49 Quotes That Perfectly Capture What It’s Like to Fall in Love
Updated: Sep. 23, 2020
Is there anything more exciting, comforting—or terrifying—than falling in love? If you can't stop pinching yourself (and can't catch your breath), let these love quotes speak straight to your (bubbly, gooey) heart.
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What it’s like to fall in love
Love is a complex mix of emotions, so it makes sense that the best authors, poets, and creative people out there are good at knowing how to sum up those feelings in a few short words. Reading quotes about falling in love can make you feel good, give you hope (if you are looking for a romantic relationship), or help you adjust your expectations about the experience you are having right now. They might lead to some positive thinking about romantic relationships and may even help you appreciate your strong friendships. Here’s a roundup of the best love quotes so you can get a sense of what it’s really like to fall in love.
Worth the risk
“No one ever fell in love without being a little bit brave.” —Mario Tomasello
Being vulnerable in love requires stepping out of your comfort zone.
(Falling in love is one of the risks you should take before turning 40.)
Just look up
“You know you’re in love the moment you can touch the stars without reaching.” —Melisa M. Hamling (from Finding Forever)
Love quotes like this one from author Hamling will make you feel out of this world.
(And so will these short, positive mood-boosting quotes.)
Hold on tight
“You reminded me what it feels like to love. You made me fall in love and, heck, I don’t want to lose you.”—Nyare Dawn (from Facade)
The main character of Nyare Dawn’s Facade embarks on a journey that includes understanding romantic and familial love.
(These 36 questions can make you fall in love with anyone and make these falling in love quotes even more relatable.)
Trust your gut
“Falling in love is like leaping from a cliff. Your brain screams that it’s not a good idea and that hurt and pain will inevitably come to you. But your heart believes you can soar, guide, and fly.” —Marie Coulson (from Bound Together)
Coulson’s teen romance novel is full of love quotes that make you feel like you’re flying on cloud nine.
(Plus, here’s how to tap into your intuition for a happier, healthier life.)
Go head first
“Then he kissed her so deeply and so completely that she felt like she was falling, floating, spiraling down, down, down, like Alice in Wonderland.” —Liane Moriarty (from The Husband’s Secret)
Moriarty is an Australian author that includes beautiful love quotes like this one in her novels.
Deep breaths
“To fall in love is very easy, staying in love is a challenge, letting go is the hardest part, and moving on is a damn suicide.” —Nishan Panwar
Panwar captures how falling in love makes you feel a whole range of emotions.
(In fact, here’s exactly how many emotions you can feel, according to science.)
Dream bigger
“Don’t fall in love; rise with it.” —Amit Abraham, (from Rules of Attraction: Get The One You Admire)
Abraham is an Indian psychologist and author who, in this quote, captures an important thing to keep in mind about love.
(Therapists want you to remember these other things in relationships, too.)
That special something
“I fell in love with you because there was a mischief in your eyes.” —Michka Assayas, (from Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas)
Assayas is an author best known for his book of interviews with the famous musician, Bono.
(Talking about your feelings is one of the tiny ways to make your partner feel loved.)
Timeless wisdom
“We never get enough of falling in love and believing in love.” —Shemar Moore
Moore is an actor and former fashion model who also has a way with words.
(Try this 30-second habit that could improve your relationship in one day.)
The long haul
“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” —Mignon McLaughlin
McLaughlin, an American journalist who worked for Vogue and Glamour, highlights the importance of always putting effort into your partnership.
(Check out how relationship researchers explain the biggest myths about a good marriage.)
Risky business
“Don’t you be so nice to me; I fall in love so easily.” —Waylon Jennings, “I Fall In Love So Easily”
The lyrics to “I Fall In Love So Easily,” from American singer and songwriter Waylon Jennings, express how falling in love is sometimes a little too easy.
The great release
“All love stories are tales of beginnings. We go to the beginning, to pinpoint the moment of freefall.” —Meghan O’Rourke
Poets have a way with words, especially when it comes to love—and O’Rourke is no exception.
(If you’re unlucky in love, read these positive thinking quotes from other poets and authors.)
That magic moment
“She wasn’t exactly sure when it happened. Or even when it started. All she knew for sure was that right here and now, she was falling hard and she could only pray that he was feeling the same way.”—Nicholas Sparks, (from Safe Haven)
Leave it to renowned romance author Sparks for love quotes that remind you how you should feel in relationships.
(Here are the factors linked to successful relationships, according to science.)
You can do this
“Falling for him would be like cliff diving. It would be either the most exhilarating thing that ever happened to me or the stupidest mistake I’d ever make.” —Colleen Houck, (from Tiger’s Curse)
Houck’s fantasy romance novel hits the nail on the head with this love quote.
(Some relationships aren’t meant to last forever. Here are the signs your relationship is heading for a breakup.)
Scary but worth it
“You will always fall in love and it will always be like having your throat cut, just that fast.” —Catherynne M. Valente, (from Deathless)
Valente’s historical science fiction novel features everything from devils to witches and yes, even love.
(Love can be scary, so are these unusual phobias you didn’t know to exist.)
Your other half
“Falling in love is very real, but I used to shake my head when people talked about soulmates, poor deluded individuals grasping at some supernatural ideal not intended for mortals but sounded pretty in a poetry book. Then, we met, and everything changed. The cynic has become the converted; the skeptic, an ardent zealot.” —E.A. Bucchianeri, (from Brushstrokes of a Gadfly)
The coming-of-age story, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly, also includes some love quotes to remind you that love is real and you deserve it.
Perfect imperfection
“This thing about you that you think is your flaw—it’s the reason I’m falling in love with you.” —Colleen Hoover, (from Slammed)
Hoover is a best-selling author of romance, thriller, and women’s fiction.
(Don’t let perfectionism get in the way of you and true love.)
The fastest slow burn
“I was falling. Falling through time and space and stars and sky and everything in between. I fell for days and weeks and what felt like a lifetime across lifetimes. I fell until I forgot I was falling.” —Jess Rothenberg, (from The Catastrophic History of You and Me)
Rothenberg is a writer and freelance editor who worked on editing the international bestselling Vampire Academy series.
Any second now
“Maybe it’s just hiding somewhere. Or gone on a trip to come home. But falling in love is always a pretty crazy thing. It might appear out of the blue and just grab you. Who knows—maybe even tomorrow.” —Haruki Murakami, (from Sputnik Sweetheart)
Murakami is a best-selling Japanese writer whose work has been translated into 50 languages.
(Here are the secrets of naturally charming people.)
Out of control
“When you fall in love, the natural thing to do is give yourself to it. That’s what I think. It’s just a form of sincerity.” —Haruki Murakami, (from Norwegian Wood)
Give yourself to love and love will give itself back to you.
Greatest gift of all
“It’s a blessed thing to love and feel loved in return.” —E.A. Bucchianeri, (from Brushstrokes of a Gadfly)
Count your blessings if you’ve ever felt in love.
Smart love
“To fall in love with someone’s thoughts—the most intimate, splendid romance.” —Sanober Kahn
Kahn is a freelance writer and poet based in Mumbai.
Just as you are
“I fell in love with his unchanging soul.” —Claudia Gray, (from A Thousand Pieces of You)
The young-adult mystery by Gray might focus on discovering the truth, but it also highlights love.
Keep loving
“Falling in love is easy. Falling in love with the same person repeatedly is extraordinary.” —Crystal Woods, (from Write Like No One Is Reading)
Woods might be a contemporary humor writer, but her love quote is no joke.
(Here are some relationship lies you should always avoid.)
The road less traveled
“No one ever fell in love gracefully.” —Connie Brockway, (from The Bridal Season)
Brockway is a New York Times and USAToday bestselling author known for her historical romance novels.
(Don’t miss these body-positive love quotes that will help you remember all bodies are beautiful.)
Nature made
“Have you ever watched a leaf leave a tree? It falls upward first, and then it drifts toward the ground, just as I find myself drifting towards you.” —Beth Kephart, (from Undercover)
Kephart is the author of both memoirs and young adult fiction, many of which touch on the subject of falling in love.
(Nature lovers take note, these are the benefits of spending time outside.)
One tough job
“I have flown and fallen, and I have swum deep and drowned, but there should be more to love than ‘I survived it.'” —Lisa Mantchev, (from So Silver Bright)
Mantchev’s young adult fantasy trilogy actually touches on the realities of love and relationships.
The question
“Am I falling in love? She thought, is it safe to do so with this man? She thought I don’t need to answer.” —Freya North, (from Chances)
North is an author who loves strong, original characters like those in her novel, Chances.
Embrace the fear
“Falling in love is a wonderfully terrifying sensation.” —Steve Maraboli
Maraboli, a speaker and author, put it simply with this love quote.
(Fear of love is more common than you think, but not quite as common as these 10 things that scare people.)
Don’t give up
“Waiting for you is as delightful as waiting for sunset.” —Kamand Kojouri
Kojouri is a writer and poet known for her poems about love as well as her historical novel.
(The right person is worth waiting for, but you should be proactive about achieving your relationship goals. Read these self-motivational quotes to help you get started.)
Made with love
“I fell in love and then I became love.” —Kamand Kojouri
Falling in love quotes can bring romance into a relationship.
Flying high
“This is like telling a person who has leapt off a cliff to be careful. I am already in midair.” —Christina Baker Kline, (from A Piece Of The World)
Baker is a New York Times bestselling author of eight novels.
(Take a leap of faith an achieve your goals with this scientifically-proven motivation technique.)
Destiny at first sight
“When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew.” —Arrigo Boito
This love quote comes from famous Boito, a famous Italian poet.
(Love quotes make you smile, and so does this simple happiness habit.)
Follow your heart
“Falling in love consists merely in uncorking the imagination and bottling the common sense.”—Helen Rowland
Rowland was an American journalist best known for her column in the New York World newspaper called “Reflections of a Bachelor Girl.”
Tale as old as time
“I loved her for so long. Our past trails behind us like a comet’s tail, the future stretched out before us like the universe. Things happen. People get lost and love breaks.” —Jonathan Tropper, (from This Is Where I Leave You)
Trooper is an author based in Westchester, New York where he also teaches writing at Manhattanville College.
Let it happen
“The emotion that can break your heart is sometimes the very one that heals it.” —Nicholas Sparks, (from At First Sight)
Sparks and his romance novels have the best falling in love quotes.
(Going through a breakup is tough, crying it out could be beneficial.)
No turning back
“We walked to meet each other up at the time of our love and then we have been irresistibly drifting in different directions, and there’s no altering that.” —Leo Tolstoy, (from Anna Karenina)
Tolstoy was a Russian writer most known for Anna Karenina and War and Peace, which are considered two of the greatest novels of all time.
The good stuff
“When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one’s self, and one always ends by deceiving others. That is what the world calls a romance.” —Oscar Wilde, (from The Picture of Dorian Gray)
Wilde was a poet, playwright, and novelist best known for The Picture of Dorian Gray.
(You can be in love without dismissing your own needs and self-care.)
Trust the process
“If it is right, it happens—the main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away.” —John Steinbeck
In a letter to his teenage son, Steinbeck, a renowned author, wrote about falling in love. He gave relationship advice to his lovesick teen son.
(Here’s what happens to your body when you actually relax.)
Don’t ask why
“You don’t love because: you love despite; not for the virtues, but despite the faults.” —William Faulkner
Faulkner was a Nobel Prize-winning American novelist, poet, and occasional screenwriter known for his reputation as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.
Believe in timing
“I have learned not to worry about love, but to honor its coming with all my heart.” —Alice Walker, (from Revolutionary Petunias)
Walker is an award-winning author who became the first Black woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for fiction with her novel The Color Purple.
(Although there’s no right or wrong time to fall in love, there is a better time to make love, according to research.)
No doubt
“I was about half in love with her by the time we sat down. That’s the thing about girls. Every time they do something pretty… you fall half in love with them, and then you never know where the hell you are.” —J.D. Salinger, (from Catcher In The Rye)
Salinger is known for his novel Catcher In The Rye, as well as his reclusive nature.
(If you’re doubting yourself and your love life, read these ways to stop the negative self-talk.)
Only love
“Love loves to love love.” —James Joyce
Joyce is an Irish novelist and poet best known for Ulysses, where this love quote is from originally.
(Sharing love quotes are romantic, but here are 12 more tiny ways that you can remind your spouse that you love them.)
Old faithful
“Love is the voice under all silences, the hope which has no opposite in fear; the strength so strong mere force is feebleness: the truth more first than sun, more last than star.” —E.E. Cummings
Cummings poetry’ is unique and experimental.
Be kind
“A loving heart is the truest wisdom.” —Charles Dickens
Dickens, a British novelist from the Victorian era, is still considered a literary genius for his works including Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, and A Christmas Carol.
(Kindness extends to yourself, too. So make sure you know how to be nicer to yourself.)
Choose love
“Love is the answer to everything. It’s the only reason to do anything. If you don’t write stories you love, you’ll never make it. If you don’t write stories that other people love, you’ll never make it.” —Ray Bradbury
Bradbury is an American novelist known mostly for his work, Fahrenheit 451.
It works
“There is no remedy for love but to love more.” —Henry David Thoreau
Thoreau, one of the great American authors, is best known for his book, Walden.
Many chapters
“Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up.” —James Baldwin
Baldwin is an author who was a vital literary voice during the Civil Rights movement.
(If you like Baldwin’s work, you should read these powerful quotes that speak volumes in the fight against racism.)
Shared path
“To get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with.” —Mark Twain
Twain, an American writer and lecturer, is known for his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
