Love Letter: Life after ‘Love Is Blind’

Plus: Bonding over divorce.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story March 13, 2020

By Charanna Alexander

Netflix’s reality romance show “Love Is Blind” is one of the very few examples of reality TV actually getting it right. We all rooted for Lauren Speed and Cameron Hamilton as we watched them find love, sight unseen, over the course of a 10-day social experiment. The couple, who married in November 2018, broke down the walls for us in an interview. They spoke about why their love is the real deal, surprises after the show, and why Lauren says she might install cameras in their shared bathroom.

LaJoy Cox Photography   Behind the ‘Love Is Blind’ Wall We have questions for Lauren Speed and Cameron Hamilton, everyone’s favorite couple from the Netflix reality show. By Lindsey Underwood

Continue reading the main story

ADVERTISEMENT

For some, the end of a relationship, especially a marriage, can feel like a personal failure. In this week’s Modern Love essay, Dave Valdes reflects on the end of his 21-year marriage. As he and his husband embarked on the journey of untangling their tethered relationship, they began to bond over a shared commitment to splitting amicably.

With the effects of the global pandemic that is the coronavirus still unknown, now is the time to be extra cautious about your personal hygiene habits, especially around others. But what do you do when the biggest offender is actually your spouse (who can’t seem to keep his fingers out of his mouth or off his face)? We can help.

Oh, and don’t forget to wash your hands. Need a tune to help you wash for a full 20 seconds? How about a little help from Whitney?

MODERN LOVE On this week’s Modern Love podcast, Gugu Mbatha-Raw reads Oliver Radclyffe’s moving essay. Brian Rea   Modern Love Podcast: Gugu Mbatha-Raw Reads ‘Recognizing What They Had, 20 Years Too Late’ The “Misbehaviour” star reads an essay about an emotional connection that defies categorization. Brian Rea   Modern Love ‘We Found Our Groove in Splitting Up’ If my husband and I weren’t going to succeed at marriage, then we were going to excel at divorce. By Dave Valdes Brian Rea   Modern Love Tiny Love Stories: ‘Our Second Baby Turned Us Into Business Partners’ Modern Love in miniature, featuring reader-submitted stories of no more than 100 words.

Continue reading the main story

ADVERTISMENT

LOVE AND MARRIAGE Slow and steady to the altar. Johnny Milano for The New York Times   A Leap Into Their First Marriage Rebecca McIntyre and David Corrsin met 34 years ago. They dated for some of those years. But, why rush things? By Tammy La Gorce Regina Rached   Conversations Toward Romance The “just friends” zone ended after a year of talking and listening. By Vincent M. Mallozzi

AT YOUR SERVICE Don’t let the coronavirus come between you and your spouse. Christoph Niemann   SOCIAL Q’S Finger Licking in the Time of Coronavirus We’re in the midst of a global pandemic, but my husband can’t give up the crumbs. By Philip Galanes Illustrations by Charlot Kristensen   5 Wedding Traditions You Can Skip Weddings have evolved and so have the rituals that were once rooted in archaic or sexist practices. By Alix Strauss Madiha Yearwood   Field Notes Creating a Name for Themselves As some married couples seek to join their identities, while also acknowledging they are equals, they are combining surnames or are creating entirely new ones. By Suzannah Weiss

LOVE IN THE NEWS And, a reality love story. Netflix, via Associated Press   On ‘Love Is Blind,’ Love Is Earnest This show is ridiculous. So why do I love Lauren and Cameron so much? By Aisha Harris Chloe Cushman   I’m Going to Die. I May as Well Be Cheerful About It. While death is inevitable, our attitude about it is not. By Mary Pipher Kiersten Essenpreis   The Internet Makes Motherhood Seem Miserable. What if It Isn’t? Scary mom stories filled me with dread. I wish I’d known how delightful I would find having a child. By Kate Shellnutt Kenesha Sneed   Fiction When You Hate Your Neighbor, and Then Your Kids Start Dating Therese Anne Fowler’s new novel, “A Good Neighborhood,” explores volatile issues of race and class in a Southern community. By Kiley Reid

We want to hear from you.

We want to deliver content that truly matters to you and your feedback is helpful. Email your thoughts to loveletter@nytimes.com.

Also, here’s how to submit a Modern Love essay or how to be featured in an Unhitched column. Don’t feel like writing more than a tweet, an Instagram caption or a Facebook post? Consider submitting to Tiny Love Stories, which are no more than 100 words. Getting married? Here’s how to submit a wedding announcement.

Continue reading the main story

Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Love Letter from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The Times |Get The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your Email|Privacy Policy|Contact Us The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018