Blood, gore, violence, action, sex... love?!?

True Blood throws an awful lot (of awesomeness) at viewers each week, but romance isn't typically on the menu. Based on recent quotes and upcoming episode descriptions, however, that may soon change.

For example, asked about Lafayette's attraction to his mother's nurse,  Nelsan Ellis said: “This character, Jesus, he’s been with for about two weeks. That’s a lifetime for Lafayette, and he has deep, deep feelings for Jesus.”

Moreover, HBO has released the following outlines for episodes in July and they reveal a lot about various relationships and events to come. Be warned: major True Blood spoilers ahead!

7/11/10: “9 Crimes”
Sookie joins Alcide at a raucous engagement party for Debbie Pelt, his former fiancée; Eric is given a deadline to locate Bill; Andy gets a promotion and draws Jason’s attention; Franklin takes Tara on a road trip; Arlene is irked by Jessica’s arrival at Merlotte’s; Sam brokers a deal with Tommy and his parents, Melinda and Joe Lee; Bill “procures” dinner for Russell and Lorena.

7/18/10: “Trouble”
Alcide and Sookie turn to an alpha-wolf “packmaster” for advice on dealing with Russell’s minions; Tara considers a proposal from Franklin, who’s completed his mission for Russell; Joe Lee breaks his promise to Sam and Tommy; Lafayette learns the meaning of patience from Jesus, his mother’s orderly; Jason meets his match in the mysterious girl Crystal; an heirloom reminds Eric of his past and his ongoing thirst for vengeance.

7/25/10: “I Got a Right to Sing the Blues”
Spurned by Eric, Sookie fears the worst for Bill, whose fate now lies in Lorena’s hands; fueled by a night of bloody passion, Tara executes a desperate plan to stave off Franklin’s advances; in Bon Temps, Tommy finds it difficult to leave the family nest; Jessica puts Pam’s teachings into practice; Jason’s romance with Crystal hits a snag, as does Lafayette’s with Jesus; after revealing his master plan to Eric, Russell visits Louisiana to put it into action.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.