I don't know. I do know a few things that love ISN'T. When human beings are in their teens to mid twenties, their bodies are churning out hormones like crazy in an attempt to get that body mated and make sure the human race doesn't die out. I know, I know, that's so unemotional. But, that's the way our bodies work. Bodies don't know that it's best to wait to have kids, or that the world has billions of people on it and the human race is in no danger of dying out.
All bodies know is that the body is ripe to procreate.
So, often this urge to find a mate is misinterpreted as love. If you find someone who turns you on sexually, you may misinterpret your feelings as love. And, if you find someone who is attracted to you, you may misinterpret his feelings as love, when it may be simple lust. So, I'd lean toward taking your parents advice. Seventeen may seem old enough to know and understand love and people.