2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

Olivia and Rick give in to their attraction and spend the night together. Rick immediately retracts the next morning, cutting off any personal relationship to the point where he won’t acknowledge her as a friend. Could and/or should he have handled this differently or was it a mistake to have become personally involved during the case?

It was a mistake for him to get personally involved in the case, but once he did, he couldn't really take it back, so yes he then handled it badly. I think this still goes back to his messed up feelings over his wife and what happened in their marriage. Trust is not his long suit.

The main has serious trust and intimacy issues, which is not surprising given the circumstances.

It was a mistake to get involved with Olivia. Moreover, I'm not sure that he has actually come to terms with his issues because the ending seems more HFN than HEA. I think there are still things to resolve with these two.

I didn't have a problem with Rick and Olivia. To me it isn't any different from Rick getting involved with another cop. He knew, and we knew that Olivia wasn't a suspect.

I was disappointed in Rick's reaction. I get that he is still working on issues with his wife, but it was years ago. He could have talked to Olivia, been honest with her. Even if he told her they could pick up after this case was over. If he said or did anything other than the way he reacted I would feel better.

I didn't care for the Rick/Olivia/Father James triangle part of the story. It rubbed me the wrong way.

IRL no way should he be involved with someone with such links to the case he is working. In a book... well it's a prime trope, the police detective and the woman with the visions. And his behaviour after their night of passion, well we have been given heaps of back story about Bentz and he acted exactly as the reader would have expected. He is still scarred from what happened with his wife and brother so doesn't let anyone in and in addition he know professionally he shouldn't get involved either. Of course we know he'll get over his feelings and they'll end up together.. probably after he saves Olivia from the clutches of The Chosen One!

Sharon, I think he needed to keep better distance from Olivia until she was cleared (maybe their tryst did come after but I don’t think so). But, once he caved, he could have handled the situation so much better, even if in his mind he needed to back off. He treated Olivia poorly, going from one extreme to the next.

Rick has done a lot of work on himself to not only get beyond his wife’s betrayal but his fall into an alcoholic haze after accidentally shooting a child and losing his job in Los Angeles. He’s immersed himself into two areas: his daughter and his job. Being in a relationship with a woman is new territory and it shows. He just needs some time and exercise of these new muscles.

Rick sure did handle this whole situation badly. Rick was a coward, plain and simple. He had put all his emotions, except those for Kristi, in a deep freeze. When he unexpectedly feels something for Olivia and acts on it, he runs away the next day.