Mulberry, I can certainly relate to that painful silence…why as teenagers does it seem so impossible to overcome even when we know the other person is equally shy?! I can remember sitting next to a boy I liked at school and just not being able to articulate one single syllable.

Myates – thank you for sharing about the candy bar, good to know I’m not alone! And I love the way you described meeting and falling in love with your husband, how romantic.

Ahh Kate.. the truth comes out about your love of Italians! And funny how often The One is all about opposites attract – but isn’t that what keeps it exciting?!

I have to admit, my first love was when I was at school – this gorgeous half-Italian guy. Not only was he easy on the eye, he was a really sweet person. He must’ve been teased rotten about the short, round, nerdy girl who fancied him from afar (and was always reading or writing a book, even then), but he was always kind.

This might have something to do with my fondness for Italian heroes

But the real love of my life… I met him when I was still a teenager, working as a barmaid in the uni holidays. We knew straight off that each other was The One, even though everyone thought we were complete opposites and it would never work. Here we are, over half a lifetime later, with two wonderful kids and a gorgeous spaniel. I think I’ve been lucky!

I worked with a man that I admired from afar, but he was much too old for me (25 to my 17). He was my first real grow-up crush with, uh, grown-up longings.

We became very good friends and whined about our sad love-lives and it sort of shifted from there and our friendship became love. Five years later, we’re married with two kids and he’s still my best friend. And he’s still too old for me.

Congrats on your book and on your own happy marriage!

I was crazy in love with a gorgeous guy at school, but so painfully shy that when he came to sit next to me at a dance, I couldn’t even squeak a “Hello”. Clearly he was no better, because after sitting in silence to what seemed like an eternity, he stood up and walked away without saying a word. Thirty years later, married to a lovely man, I still wonder what might have happned if I’d been brave enough to speak.

Felicity – I love your hilarious school reunion story! That certainly seems to be a lot of people’s experience, although given the amount of ‘Friends Reunited’ love stories I’ve read about lately there must be some first loves out there who haven’t lost their appeal!

Robyn – ha about Steggy and the jumper! I fancied this guy called Alex for ages, and he once gave me the end of his packet of cheese & onion crisps, I preserved them for years – oh dear!

Madeline – I love it that dreadlock boy turned out to be everything you imagined! He sounds like a keeper.

Thank you Jennie – it’s amazing to see Valenti on the shelves! I still have to pinch myself when I walk past it in the supermarket. (Not that I can get to it through all the snow we’re experiencing in the UK at the moment!)

I married my first grown up love. We’re still married, and it’s been a very long time since we took the plunge….

And I have no idea what I saw in my first love. He had some good qualities but…Um, no!

Jennie

Enough sap though – Sabrina, what a wonderful idea. I can’t wait to read it; sounds like a read full of sexual tension

Madeline

Sabrina, your book sounds wonderful! I love reunion stories. Really looking forward to reading it.

Robbie