People make questionable choices in their lives all the time.
What a wonderful introduction to a new author. The secondary romance of Raoul and Aline and how Raoul set up the initial game to capture Aline's attention and engages her in it despite her best intentions was wonderful. It made a great counterplay to the main, seriously gripping romance of Galeran and Jehanne. Both were richly detailed relationships between complex and very human people. Absolutely delightful to read a romance that breaks the formula.