R.E.S.P.E.C.T. find out what it means to me
Disclaimer: This is my opinion based on someone’s comment on a BB I frequently visit, love and enjoy. This is not—and should be not taken—as a personal jibe towards the person that made the comment. These types of discussions are really not welcomed at FABB, which, I understand and respect so I decided to post my thoughts here. I value and like the person that made the comment; my views just differ from her on this subject. True?
Some of you might remember this post I wrote when I finished reading Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas a couple of years ago. Rereading my post, it seems I didn’t think the book was all that bad, and yet, for some reason, I believe I hated it LOL. Weird how memory does this to you.
Anyhoodles, all I can remember of the book is:
I’m sorry, but: What. The. Fuck?
I’m a firm believer that humans aren’t born to be monogamous, but that monogamy is learned in civilized society (and hey, I’m all for civilized society LOL). I also believe that sex without love is just sex, very different from the merging of two minds, bodies and souls in love.
Now, what I don’t get is the respect and poignant part. Because he respected her he fucked other women? Color me damn confused but I’d rather no respect at all than that “poignant” kind of “respect.” I’d easier forgive someone for cheating on me because he wanted to or was attracted to someone else than tolerate that “I respect you, therefore I shag others” BS.
I must be missing something here but this Derek dude was nothing but a manhandling bully that fell for stupid disguises, had sex with prostitutes and kept other’s rubbish in his pockets. Really, people, hardly the description of a man women swoon over.
Some of you might remember this post I wrote when I finished reading Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas a couple of years ago. Rereading my post, it seems I didn’t think the book was all that bad, and yet, for some reason, I believe I hated it LOL. Weird how memory does this to you.
Anyhoodles, all I can remember of the book is:
- Hero has sex with a prostitute while pretending it’s the heroine.
- Heroine dresses up as woman of ill repute to entice hero to have sex with her;
dim-witted. Hero “falls” for her scam, doesn’t recognize her *snort* and proceeds to “almost” take her flower. (Yes, I can see clearly now why I believe I hate this book; God what rubbish this plot is.) - Heroine, who is in love with a country-bumpkin, goes back home to him—after almost giving her flower to prostitute-shagging hero—and tries to seduce him. (I can’t remember why country-bumpkin refused to have sex with her. Some idiotic reason I’m sure.)
- Hero carries heroine’s glasses inside his pockets for months. (I need to know if sane people actually go around doing stuff like that. I’d run and hide from any guy that kept, say, a dirty sock of mine in his pockets.)
- Heroine bumps into prostitute-shagging hero at some party a week after trying to have sex with country-bumpkin and, lo and behold, realizes she’s in love with him! Be still my heart!
The hero, Derek Craven, sleep with the prostitute (Tabitha) pretending it’s the heroine, Sara. It was a very poigniant (sp?) moment because it shows how desperate Derek was for Sara, but he still had enough respect for her to not ruin her “lily-white life.”
I’m sorry, but: What. The. Fuck?
I’m a firm believer that humans aren’t born to be monogamous, but that monogamy is learned in civilized society (and hey, I’m all for civilized society LOL). I also believe that sex without love is just sex, very different from the merging of two minds, bodies and souls in love.
Now, what I don’t get is the respect and poignant part. Because he respected her he fucked other women? Color me damn confused but I’d rather no respect at all than that “poignant” kind of “respect.” I’d easier forgive someone for cheating on me because he wanted to or was attracted to someone else than tolerate that “I respect you, therefore I shag others” BS.
I must be missing something here but this Derek dude was nothing but a manhandling bully that fell for stupid disguises, had sex with prostitutes and kept other’s rubbish in his pockets. Really, people, hardly the description of a man women swoon over.
Labels: bitchy mcrant, for the love of rakes and rogues, romance baby
I think it's icky.
I don't think I remember anything else from the book other than the fact that I was icked out.
3/05/2008 03:43:00 AM
What's weird to me is that I hardly even noticed that part when I was reading. I don't think it sat right with me but it didnt seem so horrible. Now that you've mentioned it, it does seem a bit wrong.
Other than that, I liked the book. It was kinda sweet...
3/05/2008 06:43:00 AM
Y'know, about characters/stories like these... I'm beginning to realize it's not them so much (or exclusively) that I have an issue with: it's the fandom. The fans who think they can do no wrong, and that cheating and stalking and being all dementedly possessive and controlling are signs of True Love. Or the fans who think that pointing out someone is, on occasion, scum means that you're not a True Fan. It is possible to like a character and want to slap him/her upside the head all at the same time (or dislike the hero and still like the story/heroine).
I liked the book, for the most part, though I don't recall it very well. I remember that it was supposed to be like the best thing ever, and I thought it was fine -- nothing earth or, more importantly, genre-shattering. (Otoh, I thought Loretta Chase's Lord of Scoundrels totally lived up to the hype.)
3/06/2008 02:27:00 AM
Dance you couldn't have said it better.
Re: It is possible to like a character and want to slap him/her upside the head all at the same time (or dislike the hero and still like the story/heroine).
That was my main problem with TBH. I liked the book but thought the main characters were idiots. The guy is an abusive cheater and she's a moron for taking it. And yet, the story is very well written and the characters very well drawn out; the fact that she made me care for them, even though I hated them, tells me a lot about what a good writer PS is.
Now, shagging my sister blind on a regular basis (in a bed that we share no less) while I wait outside and listen... Well, call me the grinch who didn't believe in love if you must, but that IS NOT ROMANTIC. LOL
3/06/2008 07:16:00 AM
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