Strong is Sexy Heroine of the Week: Raina Abbott

Book: He's So Into You
Author: Roxy Wilson
Heroine: Raina Abbott 

The heroine in He's So Into You is Raina Abbott, a preschool teacher who is not only strong, but also sexy. This lady is strong because although she faces seemingly insurmountable odds in an emotionally and psychologically abusive three-year relationship, she deserves praise for her sheer grit. After all, she walks away from her home and her ex, with just her handbag and the clothes on her back and starts her life afresh. Yes, one of the downsides of dealing with her plight while in her relationship is relying heavily on comfort foods, but once Raina lets go she literally gets to stepping on the treadmill and elliptical bike and begins her journey to reclaiming her health. Of course, she is able to lose a considerable amount of weight, and though by today's standards her size 16 figure is still considered plus size, losing 'more than eighty five 'freakin' pounds' is no small feat. While it's true that as she molds herself into that strong woman she wants to become she experiences periods of self doubt and sometimes makes some self-deprecating remarks, in the end she proclaims, she's a "woman deserving love and attention from a kind, decent man. A woman who is ... beautiful both inside and out. An intelligent woman. A woman full of pride because of her accomplishments... a woman worth more than the crumbs she was willing to accept or what she thought she deserved because she felt she didn't matter." What a strong woman Raina is!

Yet, arguably, Raina is not sexy just because she has naturally long locks, or has a cute dimple on her right cheek, or the way she is able to strengthen and transform her body and mind; she's also sexy because of the way she's able to help the hero, Jordan Cooper, open his eyes to the fact that he's not to blame for his fiance's death in a plane crash. Though Jordan sees a therapist to try to overcome his PTSD, it doesn't seem to be very effective. Sweet, sexy Raina shows him the futility of blaming himself for something he couldn't control when she declares,"Could you control the weather? The pilot's actions? Any other thing that went wrong in that plane? ...Things went terribly wrong that day. Naturally. Jordan feels his fiance's parents blame him for their loss, but Raina sets him straight when she informs him that if she was in his fiance's parents' shoes she would at least find peace in the fact that (her) 'daughter's final moments were with a man whom (she) trusted enough to marry her." In fact, Raina gives Jordan a message of hope, a message that confirms that the 'point of our existence is not how long we live but how well we live' and that he should live again, and love again and find happiness again. In this way Raina proves she's quite a sexy lady because in those moments with Jordan she's like the balm of Gilead to heal and soothe Jordan's soul. How sexy is that?


Blurb:

Being badly injured in a plane crash and feeling responsible for losing his fiancé keep Jordan Cooper from getting involved with another woman, but his best friend Caleb talks him into going on a blind date. He’s surprised that in a short time his feelings for Raina Abbott runs deep. Jordan wants more than just one night with her, but he has to convince her first.

Leaving an abusive ex and ending an unhealthy relationship with food still aren’t enough to help Raina Abbott overcome her feelings of insecurity, but her best friend Jayce convinces her that going on a blind date is the first step to boosting her self-confidence and feeling good about herself again. Jordan Cooper shows her that she’s beautiful, both inside and out, but can a date and one night of passion assure her that he’s really into her?

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