Question O

[Jonetta]

This last story was more about the Wallflowers than the Ravenels. Were you okay with how it ended? Did you get enough updates on everyone? Was Merritt’s pregnancy a surprise?

[Sharon]

It could have upset me if you didn't tell me about The Wallflowers. Although, I think there was enough background that it would have been OK. I was expecting Merritt's pregnancy. I thought the pregnancy was going to play a more significant part in this story. Something revealed after Keir left for London, and Merritt covered it up. It is better the way the story is written.

[Robin]

I don't really understand including this story in with the Ravenels. The only actual connection to the Ravenels was Phoebe's visit to her family, and Ethan working for Sebastian. It was very much a Wallflower story. I loved having Sebastian, Evie, Marcus and Lillian in the story. Their interactions with Keir and Merritt were my favorite parts.

Merritt's pregnancy was not a surprise. Why is it that everytime a widow mentions that she is barren, she gets pregnant by the end of the book?

[Anita]

I kept looking for Keir to be a Ravenel. The last Wallflowers book was written in 2006. That is a long time ago to try and tie two series together, but it worked out great and I loved it. It was great seeing everyone again. I had forgotten how acerbic Lillian was, the plain talking American.

Merritt's pregnancy wasn't a surprise to me either. Back then often when a woman was labeled barren, it was actually the man's fault. Doctors didn't want to crush their tender male egos by telling them they can't have children, so they blamed the wife.

[Karen ♐]

I also thought that Keir was going to be a Ravenel. Although since I loved the Wallflowers so much, this story was great for me. Merritt's pregnancy was not a surprise to me. Yes, the woman was always blamed for not getting pregnant.

[Jonetta]

I’m glad I’d already read Wallflowers as three of the books in this series tied to that one directly. I loved this story and its connection but just wish the series had ended on a Ravenel note.

They’d done a good job in diagnosing Merritt’s problems (I believe it’s defined as endometriosis) and her condition made it difficult to get pregnant, not impossible. She and Keir had a lot of sex and in inventive ways, which increased her possibilities. It’s plausible.

[Anita]

I was diagnosed with endometriosis and went on to have three successful pregnancies after having a miscarriage. It has to do with the uterine walls and the embryo doesn't implant when this condition is severe.

[Jonetta]

I have it, too. My sister-in-law has it and believed she couldn’t have children either. She got a nice surprise when she turned 40!

[Robin]

I know it's plausible for her to get pregnant. I just don't like that nearly every book who has a heroine that believes she is barren is proven wrong by the end of the book.

[Jonetta]

You’re right, Robin. We see it a lot.

[Anita]

It's not my favorite trope.

[Lauren]

I agree that this is definitely a Wallflowers and not a Ravenels book. As the families are linked through Phoebe and West as well as Pandora and Gabriel, I guess it makes sense to make the connection between the two series for marketing purposes.

Regarding the barren/pregnancy, I'm also not a fan of the "magic sperm" trope.

Sometimes it is done well though with an appropriate explanation such as it is the 1st husband who is infertile and the heroine has been unjustly blamed or the endometriosis here, which is actually the first I've read about in an historical romance.

[Robin]

Lauren wrote: "Regarding the barren/pregnancy, I'm also not a fan of the "magic sperm" trope."

That's the first time I've ever heard it called "magic sperm". I'll have to remember that one.