To me if i really see it from MC perspective the Alexis path is written more engaging. Of course she lies not to know MC but my personal approach is also that this is no big deal. And i didnt recognized her as manipulative anyway. The story of Erynn Fans about that Erynn claims MC for herself for so long and was desperatley waiting for him... and using this to mob and blackmail Alexis i cant really get out of the game.
in the romantic scenes where we learn that Alexis cared for MC as a child and MC was also her first kiss ...this was really very engaging.
I feel there should've been more levels(and options) to this... besides i'm done with you forever and all is forgiven... and a second "true" get to know you, since the first one was under false pretenses, it jumps straight into committed relationship.I feel like that's basically every female character in the game.
Well Alexis lying to the PC wasn't completely without drama. He was a little conflicted about it as far as I remember and she had to apologize to him, which was an adequate outcome imo, because from the perspective of the PC it wasn't ever such a big deal. After all it was the PC who went radio silent on everyone and it's not like he had much of a relationship with Alexis, when they were younger anyway. He also avoided Erynn himself for awhile after moving back in with his mom.
Of course if you are on the same page as her and madly in love, it kinda works, but if you were just messing around with her(like i was) it has no option, you either get into a relationship that i'm totally not there or jump off the bus entirely.
Other girls have a better build up, imo, Elena you can see her affection growing and her internal conflict, Gabi is conflicted between marriage, professionalism vs lust, and Erynn just has history and baggage... lots and lots of baggage.
Even Layla, who is fairly straightforward(besides the other girls possibly creating tension), and loves the MC from the first moment, at least her build up is slow enough for you to get on the same page and get affectionate for her.