Contributed by Tim Brugger, Catalogs.com Top 10 Guru

Ah, romance. Most everyone enjoys being the target of it; it’s doing it right that causes headaches.

Finding the words to express how you feel about that special someone is hard. Too often it doesn’t come out quite right, or adequately express deep-seated emotions.

What to do? Beg, borrow and steal from the top ten romantic messages to follow. There’s bound to be something that strikes the right chord.

10. “As always, thinking of you. Love, XXX”

Kind of basic, right? Not enough flair to show how you really feel? Aha! Here’s the trick, and why it’s on our list of romantic messages; it’s all about placement and timing. Grab a sticky note or fold up a piece of paper with the message above written on it. Now, surreptitiously plant it in a spot the object of your devotion will find it. For example, if your loved one takes a lunch to work, sliding the aforementioned love note in next to the sandwich will make the rest of her day; the sandwich will taste better too.

9. “Falling in love with you is …

… the second best thing to ever happen to me. Finding you was the first.”
It’s never a bad time to remind the one you love how thankful you are to have them in your life. As those of us who have been around a while know, it takes patience, a willingness to be vulnerable (that’s the scary part) and multi-billion-dollar-lottery-winner type luck. If you’re holding the Golden Ticket, let ‘em know. Don’t wait for a special occasion to present the special person in your life with a sentimental piece of jewelry, a romantic token or flowers.

8. “Love is the language …

… our hearts use to speak to one another. For you, my heart sings.”
If this romantic message conjures up pictures of Karaoke, or maybe Julie Andrews dancing through the Alps, this one’s not for you. If you’re more like the rest of us, a heart singing is always a good thing. It evokes an image of contentment most of us can only dream about.

7. “You may give up on love …

… but my love will never give up on you.”
If you’re in need of romantic messages to try and win that special someone back, give this one a go. ‘I’m not going anywhere, regardless’ is a great way to let them know how deep your feelings are. Sure, it’s hanging it all out there, but that’s what love requires.

6. “If I had a rose …

… for every time I thought of you, I’d live in an eternal garden.”
A great romantic message, no doubt. But to ratchet it up a notch, attach this little golden nugget to a dozen, long-stemmed red beauties and the rest, as they say, is history.

5. “I asked God for a rose …

… and he gave me a garden. I asked Him for an angel, and he sent me you.”
You don’t have to be a deeply religious sort to appreciate the sentiment expressed in this relatively short romantic message. The point is clear; if the love you feel goes beyond earth-bound constraints, share the good news.

4. “I dared to dream …

… you would add color to my life; instead your love is a rainbow”
Oohh, that’s good. Not only does it conjure up pretty pictures in the mind’s eye, it’s relatively short and sweet. Romantic messages, love notes, whatever you choose to call them always seem most heartfelt and impactful when the message is conveyed with as few words as possible.

3. “I hadn’t realized …

… how little I knew about love, until you came into my life.”
Trust me on this, it works. It’s a fantastic expression of your love, with just a hint of vulnerability; nice combo. If your intention is to blow the doors off your significant other, drop this one on them. For your everyday love memo, stick with the other romantic messages on the list. Save this one for the big dance.

2. “I get the best feeling …

… in world when you say ‘hi’ or even just smile at me because then I know, even if it was just for one second, I crossed your mind.”
This one screams love louder than James Brown sings, doesn’t it? When you let someone know that giving you a mere moment’s consideration makes your day, you’ve spoken volumes.

1. “No poems, no fancy words …

… I just want the world to know that I LOVE YOU!”
As alluded to earlier, so often the best romantic messages are the simplest; straight-forward and to the (wonderful) point. When romance is shared for the right reasons and in the right context, superfluous, verbose, effusive, long-winded, interminable, perpetual, seemingly never-ending verbiage simply isn’t necessary. In fact, some would say it actually detracts from the message. Know what I mean?