The year 2021 was a watershed moment for modern romance. It was a year defined by a collective emotional hangover from the isolation of 2020, resulting in a chaotic, tender, and often desperate rush to feel something real. If 2020 was the year of the pause, 2021 was the year of the pendulum swing—oscillating wildly between cautious optimism and reckless abandon.

While some reunited, many others called it quits after years of marriage or high-profile partnerships: Shawn Mendes Camila Cabello