Ohhhh this is a fun reader question! Kind of a genre-request/recommendation list, too! AND OMG there have been SO many books that have driven me crazy on the “JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER” front… LOL!!!
Lisa asks:
I’ve just been writing up my top ten over the weekend and it made me think about those books that drive you crazy with all the miscommunication and misunderstandings that keep your H/h apart.
If you were the friend in these scenarios…..would you speak up or intervene in some way ???? Thinking of Before We Were Strangers or The Pact or books like that. What do you think people?????
What are youe worst/best miscommunication books????
Oh don’t I know it, Lisa!! Because in real life, I think me (and most) speak our minds. There’s too much at stake, if not. And if I haven’t said anything just yet, my mood and demeanor sure do. Tee hee! It never takes me long to explain exactly where my concerns are and why.
Which is why some of these angst-inducing “troubles” seem a little frivolous, to me. So much of it can be resolved with just coming straight out and asking the other, instead of assuming. Alas… even the worst offenders in the “silly misunderstandings” end up being a fun read anyway, so I too, would love to hear your favorites. Or the ones that drove you the craziest!
Okay my latest one that drove me a bit batty was Slip of the Tongue (<— my review). It’s about a couple experiencing some serious marital strife that resulted in some detrimental actions. He was once the perfect husband but eventually became so distant and outright rude to her. She tried to connect with him, was ignored and eventually she felt so alone and lost.
Okay *slight spoiler alert* (not really a spoiler, but I analyze my experience and opinions of the book next, so if you want to read this good book, just skip my next paragraph)
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But she never came right out and confronted him, or gave him an ultimatum. There was no real push-comes-to-shove moment, until it was too late. And so he continued to evade her and treat her badly. In turn, when I found out the reason he was treating her so badly, I was upset, because OMG this could have been discussed, and worked on and resolved without all of that consequences that followed (because what it *actually was* … for the most part, was salvageable. But once the snowball started going downhill and growing, it was too far gone – or almost – to fix. I’ll let you find out the rest). *sigh*
So while I liked it, I would have preferred that the drama and mistakes have come from a more organic or innate human emotion, or an irreparable dilemma or trauma, vs. “assumptions” that were never spoken of.
OKAY DONE!!!
What about you guys?
I agree with Maryse! Slip of the Tongue…total lack of communication.
Ive read a few where there is a child that the H doesn’t know about……that scenario does my head in. Not ok with hiding children whatever the justification is.
Or those frustrating stories where H or h make a decision to sacrifice their own happiness (by breaking up with or creating a plot to make the other break up with them)…so their one true love can have the career/rock success/family approval etc etc without them. And their silly friends don’t tell them to snap out of their insane plot. Gggrrrrrrr.