Love Matters A Book of Lesbian Romance and Relationships

Love Matters: A Book of Lesbian Romance and Relationships is a collection of advice columns and personal reflections that will help lesbian couples validate and appreciate their unique relationships. With excerpts taken from the author’s “Love Matters” column in the lesbian newspaper New Phazes, this book explores real-life questions and issues that lesbians have about dating, sex, love, and relationship longevity. From Love Matters, you’ll receive honest, informative advice that can help you and your partner share a more open and fulfilling relationship.Offering support, care, and understanding for lesbian couples, Love Matters seeks to recognize the “new female role” for lesbian women. Using her 15-year long relationship as a basis for many of the responses, the author provides you with suggestions and insight into topics relating to lesbian relationships, such as: keeping sex alive in a long-term relationship handling finances fairly and successfully supporting your partner through the physical, emotional, and spiritual changes caused by menopause identifying the difficulties of dating and what lesbians look for on a date questioning the purpose of and emotions caused by a long-distance relationship realizing how homophobia affects love and relationshipsWhile focusing on the joys and experiences of couples, this book also addresses depression and loneliness felt by single lesbians, break-ups, and the death of a partner. You’ll find that Love Matters offers comfort, hope, and humor that will help you understand the difficulties and rewards of your lesbian relationship.

Contents Acknowledgments  The Beginning Sex Lives Relationship Polarity Finances Breakup Rates Menopause Long-Distance Relationships Dating Forty Secrets for a Happy Relationship The Right Person How to Keep Love Alive Misery Side of Misery/Bliss Ratio Bliss Side of Misery/Bliss Ratio Play Anniversary Story Fair Fighting Death of a Partner Publication of Love Matters Good Enough Relationship Jealousy Depression  Solitude Mothering Singlehood Busyness Saying Good-Bye My Turn My So-Called Ending Bibliography

Linda Sutton, MA, is a feminist psychotherapist in private practice, educator, and consultant in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Throughout her career, she has lectured, written, lobbied, and advocated for issues of concern to women, children, and families. Ms. Sutton is the author and founder of the Love Matters column in the Colorado Springs lesbian newspaper New Phazes, and, with her partner, conducts Love Matters workshops on lesbian relationships.