I can't. I just can't. I love your writing so much! The bonding time with Anne and Marilla in the beginning? Loved it. I always love those parts. Breaking into the school house? YES. SHENANIGANS WITH ANNE AND GIL ALWAYS. I'm so happy thay you're having a sequel, I look forward to reading it!

Oh what a sweet way to follow up the last story! I can't wait to hear the rest! I can't help but worry about Gilbert, though. I mean, whether or not it is what caused Anne to realize her feelings, he did still get sick... what a romantic storyline that would be to have her by his bedside! But... it's your story. Now that I'm out of school I can get back to writing my own!

I really love it!...it makes me felt very happy when reading it...but at the same time sad because i have read it till the end...I really hope to read more of you story... I want more of Gilbert and Anne love story since now they are going to Engage /Marry...I LOVE IT SO MUCH..THANKS FOR THE LOVELY STORY OF ANNE AND GILBERT..!
I WISH TO READ IT MORE FROM YOU! (THUMBS UP)

This was an amazing story! You write beautifully.

Oh my gosh this is so good! And your writing is really good too!

Oh gosh that was SO good! I especially loved the way you kept Davy in character with his 'I want to know's. And the proposal scenario was perfect! Exquisite writing and fantabulous job!

*gasp* oh gosh I can already tell this is going I be fantastic! I can't believe you only have 65 reviews though! Anne isn't appreciated enough:,,,,,( AUGH poor Gilbert! My heart just broke for him! I guess lm montgomery musta known what she was doing-tragic love storiea are even more poignant. But anyway, thanks for writing this an I'm sure I'll review again!

This was lovely! :-)

This was so adorable, I wish it wasn't finished. Could you pleaseee do the prequel?

I dearly love this story. I have enjoyed it more than any other I have ever read. I truly believe that your story could have been in place of the real one; it seems like something L. M. Montgomery would have written. I immensely enjoy it.

This is a brilliant story so far!

*runs**runs**runs* PHEW! I needed to catch up with all the chapters, but I’m finally here! ;D
And I loved them all. They were so warm, bright, and full of new discovered love, and spring and … Alright, no more rambling on from my side!
Gil’s dialogue with the dogs was SO hilarious and cute! How Anne managed not to kiss him is beyond me. They had a hard time there! ;) And then this tense situation with Roy. Boy, I didn’t want to be either one of them in this situation…
And then they were finally back in Avonlea (how I missed it) and I loved the end when Marilla and Rachel were watching Anne and Gil dancing, and they knew it, and we know it, and they know it and… *sigh* I love new discovered love. Even more so when it’s actually there since an eternity. And even more even more between Anne and Gil… Who would have thought
And then the proposal. Oh it was perfect. Just perfect and warm. I mean I’m such a first-book-lover and school-days-addicted and you brought that all into his proposal. That’s what I love so. It was full with their past, their story, their very beginning, without being melancholic at all. It was just simply bright and beautiful! And when he took her hand in his in front of Matthew's grave, and she felt how they belonged. That was so beautiful.
And I loved this little detail, imagining how Anne imagined all the scenarios of his proposal. I mean, she DID daydream about him before (All I’m saying is; decorating her house of dreams - “Gil what are you doing in my daydreams? My ideal is supposed to be here!” ) but finally she didn’t fight this daydreams off but had them – I’m very sure – all day and all night. No wonder she couldn’t sleep!
I loved it all.
And now *cough* to my Oscar acceptance speech… “*sniff* I would have never made it here… if not Leonardo di Caprio would refuse this thing with such a force…” LoL, no speech, but we COULD take an Oscar selfie to remember this world-shaking day when Anne and Gil became engaged, right?
*click*
How many retweets will we get, you think? ;) #greatwork

Roy, however, didn't possess Gilbert's skills of listening and empathy. [...] But when it came to her innermost complexities, Roy was often lost.

I’m not sure I understand what you’re trying to say here. Roy’s eyes glazes over whenever Anne talks about things that don’t seem important, but he’s perfectly willing to listen to poetry about logs and snow and butterflies, which are clearly very important? But then, when Anne wants to talk about herself, life, and its mysteries, he doesn’t get it either? Basically, he’s dumb? From what I’ve gathered from the book, the biggest problem with Roy is that he’s too romantic, too serious, and just doesn’t have a sense of humor. He listens, he cares, but he just doesn’t take things lightly, so that Anne eventually comes to wonder if life with him would be interesting at all. Am I wrong? Or am I missing something, here? I do agree, however, that Roy totally doesn’t get Anne. That is a definite.

I think the emotions are very well-executed. However, the problem I have is with this:
“Just as he was about to despair, he recollected the feeling of anger that had welled up inside him back in his bedroom; the anger at imagining Roy attempting to take up the roll that the universe had so clearly planned to be his.”

I understand what you’re trying to do, but I don’t think this is the best way to do it. Gilbert’s attitude about Anne being meant for him is rather presumptuous. I’m not sure I like him very much. Anger or not, that is no excuse to presume that Anne is made for him and him only. He is, essentially, taking her autonomy away. It is pretty much a proclamation that Anne belongs to him, without so much as her willing input. It’s like she is an object for him to own. And that is not Gilbert. I don’t think that is what you meant to do, but that is what I’m getting from it.

Also, uh, why is he spouting off poetry? It really does look like it—golden red hair…beautiful auburn…breathtaking grey-green eyes. Gilbert is defined by practicality. He wouldn’t talk about the tints in Anne’s hair or the green of her eyes and such. Sure, he’d think it, but I just can’t imagine Gilbert Blythe telling Anne all of these things. I can imagine Roy doing it, though. I guess I just don’t view Gilbert as particularly romantic when it comes to words. Not that I’m saying your portrayal is wrong, I’m just saying I have a different interpretation of Gilbert blythe’s character.

Okay. Okay okay okay. There are two things I want to talk about in this last section: emotional manipulation, and sexual assault. They have both been used here, and it makes me very, very uncomfortable. I’m not criticizing you, the author. I just want to bring this to your attention because I don’t think you’re aware of how bad it is. You might think I’m making a mountain out of a molehill; that’s your prerogative. But I’m just pointing out what I’m seeing, and this…doesn’t look good at all.

Here’s where it starts: “…Nevertheless, she had made her decision. She had rejected him for all eternity. It was time.” This was right after he realized that Anne doesn’t truly love roy.

Do you know what this indicates? She’s refusing to admit that she loves him. She refuses to realize that she loves him. But he could tell that she certainly doesn’t love Roy, based on what she’d just said. And he goes: “Well, it’s time.” That is an indicator that he’s got a plan to win her over, to show her the truth, to show her that her heart is meant for him and not for Roy. He’s got a plan to show her. Direct methods haven’t worked, now he’s going to trick her into realizing her love for him. Of course, I know you don’t mean to write it in that way, that he “tricked” her, but this is what it looks like. Now look at this. I’m just going to summarize, because it’ll take forever if I quote, so here it is.

Anne tells Gilbert that she doesn’t love him, that she loves and will marry Roy instead, even though she doesn’t feel passion for him. Gilbert realizes. So he decides to show Anne what passion is and make her realize that she really does love him. Of course, we don’t know that yet. All we got was the infamous: “It was time.” First, he tells her that, since she doesn’t love him, he’s giving up on her, because she clearly wants him to. Then he steps away, but before he goes, he reminds her that he loves her. What is the purpose of that? From what I can see, it’s to guilt trip her into realizing her love for him. That method used is, of course, the threat of abandonment. “You don’t love me so I’m going to give up on you. You’ll miss me; you’ll realize you love me then!” But wait! That’s not enough! He can’t go just yet, he’s got to do one more thing. He turns around, comes back to her, strokes her cheek, grabs her by the neck, kisses her passionately, and doesn’t stop until she pulls away, and then tells her, “You deserve passion.” All of this happens while Anne stands there like a statue, not reacting until he kisses her. Sure thing, Gilbert. I agree with you—Anne deserves the best, but it’s really not up to you to decide how and who should give it to her, now is it? And remember, he plans all of this out in his head, and acts on it. “It was time.” Tell me this isn’t deliberate, because it looks a lot like it to me. That is emotional manipulation: using underhanded tactics like guilt tripping to get someone to do something for you.

Now, onto the sexual assault issue. Anne is confused and upset. Her mind is in a mess. She doesn’t know what to do, or what to think. Gilbert is acting like he’s leaving, and there she is, just standing there, devastated, not knowing what is happening. All of a sudden, he is in front of her again, telling her he’s got one more thing to do. He grabs her and kisses her. He just took advantage of her. Gilbert deliberately took advantage of her. This is not an impropriety, this is assault. It doesn’t matter that she reciprocated the kiss. In fact, I could argue that she wasn’t in the right frame of mind, so that her reciprocation of the kiss was on autopilot. You could argue that she enjoys the kiss, and it eventually makes her realize that she loves him, so that makes everything okay! No, it does not. When it all comes down to it, Anne did not consent to be kissed. Furthermore, she was not in any condition to be kissed, passionately or otherwise. At least with Roy, passionless as the kiss might have been, she expected it, and she accepted it. The consent wasn’t verbal, but it was there. Think of it this way: A girl went to a party, got drunk, and slept with her best friend that she secretly but unknowingly loves, her best friend who just so happened to be sober. She didn’t consent—I mean, once you’re drunk, you’re ability to think and make decisions is really messed up, so consent wouldn’t even be a question she could answer honestly if it was posed. Next day, he asked her, “Well, tell me that meant nothing to you!” What is she supposed to say to that? Now that’s an extreme version, but it’s not exactly far off from what happened, is it? When it comes to forced physical intimacy, emotions don’t matter—it doesn’t and will never justify the assault. Without consent and a full awareness of what you’re doing—which is necessary for consenting in the first place, it’s wrong.

Does it look like a good start to a wonderful relationship? I don’t think so.

The thing is, I’m certain this isn’t meant to come across that way. But it does. I’ve seen this often enough in modern young adult romance that I’m just…not that surprised anymore when I see it. That doesn’t mean it’s any less unpleasant.

Finally, in case anyone addresses me about it, I just want to put it out there that I am not writing this to disparage the author. I will never do that. My comments are purely based on the text. I don’t bring up serious issues like this lightly. If anyone wants to argue the point, you’re welcome to PM me. I'm perfectly willing to admit I'm wrong, if you can show me why and how.

Having said all of that, I will venture onward. This is only Chapter 2, and I’m not about to give up because of this. There is a promise somewhere and I’m bound to see it through.

Final thoughts: If we take out the last section with Gilbert’s blatant attempt to try and win Anne over via the threat of abandonment and a forced kiss, you’ve got a good story going. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a story about a man fighting for the woman he loves, but it does look like the conflict is just about to disappear, doesn’t it? I see that there are ten more chapters to go, so I’m wondering what more there is. The emotions portrayed are realistic for two people in their position—Gilbert’s pain at Anne’s obliviousness and Anne’s confusion over roy and Gilbert and the difference between flattery, adoration, and true love. There’s a nice parallelism between the storm raging around them and the storm raging within them which I really like, even though I thought it was kind of clichét. The conversations are a bit off; I’m so used to Montgomery’s writing style that when I see them talking like modern teenage kids, it felt a bit odd. Anne said “okay” at some point, and later, “What’s that to you?” and “Says who?” instead of “What does that matter, Gilbert?” or “Whoever says that?” I don’t know about anyone else, but the informality of these conversations tickles me, and that’s not a bad thing at all. I like it, if only because it’s realistic. I don’t know how people speaks back in the late 1800s, but I doubt they’re as stilted as some of the things the characters say in the books. I fully admit that Montgomery’s probably not the best at writing realistic dialogs between characters, which is probably blasphemy coming from a fan of her books, but hey, I’m just trying to be honest. :P

Right, so next up is Chapter 3. My gracious, but this review is way long.

haha, i noticed the raindropcatcher quote, but you know raindrop is so thoroughly embedded in anne i feel like we could write fanfic about her stories; they are so inspiring. this was really gorgeous jenn, i loved the way the reader was like anne herself, waiting and wondering where his proposal would be. i loved the full circle of it all, loved the little insight into gilbert's childhood (his playacting is a good nod to his love of performance as a boy, remember all those recitals?) very believable. the beginning of this chapter was gorgeous, if this is your idea of a "redo" then you got the skills to pay the bills, sister, because marilla and anne's scene was poignant and very special. thank you for giving them that time together "i believe it's god's way of keeping us humble" that was straight out marilla. i love her! she'll never say something (ahem) just to make you feel better, but somehow you do anyway. gorgeous. and rachel, very succinctly characterised: "...in order to secure herself the office of informing the entire town" heh heh!
i am so glad you are going to do a sequel, i can't wait to hear what diana and josie and jane and charlie and christine and roy and phil and mr harrison etc etc have to say, if anyone can get readers to dip into windy willows it's you -the scene is set now miss with-a-pen...
"impress me!" ;o)

I loved this story! You really should continue Gil an Anne stories!