Thank you clarifying a bit. I was mostly reacting to your following statement:

>If he can’t hold a conversation (ability to speak not relevant) then generally speaking he shouldn’t be having sex.

This reads, to me, that someone who cannot articulate or express themselves in some way (speech, sign, writing) during an extended back-and-forth interaction should be excluded from sexual pleasure.

Having minimal experience interacting with people could result in language deprivation, and an inability to form meaningful and healthy connections with others. This I imagine is the explanation for his codependency (many deaf individuals are codependent, usually as a result of language deprivation and longterm isolation—though I know now that Archer is hearing, I can see many parallels from what I’m gathering here).

So I do get a sense of realism here, insofar as language and psychology. (But again, I have not read this book.)

Unequal power dynamics are more understandable as issues, especially in romances. From your description, I’m getting a sort of Jane Eyre and Rochester vibe (the ending, specifically).