Canuk

Interesting comment that Davenish's French would help his Spanish. My husband, perfectly English/French bilingual (plus smattering of German-enough to get us into trouble) found Spanish to be utterly incomprehensible both in Spain and Chile. Yes, he's Canadian, but not completely uncivilised.... Second the chances that Grainger was not going to find a toy of a sexual nature on arrival in Spain was absolutely zero. That said that he found my idea of a living fantasy, I'll put down to Mr Arbour knowing me very, very well....

You need to try my husbands pudding..... 😜

Have you read almost any chapter of any story you have written? I not sure anyone wants anyone who can produce that much drama that consistently! but never fear, we luvs you anyway! 🥰

Our esteemed author is giving Will enough rope to hang himself. Will seems oblivious to his lovers situation. Looks like there will be more drama in paradise.... what a surprise! 🤣

Graingers libido and omnivorous sexual capacity is truly outstanding. As one who manages a partner and his right hand, not always successfully, the thought of trying to keep three others in varying combinations "satisfied" let alone happy is enough to make me take to the drink! More power (he'll need it) to him.... I'll be lying down....

What a bloody catalogue of the failures of the US car industry! When the Europeans are producing Jaguars, Citroens, Peugeots, Alfa Romeo's, the US are producing tomorrow's tuna cans! I had to reread the chapter several times to get over the horror of the beginning.... was method acting so screwy, or is there a level of control/jealousy creeping in.... Churchill was right; the US only takes the right path after its been down every other (paraphrase) Happy New Year to you all!

I hope everyone realises that all this sweetness and light from our favourite master manipulator author, can only mean something truly pyrotechnic is forthcoming.... all the "happy holidays" is just a smokescreen....

Anyone done a matrix of who has done who? It certainly makes my uni period positively virginal!

I didn't realise that readers get to determine when a book finishes..... If that were the case, I can honestly say some authors wouldn't have got beyond para 1!

Why? Do you dislike Carlo already?

Great to see the new story. Lots of opportunity for drama on the west coast at least! Speaking of east/west coast what's this thing the US has with distance? It's a 5 ish hour flight. Given their resources flying to the other coast for a long weekend is doable. My partner and I comunted trans Pacific for 3 years, my son flew Australia Chile for a year or so and a friend from Uni flew to Spain regularly (bloody hard when there were no direct flights back then). So 5 hours? Piece of cake! However to get to the main point of this post; Jeremy's tasteless, middle class, nasty, cheap, (add in other adjectives as required) Roll Royce Phantom; "hand brushed silver two tone" yuk! Rolls are about understated class unless you are tateless, middle class, nasty.... you get the picture. Surely some member of his family can work to make him respectable...

My life gets more vanilla each chapter....

Comparative newly, only been following MA since 2010 ( second longest relationship aside from family!), but 15+ years of amazing entertainment and interactions with people, some of whom seem to be as mad as me! Thanks!

I'd suspect that once on his back with knees around his ears, language was somewhat irrelevant....

Aside from managing the miracle birth, I would have thought that the Ambassadorship would be Graingers idea of a hideous role/ position. Even back then when an Ambassadors " plenipotentiary " powers really were exactly that, the role involves a lot of vacuous socialising, and I would have thought once he's slept with every man and selected women of the court he'd be bored to tears!

Even by Mark Arbour's stratospheric standards, this is a complicated chapter. Like Travis, I am going to have to finish (in my case) breakfast before I reread the last part of this chapter to try and work out what sly hints have been dropped that will become "a-ha" moments in future chapters. As an aside, the Preston issue is interesting; my husband of 26 years is the least jealous person I have ever known, yet there is one acquaintance of mine that really rattles his cage, regardless of what I say or do -interesting human trait... Well, Mr Arbour, you have disturbed my Saturday morning, so I think I'll take it out on the above mentioned husband, before breakfast and sleuthing. With luck my husband will not work out who his true rival is!

My feelings re JJ/Jeremy are probably well known, and as much as I'd like the uber-priviledged narcisstic princess get his comeuppance, cornering the runt with a "Princeton or Poverty" option seems cruel; it's as if our beloved author wanted to create maximum drama.... and / or make me (almost) feel a modicum of sympathy for the character.

Lord Byron: "Mad, bad and dangerous to know".... something that could apply to many of the characters in this story, but not, of course, to our beloved author....I presume....😘

If you want "predictable ", find another author...... 1. Simple solution re Jack is he has run off with someone else's wife 2. Mark Arbour solution? Smoke, mirrors, Serbians who are secretly based in Brooklyn, James Bond's second cousin once removed and an unexpected guest at Halloween..... and Jeremy in polyester... I'll let you pick the more likely.....

And, fellow readers, is our beloved author's signing off on Jeremy's death, dismemberment or dressing in polyester..... There is nothing more dangerous in the entire saga to be "at a good place"!

"Solid conclusion"? Wildly optimistic! Given our "crafty literary wizard's" history, I'd suggest we are more likely to be lead into a swamp with several exits half of them blind the other half guarded by alligators!

Well, knock me down with feather! The contortions of the plot against Travis just got contorterder! The mind that creates this Gordian knot, is.... different! 😘 And given that it's the same mind that has rehabilitated Jeremy 🤦‍♂️, we are in the presence of someone a few centuries ago would have met their maker by being burnt at the stake!

Desecration... as if the US doesn't have enough challenges.

Jeremy and fisting.... Yes, they both exist however (much classier than "but") neither are my favourite thing.... I did read this chapter over breakfast some 12 hours ago, but as you may imagine I prefer my porridge without the above images.... As it's now Sunday evening and I have had my second gin Martini, I feel I can comment..... Next chapter, please...😘

So while everyone is twisting their knickers over Serbian/Big plots, I am getting all misty eyed over Will and Travis on the bed (the second time, not the first, I am not just a voyeur). They do seem to be settling into a deep and mutually fulfilling relationship.... in saying this I hope I haven't given our beloved author any smart arsed ideas....