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Look on the Bright Side


From the author of Pack Up the Moon comes a funny, romantic, and moving novel ...
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After seven years, Lark finally feels attracted to someone again. Why Dante? What qualities does he have that affect Lark? Did you suspect that Dante had met Lark before?

Created: 06/12/24

Replies: 12

Posted Jun. 12, 2024 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
kimk

Join Date: 10/16/10

Posts: 1160

After seven years, Lark finally feels attracted to someone again. Why Dante? What qualities does he have that affect Lark? Did you suspect that Dante had met Lark before?

After seven years, Lark finally feels attracted to someone again. Why Dante? What qualities does he have that affect Lark? Did you suspect that Dante had met Lark before?


Posted Jun. 13, 2024 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
conniehg

Join Date: 04/12/24

Posts: 20

RE: After seven years, Lark finally ...

I think that Lark and Dante had a spark when they first met. They seem to have a lot in common. Dante made Lark feel calm and safe, he was easy to talk with and he was kind to people. It was a surprise to me that Dante had met Lark before.


Posted Jun. 13, 2024 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Lyris

Join Date: 02/09/23

Posts: 126

RE: After seven years, Lark finally ...

I think this was a bit contrived - got to have a happy ending for Lark - complete with true love after losing the love of her life.


Posted Jun. 13, 2024 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Lyris

Join Date: 02/09/23

Posts: 126

RE: After seven years, Lark finally ...

One of the things I liked about Dante was that he loved his brother. Despite his hurt over what happened with his girlfriend, he realized his brother had been right about her gold digging and was actually trying to help him.

When Lark told him she wasn't really Santini's girlfriend, he understood why his brother had set up the ruse (out of his love for Noni - another difficult to love character and one whom the family also mocked repeatedly) and was more sympathetic to him than to Lark who had "lied to his family." He wasn't willing to have a relationship with her without talking to his brother first.

He was probably my favorite character. Lark - who was so quick to judge "Dr. Satan" - was sometimes so smugly over the top morally superior to him that she got on my nerves.


Posted Jun. 14, 2024 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
DianeP495

Join Date: 03/16/24

Posts: 11

RE: After seven years, Lark finally ...

I thought Dante was so genuine and sincere and I’m sure that was so attractive to Lark after being with Dr. Satan. I really could not stand him and his arrogance. Although he was very upfront with the terms. I really thought he would fall for Lark!


Posted Jun. 14, 2024 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
ScribblingScribe

Join Date: 02/29/16

Posts: 236

RE: After seven years, Lark finally ...

Dante was kind at heart and truly cared about people. He was the perfect foil for his brother's closed off personality. That he and Lark had met on her worst day gave their attraction a tragic air.


Posted Jun. 14, 2024 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
carriem

Join Date: 10/19/20

Posts: 266

RE: After seven years, Lark finally ...

I agree with conniehg regarding the spark between Lark and Dante but in addition i think there was strong feeling of genuineness that further united them after a difficult start because of the misunderstanding concerning the brother.


Posted Jun. 16, 2024 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
gvieth

Join Date: 02/26/21

Posts: 72

RE: After seven years, Lark finally ...

I didn’t suspect they had met before. I think she enjoyed his lack of pretense, kindness, and sense of humor. It didn't hurt that he was a hot fireman.


Posted Jun. 16, 2024 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
elizabethk

Join Date: 06/11/11

Posts: 47

RE: After seven years, Lark finally ...

Dante was a "down to earth" person. He and Lark just seemed to mesh from the beginning. I did not suspect that they had met before.


Posted Jun. 17, 2024 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
edithk

Join Date: 10/05/23

Posts: 11

RE: After seven years, Lark finally ...

I did not think Dante and Lark met previously. I did think the ending was a little too sweet! But after Dr. Satan, any other relationship would be more real.


Posted Jul. 02, 2024 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
JHSiess

Join Date: 06/12/22

Posts: 123

RE: After seven years, Lark finally ...

I knew immediately that Lark was going to fall for Lorenzo's brother and that was going to be the happy ending. I did not suspect they had met previously until Higgins kept reiterating that Lark had an unusual reaction to Dante every time they encountered each other. It was not the typical romantic attraction, so it was clear that she was telegraphing something else.

Their mutual attraction was entirely understandable since they were both in helping professions. They both chose careers that require a certain level of sacrifice, compassion, empathy, and the ability to compartmentalize & withstand stress. So they could relate. Dante recognized Lark immediately, so he was obviously touched by her distress and grief on the day she took her to the hospital. Lark did not come from a wealthy family nor did Dante, and nether of them was particularly interested in material things, unlike Lorenzo who tried to use his financial status to make people love him & fill voids in his emotional life. Higgins use of the hot fireman trope was very effective!


Posted Jul. 03, 2024 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Marcia S

Join Date: 02/08/16

Posts: 537

RE: After seven years, Lark finally ...

I was surprised they’d met before. They were attracted because they were both caring and empathetic.


Posted Jul. 05, 2024 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
MimiJo

Join Date: 02/28/20

Posts: 34

RE: After seven years, Lark finally ...

You could see the spark that Lark had with Dante from the beginning, but it was awhile before I realized they had met before. Some things are just meant to be and this was the case here.


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