The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word DOTE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
D
O
T
E
More clues leading to the result DOTE
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Love" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case love = dote.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DOTE mean?
DOTE noun- A darling, a cutie.
- An imbecile; a dotard.
- (usually with on) To be weakly or foolishly fond of somebody.
- To act in a foolish manner; to be senile.