#hana: diamond scenes

[jdramaflow]

THE DIAMOND SLEEPING IN THE SEA 海に眠るダイヤモンド 2024, dir. Tsukahara Ayuko, Fukuda Ryosuke, Fukawa Ryosuke.

[choices-binglebonkus]

Replaying TRR again, but this time, I’m buying all the diamond scenes.

Maxwell is a pretty well-written character with a reasonable balance between courtly etiquette and goofy antics for most of book 1. I’ve said before that his Flanderization into an incessant party mosquito started in book 2, but now that I’m replaying the series and buying all the scenes, it feels like he started to take a subtle turn for the obnoxious at the tail end of book 1. Personally, after replaying, I felt that Maxwell dipped his toes into the annoying pool in chapter 16, then went waist deep in chapter 17 and didn’t recover after that.

Which, coincidentally, seems to have been when the writers shifted gears and started to try and work up to Maxwell eventually becoming a love interest in book 2 despite not originally being marketed as one.

In chapter 18 during his dance-off with Hana in her diamond scene, the MC is presented with the option to announce him into the challenge as “Unexpected Heartthrob”…which speaks for itself.

In chapter 19, during his diamond scene, the MC can kiss Maxwell on the cheek (which flusters him) AND ask him if she’ll ever see him without his shirt on. If neither of these choices are flirting, I’m not sure what is.

But what likely pushed the writers to add more romance-adjacent choices to Maxwell’s dynamic with the MC occurred way before these chapters. All the way back in chapter 8 when the MC is doing the Cordonian Waltz (a courtship dance, might I add) with Maxwell in Lythikos, the MC can either tell him that she thinks the dance is a little scandalous for the ballroom…or, in stark contrast, how there’s no one else she’d rather be dancing with, which Maxwell gently rebukes her for.

And then in chapter 10, the MC can tell Maxwell she’s looking forward to spending time with him on the beach. This particular interaction is noteworthy because it grants the MC a Maxwell relationship point. Throughout the first and second books, the MC can gain relationship points (NOTE: different from romance points) with Liam, Drake, Hana, and even Olivia. This instance in chapter 10 is the only relationship point that can ever be gained with Maxwell. Yes, ever.

I’m thinking these two originally small and insignificant choices in chapter 8 and 10 gained so much attention from fans that Pixelberry realized Maxwell had potential as a love interest, leading them to sprinkle in some rewrites in book one that hinted at a future romance. These rewrites could also explain why chapter 10’s interaction is the only instance of us gaining a relationship point with Maxwell: Pixelberry likely rewrote scenes with choices that originally granted more Maxwell relationship points and forgot to replace them after.

So while they went way heavier on the buildup to Maxwell becoming a love interest in book 2, the signs were there early on, and they gradually built up to Maxwell becoming less of a bumbling but well-meaning guide to the MC, and more of an air-headed, foolhardy, childish pest.

And honestly? It makes me wonder: how might Maxwell’s character have been different if the writers didn’t turn him into a love interest? Would he have kept his early/mid-book 1 personality? Would Maxwell have pursued a relationship with Penelope? Would his role in the story have gradually lessened like Bertrand’s did? How might he have affected future books like TRH/TRF?

[choicesficwriterscreations]

November Creator of the Month: Lizzybeth1986

Each month CFWC highlights one of our talented fanfic writers, and this month’s writer of the month is @lizzybeth1986 We hope you will enjoy learning more about them and their work below! The writer is selected at random. More info can be found on the navigation page.

Quick Links:

Tumblr Blog: Blog Masterlist

How do you want to be known on Tumblr?

Lizzy, absolutely 😁

*Center art by @sazanes

More below...

When did you start playing Choices? What was the first book you played?

I started playing mid 2017, I think. I played the flagship books (TF, TCaTF, MW), and def preferred TF at the time.

When and why did you join Choices fandom?

I joined the Tumblr fandom in 2017, around the time of the TRR finale. Mostly because the Liam hate at the time was intense and I wanted to write metas about why Liam was, in fact, not “a dick who betrayed the MC” 😂

I did have a Tumblr account before that (made it in 2015 to follow Bollywood film posts), but never actually used it.

How did you pick your blog name?

I was lazy af so it was my middle name plus my birth year haha

Pull up the first post in your archive, and tell us about it! 

I started out with a couple reblogs, but my first actual post was about the romance points mechanism in TRR1. There was a point in the middle of the book where one nice word to Drake would give you an automatic romance point, and I was like, “Huh??? Either treat him like shit or risk him catching feels for me? Is that how it is???”. Thankfully, that stopped after two chapters. After that, I did an essay series analyzing Liam’s actions in the finale called “The Crown, The King and The Flame.” Romance Points Post The Crown and the Flame

How long have you been writing fanfiction?

Almost 6 years now! I started doing Liam fics around the beginning of TRR2.

What is your favorite Choices book, and what is your favorite Choices book to write about?

I’m the most invested in TRR and PM, but between the two I’d probably say PM is my fave book overall. But yeah, my favourite book to write about would be TRR, because Liam, Hana and Kiara are such fantastic characters to write about! (Hayden and Sloane, too, but I’m still in the process of getting comfortable writing them).

Share the first fanfic you wrote with us. Do you still like it, or would you change it if you were writing it today?

It was Keychains, my two part fic series featuring my MC and Liam. It was set around the time the MC was waiting in the airport in TRR2, just before Maxwell and Bertrand intervene. It had a follow up with Liam’s PoV too.

I really like it. It included some really good hc’s I made at the time, like Esther buying an apple keychain to represent Cordonia at the same time, and Liam calling her his wife in Greek and Esther not realizing what the phrase meant. I thought the pathos and slight humour was quite well-done. I can’t think of much I would want to change in the story.

Keychains 1 Keychains 2

What is your favorite fic that you’ve written?

As a series – Eleanor’s Kitchen! It’s ongoing, and it’s a joy to write. I love exploring food from a cultural lens, and since Cordonia was a fictional country, I could explore a variety of ethnicities and food cultures. Liam had a literal diamond scene that explored gastrodiplomacy, and I wanted to explore his childhood and Eleanor’s friendships too.

Individually – I would say my Kiara fic “An Ear to the Ground”. Kiara is a delightful character and exploring the social season through her eyes was a real journey! I also love “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” which explores the early days of the Sloane & Hayden friendship. I used asterisms and constellations to symbolize moments in their friendship.

Eleanor's Kitchen An Ear to the Ground The Stars (Are Out Tonight)

Do you have a fic that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to be but found could use a little more love?

Cordonian Waltz was definitely a surprise in terms of reception!! It was written in the style of headcanons I was seeing at the time, and I wrote it in second person. It became my most widely-read fanfic very fast, and every once in a while it would experience a major surge in readership. I enjoyed writing it and thought it was a lovely, romantic piece, but I really wasn’t expecting it to finally have 250+ reblogs out of it, and people coming and telling me this was the fic that got them into Liam x MC in the first place. I find that deeply gratifying 😍

There’s a lot of fics that I feel need more engagement and appreciation, but I can understand that those characters also don’t exactly get much of an audience. My entire PM set comes under this category; they typically get low readership. I think my Hana and Kiara fics too could do with more of an audience.

@twinkleallnight once told me that when she reads my stuff, she usually takes a long time just to ruminate on the story, and I like to believe that often, that’s why the engagement isn’t always immediate. Which I like too!! I like that some of my stuff can make people stop and think, and I like to believe that over time, the work will have its own impact.

Cordonian Waltz PM Set

If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why?

Probably fluff but with a lot of observation and sometimes somber reflections. I’m not that great with angst…and I’ve never actually tried smut? But maybe one day 😄

Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MCs or in your writing?

Yes! Some of my MCs are v different from me but I always incorporate something from my life experiences in them. Like Esther taking photos of the sunset or Basil not being science oriented but still having an interest in space.

Character wise I find I put a lot of myself into a lot of the characters I write. Notably, Liam, Hana, Kiara, certain Haydens and Sloane. Liam’s love for learning, different aspects of Hana and Kiara’s experiences as queer women, Sloane’s experiences as a neurodivergent woman, and especially my Scholar!Hayden’s (Iris) observations. I tend to incorporate a lot of my feelings and experiences more into certain canonical characters than in MCs.

What element of writing do you struggle with most?

Dialogue, I think. Especially when it’s a character I don’t relate to that much. But also sometimes when it’s a character I love but am only starting to write because then I really overthink it!

Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?

Hmm…probably neglected wouldn’t be the word I’d use…I just take a very long time to kickstart them 😂

But yeah, definitely my Petals and Thornes series? That’s the fic series I’m doing for Hana x Kiara, that is supposed to explore TRR2 and 3 from their PoV (with significant changes). So far I’ve only been able to do some one-shots and hcs in that universe, but I do want to start the actual series soon!

I have some essay series’ I’d love to work on too! My Hana essay series which has two essays left, The Hayden Young Project, and a possible series on the alternative Lis of TRR!

Petals and Thornes Hana Lee: A Study in Erasure

If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to read your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you recommend they read first?

Hmm. A few people have asked me, actually, and while I’m not fully opposed to showing them I’ll probably take some time before I do show my work. I’ll probably overthink how much will be understandable to a reader who doesn’t have the context of the source, and what they may not understand.

What to show them first? I’m not sure! Maybe the smaller ones first, like Cordonian Waltz. Or my RCD fic Snowstorms, because it doesn’t have more than 2-3 canon characters featuring and I do talk a little about being a closeted queer teen figuring out their sexuality through cinema, which is an overall relatable experience to some! Snowstorms

Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing?

In my early years I used to emulate Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s style. Much of her work that I read as a teen was pretty flowery, sometimes bordering on purple prose, and I really loved that style and tried to go that way. But now I think a variety of writers from different genres inform my writing. In terms of published authors, Jhumpa Lahiri, Helen Hoang, and non-fiction ones like Rukmini Pande, Ruby Hammad and Mikki Kendall.

In Choices fic, @callmetippytumbles for sure – a lot of the questions she was tackling with her MC in her Home series served as inspiration for some of the ideas I’ve been having in mind for Petals and Thornes. @thefirstcourtesan is a great writing buddy to have, too, and she has a knack for saying a lot in very few words! There’s also my amazing group of friends (shoutout to @cassiopeiacorvus, @thecapturedafrique, @mand-delemonde, and @beyonceswigs, as well as @twinkleallnight , @dcbbw @mariemarieohcontrary , @choicesfrog, @grapecaseschoices and @ohsnapitzlovehacker…the discussions are so good and leave some much to think about afterward 💖💖). All these discussions ALWAYS fuel my ideas and make me think out of the box.

I’ve also recently started writing polyamorous characters and relationships, and @angelasscribbles stories and resources have been such a great help in navigating that!

Home

@angelasscribbles Poly Resources

Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series?

Haha! I’ve not even started the proper series yet but I think Petals and Thornes? But besides that maybe Eleanor’s Kitchen may work as a series idk 😄

Do you write original fiction?

I do try! I’ve done a few short stories but before I started fanfic, I did a lot of spoken word poetry and that was fun.

What other hobbies do you have?

Reading, watching video essays, spending months on hyperfixations 😂 and a little cooking. My kid’s gotten into craft recently and has succeeded in taking me down that rabbit hole too haha.

I used to be into making fruit wines but have gotten inconsistent with that over the years.

What’s your favorite emoji?

Because I have a huuuge thing for nerds – this one: 🤓

BONUS – tell us anything you’d like (if you want to).

A story my mum often tells about how I got into writing, began with some good old-fashioned sibling rivalry. Apparently as a child I was notorious for writing things on the walls of our house. One day my older brother got a hardbound royal-blue covered notebook to write in, with gold lettering on the cover…and I got instantly jealous that I didn’t get one (I was 6 or 7 and already fond of telling stories). When I complained my mum made me a deal – she would get me the same notebook…IF I stopped writing on the walls and began writing in that instead 😂 It worked. My mother is a smart woman.

I love spoilers!! I will read the end of a novel I’m reading and then go back and read the rest. Sometimes I even read books all the way backwards lol.

I love romance, and my favorite tropes include second-chance romance and mutual pining while believing the other person will never love you back! Because, at heart, I’m a dramatic bitch.

[fadingreveries]

Novel-style story for The Royal Romance?

For any Choices fans and The Royal Romance fans out there, would anyone be interested in the idea of a novel-style retelling of TRR?

One that would be told in third person and involve more commentary, comprehensive backstories, and bonus scenes including Riley (MC), Liam, Drake, Hana, and Maxwell? It would also include descriptions of diamond scenes and premium outfits for those who haven't purchased them in the app.

I'm totally dreading finishing the series because it was the first story I ever read on Choices, so I'm trying to cope by writing fan fiction... LOL.

But then I thought, would anyone be interested too?

It would go along the lines of something like this...

“Hey!” A booming voice yelled out, making the two co-workers turn around. “Riley, Daniel, quit slacking off over there!” If there was one thing Riley was ready to embrace, it was the fact that she had finally given her two-week notice to her boss. After six years, she would finally be out of his clutches and no longer have to hear constant nagging from him about every minuscule detail she had made the mistake of carrying out in front of him.  “You told us to take out the garbage,” Riley reminded him, a scowl deepening as she remembered how insufferable her boss was.  “And now I’m telling you to wait on the bachelor party that just rolled in. Chop chop!” The manager barked out, clapping his hands for emphasis before storming back inside the bar. 

Please tell me I'm not the only one who's wanted to read more from the original TRR series...

[masked-alien-lesbian]

Hi! On the series mentioned on the sequels poll who did you romance?

hello! Hope you're doing well anon! 🎵

The post anon is mentioning is this one

TRR: Hana Lee always! ❤️ She's my forever obsession! My absolutely end game, my wife till the end of time lol

Desire & Decorum: Annabelle Parsons ❤️ my 2nd favorite playchoices LI, I dare say if D&D had as many books as the TRR, she may even had surpassed Hana 🫣

Blood bound: My first play through I romanced Kamilah but Lily has been my LI ever since then.

It Lives Series: In ILITW, I've romanced Stacey once but choose Ava always, love my witch lol. In ILB, I've flirted with Danni but I've chosen Imogene every time. In fact I think I haven't took every diamond scene with Danni or done an end game with her. I may do that next time I read ILB.

Endless Summer: I've flirted with Quinn but Estela is my end game LI, but I've only read the entire ES series once so maybe I'll choose Quinn if I ever reread the series again.

High School Series: I've romanced Maria once but I always choose Emma in my other play throughs. In HSS:CA, it's the same with Rory and Skye. I've romanced Rory maybe 1 or 2x but Skye is my usual end game.

Blades: My elf mc romanced Imtura, Nia and Valax but I gravitated more towards Imtura and Valax. Then I created an orc mc that romances Nia and Valax. I'm wondering if I want to create a whole other mc just for Valax lol, but that's a lot of mcs for me 😅

In my tags I brought up Baby Bump so ofc I chose Myra Dixon, Clint was sweet but Myra won me over rather quickly.

[alj4890]

Anytime, Anywhere

(Liam x MC) in a Choices The Royal Romance drabble

Thirty Kisses in Thirty Days Challenge with the prompt: kissing at a crowded party.

Choices May Monthly Challenge: love | engagement | finally putting self first | lust

Rating G for steamy fluff

A/N Taking inspiration for this prompt from Book 3's diamond scene when the MC can tell Liam he doesn't have to hold back anymore from kissing her whenever he wants to.

@gkittylove99 @kingliam2019 @texaskitten30 @yourmajesty09 @mom2000aggie @twinkleallnight @lodberg  @amandablink @neotericthemis  @mm2305 @sfb123 @tessa-liam @thesvnsins @krsnlove @busywoman @choiceschallenge-may2023 @jerzwriter

Masterlist

She could feel it again.

Riley searched the crowded room for the source of goosebumps going up and down her body. Her dark eyes collided with a pair of hooded blue ones that never failed in making her heart hammer in her chest. That type of heated glance was one she noticed ever since she gave that one little word answer in front of the Statue of Liberty a couple of months earlier.

"Have you given any thoughts to what types of flowers you want for the wedding?" Hana asked, drawing Riley back into the conversation.

She pulled her attention away from Liam's steady gaze and refocused on the group of ladies surrounding her.

"Um, not really. With the unity tour and all, I've been letting Madeleine and Regina make all the wedding plans."

Kiara's eyes widened. "You must trust them a great deal to not even suggest which ones you'd prefer."

"I think for my wedding, I would love to have a bouquet of purple flowers." Penelope added with a dreamy sigh. "I know with my duchy's colors I should have them anyway, but I just adore that color!"

Riley was already tuning them out. Honestly, she could care less about flowers and decorations. All she worried about was finally being united with the man she was hopelessly in love with. They could get married right now in the clothes they were in with no flowers or anything special at all and she'd be thrilled.

She might as well save Regina and Madeleine time and effort to try to get her involved in the wedding planning. Giving them free reign made them happy and saved her from numerous headaches of having to pretend she was interested.

"Would you excuse me for a moment?" She asked the group.

They all smiled at her and continued to discuss how their own dream weddings would look.

Riley began to edge her way through the party guests. She'd last seen Liam stuck in conversation with Godfrey and Hakim near one of the bars. She decided to save him and perhaps find somewhere they could be alone.

She inwardly frowned over that. It was odd that she was with a man who could be so passionate in private yet hold back as if they weren't really together in front of others. Yes, he escorted her everywhere, but she was the one to initiate any type of affection in public. She was the one to kiss him without worry of who was looking.

She didn't doubt for a second that Liam wanted her or else she would be back in New York still searching for Mr. Right. Though, would it kill him to show everyone they knew just how much he did?

It wasn't like she expected some epic, make you melt kiss every time they were near one another. She wouldn't mind some sort of affectionate peck or his arm around her instead of just his hand at the small of her back.

She jumped when she felt his hand in that very spot.

"Enjoying yourself?" He asked with a tender smile.

"Of course." She replied. "Who doesn't love another good party?"

Liam chuckled in response. "We have been forced to attend a lot of these, haven't we?"

"A little." She grinned at him. "I'll be glad when we begin enjoying evenings alone for a change."

"So will I."

Riley felt heat flash over her as his fingers brushed the cutout at the back of her dress. He seemed to linger on her exposed skin.

"Would you like to slip away for a moment?" He whispered

"For?" Riley teased him.

Liam's smirk caught her attention.

"I think you know the purpose of my wanting to steal you away from here."

"Is it to kiss me?"

"Always." He replied.

"I see."

Liam's eyes narrowed somewhat at the sound of disappointment he could detect.

"What's wrong, my love?"

"Nothing." She lowered her eyes from his. "Where should we go?"

Liam grasped her wrist when she began to pull away from him.

"Riley?"

She grimaced then finally said what was on her mind.

"Liam, you never kiss me in front of others."

"Excuse me?"

She had to fight from rushing to reassure him. If they were going to spend the rest of their lives together, then it was only fair that he understood what she needed.

Perhaps it was because the majority of their relationship was so different from every previous one she'd been in. After all, how many people had to compete the first go around to simply be with someone then turn around and be their secret lover before getting engaged? Weird didn't even begin to cover it.

"I can feel your eyes on me wherever we go." Riley explained. "I know what you want and I want it too."

Liam's brow furrowed as he listened without interruption. His hand loosened and fell away from her wrist.

"We're together now. Really together. We don't have to hide our feelings anymore from the world." She huffed in irritation. "We're getting married in a few weeks!"

When he remained silent, she softly groaned.

"What I'm trying to say is that you can kiss me whenever you want, regardless of who's around."

She forced herself to look up at him to see how he was taking this. Maybe it was some kind of royal protocol that she wasn't aware of yet that kept him from showing affection in public. Or, what if he wasn't into PDA?

Madeleine certainly had been the one to initiate the kisses to the cheek when she was engaged to Liam. Riley guessed that was how it was going to be from now on.

She believed she could live with that as long as he was still affectionate in private. She knew she shouldn't wish for something that probably wasn't that big of a deal.

But...

She needed him to show the world she was his choice. She needed them to know she was the only one he wanted over and over again. She wanted everyone to know the type of love they had for one another.

They weren't getting married because of some archaic law so he could meet the requirements to be king. They were doing so because they were in love and couldn't imagine spending another single moment without the other by their side.

Was it too much to ask for a spontaneous kiss every now and then?

"You wouldn't mind my doing so?" Liam asked.

Her eyes flew to his.

"Kissing me?"

He nodded.

She thought he was heartbreakingly adorable in his uncertainty. Didn't he realize how crazy in love she was with him?

"Liam, you can kiss me anytime, anywhere." Riley nervously gripped her hands together. "I would love it if you kissed me whenever you felt like it."

The slow smile forming on his lips drew her attention.

"You are giving me far too much power, my love."

Chills of delight ran down her spine. His seductive tone slipping out right now was enough to make her launch herself into his arms alone. It took every bit of her willpower to see what he would do next.

He raised one hand to her cheek. His thumb brushed along her bottom lip drawing an involuntary gasp from her. His eyes raised briefly to hers before settling once more upon her mouth.

In the blink of an eye, he had his free hand slide around her waist, drawing her flush to his body. Desire burned in the deep blue depths of his eyes over the feel of her being right where he wanted.

Riley thought she would collapse from the anticipation. Her heart pounded in her ears when he slowly lowered his mouth towards hers.

There was no gentle brush of his lips to check to see if she was truly willing to be kissed. Instead, his mouth covered hers in blatant ownership. His tongue parted her lips while his hand wrapped around her hair, keeping her at the perfect angle for his ravishment.

His arm around her waist locked in place, daring her to even think about moving, as he drew a whimper from her.

Her arms hung loosely at her sides until it hit her that this was truly happening. She wrapped them around his waist and surrendered completely. Her last coherent thought was she hoped everyone was seeing this.

Liam's hand tightened around her hair in response. He continued to devour her, finally giving himself what he'd craved from the first moment he ever saw her.

Perhaps a part of him had still been in disbelief that he could truly win her and her love. But now that he knew she wanted him to touch her as much as he did, that she needed it, it set off a part of his soul he wasn't aware existed.

He could care less who saw them. He didn't mind it for a second. His entire life was paraded before the world. He was more than willing to show them his favorite part of existing.

And it had everything to do with the woman returning his kiss with the power to make his skin deliciously burn with desire.

After one last caress of his tongue, Liam lifted his head to see the effect his kiss had over her.

Riley stared at him in wonder. Her lips were still parted as if ready for another kiss. Her breaths were quick little gasps while her cheeks were rosy from the encounter. Her eyes kept returning to his mouth as if in awe of the power it had over her body.

"Now that," she smiled at him, "was a kiss."

Liam laughed, leaning down to tenderly kiss her.

She hummed her approval of such a response to her observation.

"I like that one too." Riley admitted, her smile growing bigger with each brush of his lips.

"How about this one?" He whispered, gently biting down upon her earlobe.

He felt her hands drift down to grip his rear in response.

"I like it." She breathed, her eyes closing as he dotted slow kisses along her jawline. "I love everything you do to me."

"Good." Liam's voice deepened, his lips hovering over hers once more. "Because I don't intend to ever stop."

[lizzybeth1986]

Masterlist for More Recent Meta

My old essay masterlist was written during the time I was still actively playing Choices, and often went into detail on the diamond scenes of certain characters. But in more recent years, I began writing essays stemming from asks I recieved. I couldn't put them in that masterlist because it was too full by then, and over time all my essays/meta posts became difficult to track. I thought it would be a good time to compile them in a separate place.

Many of these essays were written around 2019-2021, and a lot may have happened since the writing of those. So do understand that some of them were written at a time when the full story was not out, but the arguments behind them often still hold.

I will keep adding to this list as and when I find more essays.

Choices and Race

Fear of the Second Book (ft. Sloane Washington)

CoC and Fandom Hypocrisy (ft. Xanthe)

Colorism

What White Woman are Allowed that WOC aren't (ft. Aurora Emery)

A Litmus Test to See Which Characters Writers/Teams Care For (ft. Zoey Wade)

PB and Fronting Diversity

LGBTQ+ Issues and Choices

My Issues with The "Playersexual" LI Term

TRR

Cordonia and Sexism

Cordonian Nobility and Their Upbringing

Madeleine

TRR's Alternative LIs: The Romances that Didn't Happen

Character Specific Essays

Shane

The Character Who Provided A Counterview

Sloane

Rebel Goddess: An Appreciation of Sloane Washington

Nadia

Nadia Park: The Moral Epicenter of Perfect Match

Hana

Hana and the Effects of Controlling Parenting

Hana Lee: A Study in Erasure (an ongoing essay series)

How Retconning Madeleine Harmed Hana

Using Hana's Pain to Generate Sympathy for Penelope

A Breakdown of the Madeleine-MC Confrontation

Kiara

To Be Not Heard: Kiara, Penelope and the Question of Validation

Kiara Theron: The Character that the Fandom Loves To Hate

Why There is a Disdain for Kiara

PB's Obsession with Keeping Kiara Away From Liam

Liam

Monuments, Memory, Meaning: King Liam and Historical Sites

Drake's Retcon

Who is A Forced LI

The "Sucky King" Argument

Princess Lena

Hayden

The Beauty of Hayden's Harajuku Scene

Hayden's Breaking Point: Unexpected Tantrum, or a Long Awaited Catharsis?

The Hayden Young Project (an upcoming essay series)

Scene Compilations: Book 1 | Book 2

Essays (coming soon!)

[thecapturedafrique]

HLAW: Day 5—Hana(ra)’s Perfect Wedding!

Like several members of the fandom, I too ship Hana and Kiara together, and though I have yet to write the fic where they fall in love, I’ve long since come up list of head canons about their wedding. I originally meant to share this for Kiara’s first appreciation week, but I wasn’t able to finish on time. Fortunately, one of the benefits to being a Hanara shipper is that their romantic content can work for both characters’ weeks! 😆

Tagging @hanaleeappreciationweek and the stupendous hosts @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

This moodboard was designed to reflect the Pinboard that Hana would 100% make for her wedding to Kiara given the numerous ones she’s crafted in canon.

Bridal Ring Sets

The ring on the left is the one Hana chooses for Kiara; I initially searched for a ring similar to Hana's ring for MC in canon but didn't want a one-to-one match, and then I diverged further by selecting one with a vine design to reference Castelsareillan (aka Rowan’s tattoos which I head canon were tribal in nature and design). The side stones are diamonds since they’re both the ducal stone and Kiki’s birthstone, but Hana went with moissanite for the central stone since it's not as hard and refracts more multi-colored light, representing how there's more to Kiara than what the surface may show and that she is a lot more kind and sweet and thoughtful than her tough facade leads people to expect.

For the ring Kiara gives to Hana*, resetting a family heirloom is very popular in France, especially with traditional affluent families. The ruby was originally from her late maternal grandmother’s engagement ring, and Kiara had it reset in a rose gold band to match her own since Hana proposed first. Due to the canonical Cordonian tradition of lovers throwing a copper, a silver, and a gold coin into a well to guarantee that they stay together for eternity, I head canon that rose gold—which is made of those three metals—is a popular choice in Cordonia for engagement/anniversary jewelry. The wedding band is inlaid with opals since they're the ducal stone of Hana’s duchy, Chrysopolis.

*I was also partly inspired by @masked-alien-lesbian’s beautiful pick to find a more floral design than my original choice, and when I found one with embellishments that mirrored butterflies as well, I knew it was the one.

Bridal Party

In Chinese numerology, 8 is considered one of the most auspicious numbers, with 2, 3, and 6 also being lucky in general. As such, the bridal party is a total of 6 people (3 for each side) who combined with the 2 brides equal 8 in total.

Hana's Bridesmaids: Ally (MOH), Olivia, and Ganga

In my version of events, Olivia actually does offer a genuine apology to Hana in the beer garden scene at the end of TRR2, and so by the time Hana’s planning her wedding, the two have grown close enough for her to ask Liv to be her bridesmaid.

The name Ganga may be familiar to anyone who read Hana’s character page, as she’s one of Hana’s second cousins on her mother’s side. They meet and bond over the course of my reimagined TRH series Silver Spoons.

Kiara's Témoins: Penelope (MOH), Zeke, and Savannah

Instead of bridesmaids and groomsmen, French couples have témoins (witnesses) of any gender/age that stand next to them during the ceremonies. While Penelope is still courteously given the MOH title, Ally is the one who provides the most support in regard to the planning/corralling.

Wedding

Following Moroccan and Chinese traditions, the wedding celebration is several days long. I also head canon that many western regions of Cordonia outside of the five major duchies have three-day-length celebrations, including the regality from which Hana’s maternal family hails. The negafa (wedding planner) is Kiki’s paternal aunt Leïla, who is assisted by Hana’s own aunt Yawen.

Day 1: Castelsareillan

Hammam

In Morocco on the first day of a wedding celebration, the bride spends a day in the hammam (a type of steam bath or place of public bathing akin to a spa) with her companions, treating themselves with multiple body masks, scrubs, and massages as part of a bridal ritual of purification and beauty. Hanara chooses the baths and spa in Applewood visited in TRR2 and attend with their bridal party sans Zeke.

Bachelorette Party

Their joint party is thrown in Côte d'Or, the Cordonian gambling district visited in RoE which in my verse is located in one of Castelsareillan’s vassalages off the coast. Aside from the standard night on the town events, Ally also arranges a series of chuangmen (Chinese door games) for the couple to play: an alcoholic version of the Four Flavors of Life, Q&A Tests, and a Sweet Serenade karaoke session.

The theme is a rainbow, with everyone wearing a different colored dress: Ally in red, Ganga in orange, Kiara in yellow gold, Olivia in green, Penelope in blue, Savannah in purple, and Hana in pink. All of the bridesmaids wear the same cap-sleeved sequined style, while the brides’ outfits are pictured below:

Day 2: Samsara

Henna Party

Both Morocco and India have wedding traditions involving decorating the bride’s hands and feet with henna (mehndi being the South Asian term for the body art itself). Lorelai’s cousin Aparna offers her estate in Samsara (a western regality in Cordonia) as the venue, and the party is a long affair filled with food and music.

Hana wears a pink sari while Kiki dons a green kaftan. Since the brides plan to walk down the aisle the next day, they’re carried to their seats in the amaria (an elegant roofed platform) by four men: Zeke, Drake, Bertrand, and the male cousin Kiara mentions in TRR3 who I named Patrice and head canon is Joëlle’s nephew.

Having forgone a wedding shower, the brides open their gifts during the party, some of which revolve around the traditional “something old” rhyme (with the givers corresponding to whose side they walk on):

Something Old: received during the tea ceremony

Something New: white lotus hair stick (Ally), silver and onyx Berber necklace (Zeke)

Something Borrowed: Scarlet Handkerchief (Liv), Golden Tiara* (Penelope)

Something Blue: garter set (Savannah), nagapadam mala (Ganga)

*The Golden Tiara is the House treasure that was granted to the Amaranth’s when they were elevated in 1600 C.E. It was rumored that while donned, the makeup of any who wore it would remain flawless.

Rehearsal Dinner

The ribbons and bows from unwrapping the gifts are turned into two giant bouquets that the brides use for the following wedding rehearsal in place of the garlands they’ll be using for the real ceremony. They also incorporate some elements of the nischayam, an Indian Malayalee engagement ceremony generally held to formally announce the marriage, which includes exchanging horoscopes as well as the mothiram maattal (ring exchange). Since pigs are favored animals in Chinese culture, Kiara’s pet teacup pig Tambour acts as the ring bearer. At the end of the rehearsal dinner, the couple signs their marriage license following both French and Moroccan tradition (the latter of which call this ceremony Drib Sdak).

Day 3: Chrysopolis

Shutou & Jing Cha

The morning of the third and final wedding day begins in Hana’s manor in Chrysopolis with the Chinese shutou or hair combing ceremony performed by their mothers Lorelai and Joëlle. Immediately afterwards, the two change into their traditional formal wear (Hana in a qungua and Kiara in a takshita) before heading downstairs for the jing cha or tea ceremony, where their aunts have built an ancestral altar for the occasion.

The ceremony is done with both families at the same time, and in return for the tea that the couple offer, their families offer them golden jewelry and red envelopes filled with money called hongbao. They also receive from their fathers the “something old” gift that’s been passed down by their late grandmothers: a set of golden phoenix & dragon bangles for Hana and silver Berber bracelets for Kiara.

Vow Exchange

The exchanging of vows takes place outside in the sunflower garden. Kiki’s four-year-old cousin mentioned in TRH2 serves as the flower girl, and the bridal party are all dressed in a reddish mulberry and adorned with golden jewelry*. The brides change into their white outfits (Hana wearing the same dress as in canon and a veil, while Kiara dons a jumpsuit with a cape) and walk down the T-shaped aisle on the arms of their fathers to meet each other.

Hakim place Kiara’s hand in Hana’s and Xinghai hands them a pair of scissors before leaving the two to continue their march together. In a slightly altered French tradition, they must cut through the rows of white ribbons stretched across the aisle to reach the dais, where they exchange a set of garlands made from roses, fire lilies, jasmine, sunflowers, and Vescovi (magic) flowers in the Hindi jayamala ceremony, a pledge which substitutes their “I Do’s.”

Liam acts as the officiant and joins the couple’s hands together following the Agni Hito tradition of using a red string to represent their fates being bound. He hands them each a lambatha (Greek taper candle) to hold as the brides recite their individual customized vows to one another. They then use the lambathes to light a brazier filled with Heartoak wood which is placed before them.

This functions as the sacred fire for the saat phere, a Hindu wedding ritual continued by the Agni Hito where the couple walks around the fire seven times while reciting specific vows. Each circuit holds a certain meaning. Once the seventh one has been completed, Liam pronounces the two wives, and butterflies are released as they share their first kiss as a married couple.

*One of the bridal party’s statement pieces is a golden pin in the design of Hanara’s onnamon, pictured below. Mon are Japanese emblems that function similar to heraldic charges, and onnamon specifically are created by women after marriage through modifying her original family kamon. The Agni Hito, being of Japanese lineage, continued to use them within Cordonia. After becoming the Duchess of Chrysopolis, Hana adopted a new mon by turning her mother’s kamon/charge (the cherry blossom) into a butterfly-shape.

Reception

The rice toss is performed while the newlyweds exit down the aisle before everyone heads inside, where the vin d’honour (the French equivalent of a cocktail hour) is held. Kir Royale cocktails made with Cristal champagne and chocolate-coated almonds called les dragées are served, and both mahjong and mancala are played. Once all of the ~200 attendees have been greeted, they drive to the banquet hall with a liberal use of horns preceding the “just married” limo.

Each guest upon their arrival signs the livre des visiteurs (guestbook), delivers their hongbao, touches a set of oranges for good luck, and washes their hands in the orange blossom water. Ouzo and Moroccan mint tea are offered until everyone has been seated for the grand entrance, where under a shower of petals and sparklers, the newlyweds perform a TRR 2.0 Olivia-style change into their reception dresses pictured below (Hana on the left and Kiara on the right):

Thanks to @lizzybeth1986 for sharing the tumblr post with these lovely designs!

They step onto the floor with their fathers for the first dance, which they finish as a couple following French tradition. The song is one that Hana composed titled Le jardin de l'amour and performed by Kaitlyn Liao. The feast itself is a ten-course affair that contains a vast variety of cultural dishes, including drunken shrimp, butter chicken, Peking duck, pork jiaozi, tangine, bird’s nest soup, and seffa. Maxwell serves as the emcee, and toasts are given in between the various acts.

Friends provide most of the entertainment, including a ballad sung by the Cordonian Quartet, but there are also lion dancers and firecrackers following Chinese tradition. Halfway through, the couple changes into their final outfits for the night (a red qipao for Hana and a kaftan jumpsuit for Kiara). Once the last course has been served, the croquembouche (a French dessert that serves as the wedding cake) is wheeled out along with a Cordonian Ruby for the apple-cutting ceremony.

After feeding each other a slice of both, the dancing begins. The party lasts long into the night, but just before the newlyweds retire for the evening, they take part in another French tradition: eating a dish from a brand new pot de chambre (chamber pot). The bottom is lined by bananas and covered with melted chocolate before the leftover alcohol from the wedding is poured in. After the couple’s takes a drink and eats a spoonful of the gooey contents, the rest is left to be finished off by the bridal party.

Honeymoon

Lorelai’s wedding gift is the most expensive home in China, and it is here in Shanghai where Hana and Kiara spend the first week of their honeymoon, which ends with the Mid-Autumn Festival. The second week is spent in Tours, France where they go cycling and visit the famous châteaus before returning to Cordonia just in time for the Last Apple Ball.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Sources

[fern-thee-otter]

Does anyone know how Abe got his scar? Personally, I think it was the scariest thing about the King of Diamond's episode. I didn't notice he had it until the end when he smiled and it freaked me out. Idk if it was the shadows accentuating it or what but he looked ghoulish. Like the Joker. Anywho, I tried to answer my question but the only results I found were about the prime minister's assassination. I'm hoping someone knows. Even if it was from something minor, I have a 2 inch scar just above my jawline so I have a strange fascination with other people's. When it's on their faces. Other scars don't peak my interest. I'm sorry if this was all over the place and/or made no sense. 😊

checked the last scenes of kuzuryuu (emotional damage :') ) and hoo mama, you're kinda right. the lightning might've done something in highlighting the scar. and don't worry, your ask isn't '"all over the place".

but to answer your question, i don't really know where he got that scar from and i didn't check any other pieces of his filmography besides hana yori dango (2005) and the bad losers (2021, i think)

[nyarashi]

end of year zuka tag!!

so extremely late to do this so I’m just doing it all in one post!!

1) sumire no hana - new favorite

I became a fan in late 2021 so almost all of my current favorite siennes are ones I fell in love with this year… for actresses already in the theatre id definitely say I become such a huge fan of towaki sea!! she is such an incredible singer and is able to be such a wonderful otokoyaku and an enchanting onnayaku. as for new girls, I’ve been keeping my eye on shiragiri tsubaki!

2) never say goodbye - hardest to say goodbye to

100% oto kurisu, she was such a standout in hanagumi and it was never a dull moment when she was on stage. She’s such an amazing performer and singer. I’m so glad she’s on Instagram now and I’m so excited for her future projects!

3) material girl - favorite merchandise

I was able to go to quartre reves and takarazuka an for the first time this year since i was in japan, so I think my favorite pieces of merch are all the bromides I was able to buy! going to the stores in person was such an amazing experience I’m so grateful for. I think my most treasured though is my yuzuka rei clear card, she’s been to so many places with me!

4) mon paris - new favorite show not from this year

2004 phantom!!! idk how I found it but I’m so glad I did. wao youka is just so incredible…. her portrayal of erik is maybe one of the best performances I’ve ever seen tbh… I’m so obsessed with her voice. her acting as well is so fantastic, the scene where christine is singing to erik trying to convince him to take his mask off is a work of art. you can see all the emotions erik is feeling so clearly, you see this hope in his eyes as christine continues to sing. also the way wao youka is styled in the show is so dated but i think it fits so well. she has these very prominent shoulder pads that look a little silly at first but I’ve grown to love it so much. I love the other versions of the show (esp 2018) but 2004 hold such a special place in my heart.

5) wings of the heart - favorite fandom memory

I had so many fun streaming experiences this year! I’m so lucky to have had the time to attend as many as it did. I think maybe the most impactful fandom moment was just walking around the tokyo takarazuka theatre and seeing all the other people taking pictures with and gushing about posters outside. such a crazy feeling as an international fan to see that so many other people share the same love you do

6) where is god - shocking hankyu announcement

maitis senka transfer and yurika + kano taidan!! for yurika and kano I guess it makes sense, but I feel like having any top star retire is surprising to me. yurika has been the only face of soragumi I’ve known, so it’s going to feel strange having a new top star but I’m so excited to see who it’s going to be. maitis senka transfer is a bit puzzling to me but I know she’s going to be amazing in whatever she does next.

7) the final dance - favorite duedan

saki and kiwas duedan in soukyuu no subaru. I was able to see the show in person which I think made it so much more powerful. I could feel their connection much better. I swear I was tearing up watching it. the reality of kiwas taidan hit me like a bus during it, and I felt so honored to be able to see one of their last dances together

8) my everlasting dream - most rewatched show

it’s a revue but probably beautiful garden! I put on shows a lot in the background while doing work and beautiful garden was this years top pick. I love the music so much and so many of my favorite siennes are in it! I love flower theme so much and the costumes especially!! purple and pink are my favorite colors and this revue has so much of them

9) fascinating rhythm - song that got stuck in my head

continuing the last one a bit, the theme song of beautiful garden got stuck in my head so often. especially senna ayase’s part! it’s such a catchy theme!! and the performance of it is so lovely

10) diamonds are a girls best friend - favorite costumes

such a difficult question because I really love the costumes of takarazuka, especially ones with frills and ruffles… there’s just so many to chose from. I think I’m going to say all of the costumes from genroku baroque rock. I love Japanese traditional clothing and it combined with takarazuka’s flair was such a treat. I love madoka’s costume during lucky koi koi. it’s so detailed and I love the way it moves. all the different patterns on it make me want to look at it forever.

11) cool beast!! - most ridiculous costumes

definitely not the most ridiculous, more like my favorite silly costumes are hozumi mahiro’s in top hat as beddini

12) greatest moment - special stage moment

the parade in soukyuu no subaru. being able to applaud for the actresses was such an honor to participate in. it was such a thrilling experience

13) favorite musical

genroku baroque rock! it’s very special to me for being one of the first musicals I saw. it matches my tastes very well and it’s maybe my favorite musical visually.

14) favorite revue

the fascination!!! I love this revue so much!!! pink is my favorite color so of course the costumes to me are so fantastic. especially the parade costumes… madoka’s dress is just so gorgeous. rei’s carnivorous flower is one of my favorite costumes and performances. I love the music in the revue so much too! rei singing in English and anytime hitoko sings are my favorites (of course I also love fashionable empire but I just haven’t watched it enough..)

[mawarimichicafe]

mawarimichi cafe masterlist

hi everyone, i'm sou!! you might know me from my main @kimbapisnotsushi where i primarly post about hq!!. there's a whole lot of other series i want to talk about and recommend though, so welcome to the cafe! come on in, have a seat, and i'll be with you shortly :)

below you'll find a masterlist of everything i've read so far! keep in mind that this is constantly in progress and will always be edited and updated. there are plenty of series on here that are stuck on my TBR or are still ongoing, and i'm always doing my best to keep up with them. i have yet to place all the emojis where i want, too, but feel free to send me asks about anything you want to know about any of them!

key 💔- shattered my heart like a brick through a window 🌈- bonus points for being queer 🚩- occasional nsfw scenes of any kind (including sex/nudity, gore, heavy violence, assault, etc) 1️⃣- single-volume work ✅ - completed series/read all of it O_O - "what the fuck. what the fuck was that" 💖 - faves of all time, constantly reread

high school shenanigans (coming-of-age, romance, etc):

ah! itoshi no banchou-sama

ao haru ride (✅)

ao no flag (🌈✅)

boys run the riot (🌈,💖,✅)

fruits basket (✅)

gekkan shoujo nozaki-kun (💖)

given (🌈)

hana ni arashi (🌈)

haru matsu bokura (💖✅)

hibi chouchou (💖✅)

hirano to kagiura (💖, 🌈)

hirunaka no ryuusei (O_O✅)

hiyokoi (✅)

honey lemon soda (✅)

horimiya (✅)

i fell in love after school (✅)

ikoku nikki (💖)

kami-sama kiss (✅)

kieta hatsukoi (🌈💖✅)

kimi ni todoke (✅)

koimonogatari (💖🌈💔)

love so life (✅)

megane tokidoki yankee-kun

monotone blue (🌈✅1️⃣)

omoi, omoware, furi, furare

sasaki to miyano (🌈)

senpai is an otokonoko (🌈💖💔)

soushi souai

the guy she was interested in wasn't a guy at all! (🌈,💖)

contemporary adult/college romances & shenanigans:

blue sky complex (💖,🌈, 🚩)

dysfunctional family therapy (💖🌈💔)

escape journey (🌈,🚩)

i hear the sunspot (🌈)

koi saku potager (🌈🚩)

my tsun-sweet boyfriend

net generation teacher

our not-so-lonely planet travel guide (💖,🌈)

saenai boku wa kimi no hero (🌈)

still sick (🌈)

tonari no metaller-san

tsuki to suppin

she loves to cook, she loves to eat (🌈) let's eat together, aki & haru (🌈)

historical/fantasy/supernatural/sci-fi/action (w/ occasional romance):

akagami no shirayukihime (💖)

ao no exorcist

bungou stray dogs

gakuen alice

gokurakugai (💖)

golden kamuy (🚩💔💖)

himitsu: the top secret (🚩,🌈,O_O,💖,✅)

go with the cloud, north by northwest (🚩,💖)

jujutsu kaisen

kaiju no. 8 (🚩)

mushishi

natsume yuujinchou (💖)

promised neverland (✅)

sakamoto days (💖💔)

silver diamond (✅)

the night beyond the tricornered window (🚩,💖,🌈💔✅)

witch hat atelier

a beast's love is like the moon (🌈🚩💖)

funny/fluffy/healing slice-of-life:

barakamon

cool doji danshi (💖)

flat (✅)

gakuen babysitters (💖)

handa-kun

hyakunichikan!! (💖✅)

the yakuza's guide to babysitting (💖)

one-point advice yankee

sports:

haikyuu!! (💖💔✅)

honorary manwha and manhua mentions include: park hanhoo's manager, dallae, green apple paradise, salad days

[cassiopeiacorvus]

HLAW 2024 DAY 1

Character Appreciation/Throwback

Reblogging this for @hanaleeappreciationweek (hosted by @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes). Brought back the questions from previous throwback posts so let's go!

What about this character inspired you to create this piece?

This is one of my favorite Hana diamond scenes. I love the intimacy and trust she shows the MC either as a friend or romantic interest. It really shows how the close the two have gotten in such a short amount of time and how much Hana desires to be close to someone after a life of loneliness. This scene has always had a clear image in my head and I had to put it to paper. Or screen in this case.

What was your process like?

This picture was more complex than my usual ones because it actually has a background. I started out with laying down a stock photo of a piano so I could get the proportions right and then drew Hana in front of it. I tried to make the piano look like the one in the story. The symmetry tool in Procreate is my best friend. I filled in the rest of the background and started lineart. I colored back to front, from the background, to the piano, to Hana. After that was shadows, lighting, and atmospheric effects.

What part of creating this piece brought you the most joy?

I really loved doing the lighting in this piece. I usually stick to neutral lighting, so it was fun making the scene set at night and having the light from the window and the room reflect off of Hana.

Are there any differences between the way you envision this character and the way they are depicted in canon/fan content? If so, why?

I've always seen my version of Hana as the one who's in the story, the writers (and a lot of fan content let's be honest) we're just ignoring her. So this picture is my way of bringing her to the forefront.

Did you have a playlist to get you into the mood for creating? If so, what kind of songs?

I'm still not a playlist person when I draw. I prefer to listen to YouTube videos or podcasts. It makes me feel like I'm multitasking.

HLAW - DAY 1 | WORLD MUSIC DAY

What better way to kick off @hanaleeappreciationweek (hosted by @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes) than taking it back to the start! I decided to draw the diamond scene in Lythikos where we see Hana share her love of music for the first time. I imagine this image capturing the moment she first turns back after playing her original composition, waiting for the MC's reaction. In Tzipporah's case, she's blown away by both the music and Hana's story of rebellion. Hana is a person who asserts her dignity however she can. Even as a child under the control of her parents, she found a way to keep something she loved for herself. It's a strength that shouldn't go unacknowledged.

[inacrowdofchoices]

The Royal Finale, chapter six 👑

[nazariolahela]

Everyone’s Dossiers ranked highest to lowest.

[jicklet]

There's no one else I'd rather be dancing with right now.

Will I ever get over this scene? I will not.

[masked-alien-lesbian]

I'm pretty sure, and I may be wrong because I usually only restart the TRR series on book 3, but can't you be engaged to Liam or Hana at the end of book 2 and mess around with the other LIs?? I always felt gross when book 2 gave me diamond options to hang out with the boys after I'm engaged to Hana. Though I've never taken the scenes so maybe I'm wrong.

And I'm not going to defend any of the mc and LI cheating affair thing, but what I think I hate the most about fcl, tna, trr and tda vs guinevere is that the former books villainize the other woman/man (Rebecca, Sofia, and Madeliene and the duke) making 2 women fight each other over a man or in tda case, made the Duke overweight and mean. It all leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

And yeah, fcl isn't an affair book since we don't actually cheat but I just find pb pitting women against each for the 1000th time and the fact that mc and the LI had been in love with each for like 10 years and too chicken shit to admit it, pathetic.

Sent by anonymous

‘I see all this swooning over Lancelot when they too are very much a part of the cheating/affair trope that’s apparently such a huge issue. MC was engaged to Artura/Arthur. So if you romanced Lancelot, MC cheated and Lancelot pursued someone in a relationship and played a part in ending the engagement. And no one can say, “It’s different. It was an arranged betrothal. They barely knew each other.”: TNA Sam and Sofia - Arranged engagement. It was nothing more than a business deal and they both said as much. FCL Blake and Rebecca - They only knew each other for a whole month. One. Month. And unlike with Lancelot, nothing happens between MC and Blake until AFTER their relationship with Rebecca is over. And this book isn’t an affair/cheating trope so I don’t even know why people are saying it is. There is no affair here at all (and that includes an emotional affair - the reaching never ceases to amaze me). TDA MC and the Duke - Arranged engagement/marriage. Or is only the books/characters people hate simply just to hate that are dubbed as bad and problematic because of this trope while others like Guinevere/Lancelot (or TRR/Liam - arranged engagement to Madeleine but with MC if you romanced him) get swept under the rug/not talked about and instead are praised for doing the very same thing? I’m so tired of the blatant hypocrisy.’

POST/CONFESSIONS DO NOT REFLECT THE MOD’S PERSONAL OPINIONS!