Love and marriage have changed a lot over the centuries, Tania O'Donnell proves here, as she takes a journey from medieval Courtly Love, through the sexual license of the Restoration, and on to Victorian propriety. In this entertaining and enlightening look at seduction, O'Donnell reveals historical "dating tips": how to court (or be courted), write romantic love letters, give and receive gifts, propose, and pose as a sighing swain. Here too are case studies of classic romantic mistakes and plenty of unusual tales, plus an explanation for why the young men of the 14th century tried to impress the ladies with their footwear, donning shoes with pointed toes so long that they had to be secured with whalebone.