It really felt like the ML had a screw lose. First he accuses her of scamming him. Then he shows her evidence SHE was scammed and her company wasn't the only one! Then he's back accusing her again. She's brought all her company's records. Their finances are all right there on paper and he doesn't believe they aren't victims too? He has the money to hire 100 private detectives to look into the heroine's claims, but doesn't hire a one... company on on the edge? Father in medical hardship? Sister's scamming husband left her? Sisters lost their houses and moved back in with parents?
This is all novice stuff that could be found out in a day, but he doesn't even try. He'd rather maintain and reinforce his delusions with fallacy so he doesn't fall in love. I realize he's dealing with a past betrayal here, but he's also enough of a big wig business owner that he should have learned to set emotion aside enough to look at a situation with SOME objectivity and seek facts. Not the best Harliquin hero to date.
Fairly close to the bottom of the Harlequin ML barrel.
Agreed. Whole heartedly!
What's this? It ends with question marks? Will she forgive him? (We know she will, but can't we see it?) You HOPE you can tell her you love her!! You're not sure??? Are you going to apologize for being a class A jerk too? And what about getting to see her in the heirloom dress? Such a last pages let down.
... or did it seem just a little odd that up until a minute before he purposed, she was convinced he was marrying someone else? Not to say it can't work, but I hope he gets a little more proficient at courting his bride.
A big complaint many women have is once the guy succeeds in getting a wedding band on his gal, he doesn't feel the need to romance her anymore. so if he scales down from nothing.... I'm just a little worried for them. Glad they have a support team.
Well his courting is really in full-on camo, so at this point I say the FL needs to be happy to breathe beside him. Won't get better than that.
That's what I'm afraid of, and that is not a recipe for a sucessful marriage. But I do know men can change when they realize there is a need. The question is will he realize there is a need before its too late. Their support team may make the difference.
Oh I do believe that men can change (or at least, I choose hope) but there's men out there that can be hit with revelations in the fashion of 4x4 and they will still say "I still don't see the problem?"
And that's on generational myopia. As well as chronic emotional constipation. And sometimes, this one-sided labor is what drags down relationships.
Sometimes its rather hard to say what your partner really needs. Sometimes the answer is: a shrink.
This particular fictional male might just need to take one good hard look at the difference between his intentions and his actual expressions.
Agreed, but I can't lump all men/people under general labels because I know there are many who take their marriages seriously and if they need to change (or seek professional help) to save it, they will. But sometimes it does take that proverbial 4x4 to wake them up. Unfortunately, we can't lay all the blame on the guy. Gals are quite complex. The guy can be bending over backwards to show how much he loves his lady, but if he's not doing it right she might not pick up on it. I love Gary Smalleys book Love Languages - it talks about the different ways people feel acknowledged and appreciated. For some its words, others its gifts, still others its actions... think there are 5 or 6 love languages. I would put this book on our 'particular fictional male's reading list. It might open his eyes to the fact his words/actions say something and he needs to be speaking a little more deliberately and 'loudly'.
Its an old boot, but communication is key - if you don't say what you want, given that the other party is by no means obligated to read minds, you won't get it. But self-awareness is the lock. If you yourself aren't aware that "bringing you a cup of tea means affection" is your own love language, chances are the other person won't notice ^^
Absolutely. That's why they encourage couples to do 'Love language' workshops TOGETHER! Reading the book can be eye opening to someone who is ignorant of the concept, but it works even better if they do it together because its likely they don't 'speak the same language' so may not even recognize when they are showing/ being shown love.
We actually do see that in many Harlequins - "But I bought you a big house and dresses and jewels..." "But you never said 'I love you'."
Yep. You nailed it. Lack of communication is one of my least favorite Harlequin plot devices.
You should ABSOUTELY bring that slime ball divorce lawyer's actions to the attention of his employers if nothing else. He has just proven that he is willing manufacture evidence to falsely influence a verdict/settlement, and is even willing to arrange the condemnation of the innocent in the process. It is wholly reprehensible of you as a peer of the same profession to knowingly let him continue to practice in your profession. Potentially, you could even be directly responsible for the fall of that entire lawfirm when he finally slips up, gets caught and the entire law firm's reputation burns with him instead of giving them a chance to deal with him, or - better yet - actually getting him disbarred.
You tell 'em, Amita4ever! Readers: take off your Harlequin goggles and face reality!
Seriously? The hero has the gall to call himself a reporter who notices the 'smallest detail' and he can't infer from a legal name change and his lover saying that he 'killed' her that he caused something traumatic to happen in this woman's life and investigate? He was even told she was TRIED AS AN ACCOMPLICE based on the results of his article, and he's going to hold a grudge against her for not welcoming him back with open arms? If I was a guy and heard that, I'd be thinking an apology and serious sit down to catch up was in order. And that's just based on the obvious facts, not all those smaller details he is supposed to be so astute at picking up. Clearly the woman has undergone some major trauma in his absence - ALL the signs are there - but he doesn't even TRY to find out. Aren't reporters supposed to look for evidence and interview pertinent parties before making their judgements? He would be a prefect reporter for today's main stream news - he'd rather assume or make up his own story than actually investigate and find the truth. And that's not even including his threatening temper and overbearing, arrogant attitude. A strong contender for worst male lead ever.
It rather sad that the hero would think God is responsible for the actions of a clearly ungodly man. God is great, but when He gave us the ability to choose to follow Him and/or make moral choices, by the same token we received the ability to refused him and/or make immoral choices.
If God did act, then I'd give him credit for having the baby make noise at the exact moment the heroine needed to hear it to give her the courage to overcome her fear, take action to control of the situation, and thereby regain her long term confidence.
At least not as a general rule, and I can understand how a woman can forgive a great deal when the man has finally come to his senses. It's a bit like giving birth. Its hurts like you would never believe, and when your in labor you tell yourself I'll never do this again, but once that baby is born the enormity of the pain is forgotten in the wonder of that child in your arms. Forgiveness is like that. Once the man has realized and repented whole heartedly, it is easy to forget the pain in the wonder of the future that has just opened up.
That said, this ending disappointed me. After so much of the book was made of the media comparing the two sisters and her being the 2nd choice, ugly ducking, replacement bride, I was disappointed that he came to her in private. The book made it clear he knew very well about the media's cruelty, so I really wish that before he'd gone to see her privately, that Mr. FollowThePlan had done something publicly spectacular in declaring her his light in the darkness, his one and only true love, beyond compare, in an obviously impromptu manner to set the stage before his private apology.
I think that would take moral courage, which isn't really a quality that I saw in dear Ajax. It's a lot easier to fade into the woodwork and appear to be contemplating nature when your significant other is being attacked by the press. Kind of like a teenage boy, when being teased about his girlfriend, denies that he cares for her at all. Not very attractive.
Yeah. But I think I'll lay the blame at the feet of the artist in this case. They seem to have complete license to rearrange or even rewrite portions of the story when they feel the need, so if you aren't going to use the media in the solution, downplay it in the story. Could have quite easily had her dealing with 'second best' mentality without *repeatedly* using the media. One example would have been sufficient.
It's Harlequin, so all's well that ends well, but I can't even begin to count the number of times I just wanted to slap him. I really wonder what kind of marriage it will turn out to be, because he never once respected her wishes. It only worked out because she molded hers to his.
Yes. Nothing was ever his fault. I also love the fact that he calls her out more than once for being sarcastic, yet it seems to be part of his stock in trade. He dumped her in a particularly cruel fashion. When meets her again only a total idiot wouldn't notice that she's rather upset about it. So he acts smug and entitled, doesn't listen to her and manipulates her right and left, basically being a stalker, all the while subtly suggesting that she was the one who broke up with him. Like so many of my gender, his vocabulary doesn't recognise the word "no," unless it's his answer to someone trying to get him to make a commitment. It's as though this manga is telling the reader that the way to overcome a woman's resistance is to keep assaulting her, because your sensual kissing will overcome any brains and scruples she has, and she will melt like a pat of butter in a frying pan. Doesn't sound like the author has a terribly high opinion of her own gender. Well, I don't have a terribly high opinion of what she seems to regard as the ultimate male.
There are some real-life gentlemen out there, but in the case of this particular male, I agree. I kept hoping that something would happen to awaken him to his own arrogance and he'd realize how overbearing and inconsiderate he was, but nope. Let's hope they never disagree on an issue where she actually needs to hold her ground.
And yeah. There are two things I hate that are a norm in almost anything in the romance genre... 1) the woman who can't resist "The Kiss" and 2) and the guy can't stop himself.
That is classic romance, men are not guilty of what they do to yhe woman and is the woman job to forgive jim and give him what he wants!!!
Is the same witg relationships, I feel stupid whwn I read those stories where the woman never had any man after she broke up with the ML because she still loves him, even though it has been years since, or she is seen as a whore if she had a relationship... but it is normal that the ML has a relationship that time!!!
Thos romances are good trash to read when bored but for taking seriously, it onky shows what society thing and expect of women and no matter how horrible the ML was to her, for love she will forgive and obey him!!!
At least those romances are not as bad a chinese romances, those are really toxic!!!
I hear you. You've hit on a few of my personal peeves with Harlequins. I think I'm glad I have read any Chinese romances. Some of these are bad enough as it is!
Oh yeah, Chinese romance, where rape, physical and mental abuse are seen as romantic if it is the ML who do it!!!
I have seen some really bad and the abuse the FL gets from ML is horrible!!!
I meant HAVEN'T read any Chinese romances, and with your warning, I will try to avoid them!
I'm usually a sucker for a good redemption/reconciliation story, but I guess that's the issue. This wasn't a good one. The hero and his trust were just too fickle.
Redemption is not a free gift. It requires recognition of one's sins and penitence. That douchebag had neither.
Agreed.
I just get so frustrated with the 'married under false pretenses' plots. Yeah, so you both think you didn't get married for 'love', but you got married, didn't you? You're committing to spending the rest of your life (or maybe a fixed time) with them because YOU love them, aren't you? So why are you keeping distance between you? Shouldn't you be trying to seduce them and do your darndest to make them love you back now that you are married?
So they are being nice and making you feel loved, but you don't think they really do so you're afraid to say you do and get rejected. Who says it has to be an all or nothing confession. There are ways to be loving without committing to saying, "I love you'. Casual comments like, "I'm glad we got married," and "Spending the rest of my life with you is looking better and better," would go a long way toward laying positive groundwork and give the other an opportunity to give you feedback.
I mean, seriously, if you committed to marriage because you love them, it's stupid not to commit yourself TO the marriage and share that love. Do you really think you'll be happy keeping a professional distance from someone you love for the duration of the marriage? If the answer is no, then don't shut it down before it can start. It's up to you to plant the seeds and do your best to grow the relationship, not cower in the corner, run and hide or hold pity parties.