Back in 2006, at the age of 34, I was living in Brighton and had pretty much given up on true love. I’d just come out of a toxic long-term relationship and I was fragile and exhausted. A few weeks after the break-up, I went to London to see my friend Ana’s rockabilly band – they’d come over from France – so it was a great opportunity to catch up with her.

SPANNER IN THE WORKS

I stood at the bar, completely mesmerised by the guitarist. He was my perfect man – dark-haired, brooding, and an incredible talent. Ana introduced us after the show – and the chemistry between us was palpable. Gautier, (yes, he’s French) and I hit if off immediately – he even asked me to visit him in France so he could cook me ‘a nice rare steak’, but I laughed it off. We swapped emails, but I went home to Brighton, and Gautier returned to France.

A week later, he sent me a message telling me he hadn’t stopped thinking about me. I told him the feeling was mutual, but I explained why the timing was terrible, given I wasn’t long out of my previous relationship. His emails stopped, but my thoughts of him didn’t.

Three months later, I decided I couldn’t hold back any longer. I emailed Gautier and told him how I felt. Within a few days, he booked himself a flight to England and told me he was in love with me on our first night together. Shortly after, I flew out to Limoges to visit him for his 30th birthday. To my complete surprise – and his, he would later confess – he proposed. I said ‘yes’ and he said ‘great!’. We got married in Brighton six months after we first met. We had no money, no honeymoon and no idea what we were doing, but did it anyway; I was honestly as terrified as I was excited.

NINE YEARS LATER

We’ve been through a lot in the past nine years. I have poor health that’s getting worse, Gautier was recently made redundant and we sold most of our possessions and moved to his parents’ house in France. I’m away from my friends, family and my medical specialists and our relationship is under a lot of strain, but we’re coping. The Beatles were right – love really is all you need. And maybe croissants.

Read more: What’s your attachment type?

3 REASONS TO BE IMPULSIVE

• 1. You’re the fun friendI don’t often worry about doing the sensible thing, I’m usually up for an adventure.
• 2. Enjoy life’s experiencesAt 19 years old, I quit a great job and went travelling around America with someone I met through a magazine ad. I ignored the many reasons not to go – and it was the best thing I’ve ever done.
• 3. It makes you efficientIf I really feel something is right – however ridiculous others may think it – I’ll go with it. Life is a lot richer when you don’t drag things on and over analyse. I’m a doer, so I get straight onto the next thing.