--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Love like that? Hell, it seems so pure…" description: "\"“Love like that? Hell, it seems so pure, it's damn near criminal.”\" — Dennis Lehane" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/571/dennis-lehane-1503_love_love-like-that-hell-it-seems-so-pure-it_2920235.jpg" --- # Love like that? Hell, it seems so pure, it's damn near… ![“Love like that? Hell, it seems so pure, it's damn near criminal.” quote by Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/571/dennis-lehane-1503_love_love-like-that-hell-it-seems-so-pure-it_2920235.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/571/dennis-lehane-1503_love_love-like-that-hell-it-seems-so-pure-it_2920235.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/571/dennis-lehane-1503_love_love-like-that-hell-it-seems-so-pure-it_2920235.jpg) > ““Love like that? Hell, it seems so pure, it's damn near criminal.”” [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes love as so pure it feels almost criminal, highlighting its intensity and potential danger. **In simple terms:** Love can feel dangerously pure. Key Takeaway Cherish love wisely. Themes love purity danger Mood intense cautionary Type literary dramatic When to use this quote - relationships - legal contexts - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts passion moral ambiguity obsession Questions to Reflect On - What makes love feel criminal? - How can intensity be balanced? A Different Perspective Pure love can lead to harmful choices if unchecked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“This was a boy who could make a school uniform look good. What he did to formal wear was damn near criminal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/this-was-a-boy-who-could-make-a-school-uniform-look-good-what-he-did/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/black-as-the-devil-hot-as-hell-pure-as-an-angel-sweet-as-love/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [In this world we live in a mixture of time and eternity. Hell would be pure time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/in-this-world-we-live-in-a-mixture-of-time-and-eternity-hell-would-be/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Run like hell and get the agony over with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/run-like-hell-and-get-the-agony-over-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I learned that if you want to get somewhere, you just make up your mind and work like hell til you get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-hinton/i-learned-that-if-you-want-to-get-somewhere-you-just-make-up-your/) [S. E. Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-hinton/) > [ “\[W\]hat makes earth feel like Hell is our expectation that it should feel like Heaven.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/w-hat-makes-earth-feel-like-hell-is-our-expectation-that-it-should/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“She’s mine, dipshit,” he yelled over his shoulder, wishing like hell that he didn’t like the sound of that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-l-mathewson/she-s-mine-dipshit-he-yelled-over-his-shoulder-wishing-like-hell-that/) [R.L. Mathewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-l-mathewson/) > [What makes earth feel like hell is our expectation that it should feel like heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/what-makes-earth-feel-like-hell-is-our-expectation-that-it-should/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“The road to heaven feels like hell. The road to hell feels like heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genereux-uwabunkonye-philip/the-road-to-heaven-feels-like-hell-the-road-to-hell-feels-like-heaven/) [Genereux Uwabunkonye Philip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genereux-uwabunkonye-philip/) > [He worked like hell in the country so he could live in the city, where he worked like hell so he could live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-marquis/he-worked-like-hell-in-the-country-so-he-could-live-in-the-city-where/) [Don Marquis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-marquis/) > [I hate u like hell coz u hurt me like hell so fuck off boy!!!! :'(](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaza/i-hate-u-like-hell-coz-u-hurt-me-like-hell-so-fuck-off-boy/) Shaza > [“Run like hell because you always need to. Laugh at everything because it's always funny. Never be cruel and never be cowardly. And if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-12th-doctor/run-like-hell-because-you-always-need-to-laugh-at-everything-because/) The 12th Doctor > [I'm still laughing like hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinedown/i-m-still-laughing-like-hell/) [Shinedown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinedown/) > [“Do we have a plan?' 'We fight like hell.' 'Good plan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyxandra-harvey/do-we-have-a-plan-we-fight-like-hell-good-plan/) [Alyxandra Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyxandra-harvey/) > [“Whatever doesn't kill me better run like hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fain-hauk-from-the-league-series/whatever-doesn-t-kill-me-better-run-like-hell/) Fain Hauk from the League Series ## More by Dennis Lehane > [He wondered if this was what clinical depression felt like, a total numbness, a weary lack of hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/he-wondered-if-this-was-what-clinical-depression-felt-like-a-total/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [I held her, he wanted to say, and if I knew for certain that all it would take to hold her again would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/i-held-her-he-wanted-to-say-and-if-i-knew-for-certain-that-all-it/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“Everyone I know lies, breaks their word, and has perfectly legitimate excuses for why they do. Except you. Haven't you ever noticed that? Two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/everyone-i-know-lies-breaks-their-word-and-has-perfectly-legitimate/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“If a man was lucky, he was moving toward something his whole life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/if-a-man-was-lucky-he-was-moving-toward-something-his-whole-life/) [dennis lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“After my daughter was born, I'd considered buying a shotgun to ward off potention suitors fourteen or so years up the road. Now, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/after-my-daughter-was-born-i-d-considered-buying-a-shotgun-to-ward/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“I once again felt an odd flush of admiration for my partner's faith in a religion I had long ago abandoned. She doesn't advertise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/i-once-again-felt-an-odd-flush-of-admiration-for-my-partner-s-faith/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“And she was-definitely-a woman who did not shrink from gauntlets, but stepped up to them, and said, Okay, bring it. Bring your worst. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/and-she-was-definitely-a-woman-who-did-not-shrink-from-gauntlets-but/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“Jimmy looked back over at his wife, and Celeste could feel the tenderest of aches in the look. She could feel another teardrop piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/jimmy-looked-back-over-at-his-wife-and-celeste-could-feel-the/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“She told him that he had the most beautiful voice she'd ever heard, that it sounded like whiskey and wood smoke.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/she-told-him-that-he-had-the-most-beautiful-voice-she-d-ever-heard/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [My daughter squealed again and both Bubba and I winced. It’s not an attractive sound, that. It’s high-pitched and it enters your ear canals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/my-daughter-squealed-again-and-both-bubba-and-i-winced-it-s-not-an/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“It’s been a complicated decade for me.” She”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/it-s-been-a-complicated-decade-for-me-she/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“The only people who ask questions like ‘Did he want to be something besides a bartender?’ are people who can become whatever they want.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/the-only-people-who-ask-questions-like-did-he-want-to-be-something/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“Love, impossible, yet there was no mistaking it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/love-impossible-yet-there-was-no-mistaking-it/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“She blew a stream of smoke up at the empty clotheslines. 'These silly dreams you have when you're young. I mean, what, Katie and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/she-blew-a-stream-of-smoke-up-at-the-empty-clotheslines-these-silly/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“He looked back at the page, got one last glimpse before the match blew itself out. Going to find you today, Andrew. If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/he-looked-back-at-the-page-got-one-last-glimpse-before-the-match-blew/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) [Explore all 231 Dennis Lehane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) ## More Love quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [I love going to Columbia, Missouri. That is a really underrated campus. It shocked me when I went there because I really didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/i-love-going-to-columbia-missouri-that-is-a-really-underrated-campus/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [I fell in love with social work, and that was my undoing as a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rakosi/i-fell-in-love-with-social-work-and-that-was-my-undoing-as-a-poet/) [Carl Rakosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rakosi/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“To be loved by a man, truly loved, made a woman feel as if she could burst. Of course, Lia was strong and could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-anne/to-be-loved-by-a-man-truly-loved-made-a-woman-feel-as-if-she-could/) [Melody Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-anne/) > [So when you take those tears, don't look to see I'm alright. …\*Seal - Violet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/so-when-you-take-those-tears-don-t-look-to-see-i-m-alright-seal-violet/) [Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) [Browse all 233,035 Love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Love like that? Hell, it seems so pure, it's damn near criminal.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dennis Lehane" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/love-like-that-hell-it-seems-so-pure-it-s-damn-near-criminal/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Love" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/love-like-that-hell-it-seems-so-pure-it-s-damn-near-criminal/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/571/dennis-lehane-1503_love_love-like-that-hell-it-seems-so-pure-it_2920235.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/571/dennis-lehane-1503_love_love-like-that-hell-it-seems-so-pure-it_2920235.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/571/dennis-lehane-1503_love_love-like-that-hell-it-seems-so-pure-it_2920235.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Love like that? Hell, it seems so pure, it's damn near criminal.” — Dennis Lehane", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dennis Lehane", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Love like that? Hell, it seems...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/love-like-that-hell-it-seems-so-pure-it-s-damn-near-criminal/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/love-like-that-hell-it-seems-so-pure-it-s-damn-near-criminal/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```