love affair

love affair (plural love affairs)

1. An affair; a usually adulterous relationship between people who are not married to each other.

   He was involved in a love affair with a married woman.

2. A feeling of enthusiasm or strong liking for something; a fondness.

   I've always had a love affair with stamps.

   • 2011 February 12, Phil McNulty, “Man Utd 2 - 1 Man City”, in BBC‎:

     And if his love affair with Old Trafford was strained by the saga of his demand to leave earlier this season, the bond was rekindled as United claimed a vital victory.

   • 2023 March 8, Howard Johnston, “Was Marples the real railway wrecker?”, in RAIL, number 978, page 53:

     Also in 1955 came the paralysing two-week ASLEF pay strike, which did even more to end the love affair between the railways and its regular customers.

• have an affair
• love connection