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It's the question every woman longs to be asked, but after nine marriage proposals, author Adele Parks says she has no idea why she has been proposed to so many times.

She says being a marriage magnet is not always a good thing and at times, Adele says she's embarrassed by her reputation.

Listen : Interview with Adele Parks

The Leicester University graduate spoke to BBC Leicester's Tony Wadsworth about her love, life and books.

Tony started off by asking her what has she got that others haven't had?

Adele explains: "All my early proposals all happened before I was 23 years-old.

"It means a lot of younger, shorter relationships. People being a little bit naive and a little bit optimistic."

Adele was just 16 years-old when she had her first proposal, and she says she didn't take it seriously.

She says: "I'm not the image of a girl that's totally, desperately attractive."

Adele Parks

No regrets

This was followed in a quick succession by a second came at the age of 21, then again 23 years-old, and all proposals by different men.

Adele says she doesn't regret it at all, and incredibly she's still in touch with some of them.

She says: "A lot of things people do things when they are really young, aren't the right decisions. I think I was quite measured when people made these suggestions I realised that this wasn't right. I still had a lot of living to do.

"I firmly believe less is more."

She recalls one proposal by one would-be suitor in Pompei. Even that she declined.

She eventually her proposal at the age of 33 years, and she's been happily married for five years now.

She explains: "They are terrific people who then went on to make great husbands and fathers."

"Usually you can talk them out of quite politely", she adds.

Adele says her life experiences have helped shape her writing career in some shape or form.

She says: "Quite genuinely the exciting thing for me is that these relationships have gone on to form my career. I have used these situations in my novels.

"I can't regret them, they have helped form me.

I'm not big on regret, I'm big on learning from mistakes."