All set for a summer of love?

IT FEELS as if love is in the air. The sunshine, upcoming holidays and evenings spent enjoying drinks on pub terraces all put people in the mood to connect with their partner.

Celebrity love stories are everywhere, too, with Cheryl and Liam Payne loved up with their baby Bear. Then there’s Jools Oliver sharing stories about husband Jamie being romantic and, after his big break-up with Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom has been dating actress Nina Dobrev.

But that doesn’t mean everyone’s relationships are all “fun in the sun”.

Many long-term couples question their love at this time – especially when they arrive at a holiday destination and are flung together for more time than usual.

It’s daunting to discover they might have grown apart.

Also, spotting carefree singles flirting at a friend’s wedding or over the fizz that flows at summer parties doesn’t help. It puts the spotlight on their own longing for a bit more of that spark.

This summer may be a time of reckoning for your relationship.

Take this quiz from relationship expert Dr Pam Spurr and answer the questions honestly to see if things are too hot to handle. @DrPamSpurr

1 Do you and your partner equally put your relationship first? A Yes, we do prioritise it B Not at all, it’s a big problem C Sometimes we prioritise it evenly

2 In childhood, did you have a set role within your family – like “the baby” or “the troublemaker”? A Not really B Definitely C I probably did

3 Does your partner’s family have too much influence on him? A No, my partner’s quite independent B Yes, he can’t breathe without them having an opinion C Sometimes they stick their oar in

4 Do you stay in your relationship because you fear being lonely? A No, that wouldn’t keep me in it B If I’m honest, yes C I don’t like to be lonely but I wouldn’t stay if things got too unhappy in our relationship

5 Would you say the disagreements/arguments you have are “healthy”? A Yes, they tend to clear the air B No, they’re pretty toxic C Sometimes, but some of them are about point scoring

6 Do your attitudes to money clash? A No, we’re very similar about spending and budgeting B Definitely. We seem to fight over money a lot of the time C At times we argue over spending

7 Do you expect your partner to know what you’re feeling inside about something? A No, I accept he’s not a mindreader B Yes, of course he should C Well, he should be able to guess about the important things

8 Are you an only child? A No, I had two or more siblings B Yes C No, I had one sibling

9 Do you consider yourself a “flexible thinker” who can see different sides to an argument or issue? A Yes, I pride myself on looking at all angles B No, I find it hard to understand others’ viewpoints C Sometimes I’m good at seeing things another way

10 Does the use of social media cause stress between you? A No, our use of social media doesn’t affect us B Yes, because I/he can’t resist checking it C At times one of us gets annoyed by it

11 To what degree does romance factor in your relationship? A We’re quite romantic B Nowhere nearly enough C At times I’d like more

12 Do you find it hard to let go of things? A No, I’m good at moving on from things B Yes, especially when he’s annoyed me C I’m pretty good at letting go of things

13 Have you ever been accused of being possessive or jealous? A No, I don’t have a problem with that B Guilty as charged C On a couple of occasions

14 Do you feel let down by your sex life? A No, we’re both satisfied by it B Yes, we have nowhere near enough sex/my partner’s too demanding C There’s room for improvement

15 Do either of you prefer socialising more than the other? A No (or yes, but we’re on top of it) B Yes, it’s a big problem C Yes, sometimes it’s a problem