Never ignore patterns

What I enjoyed about this book wasn’t so much the story as the messaged behind the story. Why do we as women become so trusting of people in revered positions? Fathers, priests, professors? Samantha is young and beautiful and the next in line of attractive Professor Peter Bridges conquests, but like all women, she thinks she’s ‘the one’. His physical appeal, wealth, knowledge and sophistication blinds her to the real man behind the mask he wears. He is a serial abuser of women. Even his act of seduction from the moment she meets him is a well-practiced pattern of behaviour. When you have doubt, even if it 1%, don’t ignore it. Why would he, the charming professor choose her? Why is he insistent (definitely OCD) or pouring them each red wine, each evening. Is she looking for a figure to replace her philandering father who left her mother for a woman his daughter’s age? Is she taken in by his better version of herself? When she falls pregnant 2 months into their relationship, her senses become more awakened and after the birth of their daughter Emily, a maturity develops in her character. She becomes aware of his various manipulations, lies, and cruelty of other women, and, over time befriends them. The leopard doesn’t change his spots. Once a liar always a liar. Revenge is sweet. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. All of these are present in this tale.

###

