Poll

Both!

Right on Kristine! She is doing just fine having her cake and eating it too!

Ranger!!! Ranger!! Evanovich drives me crazy always hinting that Steph may get together again with Ranger and then nothing ever happens. I hate it how she's with Morelli all the time...can't she see BOTH of them at least!?

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I voted for Ranger,,,hard decision, the tall dark mysterious guy or the hot cop that seems more down to earth and normal? chose the more....exotic?..of the two.

hard decision between ranger and Morelli, i am gonna have to think about this one........ Ranger delish, Morelli wants you to be home with him horny bastard lol.

I've just finished the 4th book and so far im hoping for Morelli. maybe that'll change when i read some more but i doubt it.

Are you kidding? Ranger, honey.

I'm hoping its Morelli she ends up with. In the end she's gonna want someone to come home to. I think it would be fun to see all of the antics she gets into with her children, and have Morelli come in an figure it out.

Ranger, heaven help me!!!!

she needs to have some fun with ranger... then end up with morelli...
i'm a little concerned as to why vinnie is on the list... they're cousins!! yuck!

Ranger is good for the spice in her life...tension, drama. Morelli is like an old shoe, there when you need it and comfortable.

Now have gram reading Janets books. She is 83-do not tell she does not discuss it as she looks much younger. Gram likes Stephanies gram-she says "that grandmother she said....".

Love reading Evanovich books

Really is this a contest...Ranger without a doubt! All Morelli wants to do is change Steph into a housewife popping out kids and Ranger lets Steph be herself. OK I'm a total Ranger fan!

I don't like Morelli's controlling attitude or temper. Ranger has his own issues, but seems more adult and nurturing. Stephanie doesn't need Joe's dictates on how she should live her life. I think Steph needs to be with Ranger.

How is morelli even winning and why is there a vinnie option?

Audra wrote: "How is morelli even winning and why is there a vinnie option?"
Audra, I was wondering the same thing! Ranger should be winning hands down and as for Vinnie, isn't he Steph's cousin...that is just wrong on so many levels!

Ranger. He loves Stephanie as is.

Morelli doesn't love Stephanie as is. He wants Stephanie to morph a Burg housewife.

Morelli wants to change her.

Ranger wants her to fly.

Sue wrote: "I'm hoping its Morelli she ends up with. In the end she's gonna want someone to come home to. I think it would be fun to see all of the antics she gets into with her children, and have Morelli co..."

but she doesn't want children...

Just think of the antics she could get up to traveling the world with Ranger chasing bad guys!!!

Ranger all the way!!!! I love a tall, hot latino man!!!! **SIGH** Ranger lets Steph be herself and lets/helps her fly! Morelli always want to keep her feet on the ground. He wants her to change into what he wants her to be. Morelli doesn't accept her for who she is!

Kieraanne wrote: "Ranger!!! Ranger!! Evanovich drives me crazy always hinting that Steph may get together again with Ranger and then nothing ever happens. I hate it how she's with Morelli all the time...can't she ..."

so true... a tease without substance.

My vote: Ranger: trustful, loyal and can communicate when necessary. Morelli, wants Stephanie to be somebody she's not. He can't accept her as she is!!!!

Susan wrote: "Ranger all the way!!!! I love a tall, hot latino man!!!! **SIGH** Ranger lets Steph be herself and lets/helps her fly! Morelli always want to keep her feet on the ground. He wants her to chang..."

I agree...

Wanda wrote: "I don't like Morelli's controlling attitude or temper. Ranger has his own issues, but seems more adult and nurturing. Stephanie doesn't need Joe's dictates on how she should live her life. I thi..."

agree...like your answer

I have enough reality in my life, I need romance and excitement. Ranger is all the fantasy I need. Morelli is just another over the top Italian cop.

Turnipprincess wrote: "hard decision between ranger and Morelli, i am gonna have to think about this one........ Ranger delish, Morelli wants you to be home with him horny bastard lol. "

funny... laughed out loud from your response. so true.

Ranger is the only choice. Sheesh Morelli is such a nag...

Ranger.

Morelli FTW. He's hot, he loves Stephanie, and he's responsible with just enough of the bad boy left in him to make him interesting. And I think he's come to terms with Steph's career--what some see as "wanting to change her" I see as not wanting any harm to come to her. All in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

There is only one choice--Ranger, of course! While Morelli loves Stephanie 'in his own way', his way is stifling her. They will only make each other miserable. Ranger loves Stephanie 'in his own way', which is accepting, supportive and unselfish (all things Morelli isn't).

Ranger all the way

Is there really any doubt who would be best for iur heroine?

Morelli is verbally abusive and even raped her when she was 16. Something for which I feel JE serves women in Steph's shoes, a great injustice.

Ranger has done nothing but care for her, silently. His love for her is shown through his actions. Even when he slept with her, he made certain she was 'off' with the cop. He has more morals that Morelli ever will. He may no be 'marrying material' but neither is she. Plus, there's something about the bad boy that stirs my loins. You?

Morelli always! He loves her and takes care of her, she loves him (even though she doesn't behave in a very loving way lately).
Ranger is a side show to prolong the series and was better in a 'buddy' role. Ranger's constant bird-dogging of someone who has said she's in a relationship is skanky, as is Steph's behavior in 17.
Joe is hot, intelligent, kind, and funny.

K wrote: "Morelli always! He loves her and takes care of her, she loves him (even though she doesn't behave in a very loving way lately).
Ranger is a side show to prolong the series and was better in a 'bu..."

K really? Joe is kind??? How do you find the choo-choo incident, the Tasty Pastry incident and handcuffing to the shower rod kind? Let alone looking down her shirt in public and saying things like "the boys miss you" is kind? I just don't get it.

K wrote: "Morelli always! He loves her and takes care of her, she loves him (even though she doesn't behave in a very loving way lately).
Ranger is a side show to prolong the series and was better in a 'bu..."
Kelly, where is Morelli kind to Stephanie. he said to her you are cute when you act stupid. He tells her she can't do her job right. And,he uses her to obtain information, without supporting her job. In book two, Stephanie states she has unfinished business with Morelli, states she can't trust him. They had no friendship... Morelli asks her at the end of book one do you think we can be friends after all these years? Yet, they enter into a sexual relationship. What do you think is the basis of Stephanie and Morelli's relationship, when you remove the gorilla sex from it?

Kelly wrote: "K wrote: "Morelli always! He loves her and takes care of her, she loves him (even though she doesn't behave in a very loving way lately).
Ranger is a side show to prolong the series and was bette..."

K: I agree with you.. don't see Morelli being kind to Stephanie. He can't accept her as she is... wants her to be like his mother. a typical burg woman and housewife. His love is conditional and giving ultimatums. Remove the sexual relationship between the two and there is nothing left.

K wrote: "Morelli always! He loves her and takes care of her, she loves him (even though she doesn't behave in a very loving way lately).
Ranger is a side show to prolong the series and was better in a 'bu..."

K, with all due respect, I have to agree with Kelly and Adrienne's comments.

Slnewhall wrote: "Is there really any doubt who would be best for iur heroine?

Morelli is verbally abusive and even raped her when she was 16. Something for which I feel JE serves women in Steph's shoes, a great in..."

Slnewhall, I'm not sure that I agree that Morelli raped Stephanie when she was 16, but I do think that he's been taking advantage of her since she was 6.

Diane wrote: "Slnewhall wrote: "Is there really any doubt who would be best for iur heroine?

Morelli is verbally abusive and even raped her when she was 16. Something for which I feel JE serves women in Steph..."

Diane: if you were describe Morelli and Stephanie's relationship, how would you do it?

Adrienne wrote: "Diane wrote: "Slnewhall wrote: "Is there really any doubt who would be best for iur heroine?

Morelli is verbally abusive and even raped her when she was 16. Something for which I feel JE serves wo..."

Adrienne, in a word, dysfunctional.

Diane wrote: "Adrienne wrote: "Diane wrote: "Slnewhall wrote: "Is there really any doubt who would be best for iur heroine?

Morelli is verbally abusive and even raped her when she was 16. Something for which ..."

yep, I hear you.

Throughout the books, Steph is looking for a stable, long-term relationship. She seems to be caught in the "I need a man to be complete" trap. Although at 30 something she should have outgrown some of that by now.

The verbal and emotional abuse Joe normally and regularly lays on her isn't outside the norm of the Burg, and sees to be condoned by her own mother, without regard for any domestic violence Joe witnessed in his youth. I think Joe's background, attitude and temper mark him as a potential physical threat to Steph and she should move on.

Can Ranger be all that Steph wants or needs? Maybe not all, but I think he's shown some glimpses of being capable of being so, but Janet's stories try very hard to deflect those and to emphasize his lone-wolf status and play up his bad-boy, player side. She seems almost torn between trying to keep Ranger in the picture and trying to lock him out.

I don't expect Ranger to ever get from Janet any equal time or treatment to show any emotionally growth. But that's why we have Fan Fiction, for the hundreds of fans who do see the potential and chose to focus on that.

Wanda wrote: "Throughout the books, Steph is looking for a stable, long-term relationship. She seems to be caught in the "I need a man to be complete" trap. Although at 30 something she should have outgrown so..."

Wanda, what a thoughtful and excellent response.

Wanda wrote: "Throughout the books, Steph is looking for a stable, long-term relationship. She seems to be caught in the "I need a man to be complete" trap. Although at 30 something she should have outgrown so..."

You nailed it!

Wanda wrote: "Throughout the books, Steph is looking for a stable, long-term relationship. She seems to be caught in the "I need a man to be complete" trap. Although at 30 something she should have outgrown so..."

Wanda, do you feel that JE has been irresponsible in having her heroine, Stephanie, become involved in a romantic relationship with Morelli?

K wrote: "Morelli always! He loves her and takes care of her, she loves him (even though she doesn't behave in a very loving way lately).
Ranger is a side show to prolong the series and was better in a 'bu..."

How does Joe take care of her? By demanding she quit her job, continually beating her down emotionally to try and force her into a mold she doesn't fit? Ranger has provided her with cars, jobs so that she can feed and clothe herself, moral support, a safe place to say when she has stalkers,and unconditional support and love.

Geeze, K probably wouldn't wade back into this if you paid her. It's like a rabid pack of wolves tearing her apart in here. It's just a book, people!

Linda wrote: "Geeze, K probably wouldn't come back here if you paid her. It's like a rabid pack of wolves tearing her apart in here. It's just a book, people!"

Linda, with respect, when you post a comment on a board where there are polarized points of view and the the comment is pro one side, then responses pro and con will be made. It's part and parcel of posting one's opinion in a public forum.

If K. wanted to respond, I am sure that she, as a intelligent, thoughtful person, would do so.