry about it longer than you already have?

Wake up with a smile. Make someone smile. Talk to a lot of people and listen to a few. I say “a few” because I’ve heard many of them, and it is not easy. It’s harder than it sounds. Listen to a few, and you might feel that you’re in a much better place than them.

Shutting yourself doesn’t help. Always know that there is someone out there who will listen. If you have friends who come to you when you’re all smiles and don’t bother when you shed a tear, keep them at a distance. You don’t need that. You will have one person who listens to you and understands your pain. Of that, I am sure.

You are blessed to see another day, child. Let that blessing mean nothing.

9. Cute College Love Story

What do you even know about love? She screamed at me. You don’t know anything about it. How did you even think that you were in love with me?

It’s true. I do not know about love. Well, not much anyway. What I do know, however, is that love is pain personified. That it is not easy. It is not easy to take a look at someone’s darkness and accept it as your own. And to look at your light and give them credit for the same. It is not easy to put their every need above yours even when they do not realize it.

To keep awake in the night talking to them when all you want at that moment is to be one with your couch. And to stay without sleep when you can’t speak to them. Till 3. 3:30. 4. Wondering what they are up to. Did they even know that at this very moment, someone loves them so much that he could give away his life for them? Who knows how many hours are wasted by lovers in this world.

But then why do we love the people we love, I wonder? Especially the ones who don’t love us back. Considering humans consider themselves the most intelligent of animals, we are very irrational, I would say.

We fall in love at the worst time, with the worst person possible for us, and no matter how much we regret it or know that it is not in our best interests, we continue. Holding on to that last shard of hope when even Elpis herself has abandoned us.

But then maybe this is what makes us human. That sometimes, the universe gives a damn and looks around at all the people struggling against impossible odds and takes pity on a few of them. The success stories. The fairy tales. Come alive by people who love each other so much that they conquered the odds. So maybe my love was the one that was lacking and not the universe. Or the fates.

When I was a kid, I thought that first love would be my last. But I was wrong. Then I thought that my next one would be the last. I was wrong again. I just want someone who accepts me for who I am and a whole long list of requirements. I will not fall in love easily this time and break my heart again. But am I wrong also?

Yeah, probably. I guess I do know nothing about love. But then, who does?

10. Valentine Love Story

I don’t know, but some parts of that month break my heart. Yes! Valentine’s Day was coming, but we broke up, he broke up with me. Do you know the reasons? I will tell you. That’s because of my Attitude because maybe every day I act abnormal, my weird personalities, even my wrong sides.

I don’t know, but I’m tired also. I’m just also a human, but I understand him. Some friends of mine that I’m scared of commitment are not afraid of commitment. I’m scared of giving my all to someone and ending up with nothing again.

Yes, it hurts. I know he’ll do everything, and I see his efforts, and now he asks me to come back, and I said no. No, because you left me, right? You already break my heart twice, and that’s enough! I celebrated my Valentine with my family. But two exes of mine chatted and greeted me.

One that was let me name him; he was a cliff. Yes, he was my ex, but he’s the one that I think perfect, so my heart beat so fast, Oh! Self, your broken, right? But I saw him on Facebook; he makes me smile.

Even if he was my ex, he was still my dream man. For me, he’s perfect, let me describe him. He’s tall, a cute smile that will make you fall, nice hair, long nose, attractive, and I like the way he wears let we say “porma.” Opps that enough. Haha, lets back to the main topic, haha. Yes! We chatted, and that time was February 14, Valentine’s Day !

He speaks to come over to their village to walk and talk. I feel so excited and nervous because we haven’t seen each other for a long time. Yes, I agree, and now I’m here waiting for him, yes I see him walking and coming to me, and I start walking too. My heartbeat so fast because while he’s walking, he’s smiling, oh man! Why so handsome?. Even they wear shorts and white shirts, he still hot.

Oh! Stop self, don’t show that you’re crazy again. Now we’re starting walking and sit on the bench, yeah, I felt hot because of no wind, but I don’t know he off his shirts, oh my god! He has abs oppress. I asked why he off his shirt, and he said to got some air, and he turns around his shirt. Yes, I got some air about what he was doing.

Thank you. And now it’s awkward, and we have no more topics, and I’m distracted with his body. So I have a TikTok, so I decided to video with him. At first, he’s shy, but he goes with the flow in the end.

We spent time short because he has something to do in their house. We bye to each other. “See you tomorrow love,” wait? Does he say that?. Love? Me? Omg! What’s wrong with me?!

Stop. And now I just got home, oh yes I forgot to tell you that I invited him to our school because we have an event, so that’s why he said those words, but I mean, I’m don’t know what happens. My broken heart turns to feel in love again. He completes it. But what can you say that I came from heartbreak with my ex and now this ex complete it.

But I tell you, my Valentine’s was perfect. Maybe I think of it. FF. It’s February 15, and this is the day. Now I’m here in school waiting to start the event and waiting for him. He said he has one friend who would like to come, so I said yes, but he pays the entrance, haha.

So he chatted that they here in school, so I go out to find them, but I can’t see them. I said to them that I’m here at the entrance gate, and Yes! Finally, I see them. I was struct my eyes only for him. He was so handsome. I enjoyed watching the event, but sometimes I got irritated because some girl passing, they will look at him and said he’s gorgeous. Yes! He is!

So please leave! I think he notices my face, so he comes closer to me. Hehe, I’m ok now. He treated me that I’m her girlfriend, I appreciated. But wait. There was never an us we have no label, but I’m stupid so enjoy that night with him. The event finishes at 10 pm, so his friend said we go to the plaza to walk. So we sit at the bench and talk, again some girl, ah! Nvm! “lets eat,” he said.

So now we were eating, and now we were done. And one of his friends saw her friend a girl, yes shes beautiful. After that, we decided to go to the girl’s boarding house to have some rest.

So we go to boarding. We sit there, and he’s distracting me by getting my hand and looking at my face, lying in my laps, taking pictures, hugging me, he gets my hand and put it to his face, oh my god, he’s charming. This day was so.

I decided now to go home because it’s already 12. So I out first in the house and wear my doll shoes. “wait for me” so I saw him getting shoes, so I play with him that I already go, so I walk fast hide. It takes a minute because you know he’s wearing shoes. Haha.

So I’m waiting, and suddenly I saw him running more quickly to go with me haha so I go out and laugh with him, but I don’t know but hug him because of the stupid I did.

“I thought you leave me,” he said. Oops? What? My heart. I still hugging him because he’s sad after what I’ve done, haha. I think I’m fallen again with him. And now we’re walking while he holds my hands like we are couples. And if some girl looks at him, I will walk faster and haha no choice. He follows and holds my hand. “Thank you for this night love,” he said. And he was taking me home.

11. I Love You Story

She stood kicking around a small rock, waiting for the bus to arrive. In the far distance, the sound of a roar mixed with the sound of thunder, and shortly after, a black and red motorcycle made its appearance. Stopping just a few feet away, he’d soon put the engine to sleep. S

he watched as he took off his helmet, revealing the obnoxiously refined looks he possessed. The silk black hair swayed beautifully as he shook it away from his face. “Want a ride,” he asked with a serious face. She held tightly on the bag handle she wore across her body and looked around for the person he spoke to.

“You, I’m asking you,” he clarified with a smirk. Her eyes widen, but the words she thought of saying got tangled in her tongue. Innocently, she quickly shook her head no. He let out a chuckle and leaned against his bike. “I just saw the bus back there.

It appears to have a flat tire,” he informed. Still, she ignored his request and looked ahead for the big thing. “A storm is coming, we should go,” he suggested giving her a slight head gesture to hop on. He handed her his helmet, but she just stood in awe. She asked herself why he suddenly cared if she got wet or not.

A cold drop of rain crushed on her cheek, advising of the little time remaining to take shelter. She didn’t notice before, but the sky had already turned a hideous black color. Hesitantly, she reached for the helmet and adjusted it on her small skull.

With the help of his hand, she’d gotten on without any issue. Her fingers curled around the ends of his jacket as she waited patiently for the takeoff. With a small chuckle, he revived the beast he’d previously put to sleep. “Hey, neighbor, you might want to hold on tight,” he suggested mimicking.

With that, he took off, making her clutch tightly around his waist. The rain sparkled around them but couldn’t be felt on their skin. Although she’d seen him around, she didn’t imagine ever talking to him.

His looks were out of this world and certainly out of her league. But today, she was hugging him on his motorcycle. Holding his body while sniffing the manly cologne he wore that evening. This was indeed the start of a beautiful new beginning?

12. A Pure Love Story

“What would you do if I’d broke up with you?” he asked unexpectedly. His question came like cold water to her body. She looked at him suspiciously and sipped on her drink, preventing herself from coughing out the food. From the day she found out about his sickness, she’d begged God to let him live a normal life. But breaking up? She didn’t think about it.

She glanced at him and held her breath. “Why would you break up with me?” she mumbled worriedly. His stare remained on his plate, unwilling to respond, he took another bite of his pizza. “Did I do something wrong?” Still, he remained quiet.

She looked at him and smiled hypocritically. “You’re joking right?” she asked again diligently. Without answering her, he chewed up the bites of pizza in his mouth. “What if I told you that I can’t remember loving you?” he asked again, cutting up her soul with his words.

She pursed her lips tight and blinked away the sudden sting in her eyes. Her mind seeks many answers to questions he left in the air. A deep lamented sigh escaped her mouth as she found the courage to look back at him. “What are you saying?” she throttled through the asphyxiation of her lungs. He furrowed his eyebrows and finally looked at her. The pain in her eyes startled him. It took all his strength to stop himself from hugging her. He took the cup in his hand and smirked.

“I’m saying that maybe, I never really loved you,” he replied, gulping down his drink. She gave him a sorrowful look and then bit her lips. As if by doing so, the tears that threaten to fall would subside. “Why are you doing this?” she choked out. He disguised his pain by biting on the slice of pizza again. He blinked away the soreness in his eyes and swallowed his food forcefully.

“What would you do?” he asked again, feeling angry with himself. She looked at him with eyes as big as the glowing moon. Whatever the reason was for his sudden change of heart, she couldn’t understand. Just thinking about losing him caused the stable ground of hers to tremble. “I’d die,” she replied honestly.

He could feel his heart pound against his chest. All he wanted was to protect her, and the only way to do it was hard on her. He furrowed his eyebrows and then chuckled in amazement. Though he knew how to be harsh, it became difficult every time.

She stood up and silently walked away from the place they were sitting at. Her heartfelt heavy, and her sight became foggy from the upcoming tears. ‘Stop her. Hug her. Tell her you love her. ’ He’d thought about doing that, but his body wouldn’t budge, and his words got tangled up in his throat. The willingness to let her leave had completely failed. He found his feet following her quietly as she created an unreadable path ahead. He stuck his hand in his pocket and felt his body freeze.

The box that carried the ring he bought her not long ago touched his fingertips. Releasing the anchor that stopped his heart once again. The truth seems to be misty and intoxicating, but he plans to swallow it for her own sake. Though he tried not to question the god who created him, he felt anger. He wanted to know why now. He wanted to scream, wail, and beg to let him live a little longer. Certainly, he was paying for all his mistakes, but it still felt unfair.

He watched as she stopped engraving her feet in the snow-covered ground and turned to face him. The warm tears that rolled down her cheeks seem to dry up easily with the cold air.

A long and empty sound echoed through the calm whooshing wind as they faced each other painfully. She didn’t know what or why he was doing it for, but the look on his face reflected the pain she felt.

“I don’t want to break up,” she screamed, choking through the loop in her throat. Her words forced him to stop breathing. He locked his sight into the greenest forest he knew, her eyes, and begin to melt in pain.

He raised his eyebrow, exhaling heavily troubled enough to speak. “Madison,” he said, finally finding a way to free his voice. She rubbed her watery eyes with her jacket’s sleeve and sighed desperately. “So even if you decide to leave me, I’ll be here. Always.” She proclaimed, letting out a lamented sigh.

Without warning, she paced towards him hurriedly. Embracing his resilient body into a very tight hug. His eyes widen while his heart skipped multiple beats. He could feel the tingling sensation of the tears trying to escape his tired, droopy eyes. ‘Foolish girl,’ he thought to himself, also embracing her tightly against his sturdy but a deficient body.

13. Heart Touching Love Story

I gently held her by the hand, stopping her from leaving, “give me 5 minutes, ” I begged. She began to fidget, but I tighten my grip. We’d met one warm summer night a few years back at a friend gathering, and since then, I couldn’t get her off my mind. She was beautiful, a bit too gorgeous for her good. I barely knew her boyfriend, but that didn’t stop me from courting her. I tried not to be too obsessive; however, it became merely impossible.

I slid my hand up her nape and stared at her, “look at me,” I said, slightly annoyed that she kept pushing me away. “Do you not feel the same way I do?” I asked, knowing well she would deny it. As expected, she blurted out a resounding NO.

An involuntary smirk spread across my face as I managed to turn her sight towards me. I felt it and was sure she did too. The way she vibrated whenever I was near, the way she avoided looking me in the eyes, and the way she began to breathe rapidly said it all.

I inclined my body closer to hers, “Why are you lying?” I whispered. She tried pushing away but failed miserably. “Please let me go. Someone might misunderstand,” she begged hopelessly. Piercing my eyes on her, I delicately rubbed the back of my hand on her cheek. “I would love for that to happen?” I confessed shamelessly. She let out a heavy sigh and swung my handoff.

“Don’t be scare. I’ll take care of you,” I insisted impatiently. I could tell by her silence that she wanted it just as much as I did. Her expression changed from angry to confused. Although I was honest, she didn’t believe I’d fallen head over heels for her.

I took her hand in mine and slightly squeezed it, “come with me,” I pleaded wholeheartedly. She glared at me, incredulous maybe that a guy like me said such things. She suddenly snatched her hand away, “that’s enough,” she accused, seemingly upset. I quickly perceived how hard she has fallen for me too though she’d denied it several times.

“I’m not like that. I have a boyfriend, and I love him,” she informed. She was trying to convince herself more than me that it was true. She stepped away, distressed of how evident it was she was lying. “You don’t feel anything for me then?” I asked desperately.

A feigned smile formed on her lips as she locked her eyes with mine. Before she could answer, I scooped her in my arms and placed her against the wall.

Her eyes wide open as she gasped for air. I gave her an honest look before diving myself in for a kiss. She twitched and pushed, trying hard to be released, but I was persistent. A few seconds later, she stopped moving, so did I. I unlatched my lips from hers and looked at her, ashamed yet satisfied. We were both out of breath, staring at each other in disbelief.

Her expression was difficult to read, and it was probably because she’d confirmed her feeling for me. After a minute of staring silently at each other, her eyes begin to get watery. It was the guilt building up knowing she’d just cheated on her boyfriend physically and emotionally. I smeared away the falling tears with my thumb attempting to redeem my mistake.

I was sure I’d lost her forever with this and was ready to let her go. Instead, she gripped the sides of my coat tightly and stared at me with bleary eyes. I knew then what she meant and kissed her again. This time, she didn’t object and follow my lead. We immersed ourselves in satisfaction, forgetting about everything and everyone. It was more than the feeling I imagined it to be.

It was happiness in the small form of her. The creaking sound of a door opening followed by a familiar voice startled us. Out of breath, she pushed me away and stared at me with big wide eyes. It was her boyfriend going upstairs. I nodded my head sideways, letting her know I didn’t want her to go, but she didn’t listen. She wiped her face with her hands, serrated a “sorry,” and then ran downstairs to greet him.

14. My Real Love Story

I can’t keep on loving you one foot outside the door. I hear a funny hesitation of a heart that’s never really sure, can’t keep on trying. If you’re looking for more every time you pull me up. You only let me down. Maybe you’ll be sorry, perhaps you’ll be cold, or maybe you’ll come running back to me. Perhaps I’ll be here, but perhaps I’ll see you around, the suspense is pounding and clouding up my head.

You are not the person I used to know. Maybe it’s my fault. I pushed you over the edge because that’s what I always do to those I love. But maybe in this life, you were never mine to begin. All I have to say is perhaps the stranger is me. I must have changed so drastically. I don’t know where this road leads, but it does not lead us to both desires.

The way you put her first, the things you say to people says a lot to me. I’m still your side chick, or should I mean maybe it’s time. I accepted my fate that I would never have my own. I wonder why you would rather risk us just for an ex that has created scars. Scars you are trying so hard to overcome, I know I’m crazy, and I’m not perfect. But I’ve never given you a reason to doubt my love or bring you pain that you find yourself not knowing your position in my life.

But I guess again, and love made me like it usually does. And please go ahead and tell her she has a part of you to herself, and I have a smaller portion. All I ever did was love you as broken as I am.

You made me believe in love. You made me think that loving someone who has been with someone else far too long can never be trusted when it comes to that particular person, yet again I find myself hurt. You know what this time around, I’m much calmer and much wiser.

I’m not afraid of the pain, it’s true what they say thunder don’t strike the same place twice, and me oh, I love you too much and today. I realized how much I need you in my life, but then again, I realized my happiness only lies with me. Dear lover, I hope this finds you.

15. One Sided Love Story

I wish there were something magical I could say to heal your broken heart. Something miraculously amazing that you would love to believe. But the truth is, there’s not. You can’t make someone love you just because you love it.

I know it hurts to be the one loving with all soul and heart and receiving nothing at the end of the day, but you can’t even help it. You feel like your own emotions are destroying you. You can’t convince someone to care for you. You can’t control someone’s feelings. You can’t make them see the way you see them. You can’t make them feel lovable and show how worthy you are. But, all you can do is focus on yourself. Focus on people who stay. Focus on your favorite.

Give yourself some time, I know letting go is never a natural choice but sometimes the only option left. So what are you waiting for? Waiting that they care too! Expecting that something unrequited will turn into something mutual? Please stop! Stop hoping and fooling yourself for someone who can’t love you.

And believe me, someone will come along who will make you smile every second. You won’t beg them to love you. Someone who won’t imagine a world without you.Someone who will love your flaws.Someone who will fill your heart with love you were waiting for. And for now, move on from the person who can’t love you and know your worth and smile.

I hope you’ll like this romantic and cute love stories. These love stories reflect human love and emotions. Your love life or love story is something like this and memorable. If you want to share your love story, please mail us by the contact page section.

Thanks for reading this lovely short romantic love stories.

Read More: Romantic Love Story

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Patricia Lyon

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The Most Beautiful Short Love Stories

Who doesn’t enjoy reading inspiring short love stories from all over the world? After all, life writes the most beautiful love stories possible. For more, have a look at our cute love quotes .

When compared to scripted love stories in movies or novels, the real-life counterpart feels a lot more genuine. In the following, you can find heartwarming short love stories from real life that not even writers could think of. These are the cute short stories about love that will help you to not forget the incredible power of love.

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” Lao Tzu

Here are the inspiring real-life love stories of the greatest power on earth in its manifold expressions. Some of these stories are funny, others will make you smile. But they all will deeply convince you of the great power of love and how it is able to overcome every obstacle.

Enjoy these awe-inspiring tales of love.

Let’s start with some really beautiful and inspiring stories about love.

Eternal love

One day at work, Amanda received a beautiful flower bouquet. In it, she counted 11 flowers and found a short note in it. It was written in beautiful lettering and said:

“My love for you will last until the day the last flower in this bouquet dies.”

The note was from her husband who had gone on a business trip. Unsure as to what to make of the message, she went home in the evening and soaked the flowers with water. One day after another, the flowers became a little less beautiful until they all died. All but one flower. This was the day when she realized that there was one artificial flower in the bouquet that would last forever.

The bicycle ride

It is the year 1975, when Charlotte Von Sledvin, a 19-year-old student of a Swedish royal family, travels to India to get a portrait made by a gifted artist. The artist was born into a poor Indian family of the lowest caste, also known as the “untouchables.” Despite the incredibly difficult circumstances, the artist named Pradyumna Kumar Mahanandia had gained an outstanding reputation for being a gifted painter. His reputation led Charlotte Von Sledvin to travel all the way to India to get her portrait done.

By the time the portrait was finished, the two had fallen in love. Pradyumna was fascinated with Charlotte’s beauty. Never before had he seen a more beautiful woman from the Western world. He gave his best to capture all her beauty in the portrait, yet never fully succeeded. Nonetheless, the portrait was magnificent and Charlotte fell for his simplicity and his beautiful character. Because of him, she spontaneously decided to stay longer in India. Out of a couple of days became weeks and then even months. The two had fallen so deeply in love that they decided to get married according to traditional Indian rituals.

Unfortunately, the time came when Charlotte had to leave again in order to complete her studies in London. Thousands of miles separated the two but their feelings for each other never changed. They stayed in contact through letters, which they exchanged almost weekly with each other. Naturally, the newlyweds terribly struggled with the great distance between each other. Charlotte offered her husband to buy him air tickets, which he refused. He had not only decided to complete his studies first, but he had also set his mind on reuniting with the love of his life on his own terms. He even made her the promise that he would do anything he can to see her again.

After Pradyumna had finished his studies, he took all his possessions and sold them. Unfortunately, the money he earned didn’t even come close to a flight ticket. All he could afford was a cheap and used bicycle. Many would have been greatly disappointed, some would have even given up. But not Pradyumna. Instead of allowing the difficult circumstances to stop him from seeing his beloved wife again, he met the decision to use what he had in order to see her again. Nothing could stop him from reuniting with his wife, even if that meant an exhausting bicycle ride half around the world.

His decision was the beginning of a bicycle journey from India to the Western world. Pradyumna took all his paintings and brushes along with him in order to financially support his endeavor. His voyage led him through eight countries and took more than four months. But eventually, he arrived at Charlotte’s hometown in Sweden and finally saw her again. From then on, the two did never leave each other’s side for too long.

The man who moved a mountain

There are people who say love can move mountains. This might not be physically possible, but Dashrath Manjhi, also known as the ‘Mountain Man’, came quite close. In one day of his life, his wife fell while crossing a nearby hill and hurt herself seriously. She needed quick medical assistance, but that wasn’t possible due to the hill that isolated their small village from the next town. Tragically enough, his wife died from the serious injuries before Dashrath could do anything about it. It was the night when Dashrath Manjhi decided to carve a small path through the mountain in order to give his village easier access to medical assistance.

It was an ambitious plan and he was heavily ridiculed for it. But after working for 22 years with the greatest determination and willpower, a path was carved into the hill. Even though he was initially mocked and ridiculed for his mission to give his hometown easier access to the nearby town, he finally succeeded. His life’s work helped to reduce the distance between the two towns from 55 km to only 15 km, so that never again such a thing would happen.

A well-deserved prom night

Alex and his grandmother always had a unique bond with each other. He would spend hours with her, listening to his grandmother’s stories of a lifetime. She once told him that she had met his grandfather a long time after graduating from high school. This was also the reason why she was never asked out to go to prom. When the day of Alex’s prom had arrived, his grandmother was so excited for him. She had watched him save money for months so that he could afford a tuxedo and even a limousine. His grandmother eagerly waited to find out who Alex would be taking to the prom. But to her great surprise, he told her that he would be taking her to prom. He told her that every woman deserves to go to prom, no matter if they are 18 or 80.

The second Taj Mahal

The story of the building of the second Taj Mahal begins when Faizul Hasan Quadri and his wife Tajammuli Begum begin to realize that their marriage will remain childless. It is a difficult situation, especially for Tajammuli who begins to question if anyone will ever remember her after her death. Moved by his saddened wife, Faizul decided to erect her a monument so that his beautiful wife could be remembered for centuries. His decision marks the beginning of the construction of a scaled-down replica of the famous Indian monument. It has now become a location that attracts many tourists each year.

A weightlifters promise

When Susann saw Matthias Steiner, an Austrian weightlifter, during a contest on TV, she immediately became interested in him. She was so determined to meet the athlete that she kept asking the TV commentators for his contact details for so long until they finally gave in. Once she had his email address, she contacted him and they both agreed to meet each other. It was love at first sight and the two married not long after meeting for the first time.

The young weightlifter moved for his wife to Germany and applied for the German citizenship. He was so in love with her that he also promised her that he would one day bring her an Olympic medal. Matthias Steiner was determined to live up to his promise, but things came differently. In 2007, his beautiful wife Susann died in a car accident. It was an unimaginable tragedy for the young man. But he remembered what he had promised his wife. It was the promise that kept him going through this difficult time. He became so determined that he was finally selected to become part of the German Olympic team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

During the contest, Matthias Steiner was faced with incredibly challenging competitors. He had three weightlifting attempts but failed in two. Seeing his chances of ever reaching the podium diminishing, he put everything he had left into the third and final attempt. And as luck would have it, he managed to lift the incredibly heavy weight, which won him the Olympic gold medal. The scene when he was awarded the medal was broadcasted to millions of viewers all around the world and Steiner simply couldn’t help himself but broke out into tears while holding a picture of his wife into the cameras.

No arms, no legs but love

In 2012, bomb disposal expert Taylor Morris was severely injured after the explosion of an improvised bomb in Afghanistan. The explosion took all his limbs and changed the life of the 23-year-old US military soldier forever. While recovering from the injuries in hospital, Taylor was confronted with the painful realization that his limbs had gone. He also had to face the fact that he would be dependent on assistance for the rest of his life. It was an incredibly difficult situation not only for him but also his family and especially his long-term girlfriend Danielle. But instead of ever giving him up, Danielle became Taylor’s pillar in life. She helped him recover and took care of him during this incredibly challenging time.

Danielle played an important role in Taylor’s quick recovery. She never went away from his side and assisted him greatly when he learned to walk again with his new prosthetic limbs. After Taylor had recovered, he proposed to his beloved girlfriend and they got married. It’s a beautiful ending of an incredibly inspiring love story that shows that nothing can ever stand in-between to people who really love each other.

Accident with a happy ending

When Frank’s wife had a car accident, she was so injured that she fell into a coma. Years passed but Frank did not stop visiting his wife at the hospital. Even though almost everyone – including the doctors – had given up hope, he remained faithful that she would one day recover. Every time he visited her, he began talking to her, recounting all those beautiful moments they spend with each other. One day, when he showed her the video of their wedding day, she slowly began to move her hand. She whispered his name and began gaining consciousness. Several weeks after she had woken up, she had fully recovered and was finally allowed to leave the hospital for good. When the couple left, she told Frank that she heard his voice while she was in a coma and that it was his voice that was the greatest aid in helping her to return to consciousness.

Love letters from the Caribbean

In 1907, David Hurd moved from his hometown in Jamaica to New York City. The migration wasn’t easy for the young man and he became terribly homesick. He missed his hometown and the company of his friends. In order to distract himself, David Hurd began searching for a potential pen-friend from his homeland. He found a woman called Avril Cato from the Caribbean who was interested in establishing a correspondence with him.

The two slowly got to know each other, with one letter after the other. One year later, the two had fallen in love with each other, without having ever met. Seven years later, Avril and David met for the first time. It was the day before their wedding, as David had proposed to her shortly before. The two married and had six children.

A heartwarming farewell gift

When Gene was diagnosed with melanoma, he had only been given six weeks left to live. It was a shocking diagnosis but Gene decided to use the time he had left to make all the necessary arrangements for his wife Carol, with whom he had been married for 30 years. He cashed out his pension and used the money to pay off the house they were living in. The second step was to arrange a trip for his wife Carol and the rest of the family to Italy. When they visited a specific church in Venice, a priest was already waiting for the couple. It was in this church that Gene’s parents had married more than 50 years ago. At that day, Gene and Carol renewed their wedding vows and had the most beautiful day.

After Gene had died, his wife Carol discovered that he hid hundreds of Post-it notes around the entire house, shortly before he died. Throughout the course of many months, she found one note after another. The notes are beautiful and very personal statements meant to encourage Carol in this difficult time. But Gene also reminded his wife in these statements to fully enjoy every aspect of life, to sell his car and to move on with her life. It was the most heartwarming farewell gift one could ever imagine.

When a surgeon operated a little girl, complications started to arise. She lost a lot of blood and was in need of blood transfusion. However, she had blood type O, which wasn’t available in the hospital. The surgeon, therefore, asked the girl’s little brother, who was an O-type as well, if they could draw blood from him. He explained that it was incredibly important, or has he said, a matter of life and death. The young boy, seemingly afraid, sat a couple of moments in silence until he finally agreed. He got up and hugged his parents, wishing them goodbye. After the nurses had taken the blood from him, he whispered anxiously if they knew how many minutes he had left to live. He was absolutely convinced that he was going to die so that his sister could live. And he was willing to do so. When the nurses realized that the young boy thought he was going to die, they cheered him up and explain to him that he had many wonderful and joyful decades left to live.

When a young student of a Catholic Church asked her teacher about the reasons why she decided to become a religious sister, her teacher told her a heartwarming love story. Many years ago, when she was at a similar age, the teacher (let’s call her Ms. Patterson) fell in love with a young man stemming from a wealthy family. The two began seeing each other and quickly developed a deep connection with each other. Unfortunately, the young man’s family was not at all in agreement with the relationship. They even threatened to enroll their son at a university overseas and far away. As Ms. Patterson came from a poor background, she couldn’t possibly have afforded to go with him at that time. This meant that if they wanted to continue the relationship, they would be separated from each other if they wanted or not.

But they both had fallen so in love with each other that ending the relationship – no matter in what way – was not an option. For this reason, they decided to run away. In great secrecy, they planned their escape and set these plans into action when the young man’s family finally found out about it. But instead of quickly returning back home after running away, the two never went back. They joined the church, took holy orders and began traveling the world for various humanitarian missions. The two spent 40 years traveling and even got married, shortly before the man’s life came to an end.

The “make-up guy”

Dave is a make-up artist who regularly holds makeup artistry classes at the local community college. Usually, the majority of his students are middle-aged housewives who want to fine-tune their makeup skills. But this one time, he held a class that was attended by man as well. The new student was a gentleman in his best years with a seemingly boundless interest in makeup artistry. He was keen to learn as much as he possibly could and wouldn’t stop until he was satisfied with the result of his work.

Understandably, the man was the number one subject of conversation when the other women were alone. Speculations quickly started to spread. Was he perhaps a transvestite? Why else would he attend such a class? The community college was placed in a conservative rural area, which is why the other participants were quite doubtful of the man’s intentions.

Throughout the lessons, the man carefully listened and wrote everything down he learned. When the day and class were slowly coming to an end, the outer attendees simply could not hide their curiosity any longer. When they finally asked him why he was so interested in makeup artistry, he gave the most inspiring beautiful reply:

He said, “You know, my beloved wife partially lost her eyesight because of diabetes. She’s no longer able to apply her makeup. I think she’s absolutely beautiful, even more so without makeup. She knows this and I tell her every day. But the thing is this,… she simply feels not comfortable leaving the home without make-up. She never went outside without wearing any makeup-up. Seeing the love of my life like this makes me really sad. So I decided to take this course to surprise her! I do not only want to learn how to apply her makeup; I want her to wear the most beautiful make-up so her inner beauty also shines on the outside.”

A disastrous accident

When Tonya was driving her daughter to school, she was a witness to a shocking car crash. The accident was pretty serious, so she got out of her car in order to see if she could help. There were two cars involved in the accident. One of the cars, an SUV, quickly started to catch fire. She immediately checked if there were passengers left in the car and saw an unconscious 14-year-old boy. Without hesitating, she pulled the car door open and brought the boy to safety. He was brought to a hospital where Tonya and her daughter visited him several times in order to help him recover.

As time started to pass by, Tonya began to notice that her daughter started to go to the hospital on her own account. As it turns out, the two teens fell in love with each other and married each other when they had grown up.

A transformed man

One day Natalie found a worn down diary in the toolbox of her dad. It was his diary that he wrote roundabout the time he was 18 years old. Natalie absolutely loves her dad, who is not only the best dad but also a loving and kind husband to her mother. So wasn’t easy for her to open the diary, but eventually, she became so curious about his life that she decided to read it. The last entry in the diary was a short paragraph, hectically scribbled down. It said that at the time of writing the entry, he was 18 years old, an alcoholic who dropped out from college with a criminal record. Her dad also noted in the entry that one month later he would become a teen father. But he also made the promised to himself that he would set his life straight. That he would become the father for his little daughter that he never had.

I hope you enjoyed these beautiful short love stories.

Stay victorious!

If you enjoyed these short love stories, make sure to also have a look at Why Love Is Not Always Enough .

Short Stories

Short love story with moral lesson

In this article, You will have a collection of some very beautiful short love stories with a moral lesson. Love is everything. The world is filled with an unlimited amount of love stories of people from all around the world and I could get only a few short love stories for you. You may not believe in love now or you are the one who can sacrifice everything for it. Either way someday, someplace you must have someone who, you thought, was everything to you. Everyone has a love story but a few have a loving happy ending.

Even though the probability of getting true love is very very low, people still believe in love. So, some get lucky and some don’t But it never means it was not true. It’s just luck that was not in your favor. But love stories do teach some important lessons that you can learn from others so you can avoid the same mistakes.

Here are some short stories with a moral lesson.

1. picture of a nine-year-old..

This is a story about a 7 years old girl. While she was out in the playground found a picture of a boy in the bushes. She kept the photo but forgot about it until she was married. Her husband, one day while searching for keys in her wife’s purse found that picture and asked,

who is this little kid in your wallet?

She answered,

“Well, He is My first love”.

The husband smiled and said,

“Okay, and this is me when I was nine.”

Moral of the love story

Love will find you, even when you stopped looking for it.

2. Blind love

There was a girl who lost her eyes when she was 11 and she hated herself for it. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He’s always there for her. One day, when her boyfriend proposed to her, she asked him.

I would marry you only if I could see the world again.

Within a month, they found a doner. The operation took place and she got her eyesight back. Now, When Her boyfriend reached the hospital and asked her,

Will you marry me now?

The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend was also blind, and immediately refused her proposal to marry him. Her boyfriend, with tears in his eyes, walks away, and later wrote a letter to her saying

“I thank you for the really beautiful days that we spent together. Please take care of my eyes.”

This short love story gives a moral lesson that

No one knows who is the Right one. You may offer everything you have but it’s not the guarantee that you have the right one.

3. Love stays

There was a man named James, He was dating a beautiful privileged girl who had everything all her life. She was the funniest and most beautiful girl he has ever met, and he had enough money to satisfy her whims. So, One fine day, He asked to her marry him and They got engaged.

But a few weeks later, James was in an accident and was left partially paralyzed. The girl he thought was spoiled ended up taking care of him for several months and proved herself to be a loving woman and a faithful friend. She sold a lot of her things which he didn’t think she’d be able to live without.

She even learned to cook special meals for him. She wouldn’t allow him to apologize for anything. And during the whole time, she spend caring for him, she never showed a hint of doubt, disgust, or fear.

Moral of this short love story

When love finds you, how big a sacrifice may seem to you but love, with a smile on your face, will sacrifice for you.

4. No money to buy a comb

This is a story of a poor man and his wife, who had very long black hair. One morning, his wife asked him to buy her a comb. So, she could groom her hair. The man felt very sorry and said

Sorry, But I don’t have money now.

He tried to explain the situation to her by showing the broken strap of her watch which he was unable to get fixed only due to the lack of money. She easily get convinced and did not insist on her request.

The man, while going to work, passed by a watch shop, sold his old watch at a pretty low price, and left to buy a comb for his wife. He was surprised when he saw his wife with a very short haircut holding a new watch band. She had sold her hair.

Tears start flowing simultaneously from their eyes, ran and hugged each other.

Moral Lesson from this short love story

To love is nothing, to be loved may be something but to love and be loved by the one you love is Everything .

5. Girl found and lost online.

A guy and a girl met online, and gradually began to chat regularly and soon became good friends.

After a few weeks, they expressed their love for each other. They were very happy in their love life until one day the girl suddenly stopped responding to the guy’s messages. He waited for hours, days and weeks, and he still sat by his internet awaiting her message, but nothing.

First, He got scared for her then he had negative thoughts about their relationship but as days passed by, he accepted the fact that she was gone and their relationship was over. He was heartbroken. He cried himself to sleep every day reading her old love messages.

After a few years, he went to the university. After all these years, he never had any relationship because he couldn’t stand the heartbreak, but this girl. She was different.

She was a beautiful girl, it was weird for him as he never even looked at girls before, but he felt something special about her. So he approached her but instantly got rejected.

I’m sorry if I offended you No, It’s not your fault. It’s just that I already have someone. Oh okay, I’m sorry. You’re already taken Actually no. 3 years ago, I met a boy from here, we were in love but due to the circumstances I had to leave him, but now as an excuse to study, I have come here to find him. Wow! Actually, I’ve been through something similar! Really? What was her name? Alisha (when he looked down at the girl’s book it was labeled ‘Alisha’..)

They embraced each other and burst into tears!

Why did you leave me?? I was in the hospital paralyzed for a year, and I only fully recovered 6 months ago. Even doctors believed I am not going to make it but I wanted to see you. When I got better, I planned to come and see you and surprise you, you told me you would only want to go to this university so I applied here too.

This short love story has a lovely moral lesson

True love will always find its way to you, No matter what comes along the path. If your love is true; Just wait for it to find you.

6. Professor X

There was this girl, who found a man online, he was a very funny, kind, and educated young man. He was also very handsome. They used Skype to stay in touch for several years. After so many calls, They understood that they both loved each other but he was afraid to meet. She insisted on meeting and traveled thousands of miles to see him. When they met she found out that the young man that she is in love with was disabled and he couldn’t walk. They spent 3 months together and quickly got engaged. He is the One and perfect one – Professor X.

Once you are in love, everything else seems little and unimportant.

These are short love stories with a moral lesson that I found very romantic. And there are millions more that we don’t know and never heard about. Love stories are part of life, some get their love and some don’t. But they know their story and Your story can become a love story with an amazing lesson, who knows? So keep believing in love.

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18 True Romantic Stories That Are More Heartwarming Than Any Rom-Com

Warning: You will need tissues. And maybe chocolate.

Bob Harvey and Annette Adkins

Bob Harvey first met Annette Adkins during study hall in 1955—and was immediately smitten. "I couldn’t take my eyes off her," Harvey told the New York Times . "She had auburn hair and a stunningly beautiful face and her eyes were just, wow." The two teens ended up going to prom together, but as many young relationships go, they lost touch after high school and married other people. Harvey never forgot about Adkins, though. In 2017, after his wife died, he searched for Adkins on Google and discovered she had also become widowed. He sent her a card with his phone number and after chatting for a bit, Harvey drove 500 miles to visit her, stopping only for gas and a bouquet of carnations. "I handed her the flowers, and then I cupped her face in my hand and said, 'Whether you like it or not, I’m going to kiss you,'" he recalled. In October, the high school sweethearts married at a '50s-style diner and danced to Johnny Mathis—just like they did at prom 63 years earlier.

Matthew Pomeroy and Natasha Lamb

Talk about an encore! On December 27, Matthew Pomeroy, who plays the title character in a British production of Aladdin , proposed to his girlfriend, Natasha Lamb, who plays Jasmine, just after taking their final bows. "For the last four years, you have changed my life," he told Lamb before pulling out a shining, shimmering, splendid ring. "I love you with all my heart. You're my best friend, and if you'd let me, I want to be your husband."

Elan Gale and Molly C. Quinn

What do you get when you cross an American actress with a former producer of ABC’s The Bachelor ? A made-for-TV marriage proposal. During a weekend getaway to Seattle, Elan Gale and his then-girlfriend of eight months, Molly C. Quinn, stopped by a jewelry store where she fell in love with a vintage emerald ring. "If you ever do propose to me, try to find something to kind of look like this," said Quinn. The next day, Gale returned to the store, bought the ring, and placed it in a box under their bed—for the next three years. "That’s where the ring has been hiding for the last 40 months," he recalled in an Instagram post . "Three feet away from where Molly sleeps every night." In December 2019, while on a ski trip in Japan, Gale finally popped the question.

Liz and Scott Shoesmith

Most wedding-planning checklists include picking a dress, finding a venue, and booking a photographer. Liz Shoesmith's also included learning how to sign the lyrics to one of her favorite songs. Instead of the traditional walk down the aisle, the Australian bride surprised her husband, who is deaf, by signing the words to Christina Perri's hit song, "A Thousand Years" as she walked towards him. "Every time I had practiced it leading up to the day I would make mistakes or go blank," she told Inside Edition . "But when I was left at the top of the aisle and locked eyes with Scott, I didn’t look away. It honestly felt like we were the only ones in the room."

Jessica Share and Aaron Long

More than a decade after using an anonymous sperm donor to start a family, Jessica Share met her daughter's biological father—and fell in love with him. In 2016, Share's daughter, Alice Mikell, asked her grandmother for a 23andMe kit to look into her genealogy. When the results came back eight weeks later, Aaron Long was listed as a 50 percent parental match. Mikell and Share connected with Long, and eventually, the two parents decided to meet. "When we met in person, the attraction seemed harder for either of us to deny," Long told Good Morning America . Share, though, had reservations: "This was not my relationship or my journey to jump into and mess up forever," she said in the same interview. Now, two and a half years later, Share, Long, and Mikell live together in Seattle, along with Long's 22-year-old daughter Madi, who he also had through sperm donation. "A few people have called us some sort of new Brady Bunch ," Share told People . "I think [Mikell] thinks it’s kind of funny that everybody thinks it’s a big deal."

Sunette Thompson and Lisa Wyatt

In July 2018, Sunette Thompson and her then fiancée, Lisa Wyatt, traveled to New Orleans for a few fun-filled days at Essence Festival. But unbeknownst to Wyatt, there was a much bigger event on that weekend's agenda: their wedding. On the morning of July 8, 2018—which was also the couple's 10th anniversary—Wyatt served Thompson breakfast in bed and told her to change into the tux hanging in the closet. Once Wyatt was dressed, she was blindfolded and taken down to the hotel's courtyard, where more than 100 of the couples' friends and families had gathered. "Needless to say, I was completely overwhelmed!" Wyatt told Essence Magazine . "As I surveyed the audience, I cried profusely…the ugly cry!"

K.T. Robbins and Jeannine Pierson

If there's a story that proves true love stands the test of time, it's this one. In 1944, 24-year-old K.T. Robbins met 18-year-old Jeanine Ganaye while he was stationed in Briely, France, and over the next three months, the two fell in love. But their courtship came to a crashing halt when Robbins was transferred to fight on the Eastern Front during World War II. After the war, Robbins went home to Memphis and got married to another woman. Back in France, Gayane, now Pierson, also moved on with her life. Fast forward to 2019 when Robbins returned to France for the 75th anniversary of D-Day and was interviewed by journalists from the television station France 2 about his World War II experience. The reporters helped Robbins track down Pierson, and the two long lost lovers, both 92, reunited in the French nursing home where Pierson lives. "I always loved you," Robbins told her as they embraced. "You never got out of my heart." After spending a couple of hours together, the two had to say goodbye—but they vowed to meet again soon.

Jillian Hanson and Max Allegretti

Two and a half years ago, Jillian Hanson was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. Knowing she would face a tough battle ahead, she offered her boyfriend, Max Allegretti, an "out" before things got too intense. But Allegretti didn't flinch, and instead stayed by her side during two years of aggressive treatment. "They tell you how sick you get during treatment, but no one can really prepare you for any of this," Hanson wrote in a personal essay . "He took care of me everyday and reminded me how beautiful I was." On her last day of chemo, Allegretti knew exactly how he wanted to celebrate: By asking Hanson to marry him. "I wasn't expecting it," she told Good Morning America . "That was the ultimate high—getting engaged brought great light to me after a really dark spot."

Lee Loechler and Sthuthi David

After a magical proposal, Lee Loechler and Sthuthi David are destined to live happily ever after. When Loechler took David to a packed theater to see her favorite movie, Sleeping Beauty, she thought it was just a typical date night—but it was actually a cinematic event six months in the making. Loechler, a filmmaker, had spent half a year altering the animation of the film's iconic kissing scene, changing both the characters (so they more closely represented the real-life couple) and the storyline (so it set up the big question). She said yes, and now the fairytale continues.

Camre and Steve Curto

When Camre Curto gave birth to her son, Gavin, she suffered a stroke and a seizure, which caused her to be placed in a medically induced coma. When she awoke, both her long-term and short-term memory were gone, and she did not know who she or her family was. A few months later, she still didn't remember her husband, Steve. "We were sitting on the couch and she told me, 'I don't who you are but I know I love you,'" he recalled to People . Those words inspired Steve to write a book—called But I Know I Love You —that would help Camre remember their 10-year love story, recounting everything from their very first date to their wedding to the birth of their son. It's working, and today, Camre knows and remembers Gavin and Steve.

Terry Farley and Steve Downey

More than three decades after they first dated, two high school sweethearts reconnected—thanks to LinkedIn. In the fall of 2012, Terry Farley—who had gotten divorced a couple years earlier—happened upon the profile of her first boyfriend, Steve Downey. She clicked on it, but was hesitant to message him. She told NPR , "I was not going to be the old girlfriend that popped out of nowhere and said 'Remember me?'" But a month later, when Downey was looking at his LinkedIn page, he noticed Farley's name in the section that tells you who has been looking at your profile. Downey wrote her a quick message, which turned into phone calls, which turned into an invitation to visit Farley at her home in Tallahassee, Florida. "I didn't see anything except my first love, my first crush," she told Today . "It felt like we were picking up where we left off." Eventually, Downey moved to Tallahassee, and in 2015, they tied the knot.

Tori Monaco and Berkley Cade

What are the chances of two people planning a proposal on the same day, at the same time, and without the other knowing? Probably pretty small—but that's precisely what happened for Tori Monaco and Berkley Cade.

In February 2018, the pair was playing a game of Pictionary at Cade's parents' house in Seattle, and as Cade tried to draw the phrase "Will you marry me?" on the board, Monaco got down on one knee and asked her that exact question. Stunned, Cade reached behind the couch and pulled out a ring box herself. The mastermind behind the simultaneous proposal? Cade's mom, Kristy, who separately suggested to both women that they propose during a game of Pictionary when they visited Washington.

Barbara and Robert Shackleford

This Christmas was Barbara Shackleford's first one without her high school sweetheart, Robert, who passed away in May after 59 years of marriage. But she still felt his warmth, thanks to a special surprise from her family: the love letters she and Robert exchanged in 1962 while in college. "She had no idea he kept the letters and it really brought back a lot of memories of her early years loving him," Shackleford's granddaughter told Today . "She said it was the best gift she could have asked for."

Anne and Bill Duncan

Anne and Bill Duncan are in the honeymoon phase of their relationship. But unlike most couples going through this new and exciting stage, the Duncans are married—and have been for 12 years. After living with dementia for nearly a decade, Bill started having trouble recognizing and remembering Anne. When he asked her to marry him (again), Anne said yes. Two days later, the happy couple celebrated their second wedding surrounded by friends and family. "It was wonderful," Anne posted on Facebook. "And what's even more amazing is two weeks later, Bill still thinks he's just married his new girlfriend and it makes him very happy."

Dominic Spence and Nick Gilyard

Need proof that true love is worth the wait? Dominic Spence and Nick Gilyard met while they were teenagers in high school, but lost touch when they headed in different directions for college: Spence attended the University of Central Florida in Orlando, while Gilyard went to college in Kentucky. They reconnected, though, when Gilyard helped a friend move into her dorm in Orlando and asked Dominic to dinner. "That night we talked for 4 hours and shut down the restaurant," Gilyard said in an Instagram post . They started dating long-distance—for the next seven years. In 2015, Spence and Gilyard got engaged during a trip to London and nearly two years later, they were married. "Dominic and I feel lucky to have found love at such a young age. However, falling in love with another black man was scary in ways neither of us could have ever imagined. It forced us to face the very real resistance from society for being not only homosexuals but black men as well," Gilyard said in the same Instagram post. "We hope to encourage other black and brown men and boys everywhere to be true to who they are. And when they find love in each other's eyes, to know that their love is just as strong and beautiful as anyone else's."

Brad Davis and Jodi Stanowick

As a young girl, Ana Stanowick's mom, Jodi, would often bring home a new coffee mug to add to her collection—despite her then-husband's angry protests. When the couple divorced five years ago, Jodi and her massive collection were ready to find a new man. Enter Brad Davis, who pulled off the ultimate public display of affection when he built Jodi a custom, ceiling-high shelf for her beloved coffee cups, just before moving in together. "I wanted to do this for Jodi so that she could enjoy all of the mugs every day instead of just drinking out of one each day," Davis told Today . We'll raise a glass mug to that!

Sidd Sinha and Melanie Diaz

Wedding proposal in aisle three! Last year, Sidd Sinha proposed to his girlfriend, Melanie Diaz at the Trader Joe's in New York City's Upper West Side. Sinha concocted the elaborate plan, which included a made-up "millennial grocery tour" featuring special signs that were symbolic of their relationship. "She's made it perfectly clear that Trader Joe's is her favorite grocery store, so I knew if I went that route I had to do it there," Sinha told Good Morning America . The final stop on the tour? The sample station, where an employee was passing out chocolate-covered almonds. Inside Diaz's cup, though, was an engagement ring. A dream come true, indeed!

Judy and Will Webb

Judy and Will Webb were together until the very end— really . The couple, who spent almost every day together during their 56 years of marriage, died just hours apart on March 6, while—wait for it—holding hands.

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Melissa is a former editor at Oprah Daily. 

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The 25 Best Romance Short Story Collections

Do you love love stories? Then you’re in the right place. The 25 romance short story collections in this epic list feature big-name authors, familiar tropes, and enticing themes. From Daddy Dom to paranormal passions, from festive and flirty fiction to queer love, these anthologies have all the romance short stories you need for a quick hit of love.

This article is my sixth in my series of the best short story collections. You might also want to check out Broke by Books’ list of the best mystery , science fiction , fantasy , middle grade , and YA short story anthologies.

Romance Short Story Collections by One Author

A beverly jenkins romance collection by beverly jenkins.

Legendary romance author Beverly Jenkins here gifts us five steamy novellas that show off her range. From holiday romance to sports romance to contemporary romance, it’s all here and all good from Jenkins.

How to read it: Purchase A Beverly Jenkins Romance Collection on Amazon

The bridgertons: happily ever after by julia quinn.

If you’re a fan of romance, chances are you’ve devoured the hot and heavy Netflix adaptation of Julia Quinn’s historical Regency romance Bridgertons series. If you’ve gobbled up all the episodes and marathon read the books, this collection is for you. In The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After , Quinn includes a novella featuring life “after the happily ever after” for heroine Violet Bridgerton. Plus, Quinn also compiles alternate endings for eight of the Bridgerton novels in short stories.

How to read it: Purchase The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After on Amazon

A novella collection by courtney milan.

Surrender to these four sexy novellas from big deal romance author Courtney Milan. One of the reigning queens of historical romance, Milan is not to be missed. If you’re not sure how to get started with her prolific catalog of romance novels, jump right in with this novella collection.

How to read it: Purchase A Novella Collection on Amazon

Paris for one by jojo moyes.

I’ve been a big fan of British author Jojo Moyes since I devoured her most famous work, Me Before You . In Paris for One and Other Stories , Moyes sets romance short stories in the City of Love, Paris. Flirty, breezy, and sweet, this collection has definite binge-reading potential.

How to read it: Purchase Paris for One and Other Stories on Amazon

Some like it hot by brenda jackson.

The five lush love short stories in this collection by epic romance author Brenda Jackson are absolutely dirty delights. For toe-curling, is-it-hot-in-here-or-is-it-just-me love stories, check out this erotica short fiction anthology.

How to read it: Purchase Some Like It Hot on Amazon

The ultimate protector pack by khloe summers.

If you crave your men burly, alpha, and over-protective, check out Khloe Summers’ The Ultimate Protector Pack . This collection of ten romance short stories featuring possessive mountain men is a required reading for anyone who loves this spicy subgenre.

How to read it: Purchase The Ultimate Protector Pack on Amazon

Romance short story collections by multiple authors, dark and stormy knights – edited by p. n. elrod.

Who hasn’t craved a knight in shining armor? If that’s you, the nine romance short stories in Dark and Stormy Knights have you covered. The “knights” you’ll read about are modern-day knights who do deals with deep darkness and love even deeper. With nine of the most popular paranormal romance writers contributing—headlined by Jim Butcher, Ilona Andrews, Carrie Vaughn, and Vicki Pettersson—you won’t want to miss this unique collection of love stories.

How to read it: Purchase Dark and Stormy Knights on Amazon

Dead after dark.

Just because you die doesn’t mean your love does, too. And that’s the theme in this paranormal romance short story anthology. Explore the magical landscapes of love with a paranormal twist in this four-part collection that includes Sherrilyn Kenyon, J. R. War, Susan Squires, and Dianna Love.

How to read it: Purchase Dead After Dark on Amazon

Finding ms. write – edited by jae and jove belle.

This romance short story compilation has a fun inspiration: each of the contributions from twelve lesbian romance book authors feature stories about ladies in literature. That’s right; you’ve got tales about authors, editors, a bookstore owner, and more. It’s impossible to walk away from this queer love short story collection and all its happily ever afters without a smile on your face.

How to read it: Purchase Finding Ms. Write on Amazon

Fools in love: fresh twists on romantic tales – edited by ashley herring blake and rebecca podos.

If you’re a YA reader who loves love stories, you’ll definitely want to put Fools In Love on your radar. Across a diverse slate of genres, the 15 short stories in this romance short story anthology explore all the genre’s tropes, like enemies-to-lovers, friends-to-lovers, love triangles, and relationships of convenience.

How to read it: Purchase Fools In Love on Amazon

Four weddings and a sixpence.

This amusing historical romance short story anthology harnesses the power of its tried-and-true authors—Julia Quinn, Elizabeth Boyle, Laura Lee Guhrke, and Stefanie Sloane—to deliver a delightful set of four connected stories. In this anthology, four female friends study together in Mrs. Rochambeaux’s Gentle School for Girls. When each young woman finds a sixpence in her bedchamber, the gal pals decide the coin will be lucky charms for their marriages. Romantic antics ensue.

How to read it: Purchase Four Weddings and a Sixpence on Amazon

The friends to lovers: volume 1.

Who doesn’t love the friends to lovers trope in romance? I definitely do! And if this version of romance is a favorite, you won’t want to miss out on the flirty fun in Friends to Lovers: Volume 1 . The 13 spiced stories in this collection are for anyone who can’t get enough of friends to lovers kissing books.

How to read it: Purchase Friends to Lovers: Volume 1 on Amazon

Heart2heart: a charity anthology.

Here’s a cause to get behind: assemble 15 stories by 15 auto-buy queer romance authors and give the proceeds to LGBTQ+ charities. And that’s exactly what you get in this raunchy romance short story anthology.

How to read it: Purchase Heart2Heart: A Charity Anthology on Amazon

How the dukes stole christmas.

I have this one on my shelf at home. I’m a sucker for Christmas romance , as you may have noticed . And How the Dukes Stole Christmas is definitely one of the best holiday romance short story collections. How can you go wrong with Tessa Dare, Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordan, and Joanna Shupe contributing a hot-and-heavy holiday love story about dashing Dukes. Easy answer: you can’t!

How to read it: Purchase How the Dukes Stole Christmas on Amazon

If you love your romance on the paranormal side, you won’t want to miss Hunger . Hot and furry alphas and their hungry humans collide in this sizzling celebration of carnal affection with stories by all-star authors Eve Langlais, Kate Douglas, and A. C. Arthur.

How to read it: Purchase Hunger on Amazon

Like your love stories to be heartwarming? Definitely add In Bloom to your to-be-read list. From epic romance authors Fern Michaels, Carolyn Brown, and Lori Foster, the three selections you’ll find here are uplifting, feel-good, and cozy.

How to read it: Purchase In Bloom on Amazon

International daddies.

Dashing, daring, and devilish… these are among the dads featured in this multicultural collection of romance short stories. For fans of fiery fathers, International Daddies is the Daddy Dom fix you crave.

How to read it: Purchase International Daddies on Amazon

The mammoth book of vampire romance – edited by trisha telep.

Fan of vampire love stories? You’ve got to check out the paranormal romance anthology The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance . Take a bite out of the more than 30 contributions that explore the combination of love and vampires in all its forms.

How to read it: Purchase The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance on Amazon

One of the best YA romance short story collections, Meet Cute collects 14 stories about “meet cutes,” the rom-com genre trope that describes an unexpected or quirky first encounter between the protagonists. With authors like Nina LaCour, Emery Lord, Julie Murphy, and Nicola Yoon, this anthology has sweet stories for everyone, whether you’re a young adult or not.

How to read it: Purchase Meet Cute on Amazon

Mistletoe christmas.

Another historical holiday romance anthology, Mistletoe Christmas collects festive fiction from Eloisa Jame, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley. What ties the four tales together is a (fictional) Christmas party —the Duke of Greystoke’s Christmas Revelry—that sparks scandal as well as lusty love among the four heroes/heroines who pair up among the festivities.

How to read it: Purchase Mistletoe Christmas on Amazon

My true love gave to me – edited by stephanie perkins.

One more great YA romance short story collection is My True Love Gave to Me , which is themed as love stories for the holiday season. I adore so many authors who have contributed short stories to this anthology, like Rainbow Rowell, David Levithan, and editor Stephanie Perkins, that this is a treasured collection I return to again and again.

How to read it: Purchase My True Love Gave to Me on Amazon

On the prowl.

Big-time authors Patricia Briggs, Eileen Wilks, Karen Chance, and Sunny deliver thrilling paranormal romance in this must-read for anyone who loves steamy romance short story collections. Wild passions and carnal cravings drive the narratives in these four tales of temptation, both animal and human.

How to read it: Purchase On the Prowl on Amazon

Something blue.

The 18 romance short stories in Something Blue are all rom-coms related to weddings. Second chances, magical love, and enemies-to-lovers are just some of the tropes you’ll get in this blockbuster romance novella anthology.

How to read it: Purchase Something Blue on Amazon

The unquiet.

Do you devour romantic suspense? If so, I prescribe The Unquiet . The five stories collected in this anthology (anchored with J. D. Robb) of thrilling romance will leave you breathless, and not just because they’re pulsing with passion.

How to read it: Purchase The Unquiet on Amazon

Used and bound: a dark romance anthology.

Dark romance fan? It doesn’t get much darker than Used and Bound , a dark romance short story anthology. Featuring menacing men and helpless heroines, the scorching stories in this collection are deep, dark, and delicious reads that feed your need for a quick hit of dark love.

How to read it: Purchase Used and Bound: A Dark Romance Anthology on Amazon

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Sarah S. Davis is the founder of Broke by Books, a blog about her journey as a schizoaffective disorder bipolar type writer and reader. Sarah's writing about books has appeared on Book Riot, Electric Literature, Kirkus Reviews, BookRags, PsychCentral, and more. She has a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Library and Information Science from Clarion University, and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

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Short Stories ( English Collection )

• The Girl Finally Smiled
• I Still Love You... ♥
• What Exactly a BROKEN HEART?
• Touching Story
• Girl's Confession
• No matter where you are
• Second Chances

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One day, a young guy and a young girl fell in love.

But the guy came from a poor family. The girl's parents weren't too happy.

So the young man decided not only to court the girl but to court her parents as well. In time, the parents saw that he was a good man and was worthy of their daughter's hand.

But there was another problem: The man was a soldier. Soon, war broke out and he was being sent overseas for a year. The week before he left, the man knelt on his knee and asked his lady love, "Will you marry me?" She wiped a tear, said yes, and they were engaged. They agreed that when he got back in one year, they would get married.

But tragedy struck. A few days after he left, the girl had a major vehicular accident. It was a head-on collision.

When she woke up in the hospital, she saw her father and mother crying. Immediately, she knew there was something wrong.

She later found out that she suffered brain injury. The part of her brain that controlled her face muscles was damaged. Her once lovely face was now disfigured. She cried as she saw herself in the mirror. "Yesterday, I was beautiful. Today, I'm a monster." Her body was also covered with so many ugly wounds.

Right there and then, she decided to release her fiancé from their promise. She knew he wouldn't want her anymore. She would forget about him and never see him again.

For one year, the soldier wrote many letters-but she wouldn't answer. He phoned her many times but she wouldn't return her calls.

But after one year, the mother walked into her room and announced, "He's back from the war."

The girl shouted, "No! Please don't tell him about me. Don't tell him I'm here!"

The mother said, "He's getting married," and handed her a wedding invitation.

The girl's heart sank. She knew she still loved him-but she had to forget him now.

With great sadness, she opened the wedding invitation.

And then she saw her name on it!

Confused, she asked, "What is this?"

That was when the young man entered her room with a bouquet of flowers. He knelt beside her and asked, "Will you marry me?"

The girl covered her face with her hands and said, "I'm ugly!"

The man said, "Without your permission, your mother sent me your photos. When I saw your photos, I realized that nothing has changed. You're still the person I fell in love. You're still as beautiful as ever. Because I love you!"

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The 20 Greatest Real Life Love Stories from History

In anticipation of Valentine's Day, we take a spin through history's greatest lovers—star crossed, cursed, life-long, and everything in between.

Love is a powerful emotion. Throughout history couples in love have caused wars and controversy, created masterpieces in writing, music, and art, and have captured the hearts of the public with the power of their bonds. From the allure of Cleopatra to the magnetism of the Kennedy's, these love affairs have stood as markers in history. Prepare to swoon over these love stories of the centuries.

Paris and Helen

She was another man's wife, but when Paris, the "handsome, woman-mad" prince of Troy, saw Helen, the woman whom Aphrodite proclaimed the most beautiful in the world, he had to have her. Helen and Paris ran off together, setting in motion the decade-long Trojan War. According to myth, Helen was half-divine, the daughter of Queen Leda and the God Zeus, who transformed into a swan to seduce the queen. Whether Helen actually existed, we'll never know, but her romantic part in the greatest epic of all time can never be forgotten. She will forever be "the face that launched a thousand ships."

Cleopatra and Mark Antony

" Brilliant to look upon and to listen to, with the power to subjugate everyone." That was the description of Cleopatra, queen of Egypt. She could have had anything or anyone she wanted, but she fell passionately in love with the Roman General Mark Antony. As Shakespeare depicts it, their relationship was volatile ("Fool! Don't you see now that I could have poisoned you a hundred times had I been able to live without you," Cleopatra said) but after they risked all in a war on Rome and lost, they chose to die together in 30 BC. "I will be a bridegroom in my death, and run into it as to a lover's bed," said Antony. And Cleopatra followed, by clasping a poisonous asp to her breast.

Hadrian and Antinous

We've heard of the Wall—no, not that one, the 2nd Century AD one stretching across England—but what about Emperor Hadrian's heart? He lost it to Antinous (far left), an intelligent and sports-loving Greek student. The emperor displayed "an obsessive craving for his presence." The two traveled together, pursuing their love of hunting; Hadrian once saved his lover's life during a lion hunt. The emperor even wrote erotic poetry. While visiting the Nile, Antinous drowned mysteriously, but some say he was murdered by those jealous of the emperor's devotion. The devastated Hadrian proclaimed Antinous a deity, ordered a city be built in his honor, and named a star after him, between the Eagle and the Zodiac.

Henry II and Rosamund Clifford

The first Plantagenet king of England had a rich, royal wife in Eleanor of Aquitaine and mistresses galore, but the love of his life was "Fair Rosamund," also called the "Rose of the World." To conceal their affair, Henry built a love nest in the innermost recesses of a maze in his park at Woodstock. Nonetheless, the story has it that Queen Eleanor did not rest until she found the labyrinth and traced it to the center, where she uncovered her ravishing rival. The queen offered her death by blade or poison. Rosamund chose the poison. Perhaps not coincidentally, Henry kept Eleanor confined in prison for 16 years of their marriage.

Dante and Beatrice

Rarely has a woman served as such profound inspiration for a writer—and yet he barely knew her. The Italian poet Dante Alighieri wrote passionately of Beatrice in the Divine Comedy and other poems, but only met the object of his affection twice. The first time, he was nine years old and she was eight. The second time, they were adults, and while walking on the street in Florence, Beatrice, an emerald-eyed beauty, turned and greeted Dante before continuing on her way. Beatrice died at age 24 in 1290 without Dante ever seeing her again. Nonetheless, she was "the glorious lady of my mind," he wrote, and "she is my beatitude, the destroyer of all vices and the queen of virtue, salvation."

Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII

When the Tudor king fell for a young lady-in-waiting, Anne Boleyn, who possessed eyes "black and beautiful," he was long married to a Spanish princess. But Anne refused to be a royal mistress, and the king rocked the Western world to win his divorce and make Anne queen. Ambassadors could not believe how enslaved the king was by his love for Anne. "This accursed Anne has her foot in the stirrup," complained the Spanish emissary. To comprehend the king's passion, one need only read his 16th century love letters, revealing his torment over how elusive she remained: "I beg to know expressly your intention touching the love between us…having been more than a year wounded by the dart of love, and not yet sure whether I shall fail or find a place in your affection." (Their love affair ended when he had her beheaded.)

Louis XV of France and Madame de Pompadour

In 1730, a Parisian prophetess told a nine-year-old girl she would rule the heart of a king. Years later, at a masked ball, Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, dressed as a domino, danced with King Louis XV, dressed as a tree. Within weeks, the delicate beauty was maîtresse-en-titre , given the title Marquise de Pompadour. "Any man would have wanted her as his mistress," said another male admirer. The couple indulged in their love of art, furniture, and porcelain, with Madame de Pompadour arranging for her jaded royal lover small dinner parties and amateur theatricals in which she would star (of course). While watching one play, Louis XV declared, "You are the most delicious woman in France," before sweeping her out of the room.

John and Abigail Adams

Abigail Smith married the Founding Father at age 20, gave birth to five children (including America's fifth president, John Quincy Adams), and was John Adams's confidante, political advisor, and First Lady. The more than 1,000 letters they wrote to each other offer a window into John and Abigail's mutual devotion and abiding friendship. It was more than revolutionary political ideals that kept them so united; they shared a trust and abiding tenderness. Abigail wrote: "There is a tye more binding than Humanity, and stronger than Friendship ... and by this chord I am not ashamed to say that I am bound, nor do I [believe] that you are wholly free from it." As for John, he wrote: "I want to hear you think, or see your Thoughts. The Conclusion of your Letter makes my Heart throb, more than a Cannonade would. You bid me burn your Letters. But I must forget you first."

Mary Godwin Shelley and Percy Shelley

When the young Romantic poet Percy Shelley met Mary Godwin, she was the teenage daughter of a famous trailblazing feminist, the long-dead Mary Wollstonecraft. The two of them shared a love of the mind—"Soul meets soul on lovers' lips," he wrote—but physical desire swept them away too, consummated near the grave of Mary's mother. When they ran away to Europe, it caused a major scandal, but the couple proclaimed themselves indifferent to judgment. "It was acting in a novel, being an incarnate romance," she later said. They traveled together to visit the debauched Lord Byron, and Mary wrote Frankenstein during two weeks in Switzerland. After Percy died in a boating accident in 1822, Mary never remarried. She said having been married to a genius, she could not marry a man who wasn't one.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning

Elizabeth Barrett was an accomplished and respected poet in poor health (and nearly 40 years old) when Robert Browning wrote to her: "I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett," and praising their "fresh strange music, the affluent language, the exquisite pathos and true new brave thought." They courted in secret because of her family's disapproval. She wrote, "I am not of a cold nature, & cannot bear to be treated coldly. When cold water is thrown upon a hot iron, the iron hisses." They married in 1846, living among fellow writers and artists for the rest of her life. When she died, it was in Robert Browning's arms.

John Keats and Fanny Brawne

The celebrated young poet's romance with his neighbor, Fanny Brawne, sparked what is probably his most famous poem "Bright Star", though the relationship was fraught with jealousy. Brawne was a precocious and flirtatious young woman, Keats a fiercely overzealous bard. The two clashed as often as they coalesced, but the full requisition of their love was hindered by Keats' lack of money and his illness. Bedridden by tuberculosis, which he contracted from his late brother and mother, Keats yearned in envy over his coquettish Brawne, whose frivolous nature marred her love for the young poet and subsequently aggravated his wellbeing. Though engaged to Brawne, Keats had to end the engagement in an effort to get well in Rome. He died there not long after his arrival, his romance to remain unrequited.

Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas

For nearly 40 years, Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas were inseparable, famous for their literary salon in Paris, which was frequented by Picasso, T.S. Eliot, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and many more. When Toklas (far left) first met Stein, she wrote, "It was Gertrude Stein who held my complete attention, as she did for all the many years I knew her until her death, and all these empty ones since them. She was a golden brown presence, burned by the Tuscan sun and with a golden glint in her warm brown hair." Their love gained international fame after Stein published The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas . Wrote Stein, "One must dare to be happy."

Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo

The talented young Mexican painter Kahlo paid a visit to the studio of famous muralist Rivera in search of career advice. "She had unusual dignity and self-assurance and there was a strange fire in her eyes," he said. Theirs was a volatile relationship, yet Rivera knew from early on that Kahlo "was the most important fact in my life and she would continue to be until she died 27 years later." As for Kahlo, she said, "You deserve a lover who listens when you sing, who supports you when you feel shame and respects your freedom; who flies with you and isn't afraid to fall. You deserve a lover who takes away the lies and brings you hope, coffee, and poetry."

Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII

When Edward VIII fell in love with American divorcée Wallis Simpson it was an affair shocked a nation and threw Britain's monarch into a constitutional crisis. Due to strong opposition from the church and government over their marriage, Edward chose to abdicate the throne. He famously proclaimed his love for Simpson as he addressed the nation in 1936. "I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love," he said in his abdication speech. Choosing love over kingship, the Duke of Windsor spent most of his life outside the royal family as the couple married and settled in France. Note: Years later it was revealed in previously hidden German Documents that not only did Simpson and the Duke of Windsor have Nazi associations, but there were also plans for the Germans to re-install him as King after they invaded the U.K.

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward met during the production of Picnic and shortly married after filming the movie The Long, Hot Summer. Unlike most on-set Hollywood romances, Newman and Woodward were happily devoted to one another for fifty years. When asked about his marriage to Woodward and infidelity, Newman was famously responded, "I have a steak at home. Why should I go out for hamburger?" The couple traded the California spotlight for Westport, Connecticut, where they raised their family and remained until Paul Newman's death in 2008.

Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco

In the wedding of the century, American film star Grace Kelly left Hollywood behind at the height of her career to wed Prince Rainier and become Princess of Monaco. Prince Rainier was immediately taken with Grace, whom he met when she filmed To Catch a Thief in the French Riviera. He courted her through letters for some time before the couple announced their engagement in the Kelly family's Philadelphia home and married in 1956. Prince Rainier never remarried after Grace's tragic death in 1982.

Johnny Cash and June Carter

There isn’t a more iconic country music love story than that between Johnny Cash and June Carter. Both stars in their own right, the two met backstage at the famed Grand Ole Opry. When first meeting Cash, Carter supposedly told him, “I feel like I know you already.” The couple went on to tour together and fell in love, eventually marrying in 1968. Cash credited Carter with helping him recover from drug addiction, further solidifying their bond. The couple shared two Grammys, along with two solo Grammys for Carter and 11 for Cash. The both had storied careers and welcomed one son. The happy couple stayed together their whole lives and died within just four months of each other. It’s clear that this love was true - when once asked for his definition of paradise, Cash stated plainly, “this morning, with her, having coffee.”

MORE: The Love Story of Johnny Cash and June Carter

Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy Jr.

Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy Jr. married in a secret ceremony on a small island in Georgia, indicative of their desire to keep their relationship private from the feigning press and public attention. The couple tried as much as they could to live a normal life out of their Tribeca apartment and with any normal marriage they had ups and downs. "They would love hard, and they would fight hard," said a friend of the couples, Ariel Paredes. It was evident the love was there and as public attention mounted Carolyn and JFK Jr. became an iconic duo. Sadly, their love was cut short when the couple tragically died on July 16, 1999 in a plane crash over the Atlantic ocean.

MORE : Inside the Turbulent Final Days of JFK Jr.'s Marriage to Carolyn Bessette MORE : Who Was Carolyn Bessette Kennedy?

Amal and George Clooney

George Clooney was Hollywood's self-proclaimed bachelor of many decades, making his whirlwind love story with British human rights lawyer even more sweet. The two were introduced by a friend and soon after began exchanging emails that George comically penned as his dog Einstein. After six months of dating George proposed to the song, 'Why Shouldn't I?' while making dinner. "It's a really good song about why can't I be in love?," said George. The couple balances Amal's career as a human rights lawyer, George's acting, and their two twins, Ella and Alexander.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

It was a love story that captured hearts around the world when Meghan Markle and Prince Harry wed in May 2018. Their life as a couple began in November 2017, when Harry popped the question while the two were roasting a chicken at their apartment in Kensington Palace. Since then, their fairytale has been untraditional, to say the least, but the love shared between the happy couple is clear. As they begin to carve out their new royal roles , amid much controversy , it remains certain that the couple cares deeply about each other and their adorable son, Archie. It’s hard to know what the future holds, but it seems like Meghan and Harry will take it all on together.

Nancy Bilyeau, a former staff editor at InStyle, Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly, has written a thriller set in the 18th century art and porcelain world titled 'The Blue.' For more information, see www.nancybilyeau.com.

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How to Start a Love Story

Last Updated: March 14, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Grant Faulkner, MA . Grant Faulkner is the Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and the co-founder of 100 Word Story, a literary magazine. Grant has published two books on writing and has been published in The New York Times and Writer’s Digest. He co-hosts Write-minded, a weekly podcast on writing and publishing, and has a M.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University.  This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 372,503 times.

Maybe you have the characters, setting, conflict, and plot completely mapped out for your love story, or maybe you just have a general sense of where the story is going to go. Regardless, your love story needs to start somewhere, and sometimes writing the beginning can feel like the hardest part! Don’t worry—we’re here to help you work through it, from creating an intriguing opening scene to introducing your love interests, so you can get the beautiful love story that’s swirling around in your head down onto paper.

Introducing your Love Interests

• Prepare the reader to care for a character throughout the story, and to invest their own emotions in that character’s achievement of happiness and contentment.
• For instance, introduce a character by showing them experience some sort of significant personal revelation about themselves or another character in the story.
• Equally reliable; introduce a character as they’re enduring an undeserved hardship.

• For example: As Sarah walked down the gangplank, a man with mane-like hair approached. “It is thrilling to meet you. My name is…” He trailed off, rather stunned by the beauty of a woman he had imagined a thousand times, but whose actual appearance surpassed his fantasies. She looked at him for a moment and said, “Fetch me a horse.”

• For instance, “The man turned to beckon a servant. He dropped his rope, forgetting that it was wrapped around the pole and attached to the gangplank. Just then, a gust of wind pulled the boat from the dock. The rope unwound with incomprehensible speed, dropping the gangplank and a visibly displeased Lady Sarah into the bay.”

Exploring Options for Powerful Opening Lines

• “Suddenly, she felt the secret of a kiss ripple through her body and bloom beneath the surface of her skin. Her joints softened, her breath caught, her lips fell heavily against one another and her tongue swelled against them, reaching for a taste of air tinged with enticement.”

• For instance, “Sarah jumped down from her intricately-saddled elephant and handed the reins to a shirtless man she had never met before.”
• Alternatively, “The cauldron boiled thickly and looked of effervescent syrup, but her heart sank quickly as she tossed it into the stew.”

• For instance: “He woke up, rose slowly, counted the stains on his ceiling as he did every morning, glanced at the empty spot beside him, and decided not to eat breakfast.”
• And of course: “Her cats began licking her ankles where their tongues had already thinned the fabric of her tights as soon as she entered. She sighed at the darkened patch of carpet in the center of the room, knowing she could remove the visual evidence, but never the odor.”

• Take, for instance: “We were both young when I first saw you."
• Note that even the contemporary artists reference classic storytellers. Consider the lyrics from a popular radio single: “Marry me, Juliet, you’ll never have to be alone.” This line pays homage to Shakespeare by referencing a well known romantic narrative.

Creating Intrigue in the Opening Scene

• The beginning is important because it lures your reader into the story. Even if the opening scene is not important to the plot, it needs to be interesting.
• Hook your reader within a few pages, or better yet: a few paragraphs.

• A common route here is a moment in which danger or the threat of danger are recognized or experienced by a character who will be featured prominently in your story.

• Though you may be tempted to get the story rolling, keep initial action sequences simple. Maintain a focus on luring the reader in, without asking them to do too much thinking.

• Look over the list and identify the most compelling links between this moment and other aspects of your story.

Amplifying the Scene’s Emotional Potency

• For instance, when introducing your character, make it clear that they don't have time for relationships because they have to work overtime in order to pay the medical bills for a relative.
• Later on, have their love interest, unbeknownst to them, put in overtime as well in order to help fund the costs of the relative's medical treatment. This selflessness will make them more likeable.

• For instance, have a character say or do something emotionally significant to prove their commitment to someone they care about, perhaps without the other person knowing about it.

• For instance, have a character seize an opportunity to get a reader cheering for them, or miss one if you want your readers to sympathize.

• Write strong protagonists – both male and female – who are independent and capable of making decisions on their own.
• Give every character a reason to be respected by your readers. This rules out the lover simply waiting to be saved, as well as a “villain” without any relatable characteristics.

• Get your readers to feel as though they really understand the character, then shake things up. Show them that even characters in a book can surprise them, just like real people.

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://nybookeditors.com/2016/10/tips-writing-first-romance-novel/
• ↑ https://www.novlr.org/the-reading-room/9-ways-to-write-your-opening-line-is-the-first-line-really-important
• ↑ http://www.dailywritingtips.com/20-great-opening-lines-to-inspire-the-start-of-your-story/
• ↑ Grant Faulkner, MA. Professional Writer. Expert Interview. 8 January 2019.
• ↑ http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/taylorswift/lovestory.html

About This Article

To begin writing a love story, start by introducing readers to the main character and their love interest, who should be likable and someone the reader can connect with. Next, create a scenario where the love interests meet each other. This can be romantic, or just a chance encounter that’s not love at first sight. To create conflict, use humorous or heart-wrenching storylines to create hurdles for your characters to overcome before they can be together, like moving far away from one another. For more ways to start a love story, like how to compel your reader with sadness or fear, keep scrolling! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Short Story Guide

Famous Short Stories About Relationships & Love

These stories offer a treatment of love, from the light-hearted to the serious. The relationships in these stories could romantic, flirty or passionate, or unhappy. See also:

• Unrequited Lov e

Short Stories About Relationships & Love

“Seventh Day of the Seventh Moon” by Ken Liu

Yuan tells her younger sister, Se, a bedtime story. Se wants to hear about the Qixi Festival because it’s tonight. In the story a young woman and young man fall in love, get married and have two sons. The woman neglects her duties as a weaver of sunset clouds. The Emperor of Heaven separates the couple as a punishment. When the story ends, Yuan leaves the apartment to go meet Jing. It’s her last night in China.

Most of this story can be read in the Amazon preview above. It’s the second entry. If you read it, I bet you’ll have to find out how it ends, like I did.

Flotsam | Deborah Eisenberg

Charlotte is reminded of when she first came to New York after breaking up with Robert. He grew tired of her, annoyed that she never seemed to want or do anything. Charlotte’s friend arranged for her to be roommates with Cinder. She spends time with Cinder, the men Cinder sees, and her friend Mitchell. Charlotte feels uncertain of herself.

“Flotsam” is the first story in the Amazon preview of  The Collected Stories of Deborah Eisenberg.

Sarah Cole: A Type of Love Story | Russell Banks

Ron stops in for a drink at a high-end bar. He’s fairly young and very good looking. He’s approached by Sarah, who’s older than he is, and the most unattractive woman he’s ever seen in person. They start talking about their lives. Weeks later, they meet again at the same place.

This is the first story in the preview of  The Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction .  (14% into preview)

Rediscover Intimacy in Your Marriage With Romantic Texts!

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love | Raymond Carver

Two married couples sit at the McGinnis’s table, drinking and talking about real love. They use their own, and second-hand experiences, to try to define it. ( Analysis & Themes )

Read “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”

The Answer (Bridesmaids) | Patti Callahan

Lachlan waits for Beatrice’s answer, but she doesn’t give one right away. He asked a simple question, but there’s a lot to consider. They love each other, but still, she’s uncertain.

“The Answer”, the first part of Bridesmaids,  can be read in the Amazon preview of  Reunion Beach: Stories Inspired by Dorothea Benton Frank .

Descent | Alexander McCall Smith

Molly is going on a parachute jump. She thinks she might meet someone. Her friend doubts this will happen, but the instructor, nicknamed Drop-Dead Gorgeous, is very handsome.

“Descent” is the first story in the Amazon preview of  Tiny Tales: Stories of Romance, Ambition, Kindness and Happiness .

The Lady with the Pet Dog | Anton Chekhov

Dmitri is unhappily married, unfaithful to his wife, and has a low opinion of women. While on vacation he meets a young woman, also married, and they have an affair. After Dmitri returns to his routine he finds that he can’t stop thinking about her.

This story can be read in the preview of  Stories of Anton Chekhov . 

“I’m Alive, I Love You, I’ll See You In Reno” by Vylar Kaftan

A woman narrates her history of missed connections with her first love. They met as children and were friends as teenagers, although she loved him. She continues their relationship history, which included near-lightspeed travel that caused them to age at different rates.

This story can be read in the preview of  Lightspeed: Year One .  (7% in)

“The First Seven Years” by Bernard Malamud

Feld is a shoemaker who wants his daughter, Miriam, to marry Max, a young man pursuing his education. After Feld tries to set them up, his assistant, Sobel, quits. ( Summary )

“Nobody Knows” | Sherwood Anderson

George leaves work carefully just before eight at night. He’s nervous; there’s been something on his mind all day. He surreptitiously makes his way through the back alley and the streets. His motivation for this adventure was a letter he had received earlier that day.

This story can be read in the preview of  Collected Stories .

“Hidden Ribbon” by John Shirley

It’s 2044 on the rooftop shack town of the BP building in Los Angeles. Giorgio cautiously crosses a swaying rope bridge. He leaps into an open window as a bullet hits the concrete behind him. He’s met at gunpoint by Banker, the landlord, who orders him out. He doesn’t want any trouble; he can see Limmy and his second-in-command pursuing Giorgio.

Some of this story can be read in the preview of Brave New Love .  (33% in)

The Love-Philtre of Ikey Schoenstein | O. Henry

To ensure his planned elopement goes smoothly, a man goes to a druggist for a love potion. The druggist also loves the woman in question, so he tries to derail the man’s plan.

This is the fifth story in the preview of  The Selected Stories of O. Henry . 

“Tom” by Paul Cornell

Earth has been visited by the Carviv, a species with an affinity for the water. The females are comfortable on land, as well, while the males stay submerged. Many of the females seek work as guides on the Great Barrier Reefs, and the company’s are glad to have them. The narrator was one of the first to become acquainted with a Carviv woman, Swav. Because of the different customs, the narrator had an unusual experience that was confusing for a time.

This story can be read in the preview of  Solaris Rising 2: Book of Science Fiction .

James, a bachelor, feels the public pressure to settle down and find a wife.

This is the third story in the preview of  The Toys of Peace and Other Papers .

“Modern Love” by T. C. Boyle

A man and woman start seeing each other. He thinks everything is fine, but she’s very sensitive to the level of cleanliness everywhere they go. It seems extreme to him, but he caters to her preferences. The relationship progresses slowly, but he holds out hope that it will be normal.

This story can be read in the preview of T. C. Boyle: Stories . (8% in)

“Ike and Nina” by T. C. Boyle

A source with inside information reveals the facts around the secretive love affair between President Dwight Eisenhower and Madame Nina Khrushcheva, wife of the Soviet premier. They had met before and had a limited amount of contact over the years. Paderewski was an assistant to a junior staffer. One day, he was called in to the Oval Office and made special aide to the president during the duration of the Soviet visit.

This story can also be read in the above preview of T. C. Boyle: Stories . (19% in)

The Steadfast (Brave) Tin Soldier | Hans Christian Andersen

A boy gets a set of toy soldiers as a gift. One of the soldiers falls in love with a paper ballerina, but they’re kept apart when he falls from the windowsill and lands outside.

This story can be read in the preview of  The Complete Stories and Fairytales .

“The Three-Day Blow” by Ernest Hemingway

Nick walks through an orchard to a cottage at the top of a hill. He meets up with Bill. They drink and talk about the wind, reading, baseball and their fathers. Then the conversation turns to something that Nick has recently dealt with.

This is the second story in the preview of  50 Great Short Stories .  (Pg. 16)

Helen O’Loy | Lester del Rey

The narrator, Phil, relates the events of many years ago, when he lived with his roommate, Dave. He unpacked a beautiful robot, whom they named Helen. She was an upgrade on the previous model. Phil and Dave had long conversations about endocrinology and robotics. Phil has to go away on a job the day before Helen is activated. When he returns, there’s an unusual dynamic between Phil and Helen.

This is the third story in the preview of The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Vol 1 .  (81% into preview)

“Nothing to Declare” by Richard Ford

Sandy McGuinness is having drinks at a bar along with many other lawyers. A woman, Miss Nail, is attracting a lot of attention on the other side of the room. They make eye contact a few times. Sandy recognizes her as Barbara,  a woman from his college days with whom he took a spring break adventure in Reykjavik.

This story can be read in the preview of  Sorry for Your Trouble .  (10% into preview)

“The Ballad of the Sad Café” by Carson McCullers

Miss Amelia was a rich woman, having inherited a store from her father. She also operated a still that produced the best liquor in the county. She was solitary, and most of her days were the same, apart from a ten-day stretch when she was married. Things changed when Miss Amelia was thirty. Late one night, a hunchbacked stranger, barely over four feet tall, came to her store. He said he was looking for Miss Amelia because they’re related. He sat on the steps and cried. The few onlookers had no doubt Miss Amelia would run this stranger off her property and out of town.

Some of this novella can be read in the preview of  The Ballad of the Sad Café: And Other Stories .  (18% into preview)

“The Triumph” by Clarice Lispector

Luísa wakes up at nine but doesn’t get out of bed. It’s unusually silent. It hits her suddenly that he left yesterday. They’d fought again. She had begged him to stay before, and he always had. She thinks about the fact that he’s gone.

This story can be read in the preview of  Complete Stories .  (33% into preview)

“Warm River” by Erskine Caldwell

A driver lets a man out at a suspended footbridge and points out the house in the distance. The bridge creaks and swings, and he wants to get across it quickly. Gretchen is out on the front porch, waiting for him.

This story can be read in the preview of The Stories of Erskine Caldwell .  (75% in)

“Story” by Lydia Davis

A woman gets a message from her boyfriend. He’s busy and won’t be coming over, but he’ll call later. She waits for a while, then goes to his place.

This story can be read in the preview of  The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis .  (15% in)

“God Mode” by Daniel H. Wilson

The narrator’s thoughts are fractured, but he remembers Sarah amid all the forgetting. He’s a twenty-year-old university student, learning to make video games. He’s on a tram headed for the beach when he sees Sarah faint. She hits her head and is unconscious for a few seconds. That’s the day the stars start disappearing.

This story can be read in the preview of  Press Start to Play .  (25% in)

“Miss Dollar” by Machado de Assis

Miss Dollar, a little Italian greyhound, goes missing. The owner puts an ad in the paper, offering a reward for her return. Dr. Mendonça, a dog lover, finds Miss Dollar and takes her home. He reads the ad the next day and decides to return her.

This story can be read in the preview of  The Collected Stories of Machado de Assis .  (22% in)

“Falk: A Reminiscence” by Joseph Conrad

An experienced ship commander relates a story from when he was a young captain. He didn’t enjoy the company of his crew, and the previous captain seems to have been involved in some shady dealings. Moored nearby is a ship captained by a man named Hermann. Also on board are his wife and four children, and his nineteen-year-old niece who is perfectly attractive. Falk, another visitor, feels a rivalry toward the young captain over the niece.

This story can be read in the preview of Complete Short Stories . (45% in)

The Chaser | John Collier

A merchant sells a love potion for a surprisingly low price, but he sells another item at a much higher price to make up for it. ( Summary & Analysis )

“Forbidden Fruit” by Roshani Chokshi

The Mountain, Dayang, likes to lean over and stare at the mortals, who are beautiful for their fragility and evanescence. Her father from the clouds warns her not to lose her heart. One day she goes in human form to a small pool and encounters a young man, Bulan. The villagers wonder at his long absence.

This story can be read in the preview of  A Thousand Beginnings and Endings .  (17% in)

“Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage” by Alice Munro

Johanna goes to the train station and arranges to send a load of furniture to Gdynia, and to buy a ticket for herself to the same place. Johanna is the housekeeper for Mr. McCauley and his granddaughter, Sabitha. Sabitha’s mother is dead and her father, Ken, lives elsewhere. Johanna and Ken have corresponded a bit through Sabitha’s letters. Johanna is making big plans although nothing definite has been agreed to.

Some of this story can be read in the preview of Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage . (20% into Kindle preview)

“EPICAC” by Kurt Vonnegut

The narrator tells the story of his friend, EPICAC, a seven ton computer that covered about an acre of the physics building at Wyandotte College. EPICAC  was a government project designed to make the myriad fast and precise calculations needed for war. EPICAC  ended up working slower than expected. The narrator and his future wife, fellow mathematician Pat Kilgallen, worked together on the project. She wasn’t interested in marrying him at the time because he lacked warmth. One night, the narrator asked EPICAC  what to do. Surprisingly, the computer was interested in helping.

The Boarding House | James Joyce

Mrs. Mooney, who runs a boarding house, angles to marry off her daughter to one of her boarders.

“A Middle-Sized Artist” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

As a little girl, Rosamond loves reading picture books, particularly when the illustrations bring the story to life perfectly. She’s disappointed when they under-represent the text or are inaccurate. Her father, a publisher, explains that there aren’t many good artists for that kind of work. Rosamond is determined to become such an artist when she grows up. At twenty-one, when she’s close to achieving her goal, she falls in love with a reader for her father’s publishing house, Allen Goddard.

“How” by Lorrie Moore

The narrator describes the progression of a relationship, with some possible variations, from the first meeting to its dissolution.

Yours | Mary Robison

Allison and her husband, Clark, who is much older than she, spend an evening carving pumpkins until early the next morning.

Springtime a la Carte | O. Henry

A young woman has an arrangement to type the daily menu of a restaurant; one day, the menu makes her cry.

Schools and Schools | O. Henry

A young woman goes to live with her uncle, forming a love-triangle with his adopted son and step-niece.

Read “Schools and Schools”

The Whale | Yves Theriault

A fisherman hooks a whale, but it escapes before he gets back. Of course, no one believes his story, and he’s laughed at—by everyone except Gabrielle, a young woman he’s in love with. He’s determined to prove he’s telling the truth, to impress her.

Marriage Is a Private Affair | Chinua Achebe

A young man from the Ibo tribe in Nigeria who lives in the city, returns home to tell his father he’s engaged. His father is dead set against the marriage and cuts off his son.

Read “Marriage is a Private Affair”

Federigo’s Falcon | Giovanni Boccaccio

A rich man spends all his money trying to woo a married woman. She isn’t interested in him. Later, as a widow, she wants a favor from him that could help her sick son.

The Horse Dealer’s Daughter | D. H. Lawrence

A horse dealer dies, leaving his family of three sons and a daughter, destitute. The sons are making plans for their future, but the daughter refuses to discuss it.

Regret | Guy de Maupassant

A sixty-two year old bachelor thinks about his lonely life, and of a woman that he has always loved.

My Life with the Wave | Octavio Paz

A man gets seduced by an ocean wave. It finds its way home to him and they have a tumultuous love affair.

The Fall of Edward Barnard | W. Somerset Maugham

Bateman returns from a trip to Tahiti and goes to see Isabel with news of his friend Edward. After becoming engrossed in native life and culture, Edward has decided not to come back even though he was engaged to Isabel.

Read “The Fall of Edward Barnard”

A Telephone Call | Dorothy Parker

A woman frets over a late phone call and wonders if she should call him instead.

The Kiss | Anton Chekhov

A man at a dinner party is mistaken for someone else and kissed by an unknown woman in the dark. It affects him deeply and fires his imagination.

The Memento | O. Henry

Tired of the men she has to deal with as a vaudeville performer, Rosalie Ray retires to a small town.

Read “The Memento”

The Count and the Wedding Guest | O. Henry

Mr. Donovan comforts a fellow boarder, Miss Conway, who is mourning the death of her fiancé.

Read “The Count and the Wedding Guest”

The Romance of a Busy Broker | O. Henry

Amid the rush of a workday, Harvey Maxwell, a broker, is overcome with feeling for a stenographer, Miss Leslie.

Read “The Romance of a Busy Broker”

Lost on Dress Parade | O. Henry

Mr. Chandler, a man of modest means, saves his money for an occasional night out. On one such excursion, he helps a young woman who has fallen, and asks her to dine with him.

Read “Lost on Dress Parade”

Just Good Friends | Jeffrey Archer

Roger’s significant other chronicles their history and relationship.

The Tragedy of a Comic Song | Leonard Merrick

A poet and a composer write a song for a woman whom they both love. The song is a big success.

The Pace of Youth | Stephen Crane

Two carnival workers steal glances at each other during work, angering the woman’s father, the carnival owner.

The Coming-Out of Maggie | O. Henry

Maggie, a wallflower, is escorted to a dance by a man who attracts a lot of attention.

Read “The Coming-Out of Maggie”

Some Like Them Cold | Ring Lardner

After a chance meeting with Mabelle at a Chicago train station, Charles, now pursuing a songwriting career in New York, writes to Mabelle. They correspond, presenting themselves as people of good character, ideal choices for marriage, and generally flirting.

Read “Some Like Them Cold”

Broken Chain | Gary Soto

Alphonso is a seventh-grade boy who is concerned about his looks. After helping a boy who is stuck on a fence, Alphonso asks the boy’s sister to go bike riding with him. Her bike has a flat tire, so Alphonso says he can borrow his brother’s bike for her. His brother doesn’t want to lend his bike.

Dusky Ruth | A. E. Coppard

A traveler arrives in a country town and enters an inn. After supper he goes to the smoke-room where a woman is sitting by the fire. Her presence stirs his passion.

Crush | Bonnie Burnard

A teenage girl is painting at home with her mother on a hot day. They’re expecting a delivery soon from Adam, a man whose children the girl babysits. She thinks she’s in love with him. Her mother warns her to make sure she’s covered up before Adam arrives.

Read “Crush”

LuLu’s Triumph | Matilde Serao

Lulu meets a young man at the races, Roberto Montefranco, and they start courting. Lulu talks about her expectations to her sister, Sofia, who is older and more serious than she.

Prue | Alice Munro

Prue lived with Gordon when he left his wife for sixteen months. After he got a divorce, they lived together on and off. Prue is likable and looks on the bright side, not taking the disappointments of life and relationships too seriously. The possibility arises to continue her relationship with Gordon.

Cavalleria Rusticana | Giovanni Verga

Turridu comes home after soldiering to find that Lola is in love with another man. Lola marries the other man but when he travels, Turridu visits Lola, causing complications.

The Derelict | Pauline Johnson

Cragstone was full of promise, but proved to be mediocre in all his endeavours. After becoming an Anglican priest, he falls in love with Lydia, a mixed-blood woman who had been dismissed from her post, accused of theft.

The Paring Knife | Michael Openheimer

While a man and the woman he loves are cleaning house, he finds a knife under the fridge. He remembers how it ended up there.

Yogurt | Ronald Wallace

A couple who have been fighting a lot are walking home from a yogurt shop when they hear someone running up behind them.

Read “Yogurt”

Why You Shouldn’t Have Gone in the First Place | Samantha Schoech

The narrator tells “you” why you shouldn’t meet up with a married man, and how you’ll feel if you do anyway.

Read “Why You Shouldn’t Have Gone in the First Place”

Bullhead | Leigh Allison Wilson

The narrator’s mother likes to tell a story about the love of her life. As a teenager she fell in love with the boy next door, and one night they got some time alone with each other.

Read “Bullhead”

The Underground Gardens | T. Coraghessan Boyle

Baldasare Forestiere is a thirty-two-year-old Italian American immigrant living on seventy acres of California land. He tries to grow his own vineyard, but the land isn’t fertile. He works for other people to make some money, and starts digging more rooms in his underground home. He eventually meets Ariadne, giving him a new goal – to get her to marry him.

My Date with Neanderthal Woman | David Galef

The narrator describes how his date went with a neanderthal woman, such as what he brought her, where they went, and how they communicated.

Love and Other Catastrophes: A Mix Tape | Amanda Holzer

The song titles on a mix tape are used to tell the story of someones search for love.

The Fatalist | Isaac Bashevis Singer

Benjamin Schwartz, a man in a small town, earns the nickname Benjamin Fatalist. He believes that everything in a person’s life, every trifle, is predetermined. There is an attractive young woman in town with many admirers, but she rejects them all. Benjamin tells her it is fated that they should marry.

Read “The Fatalist”

Fedora | Kate Chopin

A thirty-year-old woman, Fedora, is headed to the train station to pick up Miss Malthers. Fedora is in love with this woman’s brother, Young Malthers. One day she noticed suddenly that he had become a man, and he has been on her mind ever since.

Read “Fedora”

The Assignation | Karoly Kisfaludy

The Major in a regiment stationed near Lake Como falls in love with a young Italian maiden. Her parents are against the match and they keep them apart. After several months, the Major is dejected and the girl’s infatuation is at a high point. Her parents take action.

Rust | Guy de Maupassant

Hector is in his fifties and has loved hunting all his life. He regularly visits his neighbors, the Courvilles, telling them stories of his quarry. When he gets sick, his routine is interrupted, prompting the Courvilles to come up with a way of improving his life.

Read “Rust”

The Legacy | Virginia Woolf

Gilbert Clandon’s wife, Angela, died six weeks ago. He is waiting for a visit from Sissy Miller, his wife’s former secretary. He has a keepsake of his wife’s to give her. She had little tokens prepared to give all her friends in case of her death. Gilbert finds it strange that Angela had everything so organized.

Read “The Legacy”

Witches’ Loaves | O. Henry

Miss Martha is a forty-year-old woman who owns a small bakery. She has a regular customer, a middle-aged man who always buys two loaves of stale bread, never anything else. She takes an interest in him, and tries to find a way to get to know him.

Read “Witches’ Loaves”

Head and Shoulders | F. Scott Fitzgerald

Horace Tarbox is a seventeen-year-old Yale student interested only in reading and his studies. He meets a flirty young woman, Marcia, who invites him to watch her perform at the theatre. Horace begins thinking of Marcia often.

Read “Head and Shoulders”

Seventh Grade | Gary Soto

It’s Victor’s first day back at school. He’s preoccupied with Teresa, trying to get in her classes and run into her. His friend, Michael, is experimenting with a method of attracting girls.

Read “Seventh Grade”

Germelshausen | Friedrich Gerstäcker

A young artist, Arnold, is out walking, when he meets a beautiful girl, Gertrud. She’s waiting for Heinrich, her love. She doesn’t expect him  until their day comes again. Arnold isn’t sure what to make of this. He accompanies her to her village.

The Voice | Silvina Ocampo

The narrator, a young woman, goes to her boyfriend’s house with her new cat. She doesn’t want to marry Romirio. She can’t stand his voice.

Read “The Voice”

Jon | George Saunders

Jon lives in a research facility with other young people. They test the marketability of products. Jon has a relationship with Carolyn that makes them think about their futures with the company.

Sense of Humour | V. S. Pritchett

Arthur, the narrator, is a traveling salesman in a new town. He goes to church to make a good impression. He meets Muriel, a hotel clerk. She has a boyfriend, Colin, a mechanic who rides a motorcycle. Arthur is more polished and has a car. Muriel starts to prefer Arthur’s company.

A Memory | Eudora Welty

The narrator recounts a day from her youth when she rested at a lake after a swim. She’s thinking of a boy she secretly loves, remembering interactions they’ve had. A family arrives at the lake, intruding on her reverie.

Not a Good Girl | Perri Klass

The narrator, a biochemist, is visiting Harvard for a seminar. She meets Eric, a grad student, who wants to spend the night with her. She accepts the offer. They get together again the next night. She doesn’t want anything serious.

A Lickpenny Lover | O. Henry

A wealthy aristocrat tries to woo a ditsy salesgirl.

Read “A Lickpenny Lover”

Old Light | Barry Targan

A young art student does portraits of tourists. One of her customers is Corporal John Palmer, a young man who repeatedly returns. He plans on getting back to boat building after the war. They start seeing each other regularly.

One of Cleopatra’s Nights | Théophile Gautier

Cleopatra is in a boat on the Nile, returning home after a festival. She is bored, and feels oppressed by Egypt. A handsome young man is following her procession in a small boat. When Cleopatra arrives at the palace, he climbs the banks and continues to follow.

Read “One of Cleopatra’s Nights”

Puttermesser Paired | Cynthia Ozick

Ruth, an attorney in her fifties, is alone. She’s a big fan of novelist George Eliot, who found a seemingly perfect intellectual match and lover in George Lewes. Ruth wants to duplicate this in her own life. One day, she notices a younger man who manifests what she’s looking for.

Pretty Ice | Mary Robison

Belle’s fiancé, Will, is coming to visit. He’s a plant taxonomist and has been doing research. The night before, Belle is up doing calculations. Her mother picks her up early in the morning to go pick up Will at the train station.

The Secret Lives of Dieters | Perri Klass

Polly, an artist at Ground Zero Graphics, is stuck at home, recovering from an illness. Her coworker, Donald, who lives in the building across from hers, brings her food and some work. He talks about work, his girlfriend and the diet they’re on. Polly falls in love with Donald. She thinks of him all the time and starts drawing scenes from his life.

The Unexpected | Kate Chopin

Randall must leave Dorothea, his beloved. He has necessary business to attend to and will be gone a month. The separation is a cruelty to both of them, and they can hardly bear the parting. The write to each other daily. As the month nears its end, Randall contracts an illness.

Read “The Unexpected”

How I Met My Husband | Alice Munro

The narrator, Edie, tells the story of her first job. She was fifteen. The Peebles bought a house outside of town. She helped look after the children. One day a plane flew right over the house and landed across the street. The pilot, Chris Watters, goes from town to town giving plane rides for a dollar. Edie meets him when the family is away.

Read “How I Met My Husband”

About Love | Anton Chekhov

When some friends are talking about love, Alehin tells his own story on the subject. After University he returned to his father’s farm to pay off the debt. When he’s elected an honorary justice of the peace, he makes the acquaintance of Luganovitch, vice-president of the circuit court. He also meets Luganovitch’s young wife, Anna, whom he finds lovely and fascinating. He thinks of her often.

Read “About Love”

Over Insurance | John Collier

Alice and Irwin are a very happy young couple and madly in love. They think of each other all the time and spend all the time they can with each other. It’s a perfectly rapturous existence. One day while rushing home to Alice, Irwin is nearly hit by a taxi. He’s appalled with the possibility of being separated from his love like this.

I’ll keep adding short stories about relationships and love as I find more.

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What Makes for a Great Literary Romance?

Passion, sacrifice, a twist: 125 years of book reviews offer the clue to Love Potion No. 9.

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By Dan Saltzstein

“Love is strange,” wrote Thomas Pynchon, citing the 1956 Mickey and Sylvia hit single , in his 1988 New York Times review of Gabriel García Márquez’s novel “Love in the Time of Cholera.” As we get older, he continued, “we may begin to regard love songs, romance novels , soap operas and any live teenage pronouncements at all on the subject of love with an increasingly impatient, not to mention intolerant, ear.”

This sort of marginalization of love stories — that, for one thing, they don’t qualify as “legitimate” novels — threads through the 125 years of The New York Times Book Review. And yet there are lessons to be learned about the necessary ingredients for a good love story from even these sorts of condescensions — along with the review that took them more seriously, of course. And not just romantic love, but love writ large: familial, platonic, universal, and so on. Perhaps, in a way, all stories are love stories, at least in part. Here are nine of those ingredients, as gleaned from the pages of the Book Review.

Tell us: What makes for a great love story?

1. heroes (or antiheroes), ‘he was my north, my south, my east and west, / my working week and my sunday rest.’ — ‘funeral blues,’ by w.h. auden.

It all begins with protagonists and those who surround them. An 1898 discussion of Jane Austen’s “ Pride and Prejudice ” inspired a mash note — one celebrating both Austen and her book’s lead, Elizabeth Bennet, among others — from a self-described “elderly” reader.

Just as the reader found Bennet “most charming,” reviewers through the years have homed in on an essential quality to creating unforgettable characters: a strong voice. A century after that letter, Miranda Seymour described the protagonist of Sarah Waters’s debut novel, “ Tipping the Velvet ,” a lesbian love story set in the Victorian era, this way: “This is the voice that holds our attention throughout the book, making even the most preposterous acceptable, because it remains intimate, so ordinary, so convincing.”

It is the subtle genius of the writer that brings such characters to life. “So little is said, so little is done, yet one feels the infinite passion in the finite hearts that burn,” wrote William Lyon Phelps in his 1920 rave of Edith Wharton’s “ The Age of Innocence .” (He later called it “one of the best novels of the 20th century.”)

2. The Match

‘whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.’ — ‘wuthering heights,’ by emily brontë.

Sometimes selling the romance simply takes two magnetic figures. In his 1936 review of Margaret Mitchell’s racially problematic “ Gone With the Wind ,” J. Donald Adams needed only to describe Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler to entice the reader: Scarlett “is a vital creature,” he wrote, “alive in every inch of her”; Rhett a reinvention of “a stock figure of melodrama and romance, even to the black mustache, the piercing eyes and the irresistible way with women.”

A more unusual pairing can also do the necessary work, as in Rachel Ingalls’s “ Mrs. Caliban ,” reviewed by Michael Dorris in 1986. Dorothy, we’re told, has had a tough go of it, until she meets “a 6-foot-7-inch humanlike amphibian named Larry, a.k.a. Aquarius.” Need more? “To say that Larry finds the middle-aged Dorothy attractive is to put it mildly,” Dorris wrote, adding that they end up making love in multiple spots around Dorothy’s home.

‘Is not general incivility the very essence of love?’ — ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ by Jane Austen

But how interesting can a pairing be without conflict? This is made clear in one of the Book Review’s very first columns devoted to romance novels in 1901. An anonymous write-up of “ The King’s Messenger ,” a book by Suzanne Antrobus, about “the old Creole aristocracy” of New Orleans, noted that “the ardent lover” Capt. Laville was pitted against Rossart, the chief of police, who was “his deadly enemy and rival in love” as “the wooer of Lady Jeanne.” (Antiquarian spoiler: Though the writer claimed it would be “unfair to divulge the final scenes of the story,” it sounds like Laville comes out on top.)

Sometimes it is the very subject matter of a book that provides the conflict, as in “ The Price of Salt ,” by Patricia Highsmith, writing under the pseudonym Claire Morgan. (The book might be better known to cinephiles from Todd Haynes’s adaptation “Carol.”)

Carol, the older and richer woman, woos Therese; Therese “apparently cannot conceive of there being anything questionable about this relationship,” wrote Charles J. Rolo in his 1952 review . “And she thereby precipitates a crisis in which both have to make decisions that will lastingly affect their lives.”

In 1952, the very conceit of a lesbian romance was considered “explosive material.”

4. Suffering

‘i wish i knew how to quit you.’ — ‘brokeback mountain,’ by annie proulx.

Conflict, of course, readily leads to suffering. In her 2000 review of Haruki Murakami’s “ Norwegian Wood ,” Janice P. Nimura opened by quoting the Beatles song that inspired Murakami’s title: “I once had a girl / Or should I say, she once had me.” (Sounds like suffering.) The book is the story of Toru and his relationships with two women: Naoko (and her “increasingly fractured psyche” — more suffering), and later, his classmate Midori. “Safe havens don’t exist” in Murakami’s book, Nimura wrote, “and love is never truly unconditional.”

In other cases, the title alone can tip off emotional toll, as with Carson McCullers’s “ The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter .” In her 1940 review , Rose Feld called the portrayal of John Singer, the book’s deaf and mute protagonist, whose friendships with three other men were “more often savage and violent than tender” — like a “Van Gogh painting peopled by Faulkner figures.”

‘You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I’m grateful.’ — ‘The Fault in Our Stars,’ by John Green

What lies beyond suffering? Tragedy, of course. Death — in various forms — dominates this category. James Baldwin’s 1956 novel “ Giovanni’s Room ” is narrated by David, who is involved with a woman and another man, the titular Giovanni, who is to be executed for murder. In his review , Granville Hicks noted that despite that setup, the book’s true subject is “the rareness and difficulty of love.”

Murder is also at the center of Toni Morrison’s “ Beloved ,” reviewed in 1987 by Margaret Atwood. Sethe, the central character, is tormented by the ghost of her daughter, killed at age 2. And yet, “Sethe would rather have the ghost there than not there,” Atwood wrote. “It is, after all, her adored child, and any sign of it is better, for her, than nothing.”

As readers of “Beloved” know, the novel goes on quite a journey from there — but, like Sethe, is haunted throughout by tragedy.

More recently, death was a character in very different sort of book, “ The Fault In Our Stars ,” by John Green. “The grim reality is always present,” as Natalie Standiford put it in her 2012 review . Hazel, the novel’s heroine and narrator, has cancer, which leads her to Augustus, a former basketball player and cancer survivor.

Green does not shy away from confronting the juncture of love and death. “It is a narrative without rainbows or flamingoes; there are no magical summer snowstorms,” Standiford wrote. “These unpleasant details do nothing to diminish the romance; in Green’s hands, they only make it more moving.”

6. Sacrifice

‘for you, and for any dear to you, i would do anything.’ — ‘a tale of two cities,’ by charles dickens.

If tragedy is one side of a coin, the other is sacrifice. And there are few novels filled with more sacrifice than Cormac McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic “ The Road ,” in which almost all life — human and otherwise — has been snuffed out. A father and son wander the desolate landscape, looking for … something.

The sacrifices are almost entirely the father’s; he must protect his son at all costs. In his 2006 review , William Kennedy wrote that, unlike McCarthy’s previous novels, “evil victorious is not this book’s theme,” but rather “the love between father and son.”

E.B. White’s “ Charlotte’s Web ,” about the love between a girl, a pig, a spider and their barnyard companions, was intended for a very different audience. Yet the two books share some common themes, which Eudora Welty listed in her 1952 review : “friendship on earth, affection and protection, adventure and miracle, life and death, trust and treachery, pleasure and pain, and the passing of time.”

‘I loved him as we always love for the first time — with idolatry, with transport.’ — ‘Candide,’ by Voltaire

Unsurprisingly, coverage of passion — and sex — in the pages of the Book Review has evolved over the years. But it’s always been there. In a 1901 letter, a reader who went by the moniker “Book Lover” complained that a review of George Trimble Davidson’s “ The Moderns ,” a melodrama about New York in the 19th century, didn’t capture the book’s fatal flaw: not enough sex.

“It is as you know a romance with ‘love interest’ as a paramount motif,” Book Lover wrote. “And yet when one stops to think of it there is nothing approaching a love scene in the whole book!”

By 1944, writers were providing readers like Book Lover with more of what they wanted. William Du Bois’s review of “ Forever Amber ,” a historical romance set in 17th-century England by Kathleen Winsor, claimed that “few characters in fiction are more beloved by female readers than the successful harlot.”

Cut to 1969 and Nora Ephron’s review of Jacqueline Susann’s “ The Love Machine .” The subject — the love machine — is Robin Stone, who Ephron described as “positively insatiable” and “a magnificent sadist.” The book was a huge success; sex, as the saying goes, sells.

‘You are sunlight through a window, which I stand in, warmed.’ — ‘The Miniaturist,’ by Jessie Burton

Unlike the characters in Winsor’s book, other figures feel more grounded in reality, and reviewers have celebrated that. In James Baldwin’s 1974 “ If Beale Street Could Talk ,” two young lovers, Tish and Fonny, face challenges all too real to readers, particularly Black ones.

“It affirms not only love between a man and a woman,” wrote Joyce Carol Oates in her review , “but love of a type that is dealt with only rarely in contemporary fiction — that between members of a family, which may involve extremes of sacrifice.”

Helen Hoang’s 2018 “ The Kiss Quotient” may have an unusual premise — an autistic woman who hires an escort for lessons in the bedroom — but, like Baldwin, she explores delicate subject matter with a compassionate, unblinking eye. In her review , Jaime Green noted that Hoang writes Stella, the protagonist, “with insight and empathy.”

9. The Twist

‘that old saying, how you always kill the one you love, well, look, it works both ways.’ — ‘fight club,’ by chuck palahniuk.

Finally, there’s the plot twist. (Details here will have to remain necessarily vague.) In Jay Parini’s 1990 review , the “Big Secret,” as he calls it, in A.S. Byatt’s “Possession ” goes unrevealed, but Parini does describe the novel as “an unlikely but dazzling quest for what literary critics and historians once, with unfounded confidence, referred to as the Truth.”

Of course, the Book Review doesn’t just run reviews. A gossipy item from 1908 , written by the single-named Galbraith, served up two theoretical real-life twists about a pair of classic romance novels. He offered a preview of a book by John Malham-Dembleby that suggested that Charlotte Brontë, not her sister Emily, wrote “ Wuthering Heights” ; and that both that book and “ Jane Eyre” were “founded on a little guide book entitled ‘Gleanings in Craven,’ by Frederic Montagu.”

Malham-Dembleby’s book was published a few years later, but neither twist has been proven.

Tina Jordan and Noor Qasim contributed reporting.

Dan Saltzstein is deputy editor for Special Sections at The Times.

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Home / Essay Samples / Life / Love Story

Love Story Essay Examples

Love story begins with the first sight.

The real secret behind why we fall in love at first sight is because something in the way this particular person happens to look, has triggered a comparison in our subconscious mind to someone from our past who meant a lot to us. This is...

My Love Story: Heartbreaking But Funny

Just a quick significant flashback though, 'my manning up was actually in a letter, my asking her out was written on paper. I wrote the question and she spoke her answer. Maybe I wasn't a real man after all, but she didn't mind, and I...

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There are so many things I don’t believe in. The very first thing that I truly don’t believe in is the number of poor, cynical people who don't believe in something that is critical to our survival. One big thing that some people don't believe...

The Love Story of Erica Stoll and Rory Mcilroy

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