Some people have said to me, ‘Oh, why don’t you make that develop,’ but I'm not sure whether in real life it would develop." McCall Smith also found that the unfulfilled nature of the relationship was good for the novel, commenting that "Erotic tension is much sexier than fulfilment" and that reading about other people not getting what they want is interesting because "It's the story of all our lives."
Some individuals have advised me, "Why don't you make it develop," but I'm unsure if this would happen in reality." McCall Smith discovered that the unfulfilled nature of a relationship was beneficial for his novel. He noted that "Erotic tension is more appealing than fulfillment" and that reading about others not achieving their desires is engaging because "It resonates with our experiences."