Recent research has confirmed that, at least in the first flush of love, we think that our partners are better looking than they are in reality.

It reminds me of my friend, Karen, who couldn't wait to introduce her “George Clooney lookalike” boyfriend to all of us. Yes, he had big brown eyes like George, but there the similarity ended. Frankly, he could've been Mr Bean's brother.

But thank heavens for this biological quirk that's been discovered - Karen's been happily in love with her Mr Bean for three years now. Many a lovely person might be passed over if not for this innate ability to see the best in someone new.

Without it, most of us would be far too choosy to pick someone with looks that left something to be desired. And if this quirk of nature glues us together long enough to lay down potentially enduring emotional ties, that's a good thing.

If celebrities like Sienna Miller (who recently dumped poor old Rhys Ifans) and Julia Roberts (remember her whirlwind marriage to grizzled-looking country singer Lyle Lovett?) tend to move on fairly swiftly, that's because they have options we don't. Potential partners fall at their feet. So they're prone to leave a partner once the romantic flush has dimmed, revealing the reality - despite whatever good qualities they first saw in their partner, the outside world saw them as a Beauty and the Beast-type coupling. As image is important to the average celeb, links to someone who lacks that desirability-quotient aren't a good thing.

Many of us see what we want, and sometimes we see the inner beauty rather than outer plainness. That gives everyone a chance in the fickle arena of love.

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