--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This,” Alaric explained to Sarah in what…" description: "\"“This,” Alaric explained to Sarah in what he thought was a kindly voice, “isn’t love you’re feeling. Only dopamine. Because Felix isn’t like anyone els..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/meg-cabot-460_comedy-humor_this-alaric-explained-to-sarah-in-what-h_2427791.png" --- # This,” Alaric explained to Sarah in what he thought was a… ![“This,” Alaric explained to Sarah in what he thought was a kindly voice, “isn’t love you’re feeling. Only dopamine. Because Felix isn’t like anyone else you know. Being a creature of the night, he’s new and exciting and activates a neurotransmitter in your brain that releases feelings of euphoria…” quote by Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/meg-cabot-460_comedy-humor_this-alaric-explained-to-sarah-in-what-h_2427791.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/meg-cabot-460_comedy-humor_this-alaric-explained-to-sarah-in-what-h_2427791.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/meg-cabot-460_comedy-humor_this-alaric-explained-to-sarah-in-what-h_2427791.png) > ““This,” Alaric explained to Sarah in what he thought was a kindly voice, “isn’t love you’re feeling. Only dopamine. Because Felix isn’t like anyone else you know. Being a creature of the night, he’s new and exciting and activates a neurotransmitter in your brain that releases feelings of euphoria when you’re around him…especially because you know you can never actually be together, and he seems complicated, and perhaps even sensitive and vulnerable at times. But I can assure you: he’s anything but.” “How dare you?” Sarah demanded hotly. “It isn’t dopa…whatever! It’s love! Love!”” [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love can be confused with chemical attraction, especially when the object is mysterious and unattainable, leading to mistaken feelings. **In simple terms:** Attraction can feel like love but may just be dopamine. Key Takeaway Question feelings versus chemistry. Themes romance psychology misinterpretation Mood conflicted curious Type literary dialogue When to use this quote - teen romance - unrequited love - dangerous attraction Key Concepts Neurochemistry attachment theory Questions to Reflect On - What evidence distinguishes genuine love from dopamine-driven infatuation? - How does unavailability intensify attraction? A Different Perspective Feelings may be fleeting when based only on novelty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy-humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy-humor/) [Dopa Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dopa-love-240883/) [Dopamine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dopamine/) [Dopamine Felix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dopamine-felix-240881/) [Feeling Dopamine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-dopamine-240882/) [Feelings Euphoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings-euphoria-240885/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Isn Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isn-love/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Vampires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vampires/) ## Related quotes > [My psychiatrist prescribed a game of golf as an antidote to the feelings of euphoria I experience from time to time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lansky/my-psychiatrist-prescribed-a-game-of-golf-as-an-antidote-to-the/) [Bruce Lansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lansky/) > [“Each happy chemical triggers a different good feeling. Dopamine produces the joy of finding what you seek– the “Eureka! I got it!” feeling. Endorphin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-graziano-breuning/each-happy-chemical-triggers-a-different-good-feeling-dopamine/) [Loretta Graziano Breuning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-graziano-breuning/) > [“Because I was a shy and awkward child, I used humour to deflect attention. It was a controlling mechanism. Because I could use it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-tate/because-i-was-a-shy-and-awkward-child-i-used-humour-to-deflect-2/) [Catherine Tate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-tate/) > [“There is no reason to hate anybody, because we came into existence, not by hate-making, but through love-making.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/there-is-no-reason-to-hate-anybody-because-we-came-into-existence-not/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Rivera rubbed his temples. "Satan told you to do it?" he said wearily. "No." "Elvis?" "I told you, it's supernatural.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/rivera-rubbed-his-temples-satan-told-you-to-do-it-he-said-wearily-no/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“One day, scientists will overtake LIGHT and crash into the DARKNESS.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mcdermott/one-day-scientists-will-overtake-light-and-crash-into-the-darkness/) [Paul McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mcdermott/) > [“I despise Wednesdays! They are the Marquis de Sade of the work week. Wednesday are so awful that...wait..what? It's Thurs? (face-palm)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-g-a-mcintyre/i-despise-wednesdays-they-are-the-marquis-de-sade-of-the-work-week/) [L.G.A. McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-g-a-mcintyre/) > [“If you drink anymore, you're going to be positively flammable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-haze/if-you-drink-anymore-you-re-going-to-be-positively-flammable/) [Michaela Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-haze/) > [A stitch in time saves uncontrollable blood loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-haynes/a-stitch-in-time-saves-uncontrollable-blood-loss/) [Simon Haynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-haynes/) > [“The Wolf snarled, tensing his muscles, as if he wished he could climb the tree after the feline. "One day I will catch you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/the-wolf-snarled-tensing-his-muscles-as-if-he-wished-he-could-climb/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [“The table was covered with food like roast chicken, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, roast turkey, roast liquorice and, the centrepiece, a roasted knight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-zapple/the-table-was-covered-with-food-like-roast-chicken-roast-potatoes/) [Elias Zapple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-zapple/) > [“I like to think I'm not stupid often, tonight proves that when I am, I do it in a big way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-renee-jones/i-like-to-think-i-m-not-stupid-often-tonight-proves-that-when-i-am-i/) [Lisa Renee Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-renee-jones/) > [“Blake looked around and gulped. He'd forgotten about the mess on the floor. Chamber pot shards, his shaving kit, a towel or two... "I...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/blake-looked-around-and-gulped-he-d-forgotten-about-the-mess-on-the/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [“Frank: Dude. Bro. I'm not wearing underwear. Is it nippley outside?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-french/frank-dude-bro-i-m-not-wearing-underwear-is-it-nippley-outside/) [Ren French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-french/) > [“Answering the question 'How would you like to smell?' by saying 'I'd rather I didn't' is also no longer acceptable. It's not playing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/answering-the-question-how-would-you-like-to-smell-by-saying-i-d/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) ## More by Meg Cabot > [And I like a good horror story as much as the next person so long as they kill off some men too and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/and-i-like-a-good-horror-story-as-much-as-the-next-person-so-long-as/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [My family, they're story tellers. My mom is Irish, and my dad is Italian. In my family, we weren't allowed to watch TV while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/my-family-they-re-story-tellers-my-mom-is-irish-and-my-dad-is-italian/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgement that something is more important than fear; The brave may not live forever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-rather-the-judgement-that/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“No one has ever died of embarrassment-never, not once in the whole history of time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/no-one-has-ever-died-of-embarrassment-never-not-once-in-the-whole/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [What's the point? was my attitude. We're all just going to die and then NOT be let on the boat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/what-s-the-point-was-my-attitude-we-re-all-just-going-to-die-and-then/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Meg Cabot is the best author ever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/meg-cabot-is-the-best-author-ever/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [oh my god, she said are you going to be reasonable about this?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/oh-my-god-she-said-are-you-going-to-be-reasonable-about-this/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Nikki "Brandon's never hurt anyone. He's competely sweet and adorable." I choked a little on the sip of sparkling water I'k just swallowed. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/nikki-brandon-s-never-hurt-anyone-he-s-competely-sweet-and-adorable-i/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“Very little in life if fair, Susannah”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/very-little-in-life-if-fair-susannah/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“Of course it’s real, you bloody git,” Frank said to the young man behind the fruit cart, who had apparently questioned the legitimacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/of-course-it-s-real-you-bloody-git-frank-said-to-the-young-man-behind/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Strong female characters - even if they don't necessarily make the same decisions that we might - make such great narrative material, especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/strong-female-characters-even-if-they-don-t-necessarily-make-the-same/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“Communication goes two ways. Somebody has to talk. And somebody has to listen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/communication-goes-two-ways-somebody-has-to-talk-and-somebody-has-to/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“Cal: “I’m not presuming. I know exactly what you think about me. You think I’m an anal-retentive Armrest Nazi . . . an arrogant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/cal-i-m-not-presuming-i-know-exactly-what-you-think-about-me-you/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [High school sucks. People who say those were the best years of your life - those people are liars... Who wants the best years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/high-school-sucks-people-who-say-those-were-the-best-years-of-your/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [And try to remember what we discussed, Susannah. A mediator is someone who helps others resolve conflicts. Not someone who, er, kicks them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/and-try-to-remember-what-we-discussed-susannah-a-mediator-is-someone/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) [Explore all 532 Meg Cabot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) ## More Comedy-humor quotes > [“Answering the question 'How would you like to smell?' by saying 'I'd rather I didn't' is also no longer acceptable. It's not playing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/answering-the-question-how-would-you-like-to-smell-by-saying-i-d/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“Frank: Dude. Bro. I'm not wearing underwear. Is it nippley outside?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-french/frank-dude-bro-i-m-not-wearing-underwear-is-it-nippley-outside/) [Ren French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-french/) > [“Blake looked around and gulped. He'd forgotten about the mess on the floor. 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"One day I will catch you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/the-wolf-snarled-tensing-his-muscles-as-if-he-wished-he-could-climb/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [A stitch in time saves uncontrollable blood loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-haynes/a-stitch-in-time-saves-uncontrollable-blood-loss/) [Simon Haynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-haynes/) > [“If you drink anymore, you're going to be positively flammable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-haze/if-you-drink-anymore-you-re-going-to-be-positively-flammable/) [Michaela Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-haze/) > [“I despise Wednesdays! They are the Marquis de Sade of the work week. Wednesday are so awful that...wait..what? It's Thurs? (face-palm)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-g-a-mcintyre/i-despise-wednesdays-they-are-the-marquis-de-sade-of-the-work-week/) [L.G.A. 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Being a creature of the night, he’s new and exciting and activates a neurotransmitter in your brain that releases feelings of euphoria when you’re around him…especially because you know you can never actually be together, and he seems complicated, and perhaps even sensitive and vulnerable at times. But I can assure you: he’s anything but.” “How dare you?” Sarah demanded hotly. “It isn’t dopa…whatever! It’s love! Love!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Meg Cabot" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/this-alaric-explained-to-sarah-in-what-he-thought-was-a-kindly-voice/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy-humor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/this-alaric-explained-to-sarah-in-what-he-thought-was-a-kindly-voice/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/meg-cabot-460_comedy-humor_this-alaric-explained-to-sarah-in-what-h_2427791.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/meg-cabot-460_comedy-humor_this-alaric-explained-to-sarah-in-what-h_2427791.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/meg-cabot-460_comedy-humor_this-alaric-explained-to-sarah-in-what-h_2427791.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This,” Alaric explained to Sarah in what he thought was a kindly voice, “isn’t love you’re feeling. 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