August Group Read Discussion > BITING COLD > Ethan and Merit

[Chelsea]

There are a lot of places we could start discussion of BITING COLD, but considering how we've waited for Ethan's return, I wouldn't want to hold off the discussion.

Did you like the shift in the dynamic of Ethan and Merit's relationship?

Were you at all surprised that he was every bit as stubborn as before?

Would you, in Merit's shoes, have found time for sexytimes earlier in the story?

Did their reunion live up to expectations?

[Jill]

I liked that Merit totally kept her cool about Ethan's return. Whereas I would have thrown myself at the man hysterically crying and refused to do anything for at least 2 weeks. She was like, "Oh, hey, sup? Let's go save the world again." I'm only at the beginning of the book, (Damn you exams!!!) so I can't comment on much yet.

Also, are we still doing the Twitter conversation, because I think I keep missing the announcement of when that starts. What am I missing here?

[Chelsea]

Jill wrote: "Also, are we still doing the Twitter conversation, because I think I keep missing the announcement of when that starts. What am I missing here?"

I've asked if people wanted to have it and when in Book Bits (the Thursday feature each week) a few times and never get a response. Until we have at least a handful of people wanting the Twitter chat again, it's on hold indefinitely.

[Jill]

okay! i'll make sure to respond then!

[Connie]

Waiting to get the Book in the mail amazon is sending it as we speak I cannot wait to start reading the reunion !!!

[Sienny Zne]

finished friday night bites, and gonna start twice bitten next.

[Veronica]

Just finished the book an hour ago and still processing. I am so glad to have Ethan back and in the mix.

I'm not surprised that he's still stubborn. He wouldn't be Ethan if he weren't, lol. And while it was frustrating to see him hold himself back from Merit I could understand why. That said, I loved that Merit didn't just accept his decision this time, that she confronted him about it and kept prodding him until he backed down. She really has grown.

But yeah, I wanted them to find sexy times a lot sooner, lol. But when they finally did, the biting was worth the wait.

Also loved his little present at the end. :-)

[Jill]

I just finished it last night too. I have to say, I wasn't thinking it was going to be a good book because when characters miraculously come back from the dead I'm afraid of the series going downhill from there. I was SOOO happy to be proved wrong with this book. The action was there, as well as the romance. approved. =p

[Amy]

I finished it almost as soon as I got it! I really liked that everything (eventually) got back to Chicago and all the characters were there (in one form or another) it was like going home again (as cheesy as that may sound). But with Drink Deep with Ethan gone and Mallory going evil there was a different dynamic.

As for Ethan and Merit, I wasn't upset that he was being stubborn. I almost thought it would be more strange for him and Merit to just throw themselves right into a steady relationship when really they didn't resolve anything from before. What happened was Ethan died and while that event made Merit realize her true, true feelings for him, they still didn't ever really figure everything out regarding all his hesitations.

I really liked, like many others I believe, that Merit didn't just sit back and let Ethan dictate the relationship. I think it shows how much she's grown and changed as a character that she was actively trying to get Ethan to see beyond his own reluctance.

I think that sexytimes in the book happened when they were supposed to have happened, but I would have liked there to be more :)

I guess we'll have to wait on House Rules for that!

[Amanda]

I agree with Amy's comment (above) about not being upset that Ethan was being stubborn. Just because he pulled a phoenix shouldn't mean his entire personality should change. If it did, he wouldn't be Ethan, and we'd probably be complaining about the lack of raised eyebrows :)

What confused the heck out of me was the whole build up to the, ahem, physical reunion. I could have sworn at the end of Drink Deep they'd gotten it on. After all, Catcher did wake Merit up...in Ethan's bed...and they were both naked. That just implied, to me, that fun times had been had by all. Of course, since my copy of Drink Deep is currently packed away in a box, I can't verify if those events happened the way I remember, so I could be wrong.

That said, I think if the reunion had happened earlier, the story would have lost some of its emotional punch, and I thought that was one of the most important parts of this story-all the emotional repercussions of the events of Drink Deep. Sex does weird things to your brain. Who knows? If it had happened earlier, things may have turned out very differently.

[Chelsea]

Amanda wrote: "Who knows? If it had happened earlier, things may have turned out very differently. "

THIS!

[Veronica]

I'm with you Amanda in thinking that Merit and Ethan had I'm-back-from-the-dead sex at the end of Drink Deep. My book is also packed away in a box (just recently moved) so I can't double check it either but that was certainly my impression. I remember being disappointed that we were locked out of the bedroom for that one. But maybe he was still too weak for full-on sexcapades at the time so they just did some naked cuddling?

[Amy]

Amanda wrote: "I agree with Amy's comment (above) about not being upset that Ethan was being stubborn. Just because he pulled a phoenix shouldn't mean his entire personality should change. If it did, he wouldn't ..."

I too had thought that they already had their "reunion" at the end of Drink Deep. It really seemed implied.

[Kris]

I have to agree with Amanda, I was under the impression that it happened in Drink Deep. Having said that, no Ethan's reservations didn't bother me, but if I were Merit I would have killed him. It was in character but honestly the best thing about him being reticent was that it really showed how Merit had grown while he was gone. I think my favorite part (aside from the sexytime) was when she told him to mind his business about Johna if they were "on hold." She is forcing him to see her as an equal, not just as his noviate.

[Marcia]

I liked the book, but I haven't gotten pulled into one really since #3. I thought the book was a little slow. Ethan was frustrating as usual, but likable and not so arrogant and a great leader. I loved that about him this time.

**SPOILER ALERT** I think I am the only one that actually LIKED IT when Ethan (got deleted) at the end of #4. I like a powerful ending! And I wanted to see how Merit would move past it.

Honestly though, I just want Merit to let out some "bad girl." Do something crazy or stupid, not for heroic purposes or for the good of the house, and then see if Ethan forgives her like she keeps doing for him. I'm not saying "she's too perfect," but kinda think she is too perfect for him! Perhaps she could have a little slip up with Jonah? Is that wrong of me? Tell me what you guys thing!

Finally, I am very intrigued with the way this book ended. It's not a cliffhanger, but enough to save the book from 2 stars or less.(less)

[Amanda]

Yes! Bring back Jonah! Neill teased us with the whole "complimentary magic" bit, and I'm curious to see where it goes. I think Merit and Ethan need another roadblock of MERIT'S making, not Ethan's.

Besides, Jonah sounded pretty hot :)

[Sienny Zne]

done on #3, starting on #4.
ethan got staked?? really?? gotta read that one..

[Marcia]

Sorry Sienny!!! I don't know how to hide spoilers in a thread. I feel terrible.. but if you don't read the groupreads chat boards on 5 and 6 the books will still be good for you. Especially the end of 5. Have fun:)

[Marcia]

@Amanda- Yep, we are totally on the same page! BTW, I also thought they had reunion sex at the end of DD. I remember being disappointed that the author didn't give us the reunion the two deserved. I need to get that book out of the archives and reread that page, because I know it was only like a short paragraph.

[Connie]

Just got my copy last night.. Yes Merit and Ethan need a little sexy time and yes they did in the last book

[Veronica]

I wouldn't expect Jonah to be any major issue. On her forum Chloe said that she doesn't like to read about love triangle shenanigans so she doesn't write them. I'm glad for it because I am sick to death of that overly used writing trope. I now drop series that use triangles because I regard it as lazy writing for an author who lacks the creativity to find other ways to inject drama into the main pairing. So Jonah can just go hook up with someone else, like Paige, as far as I'm concerned. Otherwise, with Ethan back he feels extraneous and that's how it felt in this book.

[Shannon]

********Spoilers******

I did go back and read the last part of Drink Deep and I defiantly got the impression that Ethan and Merit got together when he returned. The book stated that she woke up naked and crawled over Ethan to answer the phone. In Biting Cold, we defiantly get the impression that they were not together prior to his death. I did enjoy the book, I did not hate how the book ended, it did leave room for growth or the end.

Me being the romantic, I would have like to see Ethan embrace Merit and tell her he loves her. Just saying.

[Marcia]

Marcia wrote: "@Amanda- Yep, we are totally on the same page! BTW, I also thought they had reunion sex at the end of DD. I remember being disappointed that the author didn't give us the reunion the two deserved...."

My bad, I was mistaken! Got out the Kindle and... No reunion sex in DD. Ethan tells Merit that he has not forgotten where they left things...which was no sex but one big kiss at the end of #4 Hard Bitten. they snuggled and spent the night together but I guess the sex was not implied. Just goes to show that I am not as great at remembering all the details as I thought!

[Sienny Zne]

@marcia :
that's okay, i'm immune to spoilers. i actually look for spoilers before i start or during a book, and sometimes i got impatient and jump to the last 2 chapters before continue reading :D

[Marcia]

You are so bad!! I'm so glad I didn't ruin it for you. Almost every other reader was shocked and outraged, so at least you won't ride that roller coaster. I went back and edited my thread comments, just in case. I am through book 6 now, and like the anticipation built for 7. I'm going to pre-order. I hope you enjoy 4-6:)

[Shandare]

******** mild spoilers ********
I was under the impression they had gotten together. In BC the conversation goes, "It seems like forever once we've done this." to which Merit replies, "It's been at least two months." Kind of roughly falls on the time frame, doesn't it?

[Sienny Zne]

@marcia
oh.. absolutely.. at the end of #4, i got sad and a little crushed when darth sullivan got staked. now i'm startin' on #5, and enjoying a little jonah :))