We go on dates thinking that person is our future husband or wife without getting to know them as we live in a fantasy and an illusion of romance.

I think romance is friendship and attraction sort of meeting together and that does influence what I'm writing a lot. I try to establish the attraction obviously but I also think it's important to show the characters having actual conversations about things other than their feelings for each other - and to develop their friendship on the page.

I will never forget experiencing Venice for the first time. It feels like you are transported to another time - the art music food and pure romance in the air is like no other place.

We tend to connect bad food and bad habits with romance and sex.

Wine like food is so emotional. If you think about it so much of the courting ritual is surrounded by wine and food. There's a built-in romance to wine.

I approached everything my job my family my romances with intensity.

I'm not a romantic. In life I didn't have much experience with romance.

American culture is torn between our long romance with violence and our terror of the devastation wrought by war and crime and environmental havoc.

Deep down I'm a Texas girl looking for that big romance every girl dreams about. Biologically I look forward to being a cornerstone of a family. I'll be in my glory when I have a child on my knee.

I'm not cynical about marriage or romance. I enjoyed being married. And although being single was fun for a while there was always the risk of dating someone who'd owned a lunch box with my picture on it.