'Hobbit' hottie Richard Armitage reads love poems aloud in free download

NEWARK, N.J., Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Audible, Inc. says it has released as a free download Classic Love Poems, a collection of 15 love poems read by British heartthrob Richard Armitage.

The recording is available at www.audible.com/lovepoems.

"Narrating these classic love poems for Audible has been particularly gratifying for me as an actor," Armitage said ina statement Monday. "These are some of the most beautiful and most romantic verses ever written in the English language. I hope that those who are already admirers of these works enjoy my recitation, and that those discovering them for the first time through this production fall in love with the melodious and heartfelt poetry that makes Valentine's Day and every day just a little bit more romantic."

"We are delighted to offer listeners this very special recording as an early Valentine's Day gift," added Audible executive vice president and publisher Beth Anderson. "The beauty and precision of the language in these poems has stood the test of time, but they are raised to a new art form through Richard Armitage's nuanced interpretation. This is true theater, and an exhilarating way to rediscover these beautiful poems."

Armitage is best known for his work in The Hobbit trilogy, as well as the British TV programs North & South, Robin Hood, The Vicar of Dibley and Spooks.