365 Days of Books

In All He Ever Wanted Nicholas Van Tassel sees what he wants and goes after it. What he wants are Etna Bliss and position as Dean at his University. Etna Bliss is an unsuspecting and beautiful young woman and Nicholas wants to posess her. His need for her can only be love (because he says so) and he sets out to get her. He thinks nothing of her life, her wants, her background. He thinks of her only in relation to his control of her and is SURE that all he wants is to have her. She says he doesn't love him but he assures her that he has love enough for both of them. (gag) He pushes her into marriage and is horrified to discover, on their honeymoon, that her hymen is broken. He does not discuss this with her, he does not content himself with her contract of marriage with him. No, he realizes that having her isn't all he wants. Over the next 15 years he tries to bully and smother her into loving him all the while resenting her suspected pre-marriage promiscuity. As Etna gathers herself to find a quiet place for herself to be alone and unpressured, Nicholas tries even harder to control her. Those escalating attempts at control finally drive his wife away and splinters his family for good.

Suffice it to say that his career path suffers from similar trauma and his possession of his dream is unfulfilling.