I had your baby and I just never knew it
“So In Love” by Karen Ranney
In “So In Love,” you’ve got it all: angst, star-crossed lovers, the big misunderstanding, the secret baby and Scotsmen. Jeanne du Marchand and Douglas MacRae were young lovers who met in Paris. She was 16, the cosseted only child of a French aristocrat and he was 17, the youngest son of a wealthy Scottish clan. Ah young love. But fate cruelly tore them apart when idealistic and naive Jeanne (she was 16) becomes pregnant with Douglas’s child. Didn’t think they were just busy carving their initials into a tree did you?
When Douglas goes to look for Jeanne, and only finds their malnourished infant daughter, he thinks that Jeanne left their baby daughter to die. Jeanne on the other hand thinks that Douglas abandoned her and their daughter. In fact, she does think that her daughter’s dead. This is a twist on the traditional Secret Baby plot device because in this instance, it’s the mother who doesn’t know she has a child. I guess this is the only way it could work because I hardly think any woman who’s gone through the biological equivalent of forcing a watermelon through a thimble is going to let that slip her mind.
When Douglas meets Jeanne 10 years later, she’s broken in spirit, and no longer the carefree young woman she once was. She’s been locked up in a convent for 10 years, and has managed to flee France, because of the Revolution. Jeanne’s lost her status, her money, and is forced to become a governess. Through a series of events, Jeanne eventually signs on to be the governess of Douglas’s 10 year old daughter. She feels hurt that Douglas has a daughter, thinking that this confirms that he never cared about her. Douglas on the other hand is determined to exact revenge on Jeanne, whom he thinks left their daughter to die.
For 2 people who supposedly hate each other like Godzilla and King Ghidorah, Jeanne and Douglas are really quick to jump onto each other and tear each other’s clothes off. (And not because they want to leave each other starkers in the middle of the street and point fingers at each other and laugh.) Douglas begins to wonder why Jeanne is no longer filled with a passion for life. And Jeanne doesn’t know why Douglas hates her so much. Don’t get me wrong. Karen Ranney’s a good writer and all, but this whole “misunderstanding over the fruit of our combined loins” thing has been done in the masterpiece that is Paradise. And the misunderstanding in Paradise gets cleared up a whole lot quicker than in this book, where it doesn’t get resolved until the last few chapters. By which time I decide it’s time for Dr La Lola to step in and perform some sexual healing!
Let Dr La Lola give you some well-reasoned advice: Just talk to each other already! This whole thing could have been cleared up in 5 minutes with minimal aggravation on your parts and even lesser hair pulling on mine! Observe Dr La Lola and her Chicken Soup for the Soul. Dr Phil has nothing on me.
Dr La Lola: Jeanne, did you betray Douglas and leave your infant daughter to die?
Jeanne: No Dr La Lola. I would never do such a heartless and inhumane thing! I would sooner take your pair of leopard print Christian Louboutins and dip the soles in tar.
Dr La Lola: *gasp* Don’t even think that aloud! Douglas, is your and Jeanne’s daughter in fact dead, or is she living in your home, except Jeanne’s too blind to realise this?
Douglas: She is Dr La Lola. I mean, our daughter is alive and well and precociously annoying like only a child born betwixt the pages of a romance novel can be.
*Douglas and Jeanne fall into each other’s arms and kiss passionately.*
Jeanne: Douglas!
Douglas: Jeanne!
*Jeanne and Douglas in unison* Three cheers for Dr La Lola!
Dr La Lola: Hallejulah! Let the healing begin!
See? Not so difficult right?
There was one scene that I particularly liked though. When Jeanne goes to Douglas’s office, and realises that he has an entire cabinet full of statues and figurines that he had collected over the past 10 years, all of which resemble her. That was pretty sweet I thought. Although a tad spooky in a “I hope you gaze at these immobile figures in artistic contemplation and agonized longing for me, and not because you’re doing weirdo things with them sort of way.
I’ve got “Scottish Companion†by Karen Ranney lined up next. Hopefully my expert counselling skills won’t be called upon. I always preferred Jerry Springer anyway.
andrea said,
March 8, 2008 @ 6:41 pm
I must agree with you about giving birth. I vividly recally pushing a watermelon sized child(or so it seemed at the time) throught something the size of a thimble.
Keep writing the great reviews. Even if I haven’t read the book, they make my day and make me laugh.
And tell Mimi, I too like serial killers. If that is, she is talking about reading about them. If she has something else in mind, probably not.
La Lola said,
March 9, 2008 @ 1:46 pm
Hey Andrea, glad the reviews make your day
As far as Mimi goes, I’m sure she’ll be glad for a fellow serial killer fan, since she’s accused Sheridan and I of stifling her by our refusal to go along with her plans of trying to petion for serial killer romances i.e where the hero isn’t the cop and is actually the serial killer. She’s convinced this could be the next big thing in romance. We remain unconvinced.
Ma'mselle Mimi said,
March 10, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
I have found a kindred spirit! Andrea! We must soooo get together over a bottle of vodka and discuss the fascination that is serial killerism! Lola and Sheri run off to hide every time I bring out my newspaper clippings book complete with police pictures I er.. convinced our fine officers with my umm.. double talents to let me have for my collection. Pfft. Ooh ooh! I must tell you! I’ve started another collection! I’ve been buying the “tools of the trade” used in actual serial killings off ebay and have been displaying them, blood and bits and all, around the office! You should come see!
Sheridan Sakura Carlotta said,
March 11, 2008 @ 8:38 am
See Lola I TOLD you it wasn’t ketchup!!
andrea said,
March 11, 2008 @ 6:37 pm
Mimi, I am on my way! I so want to see the inner workings of the RMB offices.
Will Sven be there?