Not in Love Chapter 27 – Believe me, I’ve tried

Spoiler Notice: This summary and analysis contains detailed plot points from Chapter 27 of Not in Love. If you have not read the book, proceed with caution.

Summary

Eli arrives at Rue’s apartment after her frantic call and finds her brother Vincent camped outside. He calmly intimidates Vincent into leaving, then enters Rue’s home. He comforts her as she cries, something she rarely does. During their conversation, Eli recounts the most painful story of his life: how he gained custody of his sister Maya at age twenty-five after both parents died, how he struggled to raise a grieving, angry teenager, and how that experience—though marred by years of conflict—ultimately shaped him. Rue listens without judgment. Afterward, they have sex, but this time it is different: Eli focuses entirely on Rue’s pleasure, and she achieves a climactic release she did not think herself capable of. He confesses that he cannot stop wanting her, and she leads him into her bedroom—a space she has likely never shared with anyone.

Key Events

Eli arrives at Rue’s apartment building and confronts Vincent in the hallway. He warns Vincent that if Rue gets sad, Eli will get mad, and there will be consequences.
Vincent leaves only after Eli threatens legal action via his team of lawyers.
Rue lets Eli inside. She is crying and embarrassed. He holds her without any sexual expectation.
Eli tells Rue the story of how he became Maya’s guardian: his mother died of leukemia, his father died in a car accident fourteen months later.
He describes the difficult years with Maya—slashed tires, slammed doors, screaming matches—and how she chose to attend university in Scotland to get away from him.
Rue asks Eli “Were you okay?”—a question no one had ever asked him before.
Rue initiates sex. Eli clarifies he did not come for that, but she says she did not call for that, and they proceed.
For the first time, Eli brings Rue to orgasm while he is inside her, a breakthrough they both recognize.
He whispers, “I can’t make it stop, Rue. Believe me, I’ve tried.”

Character Development

Eli reveals enormous vulnerability in this chapter. He shares the trauma of losing both parents and the decade-long struggle to raise a sister who resented him. His confession that he cannot stand his own birthday shows lasting grief. He also admits he is falling for Rue, and he is terrified of how deeply he feels.

Rue shows a softer, more fragile side. She cries in front of Eli, which she says she rarely does. She asks a genuinely caring question about his well-being. Later, she initiates sex not as a transaction or a distraction, but as a choice—and she experiences a new level of physical trust with him.

Vincent reinforces his role as an antagonist who cannot respect boundaries. Eli’s handling of him, however, indicates that Rue’s brother may be more pathetic than dangerous.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Emotional reciprocity. Eli’s story about Maya mirrors Rue’s situation with Vince: both feel responsible for a younger sibling who acts out. This parallel deepens their understanding of each other.
The bedroom as sanctuary. Rue’s messy bedroom is a space she has likely never shared. Eli’s awe at being let in symbolizes the emotional trust she is granting him.
Gardens and growth. Rue’s apartment is a lush indoor garden. This motif of cultivation suggests patience, care, and the possibility of nurturing something delicate—much like their relationship.
Control and surrender. Eli’s physical control during sex contrasts with the loss of control he admits to feeling emotionally. Rue surrendering to an orgasm during intercourse marks a breakthrough in her own self-trust.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 27 is the emotional turning point of the novel. It is the first time Rue cries in front of Eli and the first time he shares the full story of his past. Their physical intimacy evolves from a “just sex” arrangement into something that feels dangerous and real. Eli’s declaration that he cannot stop wanting her—and that he has tried—crystallizes the central conflict: Rue must decide whether she is willing to risk a real relationship.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Eli tell Rue about Maya when he is comforting her about Vincent? Eli uses his own experience to show Rue she is not alone in feeling torn between love and frustration with a sibling. He hopes that by being vulnerable, she will feel safe enough to be vulnerable in return. His story also demonstrates that difficult family relationships can eventually heal, giving her hope.

2. What is significant about Rue’s question “Were you okay?” No one had ever asked Eli that before; everyone focused on Maya. The question shows that Rue sees him as a person with his own pain, not just a caretaker. It deepens their emotional bond and prompts Eli to reveal more than he usually does.

3. How does the sex in this chapter differ from their previous encounters? Earlier encounters were controlled by Rue and focused on her pleasure or on a kind of emotional distance. Here, Eli initiates a new position that allows him to give her an orgasm during intercourse, something she did not think possible. The act becomes an expression of trust and intimacy rather than just physical release.