SWEET NOTHINGS

We’re repurposing these classic romance quotes – no brooding partner required

l “There are moments in a woman’s life when her heart flips in her chest, when the world suddenly seems uncommonly pink and perfect, when a symphony can be heard in the tinkle of a doorbell.”

Bridgerton author Julia Quinn sums up the thrill of seeing the Hermes delivery driver coming up the path.

“I love you. You’re in the very core of my heart. I hold you there like a jewel.”

Greeting even the most casual of acquaintances post-pandemic, inspired by L M Montgomery’s The Blue Castle.

“Each moment that I wait feels like a year, an eternity. Each moment is as slow and transparent as glass. Through each moment I can see infinite moments line up, waiting. Why has he gone where I cannot follow?”

Waiting for your takeaway to arrive when you’re hungry, as recounted by Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler’s Wife.

“You are trying to kidnap what I have rightfully stolen, and I think it quite ungentlemanly.”

When your habit of nicking chips from other people’s plates ends in retaliatory behaviour, let William Goldman’s masterpiece The Princess Bride help you out of a tight spot.