Stories for Lovers

 Stories for Lovers

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       July 5, 2026

 

Author  Introduction by Lucy Evans.

Distributor:      New South Books
ISBN:                 9780712355537
Publisher:         British Library Publishing
Release Date:   1 May 2026  

   Website:   https://newsouthbooks.com.au/books/stories-for-lovers/

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The British Library has produced this series of “Women Writers of the Twentieth Century. There is a full range of titles available, but this book, Stories for Lovers, focusses on love stories.

The Library wished to share stories written by women who had mastered the ability to write short stories. These were published pieces first appearing in books and periodicals. The relationship with Romantic Fiction rather than the demeaning love stories of the time, is interesting.

Depicted in Stories for Lovers, the selected stories show the glow of early love, the despair of ended love, the bonds of lasting love and the temptations that could interrupt love.

How women reacted and responded to these situations reflects the ideas of the times as well as the customs. These love stories were once seen as guilty pleasures to read, but today complete sections of Libraries and bookstores are taken up by Romance Fiction.

The stories in this volume are arranged from the scale of first love to mature marriages. The early story highlights the lack of understanding a first love can bring, showing the consequences if this inexperienced and youthful passion is allowed to continue. Dorothy Parker has used a ‘’stream of consciousness style’ to tell the story of a young woman waiting for the phone to ring. It is powerful and distressing.

It is fascinating to compare these wonderful women writers and their works to modern love stories. The thinking, the customs, the huge shift in values is very evident and something to reflect on. However, one thing remains the same and that is the masterful and brilliant writing which was their signature.

Fiction, General, Romance