Reflected in You discussion

I read a lot of books and I rarely feel that I need the characters to have a "HEA" (most specifically, that this equals marriage & babies). Possibly it's that I quite enjoy stories where characters are highly flawed and just getting the relationships stable & craziness to a manageable level is happy enough for me to call it a success at the end.

I've read quite a few reviews where people have expressed wanting to see Eva/Gideon on the marriage & baby road in the next installment & I have to admit, I could not care less if they do or don't. I suppose in my world, HEA doesn't have to have a wedding & children. I think it's great if they can just be whole & happy together. Is it just me or is marriage & babies the only acceptable HEA for Eva/Gideon & other similar romance couples?

Anissa wrote: "I read a lot of books and I rarely feel that I need the characters to have a "HEA" (most specifically, that this equals marriage & babies). Possibly it's that I quite enjoy stories where characters..."

God I hope not....but with the upbringing that many have had (and the emphasis on religion) marriage & babies are all some know to mean "HEA". Marriage & babies is taught cradle to the grave, just like marriage should only be for a man & a woman.

I hope that Gideon & Eva have a HEA without the babies for sure! but if they commit to a long term relationship (not necessarily marriage) I'd be happy, I just hope it includes long term therapy, and anger management

Just because you are Sexually Abused doesn't mean you will need long term counsiling. I know, trust me. There is an awesome type of therapy called EMDR. It helps you process what is causing your PTSD. It is amazing. Anyways, it doesn't have to be a life long thing.

But also to play devils advocate for those of us who want them to "have it all". I understand where you are coming from but I think people like to read about their characters getting wedded and having babies because there for one thing when two people who deeply love eachother, a baby is a physical example of their love for each other. Plus, there is no love like the one you feel for your child. Like there is no love like the one you will feel for your companion. Some people who have a good marriage and kids tend to want the character's they read about to have the same. I think it is sexy when a man is a good father! It shows so many different sides of that person. It shows a whole rainbow of different wonderful things. Now don't get me wrong it is harder than hell to be a good parent. Especially one that was sexually abused for most of their childhood. There are a lot of triggers. But if you have a good theripist, it makes life a lot easier.

My comment on long term therapy was not about the abuse, but more to learn how to control anger, jealousy, listen to each other, compromise, and bring the best out in each other. I do believe people need to like them selves before they can give fully to anyone else.
yes a good father can be sexy, yeah seeing a father with his children is like seeing a man with a cute puppy, ya just wanna say "awwwww" - but children add stress to a relationships..if Eva and Gideon can't get on good ground (and we will not know that in just 3 books) children would be a terrible mistake.

There are many childless couples in the world who have strong love and are bonded to each other and this is where i would like to see Gideon & Eva get

For the record, I'm not down on marriage (I've been quite happily married for a while now) or children but strictly as fiction goes, I don't need it to be a satisfied reader. I didn't go into RIY with any expectations & kept myself spoiler free, so I'm just in it for Sylvia Day to tell me who the characters are & where they're going to go. It never occurred to me to expect a "HEA" or even want one in that way.

Paris, I liked your point about why some may be interested in that particular trope. Honestly, that aspect never crossed my mind. I too would be just thrilled with Eva/Gideon being committed to each other & leave it at that. I'm not sure I'd leave a cat in their care. Well, maybe a cat because they self-maintain but not a dog because these two are too mercurial & reactive. I'd be worried they forgot about the pet. So I don't even have a child on the list of possible dependents for these two obsessive co-dependents. And honestly, Sylvia Day would have to do a lot for me to buy it in one more book (maybe two more).

Mel, I understand the whole no other love thing of parent/child & freely admit it's very attractive a quality & I see what you're saying about people wanting fiction to mirror real life. That's likely where I diverge. I don't need (or necessarily want) the characters or story to be like me or my life. I just want them to be interesting. Perhaps, it's just a matter of people reading for different things & the HEA is an outgrowth of that.

I do agree with Paris that Eva & Gideon could use intensive therapy for their anger, jealously & self-destructive tendencies. They're just not healthy or even stable people & have way too much fear & obsessiveness between them to add much more to the mix & still survive this relationship. I've wondered since the first book if Eva's recounting will eventually lead to us finding out that the relationship came to an end even though they would always be the love of one another's lives. Eva's exchange with her father about his relationship with her mother in RIY made me wonder if that's where we'll go again.

Anissa wrote: "For the record, I'm not down on marriage (I've been quite happily married for a while now) or children but strictly as fiction goes, I don't need it to be a satisfied reader. I didn't go into RIY w..."

@Aniaas

For the record, I'm not down on marriage or children - neither am I....

I'm not sure I'd leave a cat in their care. Well, maybe a cat because they self-maintain but not a dog because these two are too mercurial & reactive. I'd be worried they forgot about the pet - LMAO

How about a dependent that's a beach home (didn't Eva like the house they stayed in on the "weekend get away")I think that they could pay the mortgage and keep it maintained....

Psh, what mortgage? You know Gideon would buy it outright & the whole 5 mile radius just to ensure their privacy. LOL I think this is the only place so far he hasn't actually owned. Well, with the exception of the concert hall. Cross picks up real estate like most people pick up lint. ;)

Anissa wrote: "Psh, what mortgage? You know Gideon would buy it outright & the whole 5 mile radius just to ensure their privacy. LOL I think this is the only place so far he hasn't actually owned. Well, with the ..."

LOL and so true

Unless this is a really long series, I don't think Gideon and Eva will be ready for children. They both have so many issues that need to be resolved before marriage is in the cards. Except when they are completely alone, they can't go one day without getting upset with each other! I agree with Anissa, my HEA will be when they both can be happy and whole. To expect marriage and babies would be wrapping the package up too neatly, I would feel like all of their issues just got shoved under a rug.

I honestly don't want them to get married or have babies in the next one, I want them to finally have no more secrets or insecurities and finally be a happy some what healthy couple, now if there is an epilogue from like 10 or 15 years later then that would be good if they got married and had babies then. I don't want it to be too cliche where they right away get married and here comes a baby, I want to know Gideon worked thru his issues when he sleeps aat night that he worked through his issues period she seems a little more better than he is.

I'm glad to know that I'm not alone on the marriage/baby HEA thing. :) Sleepy, I don't want the epilogue way in the future with some half-assed, "Gideon worked through all his stuff & all was right with the world". I think readers have put in enough time that we should be rewarded with seeing him work it out not just told he does. I would not be satisfied & think Michele is right, that it would feel like too neat a package & swept under the rug. Sylvia Day has given us two characters that are so twisted on their own & together that it almost requires a lot of "show" instead of "tell" at this point.

Considering other pairings, I do want Cary to commit to someone (I just love him). I don't care if it's Trey or Tati. Part of me wants him to have both but I completely got where Trey was coming from & not being okay with Cary still having a thing with Tati. But I kind of also liked that Tati didn't seem to have an issue with Cary being who he is. Hmm, I'm as torn as Cary, I guess. :)

see i have a feeling that their HEA will be a compromise across a lot of different things. it's not just that they are both heavily flawed, they both seem to express similar wants and needs in the future (or lack thereof) but yet their future just NEEDS to include the other. i think that has to mean something right? i'm on-board with a lot of what's being said - it doesn't have to mean marriage/baby. just because it worked for christian and Ana in 50 shades doesn't mean that it's the expected ending. perhaps their happy ending is just a matter of professional fulfillment where they are able to enjoy what they do and what the other does and do it together....co-habitat and juts enjoy that they are from the same social class and know what to expect of the other and compliment the other that way. to me - that's more real....not so much fiction.

Babies and way too fast marriage proposals drive me nuts. In my opinion babies don't always make a relation stronger, especially when you've only been dating for 15 minutes. These characters need to be together, get to know each other before rushing into babies and marriage. Don't get me wrong I love when you read another book from a series and and old characters show up married or/and with children.
All of the above only pertains to Romanceland.
( I am married with children also and couldn't be happier, but we waited 3 years)