Chapter 35: Chapter Thirty-Two (Julian) – Summary & Analysis
Spoiler Warning: This page contains detailed plot points from Chapter Thirty-Five of Love Redesigned. If you have not read this chapter, proceed with caution.
Summary
In this chapter, Julian conspires with his brother Rafa to launch a new prank against Dahlia, one meant to scare her for months. Despite Rafa’s initial reluctance—citing past legal trouble from their earlier prank war—Julian convinces him by promising no harm will come to anyone, especially Dahlia. Meanwhile, Julian has returned to carpentry at the Founder’s house, carving balusters in a tent set up in the backyard. The work is slow and frustrating; he struggles to regain his former skill, a task made harder by memories of his father’s old woodshop. Dahlia finds him there, now free of her arm cast. She examines his work and declares it beautiful, adding that Julian’s father would be proud. Moved, Julian admits the piece is not perfect, but Dahlia insists it exceeds that.
Dahlia notices Julian’s stress when his phone buzzes with work messages. She offers to help manage some of his business meetings to free him for the Founder’s house project. Julian hesitates but eventually considers the idea. Their conversation shifts to Dahlia’s plans after the New Year; she mentions returning to her design firm’s waitlist of clients, implying she will leave Lake Wisteria. Julian presses, asking if she could design from there. She does not outright reject the idea, and Julian resolves to find a way to make her stay.
Key Events
- Julian and Rafa agree to plan a prank on Dahlia, with Rafa’s help secured after some persuasion.
- Julian begins carving balusters for the Founder’s house, struggling with perfection and learning to accept mistakes.
- Dahlia arrives without her cast, inspects his work, and offers emotional praise about his father.
- Dahlia volunteers to take over some of Julian’s business responsibilities.
- Dahlia hints at leaving after New Year to attend to her client waitlist, but does not refuse the possibility of staying.
Character Development
- Julian: This chapter shows Julian reconnecting with his carpentry skill, a passion tied to his father’s legacy. He allows himself to be vulnerable when Dahlia’s praise moves him. He also grows in trust—considering Dahlia’s offer to help with work and opening up to Rafa about his feelings (“So what if I am?” about falling for her). His determination to keep Dahlia in town marks a shift from passive longing to active problem-solving.
- Dahlia: She demonstrates care and perceptiveness by noticing Julian’s stress and offering practical support. Her compliment about his father shows emotional intelligence. Her honesty about her career plans reveals her independence, but her openness to Julian’s suggestion hints at reconsidering her future.
- Rafa: Though reluctant, Rafa agrees to help Julian, showing loyalty and a willingness to engage in their shared past antics. His teasing about Julian falling for Dahlia again underscores the brothers’ evolving dynamic.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Prank War as Metaphor: The planned prank represents Julian’s desire to reconnect with Dahlia through their familiar, playful rivalry. It also allows him and Rafa to bond over shared history.
- Carpentry and Legacy: Julian’s woodworking is a direct link to his deceased father. The freed from the old woodshop, he can finally reclaim a craft that once defined him. Dahlia’s words about his father’s pride reinforce the theme of carrying on a family legacy.
- Trust and Delegation: Julian’s inability to delegate emerges as a key obstacle. Dahlia’s offer to help forces him to consider sharing control, a sign of emotional growth.
- Departure as Tension: Dahlia’s planned return to her career introduces tension about whether their relationship can sustain long-distance or if Julian will persuade her to stay. This motif of “home” versus “career” runs throughout the novel.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens Julian’s emotional arc by showing him actively working on a project he abandoned after his father’s death. Dahlia’s praise is a turning point that validates his skills and his choice to return to carpentry. It also advances their romantic relationship: Julian’s question about Dahlia staying after New Year forces both to consider their future together. The chapter balances lighthearted prank plotting with serious personal growth, setting up a critical choice for Dahlia in later chapters.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Julian initially struggle with carving the balusters, and how does he overcome this?
Julian has been out of practice for years and feels pressure from memories of his father’s old woodshop. He overcomes the struggle by reminding himself why he is doing the work and by allowing himself to make mistakes, discarding failed pieces and trying again until he achieves the desired design.
2. What does Dahlia’s offer to help with Julian’s business meetings reveal about her character?
It reveals her practical nature, her willingness to support Julian, and her desire to feel productive and challenged. She is not content to simply wait; she actively seeks ways to contribute, showing both her independence and her deepening investment in their partnership.
3. How does the conversation about Dahlia leaving after New Year create narrative tension?
Julian’s direct question and Dahlia’s vague response leave their future uncertain. The reader understands that Dahlia’s career is important to her, but her failure to outright reject working from Lake Wisteria hints at the possibility she might stay. This tension drives Julian’s determination and builds anticipation for their next decisions.