Amita4ever's manga / #Emotional redeem(76)

It was a real tragedy, and it was a story that dealt with serious emotions, but somehow it felt a little topical to me. Not saying it wasn't a good story! No Harlequin drama here. This story dealt with real stuff!

It's another `no questions asked; I believe what I think I saw; don't bother me with the facts' story. I mean, it's hard to not make assumptions when you see something suspicious, but to react on it without considering an alternative, without even questioning your assumption in the face of being told you're wrong, without verifying one fact or even investigating.... And it wasn’t even a case of someone lying to him. He jumped to and clung to these assumptions all on his own. It was definitely a trust issue, but he had the means to follow up and check things out. He just didn't. That just gave the plot a bit of a sour flavor (not uncommon in these romances). You know it will work out in the end, but until it does you really want to grab an individual... in this case, two individuals by their collars and give them a good shake.

This story actually addresses a rather complex RL issue... domestic abuse. The ML is pretty arrogant and unforgiving until the heroine finally confides in him, admitting that both she and her mother were physically abused (and that for the sake of her brother, her mother is still there). Once he realizes that, he becomes her knight (although he could have handled the 'why didn't you tell me' part way better). I rather liked it, although I didn't like the BBV ( Bed Before Vows). It wasn't necessary for the plot, but provided the means to amp up the 'angst and despair all alone' angle through the loss of her child, but it also left me a little confused. Just how did her father know? That might have been among the details inevitably lost in adaptation.

The ML is quite a mess, and initially it makes for a tortuous relationship, but I think that what makes it tolerable, is we get to see his POV and it feels like his struggle is real, especially for a prideful man whose entire life is built on a foundation of personal and internal control. I can't say I'm entirely certain we end on, 'They lived happily ever after,' but I think the FL is strong enough to correct his course once he recognized and accepted the consequences and blessings of being in love.

I just couldn't get into this one. They got off on the wrong foot, in more ways than one starting with jumping in bed the first time they met, but seriously, what kind of magazines - other than tabloids who publish lies so aren't interested in facts - publishes articles about famous elgible bachalors without a decent picture and without at least trying to get a hold of the subject... for some juicy, personal facts if nothing else. Not impressed. And then the hero was just so contradictory and confusing. Granted he had a rotten childhood, and no confidence on top of that, but if you can show enough affection to make a gal fall in love with you, I don't think you can say, 'I don't know how to show love,'. You might be an amateur and need to build on your skills, but you've shown an inclination, but instead these guys, after being a guy a gal can fall in love with, suddenly say, 'I can't,' and quit what they were ALREADY doing. And in this one, our 'miraculous love recovery' is near instantaneous. I don't know. I just couldn't get into it.

I wanted to like this so much more than I did. So many wholesome characters, reasonable emotions, and a promising plot. It really didn't need the BBV (Bed Before Vows). It was made a big part of the plot, but this story really didn't need it and would have, IMO, could have been made a richer, deeper romance without it.