Yes, Paris would certainly be seen as exotic (and no doubt erotic too). Memo seemed to be pretty much incapable of love, and I agree, she is the antithesis of Iris. Roy, the poor sap, doesn't recognise a good woman when he has his chance with her, even though as you say,
Bookworm_Girl, she is the first person in whom he felt able to confide his past. That alone should have told him something.
Right at the end of the book after he has had his showdown with Gus Sands, the Judge and Memo:
Quote:
... he fought his overwhelming self-hatred. In each stinking wave of it he remembered some disgusting happening of his life.
He thought, I never did learn anything out of my past life, now I have to suffer again.
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I see just a glimmer of redemption for him in that moment of self-realisation. Sadly it was probably too late for him to be forgiven by Iris for his betrayal of her and of the game.