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The Pygmalion Complex
KWS Publishers announces their new Astor Place Genre Fiction series, a reintroduction of several of the forgotten classics of mystery, romance, science fiction, and the western published since World War II. As an introduction to this series, KWS is pleased to present three works by the romance writer Elaine Intimate Terms (1988); The Possession (1998); and her newest work, The Pygmalion Complex , published here for the first time.
In The Pygmalion Complex , Romana leaves her home in Chicago and moves to New York when she learns that her husband is divorcing her to marry his pregnant mistress. Upon her arrival in New York, she meets Kent Cunningham, an internationally renowned fashion designer who recognizes, under Romana’s somewhat dowdy suburban exterior, both her beauty and her potential. Romana and Kent eventually fall in love, but their love is thwarted by an insurmountable hurdle.
In The Pygmalion Complex , Romana leaves her home in Chicago and moves to New York when she learns that her husband is divorcing her to marry his pregnant mistress. Upon her arrival in New York, she meets Kent Cunningham, an internationally renowned fashion designer who recognizes, under Romana’s somewhat dowdy suburban exterior, both her beauty and her potential. Romana and Kent eventually fall in love, but their love is thwarted by an insurmountable hurdle.
300 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 18, 2012
Reviewed by Gloria Antypowich for Readers Favorite
The Pygmalion Complex [Paperback]
Elaine Gordon (Author)
Ramona Wilkins Randal has lived a sheltered life. She comes from an conservative,upper class family where appearances mean every thing. She has lived in the same community, even after she married a socially acceptable Graydon Randall III, and lived next door under the watchful eye of her parents. She has two children and she has dedicated her life to her husband and her family. Then she is blindsided by her husband’s deceit, his announcement that he wants a divorce and his pregnant mistress.
What seems to be disaster opens the door to freedom; Ramona knows that she has to break free from the suffocating scrutiny of her parents and her husband’s influence. She needs to start over with a clean slate and build a new life for herself.
In the face of everyone’s outrage she moves to New York with her two children, Pamela and Jake. The children adjust to their new setting, but Ramona doesn't do so well. The divorce has left her a wealthy woman; she doesn't need to work, so she builds her world around her two children and her dog Geoffrey, but grows lonely and depressed. She lives vicariously through the people that she can see from her apartment, watching their activities with binoculars.
Her children leave to spend the summer with their dad, and Ramona is jolted out of her dreary world by someone who has caught her watching through their window. Humiliated, Ramona bakes chocolate goodies and delivers them to his apartment building with a note of apology.
Thus, Ramoma meets Kent Cunningham, a world famous fashion designer who envelopes her into his life and sets her on a path into a glamorous world totally foreign to her. He is struck by her understated beauty and she becomes his muse. He works with her like a sculpture molding a work of art; making her over to suit his needs and desires—the Pygmalion effect.
Kent is possessive and protective, but showers her with devotion—something she has never known. Ramona is starved for affection and vulnerable. They quickly learn to love each other, but this is a love that can will not be consummated, no matter how deep and sincere it is. Kent loves her, but he can never give her what she needs and while she doesn't realize, it he controls her too; much the way her parents and duplicitous husband always have.
I loved this book. It is a tale of a woman’s journey from life in a protective high society where her gullibility left her vulnerable, through betrayal and pain and into a new world. Love comes in different forms; betrayal comes in different ways; jealousy and vengeance wait for opportunity. She finds herself totally outside her comfort zone, but struggles to find her way and succeeds.
“The The Pygmalion Complex” is solid woman's fiction and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a great read.
The Pygmalion Complex [Paperback]
Elaine Gordon (Author)
Ramona Wilkins Randal has lived a sheltered life. She comes from an conservative,upper class family where appearances mean every thing. She has lived in the same community, even after she married a socially acceptable Graydon Randall III, and lived next door under the watchful eye of her parents. She has two children and she has dedicated her life to her husband and her family. Then she is blindsided by her husband’s deceit, his announcement that he wants a divorce and his pregnant mistress.
What seems to be disaster opens the door to freedom; Ramona knows that she has to break free from the suffocating scrutiny of her parents and her husband’s influence. She needs to start over with a clean slate and build a new life for herself.
In the face of everyone’s outrage she moves to New York with her two children, Pamela and Jake. The children adjust to their new setting, but Ramona doesn't do so well. The divorce has left her a wealthy woman; she doesn't need to work, so she builds her world around her two children and her dog Geoffrey, but grows lonely and depressed. She lives vicariously through the people that she can see from her apartment, watching their activities with binoculars.
Her children leave to spend the summer with their dad, and Ramona is jolted out of her dreary world by someone who has caught her watching through their window. Humiliated, Ramona bakes chocolate goodies and delivers them to his apartment building with a note of apology.
Thus, Ramoma meets Kent Cunningham, a world famous fashion designer who envelopes her into his life and sets her on a path into a glamorous world totally foreign to her. He is struck by her understated beauty and she becomes his muse. He works with her like a sculpture molding a work of art; making her over to suit his needs and desires—the Pygmalion effect.
Kent is possessive and protective, but showers her with devotion—something she has never known. Ramona is starved for affection and vulnerable. They quickly learn to love each other, but this is a love that can will not be consummated, no matter how deep and sincere it is. Kent loves her, but he can never give her what she needs and while she doesn't realize, it he controls her too; much the way her parents and duplicitous husband always have.
I loved this book. It is a tale of a woman’s journey from life in a protective high society where her gullibility left her vulnerable, through betrayal and pain and into a new world. Love comes in different forms; betrayal comes in different ways; jealousy and vengeance wait for opportunity. She finds herself totally outside her comfort zone, but struggles to find her way and succeeds.
“The The Pygmalion Complex” is solid woman's fiction and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a great read.
November 16, 2012
Honestly, I wish I had some sort of in-depth and thoroughly thought out review for this book. But in all honesty, I was struggling through it a lot. The main characters were not likeable at all - Romana seems to be exceptionally good at complaining - and the whole story felt...discombobulated.
I almost didn't finish it and here's why: I have a lot of books to get through and not to mention school. So, when I pick up a book and plan to read it and review it I want to pick something up that I can get through pretty quick and that will leave me wishing the story hadn't ended and wondering where I could get more of the characters.
This book did none of that for me. I was racing to the end and waiting for something big to happen, which to me seemed like that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.
I once heard someone try to compare this novel with Jackie Collins, and all I have to say to that is no. Any book written by Jackie Collins lives in a completely different universe than this book.
I wish there had been more depth and more feelings. I wish there had been something that could keep me coming back for more, but all it did was leave a sour taste in my mouth. And I hate how bad this review is coming up. I tried to like it, I really did, but there was no connection.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend reading this book, but if you are really curious go for it.
November 12, 2012
I have no idea what to say about this book. None of the characters were very likable. Romy was a weak housewife and then a weak divorcee. She was constantly allowing the people around her telling her what to do, how to be and she just took it. She went from one destructive relationship to the next. She and Kent had the weirdest most uncomfortable relationship ever. Kent ending in the story was very strange.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews