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On a less serious topic, who did you want Ron to end up with?

We know that he's had relationships with different women throughout the book, but have you wished he stayed with one particular woman? Or did you ship him with a person he didn't even have a romantic relationship with? Who is it and why?

I'd say that Regina deserves to be with Ron more than Sheila does. She was there when Ron needed her most. He believed in him and mentored him into a responsible person. She also patiently watched him progress into who he would become.

I think that Regina should have given him more...herself. She literally shaped his whole life, and then dumps him with nothing to show for their entire lives together besides a building to manage and a dude ranch to oversee.

Joseph_ngaruiya wrote: ↑06 Nov 2020, 05:06 I'd say that Regina deserves to be with Ron more than Sheila does. She was there when Ron needed her most. He believed in him and mentored him into a responsible person. She also patiently watched him progress into who he would become.

It was unclear if she felt that way, though. What do you think? Also, they met when Ron was a teenager. My brain is just screaming 'pedophilia'.

jhnews wrote: ↑06 Nov 2020, 20:55 I think that Regina should have given him more...herself. She literally shaped his whole life, and then dumps him with nothing to show for their entire lives together besides a building to manage and a dude ranch to oversee.

I don't think she dumped him. She was dying! Also, don't you think shaping someone's life is more than enough of a proof of your love for them?

lavkathleen wrote: ↑07 Nov 2020, 03:59

jhnews wrote: ↑06 Nov 2020, 20:55 I think that Regina should have given him more...herself. She literally shaped his whole life, and then dumps him with nothing to show for their entire lives together besides a building to manage and a dude ranch to oversee.

I don't think she dumped him. She was dying! Also, don't you think shaping someone's life is more than enough of a proof of your love for them?

Regina didn't literally dump Ron. I believe she maintained a healthy relationship between them. One that was more formal and respectful than romantic and chilled. Yes! If Regina was willing to shape Ron's life for whatever it took, it shows that she loved him.

lavkathleen wrote: ↑07 Nov 2020, 03:59

jhnews wrote: ↑06 Nov 2020, 20:55 I think that Regina should have given him more...herself. She literally shaped his whole life, and then dumps him with nothing to show for their entire lives together besides a building to manage and a dude ranch to oversee.

I don't think she dumped him. She was dying! Also, don't you think shaping someone's life is more than enough of a proof of your love for them?

If she had truly cared for him, she would have let him know about her cancer long before the end, but that’s just it. Suicide is literally the most selfish thing a person can do. So yeah, she dumped him with nothing left, not even his marriage.

lavkathleen wrote: ↑07 Nov 2020, 03:51

Joseph_ngaruiya wrote: ↑06 Nov 2020, 05:06 I'd say that Regina deserves to be with Ron more than Sheila does. She was there when Ron needed her most. He believed in him and mentored him into a responsible person. She also patiently watched him progress into who he would become.

It was unclear if she felt that way, though. What do you think? Also, they met when Ron was a teenager. My brain is just screaming 'pedophilia'.

Exactly! I thought I was the only one having that reaction to a teenage Ron having eyes for Regina who was more than twice his age at th time.
Yes, Regina played a big role in his life, but when it comes to matters of the heart, I wasnt rooting for Ron to end up with her.... I mean, they're generations apart!

jhnews wrote: ↑07 Nov 2020, 15:50

lavkathleen wrote: ↑07 Nov 2020, 03:59

jhnews wrote: ↑06 Nov 2020, 20:55 I think that Regina should have given him more...herself. She literally shaped his whole life, and then dumps him with nothing to show for their entire lives together besides a building to manage and a dude ranch to oversee.

I don't think she dumped him. She was dying! Also, don't you think shaping someone's life is more than enough of a proof of your love for them?

If she had truly cared for him, she would have let him know about her cancer long before the end, but that’s just it. Suicide is literally the most selfish thing a person can do. So yeah, she dumped him with nothing left, not even his marriage.

I wish Regina had opened up to Ron about everything. But as it is revealed from the beginning, she is a secretive character. I think her condition really weighed her down. In this scenario she finds no way to get herself out of the mess.

While I think that it was possible for Regina to end up with Ron, I felt that their relationship was more of a mother-son one. I honestly would have like Ron to end up with Cheryl or Louise. I think Cheryl provided him a stable relationship and someone that he can rely on, and that's what Ron needs especially after Regina's death. While I don't think that Louise is the type who would want to be in a monogamous relationship, I absolutely loved their realtionship with each other and would have loved to see more of it.

jhnews wrote: ↑07 Nov 2020, 15:50 If she had truly cared for him, she would have let him know about her cancer long before the end, but that’s just it. Suicide is literally the most selfish thing a person can do. So yeah, she dumped him with nothing left, not even his marriage.

She doesn't owe him anything. If she didn't let him know about her sickness, it was done with good intentions—let's not act like holding back grave news about ourselves makes us an antagonist. And we can't blame her (or anyone. really hoping you're not telling anyone who has attempted it or has suicidal thoughts that they're selfish because they're not.) for committing suicide. She was dying from an incurable sickness and she wanted to see if she can physically travel through time. Also, Ron chose not to fix his marriage. He wasn't forced to do anything—that was on him.

Louise was quite possibly the most suitable one for Ron, being rather fun-loving and easy-going, but none of the relationships seemed entirely "right" for him, with Louise's sense of restlessness, Sheila's need to control aspects of the relationship, and Regina's teacher-student relationship dynamic (which in my opinion makes it inappropriate for them to have a romantic interlude, and I'm glad they didn't).

At the end of the day, it just seems like Ron hasn't found who completes him, which is absolutely fine, as he has the rest of his life to figure it out.

12ultimate wrote: ↑10 Nov 2020, 21:11 Louise was quite possibly the most suitable one for Ron, being rather fun-loving and easy-going, but none of the relationships seemed entirely "right" for him, with Louise's sense of restlessness, Sheila's need to control aspects of the relationship, and Regina's teacher-student relationship dynamic (which in my opinion makes it inappropriate for them to have a romantic interlude, and I'm glad they didn't).

At the end of the day, it just seems like Ron hasn't found who completes him, which is absolutely fine, as he has the rest of his life to figure it out.

I believe Ron was the problem in all the relationships. I think he needed more time alone to discover himself. He rashes into strangers and has a liking for everyone new he meets. Louise was never predictable. That's one aspect that made him/her a perfect fit for Ron. Their unpredictability was a match. Furthermore, the two didn't have a roof under their head, they relied on cunning ventures to find a place to sleep or have a shower. Maybe if, and only if Robert Leet had build up a chapter on their relationship - would the plot have taken a different shift.

I'd say Cheryl was the best fit for him because she was a stable person (opposites attract). Nevertheless matters of the heart don't obey rules so...
Ron needs to get himself together first.

Melexa wrote: ↑07 Nov 2020, 19:30

lavkathleen wrote: ↑07 Nov 2020, 03:51

Joseph_ngaruiya wrote: ↑06 Nov 2020, 05:06 I'd say that Regina deserves to be with Ron more than Sheila does. She was there when Ron needed her most. He believed in him and mentored him into a responsible person. She also patiently watched him progress into who he would become.

It was unclear if she felt that way, though. What do you think? Also, they met when Ron was a teenager. My brain is just screaming 'pedophilia'.

Exactly! I thought I was the only one having that reaction to a teenage Ron having eyes for Regina who was more than twice his age at th time.
Yes, Regina played a big role in his life, but when it comes to matters of the heart, I wasnt rooting for Ron to end up with her.... I mean, they're generations apart!

I totally agree. I felt that if there relationship had become physical, I wouldn't have been a fan. It would have completely changed my image of Regina and just made the book 'icky'. I can't think of a better descriptive word to describe the feeling. There were too many stalker type descriptions in the beginning anyway that made me wonder about ulterior motives.