I realize two things: 1) Maria is a deep friend of Rowans; 2) my opinion of her is probably a lonely one, but I just don't like her. And her interfering domineering ways. It's not cute, it's not . . . quaint, it's not loving. It's overpowering and overwhelming stubbornness. Expecting things from others that she doesn't give them, like open communication, reasonable attempts made to not deliberately lie or conceal. But, meh.

Oh, and explaining it as "earthier" . . . is that supposed to mean something? Like she should be allowed to get her way because she is "earthier"? bah.

"If we’re lucky, Stacie will be able to counter whatever plans Maria has for us.” (Kindle Locations 140-141). What an annoying thing to say.

"The unexpected summons, and she would definitely call it a summons… was enough for her dad to cancel their run." (Kindle Locations 166-167). - for fuck sake. Summons? Seriously?

"I’m giving us two weeks before Maria lets us out of her clutches." (Kindle Locations 214-215). - I'm supposed to find Maria endearing, cute, and all that, right? mmphs. By the point this line is uttered, Maria hadn't even had any lines in the story yet and she was already pissing me off.

I mean, if there was some issue, some problem, some illness that required help, that's one thing. But to call it a summons? bah. To deliberately conceal, deceive, hide facts?

heh. And why the fuck does Maria not help out around the place? I ask after reading something about Maria just finishing up her yoga exercises. Which were mentioned some short time after Chase was thinking out odd it was for Stacie to do all the work there by herself. I didn't immediately think of anything right then, but then fat domineering Maria lazily got up from her yoga and . . . I wondered what the fuck was going on here. bah.

Man that fucking pisses me off. It's not even miscommunication, it's deliberately concealing information, it's deliberately not communicating. And just showing up with the horses. Like - here, you have no choice, here's your horses. pfft. I'm being vague on purpose.

"Too much is happening that I don’t seem to have a say in.” - as said by Chase. (Kindle Locations 1282-1283). - too fucking right. She's told that the family goes to Maria and Stacie's for Christmas, every year (or they come to California), no exceptions (and every year). And she's family now so . . .. No choice. No fucking choice. Now - go over there, now go over here, now here's your horses. You have no say in the matter. That's kind of why I'm pissed off. Chase probably would have been more than happy to agree to everything that has occurred. Going to Arizona for Christmas, having her horses driven over, etc. But she keeps being given these "this is what's going to happen, no choice" deals. Why the fuck? Fuck it. It's like she's their fucking slave.

“I brought Smoothy and Little Man with me to make it easier for you to consider what Maria and Stacie are going to ask Rowan to do.” (Kindle Locations 1286-1287). - That's what I mean. Backed into corners. 'Your horses are here now, wouldn't you rather just agree to live here now?' fucking hell. She probably would have agreed (because her home is wherever Rowan is, but people around her still think they need to put her in a corner), but . . what the fuck?

"Don’t make me fire you so you realize you’re going to be my daughter-in-law and not my employee. Family doesn’t get paid as well.” - as said by Dee to Chase. (Kindle Locations 1293-1294). - Yeah, that's fucking obvious. Family are just slaves to Dee to be ordered around. Backed into corners. Their decisions taken away.

"Maria firmly enforced the rules she had laid out to everyone." (Kindle Locations 1302-1303). - quoted without comment.

'Rowan had to give that one to him, no one should plan someone else’s life for them. Except… Oh, God. Chase.' (Kindle Locations 1350-1351). - quoted without comment. ( )