Heartbreaker ของ Linda Howard

Silhouette / Mira

Review:

Michelle Cabot and John Rafferty, the heroine and hero in Heartbreaker are quite complex characters with personal history that contributes to their present behaviors and attitudes. Growing up seemed perfect for Michelle as a beloved daughter of a well-to-do ranch owner in Florida. She was beautiful, smart, and loved by whomever around her. Oppose to John, he grew up with his father who worked very hard trying to keep the ranch benefits. His mother had left them many years, after discovered that a life of a rancher wife was too hard for her. John’s wife, whom he married at the age of nineteen, left him for the same reason as his mother did. John worked hard and despised people who did not work; they were useless to him. And that was how he felt about Michelle, a Daddy Little Princess who did not know anything better than hanging out with friends and spending money.

Despite their opposite, they instantly attracted to each other. Michelle knew right away that this man was her big trouble and at the age of sixteen she was not ready for that. John was her heartbreaker, and Michelle knew it too well. Michelle acted very snobby around John to keep herself at a great distance from him. John was too attractive, he had too many girls and Michelle did not think he would stop with her. If she could not have it all, she would rather not have any. Unfortunately John shared the same attitude. John felt in love with Michelle but he did not admit to himself so he went on telling himself that he hated how snobby, spoil and useless she is. Simply that if he could not have her, he would rather believe that he hated her. Michelle was his heartbreaker, and poor John did not know it yet.

Ten years after they met the first time, Michelle had been married, divorced, and moved back home after her father’s death. Her path has cross with John again when she discovers that her father borrowed $100000 from John and the debt has not been paid. Michelle is broke, alone, and about to have to deal with the only man who can easily break her heart.

This time when John and Michelle meets, the force of attraction is still there, but they also have a chance to get to know about each other more. Ms. Howard does a good job in revealing their characters through the story both to the readers and to each of the main characters. What wrong with what seems to be a perfect childhood for Michelle? What had gone wrong with her marriage? The more you know about Michelle, the more you admire how strong of a person she is. Michelle will finally discover that she can have it all (she can have John to only herself), and John will find out that when he has it all (when he has Michelle), he cannot let her goes.

Michelle is a strong person but she is very well lonely. She does not have anyone she can trust that he or she will stand behind and believe in her. When her marriage was in trouble, her father refused to believe that her husband was an abusive man. Michelle’s life had been so perfect in her father’s eyes and it was impossible for him to believe that her life could go wrong in anyway. Michelle had to carry this burden of having a seem-to-be perfect life. The price she has to pay is simply too high.

John is a tough man with a soft spot in his heart for Michelle. He spent ten years of his life thinking he hated the kind of person Michelle was and how much her father spoiled her, but he ends up do the same things as Michelle’s father, spoiling her (even Michelle does not want him too). While believe he hated Michelle, John built a new house just the way he thought she would like it. He does not allow Michelle to do any work even house’s work like cooking or cleaning when they are finally together. He is very protective of her. He is willing to do anything to keep her stay.

In term of romance, this book is as steaming as many of Ms. Howard’s work. The physical attraction is unbelievable from the beginning to end. But what really makes the story is the love Michelle and John have for each other; the kind of love has last ten years of not even seeing each other.

Personal Remark:

One interesting issue this book mentions is about how women deal with abusive relationship. What should a woman do when her prince charming is not who he seems to be at first? One option is leaving, but that may have put her life in danger. Sometimes, women in an abusive relationship are too scared to do anything about it. Some of them may even believe that they have to stick with the relationship no matter what. It is hard to believe that in the society when women are given so much freedom and opportunity, ones is willing to put up with such an abusive relationship? In some case, it has a great deal to do with her self-confidence, the feeling of worthy or not without a relationship. Even a woman is able to leave an abusive relationship; she still has to deal with the injury afterward, physically and emotionally. In Heartbreaker, Michelle is afraid to tell John about her past relationship. She describes her reason of not telling him, as “she feels dirty and ashamed.” Why should a woman feel that way when it is not her false, she is simply a victim? But as Michelle says “knowledge doesn’t help. The feeling is still there.” In fact this is not unusual for woman in Michelle’s situation. As a woman I do not think this issue can be taken lightly and I am glad that it is brought up in this book. I guess that is one more reason why I like this book.

--April--

Rating: 95%