14 Comments
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Erica Perry's avatar

I'm obsessssed with the way you write - LET ALONE WHAT COMES OUT. "Avoidant attachment disguised as mystery" sent me over the hill and far away

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Dana Walker Inskeep's avatar

"My God, she's absolutely fucking brilliant." <--- The thought bubble over my head every time I read one of your posts.

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MonalisaSmile's avatar

Don’t start me with John Cusak in “Say Anything.” Holding up the boombox and serenading with “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel. Still my favorite song, ever. That scene is etched in my brain. Lloyd Dobler defined love for me.

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Lisa's avatar

I’ve read this piece over and over again

And I just realized I’m just like Anna Scott in notting hill

And just realized how I’ve let myself be used over and over and over again just because I’m just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love me

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Sarah Wettberg's avatar

👏👏👏 Well said!

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Treading Water's avatar

Bravo!!!

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After the Party's avatar

Love this! It's still the same shit in 2025. Love Again, anyone? The male protagonist is British and useless. With a bit of help of THE Celine Dion, he learns how to love (apparently all it takes is listening to All By Myself on repeat a few times) and that's it, he's doing The Gesture. He's posting his grand finale apology in a newspaper no less. Apparently, ye olde romcom template is too perfect to retire it.

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The Darcy Edit's avatar

Chef's Kiss

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Robert C Slayton's avatar

As a guy, I've realized that all romance books start with a guy who annoys the heck out of the girl (who secretly thinks he's hot) and is an a'hole. As they get to know one another, she figures out he's actually a good guy, they have steamy s-x (usually before figuring out he's a good guy). Now I'm taught that I can't just be a nice attentive guy. I have to create tension and division or she won't "feel" anything for me. All in all, pretty stupid.

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Esther Stanway-Williams's avatar

Brilliant!!!

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Charlee Fox's avatar

Emotional neglect was a foreplay. 😭

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Shannon McNamara's avatar

I read the headline and hit “subscribe” 🤣

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Lauren Cave's avatar

Hugh has a lot to answer for! Great post. It's made me rethink all past dating interactions in a different light 🫣

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Jess Leigh Hanna's avatar

Yup. I didn't grow up watching rom-coms, and I don't feel like I missed anything.

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