book is forever after all by catharina maura

While I very much enjoyed the story's premise, (there's a little mystery and a long-standing working relationship with two non-virginal successful adults), I think the way the characters talk to each other once they get into the schmexy phase gave me cringe vibes more than a few times. ⭐⭐⭐.5/5 - 🌶🌶🌶/5 - All the making of a delightful enemies-to-lovers smutty bit of brain-candy. you say asshole, i say pathetic! tomato tomato, huh.

Luca does admit it’s an asshole thing to do. but maybe just don’t use the ill grandmother as a way to make your move. but since Luca had very obvious ulterior motives from early on, it was easy to see he was willing to do anything to get Valentina.Īnd usually a possessive, active hero who would do anything to get the woman he wants is hot as hell. i found it such a foul exploitative thing to do, literally anything else would have sufficed as a catalyst to spur them into this arranged marriage. I just did not feel comfortable reading this after that whole exchange.

as well as being engaged to OW (granted it’s arranged but it doesn’t change the fact he’s not single) while trying to pursue Valentina knowing he can’t offer her an actual relationship and spoils any attempts she makes at dating. I already felt icky about him anyway because he was purposefully blocking her attempts at finding another job, getting her blacklisted from everywhere she applied. so she decides she’ll marry him in exchange for funding her grandmother’s healthcare. Valentina can’t afford this and i really got the impression Luca knew this and said it purposefully to further manipulate Valentina into doing what he wanted. Then the following chapter when she’s found and they go visit her, Luca makes it clear that her grandmother is going to need constant monitoring by healthcare professionals.

instead, he says he’ll find her if Valentina marries him. so she goes to him to make a deal and says she’ll stay on as his assistant (since she had handed in her resignation which Luca was viciously resistant to) if he finds her grandmother. When Valentina’s grandmother goes missing, Luca is already using his resources to find her but Val doesn’t know this. im supposed to be rooting for this nasty crusty weirdo? Valentina’s grandmother has Alzheimer’s and within the span of two chapters, Luca manages to manipulate Valentina to marry him and stay in her job as his assistant twice- first when she goes missing, the second time when Valentina can’t afford the healthcare. Imagine exploiting the deterioration of the health of someone’s grandmother to force them to do what you want 😭😭

Book is forever after all by catharina maura