Hey, welcome back peeps. Today’s discussion of Gabriel’s Inferno by Sylvain Reynard includes a couple of my favorite chapters, so yeah…I’ve been anticipating this week ever since we decided that we simply had to discuss this fabulous book. To be able to share a book that means so much to so many makes Elena and I very happy.

In chapter 13 we’re introduced to Aaron, Rachel’s fiancé. He’s sweet and kind to Julia and from just the few words he says, he seems to love his fiancée deeply. At this point of the novel we’re presented with a sharp contrast between Rachel’s love life and Julia’s. Discuss…

Elena : I liked Aaron immediately. We haven’t really met him at this point but a lot has been said about him. He wants to keep his fiancée at all costs and he’s a very thoughtful guy. He’s very kind to Julia and he loves her as a sister. Rachel says she’s very happy with him and her love life seems pretty fulfilling. Julia’s situation is very different. We got a few hints that she had a past experience that left scars even though we don’t know what it is yet, and then there’s Gabriel. She has deep feelings for him but she doesn’t know if he reciprocates, or rather, she thinks she doesn’t affect him at all, at this point of the novel. I believe every one of us has gone through that kind of inner turmoil Julia is experiencing, so it’s easy to relate to her. It will be interesting to see if she’ll find that kind of love that Aaron and Rachel have for each other…

Tamie: I really like Aaron a lot. Clearly, he loves Rachel deeply and completely. How can you not love a guy like that? When he makes Julia the offer of the plane ticket I was so touched. Elena, I couldn’t agree more about the difference between what Rachel has vs Julia. It’s not just a difference in their love life that’s such a contrast, but also they had such dissimilar family lives as well. One of the things that I admire so much about Julia, as I began to know her better, is that despite having been a victim in her past she chooses to rise above it, and is truly compassionate and kind. She’s chosen to be a survivor rather than a victim, and that takes a lot of courage. It makes me want wonderful things to happen for her very badly. Of course I hope the wonderful involves Gabriel…

In chapter 13 Julia walks by Lobby and finds Gabriel drunk, and Christa all over him. We last saw him fleeing after he received the call from Paulina and now we see him in a compromising situation. Were you surprised to see Gabriel in that state? What were your feelings when you read this scene?

Elena : Yes, I was really surprised and I sensed something was very, very wrong. Something that had to do with Paulina’s call, no doubt. I remembered his anguish when he left on a hurry and I tried to put two and two together. Perhaps he wanted to forget something and decided to turn to drinking. It was clear to me that we weren’t even close to knowing Gabriel’s real past. Something serious is haunting him and the harsh façade he puts up may be a result of deep wounds and a conflicted mind. On one hand I was upset by the situation we found him in but on the other I felt compassion for him. Again, his pain tore at my heartstrings. I wanted him to open up and lay bare his anguish to Julia, share his problems so that she could make him feel worthy of love. But I guess he’s not ready to do so yet.

Tamie: My reaction when Ethan stops Julia and asks for her help with Gabriel? Whoa! And even more so once we see that Christa is involved. I love Julia’s descriptions of Christa…Gollum, Emerson whore…but I like what Gabriel says about her even better “”She’s gone now. I’m glad. She’s a nasty bitch.” At this point, I wasn’t really sure if Gabriel’s state was due to the previous Paulina scene, or whether he was at Lobby “hunting”. I thought there was a lot of humor in the scene as it played out, but sometimes humor masks underlying drama and pain.

Julia decides to help him and take him out of Lobby. What would you have done in Julia’s shoes? And do you think she would have done the same if it wasn’t Gabriel?

Tamie: I think I would’ve done the same thing. I mean no matter what, there’s no question that she has deep feelings for him, and that he’s had a tremendous influence on her since way back in the orchard. Would she have studied Dante, or gone to Italy if not for Gabriel? I think Julia would’ve tried to help anyone she knew in that circumstance, because she’s that type of person. Having said that I think she’s even more motivated because Gabriel is involved.

Elena : Yes, I believe I would have done the same or at least try to persuade him to leave that place. It always hurts when you see someone you care about drunk and out of their mind, especially when you don’t know the reason why they’re doing this. I couldn’t stand there and watch. I would have done something to help him. And yes, I believe Julia would have intervened even if it wasn’t Gabriel, because she’s kind and compassionate. Of course I also think that since it was Gabriel she felt even more propelled to take him out of there.

What are your thoughts on what transpires between Gabriel and Julia after she gets him up to his apartment?

Tamie: Well, a lot of how things played out here was very unexpected for me.  Again, SR uses a lot of humor…which is one of the things I absolutely love about how he writes scenes. One minute I can be on the verge of tears, feeling very anxious, or even raging a bit, and then 2 seconds later he has me laughing and shaking my head. The “Angelfucker” and kitten references are among my favorites…and then the kiss…OMG the kiss. I was pretty beside myself, and I remember thinking…well…it’s about damn time Of course then he totally ruins the mood…but still YOWZA!

Elena: I believe these are the moments in the book where Gabriel and Julia really connect for the first time, since their meeting in the orchard. Yes, Gabriel is still drunk but his real feelings for her come out. There’s also that beautiful scene where he seems to recognize her and where he says ” ‘You found me,’ he murmured. ‘I should have waited. I love you’” This was such a moving scene for me.

In chapter 13 we find out that Gabriel has a tattoo and erotic pictures in his bedroom. What was your reaction when you read about both these facts? Why do you think he put those pictures in his bedroom?

Elena: I didn’t expect Gabriel to have a tattoo, especially THAT tattoo, with a dragon crushing a heart between its two front feet. I immediately wondered at what it could mean. Another mystery about Gabriel I was eager to know more about. And then the photographs… That was totally a jaw-drop moment. I couldn’t really wrap my mind around it. I can only imagine Julia’s feelings when she saw them. I didn’t know if he had them because he liked the women in them or because he wanted to feel surrounded by lust…

Tamie: I was really surprised by the tattoo, and it made me very curious. I wanted to know what it meant, but of course SR keeps us guessing for quite a while. The erotic pictures…I don’t know that I was all that shocked. We know he has a healthy appetite, and that he doesn’t deny his lustful nature. To see it in person though would be quite an eye opener.

In chapter 14 Julia reveals who she is to Gabriel after a very heated altercation with him. Did you like how she decided to tell him? Do you think it was the right moment? And how did you feel about both Gabriel and Julia in this pivotal scene of the book?

Tamie: I felt so badly for Julia…she was so happy and hopeful when she woke up, and then it turns into a massive mess. I liked that she showed some back bone, but the lack of communication and understanding between the two of them was very frustrating as well. I wanted to sit them both down and say…”Look, you’re both making a huge mistake here. Calm down and talk…really talk TO each other…not at”. I ended up feeling sad for the both of them.

Elena: To me, this is one of the most powerful scenes in the whole series. This may surprise some people but I liked how she revealed her true identity to him. If they weren’t under those circumstances probably Julia would have never found the courage to tell him and maybe Gabriel would have never remembered. This moment was fraught with so much pent-up frustration and anger that her revelation had an even greater impact on Gabriel than it could have had, were they in another situation. Needless to say, I felt for both Gabriel and Julia – they were both hurting and I wanted them to reunite and forgive one another.

In chapter 15 Gabriel tries to make amends with flowers, and through a series of phone calls and emails. What did you think about all that? Do you think you would have handled it the same way Julia did? Why or why not?

Elena: This is a very interesting question and difficult to answer. On one hand I believe Julia was tired of his attitude towards her – she was kind to him while he made her feel cheap and she just wanted to forget all about it and him. And I also believe that probably he needed to see her withdrawing in order to fully understand how much he’d been hurting her. Again, sometimes silence does wonders. On the other hand, if Julia had replied to his messages, she’d have put them both out of their misery sooner. In the end I believe Gabriel was presented with the real possibility of losing her for the second time and this made him even more frantic to clear up things between them.

Tamie: UGH! Talk about making me an emotional mess…I went from being mad at Gabriel to feeling really bad for him, and angry at Julia. I was practically yelling at Julia through my Kindle…PICK UP! Talk to him…answer one of his messages. It still makes me feel totally anxious, and I’ve read this scene countless times. It still retains the same impact as it did the first time. Don’t get me wrong…I understand why she’s upset, but he finally knows. Even  if I had reached my limit, I think I would’ve been curious enough that I would’ve responded. I would’ve wanted to hear what he had to say before I made a final decision.

The Dante seminar is a pivotal scene in the book. Thoughts? Feelings? Were you more surprised by Gabriel or Julia during this exchange?

Tamie: This is one of my favorite scenes and chapters of any book I’ve ever read. It is simply brilliant. It’s completely unexpected, and I love how no one but Julia and Gabriel understand what the hell is really going on. The other students know something isn’t right, but they just have no idea. The back and forth volleys between the two of them were just exceptional. To even begin to try to explain this scene to anyone is nearly impossible. It’s something that just must be read.

Elena : What an amazing scene that is! I felt like I was one of the students witnessing everything, as If I was ON the scene. Brilliantly written. I was definitely more surprised by Julia. I didn’t expect she would face up to Gabriel that way and I honestly think she herself didn’t expect to find such a boldness in her. But that proves my point that Julia knows what she wants and she knows how to show it.

When Gabriel ends the seminar by demanding to see Julia in his office, what did you think was going to happen? What was your reaction to the way it turned out?

Tamie: I thought he was going to kick her out of the program, and out of his life…period. I really enjoyed  Gabriel’s dialogue as he recounts what has transpired, the consequences, and what actions they need to take. Then right when I’m sure it’s over…the scene at the door. Holy crap peeps…talk about relief, happiness, and hope? Yeah, all of those and more.

Elena: My first thought? “He’s going to eat her alive, in more ways than one. ” Well, I was definitely happy with how things went down in his office One word -”groan”.

In chapter 16 food is used as foreplay…Discuss.

Elena: Chocolate cake anyone?? I think this explains everything… *giggles* Seriously, though, can Gabriel be even more sensual? I’m not lying when I say that if I were Julia I’d lose any coherent thought whenever Gabriel was near. Chocolate cake is now my favorite dessert

Tamie: Umm…erm…*squirm* The whole dinner is fabulous, but the dessert part? I’d have been putty in his hands at that point to be honest.

Your favorite sentence(s), paragraph(s), scene(s) in these chapters.

**Tamie: I have to say that picking my favorites was the hardest for me to do in this discussion. These don’t even begin to cover it.**

Sentences:

Elena:
“And she knew deep within her heart that kindness, no matter how small, was never wasted.”

” Ti amo Dante. Eccomi Beatrice. I love you Dante. Here I am Beatrice.”

“You found me,’ he murmured, ‘I should have waited. I love you.”

” She wanted to lie in his arms forever and pretend as if they had never been apart.”

“Sometimes people, when left alone, can hear their own hatefulness for themselves.”

” So all this agony was for nothing?”

“You think I’d destroy you? After our history?”

“Tell me that you want me, or get out.”

” One more kiss under the ear, with a flick of his tongue, more of a promise than a farewell, and Gabriel stopped.”

“She bewitched him, blood and flesh.”

Tamie:

“And she knew deep within her heart that kindness, no matter how small, was never wasted.”

“What the fuck are you doing in my underwear, jumping around my living room?”

His tone slid across her skin like an ice cube.

“I started this clusterfuck by changing my lecture, but you finished it, Julianne, and you finished it with the equivalent of a hydrogen bomb.”

” So all this agony was for nothing?”

“Tell me that you want me, or get out.”

“After a moment or two, he tilted her head back slightly- a silent plea.”

“There were timid introductions as their tongues met first as friends, shy and soft, then as lovers, sensual and erotic, as the heat exploded in their mouths and the dance of the two became a tango of one.”

“He grinned wickedly at her silent acquiescence before slowly drawing her fingers into his mouth, one by one, sucking them slowly and swirling his tongue unhurriedly around the tips.”

Paragraphs :

Tamie:

“Because that’s what he is Miss Mitchell. Or rather what he hopes he will become. Over my dead body. You tell him that- tell him he fucks with the angel at his peril.”

“You, Miss Mitchell,” he breathed, his voice suddenly husky. “You’re taking me to bed, but you haven’t even kissed me yet. Don’t you think we should start with kissing and maybe some canoodling on the couch for a couple of evenings? Then work up to bed? I haven’t even had  a chance to pet you, you naughty kitty. And you are a virgin, aren’t you?”

“She wasn’t sure how long they kissed, but by the time he released her Julia’s head was spinning. It was transcendent. It was emotional. The momentary fulfillment of her heart’s deepest longing. Memories and dreams of the orchard came flooding back. They were not the stuff of her imagination- the spark, the attraction, was real and so stirring to her soul. She had not imagined it, but she wondered if he felt it too. Or perhaps he was immune to those kinds of feelings now.”

“And you hurt me. Is revenge everything you dreamed it might be?” Gabriel continued whispering, his warm breath huffing across her cheek. “You’ve transformed from a rabbit into a furious kitten. Well, you scratched me deeply today, my kitten. You drew blood with every word. Are you happy now? Now that you’ve humiliated me in front of my students by reciting all my secret sins? It was a true bonfire of the vanities, with you lighting the flame.”

“Bullshit. Is that what you think? That this is a power trip?’ Gabriel pulled her book bag from her tense and twisted fingers and cast it aside. He spun her around and grasped her face, moving his hands to the curves of her cheeks. ‘You think I’d destroy you? After our history?”

“Lazy but curious hands caressed naked skin, exploring gently but chastely. Sighs commingled in the dark as two souls breathed as one. Two heartbeats synchronized when they recognized one another. And two troubled, conflicted minds finally came to rest.”

Elena:

” She imagined him falling asleep at night, every night, looking at Beatrice’s face. It was the last thing he would see at night and the first thing he would see in the morning. Julia hadn’t known that he owned that painting. He was the reason why she owned it; was she, by any chance, the reason why he did?”

“He might have been shy instead of angry or sad. He might have been noble and good. If Julia and he had been closer in age, he might have kissed her on her father’s porch, taken her to the prom, and made love to her for the first time on a blanket under the stars, in the old orchard behind his parents’ house. She might have been his first, in some more perfect universe.”

“Bullshit. Is that what you think? That this is a power trip?’ Gabriel pulled her book bag from her tense and twisted fingers and cast it aside. He spun her around and grasped her face, moving his hands to the curves of her cheeks. ‘You think I’d destroy you? After our history?”

“It was better than Gabriel imagined–so much better than in his dreams or imagination. She was real. Beatrice was real. As he pressed his lips to hers and explored her mouth, he could say in those moments that she was his, body and soul. If only for those moments. “

“Lazy but curious hands caressed naked skin, exploring gently but chastely. Sighs commingled in the dark as two souls breathed as one. Two heartbeats synchronized when they recognized one another. And two troubled, conflicted minds finally came to rest.”

Scenes:

Tamie:

Gabriel’s messages.  The seminar and afterwards in his office.

Elena:

The seminar scene and the scene in his office.

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Amazing chapters we discussed today peeps, don’t you think?

Tamie and Elena