The book was Island in the Dawn, a Harlequin that I had to purchase through AbeBooks. It uses the type of plot that led Literature Devil to state that in romances, women identify with an (ordinary) woman who beats out competitors to get a suitor.
In other words, the plot of Rebecca, which parts of Island in the Dawn quite closely resemble. Like in Rebecca, the main character is young and lovely but not gorgeous and sexy (not a siren). She is criticized by a female "boss" (unlike in Rebecca, the female "boss" of Island is beautiful and young, rather than the older, caustic Mrs. Van Hopper). Like in Rebecca, the hero is slim and handsome and remote and somewhat damaged (quite literally in Island since he nearly lost his eyes). He also has a very nice house. Like in Rebecca, the friendly, gentle, unsophisticated main character has to compete with a dead fiancee/wife who was unfaithful to the hero (though this part of the plot seems rather tacked on with Island).
The main character has a name, Felicity, unlike in Rebecca. Nothing burns down (though there is a hurricane). And there's no Mrs Danvers.
In addition, the main character is--as Literature Devil suggests--the "winner" in the relationship sweeps. In comparison, as I point out in a separate post, with Rebecca's ending, it is not entirely certain if the narrator 's marriage to Maxim was the best choice. She probably would have done better marrying someone else.
There is far too much romance out there to suggest that the plot of "mate selection"--in which a woman is pursued by several suitors due to her being more inherently special than all other contenders--is the common thread in romance.
I suggest the common thread is more universal and human. That is, though men and women largely (statistically) differ over what they read and watch, in the Venn diagram of life, the thread in romance (like in action) is something that men and women have in common. Genre is about focus. Storytelling elements and human character don't change that much.
In fact, Jane Eyre is a fascinating example because the person who truly wants to "win" is Rochester, and he wants to win by being recognized, seen, defended.
Some women enjoy "beating out others" romances, just like some men enjoy revenge plots. But many, many, many women enjoy romances in which the plot circles around the couple sparring, getting to know each other, and having each other's backs. I personally can't stand mystery books where the main female character struggles over which of two men to pick for about 15 volumes (hey, pick them both!). I far prefer the hilarious manga Otomen by Aya Kanno and Cat Sebastian's You Should Be So Lucky, in which the choices are pretty much already a given and the couple work together towards some desired or necessary goal. It's very human.
In sum...
McClane-Powell is a variation on Darcy-Elizabeth. Having someone have your back is something that both men and women totally "get."
Hence, both single and married men and single and married women enjoy Forever, Bones, Castle, animated Beauty & the Beast, and Miyazaki's works.
In the end, I agree that ultimately, "It isn't the gender people connect with. It's the character," as Literature Devil proposes.
