Love Letter: Am I too anxious for love?
Plus, some singles are prioritizing their hobbies.
Love Letter
August 14, 2026

Is a packed social calendar the new relationship goals? For some singles, that seems to be the case, as they prioritize their hobbies over their dating lives. They’re ditching hookups for “hobbyamory.”

Click the link below to read more about why people are putting their newfound passions first. You’ll also find a story highlighting a debate over bathhouses in New York and another about a sexy magazine’s new era.

P.S. Know someone who needs a Love Letter? Forward today’s newsletter.

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Lisa Kimura

Love Life or Social Life?

For some singles, “hobbyamory” has replaced hookups.

The smiling couple stands in front of the gilded doors of San Francisco’s City Hall. The bride, left, holds up a bouquet of flowers in one hand. Her other hand holds up the arm of the groom, right, who looks at the bride and is dressed in a gray suit.

Arrowood Photography

Adversaries to Lovers

They fell in love across two sides of a bargaining table.

An illustration of woman facing a man who's leaning against a truck while holding a large lighted matchstick.

Brian Rea

A New Lease on Life

My light was out. He turned it on.

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Illustration by Brian Rea

The “Modern Love” Podcast

Am I too anxious for love?

Several men lounge together with towels around their waists in a black-and-white photo from the 1970s.

Pierre Venant/WWD/Penske Media, via Getty Images

Up For Debate

Should N.Y. bathhouses be allowed to offer space for sex?

MORE STORIES ABOUT LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

Cristiano Ronaldo, in a yellow and blue shirt holds a microphone, smiling. Beside him, Georgina Rodríguez, with dark hair and a black top, looks ahead.

Celebrity Wedding

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez married.

An illustration of two hands drawing with pencils. A right hand draws a squiggly red line, while, below it, a left hand draws a row of straight red lines.

An Extra Hand?

Our son is striking out on dating apps. Should we hire a matchmaker?

A slightly tilted photo of a man in a white suit, left, turned to and kissing a man in a brown suit with glasses, right. They stand on a piece of brown fabric in a forest with fir trees in the background.

Change of Plans

As they read their vows, orange ash dusted their hair.

Truth Hurts ...

The creators of VHS dates are ready to come clean.

A stack of magazines with a photo of a mouth around a brown egg on the cover.

New Era!

The sexy magazine you really will read for the articles.

Claire Doty, wearing a white short-sleeve top that is tied together at her waist, is sitting in a sunlit park with trees and grass in the background.

On a Budget

One of them was unemployed. Could they afford to date?

A yellow-and-black illustration of a man and a dog lying on the beach. They are both reading.

Tiny Love Stories

“My mother was out of town. We ended up in her bed.”

A woman in a black dress and blonde hair, far left, stands next to the bride, right, who is dressed in a white mermaid gown with a fur shawl. She holds dark calla lilies in one hand. To her right are two people dressed in black suits. A line of fir trees can be seen behind them.

Downsizing

Do you really need a big wedding party?

Warm your heart with our best stories on love, sex and relationships. Some will make you cry. Some might make you blush.

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