Jujur aja nih gw malas banget review buku ini.Sebenarnya sederhana aja sih ceritanya, Catherine Anderson (19 tahun), dengan latar belakang keluarga miskin, masih virgin melakukan ONS dengan Clay Forrester (25 tahun) mahasiswa sarjana hukum yg orangtuanya notabene kaya raya. Ketika mengetahui anaknya hamil, Herb Anderson, ayah Cat yang bajingan dan pemabuk langsung berusaha “memeras” orangtua Clay.Nah Cat malam itu juga “diinterogasi” oleh Clay yang merasa diperas oleh mereka berdua. Namun Cat tanpa gentar dan berani mengakui dan bilang bahwa dia tidak butuh uang keluarga Forrester. Namun sebaliknya orangtua Clay menginginkan Clay untuk melakukan tindakan yang benar.Ya ternyata Clay masih punya nurani dan tanggung jawab, dia mau menikahi Cat dan perjanjian diantara mereka berdua, pernikahan itu hanya hingga anak mereka lahir dan Clay lulus kuliah. Setelah itu Clay bisa lega kembali ke sisi Jill Magnusson, pacarnya selama ini.Namun seiring waktu pernikahan mereka, ternyata Cat membangun tembok yang amat sangat tinggi terhadap Clay, terutama dikarenakan Cat itu merasa minder, terlalu mandiri, curigaan dan karena latar belakang mereka yang berbeda bumi dan langit dimana Cat tidak pernah mendapatkan kasih sayang dari ortu nya, sedangkan Clay selalu berkelimpahan curahan kasih sayang dari keluarganya. Di satu pihak, lama kelamaan Clay juga bosan dengan sikap dingin Cat, yang mengakibatkan Clay juga mulai merasa sensitif terutama ketika ibunya dan Cat sudah mempersiapkan pesta kelulusan Clay tanpa sepengetahuan Clay.Puncaknya, pada pesta itu, Jill (mantan pacar Clay) menyatakan terang-terangan untuk meminta Clay kembali. Cat yang termakan provokasi dari Jill, akhirnya bertengkar paling hebat (sebelum2nya mereka juga sering bertengkar dan saling mendiamkan), yang berakhir dengan keluarnya Clay dari rumah mereka. Dan Clay pun mengurus surat perceraian mereka dan Clay cepat-cepat balik ke pelukan Jill.Dalam waktu 6 bulan, Cat berinstrospeksi dan menyadari keangkuhan dirinya dan ternyata dirinya masih mencintai Clay. Di sisi Clay, dia mulai kangen pada anak mereka dan waktu menengok mereka berdua, Clay menyadari bahwa dia melihat banyak perubahan pada diri Cat dan masih menginginkan Cat. Tapi Cat dengan tegas menyatakan bahwa dia mencintai Clay tapi tidak akan bisa menerima Clay jika Clay tidak mencintai Cat. Dan menjelang Natal, Clay baru sadar Jill dan dirinya tidak cocok karena Jill kelewat ambisius dan tidak menginginkan memiliki anak mereka. Tampaknya perpisahan mereka juga dipaksakan di buku ini supaya terlihat happy ending buat Clay dan Cat di hari Natal.Yang jadi pertanyaan diri gw: Layakkah kita menerima kembali pria seperti Clay? Bagi gw, Clay itu pria yang agak “kurang usaha” untuk menghancurkan tembok penghalang Cat. Bagaimana kalau diterima kembali, tetapi di kemudian hari, Clay kembali bosan dan pindah ke pelukan wanita lain yang langsung bisa menerimanya? Aku memaklumi usia Clay yang termasuk masih muda hingga gejolak emosinya belum stabil, tapi tetep aja gw “mangkel” ama sikap Clay ini.
This book left me with confused emotions. No don't doubt a bit, it wasn't a torment b'ween my soul whether to give it 4-5 stars. It was a struggle whether to loathe it a lil or very much.In the end I ended up loathing it.It had some saving graces, like the girls in Horizons. I loved 'em. There is certain unreality which we create around ourselves when life becomes too real to live with. We dream of things and places where we'd rather be. We hope to hold the slipping of sand and want to remain in the make believe world a lil longer but what we dream of most is love. A one person to call our own.Sometime there are certain hollowness, certain depths where lurk this hunger to be loved, I totally understood Catherine and I tried to understand Clay too. Trust me being a guy I was totally with him until he started acting like a douche bag. The other thing which I totally condemn, with every fiber of my being is making a joke of sacred institution as marriage. I mean c'mon can you at least not lie in front of God.To love, obey & cherish..Seriously?He kissed some other girl wishing she was his wife! On his day of marriage.There was everything in b'ween their marriage but above three. She was bruised, inside and that stupid pathetic excuse for a man played with her all the time. And what kind of man can stay away from his own daughter. I strongly dislike him.At one point she said his driving a car was masculine. I was so sad, so so sad after reading that. But thank God she didn't say much about cars and riding them as masculine.Though I love Catherine because she has so much of love in her, for her daughter, for his mother. I loved Angela.And he said he loved her.There's so much to say, so much to write.I'm thoroughly disappointed in Ms. Spencer. Good thing I read Morning Glory first. Coz after trying the second book I'm sure I won't be coming back to her.One more time to the place where there is love and ppl stay together for the good & the bad. Let me not come to reality no matter how much of a temptress it is. I'm not the guy with fanciful needs.Back to Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold.What'd I be if I haven't read this b'ful book. Everything pales in comparison.At least I've some place to hide away from all that modern world theatrics and stupid notions and useless pride.
What do You think about Separate Beds (2003)?
Darn I do remember this book, as soon as I began to read it. I set it down and amended the earlier five stars to one. I'll be perfectly clear I love LS's novels, not everyone of course but the majority of them but this one is definitely way down there. (view spoiler)[Clay’s behaviour was in the major league. A right SOB. Abbreviated version. Clay is forced to marry a cold fish (he doesn’t bother to find out why Catherine is the way she is), she’s pregnant from their one night stand but that’s okay his ex is too willing and waiting in the wings so he leaves Catherine to go find himself with his ex and suddenly Catherine is the ex (saw that coming) but gradually Clays relationship with his ex deteriorates (saw that coming to) and he begins to take notice of how Catherine has changed without him and he doesn't want his girlfriend anymore, he wants Catherine and his baby and blow me down Catherine takes him back (saw that coming too). Catherine deserved a much better guy and I would have completely rooted for her to get her HEA but with someone else. (hide spoiler)]
—Joy
It's not very often I give a low rating to a LaVyrle Spencer novel, because I love her so much, but i just absolutely HATED the "hero" in this story. (I used the " " because he sure as certain doesn't deserve the name hero.) I haven't read her novels in the chronological order she wrote them, (perhaps i should line them all up by copyright date) but I just could NOT believe LS could write a male lead like ol' whatshisface when she could write heroes like those in That Camden Summer and Morning Glory, which are some of my favorite novels of all time.
—Shelley
Of course it was dated. It is 30 years old. Panty hose, ruffled shirts for men, cinnamon tuxedos, Charlie perfume ... LOL, but I did enjoy it. Catherine annoyed me a bit but I suppose she had to stand her ground. Clay. Usually love an Ass but he was nice enough. Loved his family. Things have a way of becoming clearer with time. It lends perspective. "Up yours, Clay Forrester!"Towards the end of the book I just wanted them to get over themselves and sort it all out. "Hearts and flowers." "You're just too good to be true ...."
—Mo
