I like it. Cure a sociopathic bastard by hitting his head hard enough. Should happen to lots more Harlequin ML's.
Could it be that the author is subtly telling us that the ML is akin to a chicken?
I liked this to a point, as it has an interesting plot, but too many things are left unexplained and there are too many holes. I think it's one of those stories that needs at least eight or ten chapters to really smooth out and become a complete story.
I like it. The two lead characters weren't mere cliches, but had some real substance to them. Life had dealt a lot of blows to Angie, but she wasn't the poor me/moping type of "heroine," and was going at life as if to conquer her past. She was also a very generous person (which, forgive the sexism, often makes a woman more vulnerable than a man). Vittorio, while being a bit hung up on his pride, was much better than most Harlequin "Italian Leads." (I do get awfully tired of ethnic stereotypes!) He wasn't a walking hormone, and was pretty much of a gentleman. The plot of the story didn't have unbelievably contrived dramatic situation between the main leads that so many Harlequin's have. Even without contrived angst, the reader can feel for both characters. It was a good read.
I liked it quite a bit. The characters were interesting and believable. At first, I was totally put off by the ML, but his mental trauma was from a believable cause, and not the "boo hoo, my pride has been shattered," normal cause of angst in double y chromosome Harlequin guys. The little girl's original attitude is also understandable. The adults she had in her life were: a mother who ignored her while trying to have sex with every male in Great Britain, and a neurotic, suicidal father who ignored her because he didn't think she was his real daughter. Sorry to be so hard on the "victim" father, but if he had been any weaker of character, the Jello company would sue for patent infringement. Celente was lucky she had the maximum load of moxie she did, otherwise she would probably have spent most of her life either as a total shut-in or seeing a therapist twice a week. And she was expected to shed tears for the death of these two poor excuses for humans? Anyway, Rebel was a breath of fresh air in a milieu dominated by regret and grudges, where the only "outsiders" were a female snake feeding said grudges, and a couple of stock Wodehouse upper crust characters (the type whose greatest display of emotion was to break into some mild tut-tuttery during the London Blitz).
He started off with the "I'm so irresistible and you know you want me" trope, but he seemed to chill out a bit as time went on. The thing that got me was the big baby tantrum he threw at the end of her stay. Rips the dress and roars off in a cloud of dust. Next, I expected him to get on twitter and then impose sanctions on her.
He sucked!
How?
Why? He wasn’t a cheater, playboy, arrogant, mean and a jerk like most of the other harlequin ML. He didn’t force himself on her, he lov her perused her stayed true to her, calmly talks through things with her, gives her reasonable explanations and never once hid his feelings. I quite like him .... and I like that this comic showed what the ML was thinking because it usually only narrated in the girls POV
Actually, he did force himself on her. No for sex, but he grabbed her and held her after she told him no (that magic word that seems to be meant to spur males on) and kissed her. Until almost the end, he only seemed to want nothing but sex, and even intimated that to her. Her friends and family were his enablers. Her best friend spiked her drink and got her drunk, before she even knew who was going to win the auction. Her sister conspired with him to basically kidnap her to go on vacation with him. He didn't tell her he loved her until the end. He just kept saying that he "bought" her. About as romantic as a cat box. Yes, the ending was all true love forever, but the first about 80% of the manga was him doing a classic case of harassment. Of course, she blew pretty hot and cold, but I certainly didn't see any hint of gentlemanly conduct in their dealings. I really didn't care for either of the main characters, and of the secondary characters, only the niece and the children in the hospital were in any way sympathetic.
Totally agree!
My God, man, don't ask for her side! That shows weakness in a male. It's just like asking for directions in an area you've never been to before. Be angry; Be judgemental, Yell out the most unforgivable things your nasty mind can conceive of! That's True Male Strength! She'll forgive you because this is Harlequin.
Wow! Non-virgin woman - not shameful. Thank you, Miranda Lee, for presenting us with a female character that doesn't have the seal of approval from the Patriarchal Society of Romantic Fiction. So much of the "romantic" genre have men like "Max," although way larger, more virile, and just as aggressive and misogynistic, painted up as romantic, compelling, irresistable, etc., etc., until readers just assume that any great male has to have the tattoo "A**HOLE" or "DOUCHE" on his forehead. The idea that guys (as long as they are handsome, masculine, and rich) can boff anything and everything in skirts, and that makes them "manly," while women have to wait patiently and chastely at home until Mr. Rich Hugedong deigns to notice them is not just misogynistic, double standard, and morally disgusting; it is infantile to the max. Anyone who believes that hasn't graduated from when he first discovered that something other than urine came from his genitals.
This manga is telling us, "Grow up, you morons!"
Can I give this a negative score on a scale of 1 to 10? What a collection of horrible stereotypes instead of real characters.