Image Credit: Movie still from Dr. Doolittle, 20th Century Fox, 1967
I’m dating myself a bit by talking about Dr. Doolittle’s Push-Me-Pull-You…okay, more than just a bit…a LOT! (But hey, I was only six!) :) The point of the above picture is this: One of the things that always draws me into a good romance is the push and pull between the two main characters. C’mon, you know what I mean. There’s this irresistible force that draws our hero and heroine together, but WAIT! There’s also that thing…or sometimes many things…that pushes them apart.
For the first Miller’s Creek Novel (Texas Roads), city gal Dani Davis is attracted to country boy Steve Miller because of his tender care for her aunt. On the other hand, his kindness seems limited to only her aunt. In fact, Steve’s been nothing but rude to her personally! Steve’s drawn to Dani because her no-nonsense approach to life reminds him so much of his beloved Mama Beth. But her business plan Miller’s Creek infuriates him. To make matters worse, his old geezer buddies and the rest of the town think Dani’s the best thing since sliced bread!
Push-me-pull-you…
In A Path Less Traveled our grieving widow is drawn to our dimpled attorney because of her traumatized son’s attachment to him. (The dimples don’t hurt either…) But is she being untrue to her late husband’s memory by falling for him so soon? From the other side, Andy feels compelled to help Trish and her daddy-starved little boy, but is what he feels nothing more than sympathy?
Push-me-pull-you…
A justice-seeking perfectionist (Gracie Soldano in The Way of Grace) loves Matt Tyler for his good-natured concern and friendship, but, well…he’s a rumpled mess, and she’s looking for perfection. Matt knows Gracie is looking to settle down in her perfect house with her dream man, and have her 2.5 kids and a dog. He’s also frightened that she’s looking at the glitter of a man who is anything but gold. The only problem? The siren life of a musician lures him toward the open road.
Push-me-pull-you…
In Pilgrimage of Promise, Mona Beth hates everything Bo Miller and his uppity family stand for, until she discovers that he’s unaware of how his father has persecuted her parents and others. Then come the years of waiting–for her to graduate from high school and for him to come home to Miller’s Creek after his stint in the Vietnam War. But when he finally comes back, it’s with a wife and child.
Push-me-pull-you…
I recently finished edits to A Bridge Unbroken (releasing soon). In the story, Dakota, a frightened runaway, co-inherits her late grandfather’s farm with the man responsible for the scars on her heart. She’s determined not to let him–or any man, for that matter–hurt her again. But she soon realizes that she still loves him in spite of the blame he’s determined to hang around her neck. Chance, our hero, is finally ready to move past old wounds and grudges, but then discovers the secret Dakota’s kept hidden from him for the past six years.
Push-me-pull-you…
When you think about it, all relationships–even our real-life love stories–have the push-me-pull-you thing going on. Maybe that’s what really makes the world go round… ;)
What books or movies come to mind when you think of the romance push-me-pull-you? Let’s discuss them in the comments!
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This month’s Miller’s Creek Novel giveaway is actually already in progress! There are two different contests–one at my website and one on my Facebook author page–both for a Kindle copy of Texas Roads. You can enter as often as you’d like in either place. Prizes are transferable, so you can choose to pass the book on to someone else if you’re the winner. The giveaways end April 30th. Winners will be contacted via e-mail. I’ll count comments below (those with e-mail addresses) in my website giveaway!
I also have a Kindle e-book giveaway of Pilgrimage of Promise going on HERE.
LINK TO E-BOOK GIVEAWAY OF TEXAS ROADS AT CATHY’S WEBSITE
LINK TO E-BOOK GIVEAWAY OF TEXAS ROADS AT CATHY’S FACEBOOK PAGE
A Texas gal by birth, Cathy enjoys spinning tales set in the fictional town of Miller's Creek, Texas, where the folks are friendly, the iced tea is sweet, and Mama Beth's front porch beckons. When she's not writing heart-stirring stories about God's life-changing grace, you'll find her feeding her reality TV addiction or working on yet another home improvement project in the mountain cabin she shares with her minister husband of over thirty years. Her latest novel, A BRIDGE UNBROKEN, is available at Amazon. You can find out more about Cathy and her books at www.CatBryant.com.
Pride and prejudice
Great example, Taylor! And Wuthering Heights also comes to mind. Such push and pull!
Oh Cathy, what a fun post! I love a good book for all those same reasons. Or movie for that matter. You’ve Got Mail :-) (which is a take on P & P, as Taylor suggested) Becky Wade’s newest novel, Meant to Be Mine, has some great push -me-pull-you factor :-)
It was a fun post to write, Pepper! Don’t really know how Dr. Doolittle made his way to my brain, but it worked for the purpose of the post. LOVE You’ve Got Mail! (With Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, how can you lose?) :)
The movie that pops into mind with the push-me-pull-you concept is Letters to Juliet. Love that movie so much, and it’s that push-me-pull-you that does it for me. That, and Vanessa Redgrave. She’s spunky and tries so hard to help the youngsters along. :) If you haven’t yet seen this one, what are you waiting for? You’ll love it too!
~Andrea
It’s on my to-watch list now for sure, Andrea! Doesn’t it have Amanda Seyfried in it, or am I thinking of a different movie?
Oh yes, Cathy, it does have Amanda in it. She’s brilliant in it. Very spunky.