What was your most romantic evening?

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Now, after yesterday's stinker-fest, a little romance ... What was your most romantic evening (or day or weekend)?

Michele Gorman, author of Bella Summer Takes a Chance says:  About three weeks ago, my original answer to this question was deposed by a new contender … away in a stately home in the snowy Sussex countryside, my boyfriend and I settled down for a nap on the enormous curtain-festooned four poster bed in our room. As I drifted off to sleep on his chest, he said, “Michele, will you marry me?” It was low-key (being half asleep with pillow marks on my face) and spontaneous (he hadn’t planned to ask then) … and perfect. We then went for a walk in the falling snow, and will be married in October.

(Michele's books are also available here on Amazon.co.uk)

Nicola May, author of The School Gatessays: In my guise as an events manager, I was arranging a seminar at the historic Cliveden when an unexpected attendee showed up, whom I didn’t have a bedroom for. This meant I had to make a midnight flit to stay in the quirky ‘Profumo Affair’ cottage, which is in the hotel grounds right on the river. Needless to say I quickly called my boyfriend at the time. With a fridge full of fine champagne & snacks, huge baths and luxurious feather beds, we had a gorgeous time. All, of course, heightened by all the naughty things that had gone on there before.

(Nicola's books are also available here on Amazon.co.uk) 

Julia Williams, author of The Summer Season says: Easy. My 40th birthday. My husband actually remembered that I had said Venice was my dream destination, and booked us a surprise weekend away. He ALSO booked us a speedboat to take us to our hotel, which is just about the coolest thing I have ever done. Venice was wonderful and totally lived up to my expectations. It was a pretty near perfect weekend.Mind you, it nearly went horribly wrong. To ensure that I packed a suitcase, he told me we were going to spend the weekend in a caravan in Pagham. Then I crashed the car, and was so stressed about not getting it fixed in time, he had to let me in on the secret!

(Julia's books are also available here on Amazon.com)

Belinda Jones, author of Winter Wonderland says: New Year's Eve at the Dresden Room, Los Angeles, 2008/9 - the night I met my husband. The Dresden is this great retro crooner bar and I was sipping Kir Royales with my best friend Sam when in walked this dapper chap with a purple silk square tucked into his immaculate black jacket. He was with a bunch of women so I presumed one of them must be his girlfriend but no! After much eye contact he came over to talk to me and I instantly christened him Baby Obama because he was so classy and calm and charming. Speaking of charms - I was wearing a silver ring dangling a heart and key charm and at one point it broke, he bent down to pick up the fallen piece and there it was - a brand new year and him holding the key to my heart!

(Belinda's books are also available here on Amazon.com) 

Dina Silver, author of Kat Fightsays: When my hubby proposed to me in Jamaica. We were snorkeling around the waters of the Caribbean when he waved me over to him acting like he’d found something underwater. When I came closer to see what it was he held up the ring and asked me to marry him.

(Dina’s books are also available here on Amazon.com)

Talli Roland, author of The Pollyanna Plan says: Total cliché, but I have to say my wedding day. We got married on London’s South Bank, where we’d first met, then hopped on a boat moored right outside the London Eye for our reception. As we cruised the Thames, jazz music played and the sky displayed the most spectacularly pink sunset. Magic.

(Talli's books are also available here on Amazon.co.uk) 

Ellie Campbell, author of When Good Friends Go Bad says: Many years back, living in trendy north London, marriage seen as unhip and too conventional by all including me and equally cynical live-in boyfriend. Then one day out of nowhere, he proposed. And I found myself saying, “Yes.”

Then I panicked.  Terrified.  Hated the idea of white weddings, months planning. 

“We’ll elope,” he suggested, trying to calm me. “Gretna Green.”

I rang. Completely booked. My finger travelled along the map to the adjacent town. 

“Why marry in Jedburgh?” The clerk asked.

“Always wanted to,” I lied.

 “Witnesses?”

“Em, no.”

Fortnight later in Jedburgh, (not quite Gretna), 15th February, (not quite Valentine’s day), we got married. Sisters-in-law of Registrar as witnesses.

And who said romance was dead?

(Ellie's books are also available here on Amazon.com)  

Lindsey Kelk, author of The Single Girl's To-Do List says: I have suffered an intense lack of romance in my relationships... Hmm. Last year I was dating New York City's only native Man City fan (I'm a Man Utd fan) and after they destroyed us at home, he arrived on my doorstep in just his coat zipped up (he'd taken his shirt off and left it in the car) with a massive bag of snacks and treats and sat quietly watching TV in silence. That was pretty romantic. Especially since I had called him and yelled 'have that, you bastard' when we beat them in the Charity Shield.

(Lindsey's books are also available here on Amazon.com) 

Rowan Coleman, author of Dearest Rosesays: My most romantic evening ever has to be the night my husband proposed to me. I first met him when we were both 12 years old, I sat behind him on the first day of school and I like the way he had slightly long hair that curled behind his ear. And that was it, I was in love. 25 years later, it was New Years Eve, we were in St Martins Lane hotel, London, looking out over the city, and at the stroke of midnight, just as the fireworks went off across London, he got down on one knee and proposed to me. It was lovely. took him bloody long enough, though.

(Rowan's books are also available here on Amazon.com)

Alexandra Brown, author of Cupcakes at Carrington's says: The first Mother's Day after adopting our daughter, my husband presented me with a beautiful handbag, the name of which is the same as our daughter's.  

(Alexandra's books are also available here on Amazon.com)

Juliette Sobanet, author of Kissed in Paris says: My husband and I spent a long weekend in Laguna Beach for our honeymoon, and it was the most indulgent, romantic escape from real life we’ve ever had. We ate bananas foster pancakes every morning for breakfast, maxed out on our wine and chocolate consumption, laid out on the beach and got massages every day, soaked in the hot tub until our fingers and toes looked like prunes, ate at a stunning, oceanside restaurant each night, and went to sleep with the sound of the waves crashing right outside our balcony. Now if only real life was like that . . . sigh.

(Juliette's books are also available here on Amazon.co.uk) 

Karen Swan, author of The Perfect Present says: I had broken up with my boyfriend on the Friday and spent the weekend sobbing and vowing to relocate to New York. Then on the Sunday he rang, apologising – because he’d been in the wrong, obviously – and wanting to talk. He picked me up from my flat and drove us to Richmond Park, whereupon he produced a champagne picnic with all my favourite things – smoked salmon, strawberries, chocolates and best of all, banana sandwiches! That was when I knew he not only loved me, he knew me. We’ve been married now for twelve years.

(Karen's books are also available here on Amazon.com)  

Miranda Dickinson, author of When I Fall In Love says: The first night of my honeymoon with my new husband Bob. We were in beautiful South Devon and drove to Torcross where we bought takeaway fish and chips, had tea in paper cups and sat on the beach snuggled up, watching the sun set. Perfection!

(Miranda's books are also available here on Amazon.com)  

Lovely readers, what's your most romantic evening?