Ep. 43: Matilda

Your Textual Tension Co-hosts are getting cozy with an early morning, pajamas and coffee kind of episode! Listen in as Margie tells Rachel all about Lisa Kleypas's, Dreaming of You. \\. Make yourself a cup of coffee, grab your favorite blanket, and snuggle up with us!

Transcript

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Rachel: 0:00

Hello, and welcome to textual tension every other week I, Rachel, jump on in here to tell you all about what's going on in the textual tension cinematic universe. Will we be greater than the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Now? I'll never tell maybe eventually. But for now, so let me hit you with all the announcements. We have. I guess really only one announcement, and it's not even that much of an announcement. Um, y'all, this is a real good episode. And it was so good, that I actually have no bloopers on our Patreon. Normally, we put out of the special under the covers episodes and bloopers for our patrons on Patreon. And we don't even have one this week. So I just wanted to give you guys a heads up. But to go along with that we did put about an under the covers episode for this episode, if you are new to textual tension, that is where Margie and I go into detail on the steamy sexy smoothie bits in the book. And just kind of break it down laugh at it, or you know, just kind of talk about it, it's a blast. That is over on our Patreon. And because we love you all and we realize times are crazy. We're actually for the time being we're putting out those episodes free for everyone, you still have to go over to patreon.com/textual tension in order to access them. But they are free as well as the past like two episodes. So get go check those out. They're a blast. They're super fun. And speaking of Patreon, we have a new patron this week, we are adding them to our expanding universe, our expanding cinematic universe, maybe they'll get their own movie who knows or their own episode, I guess. But hey, Sam, thank you so much, Samantha, you are wonderful, and we love you lots. So Zack like likes you too. So thank you so much. We really really appreciate your support. We can we can use that to buy new equipment to add extra features, all kinds of stuff. And we just really, really appreciate you guys, you are wonderful. We live all of our listeners. If you want to hit us up and reach out to us, you can hit us up on all of the social needs textual tension pod on all of them. So Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, everything like that. We have a book club as well. If you want to hit us up on Discord, we have links in our social media to that. We just finished our first book, which was The Night Circus and we are going to be starting our second book here in a little while. We will be reading rivers of London by Ben Aroona vich I hope I said that right. I'm in the mood for a really cool kind of spooky mystery with some supernatural stuff. So that's what we're gonna go for. It's gonna be a blast. Gonna be real fun. So hit that up. Join us. We have a good time. So thank you guys so much again for hanging in there and for listening, and I hope you guys are doing well. If you need anything reach out to us. We would love to chat with you guys. So without further ado, please enjoy episode 43 Matilda tearing me apart from Sam. Hello. Good morning.

Margie: 3:22

Good morning. Well for us, but time is an illusion. Welcome to textual tension, a love hate relationship with romance novels podcast. I am your co host Margie, and I'm your co host Rachel. Every other week one of us reads and summarizes it a romance novel for the other unsuspecting co hosts this week. That co host is Rachel me. And together we unpack what the fuck just happened. It's okay. It's early. We're drinking our coffee. Yeah, it's gab. We're like crushing through four episodes this weekend. And we are killing it.

Rachel: 3:53

We are although mine my next episode might drop the ball and it's totally my fault.

Margie: 3:57

It's fine. Yeah, cuz you could have read a bad book. You do know what the purpose of this podcast is. Right? You do realize how much I've sacrificed in sanity for this podcast. And right and

Rachel: 4:13

when we get there I swear.

Margie: 4:16

Okay, so as we had to read like two books in two weeks on top of being adults well and

Rachel: 4:22

totally suck and I was pulling like 12 Oh my god. Yeah, work. So I blame that justify it is I blamed that for the reason that I couldn't get through the other three books that I tried reading.

Margie: 4:33

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I actually went back and I picked a book that I had already read, and I just summarized I

Rachel: 4:41

almost picked a book that I'd already read that was by the same author, and they're like, wait a minute,

Margie: 4:45

I was like, she was like, she was like, oh, it's Elisa clipless book. Sorry to say you're fine. And I was like, No, you can't do it. Oh my God, dude, I got no plan B. Always be prepared, guys. notes. Water Bottle. Okay, so now I am going to pass the book cover over to you. You got it. Oh, it's

Unknown: 5:10

on your phone Lisa ClearPass

Rachel: 5:17

dreaming of you. Oh my god. So there is a slight chance that I've started reading this book but hadn't finished it I think you

Margie: 5:25

have because we've I've talked to you about it before and I I have some reservations about it, but I don't hate it. Okay, and I have I have actually hated other books. Okay,

Rachel: 5:35

so I see I actually have So full disclosure I have started reading this book but got like I don't know may not even a third of the way through before I stopped well,

Margie: 5:44

so I'm gonna be able to tell you Oh,

Rachel: 5:46

hell yay. And I've read other books by her in this like universe and they reference this book Yeah, so one of the ones that I was referencing there's like a club or something Yep, that is after this club so I don't know okay happens with this one. I don't know that's interesting

Margie: 6:03

right know that but describe the describe the cover right

Rachel: 6:06

so it is the back of a rather attractive woman with

Margie: 6:11

she's got some good back muscles dude. She left she is back wrapped

Rachel: 6:14

which is amazing. Given the title very obvious. Not Victorian it's more Regency Yeah, I would say Uh huh. regency era? Setting and dress and her dresses kick ass though. Like this deep like like like evil levels have read

Unknown: 6:31

yes sample kind of deal.

Margie: 6:34

The D winner

Rachel: 6:35

dang she know she got hit by a wolf. Oh, right. She got into wearable. I don't know. I'm not bitter. And she's like her back is towards you. And she's walking up a staircase and looks like she may be like just heard her name and is barely acknowledging sore heads kind of turned a little bit. That's kind of the vibe. I'm like, Oh, you want to talk to me? I don't want to talk well,

Margie: 6:55

in the book a lot of the time to she gets these quote unquote like icy tingles down her back whenever the guy's looking whenever the guy's looking at her and being creepy.

Rachel: 7:04

I don't remember that part. Oh, yeah, I'm excited. Alright, I

Margie: 7:08

don't we got well we need a description. Okay. Oh, shoot. I forgot. We need that.

Rachel: 7:14

Okay, all right. When shy and secluded author Sarah fielding ventures from her country cottage to research and novel, she inadvertently witnesses a crime in progress. Doesn't she fucking murder a guy to Yes. Okay. And manages to save the life of the most dangerous man in London. That's like the only thing I remember. It's debatable.

Margie: 7:37

Also, we've already robber we already we've already talked about the most dangerous we have the blood dead he just kidnaps you on trade Scotland.

Rachel: 7:44

Derek Craven that names on the nose is a powerful and near legendary gambling club owner who was born a bastard and raised in the streets. His reputation is unsavory his scruples non existent But Sara senses that beneath Derek cynical exterior

Unknown: 8:01

is capable of

Rachel: 8:02

love more passionate than her deepest fantasies.

Unknown: 8:06

I love bad fantasies

Rachel: 8:09

that he's the last man that an innocent young woman should ever want. Derek is determined to protect Sarah from herself. No Sara,

Unknown: 8:17

back before it's too late. What it takes,

Rachel: 8:22

but in a world where secrets lurk behind every shadow he's the only man who can keep her safe and as Derek and Sarah surrender to an attraction to powerful to deny apparel surfaces from his dark past to threaten their happiness and perhaps even their lives. Together they will discover if love is enough to make dreams come true that and she fucking murdered someone.

Unknown: 8:44

Which is awesome.

Rachel: 8:45

I remember that part.

Margie: 8:46

There's actually a lot of like kick ass women both good and bad and list really mean Yeah. So yeah, here for that.

Rachel: 8:54

Hey, let's hit them their trigger. Yeah, so

Margie: 8:57

obviously murder with a she shoots a guy with a pistol. Sexual Assault. Good. Yeah. Um,

Rachel: 9:07

I didn't get to that part.

Margie: 9:09

There's there's a bit of that

Unknown: 9:10

good. I'm like, like street violence, I

Margie: 9:16

guess. Okay. Yeah.

Unknown: 9:19

Good.

Margie: 9:20

I'm trying

Unknown: 9:21

to like hit all of them.

Rachel: 9:23

I believe in you. Because I think you even missed one in the last one where you wrote them all down. At some point, you're like, oh, yeah, this is a trigger.

Margie: 9:32

Did it I did think you're

Rachel: 9:35

wrong time will tell.

Margie: 9:37

Alright, um, let me think. Let's fire fire fire was really a trigger of trying to hit all of that. Okay, fair. Kidnapping. Okay, um, I think that's all of them.

Rachel: 9:53

Anything to do with children? No. Okay. Anything to do with drugs? No. Anything to do with slavery? No. Okay, we're probably fine. Anything to do with

Unknown: 10:07

violence? No.

Rachel: 10:10

probably fine. I would also like to pause for a moment and mention this is so nice and cozy they need to do first thing in the morning recordings more often.

Margie: 10:18

This is really nice sipping some coffee. Yeah.

Rachel: 10:21

Breakfast romance novel.

Margie: 10:23

Yeah. We actually, it's funny too, because like when we were sitting in the kitchen, I was telling you about it.

Rachel: 10:31

Becoming the basis of our friendship. I'm not mad at it. Okay, are you ready? I'm so ready. So we're gonna

Margie: 10:37

do this actually, in kind of a Shakespearean way of I'm going to explain all the characters because it's just it just a little bit more easier to understand as we're going

Rachel: 10:45

alright, Shakespeare accent go. No. Oh,

Margie: 10:48

I cannot do accents. I love you. I can't do them.

Unknown: 10:51

Well, sir.

Margie: 10:54

Derek Craven, huge dude. Strong, bright green eyes, quote, unquote, the color of grass on a cool spring mornings helping

Rachel: 11:02

emerald. It's really helping him.

Margie: 11:03

I think she mentions emerald later. Nice. He owns a gambling club and in downtown London. In fact, the gambling club like he's one of the richest people in the country because of this gambling club. He was pretty much on the street. He was raised pretty much on the streets and Alexander Hamilton himself. So he's now one of the wealthiest men in England. He's single a spark. So but he leaves a long, long, long, long, long line of lovers bars. And every so like, and he sleeps like women who are married and are just unhappy in their relationships and all the stuff and he will sleep with the most. Yeah. And then the moment they start to get attached. He's like, I'm out. Fuck the shit out.

Rachel: 11:48

Someone feels good.

Margie: 11:50

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's equal later in the book. It's more described like He's like, he's no need for it. He's like, I have raised myself up by my bootstraps. I have basically everything I want. I don't really want to. Like

Rachel: 12:03

it just is not yet another human right. My life. No, you done it myself. Yeah.

Margie: 12:08

So that we have Sarah Fielding, who is a famous author and writes under a pen name. She wrote a fictional book called Matilda, about a prostitute living in London. London's underbelly at the time, and it was a huge hit.

Rachel: 12:21

It's not the Matilda. I know. Not.

Margie: 12:23

I know. She's not looking to research a new book. Most of the time, she lives in the country in in this place. I called a grade for headquarters. I don't remember. That's actually what it's called. So like, listeners, I have this friend from college. She's so sweet. But my parents only know her as the girl from Crawford quarters. That's not even where she's from. She just lives really out in the country. So they call it croffer quarters. So that was Yeah,

Rachel: 12:52

so it's you know that Hello, British name of something. Yes,

Margie: 12:55

exactly. Got it. Alright. And so this chick, Sarah, she has a pseudo fiance in Crawford corner. So you haven't like they've been quote unquote, dating for four years, but he has not asked her to marry him. Yeah. He doesn't approve of her writing and his mother really doesn't approve of her. Okay, so that does come up. It's important

Unknown: 13:14

that so

Rachel: 13:17

in that time for years was basically like, a like a fad for children. Right.

Margie: 13:23

A really long time. A really long time. Yeah. Okay, so then we have lady Joyce Ashby, she's, she's Derek's on and off lover. He actually really does not like her and but he can't really get rid of her. She just keeps showing up. And so like, getting you here at the beginning, and she's married to this really rich old dude. So like she can do and he lets her do whatever he whatever she wants.

Rachel: 13:48

I mean, and that time best possible scenario.

Margie: 13:51

Look for the lady Ashby has gotten she she definitely has some mental health issues. Oh, no. Yeah. Yeah. Like it's she's just like a little. Yeah, yeah. Not even true. Yeah. Anyway. And so she really falls for Derek and Derek is like, No, I'm not doing this. Like if you're getting feelings if you're catching some feelings I'm out of here. So that's kind of where their relationship is at the beginning of this book of he has just broken it up with Lady Ashby and she's not okay with Oh, boy. Yeah, so very bad. And then we have lady and Lord Rayford they're really good friends of Derrick's. They are the subjects of a previous book. And Lily Rayford loves to play matchmaker. So she comes up a lot. And okay, so now we're getting into the plot. Derek is heading out from his club when he's accosted by two men in the alley. They slash his face open but one of them is shot by our girl like due to shot in the neck and dies. Dead Damn girl. Yeah. Yeah, she's she's like she's even thinking to herself at the time. She's like, I can't kill somebody. I can't do it. But she she fires the shot because she thinks it's just gonna like go up into the air and it hits the guy. She's just like it didn't hit Derek

Rachel: 15:03

Maybe if I juggle these guns one of them will.

Margie: 15:07

Exactly. So our girl has been doing research alone in London's underbelly when she heard the disturbance and saw Derek nearly bleed to death. She Okay, so

Unknown: 15:19

they just flashed his face. Yeah, probably wouldn't have bled to death. But to

Rachel: 15:26

that's not okay for like, not only is that not safe, no, but also pretty questionable for someone for a woman in those times.

Margie: 15:35

Oh so questionable so it's it's yeah, it's like, not even questionable. It's just like downright not a thing possible. I don't know. So, Sarah gets Derek back to his club where he stitched up by a doctor. No,

Rachel: 15:49

that reminds me what rogue? I don't remember labios Rogue where she's like, under a

Margie: 15:56

rug so much. Listeners never

Rachel: 15:58

know. Don't read it. But like, where she's like pretending to go undercover as a towel and

Margie: 16:03

dryer. Yes. Yeah. I think that she's a little bit more frank about who she is like, she wears a disguise. But if somebody asks her, she like talks to them, and you know, okay, like, she will tell them what she's doing. Right. Okay, so there's this part. So she while he's getting his face stitched up by the doctor, she's trying to distract him. So she's talking to him, or she's talking to, to this other character where the who kind of like runs the club when Derek isn't there. So they're like talking about the book Matilda and Derek is like, Excuse

Unknown: 16:35

me, I am bleeding to death over here.

Margie: 16:39

I don't care about her bloody book. So worthy is super grateful to Sarah. And an arrangement is made between worthy and Sarah that she will be able to do research at the club for her next novel meet Yeah. Worthy the next so she goes home, gets up very early the next day, and worthy has a carriage come and pick her up at her friend's place where she's staying bougie very bougie and her friends like what is happening? What did you do? And she's like,

Rachel: 17:08

gotta go by. And

Margie: 17:10

she gets a tour of the gambling club meets the staff, etc. And then she gets pulled into a dark closet by boy.

Rachel: 17:19

Is he a middle of the road? Boy,

Margie: 17:21

he's pretty middle of the road. There's some questionable things that he does. Okay, so we'll get into it. Okay. All right. And talk about it. This will be an interesting one to talk about homeboy. Like it is a sliding scale. Okay. Yes. So his gambling club has all sorts of secret tunnels and, and entrances,

Rachel: 17:36

I mean, even a gambling.

Margie: 17:40

So they have a minor argument about why she's there slash if she's allowed to be there, because Derek didn't say she could be there. And eventually,

Rachel: 17:50

honestly, the best way to confront someone about something you're unhappy with is to pull them into a dark, hidden corner where no one knows where they are. And,

Margie: 17:59

yeah, well, I mean, he'll do things to where like, this is where the homeboy our boys scale gets kind of like wonky, right? Because he'll do things where he'll like, grab her too tight. And she's like, You need to let me go like you're holding on to me too tight.

Rachel: 18:12

Okay, props to her for being like, Hey, dude. Yeah, fact.

Margie: 18:16

Yeah, right. She she does. She's like, you need to leave me alone. She's not afraid of anybody. And it is kind of just so she is a very, like forward thinking woman of her time. And her dad explains why later. Kind of interesting.

Unknown: 18:28

I was gonna say because my first thought would be naivete.

Margie: 18:32

It's not naivete, because she's already researched Matilda, like she's London's underbelly. She is fair met with prostitutes. Like she knows what it's like there. So it's not it's not really naivete, it's more just kind of like she's gonna do her thing no matter what, right? What out no matter what other people think. So, um, but so they have a minor argument about why she's there, like I said, and eventually he relents because he realizes that she isn't allowed to do research here. Then she will find another sketchier club to do her research and like, stop her. So that Derek gets a visit from his friend, Lily, and Lily's like, Oh, my God, the writer from Matilda's here that's so cool. And and they're talking and she's like, you're into her? And he's like, No, No way. She's not my type. No, and she's like, Oh, you're really getting angry now? Yeah, you're into her. I also want to know that Lily is known as lawless Lily. And I've no idea why. So I really would like to know. Lily. Yeah, maybe

Rachel: 19:39

I'll read that one and tell you about Yes.

Margie: 19:41

Okay. So over the next few days, Sarah enjoys doing research and Derek hates it because everyone in the club loves Sarah. They think she's the sweetest person in the world. And she really is nice to everyone who works there like at one point like a girl. So there are prostitutes who work in the client and She gets down underneath like him her dress her down. And it's really cute. Like, in fact, people in the club love her so much that they complained a word they did. Derek isn't treating her well enough. Like, pays their salaries. I do.

Rachel: 20:19

Oh my god, I love Sara so much.

Margie: 20:21

I know she's really cute. She said she helps everybody. And she's really good at like, knowing what people need to hear. Oh, yeah, it's really cute. So one day, Derek lets her into the club because he's doing something outside. And there is a 10 DS Princess Diaries moment where like, she wears these really old school glasses to help her like, I don't know, sight. And,

Unknown: 20:45

you know,

Rachel: 20:46

like last night do as we both sit here and

Margie: 20:48

glasses, and she also pulls off her cap because she's wearing this really matronly cap all the time. And so then the her hair tumbles down and he's like, Oh, shit, man, she

Rachel: 20:58

is pretty, she

Margie: 20:59

is pretty, she got pretty brown hair. She took off her

Rachel: 21:02

glasses and let her hair down. And now she's beautiful. Oh, no. 80s 80s movies Eat your heart out.

Margie: 21:07

Right during. So they kind of talk a little bit as they're going into the club. And she's really excited because there's a ball happening at the club that night. And she's like, Oh, I can't wait to go and like, I can work. I can wear a mask. Masquerade panda deal. And he's like, you're not going. There's no way I'm letting you go to that. Because it's gonna be full of like really seedy people. And he does not want her to be around that she's like, Hey, and he's like, No, you can watch people from these different vantage points. I will let you like watch, but you're not joining this party.

Rachel: 21:42

I'm gonna take a guess. And say she joins the party.

Margie: 21:44

That's fine. So he shows her around the club and in a private moment. She's just kind of like realizing how inexperienced she is, and certain things and when, like sexual things. Oh, she's just kind of like because she's always she's not sheltered. But people shelter her a lot. They try to and she just like had this moment of like, existential crisis and she says, Hey, Craven kiss me. He refuses. And his as his loins are already in pain, just being alone with her. But he does tell her that he's like, and she's like, why? And he's like, I find you really attractive. And I would like love to just take you out to my private apartments and totally just do it. But I'm not going to do that to you. Because I'm trying to be a decent human being around deal. Okay, yeah.

Rachel: 22:36

Honesty. Yeah, appreciate

Unknown: 22:37

that. Yeah. Um,

Rachel: 22:40

I am extremely curious as to whether it's possible for men male genitalia to hurt from being around someone that's come up multiple times in these books. Has

Margie: 22:53

it hurt? I

Rachel: 22:54

don't think my lady bits have ever hurt from

Unknown: 22:58

being into someone.

Margie: 22:59

I don't know. I don't know. I

Rachel: 23:01

definitely felt the tinglies Yeah, but like, I don't have a penis so I can't speak to that.

Margie: 23:08

Maybe they're trying to describe it of like, you're in the middle like getting going and then like you just suddenly have to stop. That is very uncomfortable because you're like, No,

Unknown: 23:18

that's fair.

Rachel: 23:19

necessarily call it painful. But I don't know again.

Margie: 23:23

Anyway. And so Sarah, however, is not willing to let it go. She goes to worthiness like where are they? I have to attend the ball tonight. Help me and he's like what Fairy Godmother covered and he presents Sarah Sarah to Lily.

Rachel: 23:44

Yeah, no, no, this would be the pen. She has the the disguise Yeah.

Margie: 23:53

Um, Lady Rafer get Sarah ball gown to the fuck up

Rachel: 24:00

Lily my my girl girl

Margie: 24:03

and she also like knows that remember? Derek likes her so she's like shipping this really really leaning into this? And so she gets her get ballgown. The Fuck Up gives her a little drink. And give Sarah a mess. Like get in their bed. You live your dream

Unknown: 24:22

honestly, I'm just

Margie: 24:23

imagining Jonathan Van Ness.

Unknown: 24:26

Oh my god. Yes. Just like pushing her out of the carrots go beds

Margie: 24:29

live your dream I don't think Jonathan has ever said the word bitch in his life. But I just like right buddy love you.

Rachel: 24:39

Just put Oh my god. Yes, she is Jonathan Venice.

Margie: 24:42

Okay, so Sarah is in the club a little drunk and is like ready to party. And she's having a great time. Like She's flirting with like tons of guys there and having just a lot of fun. She and she goes up to worthy and it's like worthies like oh no, you are already abort, abort, abort. She then just goes flitters off. And we're the structure and keep Derek from Sarah. Because Sarah is not even supposed to be there and tried to find Sarah to get that bitches civil water pour worthy

Unknown: 25:16

it's amazing.

Margie: 25:20

I'm really proud of these notes. Oh my

Unknown: 25:22

god so so what's her mask look like?

Margie: 25:29

I can't I remember her dress is like blue and black. I think so I think that it's just kind of like a plays off. Yeah, I mean like I do mention later like this character obviously has that disease where he can't see faces. Because he does not recognize her.

Rachel: 25:43

Oh god. Oh no.

Margie: 25:45

Okay, so meanwhile one of Derek's more vital so like Lady Ashby has arrived on the scene. Right row right row, Derek goes up to like, get the fuck out of my club. Like and she's the one who actually hired the guys to slash it. She was like if I can't have you nobody else well, so.

Rachel: 26:02

Oh, she Yeah, girl got some problems.

Margie: 26:07

And don't bother coming back. He's like, I don't want to see you ever again. If I see you in here, I'm calling the police basically like you out. Get out. So Derek has can't remember faces syndrome. So we see Sarah across the club but doesn't recognize that it's her. Even you know, because a mask? Uh huh. Sure. Yeah. It is really like Tuxedo Mask. But I'm thinking like,

Rachel: 26:27

it's like superhero rules. Yeah. It's like, like, like, the Green Lantern movie was awful. Yeah.

Margie: 26:35

But we love you ride rattles? Well. Yeah, but

Rachel: 26:37

there's one line in it. Where they were like, Oh, I forgot was something along the lines of You think I don't recognize your cheekbones. Right.

Margie: 26:45

Exactly. Exactly. Well, so and it's also like Cinderella. Yeah, we're like, he's he got foot foot fetish, though. It's fine. So they, they, she doesn't recognize her. But he knows he wants to racket.

Unknown: 27:02

Racket. They basically spend

Margie: 27:05

the evening together like this flirting, dancing until Derek is like I'm done with just flirting. Let's go to a back room. This is when we get some homeboy behavior. Because she's very nervous. She's not pulling away, but she's putting out some flags of like, Hey, I'm nervous. Like, I'm not sure about this. There's a lot of her body saying yes. Well, she's actually saying no. Okay, yeah. Finally, he's feeling her up. She's practically naked. And he's thinking about body proportion. And he's like, Oh, this looks like her waist. Ah, these look like her but

Unknown: 27:39

god damn, it's

Margie: 27:42

totally it's not that writer dammit. It's the right way.

Unknown: 27:46

Wait.

Rachel: 27:48

He didn't recognize her face. But he did recognize her tits. yet. He hasn't seen

Margie: 27:56

that he takes off the mask and she's like, oh yeah. Oh,

Rachel: 28:06

sir. I need you to come in and look at this lineup and see if you can tell person was the one that mugged you. Oh, I don't know. Can I feel their chests?

Margie: 28:16

Exactly. Sir, that would be another cry.

Rachel: 28:19

Damn it. Well, then I can't help you officer. So they

Margie: 28:23

almost get into it. Despite his anger at beat her being there. He's like, alright, if this is what you want, this is what my sex it is. Yeah. When of course they're interrupted. It's worthy. And it's he pretty much came up with a story that a rival club owner was at the party causing trouble, but he knew that Sarah was in there with Derek and he was like, No, we're not gonna this is not going to be okay. Does he have a thing

Rachel: 28:45

for her? No, were

Margie: 28:46

these just a really good guy.

Unknown: 28:47

Okay. Yeah,

Margie: 28:49

were these just really sweet. So, Derek, tell Sarah to leave the club in a carriage and to never don't come back. Okay, never come back. But Sarah is like, Nah, fuck that. She's still drunk. Right? She goes into the secret tunnels that are in the building and she ends up actually finding the rival club owner because he's in the tunnels for whatever reason. And his name is Ivo Jenner. And he gives her another drink and they're both of their like, Yeah, fuck Derek Craven.

Unknown: 29:16

I know him. Oh, you too.

Rachel: 29:18

So he is the other club owner. Yeah, in that other book that Yeah, yeah. So he's actually the the father of so the there's some of it the third book in the series. He's the father of the chick.

Margie: 29:32

Yeah. He's not that great of a dude now he's

Rachel: 29:37

but the all the little pegboards are being conducted by string. I do

Margie: 29:43

like how romance books will do that. Do you have like the the central plot but then there's like other I

Rachel: 29:49

will say I like when they do that. Well, just like she doesn't Lisa doesn't really well, because it's like little nods to other things. Right. And if you haven't read the book, it's okay. Yeah, exactly. Whereas something like like that. Stupid badger book where it was like 170 Whatever fucking characters like it can be done.

Margie: 30:09

Yes for sure. Okay, so I was like hey want to go see my glove and have some real fun and she's like hell yeah so they get in the carriage together and they go a butler see some leave together who tells worthy who tells Derek oh god and it's really funny because like she has presented herself as Matilda that night the character from the bug and so like

Rachel: 30:32

what because one thing I do remember is that like a lot of like the ladies that work at Cravens club think that Matilda's real? Yes, yeah.

Margie: 30:42

Yeah. So um, what do you think goes up to Derek and his like, Ivo just left with a woman named Matilda. And he's like, I don't give a shit about any woman named Matilda. Like, because he's all grumpy because of his blue balls are gone. He's like, Yeah, but she was just a little was described as wearing this dress and having this mask on. A Derrick is like son of a bad man. So Derek's pissed, but Sarah is in danger. There's some sort of riot happening in London and Jenner and her carriage gets torn apart. Oh, no. Yeah, so and Ivo just kind of like takes off and so she's a woman in the middle alone wearing a huge ball gown. Uh huh. Like in the middle of this fight, and for

Rachel: 31:26

trying to start a riot. I've been listening to that album like oh, wait, oh, good.

Margie: 31:32

Yeah, so four dudes find Sarah and they're all like, let's get a piece of that. Oh, no. Yeah, yeah, yeah, sexual assault. Okay, so luckily craving comes to the rescue. It beats the guys with a cudgel don't Jesus. Yeah.

Rachel: 31:48

He just whips out the chalet Lee and he wails on us

Margie: 31:52

so I guess I didn't go into his character enough on this part. But like he was raised on the streets. Okay, so like, he knows how to fight like he knows. Yeah, shit out of it was like born like you were born by? He was born from a past prostitute. Yeah, Annie Alexander Hamilton. Yeah. But also like sometimes when he gets angry or when he gets, like, heated or whatever, he slips into a Cockney accent. Okay, kind of like, yeah, it's cute. It's cute. So that when he's like, and so when he's talking to people, you know, like, when he's not thinking about it? Uh huh, Hockney's hidden, that's a door. It's actually a lot of cockney happening. So he lifts her up on this horse, they have a long top talk, where he explains he really came from a bad background where he did really bad stuff. And basically, he's no good for her, despite how much he might care for her or love her.

Rachel: 32:44

Because he's definitely in the position to make that choice. Yeah, obviously and she's like,

Margie: 32:47

please, I just want to be with you like I love you. Like I was fast and she's Yeah, she's putting out some pretty hardcore signals of if you like, want to pursue this I will you know, go with you. I'll now

Rachel: 33:01

you say hardcourt signals ditch does she legitimately just like, tell him? Or is it

Margie: 33:07

she doesn't legitimately tell him she's basically Well, she kind of like because like, you know, she kind of thing she's No, she's not hinting. Okay. begging him to give it a chance. So yeah, please, just like, you can trust me like let's let's give this a shot. And he's not was

Rachel: 33:22

still drunk at this point.

Margie: 33:23

I don't I think the sobered me. Well, he tells her go back to your village. marry your guy. Forget about me. It's for the best. Like I am not not good for you. So after that night, Sarah actually does go back to her little village. Okay. Yeah. So she does go back. And she gets engaged to her village, homeboy. He has a homeboy How does?

Unknown: 33:48

Why is he a homeboy?

Rachel: 33:51

Let me get it. You're gonna get it. I was gonna say how does Derek feel about that? When he finds out?

Margie: 33:54

She does? He was expecting it. But she's like, so right now. He's, I'll explain it. Okay, okay. She does not so our girl does not get along with homeboys mother at all. She's really a bit she's really judgmental. And she also figures out that homeboy once his mother to live with them after they're married God, Oh, God. And she's like, I have money saved from our a book. Like we can buy our own place. And he's like, No, I am staying with mother. Oh, boy. Sarah realizes obvious and he's also like, really judgmental about her writing. And he wants to he does stuff like Yeah, and he's like, he does he says stuff like, you know, once we settle down, you'll want to have children and you'll be busy with the children. You won't have as much time to write. Yeah, yeah, I hate him. I know. I know.

Rachel: 34:43

I want to punch him right.

Margie: 34:44

So Sarah realizes this is not what she wants. Not anymore, but she still is like, you know, I'm gonna stay with him. I'm gonna try to make this work. Why? I don't know bitch right before Christmas. One of the staff members that Cravens comes to Sarah's parents house and is like Craven has lost his Mind with missing you so much like he's really angry all the time. He's ripped apart his apartments like, he's, that's healthy. It's totally healthy. And Sarah says she's sorry, but there really is nothing that she can do. She's like, he pushed me away. Like, I don't know what you want me to do about it.

Rachel: 35:19

Good girl. Good, but also bad, like, get away from this asshole. But yeah, don't go running to another school.

Margie: 35:25

So then Sarah is really upset, like hearing that news and she's frustrated. And so she tries to go to boyfriend and have sex with him. She's like, I just want to feel I want proof that you feel something for me that you're willing to fight for me. And he's like, you've changed. I don't want to marry you anymore. Like you are not the sweet girl that you used to be. And she's like, You know what? You're right. I'm not. So they break off their engagement. Good. Yeah. So then perfect timing. Little Sarah is invited to Lily Rayford for a weekend party swore a type of deal. Ko. Okay.

Rachel: 35:57

I'm calling it you know what I'm gonna call. She invites Derek.

Margie: 36:01

Okay. That's gonna be DNC drinking lots of fun people to hang out with and it's basically the perfect distraction from a breakup, right? Yeah. Except

Rachel: 36:09

that your flings gonna be there. Yeah, well, so.

Margie: 36:13

Derek has been begging his ex.

Rachel: 36:17

And not lady. What's her name? Yes,

Margie: 36:19

Lina. Oh, yeah. Oh, this is the really scary part because he's like, really losing his mind. Oh, no. And he gets so angry at her at one point that he nearly kills her.

Unknown: 36:34

With the foot Yeah, excuse me. Yeah, excuse me. Jerry. Yah. Yah. Yah. Yah. Yah. Yah. Yah. Yah. Yah.

Rachel: 36:42

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,

Margie: 36:44

no. Like, like wind red

Rachel: 36:45

rage, just like Land Before Time levels of Nope. Yeah, nope, nope, nope. No, no, no.

Margie: 36:50

So, um, but like you said, fancy that Derek is invited to this. Why? Lily? Rayford to Right. Um, so Sarah and Derek both show up. And Derek is like, what the fuck are you doing here? I can't control myself around you. And she's like, learn?

Rachel: 37:08

Good. Good. Because no, I can't control myself around you. It's never an excuse. You're a goddamn adult.

Margie: 37:14

What she says is, then either leave, or admit you have feelings for me. So we can be together. Like I'm tired of the charade, right. She also finds a pair of her glasses and one of his pockets that he had pilfered like way earlier in the book. So he's she's like, Is there something wrong with your site or your heart?

Rachel: 37:33

Jama?

Unknown: 37:35

Um,

Margie: 37:36

we also find out that Cravens crazy ex is here with her husband. Oh, good. So there's a major attendees moment at a party that night between Craven and Sarah that is also witnessed by Cravens ex lady Ashby l le Ray firts. So everybody's just watching these two

Rachel: 37:54

that goes well I'm sure so good. So wait. So lady Ashbury is still Ashby whatever it is still is all sounds very British. Yes. Is still has the major Moyne straining for much even after he almost killed her.

Margie: 38:11

Right. Well, so she's like, like I said, she's kind of crazy, too. I can't remember what she did or said to like, she like Oh, I remember. Now she like drags her nails across his back so hard while they're having sex that like he bleeds like he's like, it's really gross. It's bad. Yeah, it's not good. It's not good.

Rachel: 38:32

Although I will say super interesting. In a romance novel, The main like someone is having sex with another person other than the main rate of interest. Yeah. And like, that's not a thing that usually happens.

Margie: 38:44

Oh, yeah. Also a person who came to visit Sarah, thank you. I'm sorry. The person who came to visit Sarah, the one of the staff members was a prostitute. And she explains to Sarah Hey, like so here's a really crazy thing that happened. Craven actually came to see me one night which he never does. And he asked me to just and you called me by your name when we were having sex.

Rachel: 39:05

Now. That is just plain creepy. So I don't like Derek. cockney thing. kind of cute. Protect her beat the shit out of people. I'm here for it.

Unknown: 39:20

creepy,

Rachel: 39:21

creepy, creepy, creepy, creepy, almost murdering a chick. leading towards the homeboy.

Margie: 39:28

I know. So okay. Derek admits to Sarah This is back at the party. Right? They're having their attendees moment. Derek admits to Sarah that he has never felt the need for love. Really, since he starved all this money.

Rachel: 39:42

It's okay to be a romantic and asexual dude. Not asexual. aromantic definitely not asexual.

Margie: 39:48

Oh, he's like, I don't think he's a romantic either. He's just having trouble trusting his heart to anybody. Okay, yeah. So, um, Sarah begs Derek to stay with her just to love her and he's like, I can't I won't risk it I'm sorry.

Rachel: 40:03

And move on with your life be a successful writer, right in a time where women don't do that.

Margie: 40:07

Well so the line where he walks away from her is actually kind of sad. I thought it was sad, okay. Where he capable tears he would have shed that very drive. I know. Oh, wow said he felt numb and coldness spread through his body filling up the region where his heart should have been. It wasn't difficult to walk away from her. It was appallingly easy. Sarah made an inarticulate sound as he extricated himself from her embrace. He left her as he had left the others without looking back.

Rachel: 40:33

So this is where time and space sort of disconnect as he walks out of the door, and instead of walking into the hallway, he actually walks onto a balcony in some Castle somewhere probably in Scotland, with a full moon and the wind whistling through his hair. Don't forget about the cape and the cape brooding and just broods into the brooding intensifies.

Margie: 40:55

So Sarah goes up to her room. She's like, poor Sarah is so sad. So Sally, Lilly comes up to us, like are you okay? Do you want to talk and she's like, I really just want to go to bed. And Lady Ashby sees her go up to her bedroom row and tells one of her douche canoe friends to follow Sarah and to rape her yep, yep.

Unknown: 41:27

No, no. Hey, listeners.

Rachel: 41:32

You're upset at someone. For for man. I wouldn't even call it stealing. She thinks right right. Maybe self evaluate. And hey, Jonah, someone to fucking rape someone else. Didn't think I just spell it out for you and

Margie: 41:51

ask you to rape someone die.

Unknown: 41:55

Maybe just the right people.

Margie: 41:58

So lady Ashby then sidles up to Derek later on in the party. And it's like your little inset Princess ain't so innocent anymore. It's too late at this point. And a poor Sara wakes up with someone's hand over her mouth. And someone tried to get underneath her nightgown in her bedroom.

Rachel: 42:12

She still a version of this? stillbirth. Oh, shit. Yeah.

Margie: 42:16

So she Yeah, cuz she's, like, respectable, you know? Yeah, she nearly passes out from lack of oxygen. Because like, for her mouth, luckily, boy comes in and pulls the guy off of Sarah. And they have a tussle in the bedroom. He Derek beats the crap out of the guy and then picks her up and they have another 10 DS moment. Then he tucks her into bed and has a talk with Lady Rayford. And basically, she's like, listen, it doesn't matter if he raped her. Not everyone's gonna think that she was raped. So now she's soiled goods. Like, we got to figure this out. We got to get her married quick. Oh, yeah. And so the next morning Sarah wakes up. This is where my notes these are whereby that said,

Rachel: 42:56

Jesus, Margie. much luck.

Unknown: 42:59

I promise. That's okay. I don't

Rachel: 43:00

have notes for my next one.

Margie: 43:01

Perfect. The next morning, Sarah wakes up and the servant brings her to a parlor where Derek is busy, like scribbling over a piece of paper. And it's obvious he hasn't slept all night. And she's like, I thought I was gonna be talking to Lily, what are you doing here? And he's like, here, look at this list. It's a list of all the eligible bachelors in England. And he's like, they all owe me something, I will get one of them to marry you. Whichever one you want. And he's obviously angry. And she's like, I don't want any of these guys. I mean, no. And he's like, I will destroy your publisher. Like, I will do all these things. And she's like, You can't threaten me like nothing that you can do to me will. Like, it doesn't scare me. No. And so he's like, have one of these guys protect you? Like, let them be your shield? And she's like, No, I don't want that. Like, I just don't want it. I'm not in love with any of these guys. And so finally, Derek is like, what do you want? And she's like, I told you last night. And he's like, god dammit. Okay. Marry me.

Unknown: 44:08

All right. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. About face.

Margie: 44:11

Yeah. Yeah. And he's like, he there is this like little bit I remember where he says he's like, Okay, once he asked her to marry him, and she said, Yes. He felt like something fell into place like everything. Okay.

Rachel: 44:21

Was I don't know how I feel about this. Right. Okay.

Margie: 44:25

Yep, I know. So we'll get into this. So we're getting close to the end.

Rachel: 44:29

Yeah. I want to have a discussion about this. Oh, I know.

Margie: 44:32

And so he, they go and see late Lillian, the Lord lady Rayford. And they're super thrilled, obviously. But and Willie is like, let's play the wedding. It's gonna be so great. It's Derek is like, we're, we will but first we're gonna go into town. Lily's like why she's out. They're not gonna elope. He's just gonna take her to the club. They go up to his apartments and they just have sex. Okay? Yeah, no, yeah, yeah, cuz he's like now that I've got like not your compromise, you're just gonna compromise you and you cannot get away. Oh, yeah, yeah, that's yeah, so then they have they have sex and it's like, gonna do it later. Hi guys subscribe to our Patreon for under the covers. Um,

Rachel: 45:28

Lisa has that other books where the sex is really

Margie: 45:30

good. It's good. It's just not as good as her other sex. Yeah, yeah. And it's not like problematic. Okay, good, good, good. So let's see here. Then they go to Crawford corners, green fruit corners, whatever is entry to meet her parents, and to ask for the blessing of shares as if that matters. That matters now or to her. And there's this one part where like, she keeps opening the door to be like, Dad, I'm not marrying Perry anymore. Dad this this is what it's like, Dad. It's not actually a really bad club. And Derek is like, I need some toast with my tea. And I want you to slice the bread really thin uninterrupted. So they do they get married and Crawford corners. And then their life kind of just starts together like they. And the dad is actually really the her parents are really sweet. So they had Sarah very late in life. And they knew that he her dad explains to Derek he's like, look, I wanted my daughter to be independent because we're not going to be always be here to protect her. We always knew that. So that's why we've always just let her kind of like make her own decisions for life, because I knew that she was going to be alone at one point, right wanted her to be able to protect herself. That is really interesting. Yeah,

Rachel: 46:57

I like that. You know what I'm here for them.

Margie: 46:59

And her parents are really sweet. Like, there's books all over the house. They're very just nice people. And they do accept Derek even though like so. Her ex fiance comes in is like of course we're gonna get married. What are you talking about? Like we had to we had a disagreement, but we're still gonna get married. And Derek's like, no, sorry. Sorry, this is already compromised.

Rachel: 47:18

compromised. Good. And also on the rebound. Right.

Margie: 47:24

So they, like I said they kind of start their lives in there.

Rachel: 47:30

Is there an 11th hour kidnap?

Margie: 47:31

There's an 11th hour? Yes. So they start their lives together. And they live in the apartments above the club, but they're like talking about getting another house and like all this stuff, when one day I can't remember. So lady Ashby that's what I was expecting, comes into the club. And basically holds Sarah at gunpoint and they go through the tunnels outside of clubs so nobody can see them leave, right she and she gets Sarah into a carriage and then they they kind of go off into the wind right? And in that time lady Ashby or not like Yes, Lady Ashley. There's so many ladies. Lady Ashby also sets the club on fire. Oh, she goes up in smoke. But Sarah is in this carriage but nobody saw Sarah leave. Oh, no. So Derek, so like, Derek comes back to the club from doing whatever he was doing. And he sees it like in flames. And he's like, where Sarah? And they're like, We don't know where she is. And they tell him we think that sheets she died in the fire. Oh, no. Like certs like trying to claw his way into the building. And literally, I think his friend, the Lord the Lord Rayford whacks him on the back of the head to keep him from going into like the burning building to try to find Sarah. Oh shit. Yeah, so he wakes up

Rachel: 48:54

so this is that's that on fire thing. Yeah, that that's what they reference in the other book. Oh, really? They mentioned because the rival club owner his club becomes the like the place and then right after that one, right. I remember that.

Margie: 49:07

Well, so Okay, so now we're we switch back to Sarah hmm. And she's with a lady asked me and she's like, What are you doing? What is your plan? And basically what lady Ashley's plan is, is that she's going to deposit Sarah and lock her up basically. And then as Derek slowly loses his mind from thinking that he's lost Sarah she's gonna come back and tell Sarah all about it and be like oh yeah, your husband did this today. Oh, yeah. We banged because he's in so much pain from losing you. And Sarah is like what is six sadistic fuck fucking kidding me. Okay, so so this is actually really cool. Okay, I really like it. So as she's gonna put lady Ashby plants I'm putting her up in like this little apartment that's like above like something like in a hideaway basically right and locking her in there. And as they're going up The stairs Sarah's like fuck this. And she grabs the pistol for behind her somehow trips her on the stairs. The pistol goes off as though tumbling down the stairs and Lady Ashby is shot. Oh shit in the side. And she's like, I'm gonna die like she I think she shot little shoulder. But it's I think it's cleaned through and Sara's like, I could just leave her here. I could just let her bleed to death. Because I think it's also insinuated that like, at the end of when Derek like, loses his mind, she would kill Sarah as well. So she's like, I could just let her die, but I won't. So she takes Sara takes lady Ashby to Lord Ashby. And it's like, this is all the shit that your wife has been doing. Will you please get her under control? This is insane. And it's like, I'm really sorry about it. I knew that she was doing some of this stuff. But I didn't realize it was gonna go this far. Usually like with her affairs, he kind of just laughs from afar. Right? And so Sarah's, like, are you going to make sure that this doesn't fucking happen again? And he's like, Yeah, I'll do it. She'll go off. She's gonna go off to Scotland. And basically, it's like, I'll put her in a castle by yourself. Like, she will not see anybody. She will not cause trouble, but I'm also not going to send her to a lunatic asylum. Like, I know what they do that.

Unknown: 51:20

I mean that. That's fair. Yeah, but she,

Rachel: 51:22

I don't know how I feel about that either. Okay, all right. So

Margie: 51:26

okay, so then she, Derek believes that Sarah is dead. So he's been kind of like, he wakes up and he's like, he's, he's like a ghost of a person, basically. And Sarah has no idea where Derek is. So she just shows she goes to the club and the club is just raised. There's nothing worse. And she's really upset. She's like, how Oh my god. Poor Derek. Like, I feel so sorry. He's lost everything. Oh, cut Damn. Time is an illusion. We're almost done. I swear. I'm so sorry. I'm so earlier though. Ivo Jenner had actually come to see Derek and said like, Hey, I've been I didn't set the blaze. I want you to know that I did not do it. Uh huh. Be one of my spies saw your wife leaving with another woman. We Okay, So Derek has like a little bit of hope. But he still has no idea but kind of still in the day. So Sarah shows up to the club. Good on either though, right? I know. He was like, I actually like your wife. Like she seems like a decent human. So terrible to happen to her and I don't want it to be my fault. Uh huh. Um, so she's Sarah is at the club race. Just burn to the ground, when suddenly she feels that like, tingles angle on the back of her neck. And she turns around, and it's Derek and he's like, Please don't leave me because he thinks she's a ghost. Oh, so she runs up to him. And he finally tells her he has not told her this whole book that he loves her. Okay, finally tells her these loves her. And he's like, I thought I lost you. I would have given I think they lost Yes. I I would have given anything to just have one more day with you to tell you that. And she's like, you're good. Like we have all the days now. You're you're all good. And so she explains everything that happens. They live happily ever after. He actually so on the grounds of where the club was their building hospital. Oh, that's cool. And also, so they have a little baby girl named Lydia. And one thing that I love about is that like, he Derek is so excited about his daughter is really cute. A really good dad. Uh huh. And he'll do one of the things I love that he does is that he'll just kind of carry his daughter around to parties, as if she's like, the coolest thing in the world. Even Sarah is like, She's just a baby. Like, she's a very ordinary baby. Like, but Eric is like, no,

Unknown: 53:53

she's the best baby in the world.

Margie: 53:56

Don't you dare say that. So like he's doing business and this baby's on his arm.

Rachel: 54:00

Can I just say though? How is he not had a string of children? Oh my God,

Margie: 54:10

I don't I'm sure there was some sort of birth control methods back in the day. That sort of worked. No, but there was something medicine was magic at that medicine that medicine was not science. Science didn't haven't been invented yet exists. Yeah, science hadn't been invented yet. So yeah, that's that's that's that book.

Unknown: 54:30

I have thoughts.

Margie: 54:30

Yes. Please tell me that. Okay. All right. So

Unknown: 54:34

I don't know how I feel about like, his No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Okay, fine. I'll marry you.

Margie: 54:43

It's less. Okay, fine. I'll marry it's she's giving him no other option. Because she doesn't give the slightest indication that she wants to marry any of the other men on that list. Yeah. So and I think he wants to marry her but he doesn't also doesn't want to like you He doesn't want his his dirt and whatever his past to like, yeah, to like reflect on her poorly on her right.

Rachel: 55:07

But again, that's like Dude, that's not your choice. Your choice to me. Yeah, it's her choice to make as to whether or not she wants to

Unknown: 55:13

do that right?

Rachel: 55:14

Yeah, I'm like doing that and oh man, the temperamental

Margie: 55:17

he's he's got a temper homeboy

Rachel: 55:20

has anger issues, anger issues and a lot of like, self harming tendencies,

Margie: 55:28

a lot of self loathing a lot, a lot, a lot of self loathing.

Rachel: 55:32

What was all this shit that he'd done in his past?

Margie: 55:35

He was like, he will. So one thing that he did, which he wasn't proud of, was he slept his way to the top. So he Eva Peron himself. Like,

Rachel: 55:46

that's interesting. And I actually like, I enjoy the concept of the dude sleeping his way to the top versus Yeah, the chick Yeah, like doing it.

Margie: 55:56

So he slept his way to the top. He was at one point a grave digger. Like Nate, like, excuse me a grave robber. Interesting. He was a grave robber. And he just I think he just like did things in order to survive, you know, he stole he's, he's definitely he's definitely on the violence, like, got that violence down.

Rachel: 56:16

So I'll be honest, though. I that kind of makes me like his character more. Yeah, maybe it's just like the context of shit. But it's like that whole like, look, I did a lot of terrible Yeah, to survive. And this is where I'm at.

Margie: 56:30

Yeah, and then I'm not proud of Yeah, exactly. Like, you can say that. But also, it doesn't give you an excuse to be a shitty person. Other people like shit. Yeah. So you can I mean, and also in that time therapy was not available.

Rachel: 56:46

So fair. But I love her though. Because she's great a mineral and also she's like, No, fuck you. I'm gonna do

Margie: 56:53

this. Right. She'll have it. She's great. And she also knows what she wants. Yeah, girl, get what you want. Okay, what

Rachel: 56:59

is the definition of girl get what? Yes. Yes, girl.

Margie: 57:02

Get what you want. So, I think like you said, it's like the protectiveness thing. I like the the badass thing I like. Don't really if we just got rid of that almost murder attempts.

Unknown: 57:18

Could we not have him? Couldn't he just

Margie: 57:21

like kick her out of bed?

Rachel: 57:22

Like yeah, like not blind red. Not good.

Margie: 57:26

Yeah, not good. So he has to put him in homeboy status.

Rachel: 57:31

I think that yeah, I think that that's just I don't think he's old the way in hell like, like, it's a spectrum. It is. It's just I don't think he's like borderline fuckboys know that. It's like boy, homeboy.

Margie: 57:41

Yeah, he's somewhere in between boy and homeboy. Yeah. And I think also like his inability to, like, capture his emotions and to, like, control them, right? He's had, he's trying to control them so much that they're just like leaping out of you know what I mean? Like, it's kind of like when you put it into a box. Yeah. And it's, it's out. Yeah, a little bit sneaks out or it's just gonna explode. I know that from experience. Like, yeah, we all do. I think so. I that's just like a bit of immaturity. That's that he's kind of worked on right. I can't expect your wife to feel your emotions for you.

Rachel: 58:14

Right? No, hanting never hint ever hinting. I also like,

Unknown: 58:19

so lady Ashby. Totally a home girl. Yes. stone cold bitch. Yeah, but I don't.

Rachel: 58:28

Not dealt with in the best way. Huh?

Margie: 58:32

What? Oh, yeah. At the end of the book. Yeah. I didn't know

Rachel: 58:36

that. Like, historically, I guess it kind of makes sense. Like, as far as

Margie: 58:41

I can't understand why Lord Ashby married her, because he already had so like he. He was much older than her. He didn't. I think he was very wealthy. So he didn't need her for money. And he already had children from a previous marriage where his wife had passed away. So you didn't need to marry her. And

Rachel: 59:01

maybe she's just that good at sex.

Margie: 59:03

How much sex are they having? Like, she's not that interested. So I don't I think that that was like a very small. Yeah, thing that maybe it's maybe it was explained in the plot like somewhere, but I didn't. Yeah, I didn't catch it. It just didn't make especially since like, at the end of the book when Sarah has that conversation with Lord Ashby. He seems like a very intelligent guy. So I don't really understand what your motivations were. Maybe he was looking for a lordship. Maybe maybe. But it's not like that's going to be passed along to his children anyway. Right. Yeah. So interesting. Yeah. Very interesting. All right. So let's write this sucker.

Rachel: 59:44

Yeah. What do you think about our girl?

Margie: 59:47

I love her for I love her great. She's literally so unproblematic. I

Rachel: 59:53

know.

Margie: 59:55

him. I'm gonna give like a two and a half.

Rachel: 59:57

Yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking. Yeah. kind of a dick. Yeah, cute moments but still a dick. Yeah, that's

Margie: 1:00:04

the that's hot and cold baby hot and cold. Yeah. And I guess like, you can you can write it in a way where it's not scary. You know? Yeah, like any Okay,

Rachel: 1:00:14

do you? Okay, interesting question to pose. Do you think she would have still rolled with him if she knew he almost murdered a chick?

Margie: 1:00:22

Yes. Oh, I do think so. I don't know. I think that she was willing. She tells him at one point in the book. She's like, I love you. Like, I'm not. I'm not gonna judge you for your past. So

Rachel: 1:00:32

well. And I think also, if anyone would be the one to be like, Hey, I understand that you have these problems, right? And emotionally etc. I'm, I want to, you know, I accept you for them. Right? I want to help you. Right. And let's work on them together. I feel like if I did that it would be her right.

Margie: 1:00:52

Now, let's see. What's the next one?

Rachel: 1:00:55

Ply? Ply? Oh, sorry, smut first. Oh,

Margie: 1:00:58

SMART. SMART was just three. It was fine. It was fine. It was very, like, I really liked the sex scenes that we had in a previous book of hers. Lisa has a good a plus, she got really good smart. This one was just kind of like, met there was a lot of like, bought what I want to call body worshipping of like, where she she's so pure and perfect and innocent.

Unknown: 1:01:20

Like, oh my god.

Margie: 1:01:22

I'm like, Yeah, my my love handles are not pure or beautiful or innocence. So well. You know. So let's see here. And then we've got the book over. All right, plot next plot, right? Plot was probably a four. Okay.

Rachel: 1:01:42

I mean, it's a pretty interesting plot. It's fun.

Margie: 1:01:45

And then the overall book. I'm gonna give it us six. Because the writing was pretty good. The really the thing that brought it down was the fact that he's like barely a homeboy. Yeah, so like, I would still recommend reading it. It's not a bad book, but just like be

Rachel: 1:02:00

aware. Right? Like, go into it.

Margie: 1:02:04

Yeah, eyes wide open.

Unknown: 1:02:08

Hey, guess what I just said the heat to

Margie: 1:02:11

69 sex. Hey.

Unknown: 1:02:16

Um, yeah, that's

Rachel: 1:02:18

what I got. Okay, this was like such a good, classic textual tension episode.

Margie: 1:02:23

It was it really, really really was. It was nice. It was something in the middle, you know, compared the last one I did

Rachel: 1:02:28

Jesus. And the last one. I did. Yeah. Yeah. It was like one from really good, really terrible. Now we're just like, solidly. This was a good book. Good, solid middle of the road book.

Unknown: 1:02:38

It was fine. Except it.

Margie: 1:02:40

Alright. So if you're gonna if you're gonna stick around Patreon patrons, we've become a patron or patron for under the covers. Yeah, I promise you it's still it's still great to listen to this one bit knit that I'm like,

Rachel: 1:02:54

so drama. God, yes, I'm excited.

Margie: 1:02:57

But if you're if you're not a patron, thank you so much for listening. Thank you for listening. Joining us on this ride

Rachel: 1:03:04

and hey, if you're not a patron but still want to get like just a taste of some of the under the covers, there's just free one out there. There's a free one out there on the actual on our Patreon that you can actually check out if you're interested or curious. Yeah, and also, Hey, Ellen, are you you're great. Thanks for the use of your song. I love the album be held. We all love it

Margie: 1:03:25

that love. Right I will we will see you guys

Rachel: 1:03:29

Hey. Yeah, see it? Well, you'll hear us in two weeks, right? Yes, yeah, yeah.