Being in love with someone

There is often a distinction made in prose between "loving" and "in love with". It doesn't always imply reciprocity, but it almost always implies a difference between platonic and romantic love. A person can "love" their sibling, parent, or platonic friend, simply by being closely emotionally attached. The same is true for those with whom you have a romantic relationship. Being "in love with" a person is to be in a state of romantic infatuation with and connection to that person, which would be inappropriate for said siblings, parents, and platonic friends, but just fine for a significant other or spouse.

When differentiating, such as "I love you, but I'm not in love with you", the speaker is stating that he/she is emotionally attached to the other person, but feels no romantic desire.

So, the rule of thumb is: you can love your neighbor and you can love your spouse, but you should be in love with your spouse and not your neighbor.

There is definitely a difference. I love my children, but I'm not "in love" with them.

Being "in love" with someone implies an infatuation usually including strong sexual and/or romantic underpinnings.

Loving someone can be entirely Platonic, i.e. not involving any kind of romantic or sexual interest or desire.

To be "in love" is stating that you are romantically loving that person.

To be "loving someone", this is not so, because a Mother could be loving her child, or good friends could love one another, but not in a romantic way, but a "brotherly" way.

So, next time, if you saw two lovebirds, they would be "in love", but if you saw a mum kissing her baby, she would be "loving her baby".

In love denotes romatic feelings and a mental attachment.

Where loving denotes care but not necessarily romance.

While making love does not require either of the above states.