To Love

"To Love" by Margaret Peterson is a story about a young woman named Joan Rutherford in the early 1900s, who is figuring out love, freedom, and what society expects from her. The story begins one summer day in Hyde Park when Joan and Gilbert Stanning spend time together. Their relationship is complicated, and Joan questions if her strong feelings stem from true love or just attraction. As Joan thinks about leaving her current life in London and the freedom she’s worked hard to gain, her relationship with Gilbert becomes complicated, particularly when society's disapproval and harsh realities start to weigh on them. The opening reveals love's potential consequences and the challenges of following one's heart against social norms.