#spectacular message at the core of it tbh

[tsukiiro]

I'll probably be the first one to have a problem with Francesca's new love interest and no, I don't care what's their gender.

What I don't like about introducing a new love interest in general is the fact that we were supposed to get a unique romantic dynamic. "Love can be silent. Love dornst have to start like a spectacle with fireworks" - is what I thought the message would be and as an introvert I loved that to the core.

But then we have Francesca having her doubts even during her wedding ceremony (her facial expression after the kiss? girl, you're disappointed and it's showing) and I get it, they rushed their wedding, maybe Francesca deep inside wants something grand and spectacular as well.

But that's not what I was getting from her so wholesome romantic subplot. We could have had her head over heels for John and have a romance which is quiet, comfortable in silence and just being with each other because love comes in many ways.

And then comes a new love interest be it Michael or Michaela. I know they had to plant seeds to make her transition from one love interest to the other more believable but I can't help but mourn how the message of "love doesn't have to a sudden powerful affection" is going down the drain.

Now it turns out Violet was right all along and if attraction doesn't show at a first glance then you must be romancing wrong 🤡

I know, we already had Polin as a rep for introverts but tbh? Francesca and John are on a whole new level of being introverted and I rarely see couples like them in fiction which was quite refreshing. So seeing Violet finally accept Francesca's way of seeing romance was very touching and now the show is seemingly setting her arc up to "ok so actually my mother's experience is the only blueprint ever and that's how love should look like". And like??? No, thank you.

And yes, I know who she ends up with in the book. I just had hopes we'll see how genuine her affection for the first love interest is.

Maybe I was too invested in a trope I rarely see the rep of in media that I forgot we have book plotline to follow. Violet, I love you, but not everything has to be like your marriage.

Plus, I'm sure Francesca eventually falling for Michaela can be written in a convincing way without pushing "Violet views on romance" agenda.