I was alternately bored to tears and completely fascinated by this book. And it took me forever to read. But in the end, it was a highly enlightening endeavor.

Explaining love in terms of evolutionary imperatives and chemical reactions isn't exactly romantic, but makes so much sense. I was disappointed, though, that while Ackerman touched on many of the "hows" and "whys" of love, one lingering question was not answered: Why are we attracted to one person over another? What exactly sets those chemical reactions off?

And finally, a note for parents: Ackerman not only explains romantic love, but also gives insight to parental love and the kind of love a child needs to thrive.