All Comments on 'Caroline Alone Ch. 04'

For staying true to the title and not making a RAAC. It's Nice. Give more.

Are you really new to writing?

Consitent but evolving characters, great dialogue and a more or less realistic happy ending for the wronged party.

The reason given by Hazel for her behaviour after the fight with Damian was believable IMO.

Caroline was in denial for most of the time, a shallow person dizzy by looking into the abyss she created, but you give her a chance in the end.

Enjoyed each chapter. Character development is most excellent. Finished the read feeling Caroline learned from her mistakes and in time will find her way forward to a good life. In the end Jack and children won the lottery. Complex, interesting characters finding their way through developing events makes for a very good read. Appreciate your sharing. Look forward to your future writings.

What a tremendous tale. It took almost to the end for Caroline to show any remorse for what she had done. Jack is a great person and in the end he found what he thought he had before. Happiness.

Excellent

The story held our attention and the details were added slowly as in a painting. I have watched my wife painting and initially it is hard to see how she is ever going to get the splotches on the canvas to form a harmonious whole. This author just kept building up the details. The same thing happened with Caroline as she kept changing her position slowly on all things. Fascinating.

Complaints? I would have liked to follow the conversation between Hazel and Caroline in more detail. Why did Hazel change her mind about what kind of life she wanted? I wish that the whole story was not revealed in the title!

Many thanks for an excellent story. Caroline's desire to have it all was very well described and the way that her removal of the cornerstone of their marriage led to a gradual disintegration of the whole edifice was beautifully realistic.

Caroline's outlook is better then Damian's at any rate. For the most part this was a high end read. She was not desolated & consigned to lay down on the train tracks and await the locomotive's kiss, no Caroline Karinina her

The same irrepressible pluckiness that misled her to believe that her charms and verve would be enough to sway Jack to share her, that energy pushed her through the despair that others would have succumbed to. Its to her credit, Caroline never played " the custody card " or denied J. access to their children. Give her that much.

The only one short shrifted was the poor Lothario. Jack ate his lunch on a number of levels. The anual state of the Damián email for family & friends figures to ring out a bit more subdued with his reduced circumstances.

Personally, I believe that most businesses who employ ' charmers' to push their products expect the odd messy entanglement. Their morality is dictated by the bottom line. Sporting teams cluck disapprovingly but have a propensity to forgive when the team stud is caught out driving when inebriated.

It's the fringe third stringer that's shown the door for the same offense. In the blowback from the rogue email that ultimately undid the two lovers from their high end jobs.I believe the author stretched credibility in that aspect.

However, much of this story had the ' star quality ' that Caroline imagined she had. Thus full marks and my thanks go out to MortonGrange.

Let there be more like this!

The kids were a little too fantasy, though. I have a friend who works as a therapist, and the tendency of kids to take moms side no matter what is so extreme it's scared him off of family living entirely.

Thank you for your work! Your story grabbed me with the first chapter. The character development was great. No one was perfect. You gave great insight on how each perceived the world and how flawed each was. I hated Jack's passive aggressiveness but wanted things to work out for him. You had Caroline finally figure it out in the end and showed some growth.

You are an excellent writer. Your other story was intense. Do not apologize for being wordy. What you do with words is amazing. I look forward to reading more from you. No one else is writing anything in your league!

Damien is the real sleeze here. I see lot's of these love them then leave them single guys around. I'm now way too old to be in the scene, but as the office matron I see many married woman who are being hustled by these guys.

Typical hustler 28 to 38...handsome...lot's of polish...it's only lunch...just one drink after work....Oh come on live a little......Let's go for a drive this Saturday tell your husband you are at a bridal shower.

Seen it all...then I am looking to replace her...husband found out...she can't stand to look at lover boy...lover boy flirting with another. Husband enraged this is happening at her job...comes looking for lover boy....Yeah I have seen it all.

Perhaps a followup where Caroline now has understood life's lessons and accepts and earns male friendship (which could lead to more). Thanks you for the tale!

A well written story - highly enjoyable to read.

Thank you for writing it !!

Everyone learns. A very enjoyable story and will be looking forward to future postings.

Great story, well developed. you get the reader hooked right from the beginning and keep him (her) there till the end. Hope you publish again soon!

I think you ave just become my favorite writer on this site. I like how you drew this out so that we could have some closure and see Caroline finally come to acknowledge that she was wrong.

"People act badly, not out of a desire to gain unfair advantage over others, but because they see life through the distorting lens of self-interest."

That sentence sums it up nicely, and demonstrates how gifted a writer you are.

I don't know why, it was like I was compelled to keep on reading, to see just how this sordid tale would end up. I should have known that in the end, it would be a Train Wreck. What a waste of time...

Not very erotic, but pretty darn literate. So the story meets half of the criteria for "Literorica" material. I think maybe Caroline learned as much from her way-too-late recognition of the kind of man Damien was as from the loss of her family. Maybe more. If he had turned out to be a real human being and were going to continue to be available, there might have been no "learning experience" for Caroline. But who knows or cares? Good story.

it took awhile, but Caroline finally grew up. really well written, thought out, and executed. bravo!

I loved this final chapter, as it was so insightful and Carolyn finally got some reality in her head, which took way too long. I would think nobody could be so daft, but others have commented that people like this really exist. You have some turns of phrase that impress me, such as:

"My body was the intelligent part of me. My mind's not to be trusted. My mind's a whore, my body's a saint. "

I reread that several times and it summed up Hazel to me in two brief sentences. To give her credit she finally realized what she needed to do, although when Jack left Carolyn and Hazel alone in the refectory I thought it was going to go from bad to worse. Fortunately Carolyn revealed all, still not realizing how almost any sane person would view her situation and decisions.

I may steel myself to read the duel, even though warned I probably will not like it. You are an excellent writer, please post again.

Great Story.....Bravo, Bravo.....Well done

loved the detail. once again a me person forgets that family is us not ME. really suprised how you softened Hazel. I was afraid you were going to saddle Jack with a feminist bitch. really well developed characters and their emotions. THANK YOU

Thank you. Please write more soon.

I surmise that some women are fine but then become insane while others hate men their whole lives and then become merely equals. Tongue firmly in cheek.

I rarely give a 5 but you deserved it! Excellent read and easy to follow. Thank you for your work.

A well told story without fantasy revenge or sexual hyperbole. One of the best. With this story plus "The Duel" you have distinguished yourself as one of the better authors in this genre. Almost all who wrote comments are looking forward to more of your art, as I am.

On the down side, it is hard to imagine living with a progressive vegan feminist -- especially for a man who may be an economist of the Austrian school who is a cheeseburger loving, hard working, profit generator.

This turned out to be a great story. Well done!

Thanks for taking the time to put such a fine story on this site....PLEASE, keep them coming!

I shouldn't complain since I don't write here (or anywhere) but some stories at Literotica are not worth the effort of writing nor reading. This story is an exception. Well worth the effort and a five.

Finally she grew up! Good Job!

Yes, but only because Damian threw her under the bus, not because she, on her own, realized what she was doing. There's a big difference.

While I'm glad to be proven wrong about this being a RAAC, it was was still taking a two chapter, maybe three if you wan to be generous, story and stretching it out over four chapters.

You have raised the bar for LW stories. You didn't BTB instead you brought her to disinagration by a slow methodical boil. Then instead of RACC or suicide you permitted her to realize her mistakes learn from them and grow up. Please keep writing.

I enjoyed this story thoroughly and the last chapter really tied it together. Thanks for writing, I'm looking forward to more!

I could not imagine anyone with ideas about love and marriage as twisted as Caroline's. You now find me surprised about her catharsis. In the end she seemed almost a likable person to me. So: maybe the train wreckage (as another commentor phrased it) had something good also for her and the persons who have to deal with her.

MG, please give us more of this excellent stuff soon!

5*

I thought it started in a predictable fashion and developed along tried and true strains. I think you've risen to the call to put a great ending to a rather common separation story.

Thanks for your effort and I hope to read more of your work soon.

I enjoyed the read immensely. A lot of forethought went into the characters, and intertwining them together. I would agree with most of the comments. I did enjoy the writing of Duel, the sword play was unique, and I understood his death at her hand, but still felt her character left a lot to be desired, the remorse of what she did, I simply did not see it. Here we saw Caroline hopefully grow up from a self centered person who always put herself first, with no clue to the consequences to a person who understands that a marriage is two people committed to each other. In the end she finally took responsibility, and perhaps she will get it right.

Thank you!!! 5*****

M1

PS I thought Hazel was a fascinating character, and how she described herself when she was reconciling with Jack was superb. Well done again!!

M1

I try to give constructive feedback.

My issue with the story is that it didn't need the plot device of the email and would have been more realistically compelling without it. He quits his job, moves to Brighton and goes back to school. That sufficiently complicates life. By introducing the email, you inserted a mechanical excuse for Caroline's relationship with Damien to fail. In other words, you could have explored that relationship's failure much more completely, especially if you redemptively call the story by the title you gave. I didn't understand leaving Damien's comments about the lack of real love. I can see how he would say that and how Caroline might react over time but you let it lie there as though it were true when you know the reality is far more complicated.

I'm typing this because you can write. I liked reading your words. But I don't know if you intended to cut the story off as you did by inserting that relationship mechanism or if you were afraid to write longer.

You rushed the last part. They don't need to be married, do they? If you were writing this as a novel, you would go inside Hazel's head to develop her reservations. Wouldn't it have been truer to have an accidental pregnancy without wrapping Jack and Hazel up in a bow?

Most stories here and elsewhere don't have the potential to be more. This one did and does. That is the spirit in which this is meant.

The first chapters were a bit slow and same-o. But the last chapter was really well done....While it wasn't a torch the bitch ending, I really liked it better as it left for a future that was certainly better than the past.....Maybe even a lesson learned.

Without conceit, I was well struck by the similarities of Caroline Alone and my tale "Deadbeat Dad, Ignorant Pilgrims versus Cinderella "available on amazon. You're a fine writer with a keen intellect and informed heart. As they say about a star football player--a triple threat. I am sincerely, Philip Moffat Dennis

Have you ever had a conversation with someone so stupidity, where their stupidity gives you a massive migraine?! Well--that's exactly how I felt through Caroline's dialogue, the woman is borderline psychotic! she's a selfish, inconsiderated delusional slut. She thinks her pussy is made with 24 karat gold & her husband should be happy that she'll make time for him & their children! Wow! Why is it that sluts always think they can't be replaced ? I mean this woman is so unbelievably unstable she shouldn't even be allowed to see her children without any supervision. She chosed Damien's dick over her children & husband over & over again. I personally felt that she hadn't been punished enough, before the divorce she was losing her family & that didn't mean anything to her-- I really don't like the implication that another poor sucker ( oliver) is interested in dating or worst --marrying this woman. She isn't the marrying type, she'll fall in love/lust again with another Damien. Even after losing her family, home , job, she refused to admit she did something horribly horribly wrong, she continued to spend time with Damien -she finally admitted that what she did was wrong but this revelation felt hollow & meaningless. She insisted that she loved Damien--so I have to assume that Damien was loved more than her husband & family. I would've like for the husband to play her little game & taken another woman as a lover, neglect his wife ( not his kids) & fallen in love with her, just to see Caroline's reaction to this. Would she be so forgiving & happy that her husbands heart only belonged to her 40% of time & 60% to his mistress? I think not! This woman needs therapy--not a new beau.

I was so baffled by the wife's stupidity that I neglected to tell the author that this was a great story. I gave it 5 stars wish I could give more. I was very happy that this wasn't a RAAC story ( I fucking hate those stories) the male character had balls & he didn't allow his dirty slut wife to walk all over him. Good for him, good riddance for getting rid of this despicable woman, I pray there isn't any such individual such as Caroline walking amongst us.

Good for you for writing this fine piece of work. I look forward to your next story. Excellent job.

to overdraw the characters but it did not help the story, or at least this story. the last chapter was really good, eventhough I'm surprised how quick the story ended. And you cut all the edges of every single character to make it happen. this looks a bit weird but otherwise this end would not be able. so maybe in a future story think it through (golden thread) and don't overdraw so far. thanks for the story.

Some people might resent this story as it was too real for them. Yes, people in happy marriages do make stupid decisions that often wreck it all.

I have to sleep, but I had a little time and I looked at the end. New wife newer son, this 5***** from me. I promise I will read this story tomorrow. BTW It is good Romantic Revenge situations in a good Modern Figaro Type Revenge story!

Many commentators bashed Azpiri's excellent same type Revenge Story The Shattered. Here the Author did not forget the pregnant Second Chance woman.

To the second anon - there is absolutely no difference between someone "growing up" on their own or doing it because they finally hit rock bottom. Some people have to reach that depth in order to change for the better. And quite frankly, as self-absorbed as Caroline was, it would have been rather ridiculous for her to suddenly and magically pull her head out of her ass on her own and without the help of Damien showing her exactly what their relationship was.

Some people like to think that a person who "grows up" on their own is somehow better or more independent, but the truth is that in the case of a cheater, it simply means that their lies are more blatant and their actions more malicious than a woman who is simply too stupid to know any better and needs to learn the hard way.

Ultimately the ending is the same, and the ending is what's important. Growing up.

Not sure I get Jack, though. He's all forgive and forget with Caroline, but is basically blowing how many thousands of dollars of money he doesn't have for supporting his kids to track Damien to the ends of the earth and make sure the man stays unemployed? Wth?

writing to ever appear on this site, or ever will. The precison was eerie. The uncompromising civility and decency of every character made reading all these chapters something like watching Downton Abbey. There is no vulgarity anywhere. Caroline is a perfect jewel of literary creation. She brings to mind a strong echo of the heroine in Evelyn Waugh's Handfull of Dust. (can't remember her name, but no reader can hate her, or Caroline either. And both end up as victims of a tragic flaw right out of Classical Greek Drama.) Chapter 1 makes clear Caroline did not seek this, but did have an innocent personality that opened a trap door to a sudden weakness. But she never loses feel of the moral burrs that sting her fall. She rationalizes her fall in analysis that is perfectly logical in her mind. And I too wonder why Jack never once considered fighting to reclaim her, just as Caroline wondered.

Maybe the shock of betrayal turned Jack into a man as detached as a spy in a John Le Carre novel. Which is fitting because Caroline is also detached from conventional thinking in thinking she can have both. Even at the end, when reality seems so stark and bleak, she still exhibits a strength of character that will not break. And for some reason discerning readers feel empathy for her, if not sympathy.

Praise of the literary talent here cannot be overstated. Large territories were covered at a brisk pace with sentences and paragraphs finely honed shifting scenes about. Caroline's parents were revealing of love and tact and consideration all the more vivid for the brevity of a few sentences. The four chapters are packed with such scenes.

Who in the hell are you, Morton Grange? A professional writer out slumming?

Perhaps it's more a compliment to the other chapters but I found this to be more of an extra long epilogue. With all the twitsts and turmoil set up in the previous three chapters that this "wrap up" chapter was a bit of a let down. I did like how you found a way to bring Caroline into reality. Growing up and being an adult happens at differing times. I also selfishly appreciated how Damien ended up having long lasting repercussions. (Not enough of that in the real world...editorial over). It was a good read and I sincerely appreciate that you offered each installment earlier than advertised. Look forward to the next.

The wife Caroline FINALLY got it! This chapter was needed for her to see what she had done with her selfishness, accept her fate and move on with life. She needed to suffer yet she needed to get over her foolishness and move into a brighter future. It is a great author who can do what this one has done with his characters. I am glad I stuck with this series to see the ending. Carolyn was not a very likeable person. She was too selfish but in the end she and Damien got what they deserved. She learned from her tirals and tribulations, Damien did not. Poetic justice. WELL DONE.

I thought that chapter 3 was setting up a critique of feminism... so I missed some feeling about the transition in Hazel (what exactly changed to make her see that she was being too dogmatic?). Caroline's transition is more explored - but oddly I was less sympathetic to her character to begin with and so I was less interested.

I do like your work - you are trying for a different denouement than I normally see in this catagory - excellent! However, this means that your characterizations have to be even more robust to carry the unexpected and uncliched resolution.

I look forward to your next contribution.

Green-something

a delayed epiphany for her, but it came. the hatred/dislike for her went into a manageable state, with him finding his place. he went forward and fortunate to find the path for him. caroline has her demons, but that is ok, with no one to blame, but her.

You almost lost me in chapter 3'i am so glad I read the story thru.that was some piece of work. Thank you. Hope to hear from you soon.

But I have some reservations about the plot. For example, Jack has already been hurt once by Caroline; then he's rejected by Hazel, and suddenly she's contrite, apologetic, and he immediately accepts her back. Most men would not under those circumstances. She does not believe in self defense as a fundamental right. Pretty incompatible with Jack's value set.

Danger and a couple of others comment on Caroline's stupidity - she wasn't stupid but was completely narcissistic . I lived this for nine years with my first wife and like here ended up with custody of our two kids. Portrayal of a narcissistic person's thought processes was superb. I now have a friend who is a psychiatrist, and he says that you can't really treat narcissism - he can coach such a person through a situation but in two years with a similar situation he has to coach them through it again. Well done MG.

I really enjoyed all for segments of your story. Well done and very enjoyable. I hope to see many more stories.

Anything less tan 5*s would be from...anonymous

The author is correct. There is a novel-length plot here. Ch 4 reads more like a connect-the-dots of how a fuller story would have led to the final chapter. Some comments have noticed certain plot weaknesses .. I see the same, but I suspect these are the skimmed-over gaps that the author hasn't had time to fill.

In the more typical revenge fantasy in this genre, God's (i.e., the author) moral universe portions out reward and punishment fitting the players' actions. The innocent victim (husband) is generously rewarded, the criminal (wife) is mercilessly punished. On the face of it, God stacks the deck in favour of Jack in this story. Everything goes right for him, new job, new partner. happy kids, everyone swimmingly happy. Or so Jack says.

But I wonder. The rewards of moral universe is interesting if a person earns them through his actions, not as a gift from God.

While poor Damien is given the typical uncompromising punishment, Caroline isn't. I read this as the characters representing a choice, Damien's choice, as reflected in how Caroline acted, is what is punished. The rest of Caroline is given a way out. This is why I think there are undercurrents of plot and character that the author has in mind, but hasn't worked out -- either that or God is still struggling with how to find a logical balance in his moral universe.

The key, perhaps, is in Jack's comment "I'm not a saint and you know it." He isn't? He often seems to be presented that way, so what is he talking about? I've noticed a parallel strand of development to St Jack, his repressed emotions and withdrawal and what another commentator called his passive aggressive tendencies. I've always had the impression, from the writing, that he has lived in denial, emotional or otherwise.

So, God's choice of giving Jack yet another emotionally repressed person to deal with (rather than an emotionally healthier person), and have it all work, gives the impression this is Jack's redemption from something. His forgiving Caroline is a redemption for both. That's what would justify the reward of a happy end. Even Caroline suspects that Jack initially wasn't being nice to her for her sake, but to score points with Hazel.

Consider Caroline's thought that she's lost her children, lost the chance to be grandmother to her children's children. Why has God in his moral universe made this happen? On the surface, Caroline has done nothing to them. Jack seemed to be happy prior to the affair. Why would children turn in their mother for a new model? The story has to be internally consistent. Suppose that she wasn't a good mother after all. But that means the marriage wasn't good, and that Jack was passively sitting in it with his head buried in the sand, playing with the kids and pretending everything was fine. If Caroline was always a dimwit, didn't Jack notice earlier? Did he put up with it? Should he be surprised by the outcome?

Perhaps, then, Jack had his own debts to pay, learn about himself and his contributions to a latently failed marriage, learn some lessons of his own.

What makes this story more interesting that the average are these deeper layers to the narrative that, if worked out, might better describe the moral dilemmas and life lessons involved.

Excellent in every way. you're right (in your introductory remarks) about the "skimmed" feel to the read. And while the entire story could have been enhanced by developing each character and circumstance to greater depths, there was sufficient development to make for an enjoyable read.

Hope to see much more of your work on this site. Kudos!

I am not too vindicative against being a revenge story fan, so I like this part very much. If the children are young the total hate could destroy the life of them.

The Romantic Revenge works totaly against the exwife to see almost every day (to hear from her children) her exhusband's happiness.

According to my categories this story is a Modern Figaro Type Revenge story with excellent Romantic Revenge Situations in the epilog.

BTW To stick pins into the North Americans (The main Homeland of the Revenge Stories is North America) a British wrote this excellent story.

M.G. I enjoyed your story. It was more fullfilling than the usual "kick the bitch to the curb" type. Difficult to believe that a person could be so stupid, but fiction can have many facets. Cheers!

Series structure reminds me a lot of Renquist's series: the betrayal is just the tip of the iceburg. Original, entertaining and polished delivery.

Really nice character development, plot development, too. This story is like a nice red wine: big flavor, subtle nuances, leaving the reader wanting more.

just wonderful - and i thought stang did some stupid women but this one was horrible stupid. a definite 5.

While reading the first section I felt "get on with it!" But, beginning with page one of the second part, I settled in and discovered that the individual thoughts of each charactor absolutely made this story.

Everything was so realistic that I was able to switch from Jack to Caroline and understand each as if I were inside their head.

This is one of the better stories I have read here on LW's. The only problem I had was thinking that I missed something and went back to read again the part where Hazel's father had passed. Even going back and reading it again - it appears as if several paragraphs had been inadvertently eliminated.

Too bad there isn't a long list of other stories by this author to savor.

Bill1104

now that I've had time to read the complete story --- tiresome as Caroline's by lines are (which, I admit too was handled well, by the author, in terms of consistency in her twisted sense of *logic* in her world) --- I changed my over all rating and gave it a 4.5 or so.

Please Sir, may I have more?

Thank You for Writing !!!

Thanks. I was afraid we were heading for a life ending event. Sad, but these things never end much better than this.....

In real life he finds her to be a whore, she leaves him, goes to her lover, divorces her husband taking 70% of the assets and him paying for the kids who are with mom and lizard in a house husband still has to pay for the mortgage, and every one except him lives happily ever after for a couple of 4 years. She finds another lizard to lick her pussy and make her panties wet and it starts all over. Meanwhile the poor bastard and I mean POOR bastard struggles to pay off the bills she ran up and out on and finally after 5 or 10 years finds someone who will really care. Ain't life grand?

Well done. Enjoyable read. The male character has a lot of patience; almost wimpy, almost. The first wife acted like a slut; she was capable of learning though. Over all a good read.

Thank you for explaining what went thru my ex wife's head while I was in Iraq! I swear she said some of the same things! Good thing, we had no children and no house payment. Thank you again for your time and effort.

we teach our girls to be strong and independent

we neglect to tell them it comes

at a price

Long story, good read. There I was on the last page wondering if Caroline was ever going to have her breakthrough - thank God! - you pulled it off. And the bit with little Oliver at the end was nicely handled. She will survive, she might even be happy.

Believable characters, with complexity. Ending was very upbeat for the main characters, with both wives close together geographically and sharing connections and life with the children as well as the Father/Husband. Thanks MortonGrange. Look forward to reading more of your work. Dan

Well developed characters and a plot that had it all, - I have to think a long way back to find another story that fascinates equally. You have definately won another fan.

5 Stars, no doubt.

One) The English talk funny.

Two) Very unbelievable scenario.

Three) 'Caroline' has the mental capacity of a six year old.

And Four) 'Caroline' should have been taught a lesson about what it was she did to everyone around her. As it turned out, she still really didn't understand.

Reminds me of GaryAPB.

This is neci's something we have to talk about exceptionally well done.

I've saved my comments until finishing chapter 4. I really liked the story and the way you developed the characters. They were believable in all respects. Please keep writing. You have the talent to bring enjoyment to those who like a well planned story.

There is no iota of emotion anywhere. Overall, very bad and incompetent writing. One only wonder how this garbage got its high rating. Hmmm... food for thought.

In a second reading of this story, i conclude that it is one of the best on LE. It is a tribute to heights that amateur writers can reach, and the concept that people can contribute to the culture and entertainment of others for the pleasure of doing so. The author is to commended, and I encourage them to continue with what else they have written,be it only half as good.

That some few pan it simple means that there are some dumb enough to use pearls as a substitute for ball bearings.

Chilley

This has depth and understanding beyond almost anything on this site. Shows that life is infinitely complicated but at the center of things actually rather simple. There is right and wrong, and we mostly hide from that simplicity because it so often goes against our immediate self-interest. The author shows all this while mostly avoiding the didactic mode.

Moving, honest, heart-rendering. True to life.

And Caroline, contrary to her author, never really

Learned, as no narcissist ever does.

Wonderful character development. Appreciated the fact that Jack was able to balance keeping his self respect with the needs of his children. Also that Caroline was able to find redemption once she abandoned her self centered justifications for being unfaithful to her family. The score is too low in my opinion.

What was to say has already been said. I couldn´t stop and enjoyed the pleasure of reading it. Wonderfully developed characters along with an accurately developed plot. Thank you.

What a wonderful story and well worth more than the 5 stars I could give each chapter. I know it sounds silly, but I couldn't help feeling sorry for Caroline at the end. Please keep up the good work, you're a great author.

What I liked about your story is the ability you possess to write for Caroline even though we know ithey are not your personal beliefs. It was almost convincing the flawed logic of Caroline to believe that she could have both her husband and lover. The ending was perfect. The title says it all.

Please write more! You are sorely missed. We only have cuckold stories or BTB stories. Your stories examine life on both sides of the aisle of life *****

@ Anon You are wrong. This story is BTB story too. Not only that story is BTB, where the wife was sold to a Central American Whorehouse!

It is difficult to believe that people can be so self centered as to become stupid. You go, Caroline! Good reading, Morton. Cheers!

"That rose you gave me. I'm as sentimental as a nine year old girl like Amy. I'll press it in my copy of Das Kapital, so no one will find it and I'll have it for evermore."

I struggled with this. I found it stilted and emotionless. Character development was meager and conveyed no warmth or depth. In short, I found it not my cup of tea.

One of the worst ! "1*" !!!

emotionless, cold, filled with remorse.

No Joy!

It is not talentless garbage !

It is a very good story.

A galaxy of stars

It really stands out from the other stories in this category. It was equally good, just had a different flavor.

Although I'm a whole hearted supporter of btb, I liked the way the protagonist took his time to sort out his feelings, that he waited to see if she would change. Even after estrangement, he was very civil, that takes strength of character

Fine story-better after 2nd reading

This is a great story...lots of emotion.

You did a good job with some of the "greys" of life. There is no question Caroline was missing some of the tools to understand life as the normal world does. A little selfish to be sure.

Well done.

I think that you encompassed the denigration and feelings of inadequacy of her husband PERFECTLY.

I am reminded of the old saying "a man will change his religion before he changes his diet'.

So by being with that red headed shrew, we get a better sense of exactly how defeated Jack really felt.

Wait...(whisper whisper)...this was supposed to be a romance and not one about the degradation of a male soul?

Oh...um...well done. Full marks. I'm sure she's lovable in some way to some person... (and I used to like Jack...)

Enjoyed the story a lot. Hated Hazel almost as much as Caroline, and Caroline only wins because she is bug nuts crazy or at least she was...I hope...if she's allowed access to ANYONE's child.

I look forward to reading your future submissions.

Thank you

Thanks so much for actually developing your characters - especially your real strong man Jack. Your erudite grasp of the cheater and the proper response by the pained spouse with your encyclopedic use of adjectives and adverbs is far above the 99 percent of submitters to Literotica. I especially related to: "...I don't want to live with a woman who betrays me when it suits her. I'll not do it, even for the children. They deserve something better."

My only disagreement with you personally is your character, 'Hazel.' But my different view of the universe than yours has no impact on my assessment of your novelette.

Please write more stories