Answering Bell by ilsuocantante

Answering Bell

ilsuocantante

32

200,906

2,626

Edward gave up his dream when his family needed him and Bella is finding hers after heartbreak. Neither may be ready to start a relationship, but can the undeniable attraction be ignored? Should it? AH-AU, slightly OOC.

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So, I've had AB on my to-read list for a looooooong time. I just started reading it right as T got to the heartfail of the fic, and let's face it, I don't do work-in-progress angst. ::shakes head:: So I put it on the back burner, kept it in an open tab in firefox and went about my merry way while she ripped everyone's hearts out. OK...it wasn't THAT bad, but all I can say is that I'm glad I waited to read and didn't have to bite my nails in between updates!!

I love the premise of this fic - an older, more mature Bella and Edward living real lives. One of my absolute favorite parts of this fic was Jake. *gasp* IKR? No, not Jacob (he's still a rat bastard), but little Jake, Bella's 7 year old son. A complete spitfire and hilarious and sarcastic and - not gonna lie - reminds me a lot of what I think my little guy will be like in two years.

I also love the supporting characters she's created, with Rose being my favorite. She is the standard no-nonsense, ballsy Rose we know and love without all the bitchiness.

So besides the great characters, the humor in this fic also sold me - I lol'd many a times reading this and that doesn't happen very often in a fic. Besides the hilarity, the smut is...hawt. This Edward is a sensitive kinda guy, but he has a dirty fucking mouth and isn't afraid to use it. Rawr.

For those that didn't contribute to the Haiti compilation that MsKathy put together, you'll have to wait a few days to read the epi (it will post on FFn 3/1), but it was a perfect glimpse into their future and I really loved how everything was tied up.

I give this 4 out of 5 stethoscopes hanging over the naked chest of Edward... (whaaaaat?)


OK. Hold the front page. The thing that I like best about this fic - is NOT, I repeat NOT Edward. Nor is it Edward & Bella's relationship!

Nope.

Now don't faint down there at the back. I life all the way over in blighty! So I can't come fan you gently until you come round and feed you grapes as you convalesce. So steady on there loves! Yes I know its a shock. As EVERY week, I blether on saying a version of my fave thing is Edward. But in Answering Bell, my very fave thing is Bella's relationship with another.

Yes really!

Now don't wing out dear fellow wussperv's, I am talking about Bella's relationship with Esme.

No! Not like that. Get your mind out of the gutter for a few mins!
Esme is Edward's mother. She is in severe emotional pain and distress, which has caused Edward a whole lot of problems. It has compromised his life choices and his day-to-day life. Bella & Esme strike up a mutual understanding and dependence. Which I think is sensitively & brilliantly conceived. & to me - it is the main strength of this story.

The other thing I love about this story is Bella's relationship with - wait for it ...................................... Jake! **GASP** Hold your horses Wusspervs (again) - I mean Bella's son Jake. He is THE cutest!!! Lovely and cute. The way ilsuocantante writes Bella's relationship with her son strikes me as very genuine and touching. Their bond tugs on my heart strings.

Ok. Wussperv alert. There is some HF near the end. But I actually think (perversely) that they were my favourite chapters - I really felt we got to the root of the characters and their relationship in that scene. I felt that I understood them better and their journey made more sense to me because of it. - that is why I think it was my favourite segment of the story (bar the Dr Cullen role-playing)... ;)

Ok - so lets talk fuck hot docs! :) HELL YEAH! I love fancy dress in the fandom. & there is a champion scene involving Dr Cullen & Naughty Nurse Swan. Rarrrr! Much fun & pleasure to read. Answering Bell is a nice mix of love and loss. As I mentioned above I particularly enjoyed some of the more supplementary interactions. I thought they were pivotal to the story and struck a chord with me somehow. Plus there is a great smattering of sexy times too! four shiny cold stethoscopes out of five from me...


I found this story from TLYDF and a ficdive that GinnyW did. I was hesitant at first because the angst factor was possible. Of course, like Bri, I choose to read it when she's in the middle of drama!

Edward in this is just ungh. A phenomenal son, a great man and just hurting beneath it all looking for someone to help him through it all. I agree hands down with Esme that the relationship between mother and son is just perfect throughout the story and it tugs on the heartstrings. The thing is too that it carries through to Bella and Jake. Wee Jake is just a hoot and sweet.

The big Jake character isn't my favorite but he's not supposed to be. He's really portrayed as a dick and one that is deserving of a whoopin' from Edward.

Their growth throughout the story is what really kept me reading and enjoying it. ILC does a great job with expressing their feelings - both tender moments and dramatic - and you're completely vested in the story by the end.

The smut. Unf. Christ, she doesn't waste any time with getting the UST going. It's a nice climb and holy hell does she ever deliver (a few times over!)

All in all AB is a great read. It's complete (as of 3/1 when the epi goes up) and honestly, I think E/B shippers will enjoy it a great deal.

4 out of 5 stethoscopes


I gotta say, first of all, that I'm not caught up with AB yet. Not due to any lack of motivation or desire to read, just simply a matter of time. Because really, AB is a great story full of humor, hotness, and heartfail. The holy trinity of ff. Am I right?

AB is the story of Bella and Edward, both recovering from some major pain and loss, both more mature, and both in need of some (sexual) healing. I don't want to spoil what happened to either to bring them to this point in life. Suffice it to say the pain is fresh and strong and real. Edward and Bella really do need each other to help heal and move forward.

One of my favorite characters is Jake. Not Jacob. Jake. He's Bella's little creep of a son. And he's simply adorable. You get such a great feel of how it is to raise a dirty boy (something I know NOTHING about). The way he views his mom, his coach, his life is so sweet, simple and beautiful. Comments like this make me want to hug the guts out of him.

"Why did you say he makes me happy?"

He thought for a moment as he munched on his apple slices and cheese. "Well, you're always smiling when he's here. And you laugh a lot, too. You used to be sad all the time, but now you don't cry anymore and you laugh."

He definitely crawls into your heart and nuzzles deep inside.

Jacob on the other hand...is a fucking bastard. And I, like Edward, want to bash his face in.

I also really grew to love both Rosalie and Emmett, especially in their interactions with Edward. Rosalie and Edward are friends. Emmett and Edward are bff, basically brothers (well, now technically brothers through marriage). At one point I was laughing so hard over their homo-erotica conversation, I had to take a step away to breathe properly. They way those two are able to use their sarcasm to help draw the emo out of Edward is a joy to read.

Esme too, is another character ilsuocantante has really developed into more than just a passerby. My heart hurts for her and the opposing feelings she has for her family. A desire to keep them close. A need for them to go out and experience the joy of life. Not to mention she is a fucking riot. She calls Edward a fairy and pretty sure I had a screenspray moment.

Bella coming into her own is great to read, especially after basically being repressed for her entire marriage. Edward is so very hot in his sweet yet dirty words. The smut is...oooh. From the time Bella straddles Edward on her couch to using Junior Mints as a means for minty fresh breath for morning sex...guh.

I'm looking forward to catching up...though based on Bri's heartfail comments I may need someone to hold for awhile. 4 out of 5 stethoscopes


Schmendrick!*

The Wusspervs have really rubbed off on me, and this PackPerv is crying for mercy. While I think that Answering Bell has a lot to offer mainstream Edward/Bella shippers, it just wasn't for me. I will not be going into the spoilery reasons that I've tapped out, like a big fucking pussy. However, I will say that I love her Edward and YES wee Jake (Bella's son) was a surprisly delightful part of the story. Few authors can pull off writing in interesting and likable original character, muchless a child, but she did it.

So go read, while I try to find my big girls pants. le sigh

*Please note: My safe word is not Turpentine, cause I ain't a fucking bottom. If you recognize my safe word than I own you a licking. *wink*


I've been meaning to read "Answering Bell" for months, so it was great to have an excuse to finally get to it. It's been on my to-do list since ilsuocantante won the "Love Through Lemons" award for her one-shot "Never Think." Needless to say, AB was a fun little ride.

I'm a big fan of a strong Bella, and AB's version at the beginning of the story is on the verge of becoming self-aware. She married young and had a child shortly afterwards. She works hard to get her college degree, then her Masters, and ends up in a very different place than her husband, Jacob (surprise, surprise). To add insult to injury, Bella learns that Jacob was having an affair for over a year, while she was working on her degree. Thus, Stop #1 on the road to self-awareness for Bella is to get a divorce and move to Seattle with her boy, whom Emmy delightfully refers to as "wee Jake."

Stop #2 for RSAB ("Road to Self-Awareness Bella"), she befriends Jake's teacher, Alice, and finds a new group of friends as a result. Naturally, one of the friends happens to be Edward, who is nursing his own wounds in a world of hurt (we'll call him "Family Comes First" Edward, or FCFE). When our main characters meet, they are slightly damaged, highly vulnerable, and appear to be unprepared for a new romantic attachment. As is true with canon Edward and Bella, however, their chemistry is undeniable. As is also true in canon E+B, they both attempt to deny it. Suffice it to say, it doesn't work.

Stop #3 for RSAB is a drunken night with Alice, in which they meet up with the boys, sing karaoke, and Bella ends up drinking tequila shots out of Edward's mouth. While she is straddled on his lap. In the middle of the bar. NGL, it made me stop and think, "I wonder if I could do that..." Hehehehe. Both Edward and Bella decide that they want to be just friends after the encounter, at least on the surface. Underneath? They are both simmering with lust.

RSAB + FCFE/PALPABLE LUST = UST

Oh, does it equal UST! These two want each other so badly, yet are determined to take things slowly. Painfully slow. Once these two finally decide to throw caution to the wind, the result is a dirty-talking Edward (UNG) and a more self-confident, sexy Bella determined to finally get what she wants sexually. I think their undeniable draw for one another, and their chemistry, is the most appealing part of AB.

I'm all for self-discovery, and the journey that Bella and Edward take, both separately and together, felt very genuine. I also appreciated the fact that Bella could be a single mom, devoted to her son, wee Jake, and still get what she wanted out of life. Although she had been through some very rough, humbling experiences, she could also rise to the occasion to become fully self-aware. For me, this is rather like an anthem for women in the fandom--don't be afraid to ask for what you want, to be intelligent, and to own your sexuality. In my opinion, that is one hell of a wonderful message to send.

Since I see stethoscopes every day, I decided to give "Answering Bell" 4 out of 5 Wee Jakes