Posted by Andy on July 01, 2003 at 16:21:59:
At the end of reading "If I had you" when the truth about the origins of Robin and Nicholas were revealed, I was struck with the feeling that Nicolas and Amanda might possibly become a couple and it turns out that I was 'partially' right. I hadn't discovered this bulletin board yet but I still had that impression. (Shows that Lynn's got her story lines planned ahead.) Anyway, I've got a few points that I'd like to throw out (sorta) in defence of the Nicholas and Amanda couple. [This is not a consistant essay by no means] Should there be a rebuttal though, I would like to hear a few arguments and addition ideas. Here is what I think anyway:
The major point I considered when thinking about this couple was Amanda. Most of the things that would or would not seem to work were dependant on her. She is outspoken, opiniated and overall a very strong and seemingly managing character. She isn't afraid to offend or insult anybody. So let's see what would happen if we matched her up with...
1. An equally strong, managing hero who is demands that his orders be obeyed and doesn't like to be crossed.: bloodshed.
Should such a hero be paired up with Amanda, we should be seeing a whole lotta bickering and fighting for most of the book. I remember it was mentioned in ‘If I had you’ that she’s got into a number of fights with Rhys because he was ‘trying to manage her life’. I don’t think she takes orders kindly. (understatment)
In Nicholas’s Defence – Nicholas has known Amanda for just about all his life and knows how to ‘deal’ with her. We’ll a have fewer problems in this arena. That way we can have something more than just a book filled with Amanda and her partner arguing.
2. A hero with a quiet personality: She’s gonna walk all over him.
I think this one is obvious. I can’t see this working: Amanda with her headstrong ways living with a hero who is quiet. She’ll be out of control.
In Nicholas’ Defence – well, I think it’s obvious that Nicholas won’t let Amanda walk all over him. That’s it for this point.
3. A man she has just met who walks the fine line between the two above: will work but with several problems…
First, she’d have to meet him and if it’s prearranged (by father etc…) she’s immediately not going to like him [You know, the whole ‘managing her life’ thing]. Then he’s gonna have to get into her good graces. Love at first sight? Doesn’t happen in Lynn’s books (and I like it that way; makes things believable). I think she’ll see right through a charmer so he’s gonna have to be honest. They’re also going to need time to learn to get along. How? One slip up and I think Amanda is going to move heaven and earth not to see him. I also think she could do that. Hard to have a romance when the hero and heroine don’t meet. There are a bunch of other things I could say about this but this message is already really lengthy.
In Nicholas’ Defence – just about all these problems are obsolete should Nicholas be the hero.
Looking back at all of this, I makes me wonder what kind of a story we’ll be left with should Nicholas and Amanda be paired up. I’ve just eliminated a score of possible problems already (Although that’s good since these problems have been done over and over in just about hundreds of books).
Next time, I’ll probably come up with something else to say about this couple. They’re an interesting case…
So when do you (Lynn Kurland) plan to publish a story starring them? Soon I hope. I can’t wait to read it.
So does anyone have anything to add? argue?
Andy
P.S. I am a girl in case anyone is wondering and yes, I’m new here.