Status Updates From The Wolf and the Dove

Not loving this, truth be told, but I am holding out in hopes the two really, really awful characters (which are separate from the less awful characters) to get their comeuppance. It better friggin' happen!

I downloaded this book years ago and only read a few pages before being very turned off due to the violent nature of the book. Apparently, I have become desensitized over time with all my other books and have chosen to give this another go. 🤞

Conflict is too simple: everything is fine in their relationship except he won’t marry her because he needs to feel like a big man. In everything but marriage, he will give to her. It makes him very dumb and childish. I can’t relate, but marriage means something different now, although it still holds traditional weight and social power.

Older romances were practical in having heroines know that even if a hero says he’s treating you with respect unlike other women in his past, marriage is important for social belonging/legitimacy and economic protection. Not that marriage means love and security forever, but that it is still one more layer of insurance.

Aislinn and Wulfgar have good banter.

I also like that she’s saucy and has power, and that Wulfgar accords her with respect, even if he’s nursing a huge grudge against all women due to his mommy issues.

As I just finished Claire Kent’s recent novel, I can’t help but laugh and think if she wrote The Wolf and the Dove, it’d be the heroine happily welcoming her Norman conqueror and assuring him that no, she wanted to be his slave and he didn’t coerce her at all.

I am really enjoying this!! 🥳🥳🥳 I’ve had this for a few years now but never seemed to be in the right mood. Omg this is so good. Something about winter and thick medieval romances go together for me! It’s reminding me a lot of more modern romances that deal with similar tropes and scenes (The King by Eris Belmont tbh!)

Fade to black romance??? In this economy???