" Obviously there are many different kinds of love, including relationships that are difficult and maybe even tortured. So I can appreciate alternative definitions of the the term "love story," but this book stretched that appreciation to the limits. It made me uncomfortable for a majority of the time I was reading it, and not in a good way. I couldn't relate to most of the protagonists, not because some were non-humans, but because the reactions and emotions they had went against what I imagine my natural instincts would be in similar situations. I actually thought the last story (my favorite) featuring the being on a different planet was most relatable. Like other reviewers have noted, a lot of the stories seemed forced, like writing seminar exercises. The narrator's voice was often too stiff and academic. The title story and the secret agent story along with the being story were the exceptions to this critique. Don't read this book expecting to be filled with a warm, fuzzy feeling - these are "love stories" that will leave you feeling cold, empty, sad, and/or helpless. "
— Elaine, 2/17/2014