The way Ethan and MC interacted the last couple chapters? That is what has been like romancing any other LI in this book. Like it is only noticeable Becuase Ethan has gotten superior writing up to this point, always taking previous interactions into consideration, but what he got these last chapters is what everyone else has been getting all along. Hell, I was thrilled that twice in diamond scenes, Bryce acknowledged he and my MC had a previous intimate relationship, that is how bad it has been for the other LIs. So, no, it’s not a big conspiracy, there isn’t a huge cut storyline, they are just writing Ethan like they write everyone else.
I waited for almost two whole books to have Bryce dialogue changes based on the fact that he was the only LI my MC had any romantic interactions with at any point in both books. He was my MC’s “friend” for chapter after chapter. No acknowledgement of previously having kissed or slept together. All romantic moments were initiated by my choices (no unprompted glances, hand holding, etc). None of the other characters acted like Bryce and my MC had anything going on until Sienna literally walked in on them sleeping together (in a diamond scene that was still billed as a “hook up,” I might add). And the shocking thing is, compared to Jackie and Raf routes, I still had things better, particularly compared to Raf romancers. My LI was never slated to be killed off, at least.
I see these posts complaining about how post hiatus 2, Ramsey’s route is inconsistent. Well, join the club. I also had an LI spend the night with my MC when she was potentially dying and then had no progression of how serious things are. In fact, my LI canonically shared a heated look with my MC’s roommate in Vegas and was down to have sex with her since my MC’s near-death experience. There has been no discussion of whether they are something serious or casual since the attack. Literally everything I see being complained about for the past two chapters from members of the Ramsey camp are the things that I have experienced all the time with OH2.
Yes, it sucks. I know. But it’s hard to have a ton of sympathy for the people complaining here when for a very long time, they were spoiled with good content while the rest of us hoped that our LIs would be present for more than two lines of a chapter. It’s tone deaf at best, hypocritical at worst if there is overlap between those complaining about how PB is “butchering” the Ramsey relationship and stating that PB should hear what the fans are thinking and those who not so kindly told Bryce/Jackie/Raf romancers to be patient and let PB tell their story in the earlier chapters of OH2. I remember seeing posts about how it was still early and that surely other LIs would get their chance to shine later - just give it time. Now, when other LIs are (barely) getting some recognition, there seems to be a lot of bitterness.
This isn’t a single LI book. Ramsey’s route isn’t the only route that exists, yet for most of OH2, it was the only one given any care. Maybe if I was a more patient person, I could be highly sympathetic to the loss of all those added details and extras, and how much that must sting, but I am just not. All the routes feel stagnant at this point, and unevenness is the rule, not the exception. The Bryce route is uneven. The Jackie route is uneven. The Raf route is highly uneven as he wasn’t even planned to be alive at this point anymore. And I would rather see those routes get some nice little extras and details over the route that already had countless little extras and details.
