Forgotten Passion

by Jun Makimura (Illustrator), Penny Jordan

Five years ago, Lisa and Rorke’s marriage soured before they even had a chance to call themselves newlyweds. Unable to face her family as her young marriage lay in ruin, Lisa fled St. Martin with her unborn son. For five years Lisa managed to hide from Rorke while she singlehandedly raised Robbie. But now Rorke’s found her and he’s as tyrannical as ever. He demands she return to St. Martin as his wife. When she refuses, he attempts to persuade her by offering to pretend that Robbie is his son. The audacity of this man—Robbie is his son!

Kindle Edition

Published June 30, 2015

About the author

See also 牧村 ジュン

Reviews

[MasterSal · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am not sure there was anything much to recommend this. The art is barely passable, the angles of the faces are elongated. It gave everyone this odd, creepy look which is ironically appropriate due to the awful story but I think that's inadvertent.

As for the story, it's a hot mess; the original book was written in 1983 so some of the mess is due to the age but that can only forgive so much. There is a line in this where our wonderful hero tell our heroine to be careful of men as she is "dressed like that you’re inviting rape" (pg. 14). That will give you a sense of how great this character it. That's approximately when I knew this comic was going to frustrate me no end.

I continue with some choice gems of creepiness which are going to be spoilers but overall just avoid this. It was bad.


My list of the creepiest things in this manga:
- The hero is 11 years older than our heroine who is 16 in the story. The hero is 27! This makes everything worse so keep that in mind. The art focuses on her innocence even more which makes this worse.

- The hero is the heroine's stepbrother who “treated [her] like a real sister”. *excuse me while I throw up*.

- Our hero proposes to her while she is 16 whilst claiming that he has "always wanted her". How old was she when they first met?! Either she was younger than 16 - which is disgusting - or he is proposing to her without knowing her at all!

- He proposes to her while he is still dating someone else. Someone he has been dating someone else for 2 years. Ass hat!

- There is a black (?) housekeeper called Mama Case who is a racist stereotype. I got Gone with the Wind vibes - not sure if this was intentional in the art. Good job I guess!?

- The hero commits statutory rape and then promptly forget it!

- Paternity tests exist in this universe right? Use them! Instead of having shouting matches about a child.

I gave up near the end so I am sure I missed some things.