In this week’s Friday Five, we’re celebrating Valentine’s Day being right around the corner. What better way to celebrate than by having some of our lovely authors share their stories about finding true love. Get ready to be inspired by these ladies’ happily ever afters!

What’s on my iPod: Debra by Beck
What I’m reading: The Love Wars by Alison Heller
The last person I followed on Twitter: @LAlisonHeller

1.Rachel Khanna

Rachel, author of cookbook and all-around guide to balanced living Eat, Cook, Live Healthy, shares her story…

“My husband and I always say we had an ‘arranged’ marriage, in good Indian tradition!  I traveled to India when I was six years old and one of my parents’ friends tied an anklet on me and made the wish that one day I would marry an Indian man. So I did–our marriage was arranged by the stars.”

2. Jennifer Gooch Hummer

Jennifer, author of novel Girl Unmoored, met her husband in college. Here’s her story…

“The day my husband and I met during our first year at Kenyon College, he had a string of puka shells around his neck, sported bleached-out blonde hair from swim team and wore Vans (no one wore Vans in 1983). Needless to say, I thought him a bit of a skate rat. But apparently he knew I was to be his wife the moment he laid eyes on me, and spent a year and a half getting me to notice him. I’m happy to say it worked.”

3. Jane Porter

Author of The Good Daughter, Jane shares her life-changing story of love…

 I was in Hawaii, doing research on a novel when I first saw Ty Gurney and thought he was smoking hot. And sexy and young and rather dangerous with his tan and muscles and tattoos. I was fascinated right away and even more so after I interviewed Ty for my manuscript, Flirting with Forty. Not only did he shape the surfer character, Kai, but he inspired me. Meeting Ty changed my life. I love this crazy life of ours, as well as our gorgeous little surfer baby!

 4. Amy B. Scher

Amy B. Scher, author of This Is How I Save My Life, shares her inspirational story of love…

“We met in a hospital in India and life taught us what ‘in sickness and health’ really meant. When we got married, our vows included that line, but by then, we’d already said it a million times in a million ways. I see our marriage as simply, ‘in love.'”

5. Dana Bate

 Dana, author of A Girls’ Guide to Love and Supper Clubs, shares her love story…

“We met at a mutual friend’s party, and although I was immediately charmed by his blue eyes and British accent, I began to second-guess my interest in him once I realized he was much older than I was and held different political beliefs. However, thanks to his persistence, I finally agreed to go on a date with him, where I discovered we had a lot more in common than I originally thought. One date turned into five more, and the rest is history.”