Valentine’s Day, Galentine’s Day, Singles Awareness Day, and Friendship Day (if you’re in Finland) are traditionally when many of us start looking for ways to say, “I love you.” And happily, there are a great many beautifully penned examples out there already, including some of my favourite literary quotes about love. Not all love sayings come from books though, there are some fabulous love quotes from movies too. Regular readers will know I do love a good quote round up, so here are my 30 top love picks from across the genres for your delectation and delight.
Literary Quotes About Love and Love Quotes From Movies
As a freelance content writer/copywriter, I’m a firm believer in repurposing content that’s performed well over time. And if someone else has already said something that works brilliantly, so much the better, I’m very happy to borrow it too. Obviously only with full accreditation, as is right and proper though. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some beautiful literary quotes about love. Thank me later, and happy repurposing to you too in the meantime.
8 Romantic Love Quotes From Books
I believe some of the best love quotes from literature are the ones that, when you read them, you think, YES. They absolutely encapsulate how being in love makes you feel, and how you view the one you love. M L Stedman says it perfectly – at least that’s how it was for me. And Ursula Le Guin reminds us that love takes work, you shouldn’t and can’t take it for granted.
“I would rather one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.” – J R R Tolkein, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
“When I first saw you, I felt like I knew you, and I couldn’t stop seeing my life with you, and building a family together.” — M L Stedman, The Light Between Oceans
“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.” ― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” ― Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land
“You don’t love someone because they’re perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they’re not.” ― Jodi Picoult, My Sister’s Keeper
“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” ― Ursula K. Le Guin, The Lathe of Heaven
“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” – Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights
“If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever.” ― Alfred Tennyson, Queen Mary
7 Quotes from Love Poems and Romantic Quotes from Plays
No collection of quotes about love would be complete without a healthy sprinkling of William Shakespeare (as relevant today as ever). And I adore Oscar Wilde’s sly nudge about some healthy self-love too.
“Of the very instant that I saw you, Did my heart fly at your service.” – William Shakespeare, The Tempest
“Doubt that the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move his aides, Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love.” – William Shakespeare, Hamlet
“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” – William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde, An Ideal Husband
Love is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination. – Voltaire
If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. If they don’t, they never were.” ― Kahlil Gibran
“Love is when he gives you a piece of your soul, that you never knew was missing.” — Torquato Tasso
7 Love Quotes From Movies
I defy anyone’s throat not to tighten when they watch Will say farewell to Viola in Shakespeare in Love. And romantic movie quotes aside, dizzy little Dory’s words of wisdom at the end of Finding Nemo are spot on about the comfort of true love.
“You will never age for me, nor fade, nor die.” — Shakespeare In Love
“When you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” — When Harry Met Sally
“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return.” – Moulin Rouge. This quote originally comes from the song “Nature Boy” written by Nat King Cole in 1948, and was later covered by David Bowie for the movie.
“The hardest thing is loving someone and then having the courage to let them love you back.” – The Wedding Date
“It’s like in that moment the whole universe existed just to bring us together.” – Serendipity
“Love is putting someone else’s needs before yours.” – Frozen
“When I look at you, I can feel it. I look at you and I’m home.” — Finding Nemo
7 Songs and Sayings About Love
I grew up listening to Elvis as both my parents were huge fans, so at least one love quote from the King was always going to be in my favourites list. And I don’t know who said the last quote but isn’t it perfect? An all-consuming love that sustains, nourishes, and gives us life.
“Like a river flows surely to the sea, darling so it goes, some things are meant to be. Take my hand, take my whole life too, for I can’t help falling in love with you.” – Elvis Presley
“Never love anyone who treats you like you’re ordinary.” – Oscar Wilde
“The real lover is the man who can thrill you by kissing your forehead or smiling into your eyes or just staring into space.” ― Marilyn Monroe
“Love doesn’t make the world go ’round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” – Franklin P. Jones
“To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.” – David Viscott
“Love is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell.” – Joan Crawford
“Thinking of you keeps me awake. Dreaming of you keeps me asleep. Being with you keeps me alive.” – Unknown
My Favourite of All The Literary Quotes About Love
Returning to Shakespeare again, who wrote his plays to be performed by a troupe of actors he knew well. And to be performed for sophisticated Elizabethan and Jacobean audiences who would spot all allusions, puns, and references.
Just like this sonnet embedded in the text of Romeo and Juliet, the prelude to their first kiss. Iambic pentameter, stanzas, rhyming couplets, and all in just 14 lines, spoken by two individual voices. It’s quite simply beautiful, don’t you think?
And that concludes my top 30 gorgeous literary quotes about love, including a healthy sprinkling of love quotes from movies, poems, plays, songs, and sayings. Which one did you like best? Will you be penning a few words to show your love on Valentine’s Day, Galentine’s Day, Singles Awareness Day, or Friendship Day? Have you got a favourite love quote I’ve not included here?
This is one truly fabulous list of quotes. You’ve included so many of my favorites, including the ones from Elvis and Tolkien. I hope you have a wonderful week!!
Thank you, Heidi, glad you like my choices!
These are so lovely! You’ve picked out some wonderful quotes. I like the Shakespeare ones particularly.
Claire.X
http://www.clairemac.co.uk
Thank you – always happy to find a fellow Shakespeare fan x
I love your quote blog posts, Lisa! So simple but so inspiring. Sometimes all you need is a good quote to sum up exactly how you’re feeling. There are some excellent ones here – I feel like there will always be wonderful quotes about love because it’s timeless and universal.
Ah, thank you, Jenny! So pleased you like them – and yes, you’re right, one good quote is very powerful 🙂
Love all these lovely love quotes. My current favorite love quote is, “Every part of you is made for me to love.” It’s from a historical romance novel written by Lisa Kleypas. The novel is titled Marrying Winterborne. Just sharing.
Oh that’s a gorgeous quote, Fadima, so romantic! Thank you for adding to this list 🙂
I’m thrilled you included a quote from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, one of my lifetime favorite books (and movies). For my bachelor’s degree, I studied English literature, and William Shakespeare’s quotes are always beautiful!
Oh that’s wonderful, I’m so happy to find a fellow Tolkein enthusiast and Shakespeare fan – I studied English and Drama at college, so these things do stay with you 🙂
These are great quotes and love the meaning behind these quotes. I love reading quotes as a reminders. Thank you for sharing!
Glad you liked them 🙂
These are all so beautiful. Some I’ve heard, others I haven’t. My personal favorite is the one from John Green.
Yes, that’s a beautiful one, really evocative.
This was great! I love that Dory made the list.
Ha, I know, I couldn’t not include her!
Love these quotes. As someone who has books & writing running through my blood, these words have made me feel the love!
Ah, that’s lovely to hear, thank you so much!
So perfect and just in time for Valentine’s Day! I absolutely adore LOTR as well as Shakespeare! His quotes and the way he describes love really is incredible!
Yes, I do think Shakespeare sets the bar, it’s impossible not to get caught up when you hear his lines spoken really well 🙂
These are absolutely beautiful. Very romantic.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed the post.
Thank you for sharing! I know a few of these ones from my reading, but some of them are beautiful x
Thank you, Eleanor, they really are 🙂 x
A beautiful collection quotes that inspire love that I would keep for future reference.
Thank you, John, that’s very kind.
oh great quotes here. I really enjoyed reading them. Thanks for sharing Lisa 😊
Glad you enjoyed them, Disha, thank you 🙂
Some beautiful literary quotes about love. Some of these are classics and some I haven’t heard of before x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Thank you, Lucy, glad you like them! x
These are some awesome quotes, the tolkein quote is my favourite and one that I really enjoy! Brilliant post as always Lisa x
This is one of my absolute favourites too, thank you, Kayleigh! x
A beautiful collection quotes that inspire love,My personal favorite is the one from John Green. Thanks for sharing.
That is a lovely one, isn’t it? Thank you 🙂
Some beautiful literary quotes about love. Some of these are classics and some I haven’t heard of before.
Thank you – some of them were new to me as well, always a nice surprise.
Amazing quotes, a great idea for Instagram captions too
Thank you, and yes, I agree )
Feeling all the love here! Oscar Wilde’ no ordinary is a firm fave. And that Joan Crawford’S popped.
Joan Crawford knew her stuff, didn’t she!
This is a lovely compilation of quotes! I think my favorite is “to love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance” because it highlights the importance of lasting self-love and it reminds me of RuPaul’s quote “if you can’t love yourself, how the hell you gonna love somebody else?”
Oh that’s great, I hadn’t heard the Ru Paul quote, but he/she is spot on!