For the first 50 or so chapters, the author tries his best to characterise the protagonist with a set of characteristics; cunning, scheming, and ruthless. At one point, he was even contemplating whether he should kill his own mother for power! For his ambitions, he is willing to sacrifice anything and everything. And I respect that, truly I do.
And then he meets Ashara Dayne (chapter 49). So begins one of the cringiest romances I've ever had the displeasure to read about on this site. During the first meeting, the MC just gapes at Ashara for a whole minute, unable to utter a word. The second meeting MC calls her Ash, and she calls him Ed (MC's full name is Edward). Third meeting, the MC is declaring his undying love for Ashara, solemnly promising in his mind that he will do anything within his power to keep her happy. Even if this means abandoning much of his ambitions (the very same ambitions which led to the MC sending his own father [father!] to death). The MC at this point becomes a feminist's wetdream.
If this isn't enough, the object of MC's affections, Ashara Dayne, has two words which best describe her personality: promiscuous slut. In cannon lore, she sleeps with more men than Lys' number 1 prostitute.