Many defenders of this book see the abuse that Claire suffers at the hands of Jamie as valid and as something done for a "good cause". She made a decision that put herself and others in danger and the beating he gave her was a direct consequence of that action.

If this were anything but a love story I could stomach it for the sake of the plot. Because Outlander is a romance, I am turned off from the entire series completely.

More's the pity, because Sam Heughan is such a good looking man and I would not have minded watching him in (sexy, non violent) action.