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Did you ever have a teenage crush? Painful, isn’t it? Those tender dreams and fantasies, all based on… nothing.
I stalked a man for months once. I was a school girl and he was… who knows? He caught the same train to work as I caught to school, and I managed to sit opposite him at least half of the time. Did I ever say anything to him? Of course not. Did he ever notice me? Probably not. Hopefully not! He was a cool dude in his twenties and I was a pimply-faced young girl in a school uniform.
We all had crushes, some of them secret, as mine was, and some of them quite agonizingly public. One of my friends, Kay (not her real name — she’d kill me), was always getting crushes on boys she didn’t know. The work that went into engineering a casual meeting took a whole bunch of us and was planned like a military maneuver. I remember one time… Kaye and The Boy were about to meet. He was from a different school so favors had been pulled in from all directions to find out his habits after school. 
Because a simple introduction would be too embarrassing for words, and not at all romantic, Kay wanted the Coup de Foudre, beloved of romantic books and movies.
So a group of us watched from a hidden vantage point as Kay sauntered casually along the street, ready to perform the magic oh-so-casual bump-into-him that would force an introduction…
Closer… closer… And THEN…
Kay lost her nerve and dived into a shop.
It didn’t really matter because by the following week, she didn’t like him any more. Ah, young love!
Isabella, the heroine in my new book, BRIDE BY MISTAKE had a crush, but her crush was fully justified.
At the age of thirteen, orphaned and alone in the middle of a war (Napoleon) she was fleeing a forced and hateful marriage, when she was attacked. The man who saved her was young — just nineteen and an officer. Lieutenant Luke Ripton, tall, dark and as beautiful as an angel — a warrior angel.
Then, to save her from this forced marriage, Lieutenant Ripton married her himself and placed her in a remote convent school, to keep her safe. Of course she would have an instant crush on him. Anyone would. He’s gallant and beautiful.
That’s what BRIDE BY MISTAKE is about — a convenient/inconvenient marriage story, that’s also a road trip, an adventure, and a story above all, about love and redemption. Read an excerpt from the new book on my website.
So, did you ever have a teenage crush? Was it painful? Embarrassing? Wonderful? Did it ever lead anywhere? I’m giving away a copy of BRIDE BY MISTAKE to someone who leaves a comment.
Hi Anne and welcome to The Goddess Blogs. I had many and varied teenage crushes as a teenager. There was my year 9 and 10 form teacher, a Sunday school teacher, various students in some of my classes, Michael T Weiss (from The Pretender) and David Bowie. Absolutely none of them went anywhere but I wrote what I thought were incredibly sweet love letters to my form teacher and while he was flattered I think he might also have been somewhat disturbed because I was rather odd shall we say. I won’t go into detail about my crush on one of my ministers when I was a teen but suffice to say it was embarrassing and extremely awkward.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:02 am.
Hi Kelly, oh, the crush on a teacher — so many of us would be with you in that, I’m sure. You were very brave writing him a letter. It’s a painful time, and situation, isn’t it?
And who didn’t have a crush on David Bowie. Not sure I’m over mine yet.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:25 pm.
Anne, I know I’m not over mine. Lol!
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 1:07 am.
Just one? I had tens of crushes. The worst was over a young, gorgeous Scottish man (I’m a Yank). It was a the accent – I couldn’t help myself. After many plots and plans, a coffee meeting finally materialized with friends present, of course, for moral support. I kid you not, I poured the sugar on the saucer and dropped the paper in the coffee, which he kindly pointed out. Then while walking down the street, my Doc Martin shoe went flying off and I fell flat on my back. Hardly the coup de foudre that I was dreaming of. I can laugh about it today – but boy it did smart then!
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:31 am.
Hi Michelle, oh, that so rings a bell with me. My friend Kay used to engineer these things all the time, and with a bunch of us to help /witness /commiserate. And so it all went wrong. I sympathize.
A Scottish accent does it for me every time, too. Can you imagine an audio book read by Sean Connery? I’d be a puddle by the end of it.
And a French accent is gorgeous, too, IMO. I remember going to a cafe for breakfast with a bunch of other romance writers, and the waiter was a) gorgeous and b) French, and he ran through the specials and we all gazed up at him, and when he finished, we asked him to repeat it all because not one of us had taken in a single detail except 1) gorgeous and 2) accent-to-die-for, and sadly, they weren’t on the menu. LOL.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:31 pm.
I did have one teen crush that lasted from about age 13 and all the way through high school. I tell you I was in love I thought and no it never went anywhere. I haven’t seen the guy in many years now and wonder about him even now. The last I had heard of him was back after I got out of high school and I think he went in the Navy.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:23 am.
Wow, quiltlady, that was certainly a long lasting crush. Did you ever get to talk to him or was it one of those long-distance ones?
The intensity of feeling at that age can be so powerful. I’m not surprised you think of him sometimes, even now.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:32 pm.
Good morning, Anne! I had a horrible crush on one of my teachers. Let me put it this way…it was both painful and embarrassing. Come to think of it I don’t want to talk about it!
I wish you success with your book!
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:48 am.
Hi Kelly —ouch! I so understand. Sometimes a crush can be so painful and embarrassing you just want to erase it completely from your memory. But I suppose it teaches us something. Not sure what, though.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:35 pm.
I had the biggest crush on this one guy in high school. I’d get tongue tied when I bumped into him, and only really knew that he was amazingly attractive and liked the same sports team as I did. I think a mutual friend of mine told him I had this crush, cause we ended up in the same class senior year of HS and he clearly knew who I was. We ended up becoming pretty good friends and had a brief fling in college. Definitely the biggest stalker type crush I’ve ever had.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 8:38 am.
Hi Cail, your mutual friend might not have had to tell him, maybe your interest made him notice. Though young guys can be amazingly oblivious. Nice that you had a chance to carry it through and have that fling. Otherwise, like some of us here, you’ll be left forever wondering.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:37 pm.
BTW, welcome to Mt. Oly! Your books come so highly recommended by certain trustworthy friends of mine that I’ve been buying up your backlist for the last year or so! We’re thrilled to have you here.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 8:39 am.
Thanks, Cail, lovely of you to say so. I’m thrilled to be here, and I’m so pleased you’ve read my backlist. Thank you and thank your trustworthy friends!
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:39 pm.
My Freshman year of HS I developed a crush on a Junoir. He finally noticed me toward the end of the year and we dated throughout the summer. He turned out to be a real jerk when he dumped me without telling me and started dating a new Freshman girl at the beginning of the next school year.
It was embarrassing as I stated he didn’t even have the guts to tell me in person. I found out when I saw him with Monica and he turned away from me when I approached him. He wasn’t worth my tears! I’m relieved that it didn’t turn out as he obviously had no true feelings for me.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 9:15 am.
Oh, that’s awful, Laurie. People can be such cowards — and yes, you were well out of that one. A friend of mine from one part of my life got dumped by a guy I knew — and I thought he was a lovely guy until he just ditched her and left her hanging for ages, putting two and two together and not knowing why. Then another friend of mine from a different part of my life started going out with him and I warned her what he’d done to the first friend and she got reallly stuck into him — so much so that even though it was a year later, he contacted friend #1 and apologized to her! LOL
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:44 pm.
I was in love with a bagger at our grocery store. I would jump at the chance to run to the store for my Mom. One time he got off work as I was leaving the store and I followed him in my car. He pulled over to talk to me and I drove on to scared to talk to him!
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 9:25 am.
I don’t think anyone has just one crush. Most cause us great pain because nothing happens. Others cause us great joy. It helps us weed the good guys from the not so good guys. Not one of my crushes ever asked me out. Most didn’t know I existed.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 9:43 am.
I had a big crush on the boy with the dreamy green eyes in my high school class. He lived on the other side of town but I always managed to drive by his house on the way home. My best friend and both thought he was hot but I never discussed or pursued him as a crush.
He hasn’t come to either of our class reunions which is a good thing because now he’ll forever be a good looking 18 year old with a great butt, perfect skin and a great personality in my mind.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 10:12 am.
Oh, where are my manners? Welcome to Mount Oly, Anne!!! Hope you visit often. Your intro is so compellingly written, I’ll be downloading BBM now.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 10:15 am.
Hi Freshchelle, sorry I’m late to the party — I had it on my calendar that I’d be here on the 9th. Oh, the drive-by-the-house-crush — I did that to a guy for the longest time, right after I got my license. I’ve no idea what I’d have done if he ever saw me… And yes, sometimes the memory is better than the reality. Dreamy green eyes, though…. sigh…
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:48 pm.
And thanks for the welcome and I hope you like the book.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:49 pm.
Hi, Anne and welcome. Thanks for joining us today.
I did have a teenage crush. It was a bit painful. One of my friends knew him, went to talk to him about me and ended up dating him herself. So I got to hang around with them knowing that he knew that I had a crush. That was special.
Bride by Mistake sounds great! I’m off to check out the excerpt now.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 10:14 am.
Hi Lori, thanks so much for the welcome, and for having me here. It’s my pleasure, and I’m sorry about the mix-up in dates.
Oh, that sounds awful — agonizing being the third wheel with both of them knowing! horrible!
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:51 pm.
Oh, the pain, the pain! Nothing hurts as much as a teenage love, unrequited. When I look back now at pictures of the boy whose virile masculinity gave me the shivers, it’s funny. He was such a BOY. 16 years old, and probably as full of questions and insecurities as I was. Sweet memories, though. Ah, innocence.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 10:27 am.
Hi Susan. Yes, we each think we’re the ones with the insecurities and the desirable other is so confident and cool. And yes, they are sweet memories.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:54 pm.
Anne, how lovely to see you here!! This books sounds delicious, but give it away to someone else. I’ll buy one.
My biggest crush was on my guitar teacher when I was fifteen. He was gentle and tragic and beautiful.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 10:27 am.
Hi Barbara, lovely to see you here, too — though not unexpected.
Oh, the guitar teacher — I do think men who play musical instruments have an unfair advantage. I have the most terrible tendency to fall for musical performers. And gentle, tragic and beautiful… you didn’t stand a chance.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:56 pm.
What a beautiful cover, Anne! I can’t wait to read this book!
Hmm, trying to think… unrequited teenage crush? Not as a teen, no, but when I was first out of college, there was this guy on the bus that I mooned over. I kept staring, kept hoping he would notice me, that he would make a move. He didn’t. Sigh. It was a trip to nowhere.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 10:42 am.
Hi Claudia, thanks — I was very lucky with the cover. Mind you, I still think your cover for The Courtesan’s Wager was one of the most stunning ever and still turns me faintly green.
Oh, you had a bus guy, just like my train guy… Still, the crush might have gone nowhere, but at least it passed the time. And the bus. train got us home.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:59 pm.
Welcome to Mt Oly!
I had a long standing crush on a boy named Chris. As is typical in my world, we were good friends and I just thought he hung the moon. Sadly, the feelings were not returned and I spent many days crying over his asking other girls out. It was pretty pitiful.
He and his family moved to another state eventually (not because of me.
) and I had to let the bittersweet feelings go.
BRIDE BY MISTAKE looks good! I can’t wait to read it
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:37 am.
Hi, Sheridan, thanks for the welcome and for your help in getting the post up. I’d love to know if boys have the kind of crushes that girls have — I’m sure they do, but I’m wondering if they feel so helpless and miserable about it. I might start grilling the men I know — though will they ever admit it? I wonder.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:02 pm.
Blond hair, blue eyes,two grades older – he delivered the milk to our class every day… Nothing every came of it, but he is my facebook friend over 30 years later.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:44 am.
Hi, Christy , isn’t it funny how people are reconnecting through FB. But who could resist blonde hair blue eyes and showing up on your doorstep every day.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:10 pm.
Welcome Anne! Mt Oly is a friendly place to spend some time.
I grew up in a neighborhood where all the basketball and hockey player lived. We went through grade school and catechism class together. Tough to get a crush on one of those boys! Then senior year a tall brown-haired, blue-eyed boy moved into town. His Dad was the new principal at the HS. I think the whole senior class of girls had a crush on him. He was beautiful.
Enjoy your stay.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 11:55 am.
Hi Kez, thanks for the welcome — I’m sorry I messed up the date and got here late. I hope you’ll all forgive me. Your crush — the tall, blue-eyed stranger with the mystique of the unread page — he sounds gorgeous. In one of the little country towns I lived in, I remember when new family came to town. Boy and girl, both gorgeous, blonde and blue eyed — and sophisticated from the city, as well. Practically the entire school had a crush on one or other of them.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:14 pm.
Hi and welcome to the Goddess Blogs. My crush was on one of my teachers. Oh, he was handsome! I sat in the front row and just stared. I’m sure he realized but never said anything. I would pencil his name in my notebook. I was such a dork but it was such an age of innocence!.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:18 pm.
Hi Brandy, thanks for the welcome. We were all dorks like that once — and so, probably was your gorgeous teacher. I think male teachers in particular must be used to young girls getting crushes. Some female teachers, too.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:15 pm.
Welcome to Mt. Oly, Anne! I’ve been trying to be good and hold off on new books for a while, but I’ve been eyeing yours at B&N, and now I have to get it. I can’t wait to read it- I love books with reluctant heroes, it’s so fun to watch them fall, lol…
I was in luuuuv. I never got up the courage to do anything about it, which was good,, because he was way out of my league, haha! Plus, he was dating a girl in his grade, who was his match in every way. She was so sweet, in fact, I couldn’t even hate her. I tried, I really did. Lol…
I had a painful, debilitating crush when I was a freshman. He was a senior (of course) at the private school I went to and he was from Puerto Rico. So, he was gorgeous, wealthy, older, had a cute accent and worse of all….really, really nice.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:21 pm.
Hi Dana, thanks for the warm welcome. I must admit I had fun watching Luke have his expectations turned on their head.
Of course he was a senior — do we ever get crushes on younger guys — well, maybe when we get older. LOL. And your guy sounds pretty gorgeous. Hard to hate someone who’s so nice, too. I hope you found your own gorgeous hero in the end.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:18 pm.
Oh yes! It lasted through high school, every summer we wrote letters while he was at camp but never seemed to get together during the school year. He was 1 year ahead of me. He finally asked me out on a real date after I graduated and I discovered the fantasy was much better than the real thing. Oh well, so goes life…
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:22 pm.
Linda, I’m impressed you wrote letters. That’s nice. And what a shame that the fantasy faded in the face of reality. Still, that’s life, I agree. Except when it isn’t and the fantasy comes true.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:20 pm.
hi anne welcome! i have had my share of crushes. some were good others painful but they do make us who we are. it must be that romantic in all of us. love all your books any chance you can write faster i so look forward for each book you write i just wish they came the day after i finished the last. no pressure… thanks for sharing your story with us and that pic of rufus sewell i always had a crush on him
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:25 pm.
Hi Alyssa, thanks for the welcome. And yes, crushes are the way we learn about love and feelings and who we are — embarrassing as it is to discover that sometimes. LOL.
I’m so pleased you like my books. No pressure, eh? Yeah, right. I know I’ve been slow the last few years — things happening, you know how it is — but I’m trying to get faster writing again now. Really.
As for Rufus, the first time I saw him in Cold Comfort Farm, I couldn’t believe how gorgeous he was. I do collages for writing my stories, and that one of him was my perfect fallen angel tragic Luke.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:24 pm.
Hi Anne, Wow, I had so many teenage crushes that I lost count of them. Some of the most memorable of them though are:- (1) Alan Jay who was two years ahead of me at school. My class always followed after his let out and I would stand outside the classroom door just drinking in the sight of his handsome face. (2)Cliff Richard – My heart would pitter patter when I watched him singing on the telly. (3) The most embarrassing one was when I started work as a Secretary when I was 16. I developed this horrendous crush on one of my bosses, who was twice my age, fat, nearly bald and married. I cringe when I think about it now. It’s just as well they’re called “crushes” and not “obsessions” and that we all grow out of them.
I’d love to read “Bride by Mistake”, I’ve heard and read so many good things about it.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:29 pm.
Hi Diane, I’m chuckling at that crush-not obsessions comment. Indeed, crush is a much gentler word. Baseless obsessions… baseless pointless obsessions. Even sometimes baseless, pointless unjustified obsessions. LOL. But most of us have been there, done that. It’s a learning experience and part of the rites of passage to becoming an adult.
I hope you enjoy Bride by Mistake.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:27 pm.
Welcome to Mt. Oly, Anne I hope you enjoy your visit.
I had a crush on Jimmie Walsh in HS, he was gorgeous and nice I thought. One day my bff’s and I were discussing him in the girls bathroom of our brand new school. We discovered the PA system worked two ways in & out.Someone turned it on and broadcast our conversation to the entire school. I didn’t want to come out of the stall until I turned 40, unfortunately Sister Xavier had other ideas. A couple years later Jimmie asked me out and I ended up leaving his car while it was still in motion; so much for being a nice guy.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:48 pm.
Hi evlqn thanks for the welcome. Oh, how mortifying, having your private, secret conversation broadcast. What a nightmare. I wouldn’t blame you if you NEVER came out of the bathroom! Sister Xavier sounds a little like a nun a friend of mine had — they used to call her Sister Swastika!
And Jimmie turned out to be a jerk, did he? What a shame.
Would we ever want to go back to those high school,days? Not me.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:32 pm.
He got his though, my friends (three of whom were in the Air Force) went to his house and made him apologize to me in front of his mother. I am hoping he has run to fat with no hair or teeth, but I am NOT bitter.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 9:26 pm.
Oh, I’m sooo glad you’re not bitter. LOL. And getting him to apologize in front of his mother was brilliant.
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 12:29 am.
Welcome Anne,
I love the premise of Bride By Mistake. Can’t wait to read it.
I had many unrequited crushes. Most of the boys didn’t even know I walked the earth.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:49 pm.
Hi Rachel, thanks for the welcome. Hope you enjoy the book. And yes, I was much the same — invisible, especially to the boys I liked.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:33 pm.
I had several crushes but they never even knew I was alive. So,I pretty much limited my crushes to movie/music stars after that until my hubby came along. I had a huge crush on him and decided I would do my best to win him over and we have been married 17 years with 2 children so I guess I must have done something right.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 1:20 pm.
Gail, hooray! A happy ending crush story. Though I’m not sure that was a crush — just love. Congratulations on your 17 years and gorgeous children. I do love a happy ending. (Maybe that’s why I’m a romance writer;)
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:34 pm.
Yes I had a teenage crush… and I would have to say it was the best thing I ever did! My teenage crush turned into my highschool sweetheart, then my fiance, then my husband, and now the father of my children.
We have been together for 9 years, and married for 5, our kids are 3 and 1 1/2, and we couldn’t be happier.
Believe it or not, our relationship started when Andre (my husband) had told me that he didn’t want a girlfriend because he “wasn’t ready” and he thought they were “too expensive”. I turned to him (at lunch in the cafeteria) and said: “You mean to tell me, that if the girl you are meant to be with, your soul mate, the girl you are meant to marry and have kids with, comes along, you will just turn her away because you’re “not ready”? That seems kind of ridiculous, don’t you think?”
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 1:22 pm.
I forgot to say welcome! So… welcome! Your book sounds great; I can’t wait to read it!
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 1:28 pm.
Cheri, another happy ending crush story! Lovely! And well done you for speaking your mind. no wonder her fell for you — no games, just truth.
Though I do understand his point about the expense — I’ve never thought it fair that the guys is supposed to pay.
Anyway, lovely that you’re heading for your tenth anniversary and have a couple of gorgeous little kidlets.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:37 pm.
Glad to have you here, Anne! That’s a great title for what sounds like a great book!
Ahh, the teenage crush. I had one as a teenager (his name was Kyle, and sadly, he died not too long ago rather suddenly, which was something of a shock). We were in some of the same classes, and he ASKED MY BEST FRIEND OUT, which was annoying. I never had a chance with him, though. He was just too beautiful.
The second crush was in college. The guy was in choirs and music classes with me. He won composing awards, and I think he actually became a composer, which is pretty unusual. I wrote a wealth of poetry to him. I doubt he knew I existed.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 1:31 pm.
Hi Sabrina, thanks so much for the welcome. Sad to hear that Kyle died suddenly. I recently heard that an old schoolfriend of mine had died years ago, and I felt as shocked as if it was yesterday.
But Kyle asked your best friend out? Ouch! That must have been the hardest thing. Girls are so vulnerable at that age.
And you wrote poetry to your college guy? That’s so sweet. See, you were meant to be a writer.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:40 pm.
Being very nerdy and more interested in getting into All-State Orchestra, I had only one big crush my senior year, on a Freshman, love at first sight. Had no idea who he was (big county school with kids from all over) but I knew he was The One the moment I saw him. The next time I saw him, he was dating my best friend. ::sigh::
We became friends as I kept back my feelings and was an excellent third wheel. When she dumped him (she was a serial dater), he asked me out. I made him ask twice and up the ante from a football game to supper out and a concert. We’ve been married for ages and I still get that crush feeling when I see his handwriting.
I always enjoy road trip books — looking forward to reading Bride By Mistake!
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 1:31 pm.
That is the most romantic, lovely thing ever! I have hope for mine now!
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 2:57 pm.
i love your story, love it when people see the other and KNOW! And i love that you still get a crush feeling when you see his handwriting. That’s gorgeous!
My Dad knew my mother was The One, too, when they met at college. And she did, too, though she didn’t admit it for ages.
So you’re a musician, eh? i’ve always wondered if creative types are more susceptible to crushes — being creatures of the imagination. And I include big-time readers as creative types, BTW — to be a big reader you need to have a good imagination.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:44 pm.
Yes, it was embrassingly obvious but the object of my crush was always kind to me.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 1:51 pm.
Kind. I suppose that’s nice, but it’s also painful. Thanks jcp, for joining in the conversation.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:45 pm.
Hi Anne and welcome to Mt. Oly! We are very happy to have you here.
Yes, I had teenage crush. Scores of them. On TV stars and boys alike. Most unrequited. Isn’t that the way it always goes?
Love your cover!
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 2:02 pm.
Hi Julia, thanks for the welcome. I think it is the way crushes go, but oh, it’s tough on young, delicate flowers, isn’t it?
Thanks for the cover comment – i feel very blessed with that one.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:46 pm.
Anne, welcome to Mt. Oly. Love the excerpt. It seems like a perfect fit for my Kindle. My two crushes in high school turned out to be my two best friends. I never told them how I felt, which kept the friendships intact. One was captain of the football team and the other went on to become a doctor just like his father and grandfather.
Please come back for another visit.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 2:23 pm.
Hi Dbrown — thanks. I hope your kindle and my story get on well together. I’d hate one of them to have an unrequited crush.
How nice that your crushes became such good friends. They both sound pretty special. Thanks.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:48 pm.
Oh… I can relate to that… Lots of teenage crushes and all of them unrequited….
Congrats on your new book!
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 2:30 pm.
hi May, thanks for dropping by. Does anyone ever get though adolescence without having a crush? I doubt it.
Thanks for the comment. I hope you enjoy the book.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:49 pm.
I had so many teenage crushes! To be honest, I’ve found that it’s not really getting any better now I’ve reached the grand age of 23…. And they’re still all unrequited *sigh*
Welcome to Mt Oly, Anne! Is your new book available in the UK, I loved the extract!
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 2:56 pm.
Hi Angharad, I think crushes can hit at any time. They’re worse when you’re younger, though.
Yes, my books are available in the UK. I hope you enjoy it.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:53 pm.
LOL, I had several on TV/movie stars. But I also had a small one on my Navy recruiter, LOL. Got over that one quick though.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 3:34 pm.
I’m chuckling, Elvina. I can imagine after a bit of gruff bossing, all romantic thoughts about a navy recruiter would fade.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:54 pm.
I had a crush on a boy I worked with when I was a teenager. I wanted to go out with him in the worst way. He finally did ask me out, but the date wasn’t really a hit, we just didn’t have that much in common even though I thought he was such a cutie. At least I was able to get over the crush pretty quickly once I realized he wasn’t really for me.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 3:42 pm.
Hi Barbara, it’s often the way, isn’t it? The imagination is better than the reality. I think about my guy on the train now with incredulity. I’m sure he was a dull man, in retrospect and i have no idea why I fixated on him as I did.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:57 pm.
I always said, “Oh, my friends are always so full of crushes.” and rolled my eyes. But when I stopped to think about it, I realized I had a single crush for every year from 4th grade up. Two some years, up until I was 17 and graduated high school. But they were ALL guy friends from school, and they all sort of knew I liked them.
There was George in 4th grade, that my “archenermy” told him I liked him, because she sort of had a crush on him, too, making me too embarrassed to even look at him.
There was James, for half of 5th grade, who was awfully cute, but his mom smothered him, and I didn’t want that woman as my mother-in-law. Then, Leo, for the other half, who I thought was the one and only love of my life. Of course, he broke my little heart and self-esteem to pieces when he told me he wouldn’t kiss me because I was fat (I wasn’t, back then!) and dated my 10 year old best friend instead.
There was PT, in 6th grade, whom I smooched in a Truth or Dare game.
There was Rafael, who’s been around since he stole my first real (tongue) kiss 10 days before my 12th birthday. I pushed him to the floor, yelled that I hated him and ran away crying. We sort of dated after that in 7th grade.
There was Caio and a guy I’ll call C2, because he has a real unusual name, both in 8th grade. Caio moved to my city in the beginning of the year and I fell madly in love with him. He was in my English class, too. Then, he had to move back to his city. It was the first time I cried for days over a guy. Then, there was C2, whom I liked for half of 8th grade (I moved on quickly, okay?), and 9th. Except, my best friend liked him before I did, so, nothing could ever happen there. But in 9th grade, my best friend stopped liking him, so, I wrote him a letter saying I liked him. He didn’t like me back
In 10th grade, I liked Igor. He’s the NICEST guy EVER! I saw him just two days ago at a friend’s birthday party! He went away on exchange in the middle of the year, and I also cried buckets. I wrote him a letter and told him not to open it till he was on the plane. When he came back a year later, I’d moved on, lol. We did kiss years later, though.
Then, in 11th grade (that was the last of High School here — they have 12 now!), I liked Pedro. Nothing happened then. We did date like a year later, for a good while, but not too seriously.
After that, there’s only the ex, who’s currently not an ex. Yeah, I’m not ex clean anymore. I’ve failed. Sorry, Goddesses.
And that’s my whole crush record for my whole life. I think. Plus my kindergarten boyfriend Junior and my pre school boyfriend Leonardo.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 3:50 pm.
Hi B, I think that’s part of what makes teen crushes so hard — that there’s almost always plotting going on, it’s hardly ever secret or private — and then there are evil arch-enemies!
Really crushes are a kind of shopping, aren’t they? We keep trying them on for size and effect.
And they sure do make life interesting.
Thanks for sharing.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:00 pm.
Oh, Welcome to TGB, Anne! Not everyone’s as weirdo as I am
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 3:51 pm.
Hey, B, thanks for the welcome. And I don;t think you’re a weirdo at all.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:00 pm.
I had plenty of teenage crushes but I don’t remember any of them lasting for any period of time and I think they are only embarrassing when your friends figure it out.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 4:10 pm.
Hi Maureen, yes, it becomes really extra painful when your secret is out. Thanks for adding to the discussion.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:01 pm.
Hi Anne! Welcome!
I had JUST a few….
Usually on older boys at school. One in particular was a year older than I was and he had a crush on another girl. He would tell me about it, too. It was miserable. I look back now and wonder WTH I was thinking…skinny, straggly…ewwww. 
But, I was sure in love at the time. LOL
I usually liked tall guys. I’m 5’9″, so I never even gave a second look to a guy that was shorter than I am. I dated a guy that was my height one time, and he hated when I wore shoes with heels, so that didn’t last long.
Glad to have you, Anne. Come back soon!
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 4:11 pm.
Hi Julie, thanks for the welcome. Yes, looking back it’s weird and what WERE we thinking? They probably had nice eyes.
You know I hate it when guys don’t want the tall girlfriend to wear heels. One of my good friends at uni wasn’t a tall guy, but he started going out with this gorgeous tall girl (who became a good friend of mine, too) and I thought it was so great, that he never minded that she was taller, liked seeing her in heels and was just so happy she was gorgeous. She loved that about him, too.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:06 pm.
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Nitish jindal
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 4:57 pm.
Hi Nitish. Thanks for the advice.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:06 pm.
Welcome Anne!
I had 2 big crushes in high school. One was a geeky guy I used to spend spare with in the library. We were opposites, and hung out with different crowds. We talked everyday for 2 months and he never picked up on any of the hints I was dropping, so I gave up. I wasn’t going to ask him out.
I also had a crush on on older guy, he was about 12 years older then I was and that one was a little painful. We had totally different ideas about what our relationship was. I was head over heels and he was good with just being friends. It was very painful, but one day I was strong enough to tell him that friendship wasn’t good enough and if that was all he was offering then I was walking away, and I did. Very hard, but very rewarding because I met and fell in love with someone else. I wouldn’t have found that relationship if I hadn’t taken the painful step of walking away.
The new books sounds wonderful.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 5:07 pm.
Hi Amy, love your avator, BTW. Yeah, guys can be so oblivious, can’t they? Especially geeky guys.
It sounds like you were very strong and smart in the way you handled your second crush. I’m so glad you found a wonderful relationship.
I hope you like Bride by Mistake.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:08 pm.
Oh did I EVER! I had a huge crush on the COOL guy in my high school. Now I graduated with 9 other people, so everyone knew everyone in my school/town. This guy was athletic and gorgeous and funny and everything a 14 year old girl would love. I was too scared to talk to him unless my brothers were with me. Long story short, he was in a very serious car accident where he was thrown from the car and he was seriously injured. But, after the accident when he could no longer play sports and his speech was slow, his other friends didn’t know how to be around him. He and I became very close friends for a few years before he died. I didn’t get to be with the boy of my dreams, but I did get to be a very good friend to him in his last years.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:01 pm.
Oh, Kimberly, what a sad story. But how wonderful you were able to be friends with him and talk to him so much in his final years. So tragic when people die so young.
Thanks for sharing.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:10 pm.
Welcome to Mount Oly, Anne!
I’ve had a few unrequited crushes, but mostly I fall in love with every hero I invent. At least they do what I want them to — most of the time. *g*
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:22 pm.
Hi Suzanne, thanks for the welcome. I fall in love with my guys, too, but mine hardly ever do what I want them to. I always end up wrestling with them – but that’s kind of fun, too.;)
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:11 pm.
Very clever!! Maybe i should try that method.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 9:11 pm.
Freshechelle, wrestling can be fun
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 9:19 pm.
I had several crushes throughout my school years but since I was invisible to everyone but the bullies who made my life a living hell, I never dated any of them. One of the bullies found out that I had a crush on a particular guy. She not only told him, she told all of his friends, her friends and anyone that would listen (he was out of my league and taken). She also kept slipping notes in his locker and signing my name to them. It only ended after he asked me about the notes, I explained about the person actually sending them and he laughed the whole thing off. It was pretty embarrassing but he took it well and was really nice about it. The bully who caused all of the trouble continued to represent female dogs everywhere until I graduated.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:50 pm.
BTW, Anne,
Welcome to TGB. I’ve been reading your books for a while now and was excited to see a new one out. I’ve already bought it, but that doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t like an autographed copy.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 6:55 pm.
Thanks ladydawgfan, it’s lovely that you like my books. Don’t worry, you’re still in the draw.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:23 pm.
Hi Ladydawgfan, Bullies? How horrible. Kids can be so nasty at that age, and often it’s because they’re miserable themselves, and so they have to make others miserable too. I wonder how they feel when they grow up, whether they’re remorseful or whether they stay bullies at heart. Hugs for young you! And thank goodness it’s different as an adult.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:14 pm.
Hi there
Yes I had a teenage crush – he was in the sixth form, me in the fifth. Would follow him around as inconspicuously as possible – not easy with my friends, who dependent on their mood would make it as excruciating as possible. We’re talking being 15yo here.
And then one day, after about 9 months of such goings on, a friend handed him an anonymous note asking him to meet me at one of the school gates at 1pm. She didnt tell me, simply casually led our walk to the gates. When I saw who was there I attempted to do casual, walk right on by. Unfortunately my friend had other ideas.
I wanted to die when she hissed to me what she’d done. I even attempted a desperate getaway but having already been named and shamed so to speak, made myself stay to at least speak to him. I’m reliving it now as I write this. It was awful. It was catastrophic.
But I’m pretty glad I did make myself stay. We’re married now with 2 beautiful boys and have been together for 25 years in March. I like to feel I knew he was the one.
A confession. I keep my diaries of that time hidden. It’s one thing him knowing i had the hots for him – quite another to read all about it. Perhaps one day I’ll write about it. Need to get this current MS to bed first me thinks. On that note am going to bed. But there you go – a crush with a happy ending!
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:47 pm.
Oh, wow, Sarah — great story and terrific story-telling. I was all ready for a disaster ending, but no, you turned it into a wonderful happily ever after instead. Fantastic!
And I love it that you still have the diaries from that time. Do you still have the friend? Happy silver anniversary in March.
Best of luck with the current m/s and thanks for sharing your story.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 9:14 pm.
My older brother was home on leave from the navy, and I was old enough to go out with him and some of his friends. He told me I was only allowed to talk to 1 of them. The first time I met him I could barely speak, however, by the end of the night I thought he was a jerk. And told my brother so, and he was shocked.
I met him again a couple nights later and he wasn’t a jerk, this time. We started dating a month later and we’ve been happily married almost 19 years. One crush that worked out.
Di
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 8:57 pm.
Hi Di, nice story and with a lovely ending. Thanks for sharing it.
I’m chucking at your brother saying you could only talk to one of his friends. Brothers!
And first impressions aren’t always correct, are they? I know I’ve misjudged a few people in my time.
I have to say I’m loving all these crush stories.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 9:17 pm.
I had various crushes during high school. Nothing came of them.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 9:15 pm.
Chey, it’s probably for the best. Seems like I was a whole other person back then. Mind you, some people pair up in high school and change together.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 9:17 pm.
I was socially awkward (still am, but not to as much of an extent) and really, really worried what people would think of me (and I had a nasty bullying, gossipy b**** with me all through my small elementary and middle school, so I wasn’t just paranoid, she really was out to get me!), so every crush I had, I denied to the last breath. Took me fraking YEARS to get over it.
So yeah, plenty of crushes, but extreme awkwardness when trying to speak to the object of my crush.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 9:21 pm.
Phyllis, those school years can be crippling, can’t they? And some people can exert so much power over who we see ourselves to be at that age — it’s awful how that can affect us. I sometimes think I’m lucky that we moved so often when I was growing up and never had to live with the same school friends — or school fiends!— for more than 2 years at the longest.
Thank goodness for growing up and moving on and becoming who we are.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 9:25 pm.
Anne, welcome! I can’t wait to read your latest.
I had a crush on a guy when I was in seventh grade. He sat in front of me and I thought he was DREAMY. But one day he told a classmate that when he grew up, he wanted to ride across the USA on a motorcycle. It was instantly clear to me that he didn’t picture oh, you know — ME on that bike with him, so I had to give up the dream and move on. So that’s the story of my crush and how it was crushed. Heh!
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 10:04 pm.
Hi Karen, thanks for the welcome. And yeah, the rolling stone type isn’t a good subject for a crush. but what an adventure, riding across the US by bike…
I’ve always wanted to drive right around Australia (which is the same size as mainland USA)
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 12:31 am.
Oh for sure I had a teenage crush. It was with my best friend at the time much older brother.. She was one of those after though babies, so when we were in our teens, her brother was 30.. He lived in California and came up one summer to visit his dad, mom and sister.. He was so sophisticated, he went right to my head.. I tried to act very mature, but I knew I wasn’t pulling it off..And so did everybody else…
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 12:29 am.
Kathleen, loved the story. Isn’t that what friends’ older brothers are there for? For us to practice on? And an older sophisticate brother from California? Pretty near irresistible.
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 1:24 am.
I should add, I was one of those afterthought babies, and my brother was nine years older than me, so for the one year after we’d moved to the city, and I was 15 and he was in his last year at university, his friends were very much my (pointless) focus. And then they all went different ways, and I moved on to the man on the train.
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 1:26 am.
There are a few crushes in my past. I have to say, though, growing up in a small town where you’ve gone to school with these people since kindergarten, makes it hard to have a crush on them. Especially when you think about how they used to eat paste in first grade, lol.
There was this one, though, who was always on the heavy side, wore thick glasses, very smart, and he had a great sense of humor. Then, he discovered football in 6th grade and got contacts. Wow! There was mutual admiration on both our parts; we flirted, but nothing ever came of it. I’m kind of glad that Shane didn’t attend our reunion because I want to keep that 18 yo version in my head.
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 1:37 am.
I absolutely had a teenage crush. His name was Roderick. I can picture him now. Tall, dark & okay to look at.
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 4:05 am.
hi Mary, thanks for dropping by. Tall, dark and… okay-to-look-at? You’re well over that crush, aren’t you? LOL
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 4:29 am.
I have had so many crushes, and none of them amounted to anything. Maybe some day…
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 2:01 pm.
Hang in there, Molly. One day … Thanks for dropping in.
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 3:10 pm.
Hi Anne, sounds like your visit has been fun. : )
I’ve had my share of crushes but I guess I must have always done something right because it usually was reciprocated. Of course, our imaginary build up of a guy isn’t always reality so once the crush was reciprocated, it was usually over. Never had a crush on my dh, once we had our first date, I was hooked.
Looking forward to reading BRIDE BY MISTAKE … if I ever get it. Pre-ordered it, it was back-ordered, cancelled the order so now will probably download to my NEW ereader. : )
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 1:41 am.
Amy, how frustrating! I hate when orders go wrong. A friend of mine who has family in England ordered all her Christmas presents on line and has only just found out half of them never arrived. So upsetting.
Hope when you do get Bride By Mistake you enjoy it.
I’ve loved being on the Goddess Blogs, thank you all very much.
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:53 pm.