What is the difference between romantic, aromantic love?

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Take sexual attraction out of the picture.

What is the difference between romantic love and aromantic love?

I have not the slightest clue.

can't take sexual attraction out of the picture, as it's the whole difference.

Not true.

I don't think it's true either. At least not for everyone.

I know that asexual people can have romantic relationships that are different from their friendships...I just don't know what the difference is.

I am not asexual but for me sex and love are very different things. I could be perfectly happy in a relationship that involved no sex at all (perhaps happier than the relationships I've been in, where sex and love were inherently, inseparably intertwined for the other person -- which meant that if I wanted to masturbate but not have sex, or if we didn't have sex often enough, they felt rejected or unloved.)

I'm asking about the difference because I think I have felt romantic love for people I have never been sexually attracted to, but I am not sure because I am not sure about the differences between asexual romatic love and friendship love....there are many different types of friendship with different rules/boundaries/roles/expectations influenced by culture and individual needs/wants/preferences, and many different ways that people are affectionate with each other. So I have a hard time understanding where just-friendship ends and romance begins.

Part of the difference has got to be determined by the people involved -- how they define their relationship and feelings for each other....but I'm thinking there are probably some common things that differentiate wanting to be someone's close friend from wanting a non-sexual romantic relationship?

Maybe I should be asking: What parts of an asexual romantic relationship are different from a friendship?

I think sexuality is an important part of romantic relationships, even if it doesn't encompass intercourse. It's a higher level of intimacy.(The sharing of oneself, not the sex itself.)

I personally don't feel the same way about sex (intercourse or otherwise) ... but I do respect your perspective-- it's completely valid.

I'm not trying to debate the importance of sex in relationships -- I don't really see any point in debating it, since the importance of sex in a relationship will vary depending on the people in the relationship.

All I want to know is:

Aside from sexual attraction and sexual activity, what can differentiate romantic-love from friendship-love?

I'm not sure if I could differentiate it on those terms, but it does make me curious now.

It's only my experience:

romantic love is exclusive, with no other you feel like you feel with that person, and you need to be alone with her/her for a reasonably long time

a-romantic love tolerates others being around , it is a deep attachment , but not exclusive

For me, I do better one-on-one no matter what the relationship (information processing problems....although I think that the desire to be around someone more makes sense as a difference.

Romantic love is usually more of a partnership-type connection than frienship/aromantic love, yes? And at times when you don't want other people around you might still want your romantically-loved person around?

There is no differeence. That might be me being asexual (or at least I find sexual intercourse meaningless). I largely see no difference between friendships and relationships. The only thing that matters is the attachment part of it, which I feel is similar between a friendship and a relationship.

So what makes the difference between a friendship and a relationship, if it's not a difference in the feelings of attachment? Not trying to be difficult nor argue -- just curious.

Did a quick google search. Aromantic love seems to be a platonic relationship, seeing them as a close friend-without-benefits type thing.