Will you marry me?

We all want forever love with that one special person who lights up our lives with joy. Many people picture the perfect moment, but sometimes reality can surprise us. In this collection of true stories, authors share their one-of-a-kind engagement stories, filled with humor, surprises, and most of all, happiness.

Inside are stories of unexpected beginnings, second chances at love, tales of just-right timing, and experiencing the magic in every day. Join us in a celebration of forever love!

EXCERPT

It's a Love Story, Afterall

by Jenna Wilson

Ever since my teen years, I was the Valentine's Day version of Ebenezer Scrooge-I hated love stories. I mumbled and grumbled my way through them, always celebrating February 15th as "Discount Chocolate Day" instead. I thought the whole concept of a "love story" was unreasonable, and that belief only grew stronger over time.

When I was teaching eighth grade at a small school in a larger metropolitan area, I was tasked with preparing my students, who had the same thirty classmates since preschool, for their experiences in high schools with about two thousand students each. I once asked my class what they were most excited about, and one girl raised her hand. When I called on her, she first responded with a deep sigh. She then leaned forward and placed her chin in the palm of her hand with her elbow resting on the desk and raised her eyes skyward while literally twirling her hair. The only bit missing from this scene of stereotypical adolescent femininity was a pop of bubble gum at her lips. Once in position, she said to me: "I just can't wait to have a real, true love story. You know, like The Fault in Our Stars."

Dear God, if that is what this child was hoping for, I didn't know if I should roll my eyes or send her to a social worker. It's a beautifully written, heart-wrenching tearjerker for sure, but it's the last thing I'd call "a real, true love story."

I completely understand why she was swooning. It's the same reason millions of people each year buy romance movies and novels-both the wholesome kind and their more, ahem, provocative counterparts. These stories are fun to read. They give our hearts something to long for. They show a world where meeting a partner is more than just a swipe on a dating app. They're absolutely dreamy.

And that's why I hated them...