NEW YORK, USA – Romance just got a rewrite. Dating app Hinge and culture-savvy Dazed Studio unveil No Ordinary Love 2.0 – a sequel to the critically acclaimed campaign that turned real-world dating into a literary affair. This time around, the spotlight swings toward the emotional chaos and magnetic pull of early relationships, told not by marketers, but by celebrated contemporary authors.
In a five-part anthology rolling out weekly on Substack, writers like Hunter Harris, Tomasz Jedrowski, Jen Winston, William Rayfet Hunter, and Upasna Barath tap into the very human, very vulnerable rollercoaster of love. Each piece explores a true Hinge connection, narrated from the dual perspectives of the couple themselves: the miscommunications, the sparks, the hesitations in prose that reads more like a short story collection than a dating campaign.
The stories are
- “Baggage Claim” – Jen Winston (she/they) contrasts the fluster and joy of a freewheeling first date
with the complex realities of co-existing with an ex. - “Going the Distance” – William Rayfet Hunter (they/them) captures a near-missed connection
turned long-distance romance, where clear communication means everything. - “Worth It” – Hunter Harris (she/her) explores the tension of falling in love with someone who
doesn’t initially check every financial box. - “Love and Other Obstacles” – Tomasz Jedrowski (he/him) juxtaposes perception versus reality
when it comes to reading into the first messages – or lack thereof. - “Not Over Yet” – Upasna Barath (she/her) unpacks a stop-start relationship that picks up again
months later after one partner gets the space they need.
“Substack has become a place for meaningful discussions about dating and relationships, so bringing No
Ordinary Love to the platform felt like a natural fit. We want to complement Substack’s community of writers and readers with honest, authentic perspectives on love from exciting literary voices,” said Jackie Jantos, President and Chief Marketing Officer at Hinge. “At Hinge, we’re intentional in sharing useful, inspiring stories that meet daters in the spaces they already are. By flipping between both partners’ perspectives, these real love stories highlight the misreads, overthinking, and unspoken harmony of early dating.”
The anthology will also be printed as a limited-edition hardcover book, produced by Dazed’s in-house
creative and community agency, Dazed Studio. Starting June 2025, the books will be distributed to select in-person book clubs in New York and London, bringing people together to read and connect over the stories.
