Conversations on Love: with Philippa Perry, Dolly Alderton, Roxane Gay, Stephen Grosz, Esther Perel, and many more

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Perel spoke about the consumer mentality that makes us think ‘I can do better’ in relationships… Nagoski said that one reason we prioritise spontaneous [sexual] desire might be because capitalism requires us to remain in a state of wanting. This constant craving is an… enemy of love. It makes us forget that the real value of our life is the impact we have on people, like the impact Gary’s mother had on him.”

There is a lot to like about this book. It is written and flows together beautifully. There were a few sections however that began to meander and become a little too repetitive. Whilst I appreciated hearing from different voices and felt this added another layer to the book…I felt that a lot of the perspectives were quite similar. This added to the sense of repetition through the themes rather than unique or differing perspectives that give greater cause for pause and reflection. Stephen Grosz, a psychotherapist, suggests that “development demands loss… Life requires of us that we let go of places, things, people that we love, to make room for new life, new love… It’s unbearable, but if we are to grow, we must endure this pain”. This eclectic and heartwarming collection explores love in all its forms, from romantic and parental love to friendship and loss' Observer To know someone is to love them. So you make someone the right person and they make you the right person. There isn't someone the right shape out there for every person--that has to happen in relationships. That's why relationships get better, because we allow mutual impact". The simple fact of the unknown was one I could not resist wrestling with. Like hauling a heavy suitcase up the stairs at a station, I imagined it would be easier if there were an end point in sight, because when you can see the top of the station stairs or the finish line of a run, it’s easy to dig deep for an extra bit of strength to get there.”Through her own thoughts and a series of interview-like conversations, Natasha Lunn reflects on relationships in all their forms. It is split into three main sections, how we find love, how we sustain it, and how we survive when we lose it. Natasha Lunn is the most thoughtful interviewer I have ever encountered, with a heart as big as her brain, and these conversations are endlessly inspiring, restorative, surprising and delicious. Love is too often taken for granted: here it shines under rigorous analysis to create a manifesto of how and why we feel, and a must-read for anyone who has a heart! Emma Jane Unsworth, author of ANIMALS

Conversations on Love is a glorious celebration of human vulnerability and connection. It has made me laugh, shed tears, think deeply. I want every person I love to read this book Dr Kathryn Mannix, Sunday Times bestselling author of WITH THE END IN MIND Conversations on Love shows that love comes in myriad forms and that like our hearts and minds, it can be explored infinitely' Pandora Sykes, Sunday Times bestselling author of 'How Do We Know We're Doing It Right?'These conversations explore a lot more than romantic love. In fact, ‘loss’ is a huge topic that highlights love in a very powerful way. Lunn talks to people who have lost partners, who have lost the ability to walk, who have lost parents at a young age, and devastatingly - people who have lost children too. Interviewing authors and experts as well as drawing on her own experience, Natasha Lunn guides us through the complexities of these three questions. The result is a book to learn from, to lose and find yourself in. The real-life love stories will leave you feeling hopeful and seen, while the insights from experts will transform the way you think about your relationships. Above all, Conversations on Love will remind you that love is fragile, sturdy, mundane, beautiful; a thing always worth fighting for. Sisters Marie and Dara Durante own a suburban ballet school they inherited from their mother. Dara’s husband, Charlie – who grew up in the family home as their mother’s star pupil – runs the logistics. When a building contractor, Derek, enters their lives to undertake some repairs, he inveigles his way beneath the trio’s tightly guarded and emotionally fraught bonds. Abbott’s prose is dazzlingly precise and her portrayal of student rivalries razor-sharp in this taut and psychologically gripping novel. Conversations on Love

Lunn allows me to understand that love is supposed to be easy. It's a process where you look in and look out. You take a risk in relationships, whether with your parent, spouse, or your friend. You need to show the real bits of who you are, and allow yourself to be vulnerable. You create it.I resonated so strongly with certain interviews, but I also gained valuable insight into other kinds of love and loss I won’t ever experience myself. It gave me a new appreciation for my life and the love within it. In addition to miscarriage, there are other difficult themes and conversations in this book, and whilst they are handled gently and sensitively, through Lunn’s writing and interview style, I will include trigger warnings for bereavement, miscarriage and difficulty to conceive. Lunn accentuates the importance of accepting change in others, focusing on the unique relationship between siblings, born out of a deep knowledge acquired during a specific shared time, and on the love between friends and for children.

Conversations on Love is a glorious celebration of human vulnerability and connection. It has made me laugh, shed tears, think deeply. I want every person I love to read this book' Dr Kathryn Mannix, Sunday Times bestselling author of WITH THE END IN MIND if you've been here a bit you may have seen me say my absolute favorite books remind me that life is magical, that even its mundane moments are filled with love and beauty. Standout Quote or Moment: “It seems to me that we expect so much from love, yet devote so little time to understanding it. Like wanting to dive into the sea but having no interest in learning to swim.” Psychotherapist Susie Orbach argues that “friends have a responsibility to continue to learn and accept who the other is in the present… rather than clinging to the old versions of who they once were”. And author Diana Evans explains: “When I look at my 16-year-old daughter, I see memories of her as a baby and as a toddler and as a six-year-old… In just one glance, I recollect her in a multidimensional way.”Hopeful and uplifting... this deep dive into the human heart will expand and enrich your perspective on love' Evening Standard