We use the word love every day.

It’s small, familiar, and (too?) easy to say . . . yet it carries an enormous weight. Love shapes our live, our relationships, our fears, and our hopes. It can heal, divide, inspire, and undo us. It’s one word, with a multitude of meanings.

The ancient Greeks understood this complexity. Instead of trying to contain love in a single word (as we do in English), they explored it along a spectrum, with different words to convey the different ways in whih we connect, care, desire, protect, and belong.

While writing my latest novel, Winter in the High Sierra: A Love Story, I found myself drawn to the idea of writing a tale about love in all its dimensions. And they are all in there!

Now for a game: Can you find these different forms of love woven through the book—in the characters, their relationships, and the choices they make?

These are six expressions of love that helped shape the heart of the book:

• Agape: Selfless, unconditional love, the kind that gives without expecting anything in return.
• Philia: Deep friendship and loyalty, with chosen bonds built on trust and shared values.
• Eros: Passion, desire, and romantic longing, the spark that draws people together.
• Storge: Familiar, enduring love, the steady affection of family—or those affiliations that feel like home.
• Philautia: Love of self, ideally a healthy mix of self-respect and regard.
• Xenia: Hospitality and love for the stranger. Openness, welcome, and unexpected connection.

As you read (or read again, as some of you are doing) Winter in the High Sierra, I invite you to treat it like a kind of treasure hunt:

Can you find these different forms of love woven through the characters, their relationships, and the choices they make?

Love is an ancient, complex, deeply human force. This story explores how it shapes us, challenges us, and sometimes saves us, often in ways we don’t recognize until it’s too late.

Watch the video to learn more, then dive into the book and discover which expression of love speaks most strongly to you.

I’d love to hear what you find.